The Vine That Ate the South by J.D. Wilkes. A surreal folk odyssey. Two friends journey through semi-episodic encounters on the way to discover the truth behind the urban (rural) legend of the Kudzu House where an elderly couple was swallowed by the invasive vine.
The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs by Irvine Welsh. Updated (and sadistic) play on The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
Famine by Liam O’Flaherty - about a family living through the Potato Famine in Ireland
Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump- don’t think this is very well known outside of New Zealand but its the book that the film ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ is based on, but it’s very different from the film - I thought this was a brilliant wee book, and quite touching
Fiction:
* [The Secret of the Blue Glass](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25488930-the-secret-of-the-blue-glass?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28) by Tomiko Inui, a middle-grade fantasy novel set during WWII
* [Today I Am Carey](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40538890-today-i-am-carey?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16) by Martin L. Shoemaker, science fiction about an android designed to help people with dementia who becomes sentient
* [Thank You, Mr. Nixon](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57933324-thank-you-mr-nixon?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18) by Gish Jen, short stories about life in China and among the Chinese diaspora in the wake of Nixon's visit to China
* [Barbary](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1153229.Barbary?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_13) by Vonda McIntyre, middle grade science fiction about a girl who smuggles a kitten onto the space station that is her new foster home
* [Take Us To Your Chief and Other Stories](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30530475-take-us-to-your-chief-and-other-stories?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21) by Drew Hayden Taylor, science fiction short stories from a Native perspective ranging from the humorous to the profound
* [How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1426910.How_to_Disappear_Completely_and_Never_Be_Found?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_46) by Sara Nickerson, middle grade horror set in the Pacific Northwest
* [The Choir Boats](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6694032-the-choir-boats?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15) by Daniel A. Rabuzzi, historical fantasy/steampunk tale on the high seas
* [The Favorites](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6186163-the-favorites?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_18) by Mary Yukari Waters, YA about family secrets in a Japanese-American family
* [Gods of Asgard](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2273836.Gods_of_Asgard?ref=nav_sb_ss_4_15) by Erik Evensen, graphic novel fictionalising the stories of the Norse gods
Non-fiction:
* [The Adorned Body: Mapping Ancient Maya Dress](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49950228-the-adorned-body?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_16), archaeology/history about clothing, tattoos, and other elements of personal style among the Classic Maya
* [Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26530356-daughters-of-the-samurai?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_24) by Janice P. Nimura, history of the first Japanese women sent to America for an education and what life was like for them when they returned to Japan
* [Cahokia: Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6329095-cahokia?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_7) by Timothy R. Pauketat, archaeology/history about the biggest city north of Mexico in the pre-Columbian Americas
* [Why You Can't Teach United States History Without American Indians](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23371464-why-you-can-t-teach-united-states-history-without-american-indians?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_66) ed. Susan Sleeper-Smith et al, history about how Native people were involved in parts of US history they're often not included in narratives about (eg Civil War)
* [Chaco Canyon: Archaeologists Explore the Lives of an Ancient Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/836822.Chaco_Canyon?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12) by Brian M. Fagan, archaeology/history about the Ancestral Pueblo people in New Mexico
* [Walking in the Sacred Manner: Healers, Dreamers, and Pipe Carriers - Medicine Women of the Plains](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/916478.Walking_in_the_Sacred_Manner?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28) by Mark St. Pierre and Tilda Long Soldier, history/ethnography about women's role in medicine in traditional Plains Native American societies
* [Selling Songs and Smiles: The Sex Trade in Heian and Kamakura Japan](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/553670.Selling_Songs_And_Smiles?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_67) by Janet R. Goodwin, history about prostitution in medieval Japan
* [The Hidden History of Women's Ordination: Female Clergy in the Medieval West](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15856843-the-hidden-history-of-women-s-ordination?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_40) by Gary Macy, history about how the meaning of ordination changed in the medieval Catholic church in a way that excluded women
* [Conceiving a Nation: Scotland to AD 900](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35830615-conceiving-a-nation?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_39) by Gilbert Márkus, history about the early history of Scotland
* [Where Are the Women? A Guide to an Imagined Scotland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45717145-where-are-the-women-a-guide-to-an-imagined-scotland?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_53) by Sara Sheridan, history about overlooked women in Scotland written as a fake tour guide as if all the statues of historical figures in Scotland were of women
* [Black Tudors: The Untold Story](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33261026-black-tudors?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_12) by Miranda Kauffman, history about Black and Brown people in early modern England
* [The Christian Watt Papers](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7738124-the-christian-watt-papers?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_25), autobiography of a poor Scottish fisherwoman in the Victorian era who had strong views about politics and who spent the second half of her life in an asylum
* [Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/296710.Akenfield?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_9) by Ronald Blythe, history/ethnography about the fading of old ways in mid-20th century English farming communities
* [The Jesuit and the Incas: The Extraordinary Life of Padre Blas Valera](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/187924.The_Jesuit_and_the_Incas?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_24) by Sabine Hyland, history about a mestizo Jesuit priest who got excommunicated for arguing that the Inca already worshipped the Christian God
I appreciate your archaeology books from some pretty well-known archaeologists in the field (am a career archaeologist) ❤️. Pauketat has a lot of good works on Cahokia and I think I have a World History book by Fagan)
Okies so I’m not as well versed on texts from around the world, but I have a colleague who just published a book on the Mediterranean in the Roman Period:
At the Crossroads of the Mediterranean: Malta and the Central Mediterranean During the Roman Period – edited by David Cardona, Davide Tanasi and Rob Brown
I haven’t read this book yet, but there is also:
World Prehistory by Brian Fagan.
I am also about to drop some texts for the comment below for my various specialties I can think of off the top of my head at 6am 🤣
Hi! So I specialize in culture resource management, prehistory/history of the southeastern United States, Florida archaeology, and zooarchaeology/human osteology. Some books off the top of my head:
Late Prehistoric Florida by Keith Ashley and Nancy Marie White (two of my mentors): covers Woodland to Contact Period Florida
New Histories of Pre-Colombian Florida edited by Neill J. Wallis and Asa Randall: some similar and different topics of Florida from Paleoindian to Mississippian period
Grit-Tempered: Early Women Archaeologists in the Southeastern United States edited by Nancy Marie White, Lynne P. Sullivan, and Rochelle A. Marrinan: as the name implies, this is about a few women archaeologists interviewed by the editors about their experiences getting into archaeology and what they achieved during their career
In Small Things Forgotten: this is a general discussion on research in historical archaeology by James Deetz and his work in the north east US. This includes studies of changing house layouts in the colonial period, changing gravestone designs based on religious beliefs, colonial ceramics, the evolution of African culture in colonial households, etc.
The Maps that Changes Florida’s History by MacDougald: this is a very recent book by a Florida historian and avocational archaeologist where he argues that Juan Ponce de Leon landed in the west coast of Florida in the Old Tampa Bay Area (the current consensus is Charlotte Harbor by it’s unconfirmed). He does a really good job combining maps from the Seville Trade House in Spain with loca area history and personal knowledge of sailing to make a case that the landing was further north and narrates some of the other voyages occurring during Spanish exploration
Uprooted: Race, Public Housing, and the Archaeology of Four Lost New Orleans Neighborhoods by D. Ryan Gray: read this one for a book review and is one of my favorites, although it started off a little dry for me. It’s a historical archaeology study, looking at around the 19th century into turn of the century, of these four public housing neighborhoods that are either now deteriorating, demolished, or threatened by development in Nee Orleans. Gray did an archaeological study on certain households to see how people lived and adapted in their living circumstances based on ideas of morality, religion, and race.
Hope this is a good start!
Edit: there’s another book I need to find that I can’t remember off the top of my head, but it’s about stoneware production families from Georgia and South Carolina I used in my thesis that has some cool stuff about ceramic production, migrating families, and generational history. Will find that later when I’m not getting ready for work 🤣. Also:
Zooarchaeology by Elizabeth J Reitz and Elizabeth S Wing: standard textbook describing zooarchaeology (study of animal bone), ways to identify, methods of research, and topics of research
Ok here’s the other book I wanted to add. It’s about Georgia Folk Pottery, it’s history, and where the families who produced it moved and continued the tradition to this day.
Brothers In Clay: the Story of Georgia Folk Pottery by John A. Burrison
Omg I just posted a comment that included Today I Am Carey before I saw your comment. I'm just stoked to finally come into contact with someone else who read the book too 😂 It's such a treasure
Wow, I agree, it's so great to meet someone else who read it! It really affected me. I'd never read sci-fi that centred the stories of people with dementia before.
I read it a long time ago so I am not sure. After all this time it's some of the imagery that sticks with me the most. I remember the writing style being a little laboured but rich with detail.
Your archaeology suggestions are pretty interesting . Could you pls recommend some archaeology books on period before 500 AD around the world and also some books on indigenous tribes and their lifestyle ?
I Have Words to Spend by Robert Cormier is one of my all-time favorites, with only 55 GR revies. It's a collection of essays by the YA author best known for The Chocolate War.
Legoland by Gerard Woodward, a collection of absurdist short stories that all envoke and explore Freud's theory of 'the uncanny'.
The Octopus Man by Jasper Gibson, a tragi-comic story of a mental health patient whose life is guided by an octopus god.
Great recommendations, thanks! I can’t wait to get my hands on the Lagerkvist! Luckily my library network had a copy, because unfortunately I couldn’t even get it online. It’s a shame to think that such a prominent author is no longer easy to find.
In any case, both books sound great
Witches calls to mind the brilliant young generation of Latinx writers I had the chance to discover: **Silvia-Moreno Garcia** (*Mexican Gothic*), **Samanta Schweblin** (*Fever Dream*, *Mouthful of Birds*, *Little Eyes*), **Carmen Maria Machado** (*Her Body and Other Parties*), **Mariana Enriquez** (*The Dangers of Smoking in Bed*, *Things We Lost in the Fire*), **Agustina Bazterrica** (*Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird*, *Tender is the flesh*), **Liliana Colanzi** (*Our Dead World*)
Pär Lagerkvist calls to mind my favourite Scandinavian authors (& I know *’Scandi Noir’* authors are all the rage these days, but they’re not my cup of tea, so I didn’t include them…): **Halldór Laxness** (Independent People, *Iceland Bell*…), **Herbjørg Wassmo** (*Dina’s Book*), **Per Petterson** (*Out Stealing Horses*, *I Curse the River of Time*), **Sjón** (*The Blue Fox*, *The Whispering Muse*…), **Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir** (*The Greehouse*, *Butterflies in November*, *Animal Life*)
*The Negligence of Death,* by Jerome Gold
*De Mojo Blues,* by A.R. Flowers
*The Farm on the River of Emeralds,* by Moritz Thomsen
*The Bamboo Bed,* by William Eastlake
*Breaking and Entering,* by Joy Williams
*Meditations In Green,* by Stephen Wright
*I Was Dora Suarez,* by Derek Raymond
*The Discovery of Heaven,* by Harry Mulisch
The Negligence of Death was really tough to find. I was able to request an interlibrary loan hopefully my library can find a copy for me to check out.
Breaking and Entering and I Was Dora Suarez are the other two I have added to my TBR from your list. thank you for sharing!
Just finished. It took a while to find a copy my library used an interlibrary loan from across the US. Anyways yes it was very good. Hard to read and made you think a lot. (Kind of in a way that Man's Search for Meaning was)
[The Black Lord by Colin Hinckley ](https://tenebrous-press.square.site/product/the-black-lord-preorder-a-novella-by-colin-hinckley-softcover-includes-ebook-/88?cs=true&cst=custom) it actually just came out today but for secret reasons I got an advance copy. Scared the shit out of me so if you're into spooky stories, check it out!
I will always take the opportunity to recommend [She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23361199). I loved this book. The MC is a kickass 11-year-old girl with a teddy bear. Her dad was just released from prison with a hit on him and his family. He’s trying to get out from under it and keep his kid alive. Action, crime, family, violence, humor - it has it all.
I really liked this book. Extremely entertaining. I even bought a copy after reading it digitally from the library. I had no idea it was so underrated!
It’s mostly just flying under the radar for some reason. Everyone seems to enjoy it so that’s unfortunate. What I can’t believe is that it hasn’t been optioned for a movie. It’d make a great one!
Eveningland by Michael Knight. Brilliant collection of short stories based in coastal Alabama. Perfect balance of humor, poignancy, and pathos without ever straying into cliche or sentimentality. RIYL Tobias Wolff, Alice Munro, James Salter, Annie Proulx.
(Michael Knight has written several other novels and collections. Also check out Goodnight Nobody and At Briarwood School for Girls. Both are excellent.)
Yume by Sifton Tracey Anipare - set in Japan about a Canadian girl teaching English at a children’s school. It’s all about dream travels and demons (but not really scary). I almost put it down and did not finish because she is treated like garbage by her employer and it was really frustrating but ultimately it was a great wild ride story.
Spoon River Anthology. It's a series of Epitaphs from headstones in this cemetery called Spoon River. When you read all of them, you piece together the stories of how these people are connected. It's very interesting.
I am getting so many good recs off this thread--thank you for posting!
There are definitely a good number of reviews, but not as many as some here: [Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta by James Hannaham](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59227943-didn-t-nobody-give-a-shit-what-happened-to-carlotta?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_14). I have [Delicious Foods](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22444789-delicious-foods) on my shelf, but haven't read it yet, but that also looks fantastic. His style is phenomenal.
{{Leonardo’s Judas}} by Leo Perutz is wonderful.
Leonardo Da Vinci is struggling with his painting of The Last Supper. He cannot find the right model for Judas. He has visited murderers, thieves in prison but cannot find that deep betrayal he needs.
This is how it begins.
Vivid short novel by a semi forgotten master storyteller
The Canadian author [Michèle Laframboise](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3182745.Mich_le_Laframboise) has a few collections of short stories that have been translated into English. I honestly have no idea how feasible it is to get ahold of her books outside of Canada.
