A missionary is sent light-years from home to share his faith with a gentle, alien people—only to find that distance makes believers of different things. Quietly profound and deeply human, The Book of Strange New Things explores love, language, and the pull of two worlds that cannot both be home.
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Start or resume Shelf TalkThese picks are popular with readers who enjoyed this book. Possible spoilers below.
In The Book of Strange New Things, did you enjoy a mission-driven narrative involving faith and survival in an unfamiliar world?
If you found Peter’s journey as a missionary to an alien planet compelling in The Book of Strange New Things, you’ll love the monastic order’s centuries-spanning mission to preserve knowledge in A Canticle for Leibowitz. Both stories follow characters whose sense of purpose and faith are tested by the strangeness and hardship of their environments, leading to profound questions about meaning and hope.
In The Book of Strange New Things, did you enjoy thoughtful exploration of alien societies and cultures?
If you were fascinated by Peter’s attempts to understand and communicate with the enigmatic Oasans, The Dispossessed offers another nuanced, immersive look at alien societies. Follow Shevek as he navigates vastly different worlds and confronts the boundaries of language, custom, and belonging in a truly alien context.
In The Book of Strange New Things, did you enjoy stories with deep psychological insight and emotional resonance?
If you were moved by the internal struggles and emotional distance between Peter and Bea, Never Let Me Go will resonate with its subtle, haunting exploration of love, loss, and the human psyche. Ishiguro’s characters, much like Peter, grapple with profound existential questions and the ache of separation.
In The Book of Strange New Things, did you enjoy fiction that tackles spirituality, faith, and the challenge of belief in unfamiliar worlds?
If you appreciated the way Peter’s Christian faith was confronted and reshaped by an alien world, Children of God continues the spiritual odyssey begun in The Sparrow. The consequences of contact with an alien civilization force the protagonist to deeply question faith, morality, and what it means to be human.
In The Book of Strange New Things, did you enjoy novels where gradual, atmospheric storytelling builds to a powerful emotional conclusion?
If you enjoyed the slow, immersive unfolding of Peter’s journey and the growing sense of longing and loss, Station Eleven offers a similarly graceful, slow-burn narrative. The story weaves together the lives of its characters across time, building a poignant meditation on memory, art, and survival.
