CyteenCyteen
Score Classic
What it's about
On the planet Cyteen, Ariane Emory is a scientific genius and one of the most powerful people in human space, running the labs that produce cloned humans. When she is murdered, her lab sets out to recreate her: they clone her and raise the child, Ari, in the same conditions, hoping to rebuild her mind as well as her body. Meanwhile, the young man accused of her murder is still living among them.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award. It's a huge, intricate novel about cloning, power and identity.
You'll love it if you liked
Ancillary Justice
Never Let Me Go
FoundationGood to know
It's nearly 700 pages and slow, with a lot of politics and psychology. It includes sexual abuse and manipulation.
By the numbers
- Readers45 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller14 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 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
- #135 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #205 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #419 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1423 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by C. J. Cherryh
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Ficciones
Rendezvous with Rama
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Gods Themselves
UbikExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Cyteen worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award. It ranks #1,423 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Cyteen about?
On the planet Cyteen, Ariane Emory is a scientific genius and one of the most powerful people in human space, running the labs that produce cloned humans. When she is murdered, her lab sets out to recreate her: they clone her and raise the child, Ari, in the same conditions, hoping to rebuild her mind as well as her body. Meanwhile, the young man accused of her murder is still living among them.
How long does it take to read Cyteen?
About 17 hours (696 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Cyteen won?
Hugo Award winner (1989).
What should I read after Cyteen?
If you liked it, try Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or Foundation by Isaac Asimov.