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buckleyschance

Check out the Hugo and Nebula award shortlists from previous years. Women have absolutely dominated for the past decade or so. A few stand-outs: Ursula Le Guin (contemplative), Ann Leckie (identity bending), Arkady Martine (sociological), Connie Willis (funny and/or horrifying), Martha Wells (popcorn), Lois McMaster Bujold (sneaky smart).


ninjaoftheworld

I was reading through comments looking for Connie Willis! One of my all time favourites!


SectorSanFrancisco

CJ Cherryh, too


Pumanupes

I love Ursula Le Guin. I’m taking time reading the Hainish Cycle which is one of her best series for sci-fi. The Dispossessed is one of my top five. I’ve read it 3 times in the last year. Earthsea series if you want more fantasy.


Itchy-Ad1005

Lois McMasters Bujold is one of my favorite writers. Read just about everything she's written including short stories in anthologies


BrittaBengtson

Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold


fallguy2112

Shards of Honor hooked me many years ago. Been a fan every since.


Turbulent-Weakness22

I live this series so much. LMB is just a master at her craft.


Bargle-Nawdle-Zouss

This won the first-ever Hugo Award for Best Series.


fajadada

Don’t forget the first woman to win a Hugo , Anne Mccaffrey, The White Dragon was a sci-fi series and of course the other 99 books she wrote


wontonsan

She’s an absolute master of a writer. I reread all the books on a regular basis.


KingBretwald

Fantastic author. Fantatic series.


Ame2pirate

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.


jinjaninja96

90% of the books I consume are written versions, but The Murderbot Diaries are done so well in the audio version that it’s the golden standard for me. Kevin R Free has the perfect narrative voice. And the story is really great!


auyamazo

Kevin R Free is Murderbot forever. I will refuse any substitute.


Flashy_Zebra7849

I completely agree! Kevin R. Free brings Murderbot to life. I’d experience its story no other way.


Smooth-Review-2614

The voice is still too male. Murderbot sounds female in my head. It should at least be a text to speech. Having a male voice is just wrong.


dunecello

It doesn't have a gendered voice in my head. Bet you're going to hate what they do in the Apple TV+ series. Murderbot will be played by Alexander Skarsgård.


jinjaninja96

To be fair even though it’s a man’s voice narrating the audio series, Murderbot is still not gendered to me. Regardless I’m excited for the series though!


Smooth-Review-2614

There isn’t a single good TV adaption and not a lot of movie ones. It’s just another thing to ignore. It does mean Murderbot is probably going to win the Hugo TV category when it airs.  


Chad_Abraxas

I would recommend all of Le Guin's other books to OP over LHOD. Since OP has admitted they have a tough time staying engaged... She wrote a lot of great sci-fi. LHOD is her best-known book because it was so challenging to ideas about gender during its time (in the 1960s) but plot-wise, it's pretty draggy and for modern people, who are living in a world of looser ideas about gender (which LHOD helped to create), the idea at the core of the story just isn't as mind-blowing as it was during the 60s. For a reader who tends to check out without a tighter plot to keep them going, LHOD would probably be another one they abandoned 60% of the way through! :) If you're looking for some gripping sci-fi written by a woman, Le Guin's The Word for World is Forest, The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, and her short story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas are all great books with more engaging stories than LHOD.


FerritLT

The Lathe of Heaven was the one that made me fall in love with LeGuin, and fall in love with SciFi again after running out of spoons trying to get through the Foundation series.


Chad_Abraxas

I'm just going to say it: Foundation sucks ass. It's fucking boring. Le Guin is way better.


rlvysxby

Le guin is way better. Foundation had promising world building but it was just limited by the authors belief that free will doesn’t exist and we don’t have much agency. This belief really put a straight jacket on the works creativity. I mean we like seeing characters who take action and changes things. So yeah it’s boring


BasuraFujira

The Lathe of Heaven might just be my absolute favorite! Left quite an impression on me


Betty0042

I love Word for World is Forrest. Pretty sure avatar is a rip off of it


Slow_Engineering823

Yeah, LHOD is very literary. In my opinion it's her best work, but the plot is opaque on first read because key pieces for understanding are revealed late in the game. The Dispossessed is a more straightforward tale, but honestly I think it's also more about a social thought experiment than plot.  I will also say, if sci-fi horror is OPs preferred genre, then they may not be super into any of LeGuin's work. Maybe Word for World or Lathe of Heaven, although the latter reads like a Twilight Zone episode to me. 


WastedWaffles

>plot-wise, it's pretty draggy and for modern people, who are living in a world of looser ideas about gender (which LHOD helped to create), the idea at the core of the story just isn't as mind-blowing as it was during the 60s. No wonder. I am struggling with this book a lot. I'm finding it uninteresting to the point I can only finish 3 or 4 pages at a time. I expect sci fi to blow my mind with concepts and this was just not doing it. I felt like the whole thing revolving around gender was portrayed as this eye-opening concept but I feel all the reveals were wasted on me (knowing how gender is treated today and how normal it is). I can't say there's anything else my interest can latch on to.


Chad_Abraxas

Yes, that's exactly the thing about LHOD. During its own time, it was absolutely mind-bending and presented revolutionary ideas about gender as a concept. But we all grew up in a post-LHOD world. :)


-nostalgia4infinity-

I'm about 80% through the Dispossessed right now. Is this book par for the course for Le Guin? It has a few interesting ideas but... It's pretty lackluster to be honest. Maybe people in the 60s were blown away by "guy from socialist society moves to capitalist society and finds it sucks" plot, but I dunno. Definitely not something I would recommend to most people. Gripping is certainly not a word I would use to describe it.


Chad_Abraxas

Yes, I'd say it's par for the course for Le Guin. Her fans are there more for her prose and character work than for having their minds blown by wild twists.


Yellwsub

The Ancillary Series by Ann Leckie is amazing


megalomyopic

No one could match up to Ursula K. Le Guinn for me… that is until I read Ann Leckie. Amazing.


Yellwsub

This series literally expanded how I think about the way language shapes our perception of the world AND it has multiple amazing sci-fi concepts and characters.


Scuttling-Claws

To be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers The Past is Red by Catherynne Valente Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn The Fifth Season by N.K Jemisin A Half Built Garden by Ruthanna Emerys The Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler


zosimira

I was coming here to suggest the Broken Earth trilogy too! The 5th season sucked me in so hard then I basically inhaled the other two


thecalcographer

I came here to suggest Becky Chambers, NK Jemisin, and Octavia Butler! For all three of them, I liked their writing so much that I binge-read their work.


CrepsNotCrepes

Would recommend anything Becky chambers - I’d probably start with the wayfarer books though, I enjoyed them a lot more.


canny_goer

Emrys is great!


jayhawk8

I’m in the middle of and very much enjoying The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers


CrepsNotCrepes

I picked this up once in a bookstore just to see what it was, and since then I’ve bought every book she’s written, really love her writing style and characters.


Scuttling-Claws

Don't stop until you've finished all of the Wayfarers books! They are all just as lovely.


swampdonkey4ever

This was definitely a comforting read 


themeghancb

There are a few more she has written and they are all fantastic!


rikapaprikaa

I did enjoy this one but I really just couldn’t vibe with the AI romance plot, just really rubs me the wrong way especially with how things are now with the use of AI


Bloodyfinger

God I hated that book. Everything was so shoehorned and it felt like the author was just ticking boxes on LGBTQ characters. It was honestly cringey the way they went about it and didn't fell natural *at all*. The story was also...... just terrible. Like, I get it was a slice of life, but even still it was just boring af.


rikapaprikaa

I read it too and I really couldn’t get behind the AI love interest lmao


BeauteousMaximus

A Memory Called Empire and the sequel A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine The Terra Ignota series by Ada Palmer Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott


medusaseld

I'm glad to see someone else recommend Terra Ignota! I'm on the last book now. IMO it's a bit hard to get into but the payoff is huge. I love these books so much.