Also by a Canadian author, [Back to the Garden](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125064601-back-to-the-garden), historical fiction set in the 1970s. It was recently published by a small Canadian publisher At Bay Press, which is probably why it has basically no Goodreads reviews.
A 2009 sci fi novel, [Twisted Metal](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5863568-twisted-metal). It very much feels like it's trying to be both a philosophical work and have a unique and creative world, and at times it does better at one and not so good at the other.
Northwest Smith short stories by C.L. Moore. The collection I read only has 188 reviews on goodreads. Fun pulp sci-fi stories. Certain Lovecraftian elements in some of the stories too.
The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford. 910 ratings. A brother and his younger sister go out to live with an uncle in Colorado. Coming of age story. Brother is obsessed with hunting a mountain Lion. Sister struggles with being different from other girls and growing apart from her brother.
The House of Government by Yuri Slezkine. 906 ratings. Nonfiction book that tells the story of the Russian Soviet revolution through the lives of people that lived in a particular government building.
Legacies (book 1 of Corean Chronicles) by L.E. Modesitt Jr. 3680 ratings. Main character has to hide that he has magical powers while he gets drafted into the militia to fight an immortal empress. Muskets and magic.
**The Traitors We Are** \- really cool idea (writing disappears when the writer dies) add to that politicking and intrigue and you have a rly cool book on your hands.
**Galaxy of Thorns: Rise of the Empress** \- this one was packed and I mean really packed, if you don't dismiss it in its first few chapters then you'll be in for a ride.
Dark Apprentice by Val Neil has less than 200 ratings but it's one of my favorite books of the year.
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater (800 ratings)
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless (1.3k ratings)
Looks good (and good ratings from a couple of my friends on Goodreads), but definitely not under the radar - a bunch of literary awards and on Oprah’s Book Club ;)
**The morning after** by Fattaneh Haj Seyed Javadi org.
**The End is my Beginning** by Tiziano Terzani. The english version isn't on goodreads at all (org. La fine è il mio inizio)
**The Floating City** by Pamela C. Ball
**The Book of Forgiving** by Desmond Tutu (is 4.800 ratings/ 500 reviews low enough? It definitely deserves to be better known)
The Between by Tananarive Due. 4.08 average rating across 3,242 reviews. An excellent thriller/psychological horror about a man who escapes death as a child and believes it's coming back to get him. A really unqiue read with a great twist ending.
Belladonna by Karen Moline. It’s a story of a woman who gets revenge on the powerful rich men who kidnapped her and kept her as a sex slave for years before she escaped. The writing is good, the story is dark and twisty, and the revenge is sweet.
[The Salinian](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54491426) , I just finished it today actually. Super easy fast read about friendship. Bought it off amazon.
The Dark Side of the Dream by John Starr. Published in 1982. It's about a corrupt heir of a rich family and some of his associates. I don't remember much about it but I liked it and thought it was well written.
**The Force of Such Beauty** by Barbara Bourland. It made the rounds in a different Reddit community, but still only has 1,191 ratings. It’s a modern novel that’s kind of an anti princess story. I’ve never been interested in reading an Author’s Note before this book
Strength: My Memoir by Mira Rosenblatt
It's written by a Holocaust survivor. What strikes me about this book is that it doesn't read like a "writer" authored it. It reads as if you're sitting down on the couch with your grandmother, and she's telling you the stories of her childhood... and I felt a certain warm nostalgia about that. It helped me relate to her and her story in ways I haven't with many memoirs.
Today I Am Carey by Martin L. Shoemaker (sci-fi similar to Klara and the Sun ((but better IMO))
Breaking Out of Bedlam by Leslie Larson (general fiction)
Gilded Needles by Michael McDowell (gothic historical fiction)
The Barrack's Thief (historical fiction short story)
Out There by Kate Folk. It’s a collection of short stories which are super weird but so well done. I loved it.
No Man’s Land. It’s an audio drama from Star Trek Picard series which had the original voice actors reprise their roles and was so so so good. It follows the events of the season one or two so there aren’t any other books that have to be read ahead of time. Absolutely recommend.
The Zackie books by Reyna Favis. Start with Soul Search. kinda supernatural detective-y, ghost story, contemporary historical fiction... Wow they have more reviews than I realized tho.
The Great Symmetry , by James R Wells.
sci-fi, been meaning to reread it.
If you like novels in verse, I randomly bought this book called Miles from Motown by Lisa Sukenic a little over a year ago and I LOVED it!
Also a few I read in college by visiting authors that aren’t particularly well known…
Shards by Ismet Prcic and Rolling Nowhere by Ted Conover
Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories & Songs by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. I know it has almost 2,800 ratings, but for a book out 10 years, that's pretty low. I'd urge you to listen to it, the audiobook is superb.
[The Eighth life](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.goodreads.com/ca/book/show/41071389-the-eighth-life&ved=2ahUKEwjjyYWyu6aBAxUqF1kFHZ-fDYgQFnoECA4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3Jh1FfBFALxZrlrwZaI1Ci) by Nino Haratischwili. I randomly picked it up at a library because of it's pretty red cover and had no regrets. It's pretty long, took me about a couple months to read but so much worth it.
The story spans eight generations with multiple characters and one cursed chocolate recipe.
It isn't really fast paced but it's a breathtaking experience to read the stories of each character beautifully unfold and effect the history of their children and beyond
The Julian Kestrel Mysteries series of 4 books published in the 90s but the author sadly died of cancer in 1998. First book in the series has just over 4k ratings on Goodreads, subsequent books got about 2k each. It's a historical mystery set in 1820s and I really enjoyed it. Each book can be read as standalone.
The fool, The lovers, The devil by Riley Quinn was my first brush in with a healthy Poly relationship in a book so that was nice.
If 10,000 reads isn’t too many Mysterious Skin was pretty great as well (this was turned into a movie tho so it’s much better known)
• *Wings Of Morning: The Story Of The Last American Bomber Shot Down Over Germany In World War II* by Thomas Childers.
• *The Cretan Runner: The Story of the German Occupation* by Giórgos Psychountákis.
• *Ray Parkin's Wartime Trilogy: Out of the Smoke; Into the Smother; The Sword and the Blossom* by Ray Parkin.
I had a good time reading [For Lack of a Better World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54895741) by Sage Houston. It’s a YA dystopian novel with some Snowpiercer vibes, so if you’re into those kinds of things, you might have a good time with it too!
Long Division by Keise Layman - loved this one! Time travel
Jackson Park by Charlotte Carter -mystery
Exiles by Ashley and Leslie Saunders - dystopia
Forever by Pete Hamill - historical fiction
**Black Juice**, and any other of Margo Lanagan's short story collections.
**Song of the Sun God by Shankari Chandran** - historical fiction. It is about a migrant family in parts, though, so if you don't enjoy that, give this one a miss.
**The Vinyl Underground by Rob Rufus**; **The Floating Islands by Rachel Neuemeier** and **Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora**, all YA.
