Books Like...
"Mickey7" by Edward Ashton is a science fiction novel that explores the concept of human cloning and identity. The protagonist, Mickey 7, is reset over and over again, leading to intriguing and sometimes uncomfortable thought experiments. The book presents a world with sentient aliens and advanced technology, raising questions about the future and the nature of humanity. The plot unfolds with a mix of humor, tension, and inventive world-building, keeping readers engaged with unique scenarios and twists. However, some readers felt that the story had slow spots and lacked in-depth exploration of certain fascinating concepts, leaving them wanting more depth and action.
If you liked Mickey7, here are the top 100 books to read next:
- #1
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi is a light-hearted sci-fi novel that follows the story of Jamie Gray, a regular guy who finds himself working for the Kaiju Preservation Society on an alternate Earth where giant monsters exist. The book is filled with snappy and amusing dialogue, interesting characters, and just the right amount of science to keep the story engaging. Through Jamie's eyes, readers are taken on a humorous and entertaining journey into a world where kaiju are the source of myths, offering a fresh perspective on monster fiction.
The plot of The Kaiju Preservation Society is described as a fun and quick read, akin to a summer tentpole movie in book form. The author, John Scalzi, presents a coherent and well-thought-out universe, with an abundance of irreverent humor and banter that is characteristic of his writing style. Despite not delving deep into profound themes, the book offers an escape from reality, providing a light and entertaining story that keeps readers engaged with its lively characters and intriguing premise.
Rob Sanders welcomed me in and motioned me over to his “conversation pit,” as he liked to call it, which was four massive, primary-colored beanbags around a low table. The table was one of those ones ... - #2
The Municipalists by Seth Fried is a science fiction novel that blends humor, adventure, and social commentary. The story follows a button-down bureaucrat named Henry and his liberated AI assistant, OWEN, as they navigate a city resembling New York in the near future. Their mission is to stop a rogue civil servant and his high society girlfriend from destroying cultural institutions to redirect urban renewal funds to impoverished neighborhoods. The book explores themes of city planning, AI with attitude, friendship, betrayal, and the widening gap between urban and rural communities.
1 In Suitland, Maryland, just outside DC, there is a large gray building that is home to the United States Municipal Survey. The main building boasts over 2 million square feet of assignable space. It... - #3
In a not too distant future when climate change has made Earth almost uninhabitable, humans have figured out faster than light travel and they've found a distant planet that has good conditions for human habitation. Women's rights have eroded, and even though there are many women who are highly qualified to fly in space, a group of men is going to be the first to go to the new planet. However, a crew of women steal the spaceship and plan to go to the planet first. The mastermind behind this plot is a rich entrepreneur imagine a female Elon Musk. The book is narrated by her adopted daughter, Naomi, who has dreamed of space flight her whole life and has worked hard to achieve that goal. The book is the story of their spaceflight, interspersed with flashbacks to the deaths of Naomi's parents, being raised by her adoptive mother, and her difficult space career. Naturally the crew of the spaceship start to encounter difficulties they're in big trouble on Earth for stealing a spaceship, they discover that there's a cryogenically frozen crew of men on board, the ship's life support systems have problems and these create some moral dilemmas for the crew. This is an engaging thriller, with just enough foreshadowing to keep you guessing. The two main characters are very well developed. The other characters are a bit flat, but the book is really about the psychological tension between Naomi and Valerie.
Goldilocks is set in the future where women are being forced out of their jobs to stay home and take care of the one child they can have before paying a steep child tax on any additional children they may have. The climate is ravaging the earth and scientists best guess is that Earth may have another 30 years before it has been completely exhausted of resources and mankind most likely will not survive. Naomi is a botanical researcher who specializes in growing plants that can survive on other planets. She is working in Scotland when her estranged mother,Valerie Black, the owner of a prestigious science company that is making a ship to travel to Cavendish. A planet in what is knows as the Goldilocks zone. An area that isn't too hot or cold and has potential to be a new home for the human race. Valerie wants to steal the ship Atalanta with 4 other women scientists and travel to Cavendish. When things start going wrong once they are in space Naomi starts to question Valerie's motives on what she hoped to accomplish on this journey. Overall I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well developed and the world building was believable and quite scary. The way the world was being run by governments is eerily similar to what is going on in the world today. If you liked The Martian or dystopian books like The Handmaid's Tale will enjoy this cautionary tale about the delicate balance of our planet and the choices we have to make.
