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Cover of The Forge of God by Greg BearThe Forge of God
Classic · Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

The Forge of God

by Greg Bear
1987 · 474 pages · Fiction
60.7Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

One day Europa, a moon of Jupiter, simply disappears. Then a new mountain appears in Death Valley, and beside it is a dying alien who announces that the Earth is about to be destroyed. Scientists, politicians and ordinary people around the world struggle to understand and face the end, while a few begin to wonder whether anyone is coming to help.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula. It's a big, chilling story of the end of the world, grounded in real science.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It has many characters and a slow build. It's bleak.

By the numbers

60.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers21 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller19 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

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Hugo Award finalist (1988)Nebula Award finalist (1987)

Reads as

Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1980sTop 25 · 202 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Forge of God worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula. It ranks #2,310 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 60.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Forge of God about?

One day Europa, a moon of Jupiter, simply disappears. Then a new mountain appears in Death Valley, and beside it is a dying alien who announces that the Earth is about to be destroyed. Scientists, politicians and ordinary people around the world struggle to understand and face the end, while a few begin to wonder whether anyone is coming to help.

How long does it take to read The Forge of God?

About 12 hours (474 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Forge of God?

If you liked it, try Seveneves by Neal Stephenson, The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu or The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells.