The most recommended books on galaxies

Who picked these books? Meet our 21 experts.

21 authors created a book list connected to galaxies, and here are their favorite galaxy books.
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Book cover of Galactic Patrol

Adam Oyebanji Author Of Braking Day

From my list on sci-fi for those wondering how the genre started.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born in Coatbridge, in the West of Scotland, more years ago than I care to remember. I recently took the big step of moving east to Edinburgh, by way of Birmingham, London, Lagos, Nigeria, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York: a necessary detour because traffic on the direct route is really, really bad. Iā€™m a graduate of Birmingham University and Harvard Law School, and work in the field of counter-terrorist financing, which sounds way cooler than it is. Basically, I write emails, fill in forms, and use spreadsheets to help choke off the money supply that builds weapons of mass destruction, narcotics empires, and human trafficking networks. And sometimes I write science fiction.

Adam's book list on sci-fi for those wondering how the genre started

Adam Oyebanji Why did Adam love this book?

Long before Captain Kirk and Starfleet, Smithā€™s Galactic Patrol served to protect the galaxy from the evil designs of those who would do us harm. First serialised in Astounding magazine in 1937 and then published in book form in 1950, Galactic Patrol is the great-great granddaddy of galaxy-spanning space opera, both military and otherwise. Make allowances for when it was written (woke, it ainā€™t), and it is difficult to think of a modern space opera theme that Smith didnā€™t play around with beforehand.

By E. E. 'Doc' Smith,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Galactic Patrol as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Good Night Galaxy

Or Graur Author Of Galaxies

From my list on budding astronomers of all ages.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an associate professor of astrophysics at the University of Portsmouthā€™s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation and a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. I use telescopes on Earth and in space to study supernovae (the explosions of stars) and tidal disruption events (bright flares caused by supermassive black holes ripping apart nearby stars). I have wanted to be a scientist since second grade, and some of the books on this list have helped kindle my passion for physics and astronomy. I hope that my own popular science books will do the same for the next generation of astronomers.

Or's book list on budding astronomers of all ages

Or Graur Why did Or love this book?

It was harder than I expected to find a good astronomy picture book to read to my daughters when they were toddlers. Fortunately, the Good Night series has a few books that fit the bill. Of those, my daughters and I enjoyed this one the most.

While most astronomy picture books focus solely on the Solar System, this book goes beyond and introduces the reader to stars, nebulae, black holes, and galaxies. I appreciated the concise but accurate information and the colorful, well-drawn illustrations. 

By Adam Gamble, Mark Jasper, Cooper Kelly (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Night Galaxy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ready to blast off? Weā€™re taking a tour of the Milky Way Galaxy!

Get your little astronaut ready for an amazing trip through the stars. Watch as your toddler visits the Milky Way planets, discovers comets and constellations, and explores black holes and red giants! No asteroid is left unturned! This book is the perfect gift for little astronauts everywhere, for birthdays, baby showers, housewarming and going away parties.

With the Good Night Our World series, toddlers and preschool-age kids can build listening and memory skills by identifying famous landmarks and the distinct character of real places. Perfect for bedtimeā€¦


Book cover of A Talent For War

Richard Paolinelli Author Of Escaping Infinity

From my list on superversive fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am both a writer and a publisher of Superversive fiction. Even before I encountered the term and the official definition of it, my fiction writing has always tended to be Superversive. Which makes sense as I am drawn to Superversive stories as a reader. I want to read and write about heroes and heroines. I want to be drawn into incredible universes and taken along on amazing adventures. I want stories where evil appears to be winning but good eventually finds a way to triumph in the end.  

Richard's book list on superversive fiction

Richard Paolinelli Why did Richard love this book?

Partially because I credit Jack for inspiring me to give my own fiction writing one more try when I decided to retire from sports writing. Having read this book and being hooked on the entire series, I read about his lifeā€™s journey and saw many similarities to mine. As for the book itself, the thought of how future archaeologists would approach their craft on a galactic scale, and how solving ancient mysteries could impact current events so, really captured my imagination.

