SpinSpin
Score Modern
What it's about
One October night, ten-year-old Tyler Dupree and his friends, the twins Jason and Diane, watch the stars disappear. Earth has been wrapped in a mysterious barrier, and outside it time is racing: a hundred million years pass for every year on Earth, which means the dying sun will soon destroy the planet. Tyler, now a doctor, tells how the three friends spent their lives facing it, Jason as a scientist trying to understand the barrier, Diane in a doomsday religion.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award. It combines a staggering science fiction idea with a moving, human story of friendship and love across decades.
You'll love it if you liked
Ringworld
Project Hail Mary
The Three-Body ProblemGood to know
It moves between Tyler's present and his memories. It's the first of a trilogy but stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller30 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
- #108 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #587 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1118 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
More by Robert Charles Wilson
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Quick answers
Is Spin worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award. It ranks #1,118 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Spin about?
One October night, ten-year-old Tyler Dupree and his friends, the twins Jason and Diane, watch the stars disappear. Earth has been wrapped in a mysterious barrier, and outside it time is racing: a hundred million years pass for every year on Earth, which means the dying sun will soon destroy the planet. Tyler, now a doctor, tells how the three friends spent their lives facing it, Jason as a scientist trying to understand the barrier, Diane in a doomsday religion.
How long does it take to read Spin?
About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Spin won?
Hugo Award winner (2006).
What should I read after Spin?
If you liked it, try Ringworld by Larry Niven, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir or The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu.