The Best & Buzziest Queer Sci-Fi Books of 2024 (So Far)
I wanted to title this newsletter "Everyone in Space is Gay."
Today’s Our Queerest Shelves is brought to you by: The Stars Too Fondly | Harper Voyager
Sapphics in space, need we say more?
So, here’s the thing: Cleo and her friends really, truly didn’t mean to steal this spaceship. They just wanted to know why the entire Providence crew vanished 20 years ago. But then the engine started all on its own, launching these chaotic four into space, unable to turn around, and being harangued by a snarky hologram that resembles the ship’s missing
captain, Billie. As they get deeper into space, the laws of physics start twisting, old mysteries come crawling back, and Cleo’s initially combative relationship with Billie turns into something deeper and more desperate than either woman was prepared for. Find out more about The Stars Too Fondly | Harper Voyager here!
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Last week, I gathered up some of the best and buzziest queer fantasy books published from January to March. After seeing today’s sponsor, I thought it would be fun to do the same thing with the biggest queer science fiction books out at the beginning of 2024. I quickly discovered that there are far fewer books to choose from — more queers in space books, please!! Still, there have been some great ones you might have missed, so here is a good place to start.
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In case you missed it, last week’s bonus content was a voice note where I discuss the eight most surprising queer books I’ve read.
The Best & Buzziest Queer Sci-Fi Books of 2024
Exordia by Seth Dickinson
If you want a sci-fi book to challenge your brain, pick this one up. One reviewer says reading it is like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle while being chased by wolves. This is hard science fiction, with a lot of physics. And snake aliens. And several queer point of view characters. It seems to be one people either love or hate. Pick it up and let me know which camp you fall into!
The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
This UK release is a space fantasy that follows Obi, a time traveler with temporal sickness who is in love with a prince in Regency London. Then, he hears the ghost of a girl from a different time. Meanwhile, Asha is living in a dystopian 6066, trying to rescue her sister after she was stolen by the emperor.
Redsight by Meredith Mooring
In this sapphic space opera, Korinna is the weakest Redseer — a blind priestess who can manipulate space-time — in her order. She tries to keep out of trouble and not be noticed. When she is made navigator on an Imperium ship, she realizes she’s much more powerful than she’s been led to believe…and that’s when the pirate Aster attacks the ship. Korinna can’t help but be drawn to Aster, and now she has to decide which side to put her considerable power behind.
The Mars House by Natasha Pulley
This is a queer marriage of convenience on Mars. Need I say more? January is an Earth refugee. Gale is a Mars politician pushing that all Earthstrongers on Mars go through a dangerous “naturalization” process. After January and Gale disastrously clash during an interview, Gale offers him a deal: a five-year marriage that will rehabilitate both their reputations and protect January from having to get naturalized. When he agrees, January finds out the real Gale is very different from their brash public persona.
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti #2) by Malka Older
If a cozy sapphic mystery in space sounds good to you, you need to be reading the Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series. This is the second book, which follows the two detectives as they investigate the case of more than a dozen people who have gone missing from Valdegeld University.
Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix: Crushing Love by Ben Kahn, illustrated by Bayou Kun
I know nothing about Captain Laserhawk, the Netflix show, or Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, the game it’s based on, but judging by the cover, this manga prequel looks ridiculous, and I am here for it. It follows supersoldier Dolph Laserhawk’s doomed love affair with criminal mastermind Alex Taylor.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
LGBTQ Book Riot Post
15 of the Best Queer SFF Romance Books
If you swoon at queer dragons, werewolves, and robots, you're in the right place. Here are some of the best queer SFF romance books to read.
All the Links Fit to Click
Queer Feminist Essay Collection Explores Horrors of Motherhood
A Bisexual, Palestinian American Coming of Age: You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat (The Lesbrary)
Ghosts or Post-Partum Depression? Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe (The Lesbrary)
A Sapphic, Victorian Parent Trap: Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban (The Lesbrary)
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Queer Bookish Goodies
For this sci-fi themed newsletter, I had to include an “everyone in space is gay” sticker. I highly recommend checking out the video to see the full sparkly effect. $5
That's it for me! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog the Lesbrary. You can hear me on All the Books, and you can also read my Book Riot posts and subscribe to my other Book Riot newsletter, Read Harder.
Happy reading!
Danika
Editor’s note: The original version of this post used the wrong pronouns for Gale in The Mars House.
Hey, Danika! Just a quick heads-up: I just finished The Mars House and the character Gale uses they/them pronouns.
I’m excited to check out the rest of the books on this list! Thank you for putting it together!!