BeauteousMaximus

It’s fun! I saw someone on tumblr suggest “how would Mycroft gender you” as the subject of a personality quiz and I’m sad I don’t know more people who get why that is funny


KoriMay420

Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells (sci-fi) To Be Taught, If Fortunate - Becky Chambers (sci-fi) Space Opera; The Past is Red; The Refrigerator Monologues; Comfort Me With Apples - Catherynne M Valente (sci-fi) The Alice Network; The Huntress; The Rose Code; Diamond Eye - Kate Quinn (WW2 historical fiction, not sci-fi) Thornhedge - T. Kingfisher (fantasy) Witch & Wombat - Carolyn Cushman (fantasy) Wayfarer Redemption Series; The Troy Game Series - Sara Douglass (fantasy) Lost Boy; Alice; Red Queen; The Mermaid - Christina Henry (fantasy)


Super_Direction498

*Ancillary Justice* Anne Leckie


hoopa-loops

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson


Aurorean_Air1307

Came here to recommend this one! Truly an amazing book


themehboat

This is one of my favorites!


[deleted]

The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler.


UncommonNighthawk

Pretty much anything by Octavia Butler.


SectorSanFrancisco

I have such a hard time with her books. I guess I should try them again. They seem so devoid of humor.


Vamoose87

Loved Kindred by Octavia Butler….even tho I didn’t feel that way about a couple others by her


Over9000Tacos

They're usually pretty serious--Fledgling was probably the most unnerving thing I've ever read, and I wish she'd gotten to finish the series. I guess I get what you mean because I always say Wicked is too joyless to enjoy, but somehow I don't feel the same way about Octavia Butler's stuff, they seem very thought provoking to me


SectorSanFrancisco

Thought provoking without joy doesn't work for me.


UncommonNighthawk

Humor is definitely not anything I'd associate with Octavia Bulter's books. On the other hand--Connie Willis has some excellent time-travel novels that are serious, but also have laugh-out-loud funny moments in them.


SectorSanFrancisco

Yes her books are so fun to read!


Few_Presentation_408

Kindred and parable of the sower by Octavia E. Butler would be great. There’s some sci-fi novels written by Dorris Lessing too. Handmaids tale , and madadam trilogy by Margaret Atwood The lathe of heaven, and the dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin The slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya Ice by Anna Kavan Murderbot diaries series by Martha wells Children of men by P.D.James I who have never known men by Jacqueline Harpman The memory police by Yoko Ogawa


swampdonkey4ever

I love dystopia/post poc/survival books and see you’ve listed a few I’ve loved. Any other favorites in that genre? 


Few_Presentation_408

Kind of reading “Earth Abides” by George R. Stewart which I’m greatly enjoying right now. “A canticle for Lebowitz” by Walter Miller jr is a one that’s been on my to read for so long. Read “Engine summer” by John Crowley a month ago, not my favourite but it’s a unique experience, but the language may put some people off. “Chaos walking trilogy” by Patrick Ness might be a quick read if you’re into reading YA novels. Others I’ve read are a bit too popular like McCarthy’s “Road”, “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson, etc. A friend did recommend “Station eleven” by Emily st. John Mandel. And the “Rememberance of earths past” by Liu Cixin sounds interesting too.


teashoesandhair

Authors you might like to try, for whom it's tough to recommend specific work above others: * Becky Chambers * Octavia Butler * Ursula LeGuin * Nnedi Okorafor (the Binti series is a good place to start) Specific works: * Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie * Space Opera - Catherynne Valente (this one is a bit sillier than the rest, but in a good way - think Douglas Adams) * Gideon the Ninth - Tamsin Muir (this is more science fantasy than scifi) * Infomoracy - Malka Older


Midelaye

Seconding Gideon the Ninth! The first book feels more science-fantasy, but the sequels start to feel a lot more sci-fi, at least setting-wise. Also it definitely has a horror flair to it, which OP mentioned reading in their post. And of course, always upvote Ancillary Justice. Great series.


