Powered by a book like {foo}
Recommendations based on Brightness Reefby David Brin
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
The Uplift War
by David Brin
A story of a species of aliens fighting to survive against a powerful oppressor.
David Brin's Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written. Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War –a New York Times bestseller--together make up ... (Goodreads)
Startide Rising
by David Brin
A group of uplifted dolphins and humans must flee across the galaxy, pursued by enemies seeking their advanced technology.
In the year 2489 C.E. , , the Terran spaceship Streaker — crewed by 150 uplifted dolphins, seven humans, and one uplifted chimpanzee — discovers a derelict fleet of 50,000 spaceships the size of ... (Wikipedia)
Dorsai!
by Gordon R. Dickson
A young man from a warrior planet becomes a mercenary, fighting in battles across the galaxy.
The book is about Donal Graeme, warrior extraordinaire. In the Childe Cycle universe, the human race has split into a number of splinter cultures. Donal is a member of the Dorsai, a splinter culture ... (Wikipedia)
Consider Phlebas
by Iain M. Banks
A thrilling space opera about a galactic war between two powerful civilizations.
The war raged across the galaxy. Billions had died, billions more were doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, faced destruction, cold-blooded, brutal, and worse, random. The Idirans ... (Goodreads)
The Player of Games
by Iain M. Banks
A game-player embarks on a journey to win a tournament in a distant world, uncovering secrets along the way.
The Culture - a humanoid/machine symbiotic society - has thrown up many great Game Players. One of the best is Jernau Morat Gurgeh, Player of Games, master of every board, computer and strategy. ... (Goodreads)
Excession
by Iain M. Banks
An interstellar culture encounters an enigmatic, ancient entity and must grapple with its implications.
The Excession of the title is a perfect black-body sphere that appears mysteriously on the edge of Culture space, appearing to be older than the Universe itself and that resists the attempts of the ... (Wikipedia)
The Foundation Trilogy
by Isaac Asimov
Intergalactic future-history saga of a Galactic Empire on the brink of collapse.
A THOUSAND-YEAR EPIC, A GALACTIC STRUGGLE, A MONUMENTAL WORK IN THE ANNALS OF SCIENCE FICTION FOUNDATION begins a new chapter in the story of man's future. As the Old Empire crumbles into barbarism ... (Goodreads)
Endymion
by Dan Simmons
Epic adventure of a man's journey through space and time, in search of the divine.
274 years ago, Hegemony CEO Meina Gladstone ordered the destruction of all farcaster portals to stop the TechnoCore from eliminating humankind. This resulted in the collapse of civilization on most ... (Wikipedia)
Barrayar
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A woman's journey of self-discovery as she navigates the rules and expectations of her home planet.
Cordelia and Aral Vorkosigan are expecting their first child. Before crafty old Emperor Ezar Vorbarra died, he maneuvered a very reluctant Aral into agreeing to serve as regent for Ezar's young ... (Wikipedia)
The Reality Dysfunction
by Peter F. Hamilton
Epic sci-fi adventure through space and time, tackling questions of identity and reality.
The Reality Dysfunction opens in the year 2581 with a war raging between two worlds, Omuta and Garissa, over three hundred and eighty seven mineral-rich asteroids known as the Dorados. The war ... (Wikipedia)
Lost in a Good Book
by Jasper Fforde
A journey through the magical world of fiction as a character attempts to find a way out of the book.
Three months after the events of The Eyre Affair , Thursday Next is happily married to Landen Parke-Laine and working as a literary detective out of Swindon . One day, Thursday meets her father, a ... (Wikipedia)
House of Suns
by Alastair Reynolds
Exploring the universe as a powerful family of clones, while struggling against a mysterious enemy.
Six million years ago, at the dawn of the star-faring era, Abigail Gentian fractured herself into a thousand male and female clones, which she called shatterlings. But now, someone is eliminating the ... (Goodreads)
The Past Through Tomorrow
by Robert A. Heinlein
A collection of short stories exploring the future of humanity, from the near future to thousands of years ahead.
Here in one monumental volume are all 21 of the stories, novellas and novels making up Heinlein's famous Future History—the rich, imaginative architecture of Man's destiny that many consider his ... (Goodreads)
Starship Troopers
by Robert A. Heinlein
A futuristic military drama, exploring the consequences of war and human nature.
The novel opens with Rico aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young (named after Medal of Honor recipient Rodger Wilton Young ), , serving with the platoon known as "Rasczak's Roughnecks". The ... (Wikipedia)
Foundation and Chaos
by Greg Bear
A thrilling sci-fi saga set in a distant future, exploring the fate of humanity.
