Most Anticipated Science Fiction Releases of 2025
- Snowlock Books
- Jan 10
- 14 min read
Updated: Feb 19
2025 is shaping up to be an extraordinary one for science fiction enthusiasts. In this post, we'll take a closer look at the science fiction books that have us buzzing with excitement. From epic space operas and cyberpunk to mind-bending time travel and hard science-fiction, these anticipated releases are sure to captivate your imagination and keep you turning pages late into the night. This year features releases from Nnedi Okorafor, John Scalzi, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Vajra Chandrasekera. So, prepare your reading list and get ready to embark on some unforgettable adventures. Let's dive into the future together!
Are you curious about upcoming fantasy releases? Check out these blog posts:
We've scoured publisher catalogs to compile our most anticipated science fiction releases. Several of the books on this list are later entries in series. To avoid spoilers for earlier books in the series we've taken the care to hide the majority of the jacket copy. To read more about any given book, simply click the dropdown arrow to view the whole jacket copy.
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
January 14
In this exhilarating tale by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, a disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of the narrative--a surprisingly cutting, yet heartfelt drama about art and love, identity and connection, and, ultimately, what makes us human. This is a story unlike anything you've read before.
Galaxy Raiders: Abyss by Ian Douglas
Galaxy Raiders #1
February 4
The riveting and deeply immersive first installment in a new military sci-fi series--pitting amortal humans against a mystifying alien intelligence in a galaxy-spanning conflict--from New York Times bestselling author Ian Douglas.
Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow
Martin Hench #3
February 18
New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow returns to the world of Red Team Blues to bring us the origin story of Martin Hench and the most powerful new tool for crime ever invented: the personal computer.
The Sea Eternal by Emery Robin
Empire Without End #2
March 11
From one of the most original voices in science fiction comes the spectacular sequel to the epic, interstellar love story that began in The Stars Undying.
Rose/House by Arkady Martine
March 11
Rose/House is a breathtaking and taut sci-fi gothic thriller from Arkady Martine, Hugo Award-winning author of A Memory Called Empire.
The Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi
March 18
In this riveting science fiction novel from acclaimed author Philip Fracassi, a scientist has unlocked the mysteries of time travel. This is not the story you think you know. And the rules are only the beginning.
The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal
Lady Astronaut #4
March 18
Mary Robinette Kowal returns to Mars in this latest entry to the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Lady Astronaut series.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
March 25
New York Times bestseller John Scalzi flies you to the moon with his most fantastic tale to date: When the Moon Hits Your Eye
Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler
April 1
All systems fail. All societies crumble. All worlds end. In the authoritarian Federation, there is a plot to assassinate and replace the President, a man who has downloaded his mind to a succession of new bodies to maintain his grip on power. Meanwhile, on the fringes of a Western Europe that has renounced human governance in favor of ostensibly more efficient, objective, and peaceful AI Prime Ministers, an experimental artificial mind is malfunctioning, threatening to set off a chain of events that may spell the end of the Western world.
Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera
June 18
Rakesfall is a groundbreaking, standalone science fiction epic about two souls bound together from here until the ends of time, from the author of The Saint of Bright Doors.
Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty
July 1
Amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian has just about got her bearings aboard the space station she calls home, but now the physical embodiment of the Internet is on its way, and it's bringing murder with it.
Observer by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress
September 23
Observer, by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress is a slick modern, hard sf, standalone, medical thriller combining classic Robin Cook with the hard edge of Black Mirror and Altered Carbon.
All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu
Julia Z #1
October 14
Award-winning author Ken Liu returns with his first sci-fi thriller in a brand-new series following former “orphan hacker” Julia Z as she is thrust into a high-stakes adventure where she must use her cybersecurity and hacking skills to unravel a virtual reality mystery, rescue a kidnapped dream artist, and confront the blurred lines between technology, identity, and the power of shared dreams.
Slow Gods by Claire North
September 16
Slow Gods is the galaxy-spanning tale of one man's impossible life charted against the fate of humanity amongst the stars--a powerfully imaginative space opera from multi-award-winning author Claire North.
Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson
December 9
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy―comes Tailored Realities, a new short fiction collection including the never-before-published novella Moment Zero.
Other Titles Expected in 2025
All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu
October 2025
Julia Z, a young woman who gained notoriety at 14 as the "orphan hacker," is trying to live a life of obscurity in a Boston suburb. But when a lawyer whose famous artist wife has been kidnapped by dangerous criminals barges into her life, Julia is forced to use her unique skillset to track her down. The result is a harrowing journey across the country and deep into the shadows of her psyche.
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
Winter 2025
Says Fonda Lee, "My next novel, The Last Contract of Isako, is a cyberpunk samurai space opera (without the space) that I describe as what you’d get if Akira Kurosawa wrote Dune starring a 50-something give-no-fucks swordswoman on her last job, blended with vibes of Blade Runner plus a touch of John Wick."
Shadows Upon Time by Christopher Ruocchio
Sun Eater #7
Red God by Pierce Brown
Red Rising #7
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