Books like The Automatic Detective
30 science fiction books to read after The Automatic Detective, by A. Lee Martinez, the closest match first.
-
1. War With The Robots
by Harry Harrison
- On the same lists
Harrison's novels were described by his friend, Irish author Michael Carroll, as rip roaring adventures with a lot of heart, comparing them to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Pirates...
-
2. Soul Of A Robot
by Barrington J. Bayley
- On the same lists
In this novel a robot tries to convince humans that it is their equal.
Soul of a Robot is sweet, and funny, and ridiculous. And I mean ridiculous in the nicest possible way. The novel is like the Katy Perry of the robot world...
-
I, Robot (reichert) book 2
3. I, Robot: To Protect
by Mickey Zucker Reichert
- On the same lists
Reichert's novel is amongst a trilogy of novels inspired by Asimov's I, Robot. A tough gig, I'll admit, given the hordes of hungry sci-fi, robot nerds ready to devour poor,...
-
Oxford Time Travel book 2
4. To Say Nothing Of The Dog
by Willis, Connie
- On the same lists
This is the first of Willisâ time traveling historians. Ned Henry is looking for something called the bishopâs bird stump in the 1940s, despite the fact that he lives in...
-
Robot book 1 Start here
5. The Caves Of Steel
by Asimov, Isaac
- On the same lists
Earth is overpopulated a thousand years from now. Planets outside of our solar system have been colonized and development of robots through the âpositronic brain.â In this new society, only...
-
Humanoids book 1 Start here
6. The Humanoids
by Jack Williamson
- On the same lists
Humanoids were created to serve humanity, but as they spread across the galaxy they turn out to be more master than servant. A classic exploration on the values of natural life and artificial life.
Why does Jack Williamson's The Humanoids take fourth place on our list? Only because he was named a Grand Master of Science Fiction by the Science Fiction Writers of America...
-
7. Silent And Very Fast
by Valente, Catherynne M.
- On the same lists
Okay, I admit to doing a Lance Armstrong here. I've put a novella on the list. But this novella by Catherynne M. Valente is so beautifully, poetically written, with such...
-
8. The Alchemy Of Stone
by Ekaterina Sedia
- On the same lists
Two women in a row on this list! This list could pretty much be recognized as an equal opportunity brand. (For the slower ones in the class, I feel I...
-
9. Ilium
by Simmons, Dan
- On the same lists
Do you like original, intelligent fiction, with a hard sci-fi slant? No? Well, clearly there's something wrong with you. Google your symptoms, and get to a doctor! Personally, our prescription...
-
10. The Complete Roderick
by John Sladek
- On the same lists
This book is one of my favorites on this list because of the satirical viewpoint of our western society. Roderick, the robot with learning capabilities, is educated by watching television....
-
Robopocalypse book 1 Start here
11. Robopocalypse
by Daniel H. Wilson
- On the same lists
I, for one, welcome our new overlords! (You know you're getting old when you feel you need to explain that H.G. Wells is actually behind a super-popular The Simpsons reference.)...
-
Freyaverse book 1 Start here
12. Saturn's Children
- On the same lists
Stross himself calls this novel a "space opera and late period Heinlein tribute", referring to Heinlein's Friday. A Charles Stross sci-fi novel is always an entertaining read, and the cover...
-
Code Of The Lifemaker book 1 Start here
13. Code Of The Life Maker
by James P. Hogan
- On the same lists
Hogan's 1983 science fiction novel used NASA's Advanced Automation for Space Missions as its inspiration for Earth astronauts meeting the Taloids, robots who have colonized Saturn's moon Titan. Around 1,000,000...
-
14. Mockingbird
by Walter Tevis
- On the same lists
I'll give you the bad news up front: this novel has been classified as Young Adult. I know, I know - I can hear the groans already, and I don't...
-
15. How To Survive A Robot Uprising
by Daniel H. Wilson
- On the same lists
Between Romero, Max Brooks, The Walking Dead, and every second American being a "prepper", you probably know all there is about a zombie apocalypse. But are you prepared for the...
-
Red Dwarf book 1 Start here
16. Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers
by Grant Naylor
- On the same lists
The English may have the reputation as a pack of whining poms, but they sure blast that stereotype to smithereens with the comedic abilities of their science fiction writers. If...