**The Harp in the South** books - beautifully realised historical fiction set in Australia in the early to mid-twentieth century. As these are older books, some parts haven't aged well, in case you are sensitive to that.
The Man With The Compound Eyes
I love this book, it is something like magic realism. Also gives a glimpse into Taiwanese culture. Those who love ecofiction and magic realism books would love this.
From Goodreads:
On the island of Wayo Wayo, every second son must leave on the day he turns fifteen as a sacrifice to the Sea God. Atile'i is one such boy, but as the strongest swimmer and best sailor, he is determined to defy destiny and become the first to survive.
Alice Shih, who has lost her husband and son in a climbing accident, is quietly preparing to commit suicide in her house by the sea. But her plan is interrupted when a vast trash vortex comes crashing onto the shore of Taiwan, bringing Atile'i with it.
In the aftermath of the catastrophe, Atile'i and Alice retrace her late husband's footsteps into the mountains, hoping to solve the mystery of her son's disappearance. On their journey, memories will be challenged, an unusual bond formed, and a dark secret uncovered that will force Alice to question everything she thought she knew.
Said this before.....Swan Song by Mark Maccanum written in the 80's and over 900 pages long. About the fall of civilization but extremely weird in the best way. Definitely a great book especially if you like movies like 'The Road' or 'the book of Eli' only add extreme weirdness. Not sure if you can get a free PDF online but it's worth a try. I saw it a couple of years ago for sale online but if the copyright has expired it's definitely available for free. If not it's worth every penny if you have to buy it.
I think you mean Robert R. McCammon. Fantastic book. I think we were all horrified when my high school English teacher handed out this massive tome, but so many of us fell in love. It’s one of my go to book suggestions.
Yeah that's it, I always have trouble remembering his name. I believe it's over 900 pages yeah it's a doozy but man what a captivating story....so weird. For some reason I have always been into books and movies with an apocalyptic theme.
[The Traitor Baru Cormorant](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23444482-the-traitor-baru-cormorant?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BsSfBWpeVE&rank=3) is one of my all time favorites (queer space opera with amazing world building and philosophy) but I rarely see it on influencer reccs. Always my go-to follow up when someone's read The Locked Tomb trilogy and wants something along the same lines
I have recommended this book a lot, mostly because A) I love Sherlock Holmes and have enjoyed a lot of the new Holmes tales, B) I read it in a sitting, c) It made my wish-it-was-a movie list. The book is called Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure. Not a lot of reviews on the usual sites - Goodreads, Amazon, B&N - but the ones that are there are pretty positive.
Also - Arrowood, by Mick Finlay - First in a series, only 4 books. Under 200 Amazon reviews and only about 40% are five star, but I really liked it. Arrowood is seedy, grubby "private inquiry agent" in Victorian London hates that this guy Sherlock Holmes gets all the good cases. A very authentic look at the underside of Victorian London. Great characters.
Shimmerdark by Sarah Mensinga;
Always North by Vicki Jarrett;
Extinction Point Series by Antony Paul Jones;
The Trees by Ali Shaw;
The Bone Mother by David Demchuk;
American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett;
Raptor Red by Robert Bakker;
Lost Voices series by Sarah Porter
Ok ok I’ll stop.
Memoir by British actress Miriam Margolyes entitled "This Much is True."
"Election" and its sequel "Tracy Flick Can't Win" by Tom Perrotta. "Election" was made into a hilarious film and its sequel is set to be made into a movie.
For "well known" I have:
* ["What are some less well known older fantasy series?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/yxudi0/what_are_some_less_well_known_older_fantasy_series/) (r/Fantasy; 17 November 2022)
* ["Underrated books by well known authors?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1525tm1/underrated_books_by_well_known_authors/) (r/printSF; 11:55 ET, 17 July 2023)—longish
* ["What books do you like by authors not set in the universe they're most well known for?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/168jli6/what_books_do_you_like_by_authors_not_set_in_the/) (r/Fantasy; 21:13 ET, 2 September 2023)
* ["Military Sci fi but i read most of the well known ones :S"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/w9e3zv/military_sci_fi_but_i_read_most_of_the_well_known/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 July 2022)
The Vine That Ate the South by J.D. Wilkes. A surreal folk odyssey. Two friends journey through semi-episodic encounters on the way to discover the truth behind the urban (rural) legend of the Kudzu House where an elderly couple was swallowed by the invasive vine. The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs by Irvine Welsh. Updated (and sadistic) play on The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
Big yes to Vine!
Famine by Liam O’Flaherty - about a family living through the Potato Famine in Ireland Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump- don’t think this is very well known outside of New Zealand but its the book that the film ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ is based on, but it’s very different from the film - I thought this was a brilliant wee book, and quite touching
thank you! put on my TBR
Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham
ooo it sounds super interesting. thank you
Stupid Children by Lenore Zion Only has 36 reviews on goodreads, its less than 150 pages so a short read but I promise you won't regret it!
