Battlefield Earth
by L. Ron Hubbard · first published 1984
47% recommend23% neutral30% critical
Why HN recommends it
Pulpy sci-fi adventure told largely from the aliens' point of view. Fun and fast, it suits summer or holiday reading. It outshines the film adaptation and works well apart from any baggage the author carries.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2009–2025Mission Earth
L. Ron Hubbard
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 134 recommend · 13 mention4 recommend · 134 recommend
2011–2023Cyteen
C. J. Cherryh
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 76 recommend · 7 mention6 recommend · 76 recommend
2010–2026Downbelow station
C. J. Cherryh
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 76 recommend · 7 mention6 recommend · 76 recommend
2011–2026The Clockwork Rocket
Greg Egan
Recommended by 17 · mentioned by 2217 recommend · 22 mention17 recommend · 2217 recommend
Bicentennial Man
Isaac Asimov
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 94 recommend · 9 mention4 recommend · 94 recommend
2011–2025Timescape
Gregory Benford, Pete Bradbury, Simon Prebble
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 73 recommend · 7 mention3 recommend · 73 recommend
2010–2023Miles Vorkosigan
Lois McMaster Bujold
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 108 recommend · 10 mention8 recommend · 108 recommend
2010–2024Gridlinked
Neal L. Asher
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 119 recommend · 11 mention9 recommend · 119 recommend
…data would play in the future prescient a few years ago. Likewise, understanding Stranger in a Strange Land in the context of Heinlien's relationship with Hubbard was beyond me in high-school [Hubbard's BattleField Earth is worth a read or at least a try, even if the movie isn't. He was a talented writer among other things].
on “Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read” ↗Putting the scientology stuff to one side for a moment, L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth and Mission Earth books are fun pulp sci-fi, good for summer holiday reading.
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…Hamilton too - strong mix of scifi and an alternate fantasy world. Missing in my view would be: Greg Bear - Eon (as people have mentioned, but also: M John Harrison - Light James Blish - Cities in Flight Battlefield Earth (awesome book, hopeless film) Brave New World for my ultimate "classic"
on “The Best Science Fiction Books (According to Reddit)” ↗What a travesty that was... L Ron Hubbard is very hit or miss, but the actual Battlefield Earth novel was one of his better efforts. I'd like to see a Final Blackout[1] movie adaptation... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Blackout
on “David Lynch’s Dune – A sci-fi film by a director without much care for sci-fi” ↗…then shook everyone down for donations was reported by a (sympathetic!) eye-witness. It's not included in "Beelzebub's Tales" at any rate. You don't think L. Ron Hubbard is brilliant do you? I mean "Battlefield Earth" is pretty good (the book not the movie.) To me, comparing Hubbard to Gurdjieff is like comparing Nicholas Taleb to Isaac Newton.
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗Battlefield Earth
on “Ask HN: Books about the little guy beating the big guy?” ↗"Alternatively, you could try writing awful science fiction novels and hiring a ton of lawyers. I hear that also works these days." Off-topic but I disagree : Battlefield Earth was a good book. And terrible movie.
on “Short Studies On Excuses” ↗Somewhat of a tangent, but the exploitation of this very phenomenon is one of the things that endears the book "Battlefield Earth" to me. Despite whatever other issues the author had, he wrote a darned good science fiction book.
on “Light - If you view the Earth from far enough away can you observe its past?” ↗Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy Battlefield Earth (the book, definitely not the movie) The Land: Founding - Aleron Kong Steel World - B.V. Larson Ready Player One / Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline Twinborn Chronicles - J.S. Morin The Name of the…
on “New sci-fi and fantasy books to check out this August” ↗I actually enjoyed Battlefield Earth. I enjoyed the movie because I immensely enjoyed the book. I almost always like SF that in large part written from the point of view of aliens. And some scenes in the movie were quite additionally surprising…
on “When “Foundation” Gets the Blockbuster Treatment, Asimov’s Vision Gets Lost” ↗Around 1985, I bought a used paperback copy of Battlefield Earth, and it had a tear-out form to "Order the soundtrack of a book!" as it was "Soon to be a major motion picture!" Loved the book, but never ordered the soundtrack, and the wait for the eventual movie was…
on “Remarkable things about Battlefield Earth (2012)” ↗I loved both - Battlefield Earth and Mission Earth. Still do. Sure it is not Fahrenheit 451 but I do not care. It provides lots of interesting reading. As for blogs - I've never liked reading about books. I lover reading books instead.…
on “Remarkable things about Battlefield Earth (2012)” ↗Oh wow, another one :-) When I was in junior high/ early high school, I not only read Battlefield Earth more than once (quite eagerly), but also bought and read almost all of the Mission Earth books as well. I was reading Heinlein and Tolkien and OSC at the time, as well. I agree with you -- the long book,…
on “Remarkable things about Battlefield Earth (2012)” ↗…"Mission Earth" series by L Ron Hubbard. I did make it through a few books before it just got too terrible and I was like, "why am I doing this to myself?". And I say that as someone who rather liked "Battlefield Earth".
on “The Gamification of Reading Is Changing How We Approach Books” ↗…Scientology / Anti Psychology books near the top (#2, #11) A look at the fiction list reveals the same bias: Top 10 from the 'Novels List' ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand BATTLEFIELD EARTH by L. Ron Hubbard THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee 1984 by George Orwell ANTHEM by Ayn Rand WE THE LIVING by Ayn Rand MISSION EARTH by L. Ron Hubbard…
on “100 Best English Nonfiction Books of Twentieth Century” ↗