space travel books

50 Must-Read Books Set In Space

Jenn Northington

Jenn Northington has worked in the publishing industry wearing various hats since 2004, including bookseller and events director, and is currently Director of Editorial Operations at Riot New Media Group. You can hear her on the SFF Yeah! podcast nerding out about sci-fi and fantasy. When she’s not working, she’s most likely gardening, running, or (obviously) reading. Find her on Tumblr at jennIRL and Instagram at iamjennIRL .

View All posts by Jenn Northington

I grew up watching the various Star Trek s and Star Wars ; I saw Apollo 13 in the theaters. Space, that final frontier, has always been one of my favorite frontiers to explore. And there are a ton of writers who apparently just want to make me happy, because there are many, many—seriously, so many!—excellent books set in space just waiting to be read! While there are many great nonfiction books about actual space, I’ve always leaned more towards fictional Spaaaaaaaaaace, if you will. What might be out there? (Aside from The Truth, obviously.) And so my criteria for putting together this list was simple: a work of science fiction or fantasy set at least partly in outer space, or on a planet other than Earth that required space travel to get to. Here are 50 speculative works that play with Spaaaaaaaaaace in all its mystifying, occasionally terrifying, really freaking huge glory, in alphabetical order.

Note: descriptions in quotations are taken from publisher materials.

After the Flare (Nigerians in Space #2) by Deji Olukotun

I know this is #2 in a series—just trust me!

“After a solar flare upended the world order, Kwesi Brackett’s life disintegrated. His wife took up with a millionaire in the heavily armed Silicon territories and his daughter’s university, Yale, relocated to the Caribbean. After being laid off by NASA, Brackett finds himself in Africa, as one of the head engineers for the newly formed Nigerian Space Program. Suddenly, the NSP’s goal of getting astronauts into space is more important than ever. With most of Europe, Asia, and North America knocked off-line, thousands of satellites about to plummet to Earth, and the political minefield that is the rescue of an international group of astronauts trapped on the international station, time is of the essence.

“The deranged and violent militant group Boko Haram is steadily approaching, and the last surviving members of the Fulani tribe, an ancient matriarchal nomadic society, have found refuge in the abandoned caves of the Saon people. Accessible only by sonic vibrations, the sophisticated cave system contains messages from the past in a series of astrolabes, powerful amulets whose destructive force is harnessed by the Fulani tribeswomen.

“Nigeria’s past and present are threatening to collide in a battle over its own future.”

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

This series has Murderbot in its name but do not be fooled. This is cozy, character-driven sci-fi at its finest.

“In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

“But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

“On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

“But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.”

Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie

“On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren—a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.”

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

Looking for a queer female lead who is also a woman of color, is a brilliant mechanic, and must deal with a chronic illness while helping save her sister and the crew of the spaceship she’s stowed away on? Please look no further!

“Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he’s a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego…and Alana can’t keep her eyes off her. But there’s little time for romance: Nova’s in danger and someone will do anything—even destroying planets—to get their hands on her.”

Binti (Binti #1) by Nnedi Okorafor

“Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

“Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

“If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself—but first she has to make it there, alive.”

The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1) by John Scalzi

“Our universe is ruled by physics and faster than light travel is not possible—until the discovery of The Flow, an extra-dimensional field we can access at certain points in space-time that transport us to other worlds, around other stars.

“Humanity flows away from Earth, into space, and in time forgets our home world and creates a new empire, the Interdependency, whose ethos requires that no one human outpost can survive without the others. It’s a hedge against interstellar war—and a system of control for the rulers of the empire.

“The Flow is eternal—but it is not static. Just as a river changes course, The Flow changes as well, cutting off worlds from the rest of humanity. When it’s discovered that The Flow is moving, possibly cutting off all human worlds from faster than light travel forever, three individuals—a scientist, a starship captain and the Empress of the Interdependency—are in a race against time to discover what, if anything, can be salvaged from an interstellar empire on the brink of collapse.”

Consider Phlebas (Culture #1) by Iain Banks

If you’ve never read Iain Banks and enjoy Star Trek , Battlestar Galactica , and/or The Expanse , I cannot recommend highly enough that you start here.

“The war raged across the galaxy. Billions had died, billions more were doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, faced destruction, cold-blooded, brutal, and worse, random. The Idirans fought for their Faith; the Culture for its moral right to exist. Principles were at stake. There could be no surrender.

“Within the cosmic conflict, an individual crusade. Deep within a fabled labyrinth on a barren world, a Planet of the Dead proscribed to mortals, lay a fugitive Mind. Both the Culture and the Idirans sought it. It was the fate of Horza, the Changer, and his motley crew of unpredictable mercenaries, human and machine, actually to find it, and with it their own destruction.”

Dark Mirror (Star Trek: The Next Generation) by Diane Duane

This was the first (and, if I’m honest, only) Star Trek  franchise novel I’ve read, and Duane has convinced me that I need to read more.

“One hundred years ago, four crew members of the U.S.S. Enterprise crossed the dimensional barrier and found just such an empire. A mirror image of their own universe, populated by nightmare duplicates of their shipmates. Barely able to escape with their lives, they returned thankful that the accident that brought them there could not be duplicated. Or so they thought.

“But now the scientists of that empire have found a doorway into our universe. Thier plan: to destroy from within, to replace one of our starships with one of theirs. Their victims: the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D.”

Dawn (Lilith’s Brood #1) by Octavia Butler

“Lilith Iyapo has just lost her husband and son when atomic fire consumes Earth—the last stage of the planet’s final war. Hundreds of years later Lilith awakes, deep in the hold of a massive alien spacecraft piloted by the Oankali—who arrived just in time to save humanity from extinction. They have kept Lilith and other survivors asleep for centuries, as they learned whatever they could about Earth. Now it is time for Lilith to lead them back to her home world, but life among the Oankali on the newly resettled planet will be nothing like it was before.

“The Oankali survive by genetically merging with primitive civilizations—whether their new hosts like it or not. For the first time since the nuclear holocaust, Earth will be inhabited. Grass will grow, animals will run, and people will learn to survive the planet’s untamed wilderness. But their children will not be human. Not exactly.”

Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Do you love graphic novels AND getting your heart stomped on? Here’s one for you.

“Young Robot boy TIM-21 and his companions struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet. Written by award-winning creator, Jeff Lemire, Descender is a rip-roaring and heart-felt cosmic odyssey. Lemire pits humanity against machine, and world against world, to create a sprawling epic. ”

Dune by Frank Herbert

There’s no way I could skip listing a book that I reread multiple times as a teenager, and that one day I will finally get around to rereading as an adult.

“Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.”

Embassytown by China Mieville

China Mieville’s brain is one of the strangest on the planet, and in this one he’s given us aliens that don’t understand lies—and so much more.

