Past Kindle Book Deals but Still Must Read Books!
Looking for must read books you missed the first time around? You’re in the right place. This is where all of our past Kindle book deals live—the ones good enough to click, even if the discount’s gone. Every book here was hand-picked by our team, featured in a daily deal, and still earns a spot on your TBR.
No filler. No bots. Just actually good books at prices that might still be suspiciously low.
Why Check Out Past Deals?
Didn’t grab it when you should have? These past picks are still worth your time.
Still discounted? Some deals stick around longer than you'd think.
Fuel your TBR guilt-free. Add more, regret nothing.
Browse Past Deals
These Books Earned Our Seal of Approval—Snag Them Before They Vanish (Again)
Looking for spicy fantasy? Cozy mystery? A nonfiction rabbit hole? Use the filters below to search by genre, mood, or chaotic book-buying impulse.
Each book comes with retailer links. Just tap “Get Deal” and you’re off.
*Apropos Books is an affiliate marketer, which means we may earn advertising fees from qualifying purchases. These fees are paid by the retailer or affiliate partner, not added to your purchase price, so there’s no extra cost to you.*
Browse by genre
More genres
128 past books matching First Contact

Those Left Behind
N.C. Scrimgeour
Sci-Fi · First Contact
As a dying world runs out of time, Captain Alvera Renata leads a desperate mission to find humanity a new home.

Those Left Behind
N.C. Scrimgeour
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Our take
As a dying world runs out of time, Captain Alvera Renata leads a desperate mission to find humanity a new home. First contact, ancient alien technology, and a fractured crew turn survival into a test of loyalty and sacrifice. This epic space opera holds 4.3 stars on Amazon and is praised for its scale, emotion, and character focus.
Choose your retailer
About the book
A dying planet. A desperate mission. A crew facing impossible odds. Humanity’s last hope lies with them…
Time is running out for the people of New Pallas. Nobody knows that better than Alvera Renata, a tenacious captain determined to scout past the stars with nothing but a handpicked crew and a promise: to find a new home for humanity.
But when a perilous journey across dark space leads to first contact with a galactic civilisation on the brink of war, Alvera soon realises keeping her word might not be as easy as she thought.
Her only hope lies with the secrets of the ancient alien waystations scattered across the galaxy. The mysterious technology could be the key to humanity’s survival—or bring unwanted attention from the long-forgotten beings who built them.
But remaining united is a lot to ask from a crew already splintering under the weight of their differences. A jaded pilot looks for a place he can start over. A young translator searches for meaning out in the galaxy’s lawless frontier. And Alvera reckons with the aftermath of betrayal as she fights for a way to save them all.
As they break apart to forge their own paths, Alvera and her crew all face the same question: what are they willing to sacrifice to save those left behind?
Those Left Behind is an epic, galaxy-spanning space opera full of exploration, adventure, and ancient alien mysteries. Fans of Mass Effect, The Expanse and Star Wars will love this character-driven science fiction novel—the first instalment in the Waystations Trilogy.
"Those Left Behind is nothing short of epic."– Indies Today
“Intelligently plotted and makes you embrace the impossible […] Those Left Behind has an emotional strain that hooks you in from start to finish.” – Readers' Favorite
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Blue Anomaly
J. K. Bunta
Sci-Fi · First Contact
When a star radiates mysterious signals, Dr.

Blue Anomaly
J. K. Bunta
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi · Space Exploration
Our take
When a star radiates mysterious signals, Dr. Tristan Smolensky embarks on an interstellar mission to uncover its secrets. But as science collides with the unknown, his discoveries could redefine humanity’s place in the universe—or end it entirely. A hard sci-fi adventure packed with real science and speculative wonder. Includes dual alternative endings!
Choose your retailer
About the book
An unparalleled interstellar voyage grounded in real science—with a mind-bending twist.
When scientists detect a mysterious star emitting undecipherable signals, renowned astrophysicist Dr. Tristan Smolensky is sent to investigate. But what begins as a mission to uncover cosmic secrets quickly spirals into a journey that challenges everything Tristan knows about science—and reality itself.
Is the star a beacon from an advanced civilization? A natural cosmic anomaly? Or something far more sinister? As Tristan ventures deeper into the unknown, he faces discoveries that could elevate humanity’s place in the universe—or end it entirely.
Blending rigorous astrophysical research with speculative science fiction, this hard sci-fi adventure explores the fragile line between knowledge and mystery. Bonus: Includes dual alternative endings for an unforgettable reading experience.
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Now We Are Animals
R P Nathan
Dystopian · Teen + Young Adult
Best for readers who like YA dystopian survival stories with alien occupation, captivity, rebellion, and human resilience.

