In the ever-expanding universe of science fiction, queer authors and characters have boldly reimagined the genre. From sentient spaceships navigating identity to genderless societies redefining power, queer sci-fi doesn’t just include LGBTQ+ people, it centers them.
These stories push boundaries, question norms, and offer radically different visions of the future. Whether you’re craving cosmic romance, dystopian defiance, or just really good worldbuilding, these books prove that sci-fi is one of the best spaces to explore what it means to be free.
Here are 10 queer sci-fi books that reimagine identity, love, and the universe itself.
1. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the heart of a galactic empire and must unravel political conspiracies and ancient technologies, all while hosting the mind-print of her dead predecessor.
As a bisexual protagonist in an alien culture obsessed with poetry and politics, Mahit reimagines her place in an empire that wants to erase her. The novel explores memory, identity, and the tension between tradition and change.
Why we recommend it: It’s perfect for readers who love intricate worldbuilding and thoughtful, character-driven space politics.
2. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Red and Blue, agents from opposing futures, wage war across time, until they start writing love letters to each other.
Told in poetic prose and steeped in secrecy, this novella reimagines time travel as both battlefield and love story. Their relationship unfolds outside linear time and gender norms, making it deeply queer and profoundly moving.
Why we recommend it: It’s a must-read for anyone who loves surreal romance, lyrical writing, and genre-breaking storytelling.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter3. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Onboard the Wayfarer, a motley crew of humans and aliens builds wormholes while building friendships and finding purpose.
The story reimagines what space travel can feel like: cozy, kind, and deeply human. Queer characters, including a genderfluid alien and an AI-human romance, are woven seamlessly into the story’s emotional core.
Why we recommend it: This is for readers who want softness in their sci-fi and a vision of the future that’s inclusive and compassionate.
4. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Gideon, a foul-mouthed lesbian swordswoman, is roped into a deadly necromancer competition in a haunted palace.
Set in a gothic space empire full of bones, secrets, and necromantic drama, the book reimagines queerness through camp, chaos, and raw emotion. The dynamic between Gideon and her nemesis Harrow crackles with tension and tragedy.
Why we recommend it: It’s a wildly unique read, perfect for fans of antiheroes, memes, and unapologetic weirdness.
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5. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
On a generation ship plagued by racism and inequality, Aster, a neurodivergent, intersex protagonist, searches for truth in a brutal world.
Solomon reimagines classic space dystopias by centering Black, queer trauma and resilience. The HSS Matilda is oppressive, but Aster’s pursuit of knowledge and justice is fierce and unrelenting.
Why we recommend it: It’s a heavy but necessary read for anyone ready to confront how the past echoes into the future.
6. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
A runaway violin prodigy, a retired music teacher with a demonic deal, and an alien donut shop owner collide in a tale of love, music, and identity.
This book reimagines the intersections of sci-fi and fantasy, trauma and healing. Shizuka, a trans woman, anchors the emotional arc in a story that’s equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking.
Why we recommend it: It’s warm, weird, and completely unforgettable, ideal for fans of genre fusion and found family narratives.
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7. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
Centuries in the future, environmental engineers work to terraform a planet while resisting the corporations who want to own everything, including people.
Newitz reimagines not only the future of ecosystems but also bodies and identities. Queer, trans, nonbinary, and nonhuman characters fight for autonomy and justice in a deeply thoughtful sci-fi epic.
Why we recommend it: For readers craving big ideas, diverse representation, and anti-capitalist worldbuilding.
8. The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden
In a future South Africa, biotech, gods, and pop stars collide in a kaleidoscopic, genre-blending sci-fi fever dream.
With a cast of queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming characters, Drayden reimagines the sci-fi genre with wild imagination and unapologetic weirdness.
Be whoever you want to be. Just make sure you mean it.
Why we recommend it: This one’s for fans of chaos, color, and speculative fiction that refuses to behave.
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9. The Seep by Chana Porter
When an alien entity transforms Earth into a utopia, Trina, a trans woman, finds herself unraveling after personal loss.
Porter reimagines the meaning of peace, choice, and grief in a post-scarcity world. This novella asks: What happens when the world changes, but you’re still broken?
Why we recommend it: Quiet, haunting, and deeply introspective, this is speculative fiction for deep feelers and thinkers.
10. Space Battle Lunchtime by Natalie Riess
A baker gets whisked away to compete on an intergalactic cooking show, and things get complicated (and delicious).
This fun graphic novel reimagines competition tropes in a whimsical, queer-inclusive setting full of aliens and space pastries. Peony, our Earthling heroine, brings heart and humor to every challenge.
Why we recommend it: For anyone who wants joy, color, and queerness in their comics—and maybe some space cake, too.
Queer sci-fi doesn’t just add representation, it reimagines everything. These books aren’t about fitting into existing futures. They’re about creating new ones. From cosmic love letters to necromancer duels and donut shops in the stars, each of these stories invites us to rethink what’s possible.
So whether you’re here for radical hope or messy space drama, queer sci-fi will keep pushing the genre forward, one reimagined future at a time.