“In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak.

“Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language.

“When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.”

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza

I like to pitch this one as “space princess on the run from assassins,” but if you need more here’s the actual description.

“The only surviving heir to an ancient Kalusian dynasty, Rhee has spent her life training to destroy the people who killed her family. Now, on the eve of her coronation, the time has finally come for Rhee to claim her throne—and her revenge.

“Alyosha is a Wraetan who has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. Despite his popularity, Aly struggles with anti-Wraetan prejudices and the pressure of being perfect in the public eye.

“Their paths collide with one brutal act of violence: Rhee is attacked, barely escaping with her life. Aly is blamed for her presumed murder.

“The princess and her accused killer are forced to go into hiding—even as a war between planets is waged in Rhee’s name. But soon, Rhee and Aly discover that the assassination attempt is just one part of a sinister plot. Bound together by an evil that only they can stop, the two fugitives must join forces to save the galaxy.”

Exo (Exo #1) by Fonda Lee

“It’s been a century of peace since Earth became a colony of an alien race with far reaches into the galaxy. Some die-hard extremists still oppose alien rule on Earth, but Donovan Reyes isn’t one of them. His dad holds the prestigious position of Prime Liaison in the collaborationist government, and Donovan’s high social standing along with his exocel (a remarkable alien technology fused to his body) guarantee him a bright future in the security forces. That is, until a routine patrol goes awry and Donovan’s abducted by the human revolutionary group Sapience, determined to end alien control.

“When Sapience realizes whose son Donovan is, they think they’ve found the ultimate bargaining chip . But the Prime Liaison doesn’t negotiate with terrorists, not even for his own son. Left in the hands of terrorists who have more uses for him dead than alive, the fate of Earth rests on Donovan’s survival. Because if Sapience kills him, it could spark another intergalactic war. And Earth didn’t win the last one…”

Feed by M.T. Anderson

“For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon—a chance to party during spring break and play with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires. Following in the footsteps of George Orwell, Anthony Burgess, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., M. T. Anderson has created a not-so-brave new world—and a smart, savage satire that has captivated readers with its view of an imagined future that veers unnervingly close to the here and now.”

Fortune’s Pawn (Paradox #1) by Rachel Bach

“Devi Morris isn’t your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It’s a combination that’s going to get her killed one day—but not just yet.

“That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn’t misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she’s found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.”

Galactic Empires , edited by Neil Clarke

Want a smorgasborg of stories exploring different variations on interstellar empires, written by SF/F luminaries such as Aliette de Bodard, Ann Leckie, Yoon Ha Lee, Naomi Novik, and more? You’re welcome!

The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord

Particularly for folks looking for an inclusive Ender’s Game –esque novel!

“For years, Rafi Delarua saw his family suffer under his father’s unethical use of psionic power. Now the government has Rafi under close watch, but, hating their crude attempts to analyse his brain, he escapes to the planet Punartam, where his abilities are the norm, not the exception. Punartam is also the centre for his favourite sport, wallrunning – and thanks to his best friend, he has found a way to train with the elite. But Rafi soon realises he’s playing quite a different game, for the galaxy is changing; unrest is spreading and the Zhinuvian cartels are plotting, making the stars a far more dangerous place to aim. There may yet be one solution – involving interstellar travel, galactic power and the love of a beautiful game.”

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

On a personal note, I celebrate Towel Day every year (May 25; mark your calendars!) and will rewatch the 2005 movie at the slightest prompting. In fact, perhaps I should go do that now…

“Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

“Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox—the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; and Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot.”

Hunger Makes the Wolf (Hob #1) by Alex Wells

Already torn through Becky Chambers’s books and need something else with found family and space hijinks? Tada!

“The strange planet known as Tanegawa’s World is owned by TransRifts Inc, the company with the absolute monopoly on interstellar travel. Hob landed there ten years ago, a penniless orphan left behind by a rift ship. She was taken in by Nick Ravani and quickly became a member of his mercenary biker troop, the Ghost Wolves.

“Ten years later, she discovers the body of Nick’s brother out in the dunes. Worse, his daughter is missing, taken by shady beings called the Weathermen. But there are greater mysteries to be discovered – both about Hob and the strange planet she calls home.”

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan

“Everyone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl.

“A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her true identity is exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity: by forcing her to serve them, they will prove that no one is beyond their control.

“Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn, a seemingly average student with a closely-held secret, and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen?”

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness

“Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him—something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn’t she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd’s gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.”

Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel by Daniel José Older

Listen, there are A LOT of Star Wars books out there. Take it as read that you should read this one and many others!

“Then: It’s one of the galaxy’s most dangerous secrets: a mysterious transmitter with unknown power and a reward for its discovery that most could only dream of claiming. But those who fly the Millennium Falcon throughout its infamous history aren’t your average scoundrels. Not once, but twice, the crew of the Falcon tries to claim the elusive prize — first, Lando Calrissian and the droid L3-37 at the dawn of an ambitious career, and later, a young and hungry Han Solo with the help of his copilot, Chewbacca. But the device’s creator, the volatile criminal Fyzen Gor, isn’t interested in sharing. And Gor knows how to hold a grudge…

“Now: It’s been ten years since the rebel hero Han Solo last encountered Fyzen Gor. After mounting a successful rebellion against the Empire and starting a family with an Alderaanian princess, Han hasn’t given much thought to the mad inventor. But when Lando turns up at Han’s doorstep in the middle of the night, it’s Fyzen’s assassins that he’s running from. And without Han’s help, Lando — and all life on Cloud City — will be annihilated.

“With the assistance of a young hotshot pilot, an Ewok slicer prodigy, the woman who might be the love of Lando’s life, and Han’s best and furriest friend, the two most notorious scoundrels in the New Republic are working together once more. They’ll have to journey across the stars — and into the past — before Gor uses the device’s power to reshape the galaxy.”

Leviathan Wakes (Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

“Humanity has colonized the solar system – Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond – but the stars are still out of our reach.

“Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for – and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.”

Lightless (Lightless #1) by C.A. Higgins

“Serving aboard the Ananke, an experimental military spacecraft launched by the ruthless organization that rules Earth and its solar system, computer scientist Althea has established an intense emotional bond—not with any of her crewmates, but with the ship’s electronic systems, which speak more deeply to her analytical mind than human feelings do. But when a pair of fugitive terrorists gain access to the Ananke, Althea must draw upon her heart and soul for the strength to defend her beloved ship.

“While one of the saboteurs remains at large somewhere on board, his captured partner—the enigmatic Ivan—may prove to be more dangerous. The perversely fascinating criminal whose silver tongue is his most effective weapon has long evaded the authorities’ most relentless surveillance—and kept the truth about his methods and motives well hidden.

