Request Science Fiction recommendations

rrr · 01-04-2026, 01:37 AM

Nick Jones "And Then She Vanished". Very good indeed. Gripping page-turner. Time travel.

Can anyone recommend others like this?
Preferably: standalone (so a proper ending); gripping (so I don't fall asleep); not too long.

rrr · 01-06-2026, 02:24 AM

Hmmm - no replies. Where should I ask for SF recommendations?
Is there already an active discussion somewhere?
There are so many sections of mobileread that it's not easy for a beginner like me to find my way around.

Karellen · 01-06-2026, 02:39 AM

I've never heard of that novel. So hard to recommend something like it.
SF is a very broad genre, so what type of SF are you interested in?

FWIW, here is a list of some of my favourite SF, no idea if it matches the book you mention. These are all books that i highly recommend.

Standalone:

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Artemis by Andy Weir
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Ill Wind by Kevin J. Anderson & Doug Beason
The Trigger by Arthur C. Clarke & Michael Kube-McDowell
Carpathians by Paul Dixon
Alternate Purpose by Christopher Coates
Moonfall by Jack McDevitt

Series:

The 6 book Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
The 11 book The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson
The 10 book The Rho Agenda series by Richard Phillips
The 31 book Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore
The 3 book The Aurora Cycle series by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
The 3 book Hellhole series by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Hopefully you find something in there.

rrr · 01-06-2026, 04:03 AM

Thanks very much for your reply.
I've read and liked the Andy Weir books - and because of that will investigate all your books.
Do you think I am asking in the best forum place?
Could I use a better thread title?
Can I edit a post I make, either to modify the title or content?

Karellen · 01-06-2026, 04:08 AM

You are welcome

I think you are in the correct place. I saw your post a couple of days back when I was on the train, but then forgot to respond when I returned home.

Maybe expand the thread title to "Request Science Fiction recommendations". Try not to use All-Caps. It can be a bit annoying and some people won't respond because of it.

Yes, you can edit posts. You should have an Edit button in the bottom right corner of your post.

rrr · 01-06-2026, 04:25 AM

I tried to edit the title but it came out in the body.

Karellen · 01-06-2026, 04:51 AM

Hit the "Report" button in your first post. It us under your username next to the Karma button. It is the ! button.

Leave a message for the moderator to change the title for you.

rrr · 01-06-2026, 07:16 AM

Thanks. I have just done that - although I could not read your suggestion as I was writing the report - so it came out as "Moderator would you please change the title of my first post to what is suggested i.e. from SCIENCE FICTION to Please recommend some Science Fiction books for me."
Anyway, I suppose that'll do.
Now back to researching your book suggestions.
Some a rather long for me.
Do the series ones have endings or do they all have to be read like a serial as if they comprised one long book?

JSWolf · 01-06-2026, 08:00 AM

Given you like time travel, I can highly recommend The Chronicles of St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor. It's a very good series. It features time travel and the characters are very good. But it's not your standard time travel. I think you'll like it.

Dr. Drib · 01-06-2026, 08:27 AM

IF you like time travel, one SF classic [1973] is by David Gerrold:

The Man Who Folded Himself

Of course, there are many other works involving time travel that have come out over the years.

Here's a link to Amazon, so you can decide if it's a good fit for you:

https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Folde...s%2C299&sr=8-1

hildea · 01-06-2026, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given you like time travel, I can highly recommend The Chronicles of St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor. It's a very good series. It features time travel and the characters are very good. But it's not your standard time travel. I think you'll like it.

I agree, it's very good. It's a series, but each book is a finished story.

Another very good science fiction series (but without time travel) is Martha Wells' Murderbot series, starting with "All Systems Red". Again, each book is a finished story (but read them in published order, or you will probably be confused). A lot of them are novellas, so they are short.

"The Shining Girls" by Lauren Beukes is a time travel story, about a woman who is trying to stop a time travelling serial killer.

Gormagon · 01-06-2026, 08:29 PM

I enjoyed reading "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley lately, which is also about time travel.

ZodWallop · 01-08-2026, 03:41 PM

Not time travel, but a standalone book that I really enjoyed (and have been mulling over a third read of) is Kiln People by David Brin. It explores a future where people can make cheap clay duplicates of themselves that last about a day. They send these golems out to do whatever errands they have and when the golem comes home, they upload the memories to their own minds.

It's a fun read that uses a detective as the main character and it avoids the too common dystopian, dark future tropes.

Kiln People is sometimes identified as the first in a series, but I don't know where that comes from. There is no sequel and I don't think one was ever announced.

Dazrin · 01-08-2026, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gormagon

I enjoyed reading "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley lately, which is also about time travel.

I haven't finished this but I've enjoyed what I was reading too.

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is one that I really enjoyed a couple years ago.

Or Connie Willis' Oxford Time Travel books - Fire Watch (a short story), Doomsday Book, Blackout, All Clear. And the short "To Say Nothing of the Dog". Doomsday Book is a good "stand-alone" book IMO. It's not entirely stand alone since there is overlap with the others, but has a satisfying arc and conclusion. I read it first and didn't feel like I was missing anything from Fire Watch. I haven't read Blackout/All Clear but I think they are really a single story.

rrr · 01-08-2026, 05:12 PM

Thanks to all who replied with authors and books.
Thanks also for the help in using the forum and changing the title etc.
I hope that others will post in this thread, both to give and receive suggestions
Topics can go wider than just time travel. Anything that's good is welcome.
I will keep looking too.
For now I'm going back to my re-reading Jack Reacher,before trying some of the books mentioned here.
Should keep me going through a cold, dark English winter.

01-04-2026, 01:37 AM	#1
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Request Science Fiction recommendations Nick Jones "And Then She Vanished". Very good indeed. Gripping page-turner. Time travel. Can anyone recommend others like this? Preferably: standalone (so a proper ending); gripping (so I don't fall asleep); not too long. Last edited by rrr; 01-06-2026 at 04:22 AM.

01-06-2026, 02:39 AM	#3
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,777 Karma: 9501034 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	I've never heard of that novel. So hard to recommend something like it. SF is a very broad genre, so what type of SF are you interested in? FWIW, here is a list of some of my favourite SF, no idea if it matches the book you mention. These are all books that i highly recommend. Standalone: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Artemis by Andy Weir The Martian by Andy Weir The Host by Stephenie Meyer Ill Wind by Kevin J. Anderson & Doug Beason The Trigger by Arthur C. Clarke & Michael Kube-McDowell Carpathians by Paul Dixon Alternate Purpose by Christopher Coates Moonfall by Jack McDevitt Series: The 6 book Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee The 11 book The Saga of Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson The 10 book The Rho Agenda series by Richard Phillips The 31 book Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore The 3 book The Aurora Cycle series by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff The 3 book Hellhole series by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson Hopefully you find something in there. Last edited by Karellen; 01-06-2026 at 02:46 AM. Reason: type-o

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01-06-2026, 02:24 AM	#2
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Hmmm - no replies. Where should I ask for SF recommendations? Is there already an active discussion somewhere? There are so many sections of mobileread that it's not easy for a beginner like me to find my way around.

01-06-2026, 04:03 AM	#4
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Thanks very much for your reply. I've read and liked the Andy Weir books - and because of that will investigate all your books. Do you think I am asking in the best forum place? Could I use a better thread title? Can I edit a post I make, either to modify the title or content?

01-06-2026, 04:08 AM	#5
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,777 Karma: 9501034 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	You are welcome I think you are in the correct place. I saw your post a couple of days back when I was on the train, but then forgot to respond when I returned home. Maybe expand the thread title to "Request Science Fiction recommendations". Try not to use All-Caps. It can be a bit annoying and some people won't respond because of it. Yes, you can edit posts. You should have an Edit button in the bottom right corner of your post.

01-06-2026, 04:25 AM	#6
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	I tried to edit the title but it came out in the body.

01-06-2026, 04:51 AM	#7
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,777 Karma: 9501034 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	Hit the "Report" button in your first post. It us under your username next to the Karma button. It is the ! button. Leave a message for the moderator to change the title for you.

01-06-2026, 07:16 AM	#8
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Thanks. I have just done that - although I could not read your suggestion as I was writing the report - so it came out as "Moderator would you please change the title of my first post to what is suggested i.e. from SCIENCE FICTION to Please recommend some Science Fiction books for me." Anyway, I suppose that'll do. Now back to researching your book suggestions. Some a rather long for me. Do the series ones have endings or do they all have to be read like a serial as if they comprised one long book?

01-06-2026, 08:00 AM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 82,219 Karma: 150871427 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Given you like time travel, I can highly recommend The Chronicles of St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor. It's a very good series. It features time travel and the characters are very good. But it's not your standard time travel. I think you'll like it.

01-06-2026, 08:27 AM	#10
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,825 Karma: 61187853 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	IF you like time travel, one SF classic [1973] is by David Gerrold: The Man Who Folded Himself Of course, there are many other works involving time travel that have come out over the years. Here's a link to Amazon, so you can decide if it's a good fit for you: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Folde...s%2C299&sr=8-1

01-06-2026, 08:29 PM	#12
Gormagon monstrous mythical beast Posts: 81 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: May 2023 Device: Tab Ultra C, Meebook P78 Pro, Viwoods AIPaper Reader, various NXTPAPER	I enjoyed reading "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley lately, which is also about time travel.

01-08-2026, 03:41 PM	#13
ZodWallop Gentleman and scholar Posts: 11,545 Karma: 111339656 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space City, Texas Device: Clara BW; Nook ST w/Glowlight, Paperwhite 3	Not time travel, but a standalone book that I really enjoyed (and have been mulling over a third read of) is Kiln People by David Brin. It explores a future where people can make cheap clay duplicates of themselves that last about a day. They send these golems out to do whatever errands they have and when the golem comes home, they upload the memories to their own minds. It's a fun read that uses a detective as the main character and it avoids the too common dystopian, dark future tropes. Kiln People is sometimes identified as the first in a series, but I don't know where that comes from. There is no sequel and I don't think one was ever announced.

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01-08-2026, 05:12 PM	#15
rrr Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Thanks to all who replied with authors and books. Thanks also for the help in using the forum and changing the title etc. I hope that others will post in this thread, both to give and receive suggestions Topics can go wider than just time travel. Anything that's good is welcome. I will keep looking too. For now I'm going back to my re-reading Jack Reacher,before trying some of the books mentioned here. Should keep me going through a cold, dark English winter.