• Genre Guide
  • Staff-Created List

Science Fiction - Teens

From laser guns to alien invasions to commentary on society, history and the nature of humanity, this genre has something for every reader! Space, politics, adventure and more - science fiction blends actual science with imagination to create possible futures and alternate worlds. This list is loosely ordered from ‘light’ to ‘gritty’ reads. A Christchurch City Libraries’ list.

Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi

23 items

  • John Smith has had a rough past year. No, make that past life. Hunted by a species that wants to wipe his race off the face of the universe, he lives on the run. But John doesn't want to run anymore. Prepare yourself for thrills and…
    BookLondon : Puffin, 2010. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • A classic tales get a sci-fi makeover! There's still an evil stepmother and handsome prince, but this time Cinderella is a cyborg girl with a mysterious past. This fairytale romance comes with action, a deadly plague, and dystopian city.…
    BookPenguin, 2012. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Set in the near future when space travel has been invented, demand for explorers and archaeologists is huge. Lyra isn’t either, but her parents are, and she must travel with them across the galaxy to uncover the mystery of why the…
    BookHQ Young Adult, 2018. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Told via alternating points-of-view, this is a fast-paced story that combines space opera with a touch of romance. Rhee has been on a path of vengeance all her life. Aly has been trying to rise above prejudice in light of his refugee…
    Book[New York] : Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House, [2017] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • After witnessing a terrorist attack, Nax and three other Ellis Station Academy failures find themselves framed for the crime and on the run. Armed with snark and a history of bad decisions, it’s up to this rag-tag bunch of misfits to save…
    BookNew York : Harper Teen, [2018] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Cyberpunk heroics in a futuristic Taipei. Only the elite can afford protection against the deadly sickness and pollution haunting the city. Frustrated by corruption and inequality, Zhou is determined to change things but can he do so…
    BookNew York : Simon Pulse, 2017. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • The first in an epic series with one of the best opening lines ever! Action packed, incredible characters, clever twists, heartbreaking deaths and very fast-paced. When Todd discovers Viola, a young woman whose thoughts he can't hear…
    BookLondon : Walker, 2008. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Jump into 'The Illumiae Files', a witty and fast-paced trilogy told through a collection of chat logs, interviews, files, and maps. Kady is forced to flee her home when her a mega-corporation invades her planet. Their warship is pursuing…
    BookCrows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2015. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • In a society where class is colour-coded, Darrow finds himself on the bottom of the food chain, but happily works in hope that future generations benefit. When he discovers the terrible truth, it sets him on a path to infiltrate the elites…
    BookNew York : Del Rey, c2014. — SCIENCE FICTION
  • Zara will do anything to be free, which is why when her family moves to Mars she opts to stay behind. However, when things go south, she finds herself recruited by aliens into an elite team. With its detailed intergalactic landscape, this…
    BookNew York : Katherine Tegen Books, [2018] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • In a world where the line between videogames and real life is blurry at best, Emika works to track down those who illegally bet on games. However when she hacks into an opening game of an international competition, she finds herself drawn…
    BookNew York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, [2017] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • This vivid, fast-paced drama brings you into a family grieving the loss of a mother and wife. Josie is a humanoid prototype created to help the family heal but an electrical storm damages her and the AI begins to grow beyond what was…
    BookAuckland, New Zealand : Penguin Books, 2020. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Skyward' is a slower paced story packed with character development and world-building. The human race has been driven to extinction, attacked by a mysterious alien race. But Spensa is a fighter, determined to be the hero when her father…
    BookLondon : Gollancz, 2019. — SCIENCE FICTION
  • A gripping contemporary read with a science-fiction twist for fans of 'Black Mirror'. Lydia has been managing her grief and bullying by pouring herself into creating the perfect AI boyfriend, Henry. All Lydia wants is to be loved, but how…
    BookFrome, Somerset : Chicken House, 2021. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Packed with intricate world-building, this series blends science with contemporary social issues for a read that will leave you thinking long after the last page. Octavia is excited to study the plants and animals of Faloiv until she…
    BookNew York : Katherine Tegen Books, [2018] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • This series has it all: action, intrigue and revenge. Two sides of a planet are at war and in the middle of it all, there’s Cyra and Akos, enemies bound together by fate. Cyra's gift has been warped into a curse but Akos' gift is to negate…
    BookLondon : HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Set in Amsterdam in 2034, this is a story about a family facing the end of the world. A comet is about to hit Earth and Denise - who is neurodivergent - must try to find her missing transgender sister and also help her neglectful,…
    BookNew York : Amulet Books, 2016. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • Dark and mysterious, this horror sci-fi read will keep you guessing. A search and rescue team is dispatched -- but when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies. If you…
    BookNew York : HarperTeen, [2018] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • This series has an intricate and expansive cyber-punk setting, LGBTQIA+ characters, and plot twists you won't see coming. An AI called Talis keeps the peace by taking a child hostage from each world leader. If that nation goes to war,…
    BookNew York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, [2015] — YOUNG ADULT FICTION
  • In this richly developed universe inspired by ancient Roman society, humanoids are created to protect the elite. They're the perfect bodyguards - trained killers and engineered to give their life for their charge. Raised to protect…
    BookLondon : Simon & Schuster, 2016. — YOUNG ADULT FICTION