By Jack McDevitt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Talent For War as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Jack McDevitt's A TALENT FOR WAR takes Alex Benedict into the heart of an alien galaxy in a thrilling interstellar adventure. 'A real writer has entered our ranks, and his name is Jack McDevitt' Michael Bishop, Nebula-winning author

Everyone knows the legend of Christopher Sim. An interstellar hero with a rare talent for war, he changed
mankind's history forever when he forged a rag-tag group of misfits into the weapon that broke the alien Ashiyyur.

But now, in a forgotten file, Alex Benedict has found a startling piece of information. If it is true, then Christopher Sim was a fraud.ā€¦


Book cover of Consider Phlebas

Tony Benson Author Of Galactic Alliance: Betrayal

From my list on exploring the dangers of discovering new worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve loved all kinds of science fiction since I was a child, and always enjoy discovering new worlds, and the frisson of danger that inevitably accompanies the discovery. After a successful career in science and engineering, spanning more than three decades, I left the corporate world to make stringed instruments and to write fiction and non-fiction. My two novels are An Accident of Birth, and the space opera, Galactic Alliance: Betrayal, and Iā€™ve written a non-fiction reference book Brass and Glass: Optical Instruments and Their Makers. I live in Kent, England with my wife, Margo, and our cat.

Tony's book list on exploring the dangers of discovering new worlds

Tony Benson Why did Tony love this book?

Ian Banks is as well known for his science fiction as for his mainstream and literary fiction. This is the first book in his Culture series, in which the Culture is a galaxy-wide advanced technological society with complex attitudes to how it should interact with other civilizations. The Culture is at war with the Idrians. Consider Phlebas is the story of a mercenary lone operative on a quest to retrieve a stranded Culture AI mind from an abandoned world to further the Idrian cause. The problem is that he is not the only one going there to find it, and nobody is playing nicely ā€“ not even the stranded AI mind. The wide-ranging inventiveness, subtle humour, and gritty realism of this story makes for highly compelling reading.

By Iain M. Banks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Consider Phlebas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Dazzlingly original." -- Daily Mail"Gripping, touching and funny." -- TLSThe war raged across the galaxy. Billions had died, billions more were doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, faced destruction, cold-blooded, brutal, and worse, random. The Idirans fought for their Faith; the Culture for its moral right to exist. Principles were at stake. There could be no surrender. Within the cosmic conflict, an individual crusade. Deep within a fabled labyrinth on a barren world, a Planet of the Dead proscribed to mortals, lay a fugitive Mind. Both the Culture and the Idirans sought it. It was the fate of Horza,ā€¦


Book cover of The Earth Concurrence

AM Scott Author Of Lift Off

From my list on sci-fi adventures with strong teen heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve published eleven classic-style space opera novels, a novella, and many short stories. Before becoming a writer, I spent twenty years in US Air Force in space operations; even though my books are light on science, I really was a rocket scientist! Plus, Iā€™ve read science fiction since I was barely a teen, starting with Heinlein and McCaffery, and am always looking for my next favorite author!

AM's book list on sci-fi adventures with strong teen heroines

AM Scott Why did AM love this book?

Siti Kassis isnā€™t sure what she wants to do with her life, but following her father back to the deserted homeworld of humanity is pretty low on her list. But the Hero of Darenti Four insists, and itā€™s an exciting mission, so they enter deep sleep together, and emerge into a much different Earth than they expected.

The characters are believable and clever, with funny bits liberally sprinkled throughout, and Juliaā€™s writing is excellent. Young, old, male, or female; every reader will love Sitiā€™s adventures on a catastrophically changed Earth!

By Julia Huni,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A hero with big expectations. A daughter who doesnā€™t want to live in his shadow.

Siti Kassis, daughter of the ā€œHero of Darenti Four,ā€ doesn't know what she wants out of life. A lot of her friends are taking time to travel and see the galaxy. But her father wants her to attend the Academy and follow in his footsteps.