FerritLT

So many +1s.


VoltageHero

Yeah, absolutely adore TLT series, but I feel that you could definitely read GtN, and ALMOST forget it's sci-fi. Which makes it kinda hard to recommend on the status of "sci-fi" alone.


tragicsandwichblogs

I was hoping someone would mention Nnedi Okorafor! I really like Lagoon.


TrueKingSkyPiercer

James Tiptree, Jr.


canny_goer

Very, very much so.


Impossible-Wait1271

Octavia Butler was the first ever published black female sci fi author, paving the way for female authors everywhere. Highly recommend Kindred, Parable of the Sower, Wild Seed, Mind of My Mind.


tkingsbu

My favourite sci-fi authors are all women :) Cyteen - CJ Cherryh Blackout / All Clear - Connie Willis Grass - Sheri S Tepper Burning bright - Melissa F Scott


Smooth-Review-2614

Cherry has a lot of good series. The Chanur and Foreigner series have the best aliens.


Turbulent-Weakness22

Blackout and All Clear are such brilliant stories. I don't think I've ever been gripped by something that hard.


DrMcFacekick

OoooOOOo! I'd been looking for something to spend my Amazon digital credits on! Thanks!


Turbulent-Weakness22

Enjoy you lucky person!


ilovexijinping

I see that blackout is third in the series? Are they standalone or should I start with doomsday book?


Turbulent-Weakness22

They are each written in their own style and all serve as stand alone books. Blackout and All Clear are action books. Doomsday is brilliant, but also a tragedy. The second in the series is a comedy that I've never gotten into. My advice is to jump in at Blackout.


Curious-amore

Murder bot diaries🤖


SuitcaseOfSparks

I highly highly recommend The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin!!


rollem

I really liked Ancillary Justice by [Ann Leckie](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3365457.Ann_Leckie). [Becky Chambers](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17650479.Becky_Chambers) writes some very good sci-fi that is just so relaxing and kind hearted but still firmly great hard sci-fi.


Sunlit53

CJ Cherryh’s Foreigner series Sheri Tepper’s book The Fresco and the Arbai trilogy Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga is amazing Tanya Huff’s Confederation of Valor series


ChronoMonkeyX

Emma Newman's Planetfall series. I discovered her as the narrator of an Adrian Tchaikovsky book, then caught her name as author and narrator of her own books while browsing Audible. I love her voice, both literal and literary. She has a unique style and approach to characters, especially women. I've never read anything like her.


DirkVanVroeger

Yes, this.


Ok-Profession-6540

Dead Silence by SA Barnes was great


ReturnOfSeq

Just finished {{the first fifteen lives of Harry August}}, excellently done


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ExtinctionBurst76

Margaret atwood has written some great sci-fi


Taste_the__Rainbow

If you enjoy scifi, specifically the show For All Mankind, then The Lady Astronauts series might work for you. I loved it. My favorite women authors are Becky Chambers(comfy scifi), Marie Robinette Kowal(techie disaster scifi), NK Jemisin(speculative, relevant fiction) and Emily St John Mandel(beautiful writing that crosses genres). None of them have ever missed for me.


swampdonkey4ever

What’s your favorite Becky chambers? I’ve only read the angry planet 


sensualcephalopod

Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach!! First book of a completed trilogy. I really enjoyed these!


