# A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

15 Hacker News commenters recommended A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Post-apocalyptic science fiction praised for its striking writing, religious and intellectual themes, and unsettling ending that stays with readers.

## Why people recommend it

- Memorable, unsettling post-apocalyptic story (2 comments): ""Canticle" blew my 14 year old mind. Really sad ending but the mutations really got under my skin." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49176566)) "It is an ur-text for the Fallout wasteland for sure." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910666))
- Well written, talented authors (2 comments): "Imagine the different potential outcomes had our authors not been so talented." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49169991)) "It's startlingly well written, at least the first two parts." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46938219))
- Rich religious and intellectual themes (2 comments): "readers of this thread who did appreciate the religious themes of Hyperion may be interested" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47188012)) "If you want the intellectual take go with A Canticle for Leibowitz (Miller)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47676727))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir](https://hackerapproved.com/p/project-hail-mary.md): 117 recommend
- [There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm](https://hackerapproved.com/p/there-is-no-antimemetics-division.md): 98 recommend
- [Blindsight by Peter Watts](https://hackerapproved.com/p/blindsight.md): 96 recommend
- [Dune by Frank Herbert](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dune.md): 82 recommend
- [Accelerando by Charles Stross](https://hackerapproved.com/p/accelerando.md): 71 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0356513173?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780356513171) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.", https://hackerapproved.com/p/a-canticle-for-leibowitz/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).