Our favourite books about characters living amongst the stars
If you’re a fan of the idea of intergalactic adventure and are intrigued by the mystery of what lies beyond our solar system, you’ll love these books set in space. Travel through the universe with this collection of characters that we fell in love with.
The Illuminae Files Series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Confession: We still haven’t read Obsidio despite Illuminae being one of our all time favourite books and one we’ve read over and over, but we know it’ll be just as great as the first two in the series. Illuminae is like nothing we’ve read before, with pages full of formats including instant messages, emails, case files and loads more. It’s daunting to pick up a book like this but trust us, it’s worth it and before long you’ll find yourself completely comfortable with how unusual it is.
We follow Kady and Ezra, who just broke up this morning, as their planet is invaded and they’re forced to flee on huge spaceships, but an enemy warship is in hot pursuit. Worse yet, a deadly plague breaks out on ship. Yup. It’s epic.
The characters are fun and playful but there are some terrifying moments that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. There are twists and turns and you will have no idea where the next page will take you. It’s a master piece – don’t miss it!
Ventura Saga by Kate Ling
These books are so underrated. There are three books in the series, with one being a prequel, and they will shatter your heart before putting it back together again. Be prepared to shed some serious tears. There are cliffhangers, there’s swoon-worthy romance, there’s a spotlight on mental health.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Beck Chambers
Often described as a space opera, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a novel with little plot apart from the long journey onboard the Wayfarer, but the characters are so wonderful and getting to know them is such a joy that the plot just doesn’t matter.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is a bit heavier on the sci-fi than the other books listed here, complete with various alien species.
There are four books in the series, but we’ve only read the first one so far. All four have fantastic ratings on Goodreads and have been nominated for numerous literary awards.
Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Another trilogy now, and this one has MAPS. We love a book with a map. In this YA series, Amy wakes up from her frozen slumber fifty years early, leaving her to question everything.
There’s a whole community on board, which has been running the ship whilst she slept, and now Amy has to navigate life on board with an important question lingering over her: who tried to kill her?
Like the other books in this list, there are plenty of twists to keep you hooked, plus more swoon-worthy romance and a whole lot of adventure.
The Loneliest Girl In The Universe by Lauren James
The only standalone novel in this list, The Loneliest Girl In The Universe is a YA sci-fi book about Romy Silvers, who is the only surviving crew member of a spaceship travelling to a new planet. All alone, Romy then discovers that a second ship has launched, and on board is a single passenger called J. She can talk to J via email, but her messages take months to transmit. It’s a surprisingly scary and twisty read.
Have you read any books set in space? Let us know your favourites and we’ll add them to our TBR. If they make the cut, they’ll then be added here!