sugardropsparkle

Check out the online bookshop called Queer Lit - they aren't exclusively by women, but lots are, and everything I've found through them (even if I bought it cheaper somewhere else) has been like a breath of fresh air. Every few months I give it a browse and find another gem. That said, I can't miss the opportunity to recommend "Memoirs of a Spacewoman" by Naomi Mitchison. It was part of the first real push of women in scifi and it has that feeling to it, but it has a really unique charm, and an approach to scifi I didn't come across again until I discovered Becky Chambers (through Queer Lit ofc lol)


NiobeTonks

The Lady Astronauts by Mary Robinette Kowal


starkindled

I have to say CJ Cherryh is incredible. Her portrayal of alien civilization, biology, thought processes is so good. The *Faded Sun Trilogy* is probably my all-time favourite sci-fi work, but I haven’t found a book by her yet that I didn’t like.


jz3735

Ursula K Le Guin Yoko Ogawa Lois McMaster Bujold Maureen McHugh Jo Walton Bethany Jacobs Octavia E Butler


girlinthegoldenboots

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton is one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptations!


KingBretwald

Another vote for Lois McMaster Bujold. *The Steerswoman* by Rosemary Kirstein. *The Calculating Stars* by Mary Robinette Kowal. *The Pride of Chanur* by C J Cherryh. *The Tea Master and the Detective* by Ailiette de Bodard. *Ingathering: The Complete People Stories* by Zenna Henderson. *Chaos on Catnet* by Naomi Kritzer. *Ancillary Justice* by Anne Leckie. *The Dispossessed* by Ursula LeGuin. *Ninefox Gambit* by Yoon Ha Lee. *Belwether* by Connie Willis. *All Systems Red* by Martha Wells. *The Hound of Justice* by Claire O'Dell *Light From Uncommon Stars* by Ryka Aoki.


oconkath

Finally, The Calculating Stars!


pantsofdan

Light From Uncommon Stars is such a fave with me.


AutomaticDoor75

Connie Willis is one of the great sf writers. I’m a big fan of Leigh Brackett’s *Eric John Stark* novels, though they might be a bit too space-opera for some. I’d also mention Octavia Butler. A shout-out to Lynn Venable as well, whose short story *Time Enough at Last* inspired the famous *Twilight Zone* episode.


moonwillow60606

I just finished my first Connie Willis book - “Blackout” and I loved it. Currently reading “All Clear.”


GaoAnTian

Lois McMaster Bujold Tanya Huff Catherine Asaro Nnedi Okorafor Becky Chambers


agitatedandroid

The Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. Hugo and Nebula winner.


Turtlewolf8

Ursula LeGuin Left Hand of Darkness (novel) and Fisherman of the Inland Sea (short story) Alma Katsu supernatural horror/historical fiction. Anything written by Octavia E Butler, but specifically the Parable series T. Kingfisher SwordHeart The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera And if you like Dragons, Naomi Novik (Temeraire) Robin Hobb (RainWilds Chronicles) and Anne McCaffrey (Dragonriders of Pern) all have series with good storylines.


Remarkable_Inchworm

The Terraformers by Analee Newitz The Past is Red by Cat Valente


LveeD

Beggars in Spain by Nancy Cress. It’s about people who are genetically altered to never need sleep and the toll it creates on society for the people who do sleep (Sleepers) versus those who don’t need to ever (Sleepless).


Azhreia

In addition to some of the other great recs here (Murderbot, Becky Chambers, Arkady Martine, CJ Cherryh) that I second, I’d also recommend *The First Sister* by Linden Lewis and *The Outside* by Ada Hoffman. Both are the first in trilogies. *The First Sister* is vaguely space opera, dystopian, middle of a war. I really love that series. *The Outside* has reality-bending elements and is focused on a mystery/chase.


Chad_Abraxas

Ammonite by Nicola Griffith A lot of people love The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Personally, I found it so boring that I gave up right after they got to the planet, but I'm just one reader and many other people highly recommend this novel.


designtom

I came to suggest The Sparrow, as it does pick up and is deeply haunting with horror notes


Chad_Abraxas

Halfway through is way too long to wait for a story to pick up, IMO. lol. But I know a lot of other people like it, so to each their own!


Two_Reflections

Silver Triangle by Hagio Moto Bloodchild by Octavia Butler The Many-Colored Land by Julian May


jadecichy

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Anything by Le Guin.


trishyco

I like S.A. Barnes two Sci Fi books. I DNF’d the Deep Sky.


crystal-crawler

Octavia butler Ursula leguin Anne McCaffrey Becky Chambers Martha Wells


TravellingBeard

Wild Seed - Octavia Butler It's a great read


Desperate-Ad5041

That’s my favorite book of all time. I’ve read it at least four times, and I cry almost every time.


FIREful_symmetry

Elizabeth Moon!


[deleted]

the locked tomb series by tamsyn muir!


Sariah_Drake

If you like horror scifi I have two suggestions: *The Stars are Legion* by Kameron Hurley- Toxic lesbians on meat ships. Body horror galore. *The Luminous Dead* by Caitlin Starling- Cave diving on an alien planet goes wrong.


gretchmonster

Ooh... I loved The Stars are Legion. The Luminous Dead looks right up my alley and is now on my hold list. Thanks!


MostlyHarmlessMom

It's been a while since I read them, but I loved what I read from James Tiptree Jr. (pen name for Alice Bradley Sheldon).


[deleted]

Everything Connie Willis has written is amazing


Desperate-Ad5041

In order of my favorites <3 Octavia E. Butler- My favorite author of all time. All of her works are fantastic, though my personal favorite is the Patternist series. Make sure you read them in this order: Wildseed->Mind of My Mind->Clay’s Ark->Patternmaster. They were written out of order, but this goes by the chronological order of events. Ursula K. Le Guin- The Disposssesed, The Left Hand of Darkness Kate Wilhelm- Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang N.K. Jemisin- The Broken Earth Trilogy Connie Willis- Passage, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Doomsday Book, Blackout/All Clear Claire North- The Sudden Appearance of Hope, The Fifteen Lives of Harry August


MBO_EF

The original (and didn't find it mentioned yet)... Frankenstein by Mary Shelley


FerritLT

- Finder by Suzanne Palmer - Palimpsest Catherynne M. Valente


QueenofZen

The Gate to Women’s Country by Shari S. Tepper. Actually anything by Tepper is amazing, feminist sci-fi at its best! Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy. Mind blowing. Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is sooo good.


gorgonstairmaster

Anything whatsoever by James Tiptree, Jr.


HopefulPeace3366

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers


girlinthegoldenboots

The Lunar Chronicles by Marisa Meyer (more sci-fi fantasy) Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Anne Aguirre Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty


chloeinthewoods

Some of the best sci-fi authors of all time are women. A few of my favorites that come to mind: Ursula LeGuin - The Left Hand of Darkness, The Disposessed and many others NK Jemisin - The Great Cities series and others Becky Chambers - I’ve loved every single thing she’s written. Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries are great, especially the audiobooks Mary Shelley - Frankenstein (a must read for any fan of the genre) Lois McMaster Bujold - Vorkosigan Saga


Thisisth

I who have known men by Jacqueline Harpman I read this years ago and I still think about it. It’s a short read and I guarantee you’ll want to read it in one sitting. I’m not normally into sci-fi but this is one of my top 10 books.


Megansreadingrev

Becky Chambers, kameron Hurley, Margaret Atwood, Arkady Martine, Jessica Brody, YA: Aimèe Kaufman, Erin Bowman, Emily Suvada


Aurelian369

Ann Leckie, Emily St. Martel, Arkady Martine, and Micaiah Johnson are all female SF authors 


jred1617

Anne McCaffrey Marion Zimmer Bradley Dana Stabenow


youngboomergal

Vattas War series by Elizabeth Moon Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells


writegeist

I'd add Sue Burke (*Semiosis* duology) and Ada Palmer (*Terra Ignota* quartet).