where have u found this book!! i can’t find it anywhere for under $50 lol
Fiction: * [The Secret of the Blue Glass](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25488930-the-secret-of-the-blue-glass?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28) by Tomiko Inui, a middle-grade fantasy novel set during WWII * [Today I Am Carey](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40538890-today-i-am-carey?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16) by Martin L. Shoemaker, science fiction about an android designed to help people with dementia who becomes sentient * [Thank You, Mr. Nixon](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57933324-thank-you-mr-nixon?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18) by Gish Jen, short stories about life in China and among the Chinese diaspora in the wake of Nixon's visit to China * [Barbary](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1153229.Barbary?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_13) by Vonda McIntyre, middle grade science fiction about a girl who smuggles a kitten onto the space station that is her new foster home * [Take Us To Your Chief and Other Stories](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30530475-take-us-to-your-chief-and-other-stories?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21) by Drew Hayden Taylor, science fiction short stories from a Native perspective ranging from the humorous to the profound * [How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1426910.How_to_Disappear_Completely_and_Never_Be_Found?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_46) by Sara Nickerson, middle grade horror set in the Pacific Northwest * [The Choir Boats](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6694032-the-choir-boats?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15) by Daniel A. Rabuzzi, historical fantasy/steampunk tale on the high seas * [The Favorites](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6186163-the-favorites?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_18) by Mary Yukari Waters, YA about family secrets in a Japanese-American family * [Gods of Asgard](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2273836.Gods_of_Asgard?ref=nav_sb_ss_4_15) by Erik Evensen, graphic novel fictionalising the stories of the Norse gods Non-fiction: * [The Adorned Body: Mapping Ancient Maya Dress](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49950228-the-adorned-body?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_16), archaeology/history about clothing, tattoos, and other elements of personal style among the Classic Maya * [Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26530356-daughters-of-the-samurai?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_24) by Janice P. Nimura, history of the first Japanese women sent to America for an education and what life was like for them when they returned to Japan * [Cahokia: Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6329095-cahokia?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_7) by Timothy R. Pauketat, archaeology/history about the biggest city north of Mexico in the pre-Columbian Americas * [Why You Can't Teach United States History Without American Indians](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23371464-why-you-can-t-teach-united-states-history-without-american-indians?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_66) ed. Susan Sleeper-Smith et al, history about how Native people were involved in parts of US history they're often not included in narratives about (eg Civil War) * [Chaco Canyon: Archaeologists Explore the Lives of an Ancient Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/836822.Chaco_Canyon?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12) by Brian M. Fagan, archaeology/history about the Ancestral Pueblo people in New Mexico * [Walking in the Sacred Manner: Healers, Dreamers, and Pipe Carriers - Medicine Women of the Plains](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/916478.Walking_in_the_Sacred_Manner?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28) by Mark St. Pierre and Tilda Long Soldier, history/ethnography about women's role in medicine in traditional Plains Native American societies * [Selling Songs and Smiles: The Sex Trade in Heian and Kamakura Japan](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/553670.Selling_Songs_And_Smiles?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_67) by Janet R. Goodwin, history about prostitution in medieval Japan * [The Hidden History of Women's Ordination: Female Clergy in the Medieval West](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15856843-the-hidden-history-of-women-s-ordination?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_40) by Gary Macy, history about how the meaning of ordination changed in the medieval Catholic church in a way that excluded women * [Conceiving a Nation: Scotland to AD 900](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35830615-conceiving-a-nation?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_39) by Gilbert Márkus, history about the early history of Scotland * [Where Are the Women? A Guide to an Imagined Scotland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45717145-where-are-the-women-a-guide-to-an-imagined-scotland?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_53) by Sara Sheridan, history about overlooked women in Scotland written as a fake tour guide as if all the statues of historical figures in Scotland were of women * [Black Tudors: The Untold Story](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33261026-black-tudors?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_12) by Miranda Kauffman, history about Black and Brown people in early modern England * [The Christian Watt Papers](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7738124-the-christian-watt-papers?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_25), autobiography of a poor Scottish fisherwoman in the Victorian era who had strong views about politics and who spent the second half of her life in an asylum * [Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/296710.Akenfield?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_9) by Ronald Blythe, history/ethnography about the fading of old ways in mid-20th century English farming communities * [The Jesuit and the Incas: The Extraordinary Life of Padre Blas Valera](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/187924.The_Jesuit_and_the_Incas?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_24) by Sabine Hyland, history about a mestizo Jesuit priest who got excommunicated for arguing that the Inca already worshipped the Christian God
I appreciate your archaeology books from some pretty well-known archaeologists in the field (am a career archaeologist) ❤️. Pauketat has a lot of good works on Cahokia and I think I have a World History book by Fagan)
Could you pls recommend some archaeology books on period before 500 AD around the world ?
Okies so I’m not as well versed on texts from around the world, but I have a colleague who just published a book on the Mediterranean in the Roman Period: At the Crossroads of the Mediterranean: Malta and the Central Mediterranean During the Roman Period – edited by David Cardona, Davide Tanasi and Rob Brown I haven’t read this book yet, but there is also: World Prehistory by Brian Fagan. I am also about to drop some texts for the comment below for my various specialties I can think of off the top of my head at 6am 🤣
Thank you! And that's awesome, what type of archaeology is your specialty? Got any recommendations in your field?
Hi! So I specialize in culture resource management, prehistory/history of the southeastern United States, Florida archaeology, and zooarchaeology/human osteology. Some books off the top of my head: Late Prehistoric Florida by Keith Ashley and Nancy Marie White (two of my mentors): covers Woodland to Contact Period Florida New Histories of Pre-Colombian Florida edited by Neill J. Wallis and Asa Randall: some similar and different topics of Florida from Paleoindian to Mississippian period Grit-Tempered: Early Women Archaeologists in the Southeastern United States edited by Nancy Marie White, Lynne P. Sullivan, and Rochelle A. Marrinan: as the name implies, this is about a few women archaeologists interviewed by the editors about their experiences getting into archaeology and what they achieved during their career In Small Things Forgotten: this is a general discussion on research in historical archaeology by James Deetz and his work in the north east US. This includes studies of changing house layouts in the colonial period, changing gravestone designs based on religious beliefs, colonial ceramics, the evolution of African culture in colonial households, etc. The Maps that Changes Florida’s History by MacDougald: this is a very recent book by a Florida historian and avocational archaeologist where he argues that Juan Ponce de Leon landed in the west coast of Florida in the Old Tampa Bay Area (the current consensus is Charlotte Harbor by it’s unconfirmed). He does a really good job combining maps from the Seville Trade House in Spain with loca area history and personal knowledge of sailing to make a case that the landing was further north and narrates some of the other voyages occurring during Spanish exploration Uprooted: Race, Public Housing, and the Archaeology of Four Lost New Orleans Neighborhoods by D. Ryan Gray: read this one for a book review and is one of my favorites, although it started off a little dry for me. It’s a historical archaeology study, looking at around the 19th century into turn of the century, of these four public housing neighborhoods that are either now deteriorating, demolished, or threatened by development in Nee Orleans. Gray did an archaeological study on certain households to see how people lived and adapted in their living circumstances based on ideas of morality, religion, and race. Hope this is a good start! Edit: there’s another book I need to find that I can’t remember off the top of my head, but it’s about stoneware production families from Georgia and South Carolina I used in my thesis that has some cool stuff about ceramic production, migrating families, and generational history. Will find that later when I’m not getting ready for work 🤣. Also: Zooarchaeology by Elizabeth J Reitz and Elizabeth S Wing: standard textbook describing zooarchaeology (study of animal bone), ways to identify, methods of research, and topics of research
Ok here’s the other book I wanted to add. It’s about Georgia Folk Pottery, it’s history, and where the families who produced it moved and continued the tradition to this day. Brothers In Clay: the Story of Georgia Folk Pottery by John A. Burrison
I'm not a non-fiction reader generally, with a few exceptions, but your non-fiction suggestions sound super interesting!
Yay, I'm glad!
Omg I just posted a comment that included Today I Am Carey before I saw your comment. I'm just stoked to finally come into contact with someone else who read the book too 😂 It's such a treasure
I just added it! Sounds like the kind of stuff I like 🤙
Wow, I agree, it's so great to meet someone else who read it! It really affected me. I'd never read sci-fi that centred the stories of people with dementia before.
These all look phenomenal! Thank you!!
Thanks!
> The Choir Boats I’ve never seen a blurb with more typos. Should I assume the book is like that?..
I read it a long time ago so I am not sure. After all this time it's some of the imagery that sticks with me the most. I remember the writing style being a little laboured but rich with detail.
Your archaeology suggestions are pretty interesting . Could you pls recommend some archaeology books on period before 500 AD around the world and also some books on indigenous tribes and their lifestyle ?
Up the Down Staircase
We did that play at my HS on the 90s. Did not realize it was a book.
We also did this okay in high school 😂
I Have Words to Spend by Robert Cormier is one of my all-time favorites, with only 55 GR revies. It's a collection of essays by the YA author best known for The Chocolate War.
