Too Like the LightningToo Like the Lightning
Score Modern
What it's about
In the 25th century, Mycroft Canner is a convict, required to wander the world being useful to everyone he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer, a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed public religion but knows humans' inner lives can't be wished away. Their paths cross in a peaceful world on the edge of upheaval.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo Award finalist. Ada Palmer's debut is one of the most ambitious science fiction novels of its decade.
You'll love it if you liked
The Dispossessed
A Memory Called Empire
The Shadow of the TorturerGood to know
It's dense, philosophical and written in an 18th-century style. It's the first of a series.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz5 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
- #176 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #962 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1776 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
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Quick answers
Is Too Like the Lightning worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo Award finalist. It ranks #1,776 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Too Like the Lightning about?
In the 25th century, Mycroft Canner is a convict, required to wander the world being useful to everyone he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer, a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed public religion but knows humans' inner lives can't be wished away. Their paths cross in a peaceful world on the edge of upheaval.
How long does it take to read Too Like the Lightning?
About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Too Like the Lightning?
If you liked it, try The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine or The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe.