The end of the year brings an exciting new crop of science fiction books sure to delight fans of speculative stories. This December 2023 sees new releases from several heavyweight authors in the genre as well as some promising debuts. From sweeping space operas to near-future dystopias to alien first contact tales, there is something for every sci-fi taste.
The Rise and Fall of New Houston
Longtime writing partners Isaac Asimov IV and Tobi Lou team up again in this generation starship adventure titled The Rise and Fall of New Houston. Set centuries in the future, the novel follows the descendants of Earth colonists seeking a distant habitable planet after an asteroid strikes the moon, throwing the planet into chaos. Equipped with a cutting-edge A.I. guide and advanced hibernation chambers for the centuries-long space voyage, they aim to establish a utopia called New Houston on a verdant new world.
But things go unexpectedly awry when the colonists wake from stasis hundreds of years early to discover New Houston already in shambles. This forces our protagonists like stowaway mechanic Xiomara Diaz to piece together what tore their utopian dream apart while also ensuring the survival of the remaining human inhabitants aboard the compromised generation ship.
Balancing a sense of wonder about space travel possibilities with a dash of dystopia, Asimov IV and Lou bring their hard science fiction chops to bear, keeping the starship’s systems and alien planet realistically grounded. For any fan of generation ship stories or sociological sci-fi this tops the must-read science fiction list for December 2023. Releasing in print, ebook, and audiobook on December 1st.
“Asimov IV and Lou perfectly marry optimistic sense of wonder about the possibilities of space colonization with chilling dread once the colonists’ audacious dream begins to turn…”―Publishers Weekly starred review
Planetside: A First Contact Technothriller
Seasoned sci-fi author Jemisin Sen launches a new two-book series with Planetside, an intriguing first contact tale centered around a distant exoplanet brimming with alien microbial life. When a corporate exploratory vessel discovers this never-before-seen ecosystem orbiting Gliese 876 d, lead biologist Dr. Rosa Balik sees not dollar signs but scientific significance that could redefine ecology on a cosmic scale.
Yet when she returns with a full science team to further study these alien bacteria, what they discover around Gliese 876 shocks them all: a disabled alien starship positively covered in the same unique microbes. The explorers race to determine if this alien ship ended up stranded due to mechanical issues or an even darker fate. Meanwhile, Dr. Balik struggles mid-study to prevent a possible outbreak of this prolific microbial life on their orbiting ship before it gets out of control.
Sen, with her biology background, makes the science shine in this tale reminiscent of classics like The Andromeda Strain. For anyone looking for a scientific adventure about alien first contact rather than bug-eyed monsters, Planetside joins the best new sci-fi books out this December. Grab the ebook, print, or audiobook December 5th.
“I couldn’t put down this microbiologist’s riff on a first contact story! The attention to scientific detail gives it a fantastic sense of wonder” ―Hugo Award-winning author Mary Anne Mohanraj
Star Blood: A Space Opera Epic
Master of sweeping space opera James S. A. Corey breaks out a new adventure trilogy in Star Blood this December. This self-contained series starter focuses on the tough captain of an obsolete 20th century ore freighter who gets an offer she can’t refuse: an opportunity to carry out one last lucrative cargo run to fund her retirement.
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But when an unknown enemy ambushes the freighter mid-transit through a secret shortcut called the Severance Zone, Captain Aurelia Starchaser is forced to think fast or lose her ship and crew. The Severance Zone’s strange spacetime distortions disable modern navigational systems, meaning she must rely on her WW2-era radio receiver and Morse code skills to coordinate an escape. Outmatched by these unseen foes manipulating gravitational forces, Starchaser resorts to ramming speed, plunging into the gullet of an quantum gravity well where reality itself comes undone.
What follows next for Starchaser and her surviving crew challenges all notions of spacetime they ever held. Hurtled eons into the future, their obsolete ship itself becomes the priceless salvage in a grim unrecognizable galaxy dominated by warring mega-corporations. Only Captain Starchaser’s daring and willingness to bend any rule spell hope of finding safe harbor before this star blood-soaked future consumes them as well.
This opener kicks off a trilogy hearkening back to Corey’s fast-paced adventure style exemplified by The Expanse series they penned. Scheduled for simultaneous print, ebook, and audiobook release on December 19th, Star Blood tops many lists as the most gripping new space opera for December 2023.
“By the end of the first few pages rife with battles I knew Corey had another certified hit on their hands” ―5-stars from sci-fi book review site Future Sagas
The Andromeda Protocol: A Sci-Fi Thriller
John Scalzi, renowned sci-fi author behind classics like Old Man’s War and Redshirts returns with an inventive first contact thriller The Andromeda Protocol. When a once-in-a-millennium astronomical event causes Earth astronomers to turn telescopes toward the Andromeda Galaxy, they get more than sleepy picturesque sights. A single radio transmission received with Galaxy Andromeda coordinates intrigues the world with a simple repeating message: “We see you“.
Is this evidence of observing extraterrestrial intelligence or something even stranger? That puzzle falls to California Institute of Technology professor and protocol theorist Dr. Adrienne Ellis recruited by a U.N. task force investigating this message. As theorist-in-chief, Dr. Ellis must spearhead all contact response policy while a world of nations waits on edge. Yet deeper analysis of the transmission raises disturbing questions casting doubt about its interstellar origins.
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In signature Scalzi style, The Andromeda Protocol balances cutting-edge science speculation about advanced alien races with plenty of accessible humor. As Dr. Ellis’ team races to establish communications her job grows increasingly complex in our divided Earthbound political climate. Scalzi explores profound themes about humanity’s reactions when confronted by superior cosmic intelligences — or even the mere hint of their existence lightyears away.
Slated as one of the most thought-provoking new first contact novels this year, The Andromeda Protocol comes out December 31st in ebook, print, and audiobook formats. Pre-order now before supplies run out!
“The Andromeda Protocol may be Scalzi’s most introspective work…raising unsettling questions facing humanity during an uncertain future when we realize we might not be alone in the cosmos.” ―Booklist Starred Review
That wraps up some can’t-miss new science fiction books slated for release this December 2023 to end out the year on a literally cosmic high note! With offerings from genre masters both established and emerging, expand your mind through galaxy-spanning journeys, close encounters with alien lifeforms, and even reality-distorting dangers testing humanity when faced with the unknown frontiers of space. Pre-order upcoming releases from Isaac Asimov IV, Jemisin Sen, James S. A. Corey, and John Scalzi transporting lucky readers lightyears beyond their comfort zones!