swap_horiz Pushing Ice Alternatives

1

Stories of Your Life and Others

Stories of Your Life and Others is a 2002 science fiction short story collection by Ted Chiang that includes the basis f...

Classic Philosophical Hard SF Linguistics

9.3 Excellent

2

Exhalation

Exhalation is a 2019 collection of science fiction short stories by Ted Chiang that explores profound themes regarding f...

Philosophical Hard SF Short Stories Science Fiction Novel

9.2 Excellent

3

The Dark Forest

The Dark Forest is a 2008 science fiction novel by Chinese author Liu Cixin, serving as the second volume in the Remembr...

Hard SF Sequel Trilogy Science Fiction Novel

8.8 Great

4

Blindsight

Blindsight is a 2006 hard science fiction novel by Peter Watts exploring consciousness, first contact with aliens, and t...

Horror Hard SF First Contact Consciousness

8.7 Great

5

A Deepness in the Sky

A Deepness in the Sky is a 1999 science fiction novel by Vernor Vinge that explores the emergence of an alien civilizati...

Space Opera Hard SF First Contact Science Fiction Novel

8.7 Great

6

The Three-Body Problem

The Three-Body Problem is a 2008 science fiction novel by Chinese author Liu Cixin that won the Hugo Award and depicts h...

Hard SF Chinese First Contact Science Fiction Novel

8.7 Great

7

Rendezvous with Rama

Rendezvous with Rama is a 1973 science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke about humanity's encounter with a mysterious al...

Classic Hard SF Space Exploration First Contact

8.3 Great

8

The Mote in God's Eye

The Mote in God's Eye is a 1974 science fiction novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle detailing humanity's first cont...

Classic Hard SF First Contact Science Fiction Novel

8.3 Great

9

Revelation Space

Published in 2000 by British author Alastair Reynolds, this novel is the first in the dark, gothic space opera Revelatio...

Space Opera Hard SF Dark Reynolds

8.3 Great

10

House of Suns

Written by Alastair Reynolds and published in 2008, this standalone space opera follows immortal clone lineages across m...

Space Opera Standalone Hard SF Reynolds

8.3 Great

11

Redemption Ark

Written by Alastair Reynolds and released in 2002, this novel is the second book in the hard science fiction Revelation...

Space Opera Hard SF Sequel Reynolds

8.2 Great

12

Chasm City

This 2001 science fiction novel by Alastair Reynolds is set in his Revelation Space universe and won the British Science...

Space Opera Standalone Hard SF Noir

8.1 Great

13

The Algebraist

Nominated for the Hugo Award, this 2004 space opera by Iain M. Banks is set in a universe distinct from his Culture seri...

Space Opera Standalone Hard SF Banks

7.9 Good

14

Seveneves

Seveneves is a 2015 hard science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson about humanity's survival after the moon disintegrates...

Hard SF Near Future Apocalypse Science Fiction Novel

7.5 Good

15

Absolution Gap

Published in 2003 by Alastair Reynolds, this novel concludes the Revelation Space trilogy with a cross-galactic chase ag...

Space Opera Hard SF Sequel Religion

7.5 Good

16

Manifold: Time

Manifold: Time is a 1999 hard science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter that explores the fate of the universe and the con...

Time Standalone Hard SF Science Fiction Novel

7.5 Good

17

Manifold: Space

Manifold: Space is a 2000 hard science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter that explores the Fermi paradox through a complex...

Space Opera Standalone Hard SF First Contact

7.2 Good

18

Terminal World

Terminal World is a 2010 science fiction novel by Alastair Reynolds that presents a fractured, steampunk-inflected plane...

Standalone Dark Zones Reynolds

7.2 Good

19

Axis

Axis is a 2007 science fiction novel by Robert Charles Wilson, sequel to his Hugo Award-winning novel Spin, continuing t...

Hard SF Sequel Spin First Contact

7.1 Good

20

Poseidon's Wake

Poseidon's Wake is a 2015 hard science fiction novel by Alastair Reynolds that concludes the Poseidon's Children trilogy...

Space Opera Sequel First Contact Reynolds

7.1 Good