The Dune series from Frank Herbert has unbelievable influence on the science fiction genre of novels, but there are only so many of these books to go around. Fans of the Dune series will inevitably get through the six mainline books and couple of adaptations in a decent amount of time. If that happens to be you, here are 10 science fiction books like the Dune series.
These particular sci-fi books carry elements or ideas similar to the classic millennia-spanning series from Herbert. Some of them carry the heavy political themes, while others focus on the “chosen one” ideas. Still more carry some of the weirder features of the Dune series, such as strange powers and characters. Any Dune fan should check out the 10 science fiction books and series below.
Hainish Cycle Series
This series of sci-fi novels from Ursula K. Le Guin takes place in a far future setting where humanity evolved in space, rather than just on Earth. This resulted in some rather wild and odd groups of people in the solar system, such as one colony that has dreams while awake. The connections and communication between the various interstellar colonies leads to the rich political elements Dune fans might enjoy.
Hyperion Cantos
This sci-fi series from Dan Simmons encompasses four core books and a number of short stories. The main series divides itself between the Hyperion half and the Endymion half, telling different parts in the history of this futuristic civilization. It also has one of the most flexible and weird storytelling systems, with writing styles changing between novels. For instance, the first book has a Canterbury Tales-style split between main characters while the second books is told through a series of dreams.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
This fascinating book from Walter M. Miller Jr. could almost feel like a spiritual predecessor to Dune, at least in its historical and thematic sense. The novel is best experienced without knowing much about it, especially in regards to its unique twists, but it centers around a monastery in the United States after a nuclear war and the monks trying to rebuild humanity there.
VALIS
Pretty much Philip K. Dick novel is worth a look if you like the Dune series. However, if there is one we recommend in particular, it is VALIS. It has the stranger parts of science fiction but kicked up to an unfathomable notch. It its equal parts pseudo-autobiography and bizarre religious sci-fi. There is even a sequel in The Divine Invasion, though it lacks Dick’s memorable alter ego protagonist, Horselover Fat (yes, that is the actual name).
Lord of Light
Roger Zelazny came out with Lord of Light in 1967 as a collection of seven different short stories following a crew of humans who mutated their bodies to gain supernatural powers to survive upon their new world. The heavy imagery and symbolism makes for a complex tale with several different characters and ideas to keep up with.
The Expanse
James S.A. Corey’s award-winning series begins with Leviathan Wakes and continues through nine different hefty books. The series has a wide cast of characters, much like Dune, and several different point of views throughout the books. There is enough variation in the story to keep fans engaged, including a more detective-style plot with Joe Miller and even interactions with an alien civilization. Like Dune, it also has a fantastic adaptation as well.
Remembrance of Earth’s Past Trilogy
Also known by the name of its first novel, The Three-Body Problem, this series from Cixin Liu takes place throughout human history as Earth discovers and engages with the Trisolaran alien race. The series is trippy and can be hard to keep up with as it shifts back-and-forth between eras, but it has some of the most compelling and thoughtful science-based fiction in the genre.
Safehold Series
This heavily underrated sci-fi series from David Weber doesn’t get talked about enough. It follows the last remaining humans taking refuge on a distant planet after the near-annihilation of humanity at the hands of the Gbaba aliens. What follows is a tale of a corrupt new religious society that wiped out history and technology to stay hidden. Its deep religious and political themes are some of the most gripping in the genre.
Culture Series
Iain M. Banks came out with this series, beginning with Consider Phlebas, in 1987. It focuses on the war between a utopian alien society and the other civilizations that surround it. The series spans thousands of years and each book pretty much acts as its own standalone tale within the overarching history. This provides a wide selection of different genres, writing styles, and even protagonists.
Pandora Sequence Series
Anyone who loved the Dune series from Frank Herbert might want to see the other novels he wrote in his time. Perhaps the closest in style to his iconic series is the Pandora Sequence set of novels. These start with Destination: Void, which follows a group of isolated clones bred and put in a stressful situation to create the first true artificial intelligence. It feels just familiar enough while forging its own trippy sci-fi universe.
