Summary

• Quite a few compelling sci-fi books have already come out in 2024, including Those Beyond the Wall and Ghost Station.
• Several more intriguing sci-fi releases are slated for the remainder of the year, including some from well-known authors.
• The sci-fi releases explore themes like climate change, artificial intelligence, and more.

Several great best sci-fi movies or the best books in the genre, this type of storytelling has the capacity to explore the future and what could become of humanity. Sci-fi narratives also look at how technology can evolve over time, as well as how the environment might progress in relationship to living things.

Needless to say, sci-fi stories offer necessary explorations of relevant topics — though some of them also lean into more outlandish themes, separating themselves enough from reality to deliver on the escapism as well. It's no wonder sci-fi is such a popular genre, and the continued publication of books in this category speaks to its success. Some great sci-fi novels, like Micaiah Johnson's Those Beyond the Wall and S.A. Barnes' Ghost Station, have already hit shelves in 2024. More are slated to arrive during the remainder of the year, and they promise to deliver on all the elements that make sci-fi great.

7 Archangels of Funk By Andrea Hairston

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Andrea Hairston's Archangels of Funk is getting positive reviews ahead of its May 2024 release, and it's one of the sci-fi books that will tackle a dystopian setting that feels all too possible. Set after the Water Wars have rocked the world, Archangels of Funk will follow Cinnamon, who is losing hope in making this world a better place. Even her Next World Festival isn't stopping hopelessness from consuming her. But with her elders insisting she go through with the event, Cinnamon must determine how to move forward — even with interference from groups like the nostalgia militia and Darknet Lords.

It's always fascinating to see an author's take on the future, even if it's a bit bleak. But Hairston's 2024 release sounds like it contains glimmers of hope as well, making it an ideal read for anyone giving into despair. The Water Wars is a concept often discussed, and Archangels of Funk is digging into that possibility and showing what humanity could look like on the other side. It's well worth picking up because of that premise alone, though every element of Cinnamon's story sounds entertaining and gripping.

6 The Ministry Of Time By Kaliane Bradley

Release Date: May 7, 2024

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is another exciting sci-fi release slated for May 2024, as it will combine time travel with a spy narrative and a love story. Set in a not-so-distant future, The Ministry of Time follows a civil servant who's asked to determine if time travel is possible without destroying the traveler's body — and the space-time continuum. She does this by working with an expat from the 1840s, who she's tasked with monitoring. However, their close living quarters soon turn their professional dynamic into something more.

A fun romp that combines multiple genres, The Ministry of Time sounds like a can't-miss sci-fi release of 2024.

A fun romp that combines multiple genres, The Ministry of Time sounds like a can't-miss sci-fi release of 2024. It's far less dystopian than many of the other novels hitting shelves, so it's perfect for anyone looking for a more lighthearted sci-fi read. Its positive reviews also bode well, promising an all-around good time for those picking this up. Its cover is also eye-grabbing — and while that shouldn't be the only factor in picking up a new release, it certainly does help the book's case.

5 Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Release Date: May 21, 2024

Lost Ark Dreaming takes place in a world ravaged by climate change, and Suyi Davies' release will explore how class status will affect the impact of environmental disaster on human beings. Set decades after the Atlantic Ocean rose to dangerous levels, Lost Ark Dreaming will follow the survivors in West Africa, all of whom are living in towers that were originally built for unrelated reasons. The wealthy control everyone else from the top of these towers, leaving those less fortunate to survive on the partly submerged levels of these structures. And they aren't the only people scorned by the elite.

Many people were left to tragic fates when the ocean began to rise, and some are reawakened in Lost Ark Dreaming. These beings are out for revenge against the people who deemed them unworthy of survival. Those living in the towers will need to come together to survive their vengeance and the ever-threatening environment. They are the last hope for humanity, meaning the stakes will be higher than ever in Okungbowa's must-read 2024 release.

