Hugonauts: The Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

The Mercy of Gods follows a team of research scientists trying to survive an alien invasion. The Carryx are ruthless - killing 1/8 of the population immediately as they arrive to encourage the survivors to cooperate. Our team, along with many others, are then abducted and brought to a Carryx planet, where they are set loose in an open-air prison populated by hundreds of other alien races. They’re told that if they want to survive they must be useful to the Carryx. Will they resist, or decide to serve the alien overlords? And what does service even mean to aliens who think totally differently?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:Shards of Earth - Adrian TchaikovskyStartide Rising - David BrinA Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge

A radio astronomer discovers a signal coming from Alpha Centauri - strange, beautiful alien voices, singing. While the rest of the world is transfixed by the broadcast, a catholic order, the Jesuits, take action and launch a mission to the planet of Rakhat. But from the outset we know the mission is doomed to tragedy, because a second storyline follows Emilio Sandoz after his return to Earth. The only survivor of the mission, he struggles to heal his wounds and to reconcile his faith with the deaths of his friends, and prepare to tell the world the truth of what happened on Rakhat.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:Children of God - Maria Doria Russel (Sequel)Chronicle of a Death Foretold - Gabriel García MárquezAnathem - Neal StephensonContact - Carl SaganA Canticle for Liebowitz - Walter M. Miller Jr.

In the 23rd century Johnny Rico enlists in the Mobile Infantry, the heart of the human military. As he nears completion of an intensely rigorous training program to learn how to fight and use his power armor, war breaks out between humanity and the bugs. The bugs are aliens with a hive mind, who attack and destroy Buenos Aires, and Johnny and his friends must strive to survive and defend humanity through the brutal war. It's also full of deeply interesting (and controversial) ideas about duty, service, crime and punishment, and so much more. If you like military sci-fi this is a must-read, and if you are into philosophical SF you are going to be pleasantly surprised how much it will stick with you and make you think.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (listen to our interview with Joe)Columbus Day by Craig AlansonThe Parafaith War by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

We rank the nominees for the 2024 Hugo award, plus 6 more from last year!Join the book club on discord and read The Sparrow! https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2Video version of the show on YouTube https://youtube.com/@hugonautspodThe books:The Witch King - Martha WellsThe Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi - Shannon ChakrabortySome Desperate Glory - Emily TeshThe Saint of Bright Doors - Vajra ChandrasekeraStarter Villain - John ScalziTranslation State - Ann LeckieChain Gang All Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahThe Great Transition - Nick Fuller GooginsTitanium Noir - Nick HarkawayThe Marriage Act - John MarrsRed Team Blues - Cory DoctorowThe Ferryman - Justin Cronin 

Explore 7 amazing short sci-fi books recommended in the podcast, including 'This Is How You Lose the Time War', 'The Day of the Triffids', 'Cat's Cradle', 'Babel-17', 'All Systems Red', 'Tusks of Extinction', and 'The Way Station'. Delve into unique spy vs spy romance, survival challenges, humanity themes, Murderbot's adventures, and a revenge tale of cloned mammoths.

A young woman named Avice grows up in a strange world between worlds on the planet of Arieka. The podcast discusses the unique setting of Embassy Town, focusing on truly alien aliens. Topics include alien communication, addiction, rich world-building, unique technology, society of Ariake, alien languages, lying ceremonies, and complex relationships within Embassytown.

The hosts discuss surprising results of a listener survey on top sci-fi books, including the popularity of 'Jurassic Park'. They explore the appeal of various sci-fi novels, debate the influence of Dune movies on book perception, highlight underrated gems in the genre, and analyze the popularity of climate fiction and alien invasion narratives. The discussion includes surprises in the survey results, favorite books of the hosts, and reactions to top sci-fi book series.

The 2024 Nebula awards are coming up, so we read  and ranked all the books for ya. And we've got good news, this was a great year for fantasy and sci-fi!Join the book club on discord: https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2Video version of the show on YouTube https://youtube.com/@hugonautspod The short listed books:Translation State by Ann LeckieShigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole TalabiThe Water Outlaws by S.L. HuangThe Terraformers by Annalee NewitzThe Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra ChandrasekeraThe Witch King by Martha Wells

The year is 2033. The world has been reduced to rubble. Humanity is nearly extinct. The survivors live in the Moscow Metro - the biggest air-raid shelter ever built. It is humanity's last refuge. Stations have become mini-statelets, their people uniting around ideas, religions, water-filters - or the simple need to repulse an enemy incursion. VDNKh is the northernmost inhabited station on its line. It was one of the Metro's best stations and still remains secure. But now a new and terrible threat has appeared. Artyom, a young man living in VDNKh, is given the task of penetrating to the heart of the Metro, to the legendary Polis, to alert everyone to the awful danger and to get help. He holds the future of his native station in his hands, the whole Metro - and maybe the whole of humanity. Vote for your top 10 favorite SF novels by April 26! Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis is a unique book! So instead of our normal book recs, we recommend some similar video games:The Last of UsBioshockThe Witcher 3 (harhar)

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 forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone. 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?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirWe Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. TaylorReady Player One by Ernest Cline