Books like Across Billion Years by Robert Silverberg

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune follows Paul Atreides as he rises from betrayed heir to the enigmatic Muad'Dib, guarding the precious spice melange that fuels galactic politics and extends life.

Isaac Asimov’s classic science‑fiction saga follows psychohistorian Hari Seldon as he establishes a Foundation to preserve knowledge and prevent thirty‑thousand years of darkness after the fall of the Galactic Empire.

In the 29th century, humanity’s vast Hegemony spans dozens of worlds connected by farcaster portals, while the enigmatic Shrike guards the Time Tombs on the lone planet Hyperion. A diverse pilgrimage of chosen individuals must each recount why they were summoned to witness the tombs’ reverse time cycle.

Richard F. and his crew navigate the colossal Ringworld, a 600‑million‑mile artificial habitat orbiting a star, while battling interstellar threats in this seminal known‑space saga.

A soldier's harrowing journey across the stars, spanning space and time in Joe Haldeman's hard sci-fi epic war story.

In a far future where space is divided into zones of thought, a weapon unleashes a destructive power that threatens all intelligence, forcing survivors onto a strange world where they clash with a medieval alien race.

Ursula K. Le Guin’s landmark 1969 novel explores a gender‑fluid alien society on the ice‑bound world of Gethen, challenging human assumptions about sex, politics, and humanity through a compelling diplomacy adventure.

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s classic, physicist Shevek leaves his home planet of anarchists to seek truth, challenge entrenched structures, and bridge the divide between his egalitarian society and the wider civilized universe.

In a future where people can "jaunte" a thousand miles with a thought, the wealthy fortify labyrinths and hire radioactive hitmen—while an inarticulate outcast becomes the most dangerous figure in the galaxy.

Imagine that every human who ever lived, from the earliest Neanderthals to the present, is resurrected after death on the banks of an astonishing and seemingly endless river on an unknown world. They are miraculously provided with food, but with not a clue to the possible meaning of this strange afterlife. And so billions of people from history, and before, must start living again.

A snake, three deadly reptiles, and healing: a journey through a world of devastation and medical marvels.

A classic tale of aliens in our midst, exploring human responses to superior beings.

An adventurous journey through the galaxy, uncovering the truth behind a mysterious past and facing a terrifying adversary.

A story of two Church officers, a legendary alien guardian, and a young human warrior trying to stop a creature known as a Vom from destroying the universe.

A 1975 science fiction novel that brilliantly captures the dystopian world of pervasive surveillance and cybernetic advancements gone awry.

A time‑travel courier escorts tourists to historic events, but a fateful encounter in Byzantium forces him to confront family secrets and the limits of his seemingly rule‑bound job.

Charles Orsino is a young man who becomes entangled in the complex world of organized crime in a futuristic America ruled by the Syndicate and the Mob.

In a far future where humanity is a star‑faring species, a vanished explorer, Asher Sutton, inexplicably returns from a doomed mission to 61 Cygni, bringing a radical idea that threatens the fragile social order between humans and bio‑androids.

Ethan Fortune and Skua September, mismatched as they are, are thrown together on a frozen world and find themselves fighting for survival.

This mordantly funny and provocative tale from Soviet Russia's leading science fiction writers is the story of astrophysicist Dmitri Malianov. As he reaches a major breakthrough, he finds himself plagued by interruptions, from a mysterious crate of vodka to a glamorous woman on his doorstep. Is the Universe trying to tell him something?

A machine that duplicates everything leads to societal collapse and moral dilemmas.

An alternate Earth scenario where Pyramids threaten Earth's resources, leading to rebellion against the Pyramids

Science fiction is fortunate, as a relatively recent branch of fiction, to have an over flowingly huge amount of material starting back from the early 20th century (or earlier, depending on where you draw the line). The 1950's were one of the most fruitful and important decades, giving rise to some of the greatest names in the genre, like those featured in this book! The stories presented are, for the most part, very good. Silverberg, himself legendary, was sure to pick some of the finest specimens out of this benchmark era. Of particular note is William Tenn's 'Down Among the Dead Men', a chilling, witty, and fascinating portrayal of an alien war gone on so long, humanity has been forced to reconstitute its dead into clones of heroes to stay the course. Cordwainer Smith's 'The Game of Rat and Dragon' gives us a very clever insight on space travel, the dangers involved, and the unusual lengths people will go to make it safer. Bradbury, Dick, Clarke, the names go on and on, and they are all fantastic. Interestingly enough, the weakest story, I felt, was the one written by the editor himself, not that I'm complaining. If you are a fan of science fiction, vintage or otherwise, read this volume. It's worth the trouble.

Clifford D. Simak’s science‑fiction tale follows Fletcher, Cynthia and Elmer as they navigate a deserted Earth turned into an interstellar mausoleum and discover whether humanity can be reborn.

In a medieval‑era England that feels like the 1970s, Duncan of Standish must journey to Oxford with a diverse band—hermit, ghost, banshee, goblin, witch, demon, and his ally Diane—to prove a lost testament that could defeat the ancient Evil threatening the land.