I'm looking for a book that my girlfriend and I can read together. We're having trouble choosing a book that will work for us both. She wasn't excited about my suggestion of The Martian. She suggested Stardust, Hyperion, and The War of the Flowers, but out of those only Hyperion sounded kind of interesting. We both found Dune pretty interesting but it'd be great to find a book that we'd be crazy for.
Her preferences
- Dystopian societies (one of her faves is the Uglies trilogy)
- Alternate realities within the book
- Interested in sci-fi but wants a book with "some magic in it," so not just a fiction resembling our world.
My preferences
- Sci-fi, interested in fantasy as well
- Casual tone, not hard language to read (e.g. Project Hail Mary. I'm reading it now and it's great)
- Good character depth (I read Inferno by Dan Brown and didn't really like it bc it lacked this)
- Either a standalone book or at most a trilogy, not trying to begin a 5 book series!
by hodlholder
8 Comments
Check out Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. The first three books are a self contained trilogy, and they’re part of a wider set of series called the Cosmere.
I think Piranesi by Susanna Clarke might work? It’s definitely more fantasy and also a bit of a quieter book, if that makes sense. Also short, and really good.
Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archives is A LOT of people’s cup of tea (definitely fantasy but with some tech thingies in it).
The Expanse by SA Corey is a great sci-fi series with lots of colourful characters but it’s a big series so IDK if you want to start that (you could do one book and see how you like it, and maybe watch Season 1 to accompany that?). It has politics and tech and jokes and lovely relationships.
I will second the hyperion, that entire cantos is amazing i loved every page and i could wax poetic about how i love it.
Also consider checking out Alastair Reynolds’ “Chasm City.” it’s a noir mystery set in one of the coolest settings i’ve ever read. I can barely do it justice myself, so here’s the back cover:
The once utopian Chasm City — a domed human settlement on an otherwise inhospitable planet — has been overrun by a virus known as the Melding Plague, capable of infecting any body, organic or computerized. Now, with the entire city corrupted — from its people to the very buildings they inhabit — only the most wretched, grim sort of existence remains.
And it is through this city that Tanner Mirabel must pursue the object of his vendetta: a lowlife postmortal named Argent Reivich. But as Reivich keeps slipping through the cracks of Chasm, Tanner will be taken far beyond the mere settling of a score — to come face to face with a centuries-old atrocity that history would rather forget….
I loved the incredibly complex characters the book follows, and the sci-fi gene modding tech is almost magic. The mystery is beautifully done.
it’s technically set within Reynolds’ wider universe, but you do not need to read a single other book to enjoy this one
Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews. Ilona Andrews are a husband and wife writing team, so you get the benefit of an ultimately good/healthy relationship being shown. The series is also post apocalyptic after magic comes back to earth and wipes out technology.
There’s really unique world building mixed with great characters and emotional connection.
I can’t recommend them enough.
Innkeeper Chronicles is another series they do that’s more cozy sci-fi is you want that vibe.
A Million Tomorrows (Amazon) by Kris Middaugh might work.
It’s an unconventional romance with grounded sci fi elements. It’s gotten good reviews by both men and women and it’s not a gushy or spicy romance.
It examines the “what if” question so many of us ask in relationships and might be interesting to see what your perspective is compared to hers.
Early Riser by Jasper Fforde.
It hits most of your joint preferences.
Chaos Walking, Ness. First is {{The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Ness}}
Bridge by Lauren Beukes, maybe? The main character’s mother dies and she ends up pursuing her mother’s research into multiverse travel, which takes her across alternate timelines and chased by someone who wants to stop her. The scifi elements aren’t “hard” scifi. Standalone.