Rainbows EndRainbows End
Score Modern
What it's about
Robert Gu was a famous poet before Alzheimer's took his mind. Now, in the 2020s, a new treatment has brought him back, younger in body, but he has lost his gift for poetry and must go back to high school to learn how to live in a world where everyone wears computers and sees layers of virtual reality over everything. He gets drawn into a conspiracy at the university library.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award. It's a clever, hopeful vision of the near future from the author of A Fire Upon the Deep.
You'll love it if you liked
A Fire Upon the Deep
Snow Crash
NeuromancerGood to know
It's full of technical ideas and jargon. Robert is unlikable at first.
By the numbers
- Readers7 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 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
- #240 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #1300 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2375 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Vernor Vinge
A Deepness in the SkyA Fire Upon the Deep
The Peace WarIf you like this, read next
A Game of Thrones
The Fifth Season
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Martian
Gideon the Ninth
Red RisingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Rainbows End worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award. It ranks #2,375 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Rainbows End about?
Robert Gu was a famous poet before Alzheimer's took his mind. Now, in the 2020s, a new treatment has brought him back, younger in body, but he has lost his gift for poetry and must go back to high school to learn how to live in a world where everyone wears computers and sees layers of virtual reality over everything. He gets drawn into a conspiracy at the university library.
How long does it take to read Rainbows End?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Rainbows End won?
Hugo Award winner (2007).
What should I read after Rainbows End?
If you liked it, try A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson or Neuromancer by William Gibson.