Red Rising by Pierce Brown is an exciting dystopian novel about a young man named Darrow who is a Red, the lowest caste of society that has colonized Mars. They work long, hard days to make the surface of the planet habitable for humanity, believing that their work and sacrifice will benefit future generations. But when Darrow’s wife discovers that the surface of the planet has been habitable for decades and that the Reds toil as cheap labor for the ruling class, her discovery leads to her execution…and Darrow becomes a revolutionary. Red Rising is the first in the Red Rising Saga, and it is an exciting dystopian series that has massive appeal for adult and YA readers alike. If you’re looking for more great reads after marathoning the series, then pick up any of the these sci-fi, dystopian, and fantasy books like Red Rising!
Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead
Justin is a failed investigator in the supernatural and religious in futuristic North America, and lives in exile as a result. But he’s surprised when he’s pulled back to invesgitate a new crime: a strong of ritualistic murders. To keep him in line, he’s given a partner, Mae Koskinen, who is an enhanced super soldier. As the two work together to solve the crimes, they find themselves uncovering a vast conspiracy they never dreamed of.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
For a book with a similar rigid caste system, grab this YA novel about Mare, who is born to a red-blooded family that is destined to serve the silver-blooded elites. But when a shocking discovery puts Mare in the spotlight, she is betrothed to a silver and put to the ultimate test in a series of events that will upend her world.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
Tau is born into a world where the people are pitted against an enemy they have no hope of defeating. Some are born lucky, and have the strength to stay in the fight. Tau knows he’s not one of them, and has plans to get injured and tap out early…until he’s the sole survivor of a massacre and becomes bent on revenge, leading him to places he never expected.
God’s War by Kameron Hurley
Set on a planet ravaged by war with no hope of it ending anytime soon, this book follows Nyx, a former government assassin who makes her living retrieving heads for cash. But when a deal goes south, she’s asked to do the impossible…but if she succeeds, she just might be able to end the war.
Mind Storm by K.M. Ruiz
Set in the future, hundreds of years after nuclear war nearly wiped out humanity, most of the people live in poverty while the select few have the wealth to escape to another planet. But when one person, Threnody Corwin, develops the ability to channel lightning, she’ll change the course of history.
Leviathan Wakes by S.A. Corey
If you’re looking for another epic series set in space, you can’t go wrong with this first book in the Expanse series. In this future, humanity has colonized Mars and the Asteroid Belt, but the divide between those who grew up on Earth and those in space and on Mars is deep. When the XO of a mining outfit finds a ship containing a dark secret, it will change the universe–and humanity’s expanse into deep space–forever.
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
For an action-packed book set in space filled with political intrigue, pick up this novel about Kiem, a prince and disappointing grandson to the emperor who is ordered to marry Count Jainan, a representative from a vassal planet, in a political scheme. But Jainan is mysterious–his first husband died in a strange accident, and when he and Kiem marry, they discover a conspiracy that could get them killed.
Barbary Station by R.E. Stearns
When couple Adda and Iridian graduate from university, their engineering degrees are pretty much worthless in the dismal job market. Rather than try and find jobs and face inevitable separation, they hatch a plan to join a pirate crew at the legendary Barbary Station…but their plan to impress the pirates goes horribly awry when they arrive and realize that the pirates are being held captive at the station by a rogue AI.
Wool by Hugh Howey
This is a great dystopian series about humanity’s struggle for survival and fight agains the unknown. The world has become toxic, so humanity lives underground in a mysterious silo. Those who talk of the outside world are punished by being sent out there to die. When the sheriff is banished, Juliette becomes the head of law enforcement…and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy.
Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
Emil and Brighton have grown up in a world where specters prey on those with special powers, and a vigilante group fights back. While Brighton wants to join the fighting, Emil just wants it all to end. But when Emil develops powers of his own, he’s thrust in the middle of an epic battle that will test the brothers’ loyalty.
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
In this first book in a trilogy, humanity discovers The Flow, an extradimensional field that allows humanity to travel to many different worlds at the speed of light. Humanity becomes spread out across the universe, but when it’s shown that The Flow is shifting, cutting off worlds from the others, three people must come together to discover how to save humanity.
Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden
In a future where Earth is no longer habitable but no other planets have been colonized, Seske Kaleigh and her people live in colonies inside giant space beasts, mining their resources until they’re depleted and can move on. Seske is a future matriarch of her people, but right now she’s more interested in discovering why violent tremors are putting people in danger…and when she discovers the shocking reason just as she rises to power and a rival challenges her, any wrong move could spell disaster for her and her people.
The First Sister by Linden Lewis
If you’re looking for a book with the action and thrills of Red Rising, pick up this novel about First Sister, who is a member of the Sisterhood and raced to travel with the soldiers of Earth and Mars, who own her completely. When she’s abandoned, she hopes for freedom…but finds herself in even more of a trap when a new captain orders her to become a spy.
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
When Binti sneaks off planet to head to Oomza University for the first time, she thinks that the most daring thing about her journey will be that she is the first of her people to head to the university. But when an enemy of the university attacks her ship and Binti is the only survivor, she becomes an unlikely broker of tenuous peace between the worlds.
Revenger by Alistair Reynolds
Arafura is convinced by her sister to join the crew of a ship searching for relics of past civilizations in order to sell, and Arafura has a few special abilities that make her a good relic hunter. But when their ship is attacked and Arafura’s sister is kidnapped, she must go to great lengths to save her sister.
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