Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

1. 1. Old Man's War

   

   In this science fiction novel, elderly citizens of Earth are given a chance to join an interstellar army, trading their decrepit bodies for rejuvenated, genetically enhanced versions to fight in a seemingly endless war across the galaxy. The protagonist, a widower who enlists on his 75th birthday, navigates the complexities of his new existence, including the physical and emotional challenges of being young again, the camaraderie and loss within the ranks, and the ethical quandaries posed by the conflict with various alien species. As he rises through the military's ranks, he confronts the harsh realities of this expansive and deadly cosmic battlefield.

   The 8084th Greatest Book of All Time

2. 2. Redshirts

   

   In this satirical science fiction novel, the story follows the adventures of a group of ensigns aboard the Universal Union's flagship Intrepid. They quickly realize that their ship's officers are frequently embroiled in dramatic and dangerous missions, while the lower-ranked crew members—often clad in red shirts—have a startlingly high mortality rate. The ensigns come to the shocking conclusion that they are actually characters in a badly written television show, and they must navigate a metafictional quest to confront their creators and change their fates to avoid being expendable casualties in the next away mission. The novel plays with the tropes of classic space operas and the concept of narrative determinism, delivering both humor and existential inquiry into the nature of free will and destiny.

   The 10418th Greatest Book of All Time

3. 3. The Collapsing Empire

   

   In "The Collapsing Empire," humanity has spread across the galaxy thanks to a network of extradimensional pathways known as the Flow, which makes interstellar travel possible. The Flow is controlled by the powerful Interdependency, a quasi-feudal empire that relies on the pathways to maintain its political and economic dominance. However, when it's discovered that the Flow is shifting and may soon disappear, the empire faces the threat of collapse. As various factions vie for power and survival, a scientist, a starship captain, and a member of the ruling elite embark on a desperate quest to uncover the truth about the Flow's instability and seek a way to save human civilization from impending doom.

   The 10699th Greatest Book of All Time

4. 4. The Last Emperox

   

   In the thrilling conclusion to a space opera trilogy, the story follows the newly crowned leader of an interstellar empire as she grapples with unexpected threats to her rule and the stability of the empire. As an ancient and sprawling network of human-occupied planets faces imminent collapse due to the failure of the extradimensional flow streams that connect them, political intrigue, assassination attempts, and complex alliances abound. The protagonist must navigate treacherous political waters, confront her own mortality, and make impossible choices to save her empire and billions of lives, all while dealing with the legacy of her unpredictable predecessor and the looming specter of an existential crisis.

   The 11073rd Greatest Book of All Time
5. 5. The Consuming Fire

   

   In this science fiction novel, the sequel to a space opera series, an interstellar empire is on the brink of collapse due to the failure of the extradimensional Flow, the sole means of interstellar travel. As political intrigue and rebellion threaten to tear the empire apart, the emperox must confront internal and external enemies while seeking a way to save humanity from impending isolation and the subsequent downfall of civilization. With the help of a brilliant scientist and a cunning diplomat, the emperox navigates the treacherous political landscape, racing against time to uncover the secrets of the Flow before it's too late.

   The 11198th Greatest Book of All Time