Now We Are Animals
R P Nathan
Dystopian · Teen + Young Adult · First Contact
Our take
Called “Inventive, visionary and unforgettable,” Now We Are Animals follows 17-year-old Cara, a North London girl trying to survive after the Colonists kill most adults and boys and farm girls like cattle, with a 4.4-star rating from more than 1,000 Amazon reviewers. Best for readers who like YA dystopian survival stories with alien occupation, captivity, rebellion, and human resilience.
Choose your retailer
About the book
In a world where people are farmed like cattle, 17-year-old Cara must learn what it means to be an animal if she is ever to feel human again...
"Amazing" — "Awesome" — "Brilliant" — "Outstanding" — "Thought-provoking"
I was just a typical sixteen-year-old from North London, when The Colonists arrived and turned our world upside down. They were so beautiful to look at, but They killed all the adults and most of the boys, and farmed us girls like cattle. A year on, I’m being kept as a pet by my teenage Colonist owner, Aggie. I’m safe for the moment, but I’ve been torn from my friends and family and had horrific experiences along the way…
It’s enough to get anyone down. But even though I’m locked in a cage and treated like an animal, They haven’t broken me. Somehow, I’ll escape and turn this around: not just for me, but for all of us.
My name’s Carabel Caffarelli from Highbury in England. And I’m about to show The Colonists what being human is all about.
For readers of: The Hunger Games – The Maze Runner – Divergent – Animal Farm – The Handmaid’s Tale
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Hostile Contact
Nick Snape
Sci-Fi · First Contact
War-hero Finn and his ragtag squad of rookies face the ultimate test when a deadly alien force invades their training ground.

Hostile Contact
Nick Snape
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Military Sci-Fi
Our take
War-hero Finn and his ragtag squad of rookies face the ultimate test when a deadly alien force invades their training ground. Outgunned and outmatched, they’re thrust into a brutal battle to save Earth—and discover the terrifying power of alien technology that could change the fate of humanity forever.
Choose your retailer
About the book
Finn thought he’d seen it all in battle. He was wrong.
A seasoned but haunted war hero, Finn is stuck under the watchful eye of an unyielding Commanding Officer, training a squad of rookies who are more trouble than triumph. But when an alien force crashes into their training grounds, armed with tech far beyond Earth’s best, Finn’s worst fears become his reality.
As these alien invaders wield cloaking armor and wreak havoc, Delta Squad faces relentless attacks, the capture of their Commanding Officer, and an earth-shattering weapon the aliens have yet to unleash. With the fate of Earth hanging in the balance, Finn and Delta Squad must adapt fast.
Can humanity survive the alien onslaught—or will these Weapons of Choice fall into the wrong hands?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Unwilling From Earth
Andrew Maclure
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Mark’s dull IT job takes a cosmic twist when Alan, a mysterious alien, whisks him into a galactic war.

Unwilling From Earth
Andrew Maclure
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Space Exploration
Our take
Mark’s dull IT job takes a cosmic twist when Alan, a mysterious alien, whisks him into a galactic war. From timid techie to unlikely hero, Mark must navigate bizarre aliens, deadly battles, and surprising humor in a fight to save the universe. Will he rise to the challenge—or be lost in the chaos of the stars?
Choose your retailer
About the book
Mark, a bored IT technician stuck in a monotonous job, never expected his life to change—until he meets Alan, a strange, otherworldly being. One plea for escape launches Mark into an interstellar adventure beyond his wildest imagination.
From office drudgery to a galactic battlefield, Mark is swept into a war where outrageous aliens, deadly battles, and galaxy-sized stakes test his courage at every turn. As he evolves from a timid tech to an unexpected hero, Mark discovers his inner strength and learns what it truly means to lead.
Packed with unexpected humor, thrilling twists, and dazzling worldbuilding, this sci-fi epic is perfect for fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Can Mark save the universe—and himself—in the process?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Lost Arrow
Marshall Ross
Sci-Fi · First Contact
A strong match for readers drawn to fast-paced science fiction thrillers about alien contact, ancient missions, and global catastrophe.

