The best new science fiction books of March 2026

The latest in Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time series is out this month, along with a speculative retelling of Moby-Dick and a forgotten classic from 1936 March is lining up to be packed with treats for science fiction fans. For starters, we get to return to the universe of Adrian Tchaikovsky's series, this time in the company of a huge mantis shrimp. We're also being offered a take on, set in space, and what sounds like a must-read: a forgotten speculative novel from 1936, which imagines the last woman left alive in Britain after a pandemic. If instead you're after a cosy sci-fi mystery, a slice of horror or a mission to Europa, then you're in luck, because all of those are on offer too. The latest in Tchaikovsky's excellent series is due to hit our shelves this month, and according to our sci-fi reviewer Emily H. Wilson, it is brilliant.