GPT4 is pretty good at this. Here's what I got on a first run, though you can keep prompting it to go more esoteric if you want. I honestly think that GPT4 will obsolete most existing recommendation systems; it's already better than what I previously used (Goodreads).
> Prompt: give me some books similar to "Three Body Problem", "Brave New World", and "Dune" - but dont give me the common suggestions, give me some more esoteric stuff i probably haven't heard of
> I understand that you're looking for lesser-known, yet thought-provoking science fiction novels similar to "Three Body Problem," "Brave New World," and "Dune." Here are some esoteric suggestions that you might not have heard of:
> "Blindsight" by Peter Watts - This hard sci-fi novel explores the nature of consciousness and humanity's first contact with a terrifyingly alien intelligence.
> "The Quantum Thief" by Hannu Rajaniemi - A post-human heist story set in a future Solar System, where advanced technology has given birth to an array of strange and wondrous societies.
> "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin - A groundbreaking work of feminist science fiction that explores gender and societal norms on a planet where inhabitants can change their sex at will.
> "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester - A classic sci-fi novel that combines elements of revenge, teleportation, and corporate intrigue in a richly imagined future world.
> "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin - A thought-provoking tale of two societies, one anarchistic and the other capitalistic, and the physicist who attempts to bridge the divide between them.
I can vouch for the entire recommendations list (Blindsight or Quantum Thief series are my go-to answer when people say "what's your favorite book"), but I wouldn't really call them "lesser knowm" - they all won prestigious awards like Locus or Hugo.
> Prompt: give me some books similar to "Three Body Problem", "Brave New World", and "Dune" - but dont give me the common suggestions, give me some more esoteric stuff i probably haven't heard of
> I understand that you're looking for lesser-known, yet thought-provoking science fiction novels similar to "Three Body Problem," "Brave New World," and "Dune." Here are some esoteric suggestions that you might not have heard of:
> "Blindsight" by Peter Watts - This hard sci-fi novel explores the nature of consciousness and humanity's first contact with a terrifyingly alien intelligence.
> "The Quantum Thief" by Hannu Rajaniemi - A post-human heist story set in a future Solar System, where advanced technology has given birth to an array of strange and wondrous societies.
> "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin - A groundbreaking work of feminist science fiction that explores gender and societal norms on a planet where inhabitants can change their sex at will.
> "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester - A classic sci-fi novel that combines elements of revenge, teleportation, and corporate intrigue in a richly imagined future world.
> "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin - A thought-provoking tale of two societies, one anarchistic and the other capitalistic, and the physicist who attempts to bridge the divide between them.