4 Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Release Date: June 4, 2024

Adrian Tchaikovsky's Service Model also depends on the premise of humanity dying, but in this book, their doom comes at the hands of robots and artificial intelligence. Such creations have taken over the labor market when Service Model opens. When one robot gets the idea to murder its owner, it kicks off a high-stakes narrative that feels all too relevant to real-life conversations surrounding AI. After the robot kills its owner, it learns more about the world it resides in. This pushes the human/robot hierarchy to crumble, with the technology once meant for humans' well-being now having the opposite impact.

Service Model arrives at an interesting time for readers, as the sci-fi novel is poised to discuss important topics related to technological advancements.

Needless to say, Service Model arrives at an interesting time for readers, as the sci-fi novel is poised to discuss important topics related to technological advancements. It's also an ideal read for anyone looking for a thrilling sci-fi narrative with plenty of action and political intrigue. Tchaikovsky's Children of Time series proved a gripping addition to the sci-fi landscape, and the author's latest book promises to be just as compelling. It's a novel to keep an eye out for during the summer 2024 release season.

3 Rogue Sequence By Zac Topping

Release Date: June 11, 2024

Zac Topping's Rogue Sequence hits shelves this June, and it takes a bleak stance on the future of humanity — much like many of the other books on this list. Set in the year 2091, Rogue Sequence takes place in a world where independent contract companies are creating "genetically modified soldiers." The end result can only be negative, especially with these organizations pawning their soldiers off to anyone offering enough money. Rogue Sequence will follow Ander Rade, one of the soldiers in question, as he's captured and forced into a life very different from the one he was built for.

And Rade's life changes yet again when the Genetic Compliance Department of the United American Provinces shows up and asks for a favor. With the organization declaring his kind a threat, he's tasked with hunting his own. This will gain him freedom, but it also puts Rade in an increasingly complicated situation. Needless to say, his story sounds like a gripping one that readers won't be able to put down. It's undoubtedly one of the most interesting sci-fi books hitting shelves in 2024, and it's an ideal choice for anyone who enjoys a bit of politics in their sci-fi stories.

2 Gravity Lost By L.M. Sagas

Release Date: July 23, 2024

Gravity Lost is the second installment in L.M. Sagas' Ambit's Run series, and it promises to raise the stakes and expand on the story told in Cascade Failure. Pitched for fans of Guardians of the Galaxy, Gravity Lost will see the Ambit gang handing Isaiah Drestyn over to the Union. Unfortunately, this doesn't end their adventure in the way they think it will. With so many powerful people seeking Drestyn, the Ambit crew is forced to break him out and uncover some of his greatest secrets. It's for their own good, and its importance might even go beyond that.

Gravity Lost sounds like a compelling character study, especially for readers who enjoyed Cascade Failure.

Even if retrieving Drestyn is for the best, the of the Ambit crew will have significant obstacles to overcome in this sequel. According to its synopsis, these challenges could force them to take a hard look at themselves and the people around them. Overall, Gravity Lost sounds like a compelling character study, especially for readers who enjoyed Cascade Failure. The opportunity to dig deeper into these characters is exciting, and it will be a pleasure to spend more time in Sagas' thrilling sci-fi world.

1 The Mercy Of The Gods By James S.A. Corey

Release Date: August 6, 2024

The sci-fi duo that goes by the name James S.A. Corey brought readers The Expanse, and now they're kicking off another series with The Mercy of the Gods. The Mercy of the Gods will follow The Carryx, described in the synopsis as "part empire, part hive," as they contend with a massive threat — one that may force them to work alongside the humans residing on the planet Anjiin in order to survive. of course, the Carryx only takes the smartest humans living there, wiping out the rest. And The Mercy of the Gods follows Dafyd, who's chosen by The Carryx to help.

Dafyd finds himself in the middle of a confrontation that goes far beyond anything he knows, and the humans chosen alongside him soon realize that they'll need to manipulate The Carryx to survive. With plenty of political intrigue, The Mercy of the Gods sounds poised to keep readers on edge from start to finish. Given who the authors are, readers can expect this to be one of the best sci-fi books of the year — and surely one of the most anticipated. It could kick off a The Expanse. Even if it doesn't, it still sounds more than worthwhile.