Books Like...
If you liked Galileo's Dream, here are the top 30 books to read next:
- #1
Save:Part of Kim Stanley Robinson's Three Californias trilogy, 'The Gold Coast' is an alternative view of life in the 21st century. The book explores an overdeveloped Orange County, California, where a dissatisfied poet becomes involved with industrial terrorists aiming to subvert the war and weapons industry in which his father is employed. The writing style is unique, incorporating poetry intermittently, which some readers found distracting initially but ultimately found themselves engrossed in the story. The themes of globalisation, corporatisation, and conquest are thoroughly explored, reflecting on the missing elements in today's fast-paced society.
Jim McPherson, the main character, is depicted as a twenty-something drifting through life, seeking direction and purpose. His passion for history and connection to the past Orange County drive him to join a friend in domestic terrorism, targeting aerospace companies and the war machine they support. As the duo carries out portable missile attacks on unmanned manufacturing plants, chaos ensues, shaking the foundation of Jim's life and ultimately leading to a realization that changes everything.
Jim McPherson sticks his head out the window of his car, shouts at a Minihonda whose program has just automatically slotted it onto the onramp ahead of him. “You cut me off!” The man in the Minihonda...
(Also, see 27 recommendations for the series Three Californias Triptych ) - #2
Save:A quiet, reflective post-apocalyptic novel that prioritizes atmosphere and character over thrills - recommended for fans of literary sci-fi and slow-burn world-building.
“It wouldn’t really be grave-robbing,” Nicolin was explaining. “Just dig up a coffin and take the silver off the outside of it. Never open it up at all. Bury it again nice and proper—now what could be... - #3
Save:A sprawling, ambitious, and imaginative journey through a richly imagined Solar System - more a dazzling travelogue of possibility than a page-turning thriller. If you crave thought-provoking worlds over fast plots, 2312 could be your next favorite read.
From the moment Kiran saw the woman his cousins had grabbed, everything changed. She was old, tall, good-looking. She moved as if she were swimming. He knew immediately that she was a spacer, and that... - #4
Save:A beautifully researched, earthy coming-of-age tale that drops you right into the Stone Age - perfect for those who savor rich detail and a slower, more reflective journey.
This is what Thorn would say whenever he was doing something bad himself. Object to whatever it was and he would pull up his long gray braids to show the mangled red nubbins surrounding his earholes.... A warm, accessible, and richly detailed portrait of Galileo’s life and times, made personal through his daughter’s letters. It’s much more about Galileo the man than his daughter, but it brings a fresh angle to a well-trodden story. Great for history buffs and lovers of science turned human drama.
- #6
Save:A bold, brainy, and rewarding alternative history well-suited for the thoughtful reader - just be ready for a slow burn and lots of contemplation along the journey.
Now he had taken on the form of a small Mongol named Bold Bardash, horseman in the army of Temur the Lame. Son of a Tibetan salt trader and a Mongol innkeeper and spirit woman, and thus a traveller fr... - #7
Save:An epic, idea-rich finale to a legendary trilogy - Blue Mars is brilliant, ambitious, and deeply thought-provoking, but best suited to readers who love their sci-fi sprawling, speculative, and packed with science and political theory.
They stopped their cars. The silence in the cabins had shifted from reverent to grim. Ann stood at one upper-cabin window, looking south toward Sheffield, that child of the space elevator: built becau...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Mars ) - #8
Save:A hopeful, dense, and idea-packed blueprint for fighting climate change - ambitious, messy, and maybe essential reading for our times, even if it’s not a conventional novel. If you want more than just dystopia, give it a shot.
Frank May got off his mat and padded over to look out the window. Umber stucco walls and tiles, the color of the local clay. Square apartment blocks like the one he was in, rooftop patios occupied by... - #9
Save:A meticulously crafted, deeply realistic generation ship saga - brilliant if you want science and philosophy with your sci-fi, but be ready for a somber, challenging look at humanity’s push for the stars.
Freya and her father go sailing. Their new home is in an apartment building that overlooks a dock on the bay at the west end of Long Pond. The dock has a bunch of little sailboats people can take out,... - #10
Save:An ambitious, meticulously detailed epic that makes Mars feel real - Red Mars is a must for sci-fi fans who love science, philosophy, and political intrigue, but it may be too dense for those looking for a quick or character-driven read.
All lies, Frank Chalmers thought irritably. He was sitting in a row of dignitaries, watching his old friend John Boone give the usual Boone Inspirational Address. It made Chalmers weary. The truth was...
