8 Most Entertaining Sci-Fi Books of the 21st Century

Science fiction writers imagine the future in order to explore humanity’s present and past, providing a mix of cautionary tales and social commentary. Books about artificial intelligence, alien encounters, and galaxy-spanning wars are often filled with dense explanations of theoretical technologies or complex political factions. While dry and heavy sci-fi can be extremely rewarding to read, the genre also offers plenty of lighter options filled with humor and adventure. If you want some laughs in your future, check out these eight extremely entertaining sci-fi books that grapple with modern issues facing humanity in the 21st Century.

1

Redshirts by John Scalzi (2012)

John Scalzi is a master of comedic sci-fi, whether penning zany novels like Starter Villain or the silly short stories that got adapted to episodes of the Netflix anthology series Love, Death & Robots. Fans of Star Trek: Lower Decks should check out his Hugo Award-winning novel Redshirts, which follows a group of new ensigns on a starship where away missions have an appallingly high casualty rate. Things get far weirder when the new crew begins investigating the nature of their ship’s confrontations with aggressive aliens and looking for a way to save their lives.

2

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (2014)

Very much a journey over destination book, Becky Chambers’ originally self-published debut novel follows Rosemary Harper, a woman from Mars who tries to escape her past by joining the crew of a ship tasked with tunneling wormholes through space. Rosemary learns a lot from the quirky aliens she shares the ship with as they protect each other in this sweet story of found family. The cozy book is a perfect read for fans of Firefly or Farscape.

3

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (2018)

The Murderbot Diaries is a hilarious series about Murderbot, a rogue cyborg security guard who would rather be watching soap operas than protecting dumb, helpless humans. While Murderbot’s running internal monologue is always entertaining, the second book in Martha Wells’ series is one of the best. Murderbot gets the perfect foil in an advanced ship AI dubbed Asshole Research Transport. As Murderbot tries to learn more about its past, it has to put up with a new friend who wants to share TV time. Read Artificial Condition before watching the second season of the Apple TV adaptation, which is currently in the works.

4

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente (2018)

The space opera genre gets literal in Catherynne M. Valente’s absurdist book where humanity has to compete in the Metagalactic Grand Prix, a Eurovision-like song contest. Filled with over-the-top humor, Space Opera is basically a glam rock tribute to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The washed-up band Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes has to use music to prove humanity is actually sentient, and if they place last, the whole species will be destroyed.

5

Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes (2019)

Space operas often feature oddball ensembles, but few are as weird as the crew of La Sirena Negra. The foul-mouthed captain Eva Innocente is on a mission to save her kidnapped sister, and she’s lying to her crew about the stakes as she leads them on a series of dangerous jobs so she can pay the ransom. The book pokes fun at video games and pop culture as Eva has to deal with psychic cats and the unwanted affection of an alien emperor.

6

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (2019)

While the first book in Tamsyn Muir’s The Locked Tomb science fantasy series is a very bloody mystery, Gideon’s snarky humor keeps the story from ever feeling too heavy. Gideon is tasked with protecting the necromancer Harrow as the heirs of the empire’s great houses complete challenges to prove they are worthy of immortality. Donning skull makeup and aviator shades, Gideon is perpetually exasperating Harrow, though the two need to work together to survive and figure out who is killing the other competitors.

7

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

Andy Weir’s debut novel, The Martian, is surprisingly fun for a story about a stranded astronaut trying to grow potatoes so he doesn’t starve to death. Weir’s followup, Project Hail Mary, is even more entertaining as Weir applies his signature dry wit and skill at explaining hard science to a buddy comedy adventure rather than a survival story. Science teacher and biologist Ryland Grace wakes up with amnesia on a spaceship orbiting a distant star, discovering he’s the only survivor of a mission to save Earth’s sun from being consumed. Luckily he finds an unlikely ally — an alien who is trying to save his own planet. The book got a perfect adaptation in 2026, but it’s still worth reading for some wild moments that didn’t make it into the film.

8

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (2024)

Matt Dinniman popularized LitRPGs with his self-published Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which got a commercial printing in 2024. Blending science fiction and fantasy, the series follows Carl, a Coast Guard veteran who winds up competing in an alien reality TV show along with his ex-girlfriend’s prized show cat. The dynamic between the unlikely party members is hilarious as they have to face bizarre challenges to level up, impress a twisted AI, and build a following among viewers from across the galaxy. Seth MacFarlane is working on an adaptation of the series for Peacock.