7 Great Sci-Fi Book Series That I Can’t Recommend Enough

If you’re not sure where to start reading Star Wars novels, look no further (and be sure to check out these quotes from Star Wars in preparation)!

Heir to the Empire picks up five years after Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and brings you back in contact with some of your favorite characters. Luke Skywalker is a Jedi Knight, Princess Leia is expecting twins, Han is… well, Han, and the father, and your favorite emotional support droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, are here as well.

While the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, there are still some vestiges of the Empire at play, and they are not to be underestimated. Have you met Grand Admiral Thrawn?

The first Thrawn Trilogy is not to be missed. I love that it starts up right after the original movies and is a perfect spot to jump into the novels without any knowledge other than Return of the Jedi. Thrawn is an amazing and fascinating character, and this first look at him and his mindset was super intriguing.

I loved being back with these characters, as well as seeing the aftermath of the big Rebel win. People as a whole don’t change quickly, and there’s still a lot at stake if the galaxy is going to stay free.

This trilogy consists of Heir to the Empire (1991), Dark Force Rising (1992), and The Last Command (1993). If you can’t get enough of Thrawn, be sure to read the latest trilogies, Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy, which were also written by Timothy Zahn. 

When a clever Security Bot (SecUnit) hacks itself to gain free will, what do you think it wants? Well, in Murderbot’s case, it just wants the humans to be less stupid so it can have more time to watch all the media it’s downloaded... And then download more media, rinse and repeat. Unfortunately for Muderbot, it seems to be stuck with humans who are lacking some serious self preservation instincts, and it can’t help but step in to save them.

This snarky sci-fi series is one of my favorites. If Muderbot hadn’t hacked its governor module, then the humans it works for could order it to do things that put it at risk of death, or even order it to destroy itself.

The series chronicles the adventures of Muderbot, from its point of view, as it tries to navigate surviving and process its thoughts while it interfaces with more and more humans. There’s found family, witty dialogue, snarky AI, and interesting tech.

I really loved how the story takes place both ship-side and planet-side while Muderbot tries to figure out what it wants from life, aside from uncovering the truth about some past events.

The Murderbot Diaries is primarily a series of novellas with two novels and a smattering of short fiction stories. In 2025, Tor Publishing Group released some bind-up novels combining some of the stories and the TV Show Murderbot aired on Apple TV+ as well.

The series consists of: All Systems Red (2017), Artificial Condition (2018), Rogue Protocol (2018), Exit Strategy (2018),  Network Effect (2020), Fugitive Telemetry (2021), and System Collapse (2023). The next installment, Platform Decay, is scheduled for release in May 2026.

Born a Red, Darrow lives the lowly life allotted to Reds, working endlessly at physically demanding jobs. It’s tough, but someone has to do the work if humanity’s going to ever obtain the resources required to survive and make a life in space.

Alas, no one told the Reds that the goal was reached generations ago. The Golds and other colors simply left the Reds toiling away in the dirt, kept neatly in their place at the bottom of society.

A series of traumatic events leads Darrow to infiltrate the Institute, the elite Gold training academy. To make a difference for his people, he must not only survive but excel in this deadly competition.

The Red Rising Saga is the clever, compelling, and harsh story of what happens when Red rises to challenge the rule of Gold. I love this intense sci-fi series so much. There’s a lot going on, from the controlling caste society to the fierce academic rivalry, complete with an unhealthy (and deadly) competition.

I loved the Roman mythology influence in this series and the discussions about power and what people are willing to do to get or keep it. Be sure to have book three handy as you near the end of book two, and fair warning, you might need several tissues along the way.

The Red Rising Saga has two parts. The first trilogy is made up of Red Rising (2014), Golden Son (2015), and Morning Star (2016). The second and final part of the saga consists of Iron Gold (2018), Dark Age (2019), Light Bringer (2023), and Red God (anticipated 2026).

In addition to the saga, there’s also a 3 volume graphic novel series,  Red Rising: Sons of Ares, which paints a nice backstory to this world. I recommend reading it after Morning Star but before starting Iron Gold!

The first book in the Hyperion series follows a group of pilgrims as they set forth on a voyage to the planet of Hyperion on the eve of Armageddon. Together, the pilgrims represent very different walks of life and consist of a Consul, a colonel, a poet, a scholar, a detective, and a templar.

