If you loved

Books like Starman Jones

A classic, starry-eyed adventure where grit, a photographic memory, and a whole lot of math are the keys to the universe. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Starman Jones.

optimistic
wonder-filled
nostalgic
tense

01
Time for the Stars
Robert Anson Heinlein
A bittersweet, star-spanning adventure that explores the emotional weight of relativity and the unbreakable bonds of family.
Shares:
- optimistic
- nostalgic
- earnest
- pragmatic
02
Podkayne of Mars
Robert A. Heinlein
A peppy, diary-style romp through the solar system that slowly reveals the sharp edges of growing up.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
- adventurous
- coming of age
03
The Rolling Stones
Robert A. Heinlein
A cheerful, episodic romp through the solar system with a family of brilliant, restless hustlers.
Shares:
- optimistic
- wonder-filled
- pragmatic
- adventurous
04
Double Star
Robert Anson Heinlein
A tense, theatrical sci-fi thriller where the ultimate acting gig slowly transforms the soul of the performer.
Shares:
- tense
- earnest
- pragmatic
- adventurous
05
Red Planet
Robert Heinlein
A nostalgic, coming-of-age frontier adventure where youthful rebellion meets the harsh, wondrous realities of an alien world.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
- pragmatic
- adventurous
06
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter
Isaac Asimov
A star-blasting, high-stakes cosmic mystery where a space ranger races against time to stop an unimaginable saboteur.
Shares:
- earnest
- adventurous
07
The Homeward Bounders
Diana Wynne Jones
A lonely, mind-bending journey across the multiverse that balances wry humor with profound existential melancholy.
Shares:
- adventurous
08
The Stars My Destination
Alfred Bester · 1999
A furious, hallucinatory revenge thriller that rockets through a deeply unequal solar system on the sheer willpower of an unkillable anti-hero.
Feels:
- gritty
- hallucinatory
- vengeful
09
The Accidental Time Machine
Joe Haldeman
A wry, fast-paced temporal road trip where the only way out of a problem is to jump further into an increasingly bizarre future.
Shares:
- pragmatic
- adventurous
10
Railhead
Philip Reeve
A breathless, high-stakes joyride through a sprawling galaxy connected by sentient trains and ancient mysteries.
Shares:
- adventurous
11
Islands in the Sky
Arthur Charles Clarke · 1952
A retro-futuristic joyride that captures the golden-age optimism of early space exploration through the wide eyes of a teenage adventurer.
Shares:
- optimistic
- wonder-filled
- earnest
- coming of age
12
The Time Traders
Andre Norton
A rugged, mid-century temporal espionage adventure where street-smart survival meets the mysteries of the ancient past.
Shares:
- tense
- earnest
- pragmatic
- adventurous

Back to Starman Jones