13 Fantastic Sci-Fi Novels Written for Young Adults

13 Fantastic Sci-Fi Novels Written for Young Adults

The Evolution of Science Fiction

In Depth

Science fiction offers glimpses of imaginary worlds that are closely linked to our own. Often, these stories feature conflicts that are seemingly unconquerable, that teach lessons about courage, teamwork, and identity. This genre can help young people develop their character, especially teenagers who are struggling with the transition from childhood to adulthood. In no particular order, we've come up with a list of thirteen sci-fi novels written for young adults.

First on the list at #1, is "I Am Number Four" by Pittacus Lore. In this novel, a teenager named John Smith lives a normal, low-profile life in Paradise, Ohio. Although seemingly ordinary, he is actually one of nine aliens from the planet Lorien who have been sent to Earth to hide from the evil beings from Mogadore who destroyed their home. But those who managed to escape the attack are now being hunted down. When three of them get killed, John, who is labeled "Number Four," knows that he is next. He must use his special powers to save himself, the others, and the world.

Up next at #2, is "Mila 2.0" by Debra Driza. This novel is about a teenage girl who is adjusting to her simple life in a tiny ranch with her mother. Mila notices however, that she is different, with unusual strength, heightened sense of hearing, and better reflexes than the average teenager. She later discovers that she is not human at all. She is actually an android that was created as a sophisticated military weapon. But what sets her apart from other A.I. is the fact that she has the ability to feel human emotions. She must try to run from the people who want to destroy her.

Mila notices however, that she is different, with unusual strength, heightened sense of hearing, and better reflexes than the average teenager.

In at #3, is "The Final Six" by Alexandra Monir. The story is set in a future where the Earth has been ravaged by severe climate change. The International Space Training Camp recruits intelligent and highly-skilled teenagers who will compete to be among the chosen ones to build a new colony on Europa, which is one of Jupiter's moons. After losing his family in a flood in Rome, Italian championship swimmer Leo is determined to get selected. He befriends Naomi, a science genius who is suspicious of the ISTC's true intentions. They soon realize the weight of their responsibilities and what their mission entails for the world.

Coming in at #4, is "The Other Side of Gravity" by Shelly Crane. This novel is set in a dystopian world called Landu, where everyone and everything, including oxygen and gravity, gets auctioned on the black market. To avoid getting sold, one must obey the law and pay taxes. Maxton, a trader, meets and falls in love with Sophia, a stowaway, who has been trying to escape from her proprietor. The story delves into their forbidden romance and how they manage to defy the rules of the cruel reality they live in.

At #5, is "Icons" by Margaret Stohl. In this novel, a teenager named Dol survives a catastrophe that has destroyed Earth. Dol and her fellow survivor Ro have been hiding and living a simple life in the countryside. The government finds out about this and the two get captured along with other survivors, Tima and Lucas. The four discover that they are the only humans who are immune to the Icons' power, and that their greatest vulnerabilities are actually their strongest assets.

In this novel, a teenager named Dol survives a catastrophe that has destroyed Earth.

Next at #6, is "Disruption" by Jessica Shirvington. The setting of this book takes place in a futuristic world where smartphones have evolved into mandatory microchip bracelets called M-Bands. The Mercer Corporation promises that the device is meant to make lives easier, but it actually gives the company the power to control everyone. Maggie Stevens, who loses a loved one because of this, plots revenge against the empire. The heir to the M-corp, Quentin Mercer, can either be the key to her plan, or the one who destroys it, and it is up to Meggie to find out which.

At #7, is "Timebound," by Rysa Walker. In this tale, a teenage girl named Kate receives a strange blue medallion from her grandmother, who tells her about time travel. While she is skeptical at first, she later confirms that she has a genetic ability to go back in time. She then discovers the truth behind a mass murder that took place in 1893, and sets off on a mission to alter history by preventing the killings. But changing the world's fate would come at a price for Katie, as the boy she loves would completely forget that she exists.

Coming in at #8, is "Dreamfall" by Amy Plum. In this haunting psychological thriller, Cata and six other insomnia-ridden teenagers join an experiment that is supposed to cure their medical condition. But a technical malfunction causes the patients to enter a shared dream world. In the altered reality, they are hunted by the most horrifying entities of their imaginations and tortured by their deepest darkest secrets. Without any recollection of how the ended up there, they must join forces to confront their greatest fears in order to emerge back into waking life.

In this haunting psychological thriller, Cata and six other insomnia-ridden teenagers join an experiment that is supposed to cure their medical condition.

In at #9, is "Starters" by Lissa Price. This narrative takes readers to the aftermath of the Spore Wars, where everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty has been wiped out. Struggling to get by without her parents, Callie goes to "Prime Destinations," along with her brother Tyler and her friend Michael. This is a place where the bodies of teenagers are rented out for seniors who want to be young again. After Callie gets implanted with a neurochip, the device malfunctions and causes a glitch. She then finds herself inside the life of her renter, and discovers some sinister truths.

Next at #10, is "Contagion" by Erin Bowman. This thriller starts off with an emergency call regarding the decimation of a project on a distant planet. The search-and-rescue crew arrives at a littered and abandoned site, full of dead bodies and discarded weapons. The plot thickens as they unearth more than they were prepared for and awaken monsters that should have been left undisturbed.

At #11, is "Origin" by Jessica Khoury. A team of scientists breed an immortal named Pia for the purpose of starting a new race that's impervious to death. She is raised in an uncontaminated compound, tucked away in the Amazon rainforest. Pia accidentally finds a hole in the electric fence that encloses her home, and sneaks out. She then meets a village boy named Eio and falls in love. As both of them seek out the truth, they are faced with consequences that gravely change the course of their lives.

She is raised in an uncontaminated compound, tucked away in the Amazon rainforest.

Up next at #12, is "Academy 7" by Anne Osterlund. The narrative focuses on Aerin Renning, a fugitive slave hiding her true identity, who gets admitted to a prestigious academy. Dane, the son of one of the most powerful leaders in the Alliance, is despised by his own father and is secretly planning to take revenge on him. The two become friends and fall in love. Their relationship is put on edge when they find out about each others' dangerous secrets.

And last but not least at #13, is "Heart of Iron" by Ashley Poston. This book is about a rebel outlaw, Ana, who is discovered by a space captain and crew, drifting away in a capsule with her android, D09. When her bot starts to glitch, she sets off to steal a chip to save it from completely breaking down. But a royal Ironblood boy named Robb gets the coordinates first. A series of unfortunate events turn them into fugitives, with the whole kingdom hunting for them. They end up uncovering secrets that force Ana to choose between saving her kingdom or her robot.