Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to 2001: A Space Odyssey

Arthur C. Clarke's book written concurrently with the movie

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. 2001: A Space Odyssey launched in 2015; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   2001: A Space Odyssey▲70

   The #1 in the most exciting space science fiction ever

   2015 · goodreads.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   2010: Odyssey Two▲64

   The second book in the Space Odyssey series

   2015 · goodreads.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Earth and Space▲56

   Photographs from the Archives of NASA

   2015 · chroniclebooks.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Red Mars▲74

   A future history of Martian colonization

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Back to the Future▲77

   Novelization of the Back to the Future film

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Presence▲81

   Science fiction novel about the future of Virtual Reality

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home▲95

   An incredible journey from outer space… back home.

   2015 · wonderbly.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Black Swan▲80

   The impact of the highly improbable

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   What's It Like in Space?▲67

   Real stories from the men and women who have been to space

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    America's Forgotten Mars Mission▲91

    A visual essay, from Hardbound

    2016 · its alternatives →

11. 11
    The Last Question by Isaac Asimov▲76

    We are the creator and the creation at the same time.

    2016 · goodreads.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    The Road to Relativity▲55

    The History and Meaning of Einstein's Masterpiece

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Future Visions▲66

    Original science fiction inspired by Microsoft

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Flatland▲64

    The mind-bending science fiction epic of geometry

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Cosmos ▲66

    Cosmos is one of the bestselling science books of all time

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Aurora ▲64

    Dystopian space epic by Kim Stanley Robinson

    2015 · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest▲76

    Provides the first inside look into the life of Elon Musk.

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Wheels Stop▲63

    The tragedies and triumphs of the space shuttle program

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Physics of the Future▲73

    How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Leonardo's Notebooks▲69

    Writing and art of the great master

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Dune▲62

    The science fiction masterpiece that defined a generation

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

22. 22
    A Man on the Moon▲59

    The voyages of the Apollo astronauts

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    The Folded Clock▲70

    Diary of a modern writer

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy▲75

    Characters frolic through the galaxy with infectious joy

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →