What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSolar
Ian McEwan · Book · 2010
If you loved Solar, start with Sunshine (Danny Boyle, 2007) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Solar across media.
You were drawn to the way Solar portrays deeply flawed, brilliant men navigating the tension between their personal moral failings and grand, world-altering responsibilities.
Films on the same thread
Sunshine
Danny Boyle · Film · 2007
Explores: Existential Dread, Humanity's Survival, Sacrifice.
Like Solar, this film balances the existential weight of humanity's survival against the psychological instability of those tasked with saving the planet from a dying star.
Atonement
Joe Wright · Film · 2007
Explores: Guilt and Redemption, Consequences of Lies, Social Class Divide.
Sharing an authorial pedigree with Solar, this story explores the profound, life-altering consequences of individual deceptions and the elusive nature of redemption when personal moral choices spiral out of control.
Interstellar
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2014
Explores: Existentialism, Humanity's Survival, Love and Sacrifice.
This film mirrors the scientific ambition found in Solar, placing characters in desperate, high-stakes environments where personal sacrifice is required to address the looming threat of civilizational collapse.
Project Hail Mary
Phil Lord · Film · 2026
Explores: competence porn, amnesia, interspecies friendship.
If you appreciated the scientific problem-solving at the heart of Solar, you will enjoy this protagonist's desperate attempt to save the planet while grappling with his own identity.
Series on the same thread
Borgen
Adam Price · Series · 2010
Explores: Political Intrigue, Moral Dilemmas, Power and Corruption.
Much like the protagonist of Solar, Birgitte Nyborg must constantly weigh her personal integrity against the corrupting influence of power and the messy reality of pursuing large-scale societal change.
Better Call Saul
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Solar: Moral Ambiguity, Redemption.
This character study captures the same moral ambiguity and slow-motion self-destruction seen in Solar, following a man whose ambition and questionable ethics define his complex, frustrating personal journey.
Patrick Melrose
David Nicholls · Series · 2018
Explores: Trauma, Addiction, Upper-class dysfunction.
This series shares the dark, biting wit of Solar, offering an unflinching portrait of an upper-class man struggling to reconcile his traumatic history with his present failures and addictions.
Sherlock
Mark Gatiss · Series · 2010
Explores: Genius detective, High-functioning sociopath, Unconventional crime solving.
Fans of the cynical, intellectual protagonist in Solar will recognize the archetype of the high-functioning, socially detached genius who views the world through a lens of cold, calculated logic.
Podcasts on the same thread
Radio Swatt
Podcast
Explores: sustainable living, clean energy solutions, climate change solutions.
If Solar piqued your interest in the practical realities of energy policy and clean technology, this podcast provides an grounded look at the actual solutions for our changing climate.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Solar: moral ambiguity.
This podcast explores the same themes of civilizational collapse and moral ambiguity found in Solar, applying an unorthodox, critical lens to the historical failures of humanity's most ambitious leaders.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Solar a standalone novel?
Yes, Solar is a standalone work of fiction by Ian McEwan published in 2010. It is a complex novel that traces the arc of one man's ambitions and deceptions without being part of a series or having any direct adaptations or sequels in the current catalog.
Who is the author of Solar?
The novel Solar was written by Ian McEwan, the same author responsible for other notable works such as On Chesil Beach and Atonement. The book explores the life of a man attempting to address the messes of humanity while reflecting on his own personal failures.
What is the central theme of Solar?
Solar focuses on the irony of a man who has made a mess of his own life attempting to clean up the messes of humanity. The narrative presents a witty and startling look at the ambitions and deceptions of its protagonist throughout his life.
When was Solar by Ian McEwan published?
Solar was published in 2010. It serves as a distinct entry in Ian McEwan's bibliography, following his previous acclaimed novels like Atonement and On Chesil Beach, and features a narrative centered on a man grappling with his personal life and global responsibilities.