Speculative Fiction Novels
Kirsten and I recently had a discussion about speculative fiction novels and what constitutes speculative fiction. It turns out that this is a long-running debate in the literary community. We wanted to make a list of our favorite speculative fiction novels.
Margaret Atwood famously said that “speculative fiction encompasses that which we could actually do.” Others argue that speculative fiction is science fiction. Others argue that any fantasy book that is not High Fantasy (like Game of Thrones) is also speculative fiction.
This is not a list of science fiction and fantasy books! So why did we make this list? Kirsten and I wanted to make a list of our favorite books that ask the question, “What if?” These are alternate history, dystopian, and light sci-fi novels. They will make you question, wonder, and think.
We have also chosen this as a prompt in the 2027 reading challenge. We will be discussing one of our favorites with the author in September.
The Best Speculative Fiction Novels
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Alternate History Speculative Fiction Book
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead- Jump to Section
The Best Contemporary Speculative Fiction Book
The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon- Jump to Section
The Best Speculative Fiction From a Celebrity Book Club
Understory by Chloe Benjamin- Jump to Section
The Best Speculative Sci-Fi
The Measure by Kristin Miller- Jump to Section
The Best Classic Speculative Fiction Novel
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood- Jump to Section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Alternate History Speculative Fiction
The Underground Railroad
Author: Colson Whitehead
Year: 2016
Genre: Literary Historical Fiction
More info: August 2016 Oprah Book Club Pick, Pulitzer Prize winner, New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
The story is about Cora and Caesar, two run-away slaves in the South who run away to the underground railroad which, in this book, is an actual railroad. Each stop along the way is reminiscent of a different place in history and it is interlaced with actual ads placed for runaway slaves. This book is profound and beautiful and a must-read.
Trigger Warnings
Slavery
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this book, and it was one of the first reviews we did on the blog. I love how this book examined the underground railroad with a touch of magical realism. If you are looking for thought-provoking books, look no further.
Find this book in: Thought-provoking Books / Best Historical Fiction Books / Magical Realism Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Historical Fantasy Books / Speculative Fiction
Kindred
Author: Octavia Butler
Year: 1979
Genre: Historical Speculative Fiction
More info: National Bestseller
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Dana is a black women in the 1970’s when she is abruptly transported to the antebellum South. She saves Rufus, the white son of the plantation owner, and then is transported back home again. Dana keeps finding herself transported back in time to save Rufus over and over while she finds herself in an increasing amount of danger.
Trigger Warnings
Slavery, Racism, Rape
Why Jackie loves it
This is an amazing, fast-paced read. It showcases Butler’s incredible talent as a writer.
Find this book in: Speculative Fiction Novels
Plot
This historical fantasy book was brilliantly researched and had an amazing premise in which Jake Epping steps into a time hole to stop the assassination of Kennedy. Every time he leaves history, time resets itself. Each time something does not go right, he can reset the clock by stepping out of the hole no matter how much time has passed while he was in the past.
Sound confusing? King is a brilliant writer who can make transitions between the past and present seamless. His attention to detail in this whopper of a book is unmatched.
Why Jackie likes it
The historic details in this book were immaculate but, as much as everyone loved this book, I thought that it was much too long. You have to be prepared for almost 900 pages. The beginning and the end of the book were outstanding.
Find this book in: Historical Fantasy Books / Time Loop Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books Set in the 1960s / Books Set in Maine / The Best Long Books / Books with Numbers in the Title / Speculative Fiction Novels
Contemporary Speculative Fiction Novels
Plot
This speculative novel revolves around The Poppy Fields, a location in the desert where those suffering from grief can undergo medically induced rest for a few months to help them heal. After a plane flight is cancelled due to severe weather, a group of strangers ends up on a road trip to the Poppy Fields, where each has a different reason for visiting.
Along the way, their individual grief stories are revealed and they form connections that have each reevaluating their feelings about The Poppy Fields in surprising ways.
Why Kirsten loves it
I was mesmerized by each character’s narrative and their growth throughout the novel. The pacing of the story was a perfect balance of quick, high-tension scenes and slower, thought-provoking ones. I found myself examining grief in a new light after reading about each character’s experience with it. I can’t wait to read whatever Nikki writes next. #gifted by William Morrow.
