Share your thoughts in a quick Shelf Talk!
Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer
Aging and ambition collide when a desperate couple bets everything on an experimental rejuvenation that could turn back the clock—or unravel their lives. As ethical fault lines emerge, media glare and scientific uncertainty raise the stakes. Rollback is a thoughtful, human-centered sci‑fi drama about second chances and the price of time.
Have you read this book? Share what you liked (or didn’t), and we’ll use your answers to recommend your next favorite read!
Love Rollback but not sure what to read next?
These picks are popular with readers who enjoyed this book. Complete a quick Shelf Talk to get recommendations made just for you! Warning: possible spoilers for Rollback below.
In Rollback, did you enjoy ...
... the patient, character-first take on deciphering and responding to an alien transmission?
Contact by Carl Sagan
If Sarah Halifax’s meticulous work decoding the Sigma Draconis messages and weighing the ethics of replying drew you in, you’ll love how Contact follows Ellie Arroway through the discovery of a signal, the painstaking unraveling of its hidden instructions, and the global debate over whether humanity should build what the message implies. Like Rollback, it blends SETI pragmatism with humane curiosity, turning technical breakthroughs into intimate, life-changing choices.
... alien contact filtered through linguistics, ethics, and faith—and the cost of first answers?
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
You were fascinated by Sarah’s translation challenges and the moral stakes of replying to the Draconis senders; The Sparrow gives you a first-contact expedition built on language and intent, and then asks what responsibility we bear when we misunderstand. As with Sarah’s hope that a reply can bridge gulfs, Emilio Sandoz’s mission starts with wonder and ends with hard, haunting truths—philosophical questions wrapped in gripping character drama.
... a close, compassionate focus on one person's life as cutting-edge medicine forces hard questions about identity?
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
If what stayed with you was living inside Don’s head as rejuvenation upended his marriage, habits, and sense of self, The Speed of Dark offers an equally intimate lens. Lou, an autistic man, must decide whether to undergo a procedure that could change who he is. Like Don weighing what “youth” really gives back—and what it takes—Lou’s choice turns speculative medicine into a deeply personal reckoning.
... a tender, time-bent love story grappling with misaligned lives and fidelity under impossible circumstances?
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
If Don and Sarah’s bond—strained by one partner’s rollback and the other’s mortal clock—moved you, The Time Traveler’s Wife explores a similarly mismatched relationship. Henry’s uncontrollable time slips leave Clare aging out of sync with him, testing loyalty, desire, and the promises a couple can keep when biology won’t cooperate. It’s a heartfelt echo of Rollback’s love under asymmetric conditions.
... a hopeful, humane tone that finds wonder in big ideas and kindness in how we meet them?
A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers
If you appreciated Rollback’s gentle optimism—Sarah’s conviction that conversation with the Draconis senders matters, and Don’s search for meaning after being made young again—this novella offers a warm, thoughtful dialogue between a monk and a robot about purpose, obligation, and what we owe one another. It channels that same humane, quietly awe-filled spirit.
Unlock your personalized book recommendations! Just take a quick Shelf Talk for Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer. It’s only a few questions and takes less than a minute.