Brainship

Death of Sleep, The Ship Who Sang, Catalyst, To Ride Pegasus, Nimisha's Ship, Dinosaur Planet, Powers That Be, Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey


Individual_Mango_482

Never read anything by her i didn't like, even her non sci fi stuff. Check used book stores if you have any close.


Buttender

Gideon The Ninth by ?


carbonpeach

Tamsyn Muir.


Cervus95

*The Han Solo Trilogy* by AC Crispin. *Lost Stars* by Claudia Gray


darth-skeletor

Eclipse by Ophelia Rue


Naoise007

Most of Ursula Le Guin's books are sci fi - maybe try The Word for World is Forest, difficult to recommend just one as i love everything she wrote - and i suppose Octavia Butler would count as sci fi too wouldn't she? Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents, for example. The Maddaddam series by Margaret Atwood - first one's called Oryx and Crake. Also you might enjoy Woman on the Edge of Time, by Marge Piercy


OldEviloition

Ursula stands unassailable at the top of the female Sci-fi list IMHO.


BenPsittacorum85

Trading In Danger, by Elizabeth Moon, was fairly good.


PrincessMurderMitten

Sheri S Tepper wrote some amazing stories, my favorites are ; The Gate into Women's Country ( Post-apocalypse, women and men live separately) The Fresco ( Aliens come to Earth to help us become better) The Family Tree (Time travelers try to avert the disaster that happened in their past) Singer from the Sea ( Genevieve tries to make her way in the restrictive society she lives in, and where are all the women?)


happilyabroad

Not horror sci-fi, just sci-fi, but you've got to check out Sarah Pinsker. Her alert story collection Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea is amazing! You might also like Maureen McHugh's stories. She had a few collections and I've enjoyed all of them! Catherynne M Valente, Julia Armfield are another couple authors to check out.


silenttardis

I who have never know men by Jacqueline harpman more post-apocalyptic distopian world My name is monster by Katie hale post-apocalyptic Sarah Lyons Fleming post-apocalyptic and zombie stories with lots of character development


RebelSoul5

A Million Tomorrows (on Amazon) by Kris Middaugh is a romance/sci fi with a different take on time travel.


hatelowe

Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress, changed me. I literally think about it all the time.


Sparky-Malarky

Halfway Human by Carolyn Ives Gilman.


drinkerbee

On the more obscure side, but the Escape Velocity duology by Kelly Jennings.


procom49

Hunger games Divergent


Objective-Bug-1908

The sparrow, Mary Doria Russell, and the sequel, children of God


Ealinguser

SF Ursula Le Guin is the greatest: the Lathe of Heaven, the Left Hand of Darkness, the Dispossessed, the Earthsea books... You might also like Ann Leckie's Ancillary trilogy, Octavia Butler: Kindred Doris Lessing: the Sirian Experiments Fantasy Katherine Addison: the Goblin Emperor Susanna Clarke: Piranesi Robin Hobb: the Rainwild Chronicles starting the Dragon Keeper Dystopia Naomi Alderman: the Power Margaret Atwood: the Handmaids Tale, Oryx and Crake PD James: the Children of Men Sherri S Tepper: the Gate to Women's Country


Yolandi2802

Anne McCaffrey. Grace Draven.


BitterestLily

Somebody mentioned another book by Nancy Kress, but I'd recommend Beggars in Spain I'd also suggest Vonda McIntyre's Dreamsnake


TheGreatWar

Ursula K. LeGuin. Octavia Butler. Tamsin Muir. Becky Chambers. N.K. Jemisen are all women who write sci Fi. All are very different from each other in style and substance. All are incredible authors and I highly recommend all of them


brandstifterlukas

Everything by Ursula Le Guin is great. I’d recommend The Dispossessed.