Find this book in: Novels About Grief/ Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Books About Road Trips / Speculative Fiction Novels
Fallow
Author: Sarah Anderson
Year: 2026
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Natalie has always known that she does not like to work. There is no job that she wants to do, so working in a call center passes the time and makes enough for her to live on. When she gets a toothache and needs more money to pay for a dental procedure, she goes to a blood bank to sell her plasma. There, she meets a nurse who leads her to The Company.
The Company is starting a program that requires multiple NDAs. She is hired to be the first in-house corporate surrogate. If she can deliver 7 babies in 10 years, she will be very generously compensated and the executive mothers will not have to endure the effects of pregnancy
Trigger Warnings
Detailed description of childbirth/ complications
Why Jackie loves it
I love the way this book plays up all the extremes and stereotypes for all generations and wraps it into a satire that I could not put down.
Find this book in: Speculative Fiction Novels
The Good Parts
Author: Evann Normandin
Release Date: July 28
Genre: Speculative Fiction
More info: Dual Timeline, Dual POV
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range 16+
Plot
Landon is shocked when he receives a letter from Rose informing him that she has undergone a procedure to erase him from her memory. He is determined to win her back, even if he is starting from scratch.
Landon travels to Scotland to arrange for the two of them to “accidentally” meet in the hopes that they can start over. Rose and Landon quickly become friends, but it seems that Rose is starting to have strange side effects the closer they become. The story is told in two timelines: his from the present, and hers from the past. Thank you, Grand Central Publishing for my copy of this book. #gifted
Trigger Warnings
Emotional trauma, grief
Why Jackie loves it
This book is deeply emotional and asks the question of “what if” in an extremely powerful way. It examines two people who have suffered from emotional trauma and the different ways they handle it. This book is a beautifully written exploration of two lives filled with love and loss.
Find this book in: Novels about Grief / Best Fiction Books of 2026 / Speculative Fiction Novels
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Author: Anthony Doerr
Year: 2021
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: National Book Award Finalist
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
Age Range: 14+
Plot
I don’t know how to begin to describe this book. This is NOTHING like All The Light We Cannot See and yet, I absolutely loved it. It is part historical fiction, part sci-fi, and absolutely amazing.
The book is set in Constantinople in the fifteenth century, Five hundred years later in a library in Idaho and in a spaceship traveling to a new planet sometime in the near future. Even while trying to describe this book, it does not seem to go together and yet, the story of Cloud Cuckoo Land (a story within the Novel) acts as the glue that brings the characters together. The result is an amazing sci-fi book with a very powerful message.
This is not an easy read but is well worth it.
Trigger Warnings
War, school shooting
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this unique sci-fi historical fiction novel. The story within the story was woven perfectly throughout. I think people will either LOVE this book or hate it. But the mark of a good book is one that will be remembered and talked about.
Find this book in: Nonlinear Narrative Novels / 20 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / The Best Audiobooks of All Time / Books about Libraries / Best Books of 2021 / The Best Long Books / Speculative Fiction Novels
Plot
The Hunger Games meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this haunting and disturbing tale. At the age of sixteen, all women must go into the wild for a year to release their magic. The people of Garner County call this the Grace Year and speaking of it is forbidden. As Tierney James Grace Year approaches, she dreams of a world in which women aren’t pitted against each other in a battle to survive.
Trigger Warnings
Violence, Suicide
Why Jackie loves it
This dystopian YA fantasy book is eery and completely creepy. I could not put it down.
Find this book in: Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Like the Hunger Games / Speculative Fiction Novels
Celebrity Book Club Picks
Under Story
Author: Chloe Benjamin
Release Date: September 1, 2026
Genre: Speculative Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of The Immortalists, September 2026 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Laurel is a mycologist (study of fungus) who flees to Antarctica to work as a dishwasher. She is drawn to the strange life of 6 months of daylight followed by 6 months of darkness. She hopes that she will be able to start to heal after the loss of her son. When a strange light appears across the ice, a group of physicists comes to investigate, and Laurel is shocked to see that her ex-husband, Eli, is one of them. He initially thinks she followed him there to reconcile, but quickly realizes that Laurel has been there for months.
Laurel is convinced that the arc is the exact concept her husband had thought of years ago: a duoverse, and that it will allow them to turn back the clock and relive their lives a second time. The purpose? To find their son.
What follows is a trip into an alternate universe where fungi are the beginnings of life, and time works backward. Life begins at the end and moves forward, so people grow younger.
