18 books like The Puppet Masters

What to read after The Puppet Masters — books similar to it, matched on shared themes.

The Ganymede Takeover Philip K. Dick · 1971 · ★ 3.3 · 192p · ≈ 6h · Moderate The Ganymede Takeover is a 1967 science fiction novel by American writers Philip K. Dick and Ray Nelson. It is an alien invasion novel, and similar to Dick's earlier solo novel The Game-Players of Titan. Dick later admitted that The Ganymede Takeover was originally going to be a sequel to his alternate history novel The Man in the High Castle with the Japanese occupying the United States not… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

A Desolation Called Peace Arkady Martine · 2021 · ★ 4.4 · 496p · ≈ 16h · Moderate Sequel to A Memory Called Empire. An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options. In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

The Midwich Cuckoos John Wyndham · 1957 · ★ 3.9 · 220p · ≈ 7h · Moderate In the sleepy English village of Midwich, a mysterious silver object appears and all the inhabitants fall unconscious. A day later the object is gone and everyone awakens unharmed – except that all the women in the village are discovered to be pregnant.The resultant children of Midwich do not belong to their parents: all are blonde, all are golden eyed. They grow up too fast and their minds… Shares: Invasion, Science Fiction

Childhood’s End Arthur C. Clarke · 1952 · ★ 3.9 · 225p · ≈ 7h · Moderate Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival ends all war, helps form a world government, and turns the planet into a near-utopia. Many questions are asked about the origins and mission of the aliens, but they avoid answering, preferring to remain in their… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

The Voyage of the Space Beagle A. E. van Vogt · 1950 · ★ 4.5 · 192p · ≈ 6h · Moderate One of the great original classics of modern SF returns! An all-time classic space saga, The Voyage of the Space Beagle is one of the pinnacles of Golden Age SF, an influence on generations of stories. An episodic novel filled with surprises and provocative ideas, this is the story of a great exploration ship sent out into the unknown reaches of space on a long mission of discovery. They… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

Children of the Mind Orson Scott Card · 1996 · ★ 4.1 · 377p · ≈ 12h · Moderate The planet Lusitania is home to three sentient species: the Pequeninos; a large colony of humans; and the Hive Queen, brought there by Ender. But once against the human race has grown fearful; the Starways Congress has gathered a fleet to destroy Lusitania. Jane, the evolved computer intelligence, can save the three sentient races of Lusitania. She has learned how to move ships outside the… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

The Illustrated Man Ray Bradbury · 1951 · ★ 4.1 · 301p · ≈ 10h · Moderate The Illustrated Man is a 1951 collection of eighteen science fiction short stories by American writer Ray Bradbury. A recurring theme throughout the eighteen stories is the conflict of the cold mechanics of technology and the psychology of people. It was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952. Shares: Invasion, Science Fiction

Starship Troopers Robert A. Heinlein · 1959 · ★ 4.0 · 368p · ≈ 12h · Moderate Starship Troopers takes place in the midst of an interstellar war between the Terran Federation of Earth and the Arachnids (referred to as "The Bugs") of Klendathu. It is narrated as a series of flashbacks by Juan Rico, and is one of only a few Heinlein novels set out in this fashion. The novel opens with Rico aboard the corvette Rodger Young, about to embark on a raid against the planet of the… Shares: Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

The Everything UFO Book William J. Birnes · 2012 · 288p · ≈ 9h · Moderate Are extraterrestrial beings trying to contact us?Is the government covering up evidence?What is the real truth about UFOs, close encounters, and alien abduction?In this fascinating guide, UFO expert William J. Birnes covers everything from theories about the nature of UFOs to where you're likely to find them; from case studies of alien encounters to the scientific studies of otherworldly… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings

The 5th wave (The 5th Wave #1) Richard Yancey · 2013 · ★ 4.0 · 480p · ≈ 16h · Moderate After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

Triplanetary Edward E. Smith · 1948 · ★ 3.7 · 272p · ≈ 9h · Challenging Lensman series, Book 1 of 7 Even back before the first bits of this story hit the newsstands, the folks who published it in Amazing Stories (January through April, 1934) knew they were on to something special. "We are sure that our readers will be highly pleased to have us give the first installment of a story by Dr. Smith. It will continue for several numbers and is a worthy follower of the… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Science Fiction

The Cobra War Trilogy Timothy Zahn · 2016 · 928p · ≈ 30h · Moderate Shares: Human-alien encounters, Science Fiction Shares: Human-alien encounters, Science Fiction

The Visitor Katherine Applegate · 1996 · ★ 3.8 · 192p · ≈ 6h · Moderate Rachel is still reeling from the news that the Earth is secretly under attack by parasitic aliens. And that she and her friends are the planet's only defense. Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

Mastodonia Clifford D. Simak · 1978 · ★ 3.7 · 251p · ≈ 8h · Moderate Science Fiction Asa Steele was unprepared for the incredible events that began to unfold when Rila Elliot--a long-lost love--stepped out of the past and his faithful dog Bowser started loping into it through time trails he'd discovered in his own backyard. Rila's appearance was mere coincidence, but Bowser's retrieval of fresh dinosaur bones was as inexplicable as was the curious crater in Asa's… Shares: Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

Ubik Philip K. Dick · 1969 · ★ 4.1 · 304p · ≈ 10h · Moderate Named one of Time's 100 Best Books, Ubik is a mind-bending, classic novel about the perception of reality from Philip K. Dick, the Hugo Award-winning author of The Man in the High Castle. “From the stuff of space opera, Dick spins a deeply unsettling existential horror story, a nightmare you’ll never be sure you’ve woken up from.”—Lev Grossman, Time Glen Runciter runs a lucrative business —… Shares: Iowa, Science Fiction

Binti: The Night Masquerade Nnedi Okorafor · 2018 · ★ 4.2 · 263p · ≈ 8h · Moderate The concluding part of the highly-acclaimed science fiction trilogy that began with Nnedi Okorafor's Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning BINTI.Binti has returned to her home planet, believing that the violence of the Meduse has been left behind. Unfortunately, although her people are peaceful on the whole, the same cannot be said for the Khoush, who fan the flames of their ancient rivalry with the… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

Redshirts John Scalzi · 2012 · ★ 3.9 · 320p · ≈ 10h · Moderate Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, with the chance to serve on "Away Missions" alongside the starship's famous senior officers. Life couldn't be better...until Andrew begins to realize that 1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces, 2)… Shares: Human-alien encounters, Science Fiction

Codgerspace Alan Dean Foster · 1992 · 320p · ≈ 10h · Moderate When machines cease their required functions in order to search for a non-human species of higher intelligence, their quest produces a threat to man and machine. Now the fate of the galaxy lies in the hands of five senior citizens and their faithful food processor. An unusual new novel from the author of "Cyber Way." Shares: Extraterrestrial beings, Science Fiction

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