Science fiction · Literary · Fantasy
Exhalation
A collection of nine short stories about time, free will, artificial minds and what it means to be a person. Each story builds one clear idea and follows it carefully to its human consequences.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2019
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 350
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like quiet, brainy science fiction that makes you think and sometimes ache.
Skip this if you want long plots or action, since these are slow, ideas-first stories.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Exhalation
- What is Exhalation about?
- A collection of nine short stories about time, free will, artificial minds and what it means to be a person. Each story builds one clear idea and follows it carefully to its human consequences.
- Who should read Exhalation?
- Read it if you like quiet, brainy science fiction that makes you think and sometimes ache. Skip it if you want long plots or action, since these are slow, ideas-first stories.
- How long and how fast is Exhalation?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read of about 350 pages, first published in 2019.
- Does Exhalation have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Grief.
- Can I borrow Exhalation for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Exhalation; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Exhalation?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Klara and the Sun, The Left Hand of Darkness, Solaris.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved Exhalation
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Klara and the Sun A tender story about an artificial being, with the same careful attention to what feeling means.
-
The Left Hand of Darkness
Classic science fiction that uses a strange world to examine human habits of thought.
-
Solaris
A cerebral story of contact with something beyond human comprehension.
Science fiction
