Hey, so I have a hard time getting into books that have loads of straight romance (forgive me 😭) or male protagonist because I’ve read to many in a short span of time. I just want a female protagonist in a sci fi book with good friendships and a plot that is more than 3 stars!
by SkinCapable7108
17 Comments
The adventures of Amina Al Sarafi
you might like one of those:
*Ancillary Justice* by Ann Leckie – unique protagonist, amazing world, great plot.
*Binti* by Nnedi Okorafor – short, brilliant, super compelling.
*A Door Into Ocean* by Joan Slonczewski – all-female cast, deep friendships, immersive sci-fi.
All of these are way more than 3 stars and have plot + characters that stick with you.
Tanya Huff’s Confederation series
I really liked the books by S.A. Barnes. I preferred Ghost Station and Dead Silence to the newest one Cold Eternity, though.
The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir gets polarizing reviews but I loved it.
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
*Embassytown* by China Mieville
Planetfall by Emma Newman, read by Emma Newman. She is a wonderful talent as both an author and a narrator.
Andy Weir’s second book, Artemis. It get’s forgotten because it’s not as good as The Martian or Project Hail Mary. But that leave’s plenty of room to be a decent read.
Not sure if you’d class it as pure Sci-fi, but *The Eyre Affair* by Jasper Fforde has a number of sci-fi elements in it, and a female protagonist. There’s some romance, but it’s not the main part of the plot.
Shards of Honor and Barryar by Lois Macmaster Bujold.
The Demon Breed by James Schmitz.
The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz. One of my favorite book of the last few years!
Becky Chambers The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.
Very creative aliens in terms of culture and bodies which I truly enjoyed.
The long way to a small angry planet by Becky chambers
The Thousand Doors of January
The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
Lilith’s Brood trilogy by Octavia Butler
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon (most of her books have female protags)
Teixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine
The Kingdom Trilogy by Bethany Jacobs (third book out this year)
Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
The Indranan Wars, The Farian Wars and NeoG series, all by KB Wagers
The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
Planetfall by Emma Newman
The Space Between Worlds by Miciah Johnson
Snow Crash and The Diamond Age, both by Neal Stephenson
Imperial Radch books by Ann Leckie
Ammonite by Nicola Griffiths
Semiosis by Sue Burke
The Outside by Ada Hoffman
Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott
These last three titles are all first books in a series, but I haven’t read the other books yet 🙂
Hope you find something to enjoy!
Arkady Martine: A Memory Called Empire, a Desolation Called Peace
arguably Adrian Tchaikovsky: the Children of Time (non human female protagonist)
possibly Sherri S Tepper: the Gate to Women’s Country
possibly Elizabeth Moon: Vatta’s War (5 volumes)
The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley. One of the more insanely creative books I’ve read.