Many contemporary science fiction books explore topics like climate change, cloning, space travel, and virtual reality — things that are already familiar to us and with the potential to profoundly impact the course of the future. These 12 near-future science fiction books explore those topics and more. The stories are thought-provoking and sometimes horrifying (if that’s not your thing, you might want to check out solarpunk or hopepunk), considering the good and bad. History shows up that it’s not too late to make a change; but it also shows us that fiction sometimes gets it right. So let’s dive into these 12 near-future science fiction books to see what may be in store for us in our own not-too-distant future. Once you find a genre you love, it’s always fun to explore books of a similar theme. Lists like this one can be a great place to start, especially if you’re up for the research. But if you’re not — or you don’t have the time or patience — there are other options. In fact, finding the perfect read-alike or book on a certain theme is exactly what our customized book recommendation service, TBR, is for. Short for Tailored Book Recommendations, TBR is a book subscription service where our highly experienced (e.g. like, really, super well read, you wouldn’t even believe) team of bibliologists recommend books just for you. Unlike other book subscriptions, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all book box. Our bibliologists know everyone loves different books and wants to read different things, and we can help you find just the book to stay in your comfort zone or expand your literary horizons. Whether you want a read-alike for Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop or slow and thoughtful sci-fi a la Becky Chambers, we’ve got the recs for you. Just check out Book Riot’s TBR service and sign up to find your next favorite read!