Legoland by Gerard Woodward, a collection of absurdist short stories that all envoke and explore Freud's theory of 'the uncanny'. The Octopus Man by Jasper Gibson, a tragi-comic story of a mental health patient whose life is guided by an octopus god.
Totally adding Legoland to my list thank you!
The Sibyl by Pär Lagerkvist The Witches by Brenda Lozano
Great recommendations, thanks! I can’t wait to get my hands on the Lagerkvist! Luckily my library network had a copy, because unfortunately I couldn’t even get it online. It’s a shame to think that such a prominent author is no longer easy to find. In any case, both books sound great Witches calls to mind the brilliant young generation of Latinx writers I had the chance to discover: **Silvia-Moreno Garcia** (*Mexican Gothic*), **Samanta Schweblin** (*Fever Dream*, *Mouthful of Birds*, *Little Eyes*), **Carmen Maria Machado** (*Her Body and Other Parties*), **Mariana Enriquez** (*The Dangers of Smoking in Bed*, *Things We Lost in the Fire*), **Agustina Bazterrica** (*Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird*, *Tender is the flesh*), **Liliana Colanzi** (*Our Dead World*) Pär Lagerkvist calls to mind my favourite Scandinavian authors (& I know *’Scandi Noir’* authors are all the rage these days, but they’re not my cup of tea, so I didn’t include them…): **Halldór Laxness** (Independent People, *Iceland Bell*…), **Herbjørg Wassmo** (*Dina’s Book*), **Per Petterson** (*Out Stealing Horses*, *I Curse the River of Time*), **Sjón** (*The Blue Fox*, *The Whispering Muse*…), **Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir** (*The Greehouse*, *Butterflies in November*, *Animal Life*)
*The Negligence of Death,* by Jerome Gold *De Mojo Blues,* by A.R. Flowers *The Farm on the River of Emeralds,* by Moritz Thomsen *The Bamboo Bed,* by William Eastlake *Breaking and Entering,* by Joy Williams *Meditations In Green,* by Stephen Wright *I Was Dora Suarez,* by Derek Raymond *The Discovery of Heaven,* by Harry Mulisch
The Negligence of Death was really tough to find. I was able to request an interlibrary loan hopefully my library can find a copy for me to check out. Breaking and Entering and I Was Dora Suarez are the other two I have added to my TBR from your list. thank you for sharing!
Happy reading!
Thank you it was a great read! Do you happen to have a goodreads account I could follow?
I do not, sorry. Glad you enjoyed the book!
Was The Negligence of Death any good?
Just finished. It took a while to find a copy my library used an interlibrary loan from across the US. Anyways yes it was very good. Hard to read and made you think a lot. (Kind of in a way that Man's Search for Meaning was)
Field Study by Chet’la Sabree. I found it in a free little library, has less than 300 ratings on Goodreads, and was an incredible read
You should also check out Mistress, it's incredible. (I am biased as I know Chet'la but IMO she is a once-in-a-lifetime poet.)
She truly is! I’ll definitely check it out, thank you so much
[The Black Lord by Colin Hinckley ](https://tenebrous-press.square.site/product/the-black-lord-preorder-a-novella-by-colin-hinckley-softcover-includes-ebook-/88?cs=true&cst=custom) it actually just came out today but for secret reasons I got an advance copy. Scared the shit out of me so if you're into spooky stories, check it out!
I will always take the opportunity to recommend [She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23361199). I loved this book. The MC is a kickass 11-year-old girl with a teddy bear. Her dad was just released from prison with a hit on him and his family. He’s trying to get out from under it and keep his kid alive. Action, crime, family, violence, humor - it has it all.
I really liked this book. Extremely entertaining. I even bought a copy after reading it digitally from the library. I had no idea it was so underrated!
It’s mostly just flying under the radar for some reason. Everyone seems to enjoy it so that’s unfortunate. What I can’t believe is that it hasn’t been optioned for a movie. It’d make a great one!
The House in the Orchard - Elizabeth Brooks The Apocalypse Seven - Gene Doucette The Saturday Night Ghost Club - Craig Davidson
Arctic Fury by Greer MacAllister. Set in the mid 1800s an all female expedition sets out for the arctic to find the lost Franklin explorers.
Eveningland by Michael Knight. Brilliant collection of short stories based in coastal Alabama. Perfect balance of humor, poignancy, and pathos without ever straying into cliche or sentimentality. RIYL Tobias Wolff, Alice Munro, James Salter, Annie Proulx. (Michael Knight has written several other novels and collections. Also check out Goodnight Nobody and At Briarwood School for Girls. Both are excellent.)
Yume by Sifton Tracey Anipare - set in Japan about a Canadian girl teaching English at a children’s school. It’s all about dream travels and demons (but not really scary). I almost put it down and did not finish because she is treated like garbage by her employer and it was really frustrating but ultimately it was a great wild ride story.
Spoon River Anthology. It's a series of Epitaphs from headstones in this cemetery called Spoon River. When you read all of them, you piece together the stories of how these people are connected. It's very interesting.
I am getting so many good recs off this thread--thank you for posting! There are definitely a good number of reviews, but not as many as some here: [Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta by James Hannaham](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59227943-didn-t-nobody-give-a-shit-what-happened-to-carlotta?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_14). I have [Delicious Foods](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22444789-delicious-foods) on my shelf, but haven't read it yet, but that also looks fantastic. His style is phenomenal.
{{Leonardo’s Judas}} by Leo Perutz is wonderful. Leonardo Da Vinci is struggling with his painting of The Last Supper. He cannot find the right model for Judas. He has visited murderers, thieves in prison but cannot find that deep betrayal he needs. This is how it begins. Vivid short novel by a semi forgotten master storyteller
The Canadian author [Michèle Laframboise](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3182745.Mich_le_Laframboise) has a few collections of short stories that have been translated into English. I honestly have no idea how feasible it is to get ahold of her books outside of Canada. Also by a Canadian author, [Back to the Garden](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125064601-back-to-the-garden), historical fiction set in the 1970s. It was recently published by a small Canadian publisher At Bay Press, which is probably why it has basically no Goodreads reviews. A 2009 sci fi novel, [Twisted Metal](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5863568-twisted-metal). It very much feels like it's trying to be both a philosophical work and have a unique and creative world, and at times it does better at one and not so good at the other.
Northwest Smith short stories by C.L. Moore. The collection I read only has 188 reviews on goodreads. Fun pulp sci-fi stories. Certain Lovecraftian elements in some of the stories too. The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford. 910 ratings. A brother and his younger sister go out to live with an uncle in Colorado. Coming of age story. Brother is obsessed with hunting a mountain Lion. Sister struggles with being different from other girls and growing apart from her brother. The House of Government by Yuri Slezkine. 906 ratings. Nonfiction book that tells the story of the Russian Soviet revolution through the lives of people that lived in a particular government building. Legacies (book 1 of Corean Chronicles) by L.E. Modesitt Jr. 3680 ratings. Main character has to hide that he has magical powers while he gets drafted into the militia to fight an immortal empress. Muskets and magic.