Lost Arrow
Marshall Ross
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Our take
Called “BADASS” by screenwriter Jon Hoeber, Lost Arrow follows deep-sea surveyor Sara Long after she discovers a city-sized alien object buried beneath the Mariana Trench and accidentally wakes the 22,000 people inside. Their failed mission to seed human life on Earth threatens to ignite a war humanity cannot win, with a 3.9-star rating from more than 200 Amazon reviewers. A strong match for readers drawn to fast-paced science fiction thrillers about alien contact, ancient missions, and global catastrophe.
Choose your retailer
About the book
Beneath the ocean’s floor, a dangerous secret sleeps.
A 2019 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite, a 2019 National Indie Excellence Award Finalist and a Finalist Winner for Science Fiction and Cross Genre in the 2019 American Book Fest's Best Book Awards.
It’s another lost day for Sara Long aboard the deep-sea survey vessel, the Lewis. Technically, she’s running an experimental sonar that’s supposed to unlock the geologic secrets of the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth. But really, she’s just running as far from home as possible.
While checking a routine scan, an impossible image emerges of a city-sized object buried deep in the sediment. Sarah's not exactly a Nobel Prize winner, but she instantly knows this: Whatever the object is, it isn’t from this planet. And for the first time in a long time, Sarah sees a purpose for her life.
Except the object has its own ideas. Sarah’s scan didn’t merely discover the thing. It woke it, along with the twenty-two thousand people inside. And when they make their own discovery, that their mission to seed the first human life on Earth has gone horribly wrong, everything goes wrong.
Now Sarah’s running in whole new directions. And the world is running head long into a war it can’t possibly win.
Moving between characters anchored in contemporary American life and those aboard a fascinatingly imagined starship, Lost Arrow is a fast-paced, speculative thriller that rethinks the line between alien and human by finding the cleverest of ways to erase it. If you love Michael Crichton and Dan Brown, start this heart-pounding series.
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

The Echo
C R Wahl
Sci-Fi · First Contact
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected an alien message from the distant globular cluster NGC 1851.

The Echo
C R Wahl
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi
Our take
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected an alien message from the distant globular cluster NGC 1851. As Katrien De Vries and her team decode it, they discover a terrifying truth: a gravimetric wave launched from the universe’s edge is heading for Earth. With time running out, can they unlock the mystery—or will humanity face extinction?
Choose your retailer
About the book
An echo from across the universe...
The James Webb Space Telescope detects an unusual optical signal from globular cluster NGC 1851. When physicist Katrien De Vries and her team at the University of Amsterdam analyze its information content, the conclusion is undeniable—it’s an alien message.
As they race to decode the transmission, a chilling truth emerges: a gravimetric soliton wave, launched from the distant edges of the universe eons ago, is on a collision course with Earth.
With time running out, Katrien must uncover the wave's purpose—and whether it signals salvation or annihilation. As the message's implications unfold, humanity faces its greatest existential threat.
Will the key to survival lie in the stars—or in the message that may rewrite everything we know about the universe?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

AS1
Trevor Lewis
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Young engineer Gideon uncovers a mysterious signal from beyond our solar system, igniting excitement—and danger.

AS1
Trevor Lewis
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi
Our take
Young engineer Gideon uncovers a mysterious signal from beyond our solar system, igniting excitement—and danger. As he dives deeper, he’s drawn into a world of scientific intrigue and political deceit. With humanity’s future on the line, Gideon must choose between revealing the truth or shielding us from what’s coming.
Choose your retailer
About the book
Gideon, a brilliant young engineer, lands a dream position at Green Bank Observatory, wielding the most powerful radio telescope in the United States. But his work takes a stunning turn when he detects a mysterious signal—originating from just outside our solar system.
With his discovery sparking excitement and fear, Gideon is thrust into a storm of scientific ambition and political intrigue. As he races to understand the signal’s source, shadowy forces begin manipulating the discovery, revealing dark secrets and deadly motives.
Now, Gideon faces a harrowing choice: uncover the truth or protect humanity from a threat that could change civilization forever.
Are we truly prepared for what lies beyond our solar system?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Feedback
Peter Cawdron
Sci-Fi · First Contact
A crashed UFO, a missing woman, and a haunted past.

Feedback
Peter Cawdron
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi
Our take
A crashed UFO, a missing woman, and a haunted past. When Alex’s girlfriend is abducted by what seems to be the same craft that fell twenty years ago, his world shatters. From North Korea’s desolate shores to the void of space, Alex searches for answers. But as secrets unravel, what he discovers may be far more terrifying than he imagined.
Choose your retailer
About the book
Twenty years ago, a mysterious UFO plunged into the Yellow Sea, leaving behind a single survivor—a child captured by North Korea. Now, in New York City, physics student Alex watches helplessly as his girlfriend vanishes, seemingly abducted by the same alien craft. Determined to uncover the truth, Alex embarks on a perilous quest that spans continents and defies reason. From the windswept shores of the Korean Peninsula to the chaos of the Big Apple and beyond the edges of the solar system, every step reveals a darker mystery. As cosmic forces collide with human secrets, Alex must answer the ultimate question: how far will he go to find the person he loves—and can he face what awaits on the other side?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Latent Flaw
Andreas Karpf
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Scientist Jack’s peaceful mission to explore alien archives turns deadly when sabotage threatens everything.

