The best science fiction books featuring queer characters

Kellie Doherty Author Of Finding Hekate
By Kellie Doherty

Who am I?

I’m a queer speculative fiction writer who gets giddy whenever I read about space and spaceships, aliens, and advanced technology. I get even more of a rush when I discover queer representation tucked around the tech. Why? Because queer people deserve positive representation in literature—everyone should see themselves in creative works. As a reader, I read and shout about as many queer books as I can; as a writer, I infuse my works with as many queer characters I can. 

I wrote...

Finding Hekate

By Kellie Doherty,

Book cover of Finding Hekate

What is my book about?

Mia Foley is running away from the attack that changed her life. She’s captain of a new spaceship when the Acedians find her and try blasting her peaceful crew from the black. She must sever her bonds in order to run, again. But she’s grown fond of this crew, particularly Cassidy Gates. Staying with them will jeopardize their safety, and they have much closer fears than the Acedian hunters. Mia’s time is running out. She’s becoming one of them. Finding Hekate is an adult science fiction novel, featuring a ramshackle crew, lots of action and adventure, and a dash of romance.

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The books I picked & why

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

By Becky Chambers,

Book cover of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Why did I love this book?

Chamber’s A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is a quiet slice-of-life kind of story following the journey of Rosemary—the main human character—as she tries to fit in and find her place within her alien crew. I really fell in love with Rosemary’s curiosity about her crewmates, and how that translated beautifully into the quiet character-building moments Chambers weaves into the story overall. It’s a lovely queer story where no one is treated any differently for being queer and that resonated with me. The story is also truly compelling—I literally gasped out loud when I got to the midpoint.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

By Becky Chambers,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION

'A quietly profound, humane tour de force' Guardian

The beloved debut novel that will restore your faith in humanity

#SmallAngryPlanet

When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The ship, which has seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.

But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix,…

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The Space Between Worlds

By Micaiah Johnson,

Book cover of The Space Between Worlds

Why did I love this book?

The Space Between Worlds is such a thrilling read—it’s got the perfect meld of the hard-hitting science questions and just the right touch of spiritualty. Johnson deals with the multiverse paradox in such an intriguing way that I was blown away with each chapter. Her characters are fabulous as well—just the right amount of attitude and wonder and snark. Johnson’s characters are queer but that’s not the crux of the story, it’s just who they are, and that quiet representation really drew me in. Her characters make mistakes—make the wrong choices—suffer the consequences—own up to them and learn from them…and they also happen to be queer. I love, love, love representation like that.

The Space Between Worlds

By Micaiah Johnson,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Space Between Worlds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Sunday Times bestseller. Winner of the Kitschies Golden Tentacle award.

A stunning science fiction debut, The Space Between Worlds is both a cross-dimensional adventure and a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.

'My mother used to say I was born reaching, which is true. She also used to say it would get me killed, which it hasn't. Not yet, anyway.'

Born in the dirt of the wasteland, Cara has fought her entire life just to survive. Now she has done the impossible, and landed herself a comfortable life on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley…

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Gideon the Ninth

By Tamsyn Muir,

Book cover of Gideon the Ninth

Why did I love this book?

Snark. I mean it! Gideon is just so…snarky! And while originally Muir’s heavy lean into that sarcastic bite turned me off of Gideon for a few chapters, I really got into it when the story picked up and the necromancy aspect turned out to be pretty damn cool. The voices Muir infused into the story grabbed me by the throat and kept me pinned to the page, quite literally. (Did I mention the snark??) As with all the other books I’m recommending today, the lesbian aspect was a part of the book—a big part, I’d say actually, the clashing romance was super cute—but it was just one facet of the characters and not their whole being. I’m honestly shocked that this is one of my top sci-fi books because I was so against Muir’s main character in the beginning, but her grating attitude pulled me in.

Gideon the Ninth

By Tamsyn Muir,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked Gideon the Ninth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

15+ pages of new, original content, including a glossary of terms, in-universe writings, and more!

A USA Today Best-Selling Novel!

"Unlike anything I've ever read. " --V.E. Schwab

"Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!" --Charles Stross

"Brilliantly original, messy and weird straight through." --NPR

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.

Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth, first in The Locked Tomb Trilogy, unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as…

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The Left Hand of Darkness

By Ursula K. Le Guin,

Book cover of The Left Hand of Darkness

Why did I love this book?

This story is a masterclass in worldbuilding, it has an intricate plot, it’s science fiction that also talks about hate and fear and the differences in culture, and oh yeah, it features a whole entire gender-fluid species. The book is both about gender and not about gender, and the main character of Genly goes through a period of self-reflection and realizing his shortcomings. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s Ursula K. Le Guin, what more do I need to say?

The Left Hand of Darkness

By Ursula K. Le Guin,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked The Left Hand of Darkness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION-WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY DAVID MITCHELL AND A NEW AFTERWORD BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERS

Ursula K. Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction-winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants' gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an…

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Winter's Orbit

By Everina Maxwell,

Book cover of Winter's Orbit

Why did I love this book?

Winter’s Orbit has one of the sweetest romances I’ve read thus far. The characters have trauma to work through and they do so beautifully. I love how broken Jainan is and how he discovers he’s worthy of love. The push and pull between him and Kiem was masterful! Raw. Compelling. And it’s set against a backdrop of a galactic-level political mystery! (But honestly, I read it for the romance.)

Winter's Orbit

By Everina Maxwell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Winter's Orbit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A chilling account of a dark past wrapped in the warm blanket of a promising future . . . A pleasure to read' Ann Leckie

'Sparks fly' NPR

'A stunning new space opera debut' K. B. Wagers

The Iskat Empire rules its vassal planets through a system of treaties - so when Prince Taam, key figure in a political alliance, is killed, a replacement must be found. His widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with the disreputable aristocrat Kiem, in a bid to keep rising hostilities between two worlds under control. But Prince Taam's death may not have…

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You might also like...

The Rosewood Penny

By J.S. Fields,

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

J.S. Fields

New book alert!

Sponsored by J.S. Fields Author

What is my book about?

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction. 

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band, they rob the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability, this mostly works out well…until Marani and her quirky band of outlaws plunder the carriage of the very bossy princess Nuria.

The princess’s carriage contains not just gold, but a dragonscale comb that belonged to Marani’s murdered mother. Worse yet, Princess Nuria seems to know exactly who Marani is, maybe more than Marani herself.

The Rosewood Penny

By J.S. Fields,

What is this book about?

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction.

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability, this mostly works out well…until Marani and her quirky band of outlaws plunder the carriage of the very bossy princess Nuria.

The princess’s carriage contains not just gold, but a dragonscale comb that belonged to Marani’s murdered mother. Worse yet, Princess Nuria seems to know exactly who Marani is,…

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5 book lists we think you will like!

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The best queer books across time & genre
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