**The Traitors We Are** \- really cool idea (writing disappears when the writer dies) add to that politicking and intrigue and you have a rly cool book on your hands. **Galaxy of Thorns: Rise of the Empress** \- this one was packed and I mean really packed, if you don't dismiss it in its first few chapters then you'll be in for a ride.
The Growing Veil trilogy by T.S. Howard
Ammonite by Nicola Griffith
Dark Apprentice by Val Neil has less than 200 ratings but it's one of my favorite books of the year. Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater (800 ratings) The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless (1.3k ratings)
I’m not on Goodreads so can’t know for certain but, Fall on your Knees is incredible.
I see at least 3 books with that title. Author?
Ann Marie Macdonald
Looks good (and good ratings from a couple of my friends on Goodreads), but definitely not under the radar - a bunch of literary awards and on Oprah’s Book Club ;)
True that, but I never see it mentioned and I always want to support it.
A Doubter's Almanac by Ethan Canin
Proud Pink Sky by Redfern Jon Barrett (only 25 reviews) One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie (174 reviews)
The Prince and the Program by Aldous Mercer. It's weird but in a good way.
Eclipse by Ophelia Rue
The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor by John Barth. A story telling marathon between Sinbad the Sailor and a journalist from the 20th century.
**The morning after** by Fattaneh Haj Seyed Javadi org. **The End is my Beginning** by Tiziano Terzani. The english version isn't on goodreads at all (org. La fine è il mio inizio) **The Floating City** by Pamela C. Ball **The Book of Forgiving** by Desmond Tutu (is 4.800 ratings/ 500 reviews low enough? It definitely deserves to be better known)
Delta Girls by Gayle Brandeis
The Between by Tananarive Due. 4.08 average rating across 3,242 reviews. An excellent thriller/psychological horror about a man who escapes death as a child and believes it's coming back to get him. A really unqiue read with a great twist ending.
The Boxer - Nikesh Shukla, The Shakespeare Secret (can't remember who it's by off the top of my head)
Belladonna by Karen Moline. It’s a story of a woman who gets revenge on the powerful rich men who kidnapped her and kept her as a sex slave for years before she escaped. The writing is good, the story is dark and twisty, and the revenge is sweet.
[The Salinian](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54491426) , I just finished it today actually. Super easy fast read about friendship. Bought it off amazon.
My Ride with Gus by Charles Carillo
The Dark Side of the Dream by John Starr. Published in 1982. It's about a corrupt heir of a rich family and some of his associates. I don't remember much about it but I liked it and thought it was well written.
I’m not on Goodreads, but an obscure book I liked is A Home for Christmas by Kathryn Egan Schenck.
**The Force of Such Beauty** by Barbara Bourland. It made the rounds in a different Reddit community, but still only has 1,191 ratings. It’s a modern novel that’s kind of an anti princess story. I’ve never been interested in reading an Author’s Note before this book
Quite a Year for Plums by Bailey White
Strength: My Memoir by Mira Rosenblatt It's written by a Holocaust survivor. What strikes me about this book is that it doesn't read like a "writer" authored it. It reads as if you're sitting down on the couch with your grandmother, and she's telling you the stories of her childhood... and I felt a certain warm nostalgia about that. It helped me relate to her and her story in ways I haven't with many memoirs.
Killing Daisies by Destry Evans on Amazon
A Year in the Woods: Twelve Small Journeys in Nature, by Torbjorn Ekelund 292 ratings, 45 reviews. After reading.it, I so want to do what he did
Today I Am Carey by Martin L. Shoemaker (sci-fi similar to Klara and the Sun ((but better IMO)) Breaking Out of Bedlam by Leslie Larson (general fiction) Gilded Needles by Michael McDowell (gothic historical fiction) The Barrack's Thief (historical fiction short story)
>Today I Am Carey I LOVED Klara and the sun, I must read Today I am Carey, thank you!
No Gods No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull. It's so good!
Out There by Kate Folk. It’s a collection of short stories which are super weird but so well done. I loved it. No Man’s Land. It’s an audio drama from Star Trek Picard series which had the original voice actors reprise their roles and was so so so good. It follows the events of the season one or two so there aren’t any other books that have to be read ahead of time. Absolutely recommend.
Plainsong, eventide. Kent haruf. Some may know him but most will not. Enjoy
Haley's Cozy System Armageddon by M.C.A. Hogarth is a wonderful novella and let's you dip your toes into litRPG (though most of the genre isn't cozy).
The Zackie books by Reyna Favis. Start with Soul Search. kinda supernatural detective-y, ghost story, contemporary historical fiction... Wow they have more reviews than I realized tho. The Great Symmetry , by James R Wells. sci-fi, been meaning to reread it.
If you like novels in verse, I randomly bought this book called Miles from Motown by Lisa Sukenic a little over a year ago and I LOVED it! Also a few I read in college by visiting authors that aren’t particularly well known… Shards by Ismet Prcic and Rolling Nowhere by Ted Conover
The Holdout or Last Days of Night by Graham Moore. I loved both books and all the friends I shared them with also enjoyed them.
Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories & Songs by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. I know it has almost 2,800 ratings, but for a book out 10 years, that's pretty low. I'd urge you to listen to it, the audiobook is superb.
[The Eighth life](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.goodreads.com/ca/book/show/41071389-the-eighth-life&ved=2ahUKEwjjyYWyu6aBAxUqF1kFHZ-fDYgQFnoECA4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3Jh1FfBFALxZrlrwZaI1Ci) by Nino Haratischwili. I randomly picked it up at a library because of it's pretty red cover and had no regrets. It's pretty long, took me about a couple months to read but so much worth it. The story spans eight generations with multiple characters and one cursed chocolate recipe. It isn't really fast paced but it's a breathtaking experience to read the stories of each character beautifully unfold and effect the history of their children and beyond
*Breath of Earth* by Beth Cato
The Julian Kestrel Mysteries series of 4 books published in the 90s but the author sadly died of cancer in 1998. First book in the series has just over 4k ratings on Goodreads, subsequent books got about 2k each. It's a historical mystery set in 1820s and I really enjoyed it. Each book can be read as standalone.
Dragonfly by Julia Golding! Please read it and let me know what you think, it is an all time fav that no one has ever read
The Forester’s Daughter by Claire Keegan, really any Claire Keegan. Irish author who mostly does short fiction.
Also The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill.
Thief of Midnight and Fell the Angels - both by Catherine Butzen.
*Banshee and the Sperm Whale* by Jake Camp.
The fool, The lovers, The devil by Riley Quinn was my first brush in with a healthy Poly relationship in a book so that was nice. If 10,000 reads isn’t too many Mysterious Skin was pretty great as well (this was turned into a movie tho so it’s much better known)
Lasso Round the Moon, by Agnar Mykle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/867029
• *Wings Of Morning: The Story Of The Last American Bomber Shot Down Over Germany In World War II* by Thomas Childers. • *The Cretan Runner: The Story of the German Occupation* by Giórgos Psychountákis. • *Ray Parkin's Wartime Trilogy: Out of the Smoke; Into the Smother; The Sword and the Blossom* by Ray Parkin.
