Exhalation vs The Fourth R: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Scientists, Artificial Intelligence, Fiction
Exhalation
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • Nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories—two published for the very first time—all from the mind of the incomparable author of…
vs
The Fourth R
George O. Smith’s 1959 sci-fi novel follows five-year-old child prodigy Jimmy Holden as he tries to survive on his own after his parents are murdered by their best friend.
The verdict
- Readers rate Exhalation highest: Exhalation 4.3 · The Fourth R 3.9.
- The Fourth R is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Exhalation.
- Exhalation has the widest readership — 117628 ratings behind its score.
- The Fourth R runs the darker storyline; Exhalation stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Exhalation | The Fourth R | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.3 (117628) | 4.1 (15) |
| Hardcover | 4.3 (898) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (619) | — |
Reception
| Exhalation | The Fourth R | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 117628 | 15 |
| Editions | 17 | 10 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Want to read | 162009 | — |
| Reading it now | 16528 | — |
| Written reviews | 15058 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 959 | 44 |
| Pages | 338 | 168 |