Here are 2 books that Pale Lights fans have personally recommended if you like Pale Lights. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Project Hail Mary

AgentSquishy

From Matthew's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Matthew loves this book

Andy Weir has recaptured the spark of scifi delight and thrill from The Martian. A man adrift trying to overcome repeated obstacles with eager science to save the world and a constant page turner.

By Andy Weir ,

Why should I read it?

98 authors picked Project Hail Mary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of A Practical Guide to Evil

AgentSquishy

From Matthew's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Matthew loves this book

This progression fantasy story is a lot more like a classic epic fantasy. It exists in a world governed by the rules of stories so has a delicious meta thread through it. I love a series about doing good through villainy and what being perceived as a villain does to someone. There are major martial influences to the series with battles mapped from real world equivalents.

By David Verburg ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked A Practical Guide to Evil as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Empire stands triumphant.For twenty years the Dread Empress has ruled over the lands that were once the Kingdom of Callow, but behind the scenes of this golden age threats to the empire are rising.The nobles of the Wasteland weave their plots behind pleasant smiles while rebellion stirs beyond Peren Woods, for dreams of crowns were buried in shallow graves. The greatest danger of all lies to the west, where the First Prince of Procer has restored order at last: her people sundered, she ponders if a crusade might not be the way to secure her reign.Yet none of this…


Book cover of Project Hail Mary
Book cover of A Practical Guide to Evil

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