Most popular science fiction books

Science fiction listings for $5 or less

The Wild Robot: Everything You Need to Know

Classic and favorite sci-fi titles

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic science fiction

New voices and perspectives

Emily St. John Mandel

PangoBooks readers have mixed feelings about this book. Some appreciate the unique take on a post-apocalyptic world without relying on gruesome details, noting the pervasive sense of eerie dread balanced with hope and possibilities. The writing is praised for its beauty, though some found it stressful to read during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its realistic premise. There are criticisms regarding the character development, with one reader describing the characters as "half baked" and another noting that the plot felt uneventful despite the intriguing setup. Overall, while the book's nuanced storytelling and writing style are commended, not all readers found it compelling or engaging.

#paperback #fiction #sciencefiction #scifi #emilystjohnmandel 

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Wisconsin

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse--the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. Soon to be a Max Original Limited Series on HBO Max. A National Book Award Finalist - A PEN/Faulkner Award Finalist Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end. Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed. Look for Emily St. John Mandel's new novel, Sea of Tranquility, coming in April 2022!

Station Eleven (Television Tie-In)

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A National Book Award Finalist A PEN/Faulkner Award Finalist Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end. Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Station Eleven

Ling Ma

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

New York

A Novel

Maybe it’s the end of the world, but not for Candace Chen, a millennial, first-generation American and office drone meandering her way into adulthood in Ling Ma’s offbeat, wryly funny, apocalyptic satire, Severance. Candace Chen, a millennial drone self-sequestered in a Manhattan office tower, is devoted to routine. With the recent passing of her Chinese immigrant parents, she’s had her fill of uncertainty. She’s content just to carry on: She goes to work, troubleshoots the teen-targeted Gemstone Bible, watches movies in a Greenpoint basement with her boyfriend. So Candace barely notices when a plague of biblical proportions sweeps New York. Then Shen Fever spreads. Families flee. Companies halt operations. The subways squeak to a halt. Her bosses enlist her as part of a dwindling skeleton crew with a big end-date payoff. Soon entirely alone, still unfevered, she photographs the eerie, abandoned city as the anonymous blogger NY Ghost. Candace won’t be able to make it on her own forever, though. Enter a group of survivors, led by the power-hungry IT tech Bob. They’re traveling to a place called the Facility, where, Bob promises, they will have everything they need to start society anew. But Candace is carrying a secret she knows Bob will exploit. Should she escape from her rescuers? A send-up and takedown of the rituals, routines, and missed opportunities of contemporary life, Ling Ma’s Severance is a moving family story, a quirky coming-of-adulthood tale, and a hilarious, deadpan satire. Most important, it’s a heartfelt tribute to the connections that drive us to do more than survive.

Severance

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Caitlin Starling

A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival. When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane. Instead, she got Em. Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . . As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies—missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations—drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, her control giving way to paranoia and anger, Gyre severs her connection with Em and the outside world. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head. But how come she can’t shake the feeling she’s being followed?

The Luminous Dead

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Michel Faber

Some shelf wear with sticker residue on front cover and back bottom but in good shape. Good binding (see photos).

California

In a surreal portrait of contemporary society run amok, Isserley spends her life picking up hitchhikers, a diverse array of trailer trash, graduate students, thugs, and philosophers, whose only interest for Isserley is whether they have families and whether they have muscles. A first novel. Reader's Guide included. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

Under the Skin

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Andy Weir

PangoBooks readers praise the novel for its engaging science-heavy plot and exceptional character development, particularly the humorous and smart protagonist, Mark Watney. Many were impressed by the novel's realistic portrayal of survival on Mars, echoing sentiments of excitement about space exploration. The book is commended for being educational yet entertaining, blending technical details with humor effectively. Some readers found the writing and characters a bit dry but still appreciated the depth of scientific accuracy. The audiobook received mixed reviews, with different opinions on the narrators' performances.

Iowa

The Martian (Mass Market MTI)

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The Martian

Naomi Alderman

Illinois

One of the New York Times's Ten Best Books of 2017A Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2017One of the Washington Post's Ten Best Books of 2017An NPR Best Book of 2017One of Entertainment Weekly's Ten Best Books of 2017A Bustle Best Book of 2017A Paste Magazine Best Novel of 2017A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2017Winner of the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction One of President Obama's favorite reads of 2017 "The Power is our era's The Handmaid's Tale." --Ron Charles, Washington Post "Novels based on premises like the one at the core of The Power can quickly become little more than thought experiments, but Alderman dodges this trap deftly -- her writing is beautiful, and her intelligence seems almost limitless. She also has a pitch-dark sense of humor that she wields perfectly." --Michael Schaub, NPR A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice An Amazon Best Book of 2017 **WINNER OF THE 2017 BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION** What would happen if women suddenly possessed a fierce new power? In THE POWER, the world is a recognizable place: there's a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power--they can cause agonizing pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets. From award-winning author Naomi Alderman, THE POWER is speculative fiction at its most ambitious and provocative, at once taking us on a thrilling journey to an alternate reality, and exposing our own world in bold and surprising ways.

