If you have ever found yourself utterly enchanted by the clever science and irrepressible wit of Andy Weir’s stories—whether marooned on Mars with Mark Watney or racing through the cosmos with Ryland Grace—then you know a particular sort of magic. It is the magic of watching brilliant minds puzzle their way through impossible predicaments, armed with nothing more than ingenuity, humour, and an unwavering refusal to surrender.
Now, dear reader, comes the delightful question: what shall you read next? For those who have devoured The Martian and Project Hail Mary and find themselves yearning for more adventures of a similar spirit, I have gathered here a collection of fifteen marvellous tales. Each one possesses that certain quality—that blend of scientific wonder, engaging characters, and the sheer joy of discovery—that makes one stay up far past one’s bedtime.
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor
Here is a tale that would make even the most adventurous souls lean forward in their seats. Bob Johansson, having made his fortune in software, meets an untimely end—only to awaken a century hence as an artificial intelligence destined to pilot a spacecraft across the stars.
What follows is pure delight: Bob replicates himself, creating a family of Bobs who scatter through the galaxy like dandelion seeds upon the wind. Each Bob develops his own personality, his own quirks, his own way of facing the vast unknown. The writing sparkles with humour and pop culture references whilst maintaining that satisfying crunch of real science that Weir fans adore. Andy Weir himself has praised this series, declaring, “I love the Bobiverse!”
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, this extraordinary novel asks a question both magnificent and unsettling: what if spiders inherited the Earth? Not our Earth precisely, but a terraformed world where an experiment in evolution takes a most unexpected turn.
Tchaikovsky weaves between two narratives—humanity’s desperate search for a new home aboard a generation ship, and the slow, fascinating rise of a spider civilization across countless generations. The spiders develop language, religion, technology, and culture in ways that feel utterly alien yet strangely familiar. It is a work of staggering imagination that rewards the patient reader with wonders beyond measure.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Meet Murderbot—a security cyborg who has hacked its own governing module and would very much prefer to be left alone to watch television programmes, thank you kindly. Yet when the humans under its protection encounter genuine danger, this reluctant hero must act.
Winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, this novella introduces one of science fiction’s most beloved characters. Murderbot’s voice—socially anxious, wonderfully deadpan, secretly caring—will capture your heart. The story moves with swift efficiency whilst exploring questions of identity and humanity through the eyes of a being who insists it wants nothing to do with either. A television adaptation starring Alexander Skarsgård premiered in 2025.
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
From China comes this Hugo Award-winning masterwork that spans centuries and galaxies. Beginning during the Cultural Revolution, the story unfolds into something vast and terrifying: humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization from a world orbiting three suns.
Liu Cixin writes hard science fiction of breathtaking scope, grounding even his most ambitious concepts in genuine physics. The narrative challenges and rewards in equal measure, offering a perspective on humanity’s place in the cosmos that is both humbling and profound. Even former President Obama praised its “immense” scope. For readers who relish the technical rigour of Weir’s work but hunger for something grander in scale, this trilogy awaits.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Beneath the surface of Mars toil the Reds, miners who believe they are sacrificing for humanity’s future. Young Darrow discovers the terrible truth: Mars has long been habitable, and his people are slaves to a colour-coded aristocracy of unimaginable cruelty.
What follows is a tale of infiltration and rebellion, as Darrow transforms himself to destroy the system from within. Brown writes with cinematic intensity, blending the best elements of science fiction with the political intrigue of great fantasy. USA Today noted that “Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.” Though darker in tone than Weir’s work, it shares that quality of a protagonist who must think, adapt, and overcome against impossible odds.
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
Andy Weir himself recommends this Hugo and Nebula Award winner, saying it “absolutely captivated” him. In an alternate 1950s, a meteorite devastates the eastern United States and triggers a climate catastrophe that will eventually render Earth uninhabitable.
Dr. Elma York, mathematician and former WASP pilot, joins the accelerated space programme—and fights to become the first woman astronaut. Kowal crafts a character-driven narrative grounded in the technology of the era whilst addressing questions of equality and perseverance. For readers who loved the technical problem-solving of The Martian but wish for more emotional depth and historical texture, this series offers both in abundance.
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Andy Weir counts this 1973 classic among his favourites, and small wonder—it remains one of science fiction’s purest explorations of discovery. A massive cylindrical starship enters our solar system, and a crew of explorers ventures inside to unravel its mysteries.
Clarke presents wonder after wonder: a vast interior landscape, a cylindrical sea, strange machine-creatures, and an alien intelligence that remains tantalisingly beyond comprehension. The novel swept the Hugo, Nebula, and every major award of its time. “Everything holds true to real science,” Weir notes, “yet still makes for a hell of a mystery.” For those who savour the puzzle-solving joy of Weir’s work, here is the grandest puzzle of all.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
One evening, physics professor Jason Dessen is abducted and wakes in a world where his life took a different path. His kidnapper? A version of himself from another reality—one who invented a device to travel between universes.
