In 2021, I read a grand total of 23 science fiction books. And then I promptly decided to torture challenge myself this week when I was like “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun if I tried to pitch each book in one sentence?” Anyway, the below is a mixture of pitches ranging from your classic 1-sentence-summary to me raving about how much I adored a book in 1-sentence-that-probably-qualifies-as-a-run-on. (In all seriousness, I had a wonderful sci-fi reading experience in 2021, and truly hope this post might inspire you to pick up one or twenty of the titles below). Books are listed in no particular order!

Winter’s Orbit – “RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE but with more angst, is set on Hoth, and contains considerably more back stabbing and torture.”

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – “A rollicking adventure that has you going ‘wait WHAT?!?!’ every other line and wondering if exploding space whales should be a hazard to keep in mind the next time you’re on an interstellar trip.”

Dune – “A dessert-inspired sci-fi that has strong ‘chosen one’ vibes, a sprawling plot of political intrigue, and richly developed setting.”

Victories Greater than Death – “A fast-paced space opera featuring a diverse cast with plenty of heart and a main character who is a literal clone of an alien commander struggling to live up to the expectations placed upon her.”

Iron Widow – “ASAUSHASUHASLIJASJASL *incoherant screaming* super ragey feminist sci-fi that pulls no punches set in a world inspired by ancient China but with qi-magic, giant mechas, proud poly rep, and lots of quotable quotes.”

Brightly Burning – “A romantic space opera that had wayyyy more scary/tense moments than I expected and made me want to sleep with the lights on.”

Persephone Station – “If the game The Outer Worlds was smashed with a Western, Persephone Station would be their gun-slinging, hostage-taking, ship-exploding written child.”

The Last Watch – “*chucks the book at you* if you’re a sci-fi fan, read this book; if you’re not a sci-fan, read this book; if you’re not a reader, read this book…just please read this book because if a snarky royal prince in disguise + disgruntled fleet commander + a crew of delinquent soldiers + THE END OF THE FREAKING UNIVERSE isn’t enough to snag your interest, then idk what will.”

The Exiled Fleet – “If I didn’t think I could love the crew from The Last Watch even more, this sequel proved me wrong and I need book 3 to this series like, 3 years ago.”

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet – “A family road (space?) trip across the galaxy with a lot of warm, ooey-gooey feelings for this delightful crew of misfits and their many backstories and adventure…a comfort read if there ever was one.”

A Closed and Common Orbit – “If you ever wanted an in-depth crash course on well-developed alien culture from the point of view of an illegal AI, this is your golden ticket.”

All Systems Red – “This is the 5th time I’ve read this book, confirming I am still very much obsessed by this series and promptly ordered the gorgeous Latvian edition of this book (I don’t understand Latvian)”

Artificial Condition – “Featuring one of my favorite dynamic duo characters ever: our definitely-not-a-murderer Murderbot and a deep space vessel called ART (you don’t want to know what the acronym stands for), this book had me laughing out loud and holding my breath in dizzying intervals.”

Rogue Protocol – “The continuation of unraveling space mysteries with our favorite slight-depressed-and-very-sarcastic SecUnit/android pinned with our hero’s internal journey of figuring out what can its life purpose be if it doesn’t technically ‘have a life’.”

Exit Strategy – “A satisfying conclusion to the first character development arc of my beloved Murderbot–Martha Wells is a genius for making a (literal) android one of the most human(e) characters I have ever read about.”

Fugitive Telemetry – “Gonna let the back cover blurb do the convincing for this one: No, I didn’t kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn’t dump the body in the station mall.“

Network Effect – “WE GET A FULL LENGTH MURDERBOT NOVEL WE GET A FULL LENGTH MURDERBOT NOVEL WE GET A FULL LENGTH MURDERBOT NOVEL WE GET A FULL LENGTH MURDERBOT NOVEL WE GET A –“

The Collapsing Empire – “Very thoughtful and fun world building, a wonderful mix of slower-paced political tension and fast-paced shoot-outs, thrown in with a dash of dry humor.”

Velocity Weapon – “For fans of sentient spaceships, ensemble casts, and sibling relationships…this book has it all.”

This Is How You Lose the Time War – “I fell in love with this book like falling asleep–slowly, then all at once, for this is a book that doesn’t tell a story as so much as leaves you an impression of the tragic story of star-and-time-crossed lovers.”

The Ones We’re Meant to Find – “A futuristic mystery set in a world ravaged by global warming and saved by technology, exploring the bonds of sisterhood and first love.”

Project Hail Mary – “Weir’s wit, sharp humor, and research makes his second adult SF novel–featuring a disgruntled physics professor and a plot twist I DID NOT SEE COMING IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM – an absolutely pleasure to read.”

The Marrow Thieves – “This grim dystopian and sci-fi blend of a novel takes a deep dive into the historical trauma indigenous people have faced in North America–and how that might be reflected (and usurped) in a dark future where global warming has turned the lands into an every-man-for-himself world.”