“As the ship’s systems begin to malfunction and the claustrophobic atmosphere is increasingly poisoned by distrust and suspicion, it falls to Althea to penetrate the prisoner’s layers of intrigue and deception before all is lost. But when the true nature of Ivan’s mission is exposed, it will change Althea forever—if it doesn’t kill her first.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers

“Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

“Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.”

The Martian by Andy Weir

“Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

“Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

“After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

“Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

“But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?”

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

“The Martian Chronicles tells the story of humanity’s repeated attempts to colonize the red planet. The first men were few. Most succumbed to a disease they called the Great Loneliness when they saw their home planet dwindle to the size of a fist. They felt they had never been born. Those few that survived found no welcome on Mars. The shape-changing Martians thought they were native lunatics and duly locked them up.

“But more rockets arrived from Earth, and more, piercing the hallucinations projected by the Martians. People brought their old prejudices with them—and their desires and fantasies, tainted dreams. These were soon inhabited by the strange native beings, with their caged flowers and birds of flame.”

Medusa Uploaded (The Medusa Cycle #1) by Emily Devenport

“The Executives control Oichi’s senses, her voice, her life. Until the day they kill her.

“An executive clan gives the order to shoot Oichi out of an airlock on suspicion of being an insurgent. A sentient AI, a Medusa unit, rescues Oichi and begins to teach her the truth—the Executives are not who they think they are. Oichi, officially dead and now bonded to the Medusa unit, sees a chance to make a better life for everyone on board.

“As she sets things right one assassination at a time, Oichi becomes the very insurgent the Executives feared, and in the process uncovers the shocking truth behind the generation starship that is their home.”

Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire #1) by Yoon Ha Lee

This trilogy is not only mind-blowingly good, it’s also complete! All three books are out right now; go forth.

“Captain Kel Cheris of the hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics. Kel Command gives her the opportunity to redeem herself by retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that has recently been captured by heretics. Cheris’s career isn’t the only thing at stake. If the fortress falls, the hexarchate itself might be next.

“Cheris’s best hope is to ally with the undead tactician Shuos Jedao. The good news is that Jedao has never lost a battle, and he may be the only one who can figure out how to successfully besiege the fortress.

“The bad news is that Jedao went mad in his first life and massacred two armies, one of them his own. As the siege wears on, Cheris must decide how far she can trust Jedao—because she might be his next victim.”

Old Man’s War (Old Man’s War #1) by John Scalzi

I know I already recommended a Scalzi series; you should consider both of them. They’re very different!

“John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife’s grave. Then he joined the army.

“The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce—and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So: we fight. To defend Earth, and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.

“Earth itself is a backwater. The bulk of humanity’s resources are in the hands of the Colonial Defense Force. Everybody knows that when you reach retirement age, you can join the CDF. They don’t want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living. You’ll be taken off Earth and never allowed to return. You’ll serve two years at the front. And if you survive, you’ll be given a generous homestead stake of your own, on one of our hard-won colony planets.

“John Perry is taking that deal. He has only the vaguest idea what to expect. Because the actual fight, light-years from home, is far, far harder than he can imagine—and what he will become is far stranger.”

On a Red Station, Drifting (The Universe of Xuya) by Aliette de Bodard

Don’t have time for a epically long, long-running space opera? These novellas are SO GOOD!

“For generations Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station’s artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives.

“But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper’s brightest minds have been called away to defend the Emperor; and a flood of disorientated refugees strain the station’s resources. As deprivations cause the station’s ordinary life to unravel, uncovering old grudges and tearing apart the decimated family, Station Mistress Quyen and the Honoured Ancestress struggle to keep their relatives united and safe.

“What Quyen does not know is that the Honoured Ancestress herself is faltering, her mind eaten away by a disease that seems to have no cure; and that the future of the station itself might hang in the balance…”

Planetfall (Planetfall #1) by Emma Newman

“Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi’s vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the cosmos, untainted by overpopulation, pollution, and war. Ren believed in that vision enough to give up everything to follow Suh-Mi into the unknown.

“More than twenty-two years have passed since Ren and the rest of the faithful braved the starry abyss and established a colony at the base of an enigmatic alien structure where Suh-Mi has since resided, alone. All that time, Ren has worked hard as the colony’s 3-D printer engineer, creating the tools necessary for human survival in an alien environment, and harboring a devastating secret.

“The truth Ren has concealed since planetfall can no longer be hidden. And its revelation might tear the colony apart…”

Provenance by Ann Leckie

While there are ties between Provenance and the Imperial Radch series, Provenance stands beautifully on its own—and is a great introduction to Leckie’s work!

“A power-driven young woman has just one chance to secure the status she craves and regain priceless lost artifacts prized by her people. She must free their thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned.

“Ingray and her charge will return to her home world to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating interstellar conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray’s future, her family, and her world, before they are lost to her for good.”

Space Opera by Cat Valente

“A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented—something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding.

“Once every cycle, the civilizations gather for the Metagalactic Grand Prix—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Instead of competing in orbital combat, the powerful species that survived face off in a competition of song, dance, or whatever can be physically performed in an intergalactic talent show. The stakes are high for this new game, and everyone is forced to compete.

“This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny—they must sing.

“A one-hit-wonder band of human musicians, dancers and roadies from London—Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes—have been chosen to represent Earth on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of their species lies in their ability to rock.”

Saga, Vol. 1 (Saga #1) by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Do you need me to tell you to read Saga ? You probably don’t, but I will anyway!

“When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

“From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.”

Salvage by Alexandra Duncan

“Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated, conservative deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean.”

Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty

“It was not common to awaken in a cloning vat streaked with drying blood.

“At least, Maria Arena had never experienced it. She had no memory of how she died. That was also new; before, when she had awakened as a new clone, her first memory was of how she died.

“Maria’s vat was in the front of six vats, each one holding the clone of a crew member of the starship Dormire, each clone waiting for its previous incarnation to die so it could awaken. And Maria wasn’t the only one to die recently…”

The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett

“All Jamie Allenby ever wanted was space. Even though she wasn’t forced to emigrate from Earth, she willingly left the overpopulated, claustrophobic planet. And when a long relationship devolved into silence and suffocating sadness, she found work on a frontier world on the edges of civilization. Then the virus hit…

“Now Jamie finds herself dreadfully alone, with all that’s left of the dead. Until a garbled message from Earth gives her hope that someone from her past might still be alive.

“Soon Jamie finds other survivors, and their ragtag group will travel through the vast reaches of space, drawn to the promise of a new beginning on Earth. But their dream will pit them against those desperately clinging to the old ways. And Jamie’s own journey home will help her close the distance between who she has become and who she is meant to be…”

Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar

“Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Procházka has risen from small-time scientist to become the country’s first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he’s dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father’s sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions.

