Ecofiction is a genre that roots itself in the interconnectedness of life. Rather than using nature merely as a setting, ecofiction treats the natural world and the threats it faces as central forces shaping plots and characters. While some authors ground their writing in the hard sciences, others use elements of speculative fiction, science fiction, magical realism and mystery to prompt readers to think beyond their own circumstances and consider the world as a whole. In honor of Earth Month, here are six novels published within the past decade to get you started in this wide-ranging genre.
"Venomous Lumpsucker"
By Ned Beauman
In the near future, corporations trade “extinction credits” for the right to cause environmental damage and kill entire species, preserving organisms’ DNA in biobanks that offer the hope of eventual resurrection. When a powerful cyberattack wipes the data from every biobank simultaneously, an animal cognition scientist and a corporate executive with a shameful secret team up to save a strange-looking, possibly intelligent fish from total destruction. As they travel across the world’s damaged landscapes, they must look beyond the fish itself to uncover who initiated the cyberattack and what it could mean for the future of the planet.
"Birnam Wood"
By Eleanor Catton
A guerrilla gardening collective in Aotearoa, New Zealand, discovers a seemingly abandoned farm and decides to cultivate it in secret. However, a mysterious American billionaire also wishes to use the land to build a doomsday bunker. As the two parties negotiate an uneasy peace to share the property, their actions demonstrate how power, conviction and self-interest can turn cooperation into a dangerous rivalry.
"A Psalm for the Wild-Built"
By Becky Chambers
In a peaceful, post-industrial world, a “tea monk” named Dex travels between villages helping residents with minor conflicts and problems. Feeling dissatisfied with everyday life, Dex seeks out a remote monastery only to encounter Mosscap, a conscious robot whose kind have not been seen in hundreds of years. As they embark on a journey through the wilderness, the two explore ideas of fulfilment, abundance and the nature of life itself.
"How Beautiful We Were"
By Imbolo Mbue
The fictional African village of Kosawa is suffering devastating environmental and health consequences from decades of pollution by an American oil firm. As the villagers begin to revolt against corporate greed and governmental corruption, young people like recent college graduate Thula step up to lead the movement and push for justice. Through shifting perspectives that span lifetimes, the novel examines colonial legacies, collective resistance and the cost of fighting systemic power.
"The Annual Migration of Clouds"
By Premee Mohamed
Reid Graham and her mother live in climate-ravaged Alberta, Canada, where a parasitic infection and ecological collapse have reshaped the world. When Reid receives an acceptance letter from Howse University, one of the few communities that has preserved the resources of pre-disaster society, she must weigh the opportunity to pursue education against the obligations she feels to her family and home. Meditating on the nature of responsibility and hope, Reid must decide for herself what it means to build a future in an unstable world.
"The Overstory"
By Richard Powers
This novel follows the lives of nine individuals, ranging from farmers to scientists to activists, whose lives are shaped and transformed by their connection to trees. As their stories interweave across generations, their personal histories, scientific discoveries and philosophical awakenings lead these characters to confront industrial deforestation in a variety of ways. Combining an innovative structure, non-linear narrative and poetical prose, the author prompts readers to consider humanity’s place in the natural world and humans’ responsibility to stand up for ecological justice.