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Cover of A Voyage to Arcturus by David LindsayA Voyage to Arcturus
Classic · Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure

A Voyage to Arcturus

by David Lindsay
1920 · 300 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 8 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

After a strange interstellar journey, Maskull wakes alone in a desert on the planet Tormance, under the twin suns of Arcturus, and journeys north across one of the most unusual alien worlds ever imagined.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's an epic quest and a journey into the metaphysical heart of the universe.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's more philosophical than plot-driven.

By the numbers

52.9Must-Read Score
  • Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read

Reads as

Adventurous, Epic

How we rank

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is A Voyage to Arcturus worth reading?

Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #3,009 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 52.9 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is A Voyage to Arcturus about?

After a strange interstellar journey, Maskull wakes alone in a desert on the planet Tormance, under the twin suns of Arcturus, and journeys north across one of the most unusual alien worlds ever imagined.

How long does it take to read A Voyage to Arcturus?

About 8 hours (300 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after A Voyage to Arcturus?

If you liked it, try Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin or Hyperion by Dan Simmons.