“Alone in Deep Space, Jakub discovers a possibly imaginary giant alien spider, who becomes his unlikely companion. Over philosophical conversations about the nature of love, life and death, and the deliciousness of bacon, the pair form an intense and emotional bond. Will it be enough to see Jakub through a clash with secret Russian rivals and return him safely to Earth for a second chance with Lenka?”

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna

“In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.

“Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.

“It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.”

The Sparrow (The Sparrow #1) by Mary Doria Russell

“In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet that will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question what it means to be ‘human’.”

The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley

“Somewhere on the outer rim of the universe, a mass of decaying world-ships known as the Legion is traveling in the seams between the stars. For generations, a war for control of the Legion has been waged, with no clear resolution. As worlds continue to die, a desperate plan is put into motion.

“Zan wakes with no memory, prisoner of a people who say they are her family. She is told she is their salvation—the only person capable of boarding the Mokshi, a world-ship with the power to leave the Legion. But Zan’s new family is not the only one desperate to gain control of the prized ship. Zan finds that she must choose sides in a genocidal campaign that will take her from the edges of the Legion’s gravity well to the very belly of the world.

“Zan will soon learn that she carries the seeds of the Legion’s destruction—and its possible salvation. But can she and her ragtag band of followers survive the horrors of the Legion and its people long enough to deliver it?”

The Stars Change by Mary Anne Mohanraj

“On a South Asian-settled university planet, tensions are rising, and as they reach the brink of interstellar war, life (and sex) continues. Humans, aliens, and modified humans gather at the University of All Worlds in search of knowledge…and self-knowledge…but the first bomb has fallen and the fate of this multicultural, multispecies mecca is in question. Some people will seek solace in physical contact, some will look for spiritual answers, while others will find their strength in community, family, and love. Some will rush home to make love to their wife. Or wives. Or husbands. Or indeterminate gender human and/or alien partners. Others will be forced to decide where they stand—what is worth fighting for, or maybe even worth dying for.”

The Telling (The Hainish Cycle #9) by Ursula Le Guin

Listen. You could start The Hainish Cycle with The Dispossessed , which is #1, or even The Left Hand of Darkness , which is #6. But The Telling is my favorite, and it’s going to be a movie soon, and this is my list, so there.

“Once a culturally rich world, the planet Aka has been utterly transformed by technology. Records of the past have been destroyed, and citizens are strictly monitored. But an official observer from Earth named Sutty has learned of a group of outcasts who live in the wilderness. They still believe in the ancient ways and still practice its lost religion—the Telling.

“Intrigued by their beliefs, Sutty joins them on a sacred pilgrimage into the mountains…and into the dangerous terrain of her own heart, mind, and soul.”

Tracked (Tracked #1) by Jenny Martin

This series was pitched to me as a teen Fast and Furious set in space, and they were not lying.

“On corporately controlled Castra, rally racing is a high-stakes game that seventeen-year-old Phoebe Van Zant knows all too well. Phee’s legendary racer father disappeared mysteriously, but that hasn’t stopped her from speeding headlong into trouble. When she and her best friend, Bear, attract the attention of Charles Benroyal, they are blackmailed into racing for Benroyal Corp, a company that represents everything Phee detests. Worse, Phee risks losing Bear as she falls for Cash, her charming new teammate. But when she discovers that Benroyal is controlling more than a corporation, Phee realizes she has a much bigger role in Castra’s future than she could ever have imagined. It’s up to Phee to take Benroyal down. But even with the help of her team, can a street-rat destroy an empire?”

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

“Odd-mannered, obsessive, withdrawn, Aster has little to offer folks in the way of rebuttal when they call her ogre and freak. She’s used to the names; she only wishes there was more truth to them. If she were truly a monster, as they accuse, she’d be powerful enough to tear down the walls around her until nothing remained of her world, save for stories told around the cookfire.

“Aster lives in the low-deck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized much like the antebellum South. For generations, the Matilda has ferried the last of humanity to a mythical Promised Land. On its way, the ship’s leaders have imposed harsh moral restrictions and deep indignities on dark-skinned sharecroppers like Aster, who they consider to be less than human.

“When the autopsy of Matilda’s sovereign reveals a surprising link between his death and her mother’s suicide some quarter-century before, Aster retraces her mother’s footsteps. Embroiled in a grudge with a brutal overseer and sowing the seeds of civil war, Aster learns there may be a way off the ship if she’s willing to fight for it.”

Warchild (Warchild #1) by Karin Lowachee

“The merchant ship Mukudori encompasses the whole of eight-year-old Jos’s world, until a notorious pirate destroys the ship, slaughters the adults, and enslaves the children. Thus begins a desperate odyssey of terror and escape that takes Jos beyond known space to the home of the strits, Earth’s alien enemies.

“To survive, the boy must become a living weapon and a master spy. But no training will protect Jos in a war where every hope might be a deadly lie, and every friendship might hide a lethal betrayal. And all the while he will face the most grueling trial of his life…becoming his own man.”

Waypoint Kangaroo (Kangaroo #1) by Curtis Chen

“Kangaroo isn’t your typical spy. Sure, he has extensive agency training, access to bleeding-edge technology, and a ready supply of clever (to him) quips and retorts. But what sets him apart is ‘the pocket.’ It’s a portal that opens into an empty, seemingly infinite, parallel universe, and Kangaroo is the only person in the world who can use it. But he’s pretty sure the agency only keeps him around to exploit his superpower.

“After he bungles yet another mission, Kangaroo gets sent away on a mandatory ‘vacation’: an interplanetary cruise to Mars. While he tries to make the most of his exile, two passengers are found dead, and Kangaroo has to risk blowing his cover. It turns out he isn’t the only spy on the ship–and he’s just starting to unravel a massive conspiracy which threatens the entire Solar System.

“Now, Kangaroo has to stop a disaster which would shatter the delicate peace that’s existed between Earth and Mars ever since the brutal Martian Independence War. A new interplanetary conflict would be devastating for both sides. Millions of lives are at stake.

“Weren’t vacations supposed to be relaxing?”

The Wrong Stars (Axiom #1) by Tim Pratt

“The shady crew of the White Raven run freight and salvage at the fringes of our solar system. They discover the wreck of a centuries-old exploration vessel floating light years away from its intended destination and revive its sole occupant, who wakes with news of First Alien Contact. When the crew break it to her that humanity has alien allies already, she reveals that these are very different extra-terrestrials… and the gifts they bestowed on her could kill all humanity, or take it out to the most distant stars.”

Whew! If you’ve made it this far, I need to know: what’s your favorite space novel that didn’t make my list? Explode my TBR, please and thank you!

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• The Inventory

24 Must-Read Books About Space Travel

Last month, we asked you to name your favorite book about space travel and explain why. Hundreds of you replied with awesome, succinct, and sometimes very funny explanations of your favorites.

