Science Fiction Bargain Book Box

Science Fiction Bargain Book Box

This collection features seventeen visionary works of science fiction, ranging from hard-science space exploration and multiverse epics to award-nominated queer space operas. The selection traverses diverse thematic landscapes, including deep-space murder mysteries, dystopian futures, and the complex intersection of technology and human evolution. Readers will encounter narratives from acclaimed authors such as Neal Stephenson, Naomi Alderman, and Stephen Baxter, offering a blend of high-stakes action and profound philosophical inquiry. This box serves as a comprehensive look at the genre's ability to examine our own world by projecting our greatest hopes and fears into the stars and beyond.

1. Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth In a dying world where the last of humanity clings to a single city, Antigone's fate is tied to the preservation of her father's legacy. After her parents are murdered, she must navigate a treacherous political landscape ruled by a ruthless tyrant who controls the very genes of his subjects. She struggles to protect her siblings while uncovering the truth about a society built on manipulation and ancient myths. This reimagining of the classic Antigone story explores the ethics of genetic engineering and the cost of rebellion in a sterile future.

2. The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson Asha is a young woman living in a futuristic London under the rule of a galactic empire, while Obi is a time-traveler from the eighteenth century. Their lives collide across the centuries as they discover a shared destiny to liberate humanity from a timeless and oppressive force. Together, they must navigate a multiverse of possibilities to find the key to a revolution that spans both space and time. This longlisted TikTok Book Awards title blends epic space opera with historical fantasy to examine themes of legacy and liberation.

3. Creation Node by Stephen Baxter In the year 2255, a mysterious and massive object appears in the outer reaches of the solar system, appearing to be a gateway to a distant galaxy. A diverse crew of scientists and explorers is dispatched to investigate the phenomenon, only to discover it is a "creation node" capable of birthing new universes. As they delve deeper into the structure, they face profound questions about the origins of life and the ultimate fate of the cosmos. This hard science fiction epic showcases a vision of human expansion and the terrifying scale of the unknown.

4. The Flight of the Aphrodite by S J Morden Commander Maryam 'Maz' vanderHoven leads a mission to the Jupiter system to salvage a derelict spacecraft that holds the potential to save a resource-starved Earth. The crew soon discovers that the ship was not abandoned due to a mechanical failure, but because of a dark secret hidden within its logs. As tensions rise among the salvagers, Maz must maintain order while fighting a hidden threat that could destroy them all. It is a claustrophobic and high-stakes thriller that explores the psychological toll of long-term space travel and corporate greed.

5. The First Murder On Mars by Sam Wilson Mars is a harsh frontier colonized by those seeking a new start, but the social hierarchies of Earth have been replicated in the red dust. When a high-profile citizen is found dead in a sealed habitat, a jaded investigator must navigate a web of corruption to find the killer. He discovers that the motive for the crime is tied to the very survival of the colony and a secret that could spark a civil war. This gritty noir mystery examines the political and environmental pressures of building a society on a hostile planet.

6. The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord As the people of Earth prepare for a first contact event with an alien civilization, the planet's internal political divisions threaten to derail the diplomatic process. A group of visionaries and activists must work behind the scenes to unify a fractured world before the visitors arrive. The narrative follows several characters as they navigate the social and ethical implications of joining a broader galactic community. This longlisted Women's Prize for Fiction novel is a thoughtful exploration of global cooperation and the future of human identity.

7. The Mars House by Natasha Pulley In a future where Earth has become uninhabitable, a refugee named July survives on Mars as a member of the lower class, physically burdened by the planet's lower gravity. He is offered a chance at citizenship through a marriage of convenience to a high-ranking politician with radical views on planetary naturalization. As they navigate their fake relationship, they uncover a conspiracy that threatens the safety of all refugees living in the colony. This imaginative novel blends political satire with a touching romance to examine themes of climate change and social justice.

8. The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard Xich Si is a bot-maker who is captured by a powerful pirate fleet and forced into a marriage with the sentient mind of a legendary pirate ship. The Rice Fish, mourning her human wife, seeks Xich Si's help to solve a mystery involving the sudden death of her previous spouse. Together, they must navigate the treacherous politics of space-faring clans to uncover a plot that could destroy the entire fleet. This Arthur C. Clarke Award-shortlisted space opera features a unique blend of Vietnamese culture and high-tech sentient machinery.

9. Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey Physicist Hadiz Alam discovers a way to travel between parallel Earths, hoping to find a world that has solved the environmental crises threatening her own. She accidentally alerts the Pandominion, a vast empire spanning thousands of realities, which views her discovery as a threat to their total control. A war across dimensions erupts, drawing in a diverse cast of characters from different versions of history who must fight for their autonomy. This epic start to a new series explores the scientific and social consequences of a true multiverse conflict.

10. Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell Prince Kiem, a charming but unreliable member of the imperial family, is forced into an arranged marriage with Jainan, the widower of a recently deceased noble. Their union is vital to maintaining a fragile peace treaty between their planet and the galactic empire that oversees their solar system. As they investigate the suspicious circumstances of the previous husband's death, they must learn to trust each other amid a sea of political secrets. This queer space opera is a blend of slow-burn romance and high-stakes diplomacy set among the stars.

11. Fortuna by Kristyn Merbeth Scorpia is the pilot of the Fortuna, a smuggling ship run by her dysfunctional family as they navigate the volatile politics of a five-planet system. When a deal goes wrong, the family finds themselves caught in the middle of a brewing rebellion that threatens to ignite a full-scale interplanetary war. Scorpia must balance her loyalty to her kin with the realization that their actions have devastating consequences for innocent people. This fast-paced space adventure focuses on family dynamics and the gritty reality of life on the fringes of space.

12. Forgotten Worlds by D Nolan Clark A group of aging pilots and mercenaries is recruited for one final mission to defend a remote mining colony from an overwhelming alien armada. The defenders must rely on obsolete technology and their decades of experience to stand a chance against a highly advanced and mysterious foe. As the battle begins, they discover that the colony is hiding an ancient artifact that the aliens will stop at nothing to retrieve. This classic military science fiction story emphasizes the themes of sacrifice, honor, and the enduring spirit of seasoned warriors.

13. The Andromeda Evolution by Michael Crichton Fifty years after the original Andromeda incident, a mysterious structure is detected in the Brazilian rainforest that appears to be growing at an exponential rate. A new team of scientists is assembled to investigate the site and determine if the lethal extraterrestrial organism has returned to Earth. They must navigate a landscape of biological hazards and geopolitical tensions to prevent a global extinction event before the organism spreads. This sequel to the techno-thriller classic updates the scientific concepts for the modern era while maintaining the original's tension.

14. The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei Maya Hoshimoto was once a legendary art thief who specialized in retrieving stolen cultural artifacts from across the galaxy for their rightful owners. Now living a quiet life, she is pulled back into the world of high-stakes heists when an old friend reveals the location of a mythical alien relic. The object is said to have the power to save her friend's dying species, but Maya must outsmart a ruthless billionaire to claim it. This space-faring heist adventure explores themes of cultural heritage and the ethics of artifact preservation in the stars.

15. Extinction by Bradley Somer In a world ravaged by climate change and ecological collapse, a park ranger is tasked with protecting the last surviving member of a mountain species. He must navigate a dangerous wilderness while being hunted by a group of poachers who seek the animal for its immense black-market value. The story is a tense race for survival that highlights the fragile beauty of the natural world and the human capacity for both destruction and protection. It serves as a poignant and timely examination of the consequences of the sixth mass extinction event.

16. The Future by Naomi Alderman A group of survivalist billionaires has spent years preparing for the end of the world in luxurious bunkers, but their plans are disrupted by a clever group of activists. The story explores the intersection of high-stakes technology, corporate greed, and the human desire for a sustainable and equitable future. As the global systems begin to fail, the characters must decide if they will save only themselves or work to preserve humanity as a whole. This provocative novel examines the ethical dilemmas of the digital age and the power of collective action.

17. Polostan by Neal Stephenson Set in the early twentieth century, the story follows a young woman named Dawn as she navigates the volatile world of international espionage and scientific breakthroughs. Her journey takes her from the streets of Depression-era America to the heart of the Soviet Union during the rise of the atomic age. She becomes caught in a web of political intrigue that involves the development of the most powerful weapons in human history. This first book of the Bomb Light series is a meticulously researched blend of historical fiction and the origins of modern science.