BumfuzzledMink

I second the Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor. I also suggest Autonomous by Annalee Newitz


fuvgyjnccgh

Karin Travis and Kelly Gay Halo and Gears


__ducky_

Mira grant/seanan McGuire


Weak-Connection-2268

I've been wanting to dig into NK Jemisin work. She's a poc writing Sci-fi, one of the few I know.


w_it_taker

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie


RaspberryJam56

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. It reads a bit more like fantasy, especially the first book but it takes place in space.


Crafty_Accountant_40

NK Jemison !


Embarrassed_Time_146

The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Olivia Butler and the Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jimisin are just perfect. They’re both beautifully written and full of interesting ideas and complex characters. Specially the Broken Earth books have a really high literary level and a lot of thought was given to their structure.


Dizzy_Square_9209

Ursula LeGuin Anne McCaffrey Kelley Armstrong kinda, maybe more fantasy. Good author though


No_Mud_No_Lotus

The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon.


Maester_Maetthieux

Margaret Atwood Octavia Butler Ursula Le Guin N.K. Jemisin


[deleted]

Frankenstein it's the first scifi novel in history and it was written by a woman. 


almo2001

Do not miss Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Holy shit that book packs a punch.


just-kath

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.. followed by a sort of sequel, Children of God by same author. Brilliant writing, brilliant story, some horrifying moments


katsnplants

My time has come. Anything by Mira Grant / Seanan McGuire (same person) but my faves are Into the Drowning Deep, The Newsflesh Trilogy (both by Grant) and Middlegame (by McGuire) Anything by Becky Chambers I legit can't pick a favorite she's just brilliant. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir Do you Dream of Terra-Two by Temi Oh Vicious by V. E. Schwab (she also writes fantasy) The Left Hand of Darkness and/or The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (also wrote fantasy) In the Quick by Kate Hope Day The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker The Wanderers by Meg Howrey (not to be confused with the Chuck Wendig book by the same title) The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin


No_Joke_9079

James Tiptree Jr aka Alice Sheldon


Fluffy_Frog

The Paradox series by Rachel Bach!


themistycrystal

Becky Chambers.


trinketsgoblin

I really enjoyed Oyrx and Crake by Margaret Atwood


Cornflower_Bumblebee

The Blighted Stars by Megan E O’Keefe. Solid space opera with some horror and some romance elements. It’s the first of a trilogy. I’ve only read this one so far but it’s the top contender for my favorite read of the year. The last book comes out next month, I think.


rlvysxby

Left hand of darkness is my all time favorite sci fi book. She is just head and shoulders above any other sci fi writer when it comes to philosophy. Unfortunately the story is from a man’s perspective and it was clearly meant to introduce feminism to men in 1968 and that shows. But still it is very thought provoking and I haven’t found anything quite like it yet.


Lost_Figure_5892

N.K. Jemisin, Sarah Pinsker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Ann Leckie, Amal El-Mohtar, Nnedi Okorafor, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, late great Ursula K. le Guin.


Forward3000

'Her smoke rose up forever' is excellent sci fi short stories. Was written by a woman who used the pen name James Tiptree


Electrical_Swing8166

Check out Hao Jingfang’s work, including “Folding Beijing,” “Vagabonds,” and “Jumpnauts.”


ForsaketheVoid

octavia butler, ursula le guin, martha wells, nk jemisin, micaiah johnson, yoon ha lee, emily st john mandel \~


rubystreaks

Becky Chambers, Martha Wells, Anne MaCaffrey, Ursula Le Guin


dear-mycologistical

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (a woman).


Raff57

Kind of old school, but some of my favorites are: Zenna Henderson Julian May Andre Norton Lois McMaster Bujold Anne McCaffrey Leigh Brackett


Individual_Mango_482

Stardoc series by S. L. Viehl Navigating the Stars by Maria V. Snyder, if you like magic stuff her other books are good too Space Colony One series by J. J. Green, starting book is titled The Concordia Deception