Below, find two dozens of your best recommendations, from childhood favorites to Mars colonization to, yes, alien sex. And be sure to comment below if anything is missing.

The Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke

I remember picking up Rendezvous With Rama from my school library in 7th grade (yeah I was that popular) and couldn't put them down until I finished Garden of Rama. I was quite ecstatic when I found out that Rama Revealed was set to be released later that year. Gentry Lee (who co-wrote the last three books in the series) also wrote two outstanding books set in the Rama universe. They are Bright Messengers and Double Full Moon Night. If you liked the Rama books GET THEM! They help flesh out the universe, and answer a lot of questions from the later Rama books that went unanswered.

- SamLJackson [ Amazon ]

Ringworld by Larry Niven

I loved it for its wildly fantastical yet legitimate sounding feats of engineering. Also its bizarre explanation of the origin of humanity. Some of the weird alien sex seemed kind of shoehorned in there but somehow I got over that.

- Spamwich76 [ Amazon ]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

There is only one book for space travel, and it has the words "DON'T PANIC" written in large, friendly letters on the front. What more could you need?

- nuksies [ Amazon ]

The Expanse Trilogy by James S A Corey

I keep going back to the Expanse Trilogy by James S A Corey. It's a ripping yarn, but the cool thing is the science of living in space: the effects of microgravity, the fungal foods, the availability of fresh water, the problems of drinking coffee at half a G, the long periods of acceleration and deceleration for interplanetary travel, and ship design. It's a great series that sucks you right in. Start at Leviathan Wakes.

- owen-magnetic [ Amazon ]

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

That was my first serious SciFi book I read and never felt like SciFi but at the same time I geeked out on all the space traveling stuff and the social impact on earth.

- Saber Karmous [ Amazon ]

Have Space Suit-Will Travel by Robert Heinlein

Have Space Suit-Will Travel , Robert Heinlein, 1958. Loved it as a kid. I tried to make my own space suit out of some coveralls and a fish bowl. Looking back, I'd have to say the results were mixed.

- mwhite66 [ Amazon ]

Titan by Stephen Baxter

This book is a personal favorite of mine in the "all things interplanetary and near-real tech" department. It's not a very optimistic book, but it really stuck with me. There was a core theme about the forces of ignorance and militarism corrupting, and ultimately prevailing over, the "old school" people of NASA that still believe in science and human advancement that resonated with me. It wasn't the voyage of the central characters (to Titan, using re-purposed Shuttle technology) that I found memorable, it was the way the world deteriorated after they left. A Christian fundamentalist was in the White House, science education was pushed out of schools, mysticism and superstition came to dominate everyday life, and by the time the astronauts completed their years-long voyage, only a few people cared enough to watch the landing on a grainy web stream. In the end, the worst nihilistic impulses of humanity are on display at large scale back on Earth, and at tiny, claustrophobic scale among the remaining astronauts. Baxter has always had an unhappy view of human nature, but the plausibility of his future was what really rocked my world. I still read it about once a year.

- Ark [ Amazon ]

Solaris by Stanisław Lem

Not much space traveling going on, but a lot of psychological tricks played on humans by a planet that is believed to be one entire living organism. Ultimately shows how little we can hope to understand the universe as flawed human beings.

- SweetCuppinCakes [ Amazon ]

The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton

Epic, grand scale, planetary colonization, "Speciesization" of humanity across space, warfare, the afterlife; space opera at its best, and a lot of fun.

- tampa2020 [ Amazon ]

The Mote In God's Eye by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven

If I'm feeling serious, it's the Mote In God's Eye. A great hard SF series. But the book I have read, probably more than any other, is the Hitchhiker's Guide It's been my constant companion since I first read it in 1980, when I was ten years old.

- thisusernameforsale [Amazon]

The Lost Fleet by John G. Hemry

Not sure if this exactly counts as being about Space Travel, but The Lost Fleet series is one of my favorite Scifi novels I've had the pleasure of reading. One of the few books I've read that included visual lag based on the distance of a target in space.

- sam2795 [ Amazon ]

Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds

I just finished reading the whole series. Fantastic hard sci-fi space opera. Reynolds takes time dilation into account by having the story lines take place decades apart until they all "catch up" to each other.

- fire_marshal , recommended by Soused [ Amazon ]

Vacuum Diagrams by Stephen Baxter

The Zeelee Saga is probably one of the most scientifically accurate portrayals of space travel and aliens that I've ever read.

- Wonderdog [ Amazon ]

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

I was hoping someone was going to suggest this book. I think The Sparrow and Children of God are two of the best books I've read in recent years, and I read a lot of books and a lot of science fiction. I suppose these books would fit more under the umbrella of "First Contact" books, but there is space travel, and the characters, the writing, the premise, the philosophy/religion are all just superb.

- Gillian , recommended by Tenno [ Amazon ]

The Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson

Examines psychological effects of FTL jumps. Also very realistic descriptions about air scrubbers and gravity drives etc. This is not to mention a gripping, twisting, plot. Great books. There are 5 of them.

- Feyd Carroll [ Amazon ]

Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro

Gotta be Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro . Picked it up in a used bookstore, and I've since real loads of books by her. She's a physicist that has great characters, storylines and believable science. She might be a rock star too ... not sure. That image is linked from her website.

- owensa42 [ Amazon ]

The Genesis Quest and Second Genesis by Donald Moffitt

Best is hard to say, but one I don't see in the comments so far is The Genesis Quest and Second Genesis by Donald Moffitt. I don't think it is a spoiler to include this from the book description on Amazon: After intercepting a message from Earth, Nar scientists have learned the secret of human life. The alien species understands everything about human technology and culture and uses this knowledge to build on each breakthrough until they succeed in re-creating humans. There is a lot more to it than that, and it deals with a lot of interesting concepts.

- J.R. Jenkins [ Amazon ]

Raft by Stephen Baxter

So many great choices, but I just love Raft by Stephen Baxter. It takes place in strange universe where trees are uses as transportation and gravity is a billion times stronger than our universe. I recommend it highly!

- Gavin S. [ Amazon ]

The Star Web by George Zebrowski

The Star Web - really old pulpy sci-fi, but having to first of all figure out they're ON a an ancient ship, and then how fast they've moving, and how to get home... Fantastic read, and really reminds me of Stargate Universe, as the ship may have telepathic influences, is ancient, and recharges inside stars.

- apronboobsface [ Amazon ]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

This probably isn't the best I've read but it has some pretty cool sections and concepts that make it a really good read. One cool plot line revolves around a traveler visiting a lover on another planet but she ages way quicker because of his faster-than-light travel.