Latent Flaw
Andreas Karpf
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi
Our take
Scientist Jack’s peaceful mission to explore alien archives turns deadly when sabotage threatens everything. A cryptic signal points him to Jupiter’s trojan asteroids, where a hidden threat lurks. With each attack growing bolder, Jack must uncover the truth before those watching him strike their final blow.
Choose your retailer
About the book
As sabotage looms, Jack’s only escape lies beyond the stars—and his mission has never been more dangerous.
Jack, a driven scientist in the alien archive program, longs for peace and discovery. But chaos erupts when sabotage threatens their work, pushing Jack’s mission—and his life—toward peril. His dream of exploring Earth’s moon fades as a rogue signal unveils something sinister lurking among Jupiter’s frozen, mysterious trojan asteroids.
With each attack growing bolder, Jack realizes his every move is watched. The forces behind the sabotage know he’s closing in, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep him from uncovering the truth.
Can Jack survive long enough to expose the threat hidden in the stars—or will they silence him forever?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Galactic Exploration
Peter Cawdron
Sci-Fi · First Contact
Perfect for fans of Star Trek and Cixin Liu, this is a thought-provoking journey into the Rare Earth Hypothesis and humanity’s search for intelligent life.

Galactic Exploration
Peter Cawdron
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Hard Sci-Fi
Our take
Three ships. Three missions. Infinite unknowns. In Galactic Exploration, cloned crews aboard the Serengeti, Savannah, and Rift Valley push the boundaries of the Milky Way, uncovering eerie signals and galactic mysteries. Perfect for fans of Star Trek and Cixin Liu, this is a thought-provoking journey into the Rare Earth Hypothesis and humanity’s search for intelligent life.
Choose your retailer
About the book
In humanity’s quest for intelligent life, three generational starships—Serengeti, Savannah, and Rift Valley—journey into the uncharted vastness of the Milky Way. Crewed by clones, each ship explores a different galactic frontier: the Serengeti rises above the galactic plane, the Savannah ventures to the galaxy’s outer edges, and the Rift Valley investigates alien signals deep within the core.
Through four interconnected novellas—Serengeti, Trixie & Me, Savannah, and War—this compilation probes the mysteries of the universe while tackling the Rare Earth Hypothesis from diverse angles. Fans of Star Trek, Andy Weir’s Hail Mary, and Cixin Liu’s Three-Body Problem will be captivated by this thought-provoking exploration of humanity’s place among the stars.
A standalone entry in the First Contact series, Galactic Exploration challenges how we might respond to alien discovery.
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.

Fluency
Jennifer Foehner Wells
Sci-Fi · First Contact
When NASA’s secret mission reaches a silent alien ship, linguist Dr.

Fluency
Jennifer Foehner Wells
Sci-Fi · First Contact · Space Exploration
Our take
When NASA’s secret mission reaches a silent alien ship, linguist Dr. Jane Holloway hears a voice no one else can: “You are home.” With the crew unraveling and their way back vanishing, Jane must decipher the alien’s intentions before the mission—and her life—spiral into darkness.
Choose your retailer
About the book
NASA has watched the silent alien ship drift in the asteroid belt for decades, hidden from the public eye, awaiting the day humanity could reach it.
Dr. Jane Holloway is a linguist, not an astronaut, but the chance to board this ship pulls her from academia into a mission of a lifetime. Tasked with decoding any alien messages, she’s both thrilled and wary as her team finally makes contact.
But the ship isn’t empty. A voice—calm, knowing—echoes in Jane’s mind: “You are home.” As her team’s trust fractures and their escape route vanishes, Jane must decipher the alien’s intentions before the entire mission implodes.
Will she unlock its secrets in time, or has NASA sent them into a trap?
Purchases through these links may earn Apropos Books a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current price and availability.
Don’t Want to Miss Another Deal?
Get the best Kindle book deals delivered straight to your inbox. We feature new must read books every day—always hand-picked, never random—with links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo. Some discounts disappear fast, others linger (or come back around), so it’s worth keeping an eye out.