# Shikasta by Doris Lessing

3 Hacker News commenters recommended Shikasta by Doris Lessing and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as an incredible, unexpected science fiction novel that mixes politics with a more spiritually influenced take on the genre. No recurring caveat appears.

## Why people recommend it

- Timely mix of politics and SF (1 comments): "Shikasta is an incredible book. Completely out of left field for her, and a timely mix of politics and raw SF." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46581909))
- Spiritually influenced take on science fiction (1 comments): "it really stuck with me as a completely different, more spiritually influenced take on science fiction" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46580964))

## 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/0007455534?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780007455539) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Shikasta by Doris Lessing", https://hackerapproved.com/p/shikasta/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).