- SaturdayMorning [ Amazon ]

Ursula le Guin's Hainish Series

I'm going to sound very strange here, but my favorites were always Ursula le Guin's Hainish series. You're probably thinking that this is a stupid choice because space travel is very rarely (if at all) a part of the stories. That's why I love them... the absence of writing about the space travel makes these the travel itself be what it could only be for us in the early 21st century: beyond our imagination.

- sckinjctn [ Amazon ]

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

It's a story concerning what happens, when we finally reach out in the galaxy only to find out that a whole lot of other creatures beat us to it, and now we have to fight for every inch of what we find. Sort of. At the same time it's also a story of how you as an American gets teased with another life after life. When you reach 75 you can sign up for basically a space marine program, governed by the private cooperation who controls the only way man can leave earth. CDF promise you that you will get a new life beyond the stars and that's the promise, the protagonist of Old man's war travels for. It's part of a series and the two first sequels are equally great but the first novel will always hold a special part in my heart. It combines the dreams of "what will happen, when we finally get away from here" with some truly great writing that never alienates the reader and tells a very human tale, if that makes sense. (English isn't my native language so I apologize for every single error. I hope it can be read without a lot of trouble.) TLDR: Old Mans War. Read it.

- pkoch [ Amazon ]

The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson

To be sure, a masterwork about space travel and colonization. Hell, a not insignificant chunk of Red Mars alone is just about getting to Mars.

- Patrick Halloran [ Amazon ]

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

Anathem by Neal Stephenson not only includes an exciting space travel sequence but themes tied in with quantum mechanics, parallel universes and a heaping dose of philosophy.

- Patrick [ Amazon ]

Best space books for 2023

There are plenty of great books out there about space — so many, in fact, that it can feel a little overwhelming to figure out where to start, whether searching for a perfect gift or your next engrossing read. So the editors and writers at Space.com have put together a list of their favorite books about the universe. These are the books that we love — the ones that informed us, entertained us and inspired us. We hope they'll do the same for you!

We've divided the books into five categories, which each have their own dedicated pages. On this page, we feature books we're reading now and books we've recently read, which we will update regularly. Click to see the best of:

• Space books for kids
• Astronomy and astrophysics
• Spaceflight and space history
• Space photography
• Science fiction

We hope there's something on our lists for every reader of every age. We're also eager to hear about your favorite space books, so please leave your suggestions in the comments, and let us know why you love them. You can see our ongoing Space Books coverage here .

What we're reading:

Why you can trust Space.com Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test and review products.

"The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy"

by Moiya McTier

The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy | <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FMilky-Way-Autobiography-Our-Galaxy%2Fdp%2F1538754150%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank"> $27 now $23.28 from Amazon

Astronomers have written the Milky Way's story many times over; scientists have traced violent collisions in its past and future and peered into the supermassive black hole lurking at its heart. But if our galaxy could tell us its story, what would it say? Astrophysicist and folklorist Moiya McTier tells that story in her delightful new book, "The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy." McTier's Milky Way makes for a prickly narrator as the book zips through everything from the formation of the universe through the ways scientists think it might come to an end. ~ Meghan Bartels

<a href="https://www.space.com/milky-way-autobiography-book-author-interview" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Read an interview with Moiya McTier <a href="https://www.space.com/milky-way-autobiography-moiya-mctier-excerpt" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Read an excerpt from "The Milky Way"

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"A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman"

by Lindy Elkins-Tanton

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Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University is the principal investigator of NASA's Psyche mission, a spacecraft designed to explore the asteroid of the same name, which appears to be primarily made of metal. But the path she followed to get to that position is full of intriguing side trips she shares in her new memoir, "A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman." The book covers everything from her experience conducting field research in Siberia to her work supporting healthy culture in the ivory tower. ~ Meghan Bartels

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"Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science"

by James Poskett

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What if everything we're taught about the history of astronomy and physics is wrong? In his new book, "Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science," James Poskett, a historian of science and technology, focuses on how science has always been a global endeavor and how that story was overshadowed by a biased Westernized version. Astronomy and physics play key roles in the story he tells, with cameos from key figures such as Ptolemy and Isaac Newton, although the book spans several scientific fields, including natural history and evolution as well. ~ Meghan Bartels

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"Space Forces: A Critical History of Life in Outer Space"

by Fred Scharmen

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Like plenty of kids, Fred Scharmen was fascinated by the depictions he saw of what life in space might look like. But Scharmen grew up to be an architect and urban designer, which taught him to see all the silent assumptions, fears and hopes that were hidden in those images. In "Space Forces," Scharmen examines seven different visions of life in space, exploring the cultural beliefs they betray and asking us to think more critically about why we want to go to space and how to translate our values into exploration. ~ Meghan Bartels

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"Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet ― And Our Mission to Protect It"

by Nicole Stott

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Retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott is one of the fewer than 600 people to have reached space, and she hopes the stories of that experience will inspire readers to take a planetary perspective on their daily lives. She offers new philosophies for living on Earth informed by her experience in orbit and melds her experiences in space with stories of people on Earth who act on the same value she sees as so crucial to spaceflight. ~ Meghan Bartels

<a href="https://www.space.com/astronaut-nicole-stott-back-to-earth-interview" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Read an interview with Nicole Stott <a href="https://www.space.com/astronaut-nicole-stott-back-to-earth-excerpt" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Read an excerpt from "Back to Earth"

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FBack-Earth-Planet_And-Mission-Protect%2Fdp%2F1541675045%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank"> Buy "Back to Earth" on Amazon

"The Apollo Murders" (Mulholland Books, 2021) 

By Col. Chris Hadfield

The Apollo Murders <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FApollo-Murders-Colonel-Chris-Hadfield%2Fdp%2F0316264539%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $28 now $14.63 on Amazon . 

New York Times bestselling author, YouTube star, international speaker, and popular Twitter personality, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, has a creative eye on the moon in his first dive into fiction, "The Apollo Murders." It's a rousing adventure placed amid the tense days of the U.S.-Soviet Union space race in the 1970s following America's lunar landings. The alternative history is set in 1973 when NASA launches a final top-secret mission to investigate a crewed Soviet space station called Almaz. The clandestine flight continues to the moon as both Russian and American crews target a huge bounty hidden on the lunar surface.

<a href="https://www.space.com/chris-hadfield-apollo-murders-novel" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Astronaut Chris Hadfield talks about writing the book <a href="https://www.space.com/the-apollo-murders-chris-hadfield-book-excerpt" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">Read an excerpt from "The Apollo Murders"

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FApollo-Murders-Colonel-Chris-Hadfield%2Fdp%2F0316264539%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank"> Buy "The Apollo Murders" on Amazon

"Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space" (Harper, 2021) 

By Stephen Walker 

Beyond <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FBeyond-Astonishing-Story-Planet-Journey%2Fdp%2F0062978152%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $29.99 now $16.49 on Amazon . 