There would be picnic blankets laid out on the parched dirt, legs oily beneath smears of sunblock, faces shadowed by hats and hidden behind sunglasses. They’d lift their filter masks long enough to ni... - #4
In "The Original," Holly wakes up in the hospital to discover that she has been cloned as a Provisional Replica because her original self murdered her husband. She has four days to track down and bring her original to justice, facing ethical dilemmas and societal challenges in a world where nanite technology alters perceptions and reality. As Holly navigates through a world without personal filters, she must decide between saving her original self or continuing her own existence.
- #5
In "The Collapsing Empire" by John Scalzi, readers are taken on an intergalactic journey through an empire that relies on a natural space highway called the Flow. The story follows multiple characters in different areas of the universe, all leading separate but interconnected lives that eventually converge. As the empire faces the impending collapse of the Flow, politics, intrigue, and the survival of colonies become central themes. Scalzi's writing style weaves together humor, emotion, and engaging storytelling to keep readers captivated from start to finish.
For the week leading up to his death, Cardenia Wu-Patrick stayed mostly at the bedside of her father, Batrin, who, when he was informed that his condition had reached the limits of medical competence ... - #6
In "The Salvage Crew" by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, readers are taken on a sci-fi adventure following a salvage crew on a mission to an uninhabited world. The crew, consisting of diverse and flawed characters, faces unexpected challenges and uncovers terrifying secrets on the planet Urmagon Beta. The story is narrated from the perspective of an opinionated AI named Amber Rose, providing a unique and engaging viewpoint. The book combines elements of AI, human relationships, poetry, and survival, creating a narrative that is both thought-provoking and entertaining.
The plot of "The Salvage Crew" is driven by the crew's interactions, challenges, and the mysteries they encounter on the alien planet. The writing style mixes humor, irreverence, and deep philosophical themes, offering readers a blend of adventure, exploration, and introspection. Through its characters and world-building, the book delves into themes of humanity, technology, and the unknown, making it a compelling read for fans of sci-fi and those looking for a fresh take on the genre.
The Company promised me an A-Team. The kind of people Joe Haldeman wrote about in The Forever War. Astrophysicists who could blow a man’s head off at five hundred meters. The best of the best—you know... - #7
Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a futuristic science fiction novel that delves into the world of genetic enhancements and the potential consequences of tampering with human evolution. The story follows Logan Ramsay, a geneticist who becomes infected with a genetic upgrade that unlocks extraordinary abilities within him. As Logan navigates a world where genetic editing is criminalized, he must confront his own past and race against time to stop a mad scientist from unleashing a deadly genetic upgrade on the world population. The book is described as a fast-paced thriller with a cautionary tale about the future of humanity.
Before tonight, I had only seen him in INTERPOL photographs and CCTV footage. In the flesh, he was less impressive—five and a half feet in his artificially distressed Saint Laurent sneakers with a des... - #8
'Beacon 23' by Hugh Howey is a science fiction novel that follows the story of a war hero scarred by battle, who chooses to live in isolation as a beacon operator in space. The book explores themes of PTSD, loneliness, and war, as the main character grapples with his personal demons and struggles to maintain his sanity. The narrative unfolds through a series of interconnected short stories, blending humor, darkness, and introspection to create a compelling and thought-provoking tale.
They don’t prepare you for the little noises. They put you in a centrifuge until you pass out, ride you up and down parabolic curves until you puke your stomach lining, poke you with needles until you... - #9
'Saturn Run' by John Sandford and Ctein is a science fiction novel set in the near future, specifically in the year 2066, focusing on the competition between China and America to reach Saturn. The story involves space exploration, political implications on Earth, and features technology that is within reach, making it a believable and intriguing read. The plot revolves around the race to Saturn, with well-developed characters and an engaging storyline that keeps readers hooked till the end.
From ten kilometers out, the Sky Survey Observatory looked like an oversized beer can. Yellow-white sunlight glittered from the can’s outward side, while the other half was a shifting fun house reflec... - #10
'Eversion' by Alastair Reynolds follows the protagonist Silas Coade, a doctor aboard the Demeter ship on an expedition to uncover the mysteries of the Ediface, a peculiar structure in Norway. As the story progresses, Silas finds himself trapped in a time loop, reliving different scenarios across various time periods, each leading to the same outcome. The novel combines elements of mystery, puzzle-solving, and science fiction, with a unique narrative structure that keeps readers engaged. The writing style shifts with each time period, creating an authentic atmosphere and adding depth to the characters and storyline.