The novel is the second part of The Second Foundation Trilogy and takes place almost entirely in the same time frame as " The Psychohistorians ," which is the first part of the novel, Foundation, . ... (Wikipedia)
Hyperion
by Dan Simmons
Epic science-fiction story of a journey to the distant planet Hyperion.
In the 29th century, the Hegemony of Man comprises hundreds of planets connected by farcaster portals. The Hegemony maintains an uneasy alliance with the TechnoCore , a civilisation of AIs . Modified ... (Wikipedia)
The Dispossessed
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A sci-fi exploration of utopian and dystopian societies, and the struggle for a better world.
Librarian note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN, 9780061054884,. Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the ... (Goodreads)
The Mote in God's Eye
by Larry Niven
A journey of first contact between the human race and an alien species.
In the year AD 3017, humanity is slowly recovering from an interstellar civil war that tore apart the first Empire of Man. The Second Empire is busy establishing control over the remnants of its ... (Wikipedia)
The Hallowed Hunt
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A prince must navigate political intrigue and supernatural forces to solve a murder and protect his kingdom.
The half-mad Prince Boleso has been slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile – and Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff must transport the body to its burial place and the accused killer, the Lady Ijada, ... (Goodreads)
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
by Robert A. Heinlein
A thrilling adventure of an unlikely hero, exploring the boundaries of science and reality.
A writer seated at the best restaurant of the space habitat "Golden Rule" is approached by a man who urges him that "Tolliver must die" and is himself shot before the writer's eyes. The ... (Wikipedia)
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
by Neal Stephenson
A young girl's journey of learning and self-discovery, aided by advanced technology.
The protagonist in the story is Nell, a thete (or person without a tribe; equivalent to the lowest working class) living in the Leased Territories, a lowland slum built on the artificial, diamondoid ... (Wikipedia)
The Ship Who Sang
by Anne McCaffrey
A young girl, born with severe physical disabilities, embarks on a journey to become a "brainship", a human-computer interface.
Helva had been born human, but only her brain had been saved—saved to be schooled, programmed, and implanted into the sleek titanium body of an intergalactic scout ship. But first she had to choose a ... (Goodreads)
The Grass Crown
by Colleen McCullough
Historical fiction about the rise and fall of Julius Caesar, as seen from various perspectives.
Although these two powerful Eastern rulers would eventually declare war on Rome and slaughter thousands of Roman citizens, the plot of the novel centres on the Social War of 91 to 88 BC, a civil war ... (Wikipedia)
City of Miracles
by Robert Jackson Bennett
A former soldier embarks on a quest for justice, unearthing secrets of a mystical city.
Revenge. It's something Sigrud je Harkvaldsson is very, very good at. Maybe the only thing. So when he learns that his oldest friend and ally, former Prime Minister Shara Komayd, has been ... (Goodreads)
The Fall of Hyperion
by Dan Simmons
Epic space opera, exploring the consequences of a universe-shattering event.
The Hegemony is an interstellar governmental entity formed by many planets, most of which are connected by instantaneous farcaster portals. Some worlds, like Hyperion, have no farcaster portals and ... (Wikipedia)
The Warrior's Apprentice
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A young man's journey to becoming a leader, navigating the treacherous waters of space warfare.
When Miles Vorkosigan is disqualified from joining the Barrayaran Imperial Service Academy because he broke both his legs during the initial physical entrance exams, he sets about trying to prove ... (Wikipedia)
Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
A mysterious alien spacecraft discovered in the Solar System, explored by a human team.
After an asteroid falls in Northeast Italy in 2077, creating a major disaster, the government of Earth sets up the Spaceguard system as an early warning of arrivals from deep space. The "Rama" of the ... (Wikipedia)
Necroscope
by Brian Lumley
A young man discovers he has the power to communicate with the dead, and is thrust into a centuries-long supernatural war.
Harry Keogh (born Harry Snaith) is born with the ability to speak to the dead. As he grows up and his power manifests itself, he befriends the dead. From them he learns that death is not the end, ... (Wikipedia)
The Daylight War
by Peter V. Brett
Epic fantasy tale of bravery and courage as humanity faces a demonic enemy.
On the night of the new moon, the demons rise in force, seeking the deaths of two men both of whom have the potential to become the fabled Deliverer, the man prophesied to reunite the scattered ... (Goodreads)