Trigger Warnings
Child Death, Suicidal Thoughts
Why Jackie loves it
I cannot believe that Benjamin does not have advanced degrees in physics and biology. This book is so creative and unique; at times, I had to put the book down to absorb the information and the brilliant world Benjamin created. This book has elements of Benjamin Button and parts of Interstellar as well. Benjamin’s creativity has no limit.
Find this book in: Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Best Fantasy Books of 2026 / The Best Good Morning America Books / GMA Book Club List 2026 / Books About Women in STEM / Speculative Fiction Novels
The Compound
Author: Aisling Rawle
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Release Date: June 24, 2025
More info: July 2025 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This debut novel is about a reality TV show set at a compound where the contestants, including Lily, need to do what it takes to survive as the stakes get higher and higher. The world outside is succumbing to war and climate change, but inside the compound, contestants can complete tasks to win everything from meat to luxury watches to wood for a door.
Trigger Warnings
Violence
Why Kirsten loves it
This is like a mix of Survivor and MTV’s Real World all in one. It was unlike anything I have ever ready and it was a total romp! The competition scenarios were clever and sadistic as the plot was slowly turned up to a boil. By the end, my heart was pounding as I tried to figure out what I thought Lily should do. Gifted by PRH Audio.
Find this book in: GMA Book Club List 2025 / Reality TV Novels / Poolside Reads / Speculative Fiction Novels
Klara and the Sun
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Year: 2021
Genre: Sci-fi
More info: March 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:
Plot
I’m not usually a sci-fi girl, but this book was just so special. It’s told from the perspective of Klara, an artificial friend who starts the story waiting to be purchased.
We see Klara’s life in the store as she waits for a friend, and then what her life is like when she’s chosen to be a companion for a young girl with a mysterious illness.
Klara draws her power from the sun, and so she believes she can use the sun’s healing rays to save her friend too.
Why Kirsten loves it
This moving story had me caring for a robot in a way I knew would have thought possible. It is definitely on my list of best sci-fi books of all time.
Adaptation Information
Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams star in the feature film adaptation of this novel, which releases on October 23, 2026. Taika Waititi is directing.
Find this book in: Best Sci-Fi Novels/ Popular Dystopian Novels / Good Morning America Book Club / Books Becoming Movies or TV Series / Books Like the Lunar Chronicles / Speculative Fiction Novels
Speculative Sci-Fi
The Measure
Author: Nikki Erlick
Year: 2022
Genre: Sci-Fi
More info: July 2022 Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. One day everyone over the age of 22 wakes up to find a string on their doorstep. It’s soon clear that the length of one’s string determines the length of their life.
Soon short stringers are being discriminated against around the globe which begs the question – what is the true measure of a valuable life?
Why Kirsten loves it
This would be a fabulous book club book. There is so much to talk about. Don’t let the fact that this is a sci-fi book deter you if it is not your usual genre.
Find this book in: Best Books for Book Clubs / New Dystopian Novels /Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Best Read With Jenna Books / Read with Jenna Book Club List 2022 / Speculative Fiction Novels
Vox
Author: Christina Dalcher
Year: 2018
Genre: Sci-Fi
More info: National Bestseller
Age Range: 15+
Plot
Once I got into this sci-fi book /dystopian novel, I could not put it down. The story takes place in the United States when a fundamentalist has become president.
Slowly, he has removed all rights from women, including the right to speech. Every woman is given 100 words a day and a bracelet with a counter to ensure compliance.
Trigger Warnings
Removal of women’s rights
Why Jackie loves it
This book was so well-written and creepy. I loved it, although I have to say that it was a little close to how I feel these days. The scariest dystopian novels, in my opinion, are the ones that seem plausible. This one does hit close to home.
Find this book in: Dystopian Novels / Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Speculative Fiction Novels
Station Eleven
Author: Emily St. John Mandel
Year: 2014
Genre: Sci-fi
More info: National Book Award Finalist
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I do not know where to start with this award-winning dystopian Novel. The story begins with the famous Hollywood actor, Arthur Leander, dying of a heart attack on stage during the production of King Lear.
That is also the same night that a pandemic overtakes the entire planet, quickly ending civilization within a matter of weeks. Now, without power, fuel, running water, phones, etc. those that are left must start over.
Kirsten Raymonde was a little girl when she watched Arthur die and now, twenty years later, she travels with The Traveling Symphony, a small group who try to give back some music and theatre to the small towns of survivors. When they come back to St Deborah by the Water to retrieve their friends, they are no longer there. What remains is a new kind of threat.
