Welcome to Tuesday TBR, your weekly dose of bookish recommendations perfectly paired with a cuppa and your favourite biscuits. This week, we're venturing beyond the realms of fantasy and into the vast expanse of science fiction. Whether you're after heart-pounding space adventures, mind-bending time travel, or gentle philosophical explorations, we've curated five stellar reads to add to your ever-growing TBR pile.
From BookTok sensations to award-winning classics, these sci-fi novels offer something for everyone, including readers who might be dipping their toes into the genre for the first time. Grab your tea, settle in, and let's discover your next favourite read.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Genre: Hard Science Fiction, Space Adventure, First Contact
Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he's there. As his memories slowly return, he discovers he's humanity's last hope. An extinction-level threat is dimming Earth's sun, and Ryland, a former schoolteacher turned reluctant astronaut, must solve an impossible scientific puzzle to save everyone he's ever known. The twist? He's not alone out here in the vast emptiness of space.
From the bestselling author of The Martian comes a page-turner that combines rigorous science with genuine heart and unexpected friendship. Andy Weir delivers another accessible yet scientifically plausible adventure that has captivated readers worldwide and earned praise from everyone from Brandon Sanderson to George R.R. Martin. With a Ryan Gosling film adaptation on the horizon, there's never been a better time to pick up this modern sci-fi classic.
Why You Should Read It
From the author of The Martian, this is widely considered his finest work
Accessible hard sci-fi that doesn't require a science degree to enjoy
Features one of the most beloved unexpected friendships in recent fiction
Perfect balance of humour, tension, and emotional depth throughout
Hugo Award finalist and named one of the best books of the year
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Time Travel, Spy Thriller
In the near future, a British government ministry has discovered a door through time. They've begun rescuing historical figures from the moments before their deaths and bringing them to the present day, assigning each a "bridge" to help them navigate modern life. Our unnamed narrator, a British-Cambodian civil servant, is tasked with looking after Commander Graham Gore, an Arctic explorer who died on the doomed Franklin expedition. What begins as awkward cohabitation evolves into something far more complicated, all while sinister forces move in the shadows.
This debut novel exploded onto the literary scene in 2024, winning the Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction and earning a place on Barack Obama's summer reading list. Kaliane Bradley blends time travel, workplace comedy, and swoony romance into something utterly unique, with comparisons to everything from The Time Traveler's Wife to A Gentleman in Moscow. A BBC adaptation is already in the works.
Why You Should Read It
Winner of the 2024 Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction
One of Barack Obama's favourite books of summer 2024
Unique blend of time travel, romance, and spy thriller elements
Witty, intelligent writing that appeals to literary and genre fans alike
Features a charming fish-out-of-water Arctic explorer protagonist
Perfect entry point for readers new to science fiction
A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot Series) by Becky Chambers
Genre: Cosy Science Fiction, Solarpunk, Philosophical Fiction
Centuries ago, the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and promptly walked away from human civilisation, disappearing into the wild forests. Now they're the stuff of legend. Sibling Dex is a tea monk who travels the roads of their moon, offering comfort and conversation to anyone who needs it. But despite a life dedicated to helping others, Dex finds themselves restless and unfulfilled. When they venture into the wilderness seeking answers, they encounter Mosscap, a robot curious about one simple question: What do humans need?
Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers is the undisputed queen of cosy science fiction, crafting hopeful futures that feel like a warm hug. This solarpunk novella and its sequel offer something radically different from dystopian doom: a world that actually made things better, populated by genuinely kind people (and robots) asking thoughtful questions about purpose and contentment. It's the literary equivalent of a cup of tea on a rainy day.
Why You Should Read It
Hugo Award-winning novella from a beloved author
Perfect introduction to solarpunk and cosy science fiction
Gentle, philosophical exploration of purpose and fulfilment
Optimistic vision of a post-climate-crisis world that chose kindness
Short enough to read in an afternoon, profound enough to stay with you
Ideal for readers who find traditional sci-fi too dark or intimidating
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Genre: Epic Science Fiction, Space Opera, Evolution
Humanity's last survivors flee a dying Earth aboard the Gilgamesh, seeking a terraformed planet prepared by their ancestors. What they find is not the pristine paradise they expected. In the millennia since the world was abandoned, a nanovirus intended to uplift monkeys has instead accelerated the evolution of spiders. Now a civilisation of intelligent arachnids has developed art, science, religion, and technology, and they're not keen on sharing their world with the hairless apes who claim to have made it.
Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Hugo Award for Best Series, Adrian Tchaikovsky's masterpiece spans thousands of years and alternates between the desperate human survivors and generations of evolving spiders. Yes, spiders. But even arachnophobes have fallen in love with Portia and her descendants, whose society Tchaikovsky renders with such detail and empathy that you'll find yourself cheering for the eight-legged underdogs. With the fourth book, Children of Strife, releasing in March 2026, now is the perfect time to start this remarkable series.
Why You Should Read It
Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel
Series winner of the Hugo Award for Best Series in 2023
Utterly original premise that somehow makes spiders sympathetic
Epic scope spanning millennia of evolution and survival
Fascinating exploration of how non-human intelligence might develop
Perfect for readers who love ambitious, thought-provoking sci-fi
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction, Space Opera, Action Adventure
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in a colour-coded society where he toils beneath the surface of Mars, believing his labour will one day make the planet habitable for future generations. Then he discovers the truth: humanity colonised the surface long ago. Vast cities and lush gardens spread across Mars while Reds like him are kept as slaves. Driven by rage and loss, Darrow infiltrates the elite Gold academy, where the ruling class's children compete in brutal games for power. To bring down his enemies, he might have to become one of them.
Often described as "The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones in space," Red Rising has become one of the most beloved sci-fi series of the past decade, blazing a viral trail across BookTok and converting readers who never thought they'd enjoy the genre. Pierce Brown's saga spans seven books, with the finale, Red God, arriving later in 2026. The series has earned devoted fans who call themselves "Howlers," and for good reason: once you start, you won't be able to stop.
Why You Should Read It
BookTok sensation that's converting non-sci-fi readers to the genre
Propulsive, action-packed storytelling that never lets up
Complex characters navigating themes of class, power, and identity
Perfect blend of political intrigue and brutal combat
Final book releasing in 2026, ideal time to catch up
Six books of incredible content waiting to consume you
Time to Start Reading
There you have it; five fantastic science fiction reads to fuel your TBR this week. Whether you're drawn to the heartwarming scientific adventure of Project Hail Mary, the genre-blending brilliance of The Ministry of Time, or the epic evolutionary saga of Children of Time, there's something here for every reader ready to explore new worlds.
Science fiction might seem intimidating if you've never ventured into the genre, but these books prove that the best sci-fi is really just great storytelling with extraordinary settings. Want more bookish goodness? Sign up to our newsletter for upcoming releases and reading insights, and join us next Tuesday for another cosy round of Tea & Biscuit Reads.
Happy reading!
Books Featured in This Article
Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE MARTIAN • Soon to be a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew GoddardA lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science.HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Bill Gates, GatesNotes, New York Public Library, Parade, Newsweek, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal • New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century “An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today“If you loved The Martian, you’ll go crazy for Weir’s latest.”—The Washington PostRyland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.Or does he?An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.
The Ministry of Time
by Kaliane Bradley
The romantic, historical, comedic, literary, genre-defying bestseller 'The hit of the year' Guardian 'Addictive' Independent 'Crack this book open and you'll see how time can disappear' Financial Times 'Readers, I envy you: There's a smart, witty novel in your future' Washington Post A civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test whether time-travel is feasible. Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, supporting and monitoring expat '1847' - Commander Graham Gore, a former Victorian polar explorer. Gore, an adventurer by trade, soon adjusts to this bizarre new world of washing machines, feminism and Spotify; and during a long, sultry summer the pair move from awkwardness to friendship to something more. But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy that history when it is living in your house? A Barack Obama reading pick Shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award Longlisted for the Climate Fiction Prize One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
by Becky Chambers
A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, 1) 9781250236210 and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot 2), 9781250236234
Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Adrian Tchaikovksy's award-winning novel Children of Time, is the epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet.Who will inherit this new Earth?The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age - a world terraformed and prepared for human life.But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?span
Red Rising
by Pierce Brown
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. “Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.”—USA TodayONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.” “I live for you,” I say sadly. Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.Praise for Red Rising“[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly“Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow.”—Scott Sigler “Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-DispatchDon’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga:RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER