66 Books Like When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth

This is a cyberpunk classic, but what I really love about it is the combination of modern computer technology with Sumerian mythology, the Tower of Babel myth, and how well Stephenson is able to integrate them, so we have hackers throwing around Sumerian terms like 'me' and 'nam-shub'.

And for me, I love that there’s just a lot of cool stuff happening here, like a biker with an atomic bomb on a deadman switch, a nuclear-powered needle gun. And our lead character is named Hiro Protagonist. But probably the biggest point for me is that despite the dystopian setting, there really is more hope in this story than one would think.

Salinger’s post-Catcher in the Rye stories blew the minds of spiritual seekers, especially those who loved great prose. These related stories about a sister and brother introduced the Glass family and foreshadowed the journey upon which countless people embarked: smart, sensitive college student in an existential crisis tries to unlock the secrets to life with the help of mystical teachings.

The location is not India but a Manhattan apartment; the spiritual guide is not a guru but her brother, who imparts the wisdom of their deceased older sibling, Seymour, who is basically the family Zen master. The Glass kids are social misfits trying to be authentically spiritual in the midst of modern life. So was I, and they made me feel less weird and less alone.

I have a soft spot for romance novels, where love wins in the end. Here’s a romance that involves a man with a somewhat unappealing nerdity: he studies insects. At first, he seems like a stereotypical nerd who doesn’t care about anything but his bugs.

But he’s soon revealed to be a whole human, with emotions, desires, and a full back story that rivals any of the “normal” characters in the story. Here’s an author who knows the truth about nerds: we are just people.

It's hard to find the perfect person for you. What about the perfect robot?

Contemplate the meaning of consciousness, souls, and God as you read the story of a woman who falls in love with a cyborg who also happens to be a weapon of war. And when they reach the bedroom, you'll find out he also makes a good sex-bot.

Travis is an apprentice engineer of trans-quantum chambers, stations that transport people to cities all over the universe. On a risky maintenance assignment, something goes wrong, trapping Travis on a distant planet with limited resources as he tries to solve the mystery of what killed all the humans on this world.

The world-building here is a lot of fun to imagine. Combine that with Wilson's descriptive prowess, and you have an immersive adventure to the stars that appeals to the sci-fi nerd that I am.

The apocalypse has come and it is in the form of an alien takeover that looks like a video-game system.  Less tongue and cheek and more grim and gritty we follow John as he tries to survive in the newly re-made world. This book starts one of my favorite series in the LitRPG genre and holds a special place in my heart as one of the series that inspires me to write in that sub-genre. I consider it one of the best places to start if you are interested in the gaming/science-fantasy mix that is the genre.

This book holds a special place on this list because it’s one of the first books that made me realize the wholesale carnage people expected out of modern warfare. Sure, we’ve got to get in the Wayback machine to the early 1980s, but Taylor’s depiction of a “modern” all-out duel between the United States and Soviet carrier fleets seemed strangely prescient.

“Before Clancy, there was Taylor…” is something I’ve said many times when discussing this era of fiction. Unlike many Cold War authors, Taylor makes a point to show both sides have compelling reasons to be in harm’s way. Although the ending isn’t Bridge to Terabithia savage (IYKYK), it’s still a solid gut punch after the preceding couple hundred pages. It taught me at a young age the power of making people care about characters (before you kill them).

I read this book anytime I’m feeling down and want an upbeat reminder that there are good things everywhere–you just need to find your tribe.

As a nerd myself, I love that Barny the Lamb, Shaama Llama Ding Dong the…llama, and Billy the Kid have all fallen into an odd but relatively successful friend group. But life as a nerd can be tricky, especially on a farm with ferocious bulls and mean cats.

I love the whole series!

Nerds are the new sexy in this adorable young adult rom-com. This story has an excellent character focus. Both Zoe and Zak have true character traits that don’t leave anything as fill-in-the-blank. It’s like reading about your two best friends getting together and giggling through the whole thing. Cassie Mae is a pro at comedy. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my life. Even if the characters aren’t Korean—they are true nerds—so the fangirl-like pop-culture references of the characters make it amazing. There’s nothing to dislike about this book, it’s an all-around good time.

The banter in this book is unmatched. I could say more about this book, but really, the only thing that you need to know is that the banter is perfection. Every line of dialogue elevated the humor and the tension. I’m certain I binged this whole book in less than a day.