5 Scrappy Sci-Fi Books for Everyone Who Loves an Underdog

Books about the ragtag crew of a spaceship or an underdog having adventures and fighting evil are one of the more popular science fiction subgenres. It’s so fun to read about them using what little resources they have to save the day. Sometimes, the resources the scrappy heroes use are literally scraps. Whatever’s on hand, they’re going to win. So for all you fans of the underdog, like in Firefly, Star Wars, or The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, here are five fun sci-fi novels about the protagonists using their wits and whatever else is available to fight the good fight. Boltguns and Duct Tape by Jamie McFarlaneRix Banner is a WWII veteran who thought he had seen it all. But his quiet life as a mechanic changes when a spacecraft crashes in a cornfield. It belongs to the Galactic Empire, and they want the ship and the pilot who stole it: they don’t care how many Earthlings they have to destroy to get their way. So Rix decides to put together his own ship and take on the Empire himself. Exordia by Seth DickinsonWhen office worker Anna Sinjari meets Ssrin, a serpent alien, they discover the universe is in danger. Along with a group of scientists, soldiers, and civilians (all fun w...