On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to leave Earth's orbit and travel into space, marking a significant milestone in the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In "Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space" (Harper, 2021), author and documentary filmmaker Stephen Walker recounts intimate details of the months, and years, leading up to Gagarin’s historic flight, revealing the true stories of the Soviet space program as the agency prepared to launch the first human into space — only weeks before American astronaut Alan Shepard's suborbital flight on May 5, 1961. Walker also discusses the historical impact of Gagarin's flight and how it set the stage for NASA's Apollo program. ~ Samantha Mathewson

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FBeyond-Astonishing-Story-Planet-Journey-ebook%2Fdp%2FB08D9KCD1X%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fdchild%3D1%26keywords%3DBeyond%252C%2BStephen%2Bwalker%26qid%3D1617239747%26sr%3D8-1%26tag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Beyond" on Amazon.com .

"The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, & Dreams Deferred" (Bold Type Books, 2021)

By Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

The Disordered Cosmos <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F1541724704%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $28 now $14.74 on Amazon .  

Theoretical physics is supposed to be about pure, crisp ideas. But physics is done by humans, and human society brings messiness to any endeavor. That reality means every aspect of physics is marked by the social constraints of who is allowed to do physics in harmony with their identity and who is not. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a theoretical physicist at the University of New Hampshire, tackles the implications of that reality in her thought-provoking new book. ~ Meghan Bartels

Read Space.com's interview with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/disordered-cosmos-book-interview" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here.

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F1541724704%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "The Disordered Cosmos" on Amazon.com

"The Relentless Moon" (Tor, 2020)

By Mary Robinette Kowal

Relentless Moon <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FRelentless-Moon-Lady-Astronaut-Novel%2Fdp%2F1250236967%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $17.60 on Amazon . 

Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut series imagines what would have happened if Apollo-era spaceflight had continued at the same pace, pushed forward by the existential threat of meteor-caused climate change. This third book follows astronaut Nicole Wargin on an investigation of threats to a lunar base, exploring how life on the ground continues amid ambitious space exploration. ~ Meghan Bartels

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FRelentless-Moon-Lady-Astronaut-Novel%2Fdp%2F1250236967%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "The Relentless Moon" on Amazon.com

"The Sirens of Mars: Searching for Life on Another World" (Crown, 2020)

By Sarah Stewart Johnson

The Sirens of Mars <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FSirens-Mars-Searching-Another-World-ebook%2Fdp%2FB07Y7HL1RT%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $28.99 now $21.16 on Amazon . 

Planetary scientist Sarah Stewart Johnson shares the human story of the search for life on Mars in this compelling book. A host of hidden moments about scientists' views of the Red Planet decorate the book's pages, and Johnson explores how scientists have found and lost hope in the process of studying our nearest neighbor. ~ Meghan Bartels

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FSirens-Mars-Searching-Another-World-ebook%2Fdp%2FB07Y7HL1RT%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "The Sirens of Mars" on Amazon.com

"See You in Orbit?: Our Dream of Spaceflight" (To Orbit Productions, 2019)

By Alan Ladwig

See You In Orbit?: Our Dream Of Spaceflight <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FSee-You-Orbit-Dream-Spaceflight%2Fdp%2F1733265708%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $18 on Amazon . 

Alan Ladwig, a former NASA manager, dives into the promise of public spaceflight in this new book, which comes as Blue Origin, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and more take aim at private and commercial space travel.

Read Space.com's interview with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/see-you-in-orbit-alan-ladwig-public-spaceflight-book.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FSee-You-Orbit-Dream-Spaceflight-ebook%2Fdp%2FB07YZFJR64%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "See You In Orbit?: Our Dream of Spaceflight" on Amazon.com.

"Identified Flying Objects" (Masters Creative LLC, 2019)

By Michael Masters

Identified flying objects <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07NHP3GXQ%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $22.95 on Amazon . 

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have captured the public's attention over the decades. Rather than aliens, could those piloting UFOs be us — our future progeny that have mastered the landscape of time and space? Perhaps those reports of people coming into contact with strange beings represent our distant human descendants, returning from the future to study us in their own evolutionary past. The idea of us being them has been advanced before, but this new book takes a fresh look at this prospect, offering some thought-provoking proposals. ~Leonard David

Read Space.com's review <a href="https://www.space.com/aliens-time-traveling-humans-ufo-hypothesis.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07NHP3GXQ%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Identified Flying Objects: A Multidisciplinary Scientific Approach to the UFO Phenomenon" on Amazon.com.

"They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers" (Pegasus Books, 2020)

By Sarah Scoles

They Are Already Here <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FThey-Are-Already-Here-Culture-ebook%2Fdp%2FB07VWKZ2QP%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $27.95 now $17.30 on Amazon . 

Do you remember reading a New York Times story in 2017 that claimed to unveil a Pentagon program dedicated to investigating UFOs? Did you hear rumors about why the FBI closed a solar observatory the next year for then-undisclosed reasons? Are you confused about why there seem to be so many documentaries about alien sightings? "They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers" by freelance journalist Sarah Scoles, tackles these questions and many more. <a href="https://www.space.com/they-are-already-here-ufo-culture-book-excerpt.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">Read an excerpt from "They Are Already Here," and read Space.com's interview with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/they-are-already-here-ufo-culture-book-sarah-scoles-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FThey-Are-Already-Here-Culture-ebook%2Fdp%2FB07VWKZ2QP%2F%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "They Are Already Here" on Amazon.com.

"The Andromeda Evolution" (Harper, 2019)

By Daniel H. Wilson

The Andromeda Evolution <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07CRGKWC3%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $7.50 on Amazon . 

There's finally a sequel to Michael Crichton's 1969 classic about extraterrestrial life trying to take over humanity from, of all places, Arizona. In "The Andromeda Evolution," author Daniel H. Wilson continues Crichton's work and brings the terrifying tale into outer space. ~Elizabeth Howell

Read Space.com's review <a href="https://www.space.com/the-andromeda-evolution-book-daniel-wilson-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07CRGKWC3%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "The Andromeda Evolution" on Amazon.com.

"For Small Creatures Such As We" (G.P Putnam's Sons, 2019)

By Sasha Sagan

For Small Creatures Such As We <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07N5JQXFK%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $26 now $14.45 on Amazon . 

In her new book "For Small Creatures Such as We," Sasha Sagan, daughter of "Cosmos" co-writer Ann Druyan and famed astronomer Carl Sagan, dives into the secular side of spirituality. Upon starting a family of her own, Sagan wanted to have rituals and traditions that would bond them together. But being non-religious, she reevaluated what these traditions could be and this book explores how rituals like holidays can be inspired by the "magic" of nature, space and science rather than religion. ~Chelsea Gohd

Read Space.com's interview with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/sasha-sagan-daughter-carl-sagan-new-book.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07N5JQXFK%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "For Small Creatures Such as We" on Amazon.com . 

