Here are 7 books that The View from Here fans have personally recommended if you like The View from Here. 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 We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

Jason W

From Jason's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Jason loves this book

Engaging and amusing and deep ideas.

By Dennis E. Taylor ,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked We Are Legion (We Are Bob) as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets. The stakes are high: no less than the first…


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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 The Adventures of Kirk Rogers: Inside the Moon

Kate Rauner Author Of Glory on Mars

From Kate's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Engineer Eccentric old woman Poet

Kate's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Kate Rauner Why Kate loves this book

This story is set on a world inside Earth’s moon, which isn’t really a moon. It’s an alien spacecraft. But don’t waste any effort figuring out timelines vs history. This book is a fun, goofy read.

The author borrows ideas from popular sci-fi, and she does so joyfully. You can tell her sources by some of the characters’ names: Kirk, O’Neil, Sheldor. You don’t have to be a fan of Star Trek, Stargate, or The Big Bang Theory to enjoy the story, but if you are, you’ll get more chuckles.

I did learn something important: Don’t touch alien technology before checking with one of the aliens.

By C. J. Boyle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Adventures of Kirk Rogers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An overconfident pilot with a stolen spaceship must fix an alien device before time runs out.. An asteroid’s collision with the moon ignites a desperate quest. Sheldor, the moon’s guardian AI, awaits a hero of Newtonian descent to unlock his controls so he can save the Earth. To that end, he teleports the first person he can find with enough Newtonian DNA to complete the task.. “Adventures Inside the Moon” blends wit, action, and sci-fi homage into a compelling space saga. It’s the first installment in a series that promises more cosmic adventures for Kirk and his crew.. For people…


Book cover of Slaughterhouse-Five

Anthea T. Piscarik Author Of The Years In Between

From Anthea's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Anthea's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Anthea T. Piscarik Why Anthea loves this book

I listened to Slaughtehouse Five narrated by actor Ethan Hawke. Yes, a difficult story to experience, filled with profanity and the conjuiring of graphic images. But the writing? Brilliant. Sometimes, we're meant not to like what we see and hear, and Kurt Vonnegut's experience as a soldier who witnessed the destruction of Dresden during World War II is the foundation for fantastical story. His searing descriptions, unsympathetic characters, and cynisicm may belie his anti-war message. Many dislike Vonnegut's tome, and the book remains banned in some libraries. But I discovered a story worth my time and consideration. The classics, like Slaughthouse-Five, remain the classics.

By Kurt Vonnegut ,

Why should I read it?

33 authors picked Slaughterhouse-Five as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A special fiftieth anniversary edition of Kurt Vonnegut’s masterpiece, “a desperate, painfully honest attempt to confront the monstrous crimes of the twentieth century” (Time), featuring a new introduction by Kevin Powers, author of the National Book Award finalist The Yellow Birds
 
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time
 
Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world’s great antiwar books. Centering on the infamous World War II firebombing of Dresden, the novel is the result of what Kurt Vonnegut described as a twenty-three-year struggle to write a book about what he had…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

L.N. Hunter Author Of The Feather and the Lamp

From my list on humorous fantasy and science fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up at a time when both Monty Python and ‘alternative comedians’ like Ben Elton were on the telly, I couldn’t help but absorb British humor, and coupling that with a love of science fiction and fantasy (Asimov, Heinlein, Moorcock, etc.), I was ripe for an introduction to Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett… And the rest is history. The world is too serious a place, and I find comedy of all kinds, but especially SFF, a welcome escape. My own writing has been inspired by all the books on this list, and while I work in a range of genres, almost everything includes at least some snarky humor.

L.N.'s book list on humorous fantasy and science fiction

L.N. Hunter Why L.N. loves this book

I first encountered Douglas Adams when I caught The Hitchhiker’s Guide on late-night radio, and I was hooked. The novel is slightly different, with Adams giving a bit more consideration to plot and logic, but it has the same wonderful, rapid-fire dialogue style, which has seldom been replicated.

I absolutely love Arthur Dent’s ludicrous accidental odyssey, meeting characters like Zaphod Beeblebrox and the wonderfully named Slartibartfast. The Guide sits in the background, popping up to provide superbly funny explanations of the history of the universe, humanity’s obsession with money, and a lot more.

For me, the thing that sets this apart from a lot of SFF humor is its ‘Britishness’—there’s a distinct feel of the surreal comic legacy of, for example, Monty Python and The Goon Show.

By Douglas Adams ,

Why should I read it?

44 authors picked The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This box set contains all five parts of the' trilogy of five' so you can listen to the complete tales of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Bebblebrox and Marvin the Paranoid Android! Travel through space, time and parallel universes with the only guide you'll ever need, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Read by Stephen Fry, actor, director, author and popular audiobook reader, and Martin Freeman, who played Arthur Dent in film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He is well known as Tim in The Office.

The set also includes a bonus DVD Life, the Universe and…


Book cover of The Martian

Giancarlo Genta Author Of The Red Domes of Acheron

From my list on human Mars exploration.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an enthusiast of aviation, space, and science fiction since I was a child. I graduated in aerospace engineering while the Apollo missions reached the Moon, but then in the post-Apollo days, I worked mostly in the mechanical engineering field. In the 1990s, as a professor of machine design, I could return to aerospace. Later, as a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, I led a study group on human Mars exploration and wrote some research books in this field and a few science fiction novels. I have always been fascinated by the idea that humans can become a multi-planetary species, returning to the Moon and going beyond.

Giancarlo's book list on human Mars exploration

Giancarlo Genta Why Giancarlo loves this book

I liked both this book and the movie, even if it has practically just one character. The castaway is so well described that after a few pages, the reader feels like a long-time friend and gets emotionally involved in the story.

I felt like traveling with him across half the planet to reach the Schiaparelli crater, which may mean a possibility of returning home. The other characters who risk their lives to save him also become friends, working with the reader on this common goal.

By Andy Weir ,

Why should I read it?

26 authors picked The Martian as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old human error are…


Book cover of Dark Matter

MJ Mumford Author Of TimeBlink

From MJ's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

MJ's 3 favorite reads in 2024

MJ Mumford Why MJ loves this book

As someone fascinated by life's "what ifs" and the paths we choose not to take, this book hit all the right notes for me.

Through Jason Dessen's eyes, I experienced every moment of his longing for the simple things we take for granted—family dinners, quiet evenings, familiar embraces.

While the story cleverly explores alternate realms through quantum mechanics, what really kept me turning pages was the very human question at the heart of the story: what would we sacrifice to protect the life we've chosen, even if another version of that life might seem more impressive on paper?

I devoured this book through two intercontinental flights—no small feat for someone who normally can't focus on anything but the plane’s slightest jiggle.

By Blake Crouch ,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Dark Matter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Brilliant. . . I think Blake Crouch just invented something new' - Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series.

From Blake Crouch, the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of, perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Ready Player One.

'Are you happy in your life?'
Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.
Before he awakes to find…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Ringworld

Stefan Vučak Author Of In the Shadow of Death

From my list on hard science fiction by old masters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I became hooked into science fiction as a kid the day I read an illustrated book of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. From then on, science fiction became an important part of my reading repertoire. Having wide-ranging interests, I enjoy military techno-thrillers, Anglo-French naval warfare, Greek/Egyptian/Roman mythology, most sciences, history of religions, with an occasional novel that strays from the norm and adds a sparkle to my reading. Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave and The Hollow Hills are very close to my heart. Just shows that I’m different. After all, I must do something when I am not writing my own novels! Although I have an extensive library of modern science fiction works, I am fond of many oldies.

Stefan's book list on hard science fiction by old masters

Stefan Vučak Why Stefan loves this book

Set in man’s far future and vast in scope, I was plunged into this novel without managing to catch my breath. This is science fiction that epitomizes the best in the genre: a powerful story, strong characters, vast vision, and lots of drama.

It is a hard book to put down, and I did not want to! I enjoyed the intricate tapestry the story weaves and, importantly, entertains. The interaction between the main characters is vividly real, as are genuine emotions vented when it is revealed an alien species manipulated man’s development. I would be kind of sore at that as well. This novel left me appreciating powerful writing and gave me a lot to think about, influencing my own writing.

By Larry Niven ,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Ringworld as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Pierson's puppeteers, strange, three-legged, two-headed aliens, have discovered an immense structure in a hitherto unexplored part of the universe. Frightened of meeting the builders of such a structure, the puppeteers set about assembling a team consisting of two humans, a puppeteer and a kzin, an alien not unlike an eight-foot-tall, red-furred cat, to explore it. The artefact is a vast circular ribbon of matter, some 180 million miles across, with a sun at its centre - the Ringworld. But the expedition goes disastrously wrong when the ship crashlands and its motley crew faces a trek across thousands of miles of…


Book cover of We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
Book cover of The Adventures of Kirk Rogers: Inside the Moon
Book cover of Slaughterhouse-Five

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