-
17. Gods And Androids
by Andre Norton
- On the same lists
Andre Norton sure is one imaginative, creative guy; because I know I sure would have had to ingest a hell of a lot of hallucinogens to come up with the...
-
Vorkosigan Saga book 5
18. The Mountains Of Mourning
by Bujold, Lois Mcmaster
- On the same lists
Miles Vorkosigan, the scion of the clan, is sent to a society that puts a price on physical perfection. A baby in the society has been murdered, one with physical...
-
Retrieval Artist book 1 Start here
19. The Disappeared: A Retrieval Artist Novel
by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
- On the same lists
Rusch writes about a new world, set in the future, where the humans and alien races try to coexist in a new society. Thereâs a certain level of tolerance being...
-
20. Gun, With Occasional Music
by Jonathan Lethem
- On the same lists
A wry and satiric look at the near-future where animals are a part of society, life is monitored with karma cards, and mind-numbing drugs are widely used. The protagonist is a typical noir investigator with a self-deprecating sense of humour and knack for satire.
Set in the future, the humans of the world interact with animals who have developed the ability to speak and interact in society. Inevitably some of them have become bad...
-
21. A Philosophical Investigation: A Novel
by Philip Kerr
- On the same lists
What happens when neurologists can test for sociopath tendencies? A list of names and a new serial killer.
Set in the “near future,” scientists have discovered the genetic disposition that makes men more likely to exhibit violent behavior. The breakthrough is in response to an outbreak of serial...
-
Jay Omega book 1 Start here
22. Bimbos Of The Death Sun
by Sharyn Mccrumb
- On the same lists
When a scholar, Dr. James Owen Mega, has his book accepted for publication, he never realizes that his academic tome is about to become a best-seller through the unfortunate name...
-
Dirk Gently book 1 Start here
23. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
by Douglas Adams
- On the same lists
A convoluted and twisted book involving murdering ghosts, time travel, and interconnectedness.
Dirk Gently, who was a minor character in one of Adamsâ other works, becomes a private eye in this novel. The character is not the type who checks DNA and...
-
24. When Gravity Fails
by George Alec Effinger
- On the same lists
Also a Cyberpunk novel, this one takes place in 22nd century North Africa, where a down-and-out detective must undergo a sophisticated surgery to catch a killer who has been modified with the personality and abilities of every known psychopath.
Marîd Audran is something of a lone wolf in this futuristic book. The current superpowers have foundered and the Middle East is now prospering. The story is set in this...
-
Zachary Nixon Johnson book 1 Start here
25. The Plutonium Blonde
by John Zakour
- On the same lists
This novel is set in 2057, though it easily could have been set 100 years before. Itâs a fairly classic private eye novel with science fiction and humor galore. Zachary...
-
26. The Elysium Commission
by Modesitt, L. E.
- On the same lists
As this galaxy becomes more crowded, scientists begin to look for other ways to allow population to continue to grow. They create a universe next to our own; however, in...
-
Blue Ant book 1 Start here
27. Pattern Recognition
by Gibson, William
- On the same lists
One of the few books on this list that is set in the current day, Cayce Pollard reacts to logos and corporate advertising in an allergic fashion. So itâs no...
-
28. Red Planet Blues
by Sawyer, Robert J.
- On the same lists
Set on Mars, the book tells of a futuristic society set in New Klondike, a domed city on the Red Planet. Just like its namesake, the town was built to...
-
29. Doorways In The Sand
by Zelazny, Roger
- On the same lists
The book reads more like a science fiction caper, where art is stolen and must be retrieved. In this case alien civilizations have swapped their star-stone for some of the...
-
Greg Mandel book 1 Start here
30. The Mandel Files, Volume 1: Mindstar Rising & A Quantum Murder
by Hamilton, Peter F.
- On the same lists
Greg Mandel is an ex-Army officer in Britain. He was part of an experimental group that provided members with intuition and psychic powers. Now out of the Army, Great makes...
Matches come from series and authors, from the lists the books share, and from the books readers open together. They are rebuilt every night. Back to The Automatic Detective.
The shortlist
Liked The Automatic Detective? New releases and the lists readers are opening most, by email.