The Power

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Victor LaValle

"When [Charles Thomas Tester] delivers an occult book to a reclusive sorceress in the heart of Queens, [he] opens a door to a deeper realm of magic, and earns the attention of things best left sleeping"--Page 4 of cover.

The Ballad of Black Tom

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Adrian Tchaikovsky

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

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

Children of Time

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Hao Jingfang

Ken Liu

Virginia

A century after the Martian war of independence, a group of kids are sent to Earth as delegates from Mars, but when they return home, they are caught between the two worlds, unable to reconcile the beauty and culture of Mars with their experiences on Earth in this "thoughtful debut" (Kirkus Reviews) from Hugo Award-winning author Hao Jingfang.

This "masterful narrative" (Booklist, starred review) is set on Earth in the wake of a second civil war...not between two factions in one nation, but two factions in one solar system: Mars and Earth. In an attempt to repair increasing tensions, the colonies of Mars send a group of young people to live on Earth to help reconcile humanity. But the group finds itself with no real home, no friends, and fractured allegiances as they struggle to find a sense of community and identity trapped between two worlds.

Vagabonds

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A century after the Martian war of independence, a group of kids are sent to Earth as delegates from Mars, but when they return home, they are caught between the two worlds, unable to reconcile the beauty and culture of Mars with their experiences on Earth in this spellbinding novel from Hugo Award–winning author Hao Jingfang. This genre-bending novel is set on Earth in the wake of a second civil war…not between two factions in one nation, but two factions in one solar system: Mars and Earth. In an attempt to repair increasing tensions, the colonies of Mars send a group of young people to live on Earth to help reconcile humanity. But the group finds itself with no real home, no friends, and fractured allegiances as they struggle to find a sense of community and identity, trapped between two worlds. Fans of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go and Naomi Alderman’s The Power will fall in love with this novel about lost innocence, an uncertain future, and never feeling at home, no matter where you are in the universe. Translated by Ken Liu, bestselling author of The Paper Menagerie and translator of Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem, Vagabonds is the first novel from Hao Jingfang, the first Chinese woman to ever win the esteemed Hugo Award.

Kazuo Ishiguro

PangoBooks readers find this work to be a profound exploration of love, loneliness, and the human condition, told through the eyes of an empathetic robot named Klara. While some praised its multi-layered narrative and thought-provoking themes, including AI, religion, and the future of humanity, others felt that parts of the plot fell flat and left too many questions unanswered. Despite the divergence in opinions about the climax and world-building, many found Klara's perspective and her gentle, human-like qualities compelling and emotionally impactful. Overall, readers agree that it is a significant literary work by Ishiguro, with several recommending it as a must-read for its deep, reflective qualities.

Unread, brand new. Literati bookclub edition 

"From her place in the store that sells artificial friends, Klara--an artificial friend with outstanding observational qualities--watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara she is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans. In this luminous tale, Klara and the Sun, Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro looks at our rapidly changing modern world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator to explore a fundamental question: what does it mean to love?"--

Klara and the Sun

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A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK - NATIONAL BESTSELLER - Once in a great while, a book comes along that changes our view of the world. This magnificent novel from the Nobel laureate and author of Never Let Me Go is "an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures ... a poignant meditation on love and loneliness" (The Associated Press). BOOKER PRIZE Nominee - GOOD MORNING AMERICA Book Club Pick "What stays with you in 'Klara and the Sun' is the haunting narrative voice--a genuinely innocent, egoless perspective on the strange behavior of humans obsessed and wounded by power, status and fear." --Booker Prize committee Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?

Agustina Bazterrica

Sarah Moses

PangoBooks readers describe this novel as deeply disturbing, thought-provoking, and unforgettable. Many appreciated its chilling dystopian setting where human cannibalism becomes normalized after animal meat is declared toxic, drawing stark parallels to modern farming practices. The book's graphic and gory details left some readers nauseous, yet others found it impossible to put down due to its compelling social commentary and unexpected twists. While the protagonist Marcos' moral struggles engage readers, some felt the story was both masterfully unsettling and too focused on shock value. Overall, the book's powerful themes and haunting conclusion have left a lasting impact, though it's clear that it's not for the faint-hearted.

Michigan

Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore. His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing. Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.

Most popular science fiction books

Science fiction listings for $5 or less

Classic and favorite sci-fi titles

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic science fiction

New voices and perspectives

Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven

Ling Ma

Severance

Caitlin Starling

The Luminous Dead

Michel Faber

Under the Skin

Andy Weir

The Martian

Naomi Alderman

The Power

Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Children of Time

Hao Jingfang

Vagabonds

Kazuo Ishiguro

Klara and the Sun

Agustina Bazterrica

Tender Is the Flesh

First books in sci-fi series

Science fiction for younger readers

Browse by categories

Most popular science fiction books

Science fiction listings for $5 or less

Classic and favorite sci-fi titles

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic science fiction

New voices and perspectives

Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven

Ling Ma

Severance

Caitlin Starling

The Luminous Dead

Michel Faber

Under the Skin

Andy Weir

The Martian

Naomi Alderman

The Power

Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Children of Time

Hao Jingfang

Vagabonds

Kazuo Ishiguro

Klara and the Sun

Agustina Bazterrica

Tender Is the Flesh

First books in sci-fi series

Science fiction for younger readers