The Fantasy Review’s list of 7 Underrated Modern Science Fiction Books.
The Mimicking of Known Successes (Mossa & Pleiti, #1) by Malka Ann Older
From the blurb:
On a remote, gas-wreathed outpost of a human colony on Jupiter, a man goes missing. The enigmatic Investigator Mossa follows his trail to Valdegeld, home to the colony’s erudite university―and Mossa’s former girlfriend, a scholar of Earth’s pre-collapse ecosystems.
Pleiti has dedicated her research and her career to aiding the larger effort towards a possible return to Earth. When Mossa unexpectedly arrives and requests Pleiti’s assistance in her latest investigation, the two of them embark on a twisting path in which the future of life on Earth is at stake―and, perhaps, their futures, together….
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
From the blurb:
A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression, leaving the survivors no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world, to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but discover that to protect their culture, they may have to change it forever.…
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
From the blurb:
After word gets out on the Internet that aliens have landed in the waters outside of the world’s fifth most populous city, Lagos, Nigeria, chaos ensues. Soon the military, religious leaders, thieves, and crackpots are trying to control the message on YouTube and on the streets. Meanwhile, the earth’s political superpowers are considering a preemptive nuclear launch to eradicate the intruders. All that stands between seventeen million anarchic residents and death is an alien ambassador, a biologist, a rapper, a soldier, and a myth that may be the size of a giant spider, or a god revealed.
Our Blue Orange by A.R. Merrydew
From the blurb:
When inventor Godfrey Davis arrived at the ministry that Monday morning he had his first experience of the new phenomenon. There was something wrong with the aging android fleet that served the colony. Since when did they ever have names?
The president’s visit to his office later that morning gave credence to his earlier experience in the foyer, and somehow his long deceased father now seemed implicated. As Godfrey’s week spiralled out of control the future of the colony was now in jeopardy, and it was all because of him. He should never have left his latest piece of technology unattended.…
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
From the blurb:
In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Lou Arrendale, a high-functioning autistic adult, is a member of the lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the rewards of medical science. He lives a low-key, independent life. But then he is offered a chance to try a brand-new experimental “cure” for his condition. With this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else.…
Taming Flame by Therisa Peimer
From the blurb:
Flaminius’s days of bouncing between beds are snatched away the instant he sets eyes on his perfect genetic match, Aurelia. Suddenly, the tedious task of claiming his rightful place on the Arkhnuetian throne doesn’t seem as daunting with his whip-smart wife by his side. But it’s not like Aurelia had a choice; Flaminius is the only soul she can reproduce with, and she’s not about to play a role in her people’s extinction.…
Child of Another Kind by Steven Decker
From the blurb:
It all begins with a little girl who can look at someone and know their past. But this is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Before learning her true origins, young and gifted Maddie Pace must endure her mother’s death and imprisonment. She grows into a beautiful young woman, yearning for freedom and missing her mom. Cynthia is on a miraculous journey of her own and tries to help Maddie from afar.…