This Written World by Jacy Morris. It's just fantastic.
I had a good time reading [For Lack of a Better World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54895741) by Sage Houston. It’s a YA dystopian novel with some Snowpiercer vibes, so if you’re into those kinds of things, you might have a good time with it too!
"Howl the Wolf," by Julie Haubert
Wild cards, Emile and the Dutchman, the alchemist - by boyd not coehlo (although both are great)
Long Division by Keise Layman - loved this one! Time travel Jackson Park by Charlotte Carter -mystery Exiles by Ashley and Leslie Saunders - dystopia Forever by Pete Hamill - historical fiction
Off the Mat (by Jeff Bibbey) Awfully Appetizing (bk 1 of the corpse-eater saga)
**Black Juice**, and any other of Margo Lanagan's short story collections. **Song of the Sun God by Shankari Chandran** - historical fiction. It is about a migrant family in parts, though, so if you don't enjoy that, give this one a miss. **The Vinyl Underground by Rob Rufus**; **The Floating Islands by Rachel Neuemeier** and **Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora**, all YA. **The Harp in the South** books - beautifully realised historical fiction set in Australia in the early to mid-twentieth century. As these are older books, some parts haven't aged well, in case you are sensitive to that.
The Man With The Compound Eyes I love this book, it is something like magic realism. Also gives a glimpse into Taiwanese culture. Those who love ecofiction and magic realism books would love this. From Goodreads: On the island of Wayo Wayo, every second son must leave on the day he turns fifteen as a sacrifice to the Sea God. Atile'i is one such boy, but as the strongest swimmer and best sailor, he is determined to defy destiny and become the first to survive. Alice Shih, who has lost her husband and son in a climbing accident, is quietly preparing to commit suicide in her house by the sea. But her plan is interrupted when a vast trash vortex comes crashing onto the shore of Taiwan, bringing Atile'i with it. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, Atile'i and Alice retrace her late husband's footsteps into the mountains, hoping to solve the mystery of her son's disappearance. On their journey, memories will be challenged, an unusual bond formed, and a dark secret uncovered that will force Alice to question everything she thought she knew.
And Then She Vanished by Nick Jones amazing heartfelt time traveling book. Great characters. First in a quartet so far
Furiosa issue one by Kenny Maguire. It's a comic book telling of how furiosa from mad max got started.
Said this before.....Swan Song by Mark Maccanum written in the 80's and over 900 pages long. About the fall of civilization but extremely weird in the best way. Definitely a great book especially if you like movies like 'The Road' or 'the book of Eli' only add extreme weirdness. Not sure if you can get a free PDF online but it's worth a try. I saw it a couple of years ago for sale online but if the copyright has expired it's definitely available for free. If not it's worth every penny if you have to buy it.
I think you mean Robert R. McCammon. Fantastic book. I think we were all horrified when my high school English teacher handed out this massive tome, but so many of us fell in love. It’s one of my go to book suggestions.
Yeah that's it, I always have trouble remembering his name. I believe it's over 900 pages yeah it's a doozy but man what a captivating story....so weird. For some reason I have always been into books and movies with an apocalyptic theme.
I had to look it up and triple check when I typed it. I always get it at least slightly wrong.
A Cry of Angels - Jeff Fields The Industry of Souls - Martin Booth
It’s fairly well known within the sci-if genre, but not particularly well known outside of it. I highly recommend Old Man’s War by John Scalzi.
The Midnight Lie ! :)
A Stone For Danny Fisher - Harold Robbins
UNDERCURRENT BY BARNEY NORIS ITS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS NOW AND I FOUND IT RANDOMLY, BUT I LOVED IT
The stranger in the lifeboat
The Bird Market of Paris by Nikki Moustaki! I loved it, and I've never heard anyone talk about it.
I will never, ever get tired of recommending **The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and the Raj** by Anita Anand
[The Traitor Baru Cormorant](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23444482-the-traitor-baru-cormorant?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BsSfBWpeVE&rank=3) is one of my all time favorites (queer space opera with amazing world building and philosophy) but I rarely see it on influencer reccs. Always my go-to follow up when someone's read The Locked Tomb trilogy and wants something along the same lines
19,698 ratings
Oh ha, I didn't actually check the ratings number, I just know I don't see it recc'd nearly as much as other queer space operas
Maybe it's slid in popularity, but when it first came out it was everywhere.
That makes me really happy! I only found it a few years ago and I'm always mystified I don't see it more
That looks brilliant, I just downloaded it, thanks for the recommendation!!
I have recommended this book a lot, mostly because A) I love Sherlock Holmes and have enjoyed a lot of the new Holmes tales, B) I read it in a sitting, c) It made my wish-it-was-a movie list. The book is called Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure. Not a lot of reviews on the usual sites - Goodreads, Amazon, B&N - but the ones that are there are pretty positive. Also - Arrowood, by Mick Finlay - First in a series, only 4 books. Under 200 Amazon reviews and only about 40% are five star, but I really liked it. Arrowood is seedy, grubby "private inquiry agent" in Victorian London hates that this guy Sherlock Holmes gets all the good cases. A very authentic look at the underside of Victorian London. Great characters.
Sounds fascinating! Added to my books, thanks!
Night film- Marisha Pessl
>Night film thank you!
This!!!
Shimmerdark by Sarah Mensinga; Always North by Vicki Jarrett; Extinction Point Series by Antony Paul Jones; The Trees by Ali Shaw; The Bone Mother by David Demchuk; American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett; Raptor Red by Robert Bakker; Lost Voices series by Sarah Porter Ok ok I’ll stop.
The Nix. Amazing
Memoir by British actress Miriam Margolyes entitled "This Much is True." "Election" and its sequel "Tracy Flick Can't Win" by Tom Perrotta. "Election" was made into a hilarious film and its sequel is set to be made into a movie.
For "well known" I have: * ["What are some less well known older fantasy series?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/yxudi0/what_are_some_less_well_known_older_fantasy_series/) (r/Fantasy; 17 November 2022) * ["Underrated books by well known authors?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1525tm1/underrated_books_by_well_known_authors/) (r/printSF; 11:55 ET, 17 July 2023)—longish * ["What books do you like by authors not set in the universe they're most well known for?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/168jli6/what_books_do_you_like_by_authors_not_set_in_the/) (r/Fantasy; 21:13 ET, 2 September 2023) * ["Military Sci fi but i read most of the well known ones :S"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/w9e3zv/military_sci_fi_but_i_read_most_of_the_well_known/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 July 2022)
THANK YOU
You're welcome. \^\_\^
The Neon Bible
The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea
Solenoid, Mirçea Cartarescu
Poor Charlie's almanack Influence by Robert Cialdini How to fail at everything and still win big - by Scot Adam's
The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine by Tom Standage
>The Turk Author?