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Across a Billion Years

Robert Silverberg

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Similar in premise + setting

These books are ranked using the premise + setting labels extracted for Across a Billion Years. Books rank higher when they are close on every selected axis.

Premise labels used: xenoarchaeology, ancient alien civilization, deep-space expedition, interstellar mystery, lost civilization, manhunt, artifact hunt, cosmic history

Setting labels used: future spacefaring civilization, deep space, galactic civilization, alien planets, ancient ruins, space archaeology, distant future, Dyson sphere

This does not mean the books share the same plot, setting, quality, or difficulty. It means their premise + setting embeddings are close.

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Chindi

Jack McDevitt · 2003 · The Academy

A star pilot leads wealthy alien-hunters across deep space following a mysterious signal toward a vast alien secret.

Why this is here

Premise labels: alien signal · first contact · space archaeology · treasure hunt · mystery signal · lost civilizations · deep space expedition

Setting labels: future spacefaring civilization · interstellar travel · neutron star · multiple worlds · deep space · alien artifacts · ancient ruins · galactic exploration

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1074

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Navigating the Stars

Maria V. Snyder · 2018 · Sentinels of the Galaxy

A snarky teen follows her archaeologist parents through time-skewed space to solve a mystery tied to alien terracotta warriors.

Why this is here

Premise labels: archaeology in space · interstellar mystery · illegal hacking · time dilation travel · ancient artifact investigation · planetary discovery · missing population · alien mystery · research mission

Setting labels: future spacefaring civilization · interstellar travel · research bases · spaceships · alien planets · planetary colonization · time dilation · far future · quantum network · outer space

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1249

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The Engines of God

Jack McDevitt · 1995 · The Academy

A star pilot joins archaeologists racing to decode alien monuments before Earth’s crisis and rival plans erase the clues.

Why this is here

Premise labels: xenoarchaeology · alien relics · lost civilization · race against time · ecological collapse · terraforming conflict · space exploration

Setting labels: future solar system · interstellar space · dead worlds · alien ruins · terraforming frontier · ecological crisis · 23rd century · sol system

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1261

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The Trilisk Ruins

Michael McCloskey · 2014 · Parker Interstellar Travels

A rebel xenoarchaeologist joins smugglers for alien relics, then gets trapped in a deadly first-contact mystery.

Why this is here

Premise labels: xenoarchaeology · alien ruins · artifact smuggling · forbidden research · first contact · government vs smugglers · run from authorities · survival quest · treasure hunt · mysterious alien technology

Setting labels: far future · spacefaring humanity · alien planet · explored space · oppressive Earth government · distant planets · alien complex · changing labyrinth · ruins · spacefaring civilization

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1337

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Probability Moon

Nancy Kress · 2000 · Probability Trilogy

A human science team on an alien world uncovers a secret mission tied to an ancient artifact and an encroaching interstellar war.

Why this is here

Premise labels: interstellar war · first contact · anthropological expedition · secret military mission · ancient alien artifact · human-alien encounter · superweapon hunt · colonized space

Setting labels: future spacefaring civilization · interstellar travel · planetary surface · orbital artifact · alien planet · distant future · shared-reality society · space tunnels · star gates · colonized galaxy · war-torn space

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1365

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The Stardust Grail

Yume Kitasei · 2024

A former art thief is pulled into a galaxy-spanning hunt for an artifact that could save one species and doom another.

Why this is here

Premise labels: art thief · artifact recovery · alien civilization · extinction crisis · one last mission · moral dilemma · anti-colonial resistance · interstellar quest · saved-by-artifact

Setting labels: far future · spacefaring civilization · interstellar travel · multiple planets · ancient ruins · museum · academia · Earth in the future · off-world colonies · alien worlds

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1413

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Revelation Space

Alastair Reynolds · 2002 · The Inhibitor Sequence

An archaeologist, an assassin, and a spacefaring crew converge around an extinct alien mystery with galaxy-shaking stakes.

Why this is here

Premise labels: alien archaeology · lost civilization · ancient mystery · Fermi paradox · spacefaring humanity · interstellar pursuit · doomsday threat · mystery investigation · ancient artifact

Setting labels: far future · 26th century · space colonies · interstellar travel · sublight travel · relativistic travel · deep space · alien worlds · colony planet · decaying civilization · posthuman future · gothic space setting

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1442

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Foundation's Edge

Isaac Asimov · 2010 · Foundation (Publication Order)

Two Foundation exiles chase a rumored truth about Earth and the Second Foundation while a stranger force reshapes the galaxy.

Why this is here

Premise labels: psychohistory · galactic politics · secret organization · search quest · hidden history · control of destiny · post-imperial future · third force · humanity's origin

Setting labels: far future · galactic civilization · interstellar · post-imperial · planetary search · spacefaring

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1491

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Edges

Linda Nagata · 2019 · Inverted Frontier

A far-future crew follows a captured alien ship back through lost human space to uncover what happened to civilization.

Why this is here

Premise labels: far-future expedition · lost civilization mystery · return journey · frontier survival · alien menace · human remnant · deep-space voyage · rediscovery mission

Setting labels: far future · deep space · frontier colony · ruined core worlds · post-apocalyptic · interstellar · non-FTL travel · spacefaring civilization · human remnant · Dyson swarms

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1569

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Salvation

Peter F. Hamilton · 2018 · Salvation Sequence

A corporate-led investigation of a crashed alien ship opens into a sprawling mystery across present, past, and far-future timelines.

Why this is here

Premise labels: alien shipwreck · crashed spaceship · investigation team · first contact · hidden alien spy · human victims · interstellar mystery · portal civilization · far-future war · end-of-time pilgrimage

Setting labels: future Earth · interstellar human civilization · spacefaring future · exoplanet · remote star system · far future · solar system · post-scarcity society · terraforming · galactic expansion

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1570

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Bone Silence

Alastair Reynolds · 2020 · Revenger

Two pirate sisters race through a far-future solar system, hunted by enemies while unraveling the origin of their world.

Why this is here

Premise labels: space pirates · sister duo · fugitives · manhunt · ancient mystery · civilization cycle · lost history · bounty hunt · economic upheaval

Setting labels: far future · solar system · dismantled planets · habitat worlds · spacefaring civilization · dystopian future · Age of Sail in space · pirate setting · alien-inflected reality · low-g travel

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1578

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Hidden Empire

Kevin J. Anderson · 2003 · The Saga of Seven Suns

A far-future human space empire is thrown into crisis when alien technology awakens a hidden enemy and multiple factions collide.

Why this is here

Premise labels: interstellar conflict · ancient alien mystery · forbidden knowledge · resource crisis · first contact fallout · colonial expansion

Setting labels: far future · interstellar · galactic society · multiple planets · gas giant worlds · spacefaring civilization · human-alien coexistence · ancient ruins

Semantic match: ranked by premise + setting

Distance: 0.1589

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