Just because the future is uncertain, doesn’t mean your reading list has to be. Science fiction is having one of its most exciting eras in decades. It’s a renaissance powered equally by blockbuster authors, brilliant emerging voices, and indie writers roaring onto the scene in rocket-powered, tachyon-encrusted glory. Whether you’re into space noir, time-bending eco-speculation, queer cosmic dread, or philosophical robot anxiety (hi, Murderbot fans), this year’s lineup has something to offer every flavor of futurist.
Below are 10 new sci-fi books you should absolutely have on your radar in 2026. Let’s dive in!
1. Halcyon Years — Alastair Reynolds
Jan 27, 2026
Reynolds, the creator of Revelation Space universe, returns with what is being described as a “noir-infused space opera,” which sounds like someone dipped a pen in the DNA of Cowboy Bebop and wrote a book.
It’s all about Yuri Gagarin, a private investigator who has been asked to look into a high-profile murder aboard the starship, Halcyon. However, this case is far beyond his scope, and two mysterious women, Ruby Red and Ruby Blue, are pulling him in opposite directions. We expect fast-paced action combined with beloved genre tropes, leading to an edge-of-your-seat finale.
2. The Forest on the Edge of Time — Jasmin Kirkbride
Feb 3, 2026
Dr. Jasmin Kirkbride is more active as an editor, academic, and indie/short-form writer than a novelist. But for those who like their sci-fi thoughtful, time-fractured, and just a touch metaphysical, her next novel blends climate fiction with speculative temporality. Her Amazon page describes it as The Bone Clocks meets The Future of Another Timeline—a book that asks not just where humanity is going, but whether time itself is even willing to take us there.
If you’re a fan of the dream-crossing intimacy of Your Name or the psycho-metaphysics of Paprika, Kirkbride’s 2026 novel promises to join this intertextual family in a very fitting way.
3. The Infinite State — Richard Swan
Aug 4, 2026
In what is possibly one of the most timely entries on this list, Swan shifts from fantasy to full-bore sci-fi with an “eviscerating examination of totalitarianism.” (A sentence I had to read twice because I thought it said “eviscerating exTERMination of totalitarianism.”)
This seems like it’s going to be the kind of story that makes you whisper, “Wow, that’s bleak,” as you read into the wee hours of the morning. It’s an excellent pick for readers who want to dive into a dystopia with emerging hope as the protagonists work together to escape the iron grip of fascism.
4. Voidverse — Damien Ober
Mar 10, 2026
Marketed as Dune meets Wool, Ober’s upcoming space-opera introduces “The Sinker,” a vengeance-driven protagonist navigating a universe on the brink. The pitch alone screams “cult classic in the making.” Expect big ideas, cosmic horror vibes, and possibly a few existential crises stuck between the pages. It’s certainly a promising indie-leaning title that deserves more buzz than it’s currently getting.
5. Hell’s Heart — Alexis Hall
Mar 12, 2026
A “sapphic Moby Dick in space” was not on our 2026 literary bingo card, but it’s here and it’s glorious. Hall’s upcoming novel blends queer identity, cosmic horror, and operatic revenge. If the idea of hunting an unknowable cosmic leviathan sounds like your kind of Tuesday, this demands a first-place spot on your reading list.
6. Detour — Jeff Rake & Rob Hart
Jan 13, 2026
A shuttle crew returns home only to discover that Earth isn’t quite…Earth anymore. Rake and Hart (of Netflix’s Manifest and Best-Seller The Warehouse, respectively) go for psychological sci-fi, exploring dislocation, identity rupture, and the ever-creeping dread of “what if the world moved on without you?” This sounds like it’s going to be perfect for fans of The Twilight Zone and The Martian who like a slow burn with a sharp edge.
7. Platform Decay — Martha Wells
May 5, 2026
Murderbot returns—a sentence that would, at any other time in history, be met with screaming and panic—now simply reminds us that there is a series about a socially anxious, hyper-competent security construct. Early buzz for Wells’ new entry into the Murderbot saga suggests more corporate malfeasance, more reluctant heroics, and more emotional gut-punches delivered by a robot who just wants to be left alone.
8. Sublimation — Isabel J. Kim (2026)
Jun 2, 2026
In this world, when you immigrate, you leave a copy of yourself behind, and now Soyoung Rose Kang is wondering what it would be like to get a do-over. Isabel J. Kim has already made a name for herself in short fiction circles, and her debut novel Sublimation aims to elevate the immigrant story by asking “how far would you go to live a life you left behind?” We expect unsettling truths, political intrigue, and emotionally resonant dialogue that never holds back.
9. The Subtle Art of Folding Space — John Chu
Apr 7, 2026
The Subtle Art of Folding Space offers a mind-bending ride through quantum physics, grief, and generational trauma—with the kind of grounded, human stakes that make hard sci-fi feel personal. It’s exactly the kind of ambitious, cerebral novel readers come to the genre for, and judging by its description, this one is going to hit us right in the feels.
10. The Dorians — Nick Cutter
May 19, 2026
If you’ve noticed a distinct lack of horror on our list, we’ve got you covered. The Dorians brings terror and bio-speculation to the fore—a grimly compelling science-fiction horror about aging and memory that asks, “what price would you pay for eternal youth?” Knowing Cutter’s earlier work–The Troop and The Queen–this novel won’t be for the faint of heart. But if you’re craving something dark, rich, and philosophically twisted, click the pre-order button and wait in dread.
2026 is shaping up to be one of sci-fi’s most compelling lineups in years with a blend of returning titans, bold newcomers, and quiet innovations from indie voices who deserve more attention.
Whether your tastes run philosophical, political, romantic, cosmic, or catastrophically weird, this list should give you plenty to look forward to.