What follows is a breathless chase through infinite possibilities as Jason fights to return to his wife and son. Crouch writes with propulsive intensity, making complex quantum concepts accessible without sacrificing scientific credibility. The novel was adapted for Apple TV+ in 2024, introducing legions of new readers to this “mind-bending thriller of the first order,” as Justin Cronin described it. It shares with Weir’s work that quality of an ordinary person facing extraordinary circumstances through wit and determination.
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
Andy Weir himself recommends this series as “an irresistible gateway drug” to space opera. In a future where humanity has colonised the solar system, tensions simmer between Earth, Mars, and the Belt—and a mysterious discovery threatens to ignite interplanetary war.
Written by the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, Leviathan Wakes combines noir mystery with space adventure, following an idealistic ship captain and a cynical detective whose paths converge around a terrible conspiracy. The prose crackles with energy, the characters feel genuine, and the science, while not as rigorous as Weir’s, remains grounded enough to satisfy. The series won the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Series and spawned a beloved television adaptation.
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
At seventy-five years of age, John Perry visits his wife’s grave—then joins the army. For in this future, Earth’s elderly may trade their failing bodies for young, enhanced forms to fight humanity’s wars among the stars.
Scalzi writes with wit and warmth, creating a military science fiction tale that examines profound questions about identity, mortality, and what makes us human—all whilst delivering thrilling action and sharply funny dialogue. The novel was voted the best science fiction novel of 2000-2010 by Tor.com readers. Netflix is developing a film adaptation. For Weir fans who enjoy competent protagonists and clever banter, Scalzi’s distinctive voice offers similar pleasures.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Here is something gentler: a found-family tale aboard a tunnelling ship crossing the galaxy. Rosemary Harper, fleeing her past, joins the crew of the Wayfarer—humans and aliens alike—on a long journey that becomes a meditation on connection, belonging, and what it means to be home.
Chambers crafts what has been called “cozy science fiction,” prioritising character over conflict, warmth over warfare. The worldbuilding is exquisite, the alien species thoughtfully imagined, and the relationships between crew members genuinely touching. It won the 2019 Hugo Award for Best Series. For readers who loved the camaraderie glimpsed in Weir’s works but wish for something more intimate and hopeful, this book offers a most pleasant voyage.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
In a future where humanity prepares for the return of hostile aliens, the military recruits children and trains them as commanders. Among them is Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a young genius burdened with the hope of saving humanity.
This Hugo and Nebula winner has influenced generations of readers and military strategists alike. Card crafts a coming-of-age story wrapped in tactical brilliance, following Ender through the Battle School’s zero-gravity war games to a conclusion that resonates long after the final page. The novel explores themes of leadership, morality, and the weight of impossible expectations. For readers who appreciate Weir’s clever protagonists solving problems under pressure, Ender’s journey offers similar satisfactions with deeper emotional stakes.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
If one finds particular delight in the humour woven through Weir’s narratives, then Douglas Adams awaits like an old friend with the most marvellous tales. Arthur Dent’s house is demolished one Thursday morning; shortly thereafter, so is the Earth. Armed only with a towel and his alien friend Ford Prefect, Arthur hitchhikes across the cosmos.
Adams created something unprecedented: science fiction as comedy of the highest order. The wit is razor-sharp, the philosophy absurdist, the imagination boundless. Forty-two remains the answer to everything. The novel ranked fourth on the BBC’s Big Read poll and has been translated into more than thirty languages. For readers who stay for Weir’s jokes as much as his science, Adams provides pure, undiluted joy.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
In 2044, humanity escapes a blighted Earth by immersing themselves in the OASIS, a vast virtual reality universe. When its creator dies, he leaves behind a puzzle—whoever solves it inherits his fortune and control of the OASIS itself.
Wade Watts, an impoverished teenager, begins the hunt, and what follows is an adventure saturated with 1980s nostalgia, gaming culture, and genuine heart. NPR called it “ridiculously fun and large-hearted.” Steven Spielberg directed the 2018 film adaptation. For Weir fans who appreciate pop culture references and protagonists using knowledge and cleverness to overcome overwhelming odds, Cline delivers both in abundance.
Contact by Carl Sagan
From the astronomer who inspired generations comes this tale of humanity’s first message from the stars. Dr. Ellie Arroway detects a signal from Vega—prime numbers that could only be sent by intelligence—and what follows changes everything.
Sagan, who advised NASA and championed the search for extraterrestrial life, brings both scientific rigour and philosophical depth to this narrative. The novel explores the intersection of science and faith, the challenges of communicating discovery to a skeptical world, and the wonder of contact with something greater than ourselves. The 1997 film starring Jodie Foster introduced the story to millions more. For readers who appreciate Weir’s commitment to real science, Sagan offers the genuine article.
Finding Your Next Adventure
There you have it, dear reader—fifteen doorways to wonder, each promising the particular magic that Andy Weir fans treasure. Whether you seek hard science and problem-solving, first contact mysteries, found families among the stars, or simply the joy of clever protagonists facing impossible odds with humour and heart, these books await your discovery.
The best stories, after all, share something essential: they remind us that intelligence, perseverance, and a touch of wit can carry us through the darkest reaches of space—and that the journey itself is worth every page.
