The plot of 2312 (Orbit, $10), by Kim Stanley Robinson, is simple: Swan Er Hong, a former biosphere designer, investigates the death of Alex, her step-grandmother, which may not have been accidental. She meets Alex’s colleagues, and one, Wahram, becomes Swan’s awkward companion. Gradually, mutual affection and trust build between these two seemingly incompatible people. Robinson sets this love story against a dizzying vision of the future, where humankind colonizes planets and terraforms asteroids. There’s much to ponder here, from human gene augmentation to personal AIs to gender fluidity; like all good sci-fi novels, this is a meditation on humanity. The novel is also brimming with emotion and awestruck at the beauty of planetary landscapes. 2312 once again proves that Robinson is a master of world-building as well as one of today’s most radical and talented sci-fi writers.