Books like The Expanse: 10 award-recognized picks
The Expanse mixes believable spaceflight, factions fighting over the solar system and a crew you would follow anywhere. These books share its politics, its grounded technology or its ensemble casts.
If you read just one: Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh, because it is the classic that the Expanse owes most to: stations, factions and war in space.
Solar-system politics
1. Red Mars
Won the Nebula Award; finalist for the Hugo and Locus Awards (1993–1994) ·
The first settlers on Mars, Earth’s corporations and the factions that grow between them.
Good to know: Heavy on science and debate.
2. Downbelow Station
Won the Hugo Award; finalist for the Locus Award (1982) ·
A space station caught between a merchant fleet and rebelling colonies.
3. Seveneves
Finalist for the Hugo and Locus Awards (2016) ·
Realistic orbital survival after the Moon breaks apart.
4. The Collapsing Empire
Won the Locus Award; finalist for the Hugo Award (2018) ·
Trade routes, noble houses and corporate schemes in an empire on the verge of collapse.
Crews, conspiracies and war
5. Revelation Space
Finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award (2001) ·
A huge, decaying starship and its crew drawn into an archaeologist’s dangerous search.
6. A Deepness in the Sky
Won the Hugo Award; finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke, Locus and Nebula Awards (2000) ·
Two human factions trapped together at a strange star, one of them ruthless.
7. The Mote In God's Eye
Finalist for the Hugo, Locus and Nebula Awards (1975–1976) ·
A navy expedition makes first contact, with suspicion on both sides.
8. Ancillary Justice
Won the Arthur C. Clarke, Hugo and Nebula Awards (2014) ·
Empire, rebellion and a protagonist who used to be a warship.
9. Ninefox Gambit
Finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke, Hugo and Nebula Awards (2017) ·
A siege, a disgraced captain and a ghostly general.
Good to know: Dense invented terms.
10. Old Man's War
Finalist for the Hugo Award (2006) ·
Fast-paced colonial war with a sense of humor.
How we chose
Every book in this guide won or was a finalist for at least one of the Hugo, Nebula, Locus or Arthur C. Clarke awards. Each book page lists its full award history with sources. Page counts come from English print editions and vary by edition. 10 books in all.