At the Earth's Core vs Player Piano: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Classic Literature, Science Fiction, Fiction
At the Earth's Core
“IN THE FIRST PLACE PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT I do not expect you to believe this story.”
Dr. Abner Perry has invented a high-calibration digging machine affectionately called 'The Iron Mole'. While testing his invention with his financial backer and former student David Innes, the machine malfunctions and…
1 film adaptation
vs
Player Piano
Vonnegut's first novel spins the chilling tale of engineer Paul Proteus, who must find a way to live in a world dominated by a super computer and run completely by machines. Paul's rebellion is vintage Vonnegut -…
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- At the Earth's Core is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 5 for Player Piano.
- Player Piano has the widest readership — 65751 ratings behind its score.
- Player Piano runs the darker storyline; At the Earth's Core stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
At the Earth's Core
≈ 3h vs 5h for Player Piano
Want the crowd-tested pick?
Player Piano
65751 ratings vs 5109 for At the Earth's Core
In the mood for something dark?
Player Piano
a darker storyline than At the Earth's Core
Want something lighter?
At the Earth's Core
an easier tone than Player Piano
Scores by source
| At the Earth's Core | Player Piano | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (5109) | 3.9 (65751) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (13) | 3.7 (235) |
| Google Books | — | 4.0 (3) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (156) | 4.0 (172) |
Reception
| At the Earth's Core | Player Piano | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 5109 | 65751 |
| Editions | 219 | 70 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 3396 | 54732 |
| Reading it now | 356 | 3260 |
| Written reviews | 446 | 3994 |
| Wikipedia attention | 1191 | 6373 |
| Pages | 174 | 322 |