5 Sci-Fi Reads That Will Make You Cry

Written by Serena Baker & Likewise Pix | Oct 25, 2024 From poignant explorations of love with a robot to thrilling time travel mysteries, these five sci-fi reads are sure to tug at your heartstrings and expand your imagination.

Klara and the Sun

In Kazuo Ishiguro’s masterful novel, Klara and the Sun , we follow the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with exceptional observational skills. As Klara stands in a store, eagerly awaiting to be chosen by a customer, she observes the hustle and bustle of life around her. This book, a Good Morning America Book Club pick and a New York Times bestseller, invites readers to contemplate what it truly means to love. It's a beautiful meditation on human connection and loneliness, seen through the innocent and poignant lens of artificial intelligence. The narrative unfolds with such heartfelt clarity that readers will find themselves deeply moved. Want to dive deeper into this touching story? Visit the full book here .

Sea of Tranquility

Emily St. John Mandel, acclaimed author of Station Eleven , presents a time-travel wonder, Sea of Tranquility . This narrative weaves together the stories of Edwin St. Andrew, an exiled Englishman in 1912, and Olive Llewelyn, a writer traversing Earth from a moon colony centuries later. Their lives intersect in a mystery that unravels through a depiction of parallel worlds and fleeting possibilities. A detective’s investigation into a time anomaly reveals complex tales of love, creativity, and survival. Mandel’s prose is a stunning reflection on the delicate threads of our universe, making this one of 2023’s most compelling reads. More details about the book can be found here .

Of Wars, and Memories, and Starlight

Aliette de Bodard’s imaginative collection, Of Wars, and Memories, and Starlight , consists of fourteen unique tales that demonstrate her flourishing prowess in sci-fi. With stories set in a gothic, war-torn Paris teeming with magical beings, and a Vietnamese-inspired space opera universe where sentient ships house familial memories, each story invites readers to explore themes of identity, culture, and grief. Bodard’s portrayal of motherhood in harsh colonial environments and the aftermath of war and survival makes this collection a must-read for sci-fi enthusiasts seeking emotional narrative depth. Explore this universe here .

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories

Ken Liu’s groundbreaking collection, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories , features award-winning narratives that have captivated and moved readers worldwide. This anthology includes “The Paper Menagerie”, a tale of heartbreak and cultural poignancy, which is the only story to win the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Liu’s stories are meticulously crafted, exploring themes of historical struggle, familial connections, and the betrayal of trusted relationships. This collection is an insightful and stunning representation of Liu’s creativity and narrative brilliance. Uncover more about this acclaimed collection here .

Light from Other Stars

Erika Swyler’s Light from Other Stars is a tender and ambitious narrative that takes readers on a journey through space and time. In 1986, young Nedda Papas dreams of becoming an astronaut, as her father experiments with time-altering inventions. Decades later, Nedda finds herself on a defining mission in space, compelled to confront past and future to solve a crisis. This story highlights familial bonds, aspirations, and the inexorable forces of progress. Swyler’s blend of science fiction and emotional depth poses existential questions about our place in the universe. Delve into the intricacies of this novel here .

Each of these books offers a unique lens through which to view humanity's distant future and introspective journey, providing both enthralling narratives and emotional revelations. What resonates through all these tales is their capacity to evoke powerful feelings, challenging the reader’s perception of technology's role in our lives and the essence of love and identity. Diving into these sci-fi masterpieces not only promises entertainment but also deep reflections, sure to stay with you long after you turn the last page.