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Quick answer: If you loved Dune by Frank Herbert, try Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Foundation by Isaac Asimov, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey, A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine and Red Rising by Pierce Brown.
Dune has found millions of new readers thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s films. Once you’ve finished it, and maybe its sequels, you’ll want more science fiction with the same depth. The books below share Dune’s galactic politics, rich cultures, chosen heroes and big ideas. Some are classics and some are modern favorites.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Dune
Dune is often called the greatest science fiction novel ever written. Frank Herbert built a whole universe of politics, religion, ecology and prophecy around the desert planet Arrakis and its precious spice. Paul Atreides’s rise is thrilling, but the book is also a warning about heroes and power. Readers love its depth, its strange cultures and its sandworms. If you loved the world-building, the politics or the epic scope, these books are next.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Dune: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dune Messiah | Frank Herbert | Science fiction | Continuing the saga |
| Hyperion | Dan Simmons | Science fiction | Epic scope and mystery |
| Foundation | Isaac Asimov | Classic science fiction | Galactic empires |
| The Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula K. Le Guin | Classic science fiction | Alien cultures |
| Leviathan Wakes | James S. A. Corey | Science fiction | Solar system politics |
| A Memory Called Empire | Arkady Martine | Science fiction | Political intrigue |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | Science fiction | Rebellion and chosen heroes |
| The Book of the New Sun | Gene Wolfe | Science fantasy | Challenging epics |
| Children of Time | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Science fiction | Evolution and ecology |
| The Fifth Season | N. K. Jemisin | Science fantasy | World-building and power |
| Lord of Light | Roger Zelazny | Science fiction | Gods and technology |
| The Dispossessed | Ursula K. Le Guin | Classic science fiction | Political philosophy |
| Ender’s Game | Orson Scott Card | Science fiction | Gifted young heroes |
| Empire of Silence | Christopher Ruocchio | Science fiction | Dune-like empires |
| The Count of Monte Cristo | Alexandre Dumas | Classic novel | Revenge and power |
1. Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
The sequel shows the dark side of Paul’s rise to power. It’s shorter and more philosophical.
2. Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Seven pilgrims travel to a distant world and tell their stories, in the style of The Canterbury Tales. It’s dazzling.
3. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
A mathematician predicts the fall of the Galactic Empire and plans to shorten the dark age that follows.
4. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
An envoy visits a frozen planet whose people have no fixed gender. It’s thoughtful and beautiful.
5. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
The first Expanse book combines a detective story with a conspiracy that threatens humanity.
6. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
An ambassador from a small station navigates the capital of a vast empire. It won the Hugo Award.
7. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner infiltrates the ruling class of Mars to bring it down.
8. The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
A torturer’s apprentice is exiled and journeys across a dying Earth. It’s complex and rewarding.
9. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Spiders evolve intelligence on a terraformed planet as humanity searches for a home.
10. The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
On a continent wracked by catastrophes, a woman with dangerous powers searches for her daughter.
11. Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
Colonists use technology to rule as Hindu gods until one rebels.
12. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
A physicist travels between an anarchist moon and a capitalist planet.
13. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
A boy genius is trained to fight an alien war.
14. Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
A nobleman’s son becomes a legendary, and infamous, figure in a galactic empire.
15. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Herbert admired Dumas, and this tale of betrayal and revenge shares Dune’s scheming nobles.
How to Pick Your Next Read After Dune
- Continue the series? Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are next.
- Want classics? Foundation and The Left Hand of Darkness.
- Want modern epics? The Expanse and Red Rising.
- Want political intrigue? A Memory Called Empire.
- Want a challenge? The Book of the New Sun.
- Watch the films. Villeneuve’s Dune films pair well with the book.
Related: books like Project Hail Mary and 35 best sci-fi and fantasy books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read after Dune?
Try Dune Messiah, Hyperion, Foundation or The Expanse.
Is The Expanse like Dune?
Both are epic science fiction with political intrigue, though The Expanse is more realistic and set in our solar system.
What is the best classic science fiction like Dune?
Foundation by Isaac Asimov and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin are classics with similar depth.