Fantasy and Sci-Fi Fanatics

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

This is a rare venture into sci-fi for Sanderson, but it’s just as good as his fantasy books! In this adventure story, you’ll meet Spensa–a girl determined to defy the leader of the fighter pilots and prove she’s not a coward by becoming the best fighter pilot her planet’s ever seen.

The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen

A dragon story like you’ve never read before. Here, the dragons live in space, each bound to a planet. Some lucky people get to ride them, like Lunar Jones, who’s unexpectedly picked to be the captain of a dragon ship. With the dragon’s help, he has to figure out how to save his dying planet.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

This is the fourth and last book in the Lunar Chronicles–a series in which each book each retells a different fairytale in a futuristic setting. Winter is the retelling of Snow White, and takes place on the moon where the evil queen lives. It follows the girl Winter, a handsome palace guard, and characters from the previous books as they try to start a revolution.

Please note: You must read the other books in the series for this one to make sense. But they’re well worth your time; these remain some of my favorite books of all time. ❤️

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

When the luxury spaceliner carrying Lilac and Tarver crashes into a planet, they’re the only ones who survive. They join forces to explore the planet and find help, and maybe fall in love in the process. 😏 But when they discover the truth behind the whispers haunting their steps, their plight becomes even more dangerous.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

We’ve all heard about this book! But in case you’ve forgotten, this is the story of Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe–one of the most popular boys in high school–who travel space and time to find Meg’s father. He disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government, and on the journey, each character will face unexpected danger.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

A dystopian novel set on another planet in which Todd can hear everything the men on their village think, and they hear everything he thinks. He realizes the town is hiding something from him and escapes, only to find a strange creature: a girl. Why wasn’t she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Find out by reading this thrilling book!

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

In this dystopian novel set on Mars, Darrow is a Red, the member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. He soon discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Motivated by a desire for justice, Darrow decides to infiltrate the proving ground for the dominant Gold caste. He will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies… even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Even though this is an epic fantasy series, it clearly takes place on another planet–Roshar. So if you want to participate in our fantasy/sci-fi reading challenge but don’t want to venture into a sci-fi book, this will be more your cup of tea. But be warned: they’re intense and won’t let you go easily until you read all five massive books (which are well worth the time!).

Dune by Frank Herbert

Another book that’s more fantasy than sci-fi and made popular by a semi-recent remake. Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family, is tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for…

The Martian by Andy Weir

Another book that takes place on Mars, but sadly, there are no dragons in this one. But if you’re into survival stories, hard science, and solving problems, you’ll enjoy this one! Be warned: it does have a fair bit of cussing.

Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton

This book features clones, an icy/inhospitable planet, and potential hostile locals. But there’s plenty of witty and lighthearted moments too as Mickey7, an Expendable sent to explore the planet, returns from being presumed dead to meet the new clone: Mickey8. He must keep the new clone’s presence a secret as they fight to survive.

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton

Dalton Greaves represents Unity–a confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood. But when a confrontation between his ship and another leaves him marooned on a newly discovered world, Dalton will need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse to survive.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied droid–a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.

The Stardust Grail by Yumi Kitasei

A heist story that takes place in space! Maya must find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Except no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren’t the only ones hunting for it. You won’t visit just one planet in this book, but several. Get ready for a wild ride!

Walk the Vanish Earth by Erin Swan

A sweeping family epic, told over seven generations, as America changes and so does its dream. This is a story about the end of the world–but also about the beginning of something entirely new.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

Okay, so this one’s more fantasy than sci-fi, and for you dragon lovers out there, you’re in luck! Lessa’s new bond with a dragon Queen comes at just the right time as an evil substance begins to fall and destroys everything it touches. Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her dragon, to save her world.

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

If you enjoy philosophy and deeper thought on your journey into space, then you’ve come to the right place. Dr. Ransom, a Cambridge academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to Mars (which seems to be the preferred planet for sci-fi authors to write about). His captors are plotting to plunder the planet’s treasures and plan to offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live there. Ransom discovers he has come from the ‘silent planet’ – Earth – whose tragic story is known throughout the universe…

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

This book is a collection of different stories about humanity’s repeated attempts to colonize the red planet. Most of the first people succumbed to a disease they called the Great Loneliness. The few that survived found no welcome on Mars. The shape-changing Martians thought they were lunatics and locked them up. And other odd things happen; read the book to find out what!

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

Winter is an alien world whose inhabitants spend most of their time without a gender. Genly Ai–a lone human emmissary–travels to the planet to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

After twelve thousand years of supreme rule, the Galactic Empire is dying. Hari Seldon can see into the future–to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.