"Dr. Space Junk Vs. the Universe" (MIT Press, 2019)

By Alice Gorman

Dr. Space Junk Vs The Universe <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FDr-Space-Junk-Universe-Archaeology%2Fdp%2F0262043432%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $27.95 now $20.69 on Amazon . 

What happens to satellites when they die, and come to think of it, when do they die? Alice Gorman is an Australian archaeologist who studies objects related to spaceflight, and what we can learn by thinking about space through the lens of archaeology. Her book is an engaging story of the ways being human shapes how we go to space. From Aboriginal songs tucked on the Voyagers' Golden Records to the importance of the size of a spacecraft, Gorman offers a new perspective on the history — and future — of space. ~ Meghan Bartels

Read a Q&A with Gorman about the new book and the archaeology of space <a href="https://www.space.com/alice-gorman-space-junk-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">here.

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FDr-Space-Junk-Universe-Archaeology%2Fdp%2F0262043432%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Dr. Space Junk Vs. the Universe" on Amazon.com.

"Einstein's Unfinished Revolution" (Penguin Press, 2019)

By Lee Smolin

Einstein's Unfinished Revolution <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FEinsteins-Unfinished-Revolution-Search-Quantum%2Fdp%2F1594206198%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $28 now $23.55 on Amazon . 

Although many believe that the quantum-mechanics revolution of the 1920s is settled science, Lee Smolin wants to disrupt that assumption. Smolin, a theoretical physicist based at the Perimeter Institute in Toronto, argues that quantum mechanics is incomplete. The standard quantum model only allows us to know the position or trajectory of a subatomic particle — not both at the same time. Smolin has spent his career looking to "complete" quantum physics in a way that allows us to know both pieces of information. Smolin's very engaging new book, "Einstein's Unfinished Revolution," offers this unique perspective honed through four decades at the forefront of theoretical physics. ~Marcus Banks

Read a Q&A with Smolin about the new book and the state of quantum physics <a href="https://www.space.com/einsteins-unfinished-revolution-lee-smolin-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here.

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FEinsteins-Unfinished-Revolution-Search-Quantum%2Fdp%2F1594206198%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Einstein's Unfinished Revolution" on Amazon.com . 

"Apollo's Legacy" (Smithsonian Books, 2019)

By Roger Launius

Apollo's Legacy <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FApollos-Legacy-Perspectives-Moon-Landings%2Fdp%2F1588346498%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $27.95 on Amazon . 

How do we understand a transformative event like the Apollo missions to the moon? Many present it as proof of American ingenuity and success, but there's much more to the story. In "Apollo's Legacy: Perspectives on the Moon Landings," space historian Roger Launius probes the impacts Apollo had technologically, scientifically and politically, as well as analyzing what we can draw from it to understand the country's modern space program. The slim volume is written as a scholarly text, but it's accessible to anybody with an interest in space history and the circumstances that spawned Apollo. ~Sarah Lewin

Read a Q&A with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/apollos-legacy-roger-launius-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FApollos-Legacy-Perspectives-Moon-Landings%2Fdp%2F1588346498%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Apollo's Legacy" on Amazon.com.

"Finding Our Place in the Universe" (MIT Press, 2019)

By Hélène Courtois

Finding Our Place In The Universe <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFinding-our-Place-Universe-Laniakea_the%2Fdp%2F0262039958%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $24.95 on Amazon . 

In "Finding Our Place in the Universe," French astrophysicist Helene Courtois describes the invigorating quest to discover the Milky Way's home. In 2014 Courtois was part of a research team that discovered the galactic supercluster which contains the Milky Way, which they named Laniakea. This means "immeasurable heaven" in Hawaiian. 

In this engaging and fast paced book, Courtois describes her own journey in astrophysics and highlights the key contributions of numerous female astrophysicists. The reader is right there with her as Courtois travels to the world's leading observatories in pursuit of Laniakea, and it's easy to see why the challenge of discovering our galaxy's home became so seductive. Readers who want them will learn all the scientific and technical details needed to understand the discovery of Laniakea, but it's also possible to enjoy this book as a pure tale of adventure. ~Marcus Banks

Read a Q&A with Courtois about her book and the hunt for Laniakea <a href="https://www.space.com/hunt-for-supercluster-helene-courtois.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here.

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFinding-our-Place-Universe-Laniakea_the%2Fdp%2F0262039958%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Finding Our Place in the Universe" on Amazon.com.

"The Girl Who Named Pluto" (Schwartz & Wade, 2019)

By Alice B. McGinty, Illustrated by Elizabeth Haidle

The Girl Who Named Pluto <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FGirl-Who-Named-Pluto-Venetia%2Fdp%2F1524768316%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> $18.99 now $17.99 on Amazon . 

How did an 11-year-old English schoolgirl come to name Pluto? In "The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney," Alice B. McGinty recounts one child's history-making turn on a fateful morning in 1930. Although the book is aimed at kids ages 4 to 8, there's plenty for older children to connect with as well. And the vintage-flavored illustrations by Elizabeth Haidle make the experience a visual delight. 

Venetia had connected her love of mythology with her knowledge of science to christen the new planet after the Roman god of the underworld, refusing to let her age or gender to hold her back. 

McGinley says she hopes Venetia's tale inspires her readers — girls, in particular. "I hope girls read it and feel empowered to be part of the scientific process," she said. "I hope boys read it and feel empowered, too, and understand how important girls are to science." ~Jasmin Malik Chua

Read Space.com's interview with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/girl-who-named-pluto-picture-book.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here. 

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FGirl-Who-Named-Pluto-Venetia%2Fdp%2F1524768316%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "The Girl Who Named Pluto" on Amazon.com.

"Delta-v" (Dutton, 2019)

By Daniel Suarez

Delta-V <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FDelta-v%2Fdp%2FB07KB7QF1H%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US""> now $28 on Amazon . 

In "Delta-v," an unpredictable billionaire recruits an adventurous cave diver to join the first-ever effort to mine an asteroid. The crew's target is asteroid Ryugu, which in real life Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has been exploring since June 2018. From the use of actual trajectories in space and scientific accuracy, to the title itself, Delta-v — the engineering term for exactly how much energy is expended performing a maneuver or reaching a target — Suarez pulls true-to-life details into describing the exciting and perilous mission. The reward for successful asteroid mining is incredible, but the cost could be devastating. ~Sarah Lewin

Read a Q&A with the author <a href="https://www.space.com/delta-v-daniel-suarez-interview.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">here.

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FDelta-v%2Fdp%2FB07KB7QF1H%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Buy "Delta-v" on Amazon.com.

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor. 

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