Why should kids get all the fun? Older characters in novels of all genres are having their time in the sun right now. (Hope they’re wearing a wide-brimmed hat.) But excellent oldsters have always been prevalent in books, including the five awesome novels below, which even feature a few kicking butt! Which reminds me of my favorite older character in SFF: octogenarian and former superspy Edie Banister, from Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. But I mention that novel all the time, so think of it as a bonus recommendation!
The Wanderers by Meg Howrey
The three main characters of Howrey’s third novel are training to be the crew of the first-ever mission to Mars. But first, they must spend seventeen months in a simulation of their mission, which puts a strain on them all. And if they start cracking under the pressure of a replication of the long journey, how will they ever take the actual trip?
Burning Roses by S. L. Huang
This fairy tale novella features Red Riding Hood and the Archer, who have been “blessed and burdened with the hindsight of middle age.” Both consider themselves retired, but when dangerous sunbirds begin burning the world down around them, they must join forces to put an end to their destruction.
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
When fifty-year-old samurai Isako’s client suddenly retires, that means it’s time for Isako to hang up her swords, too. Normally, a samurai walks into the frozen abyss, with their family being provided for after their death. But then Isako is offered one last job that she can’t pass on, because it involves her worst apprentice and secrets of corporate espionage that could forever alter humanity.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
In this award-winning fantasy, the first in a trilogy, the holy city of Tova is preparing for the Winter Solstice and a solar eclipse. And as the wise and aged Sun Priest prepares for the celebration, he doesn’t know a ship is headed in Tova’s direction, carrying a potentially dangerous passenger who will change the city’s plans.
Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
Before Martha Wells published her beloved Murderbot Diaries, which features many characters of a certain age, there was this excellent fantasy! The Celestial Empire recreates the Wheel of the Infinite once a year to keep the world turning smoothly. But this year, a menacing black storm threatens the process, and Maskelle, a murderer and traitor, and Rian, a swordsman of some renown, are called on to help fix the problem.
Okay, star bits, now take the knowledge you have learned here today and use it for good, not evil. If you want to know more about books, I talk about books pretty much nonstop (when I’m not reading them), and you can hear me say lots of adjectives about them on the Book Riot podcastAll the Books!and onInstagram.
All Access Bonus: Bonus Science Fiction Books Nominated for Best of the Century So Far
Want to know which titles got nominated for the Best Science Fiction Books of the Century (So Far) but didn’t make it onto the list? All Access members, read on to find out! It’s not easy to leave excellent and beloved books off of these lists, and that’s why we want to make sure these must-read science fiction books are on your radar and in your reading stacks:
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