Then the Hero is offered one last assignment: take a team to find and explore the deserted homeworld of mankind. Itā€™s a twenty-year mission, and he doesnā€™t want to leave his only child behind. Siti's going, whether she wants toā€¦


Book cover of The Uplift War

Karen A. Wyle Author Of Far From Mortal Realms

From Karen's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Lifelong reader Quasi-retired lawyer Dormant photographer Semi-reformed pack rat

Karen's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Karen A. Wyle Why did Karen love this book?

This is a wonderful book in multiple respects, but perhaps most impressive is the brilliant world-building, complete with several fascinating species, and complex yet comprehensible galactic politics.

The far-future galactic civilization is strikingly original, and humanityā€™s place in it is compelling. A close second to the world-building: the fabulous, three-dimensional characters.

As much as I enjoyed the second trilogy in this series, I would have loved to see this bookā€™s characters return.

By David Brin,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The inhabitants of Garth, a dying planet, battle brutal alien invaders, with the survival of Earth and the fate of the entire five galaxies at stake


Book cover of Polymer

Sally Odgers Author Of Elysian Dawn

From my list on set on distant worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m Tasmanian. Iā€™ve loved books set in other worlds since I encountered Robert Heinleinā€™s juveniles in my teens. I often find books set in the mundane world of here-and-now implausible or dull, because the adventures seem contrived or else result from characters doing something stupid or bad. If characters venture to other worlds, or other planets thoughā€”thatā€™s a different ballgame! I read a great deal of fantasy and sci-fi, and when I was fourteen, I started writing my own. I enjoy a wide variety of genres, but my favourite stories are those where I can follow relatable characters through wild adventures and believe every line.  

Sally's book list on set on distant worlds

Sally Odgers Why did Sally love this book?

I picked up a copy of Sally Rogers-Davidsonā€™s book Polymer in a bookshop in Glebe. I admit I took it from the shelf because of the chance resemblance between our names. It entertained me royally on a long bus ride and I instantly wanted to write to the author. I later met Sally R-D and found we had more in common than our names and our penchant for writing science fiction.

Polymer is one of the most wonderful lively, romantic, adventurous space operas Iā€™ve ever read. Itā€™s sharply written, and Polly Meridian herself is a heroine I wish Iā€™d invented. Her hero is an antihero at first, but the story persuades the reader to give him a chance, as Polly does.

By Sally Rogers-Davidson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Polymer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Polymer never wanted to get involved in an intergalactic war. Nor did she ever expect to fall for a member of the enemy forces. But when her idyllic existence on Delta Station is shattered by the invading Gloman Empire, Polymer discovers that there is more to life than long, hot baths. Torn from the only home she has ever known, Polymer is forced to re-evaluate her own beliefs and convictions as she joins the battle against the seemingly unstoppable Glomans. Hunted across the galaxy by a ruthless suitor, Polymer finds herself at the centre of a terrible conspiracy and hasā€¦


Book cover of The Ra Material: An Ancient Astronaut Speaks

Andrew M. Crusoe Author Of The Truth Beyond the Sky

From my list on fringe science thatā€™ll blow your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I consider myself a seeker. Several experiences, such as experiencing the buzzing that Robert Monroe mentions, seeing objects with my eyes closed, and meeting a spirit guide, led me to realize that the universe is more mysterious than what science can explain. Perhaps we will develop the technology to measure these phenomena someday. Or maybe we already have? The US Army's ā€œStargate Project,ā€ deemed as unhelpful, is one example, but what about the projects they haven't declassified? Itā€™s fun to think about. Combined with a huge interest in astronomy, I enjoy learning from a variety of sources, never holding anything tightly, because what we know is always changing.

Andrew's book list on fringe science thatā€™ll blow your mind

Andrew M. Crusoe Why did Andrew love this book?

