Science fiction books that will make your brain feel like spaghetti
For fans of the obscure, the offbeat, and the outlandish
You don’t have to be the next Homi Bhabha to agree that science fiction books are a top-tier genre. Combining the outlandish and grotesque with hard facts is undoubtedly an impressive feat. And better still, are those rare science fiction books that add a human touch to their work—swirling themes of love, hope, compassion and tenderness into their stories like a tastefully made gelato.
This month’s Tweak Book Club pick, Meru by S. B. Divya is one such example—it details the epic story of a futuristic world where human life is only found in scarce pockets and posthuman beings called alloys traverse the universe. When a new planet is unexpectedly discovered, Jayanthi, a human child adopted by alloy parents, embarks on a thrilling journey with her alloy pilot Vaha. As the pair encounters challenges that threaten to break their spirit, they find solace in each other, forming a close and unbreakable bond. This is a story of outer space, an unforgettable adventure, and a fight to keep humanity afloat. But above all, it’s a story about the relentless pursuit of hope.
Inspired by the mind-boggling twists and often not-very-human elements of Meru, we’ve gathered a list of science fiction books that will catapult you into the intergalactic void, invite aliens into your living room, and give you a glimpse of your future self. Whether you need to tickle your frontal lobe with a thought experiment or are just craving a WTF moment to spice up your day, these books will deliver quirkiness with a side of heart.
7 science fiction books that’ll make you go “What?!” every few pages
Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
In this laugh-out-loud comic novel that can only be described as The Office meets Black Mirror, Gerald, a mediocre employee at a firm in New York realises that his consciousness has gotten mysteriously trapped in his company’s Slack channel while his body remains in the real world. Soon, it becomes clear that Slackbot’s motives are not entirely innocuous either.
If your job follows you home like an obsessive stalker (think Joe from You, but it’s your manager), this one might hit too close to home. Narrated entirely in the form of Slack messages, it tackles heavy themes like AI takeovers, privacy and surveillance, with an ease and hilarity that’ll make you double up—but also sit up straight with questions. What does it truly mean to be a person? How would it feel to be a GIF? And, above all, what sets us apart from robots?
They’re Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson
They’re Made Out of Meat will drive you to wonder if the real reason we haven’t yet witnessed an alien invasion is because they simply find humans too weird. In this three-page story—yes, it’s only three pages long—one alien tells another about the walking, talking pieces of meat (us!) that they discovered on another planet. At first, the other alien is incredulous, refusing to believe that a sentient organism made entirely out of meat can even exist. Later, they wonder if they should make contact with the species, eventually deciding that some things are best left alone.
Don’t be fooled by its length—this is a clever and thought-provoking meditation on the tendency to shun anything we deem strange or unfamiliar. And, it means you can sneak a few minutes of literary indulgence into even the most hectic of schedules (Here are some more quick reads to drag you out of a reading slump).
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
As AI is increasingly regarded with suspicion and mistrust, this novel casts an empathetic gaze at a child-like robot that genuinely cares about humans. In this dystopian world, children are home-schooled and genetically engineered to become academically gifted, but their opportunities to socialise are few and far between. So, parents often end up buying lifelike androids—or Artificial Friends (AF)—as companions for their kids.
Klara, a bright and observant AF, is a companion to a sickly child, Josie, whom she grows to care about deeply. Over the course of the book, Klara goes to desperate lengths to save Josie, even being willing to sacrifice herself to restore the young girl’s health. At its core, this is a story about unwavering loyalty—compelling us to wonder if robots, like us, will someday be capable of love.
Exhalation (Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom) by Ted Chiang
If you could enter a passageway that leads to another version of yourself—one that is happier, smarter, more successful, and just…better—would you take the plunge? Narrated from the perspective of two women, this is the story of Nat, who sells devices called prisms that grant access to a parallel reality—and Dana, a psychologist who helps people grappling with this new-age technology.
The real problem arises when Nat starts attending Dana’s group therapy sessions with an ulterior motive. Another participant in the group has a device that Nat and her collaborator assume to be valuable, and they’re eager to persuade him to sell it. This short story comes as part of a larger collection titled Exhalation, and is about the realization that every choice we make can lead us to a different version of ourselves. Mostly, though, it’s an ode to the infinite versions of us that exist in the universe—eating, drinking, laughing, talking, out there somewhere. And a reminder that it’s ultimately our choices that lead us to wherever we end up landing.
The Seep by Chana Porter
When an alien invasion called The Seep ushers in a utopian state, capitalist systems begin to crumble, social hierarchies are tossed aside, and personal boundaries become more fluid. In the wake of this, a trans woman, Trina, and her wife, Deeba, continue to live an ordinary, peaceful life. But when Deeba unexpectedly decides to use Seep-tech to be reborn as a baby, she moves on to a new reality, leaving Trina alone and heartbroken.
Soon, Trina discovers a young boy whose identity is at risk of being diluted, thanks to the lack of autonomy in this new world. She feels compelled to protect him from The Seep, thus embarking on a strange quest while still trying to grapple with the unbearable pain of Deeba’s absence.
Exploring heartache and isolation, this is as much a tale of an extraterrestrial takeover as it is of the nitty-gritties of human relationships and their fragilities. Replete with LGBTQ+, female, and POC representation, it’s a sharp pivot from the vast majority of science fiction novels, which typically only have white, cis-het characters. If diversity is important to you, this one’s a good bet.
The City Inside by Samit Basu
Set in near-future Delhi, Joey is a Reality Controller who manages a popular celebrity’s social media livestreams, while Rudra, whom she offers a job to, is a reclusive gamer who’s estranged from his wealthy and influential family. At first, the pair find it easy to turn a blind eye to the political state of the world, but over time, they have no choice but to reckon with how fragmented it truly is.
As water shortages, police brutality, extreme heat and mob violence grow more rampant, they’re forced to confront the stark reality of living in a country that’s ensnared in late-stage capitalism. Beyond its gripping narrative and fleshed-out characters, what truly stands out about this book is its uncanny resemblance to real-life and certain current events.
Loss of Signal by SB Divya
Sixteen-year-old Toby Benson—who’s shed his dying body and joined a space program after being diagnosed with a terminal illness—has gotten a rare chance to become the first mind to orbit the moon without a physical self in tow. He sets off, eager to complete the mission, but when he loses signal from Earth, he’s plunged into the dark abyss—lonely, afraid and very, very cold. He could abort the mission and travel back to Earth, but his failure would considerably ruin the mission’s progress. He’s left with little choice but to sit with his emotions and wait it out.
This story is fairly short and uncomplicated, but what truly lends it substance is Toby’s inner conflict and his relationship with his mother. Strict and no-nonsense, she refuses to go easy on her son despite his suffering. Yet, in the end, it is her unconditional love for Toby that keeps him going against all odds. A testament to the resilience of humankind and our ability to seek out warmth in the iciest of times, it’ll make you want to give your mom that much overdue call.