While they share a common goal to meet the Shrike, these strangers each have very different motives and hopes for this journey, some of which might just determine the fate of humanity.

Told from a mix of perspectives and spanning over a wide range of time and galaxies, this classic tale is absolutely worth the journey. First published in 1989, the Hyperion Cantos series is a must read for fans of interconnected stories at the epic scale.

Featuring a massive tribute to the poet John Keats, which I wasn’t expecting, this story has military conflict, literary discussion, political intrigue, family conflict, hope, some romance, big bad baddies, ancient mysteries, and so much more for you to discover and get caught up in.

Hyperion Cantos is a 4-book sci-fi series consisting of Hyperion (1989), The Fall of Hyperion (1990), Endymion (1996), and The Rise of Endymion (1997).

Come journey through the Galactic Commons and explore all the universe has to offer. Becky Chambers has created a vibrant world full of diverse species and possibilities, which she thoroughly explores in the four books that comprise this sci-fi series.

The first book takes place primarily aboard a spaceship, known as The Wayfarer, and follows a diverse crew that will steal your heart. The series goes on to follow different characters and paints a full picture of life in the Galactic Commons, whether that’s ship side, planet side, station side, or somewhere in between.

This was an instant favorite for me, and I love recommending it. Full of one of my favorite found families set in a queernormative world, this story had me hooked from the first page. I loved getting to know each of the characters and seeing how they navigate this world.

Each of the species you encounter in the series was really thought through and complex, creating a rich universe to explore and uncover. While the first book unabashedly stole my heart, I have a hard time choosing a favorite in this series as each new story adds layers to this world and the lives that the different beings live.

The Wayfarers is a 4-book series consisting of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2014), A Closed and Common Orbit (2016), Record of a Spaceborn Few (2018), and The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (2021).

It’s only January 3rd, and Carl is already having the worst year of his life. Then the world literally ends. Forced to face an actual World Dungeon or make a run for it above ground, Carl’s taking his “bad year” to a whole new level.

Carl chooses the Dungeon, naturally, but he doesn’t expect his ex’s best in show cat to be his travel companion or to start the fight for his life wearing pink crocs, which are too small, no pants, and a leather jacket. Don’t worry, Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk will keep him on task.

This is a hilarious LitRPG which combines the storytelling method of a role playing game with a novel. For me, it was an instant hit. As a gamer, the descriptive text included as Carl levels up or achieves things was refreshingly hilarious.

I enjoy how the survival of humanity has been turned into a literal game for the galactic stage, and the only way to win is for Carl and Princess Donut to actually defeat all levels of the dungeon.

Dungeon Crawler Carl consists of 7 published books with an estimated plan of 10 in total. The books that make up this series include Dungeon Crawler Carl (2020), Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (2021), The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (2021), The Gate of the Feral Gods (2021), The Butcher’s Masquerade (2022), The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (2023), and This Inevitable Ruin (2024).

In July 2025, the series started to be released on Webtoon in graphic format, and book 8 is in progress, release date TBD. Originally self-published, Ace Books has purchased the rights to print books 1-6.

It’s hard to talk about sci-fi series without thinking of Dune, which is often hailed as the granddaddy of science fiction.

Spice is king on the inhospitable desert planet of Arrakis, where deadly political games are afoot as the noble houses dream up plots to secure their place. When the house of Atreides is betrayed, the heir, Paul, finds himself set on a path he never dreamed of, which will have a massive and lasting impact on their world.

The Dune series has been a major source of inspiration for many genres and media. It’s been said that the harsh climates of the planet Tatooine in Star Wars were inspired by Dune, as was Hayao Miyazaki’s manga (and movie) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which also includes a desolate climate and a dethroned heir. Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss also has a nice nod to Dune with an in-world children's story about dry lands with sand snakes.

Dune has had a recent reassurance in popular media, resulting in some high-profile movies (Dune Part 1, which came out in 2021, Dune Part 2, which came out in 2024, and Dune Part 3, which is scheduled for 2026) a TV series (Dune: Prophecy - 2024) and a recent hit video game (Dune: Awakening - June 2025).

The 6 main Dune books were written by Frank Herbert: Dune (1965), Dune Messiah (1969), Children of Dune (1976), God Emperor of Dune (1981), Heretics of Dune (1984), and Chapterhouse: Dune (1985). Brian Herbert, son of Frank Herbert, has continued expanding the Dune Universe along with his writing partner Kevin J. Anderson.