This collection of stories is set in the universe of Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin’s Wild Card series. Humanity faces destruction from an alien virus with unpredictable outcomes. Some die, others gain surprising powers, and some suffer bizarre mutations. Collaborating with authors like Cherie Priest and Walter Jon Williams, these narratives follow Cloyd Crenson as he is split into six distinct personas.

Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston

Despite its silliness, I thoroughly enjoyed Preston’s last novel, Extinction, which channeled the vibe of Jurassic Park into an adventure with long-extinct creatures coming back to life in a wildlife park. This sequel, co-authored with his daughter, unravels tales of alien artifacts that UFO enthusiasts believe could change the world, a secretive fanatic society, and a revived Neanderthal with a much less enthusiastic outlook than previous characters portrayed in Homo Sapiens.

This installment is part of the War of the Prisoners series by the author of The Spread. It’s a thrilling space opera, showcasing humanity’s battle against the formidable Calix Empire for survival. The narrative follows Dafydd Alcohol, a captured human, and Swarm, a rogue agent striving to undermine the Empire.

A novel that piques my interest blends science fiction themes with an exploration of isolation. The protagonist, Ada, navigates her loneliness in London, forging a connection with Atticus. As her detachment from the world deepens, she questions whether her newly artificial environment was constructed specifically for her.

Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh

Mackintosh’s prior novel, Water Cure, which presented a chilling fable set on a potentially toxic island, was immensely enjoyable. It felt on the cusp of science fiction, and I’m curious if Permanence will explore similar themes. This tale follows Clara and Frances as they clandestinely continue their affair, only to wake up in an unfamiliar town filled exclusively with their unfaithful friends, free to live openly yet cut off from the outside world.

Event Horizon by Balsam Karam, Translated by Saskia Vogel

Published by Fitzcarraldo, a renowned independent literary publisher featuring multiple Nobel laureates, this novel tells the story of 17-year-old Milde, who rebels against a tyrannical government that has exiled her mother and child. After encountering imprisonment and torture, she faces a dreadful choice: public execution or participating in a groundbreaking mission that launches her into the cosmos and down a black hole called Mass.

Set in the universe of Stroud’s Fractal, the series begins in 2121 AD, three years following the first Martian conflict. As the colony strives for survival, vigilante-turned-revolutionary Magnus Scirocco finds a cause, Peter Iskander leads a religious initiative, and Brigadier Elisa Shan enters a perilous duel when her ship is commandeered.

I’m captivated by this novel’s premise. Harlow seeks her missing friend Annie, unearthing remnants of a dead body in an AI-generated video. Concurrently, Kieran, also in the pursuit of Annie, discovers a community on a mission to find a vanished ghost. The narrative promises to delve into the evolving concept of ghosts as technology advances. This isn’t just simple science fiction—it’s intriguing!

Metro 2035 by Dmitry Glukhovsky

This concluding installment of the Metro trilogy inspired the acclaimed video game. Taking place twenty years post-World War III, the narrative unfolds in the Moscow subway, where the few survivors desperately cling to hope, searching for signs of life above ground.

Many by Sylvain Nouvel

This First Contact narrative revolves around five individuals in the small town of Marquette, Michigan, whose minds begin to intertwine as they confront a reality “bigger and stranger than they ever imagined.”