Trigger Warnings
Pandemic
Why Jackie likes it
This is such a well-written book, I knew I needed to see how it ended. However, the events of the pandemic were difficult to read.
Find this book in: Dystopian Novels / Books About Road Trips / Books With Numbers in the Title / Speculative Fiction Novels
Classic Speculative Fiction
The Handmaid’s Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Year: 1985
Genre: Dystopian
More info: A hit series on Hulu
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read.
She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant because, in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable.
Offred remembers when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge, her husband Luke, and her daughter But all of that is gone now….
Trigger Warnings
Dystopian, lack of women’s rights
Why Jackie loves it
This dystopian novel is scary because of how convincing it is. There is a reason this novel by Canadian Author, Margaret Atwood, has won awards. It will make you think differently about everything.
Find this book in: Thought-Provoking Books / Book Adaptations on Netflix / Dystopian Novels / Epistolary Novels / Best Full Cast Audiobooks / Speculative Fiction Novels
Plot
This is the book that started it all. Jonathan Harker is a young English solicitor who finds himself in Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. Count Dracula has strange customs and mannerisms and things go from strange to scary to completely horrifying.
The slow torture and the helplessness of Harker is terrifying because he is never sure of what is happening to him.
The story of Dracula is timeless and has been remade into countless movies. But, in my opinion, none have been able to capture the truly terrifying essence of this book.
Why Jackie loves it
This is truly a disturbing thriller horror book. If you love vampire books and have not read this one, it is a must-read that will scare the pants off you.
Find this book in: Epistolary Novels / Thriller Horror Books / Vampire Books/ Dark Academia Fantasy Books / The Best Queen Camilla Book Club Books / Speculative Fiction Novels
Plot
This classic sci-fi book is also a story of triumph and tragedy. It brings up many philosophical questions that are still relevant today. Just because we can, does that mean we should? This awe-inspiring book is imagination at its finest.
Why Jackie loves it
This iconic book was a must for the best sci-fi books of all time. Viktor Frankenstein and his monster are more than they appear on the surface.
Find this book in: Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Speculative Fiction Novels
Expert Tip
Reading challenges are more fun (and easier to finish) with company. In the Beyond the Bookends Book Club, we read one book together each month, share our thoughts, and then hear the story behind the story straight from the author. Plus, the book is already picked for you, so there is one less decision to make. If you would love a few reading friends for your 2027 reading challenge, we’d be happy to have you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is speculative fiction?
Speculative fiction is a genre in which the story narrative departs from reality. Speculative, by definition, means making a guess. This subgenre of books explores possibilities and asks, “What if?” There are many different types of speculative fiction including:
Alternate history
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Dystopian
What is the best speculative fiction to start with?
If you are looking for a classic, start with The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. If you are looking for a newer book, Under Story by Chloe Benjamin is a fantastic novel and one of my favorites of the year. It is also a Good Morning America Book Club pick for September 2026
Is The Handmaid’s Tale speculative fiction or science fiction?
The Handmaid’s Tale is speculative fiction. It is also a dystopian novel. Science fiction is a branch of speculative fiction, but there is no fictional science component in The Handmaid’s Tale.
What is the difference between speculative fiction and sci-fi?
Speculative fiction novels refer to the entire category of books that are not realistic. Science fiction books are a branch of speculative fiction. There are some sci-fi books on this list. However, Kirsten and I want to make a distinction between this list of speculative fiction novels and sci-fi. These novels are all asking the question of “What if?” As Margaret Atwood so beautifully stated, speculative fiction novels encompass all that we COULD actually do.
What is the difference between speculative fiction and magical realism or fantasy?
Speculative fiction novels refer to the entire category of books that are not realistic. Fantasy and magical realism novels are technically branches of speculative fiction. However, since Kirsten and I love magical realism so much and have a wonderful list of Magical Realism Books, I did not include any of these books on our list of speculative fiction.
Is dystopian fiction the same as speculative fiction
No. While these are terms that some people use interchangeably, at Beyond the Bookends, we differentiate between these genres. Speculative fiction is a broad term for any book that questions “What if?” Not all the books on this list are dystopian!
Are speculative fiction novels good books for book clubs?
Yes. There have been fantastic celebrity book club speculative fiction picks, like Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Under Story by Chloe Benjamin, and The Compound by Aisling Rawle.
In addition, the Beyond the Bookends book club will be reading a speculative fiction book as a prompt in 2027!
Related Content
Epilogue
What is your favorite speculative fiction novel?
