Must-Read Sci-Fi Books Featuring Ancient Alien Artifacts

Set in the far future where humanity has spread to the stars, Revelation Space introduces us to the Inhibitors, machines, ruins, and most curious of all, warnings left behind by ancient machine intelligences.

Our protagonist is obsessed with uncovering the remnants of the Amarantin, and all signs are pointing to a non-natural extinction (aka, death by something terrible and powerful). The Lovecraftian edge to this story makes it feel grander and darker than you might expect. You will be terrified—and love every minute of the experience.  

In The Expanse, alien technology and artifacts are a central component of the story. I won’t spoil for you what exactly the protomolecule is, but I loved how cleverly it was used—a minor detail at first, barely a blip against the background of political and military strife in our solar system, but ultimately growing to become the driving force behind everything that happens.

By the time we get to the Ring Builders and all their immense technology, the story has expanded in truly spectacular ways. I guarantee you’re in for a wild ride with this one!

Artifact Space delivers a classic space opera beautifully bedecked in layers of danger and mystery. The merchant starship that sits at the center of the story (where our protagonist Marca Nbaro stows away) is on its way to trade with known alien races, but unknown alien technology and artifacts begin to cause problems. Technological tampering, missing ships, and ancient tech reactivating are all signs that things are not as they appear—and you’re going to love exploring where this story goes.

I’m a huge fan of the Mass Effect games, which heavily feature the technology of ancient civilizations (the Protheans), including the mass relays that facilitate interstellar travel and the ultra-powerful Citadel that is now home to humankind and their alien allies.

The machines left behind by the Protheans are immensely powerful and semi-mythical, operating on a level that feels more magical than technological, which created a very specific flavor of fantastical sci-fi I absolutely loved. Oh, and the fact that it’s written by the man behind Darth freakin’ Bane makes it a series I can’t recommend highly enough! 

In Salvation, we’re introduced to “Jump Gates”, mysterious alien portals that give humanity access to wormholes that allow for interstellar travel. The fact that this portal is discovered at the site of a massacre means that layered atop the investigation of the technology is also a murder mystery: who built the gate and why are there so many corpses?

Throughout the series, we’re treated to multiple encounters with fascinating alien technology—that seems benevolent and beneficial at first, but may turn out to be something far worse than we might have expected. 

Take the Celestials from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, set their skeletal remains floating in space, and convert their innards to a labyrinth filled with monsters,  machines, and artifacts that convey magic-like power—and that’s just where Titan Hoppers kicks off.

Humanity’s last fleet is traveling from husk to husk, harvesting resources to maintain their failing ships and give their warriors (the “Titan Hoppers”) weapons and abilities to fight the ever-more-powerful monsters they encounter along the way.

Get ready for a highly addictive progression fantasy series (I ripped through the three currently available in under a week), with beautifully complex characters, a fascinating setting, and all the ancient alien machines, artifacts, and technology you could ask for. 

Ocean’s Eleven in space—do I really need to say more? In The Stardust Grail, a crew is assembled to retrieve a powerful alien artifact that is the last surviving remnant of an alien species gone extinct. Inevitably, it’s immensely valuable, wanted by multiple rival factions, but may hold mysteries and secrets from that lost civilization. Though it begins as a classic heist story, the focus soon shifts from “Can we steal it?” to “What do we do with it now that we know of its cultural significance?” Profit, power, responsibility, and preservation all collide in this brilliant sci-fi adventure.