This is probably the most esoteric and strange of my picks, but it also lines up with the conclusions that the other two books offer. In short, this is a channeled work that offers a coherent picture of how life evolved in the galaxy. Now I wonā€™t say that I believe everything in this book literally, but I have found it to be a powerful and expansive perspective when thinking about my own personal evolution and how it relates to the growth of our entire galaxy. From answering the questions about intelligent life beyond our planet, to how a galaxy grows, to what it means for the future of Earth, this book is a trip.

By Don Elkins, James Allen McCarty, Carla Rueckert

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Who are the ancient astronauts? Why did they first come to Earth? Why are they returning now? What part did they play in building the great monuments of antiquity? What part did they play in the formation of present and earlier civilizations? With what other beings do we share our universe? And where does the Earth fit into the cosmic scheme of things? Almost twenty years of experimental work with telepathy led to the "breakthrough" contact recorded in this book. The Ra Material is an account not only of the events leading up to this contact, but of over 200ā€¦


Book cover of The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars: A Life of Edwin Hubble

Evonne Blanchard Author Of Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace

From Evonne's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Cat servant Bookworm Hiker Dream chaser

Evonne's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Evonne Blanchard Why did Evonne love this book?

This is a lovely story about a boy called Edwin Hubble who was spellbound by the stars above. His father discouraged his star obsession, but his grandfather encouraged it by building him a telescope for his birthday. Cool Grandpa!

As the young Hubble looked up at the night sky, he wondered how many stars there were. How did the universe start, and where did it come from? He was the first astronomer to determine there were more galaxies than our own Milky Way.

He also discovered that our universe is constantly expanding. The famous Hubble telescope is named after him. Elegantly written and accompanied by gorgeous artwork, this book reminds us to ā€œRemember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet,ā€ Stephen Hawkins.

By Isabelle Marinov, Deborah Marcero (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This beautifully illustrated biography of Edwin Hubble explores the curiosity that he possessed from a young age, and the many questions that he asked about our universe. This book invites children to ponder these questions as well: How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?

A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids of 2021
A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings) Loveliest Children's Book of 2021
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022, of Outstanding Merit
An Air & Space Magazine Best Children's Book of 2021
A EUREKA!ā€¦


Book cover of Revelation

Matthew Michaelson Author Of Daughters of Astrid

From my list on licensed books from settings that inspired me.

Why am I passionate about this?

All of the books Iā€™ve recommended here involve various game series, or at least subseries in a larger franchise like Star Wars, that has come to influence my own writing, be it with the technology, the setting details, or just various writing quirks Iā€™ve picked up over the years. Iā€™m a long-standing fan of video games and strategy games or RPGs in particular, and Iā€™ve been told in the past that my novels feel very video-game-y, though such was not my original intention. I should hope that the books I recommend here will give you some insight into what sources I draw from as I write my own novels!

Matthew's book list on licensed books from settings that inspired me

Matthew Michaelson Why did Matthew love this book?

Mass Effect was a very big sci-fi series for me growing up, the technology of which continues to influence my novels to this day. This novel serves as a prequel to the first game in the Mass Effect series, covering an event that was only briefly mentioned within the game itself, where Captain David Anderson works alongside the Spectre Saren, a Turian who despises humanity and believes them to be growing too quickly. Sarenā€™s behavior and beliefs lead to him committing atrocities and then blaming Anderson to sabotage the whole reason why they were asked to team up in the first place, setting the stage for the first game.

By Drew Karpyshyn,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The thrilling prequel to the award-winning video game from BioWare

Every advanced society in the galaxy relies on the technology of the Protheans, an ancient species that vanished fifty thousand years ago. After discovering a cache of Prothean technology on Mars in 2148, humanity is spreading to the stars; the newest interstellar species, struggling to carve out its place in the greater galactic community.

On the edge of colonized space, ship commander and Alliance war hero David Anderson investigates the remains of a top secret military research station; smoking ruins littered with bodies and unanswered questions. Who attacked this postā€¦


Book cover of Galactic Patrol
Book cover of Good Night Galaxy
Book cover of A Talent For War

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