If the showdown between Murtry’s RCE security and the Ilus squatters hooked you—as Holden tried to keep the peace while Elvi Okoye pushed the science forward—then you’ll love how Semiosis dives into colonists negotiating with an alien ecosystem that has its own agenda. Like the lithium rush on New Terra spiraling into a moral crisis, Burke’s settlers must decide whether coexistence or domination defines their future, and every scientific discovery carries political consequences.

The trek across Ilus after the reactor catastrophe—and the planet-wide blindness that forced Holden’s crew and the colonists to improvise or die—echoes the gritty survival you’ll find in The Martian. If you loved watching Amos jury-rig gear and Holden make hard calls under crushing time pressure, Mark Watney’s step-by-step ingenuity to beat Mars with duct tape, chemistry, and sheer stubbornness will scratch that same itch.

Cibola Burn’s derelict ruins and Miller’s cryptic nudges toward the planet’s ancient systems mirror the wonder of Rendezvous with Rama. If Elvi’s careful field science and Holden’s methodical probing of the alien machinery captivated you—right down to the life-or-death consequences of pushing the wrong button—Clarke’s crew mapping a vast, silent starship with cool-headed, hard-science curiosity will feel instantly familiar.

If Murtry’s hardline tactics, the OPA–UN–RCE tug-of-war, and Holden’s tightrope diplomacy on New Terra drew you in, Red Mars offers a deeper dive into how a colony decides who gets to rule. As with the Ilus settlement—where every engineering choice had political fallout—Robinson’s pioneers wrestle with treaties, sabotage, and shifting loyalties while trying to keep their fragile world livable.

Cibola Burn balances Holden, Elvi, Basia, and Murtry’s perspectives to show how one incident spirals system-wide. Pandora’s Star hits the same pleasure center: multiple viewpoint characters chase tangled agendas after humanity pokes something it doesn’t understand. If you enjoyed seeing the Ilus crisis refracted through rival eyes—and how each choice re-shaped the board—you’ll relish Hamilton’s grand mosaic of consequences.