Darwinia

By Robert Charles Wilson,

Book cover of Darwinia

Book description

In an alternative history of the twentieth century, Europe is replaced by a land of nightmarish jungle and monsters that contains the secret of human destiny.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

2 authors picked Darwinia as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Darwinia was the first novel I read by Robert Charles Wilson, who I believe is the best modern-day science fiction writer. Darwinia was a novel I had to read twice to really grasp how brilliantly Wilson had woven everything together. This is one of those novels where the ending can sneak up on you and blow you away and you weren’t even remotely prepared, which is preferred over any ending that I can predict.

Sometimes history is just as dizzying and alienating as physics, astronomy, and contemplating the end of the universe. Unraveling the chains of could-have-beens and strange possibilities is tempting, but too big for the human imagination. In Darwinia, the Earth of 1912 becomes even more. Europe and large parts of other continents have vanished, replaced by pieces of another, much more hostile planet - and the alternate history only gets stranger from there. It perfectly captures that dazed, giddy feeling of trying to understand just how big our universe really is.

From Tristan's list on science fiction books about the past.

Want books like Darwinia?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Darwinia.

Browse books like Darwinia

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in photographers, Europe, and astronomy?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about photographers, Europe, and astronomy.

Photographers Explore 22 books about photographers
Europe Explore 878 books about Europe
Astronomy Explore 70 books about astronomy