If you found the mysterious, almost unfathomable nature of the Solaris ocean compelling, you'll be engrossed by Blindsight. Here, a crew led by the enigmatic Siri Keeton investigates a bizarre, seemingly sentient alien structure on the edge of the solar system. As with Kris Kelvin’s confrontations with the inscrutable Solaris, this novel delves into first contact where true understanding may be impossible. Watts’ aliens are as foreign and unsettling as Lem's, pushing you to question the nature of consciousness and what it means to encounter true otherness.

If you were drawn to the philosophical depth of Solaris, Anathem offers a rich, immersive meditation on consciousness, perception, and the limits of knowledge. As Erasmas and his cloistered order are drawn into cosmic mysteries, you'll find echoes of the introspective probing that Kelvin experiences on Solaris’ station. Both novels intertwine speculative science with profound questions about reality and the human mind.

If you appreciated how Solaris focused on psychological and social responses to the inexplicable rather than hard technology, you’ll love The Left Hand of Darkness. Genly Ai’s mission to the planet Gethen immerses you in a society with radically different norms, much like Kelvin’s struggle to comprehend Solaris. Le Guin’s novel is a masterwork of cultural speculation and human alienation.

If the mysterious and unknowable nature of the Solaris ocean fascinated you, Roadside Picnic delivers a similarly haunting atmosphere. The Zone—an area of strange and perilous artifacts left behind by aliens—offers no easy answers, much like Solaris itself. Redrick’s perilous journeys into the Zone echo the psychological and existential struggles faced by Kelvin and his fellow scientists.

If you enjoyed untangling the scientific and existential mysteries of Solaris, The Three-Body Problem will grip you with its intricate scientific riddles and the challenge of communicating with a truly alien intelligence. The way Ye Wenjie and Wang Miao confront the cosmic implications of first contact will feel familiar in its blend of wonder, dread, and intellectual stimulation.