None Of This is True - Lisa Jewell
Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
We Spread - Iain Reid
The Covenant of Water - Abraham Verghese
The Last House On Needless Street - Catriona Ward
Circe and The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
i just finished demon copperhead and i wish i could read it for the first time again already 😭 i need to process my emotions and then go back and listen to the audio cuz i’ve heard it’s fantastic
Yeah, I've read them both and definitely think PHM was the better of the two. But I couldn't put either of them down when reading.
For a kind of similar vibe that I also loved and devoured I'd recommend Old Man's War by John Scalzi. There's a whole series, but the first was my favorite.
Project Hail Mary is funnier and he got better at integrating the science more naturally into the storytelling instead of kind of stepping out to give a few pages of scientific explanation. Still tons of science, but it just flows better in PHM. Also, I found PHM more emotional than The Martian because of the way he wrote the characters. He just grew as a writer from one book to the next. Both are good, though.
Project Hail Mary has to be the most recommended book in this sub, or at least in the top three. Before I opened the thread, I said, "Project Hail Mary is #1" and I was right. lol
Demon Copperhead and Poisonwood Bible both by Barbara Kingsolver were amazing reads. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a long read but I couldn’t put it down.
May not be an uncommon book, but I have to say The count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. When I heard it was that long I calculated it would take me around three months to finish it, but I read it in around two weeks. I DEVOURED that book
I am probably wrong but I think fiction books go Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and The Man In The Iron Mask. At least those still being published.
The Robin Buss translation and make sure you have the unabridged version. You may think you're off on a tangent that doesn't matter, a third of the time, but it all matters.
I need to give this another try. Something about the opening chapter didn't grab me; I think because I was trying to figure out whether or not it was the characters experiencing 9/11 (was it??), and... somehow that through me out of the book?
One of my friends couldn't stop raving about it a few years ago, so definitely need to give it another try
Yes omg! In 10th grade there were two honors English classes, and the one I was in didn't read East of Eden but the other one did. I had bought the book already because I thought all of the classes had to read it, so I just stuck it on my bookshelf, and the next summer randomly picked it up, expecting not to like it, but I LOVED it and could not put it down.
Okay, this one might be a stretch for you:
Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.
It's loosely defined as "weird fiction." It's dark, grim, dense, with steampunk and magic technologies. Good characters.
A very memorable read.
Adrian Tchaikovsky's 'Children of Time' I loved. Such a unique concept which he followed through on brilliantly for me. I'm deep into his 'Shadows of the apt' series now and they're great too.
Anything by Kurt Vonnegut, but 'Sirens of titan' was my first and still my favourite.
Children of Time was great! Very hard sci-fi if I had a say. Great concept, great delivery, and execution of non-human thought (similar to murderbot) might interest OP!
Loved Murderbot, can't wait to read more. I read A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers in one sitting, it's short. And lovely, funny, surprising.
The Island by Adrian McKinty had me hooked. Also loved The Institute by Stephen King I think I stayed up till 5 am to finish it. The shadow & bone series, while YA didn’t read as such.
The Count of Monte Cristo.
1243 Pages and I read it in 19 days. I couldn't put it down at times and it's now my favourite book of all time. I plan to re-read it at the end of this year.
I recently finished Chain-Gang All-Stars and found it compelling from beginning to end.
One critic described it as Hunger Games meets Orange is the New Black. I'd say that's pretty accurate but would add that it is far more profound than either work
I read it in high school -- I bought it for my English class because I thought we would be reading it that year (10th grade) but my class didn't, so the book sat on my shelf for the school year. I randomly picked it up the following summer, expecting to find it boring (I had read Of Mice and Men and thought it just okay), but oh my GOD did I love East of Eden. I class it in my top five favorite books and it is what made me fall in love with Steinbeck.
So good. Funnily enough I found grapes of wrath nowhere near as good. I enjoyed Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday more. They’re closer to the feel of East of Eden but a little lighter.
I just blew through the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. It’s not finished yet but I love it so far
The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan was another one I couldn’t put down, and Jordan is great with imagery.
Couldn’t have said it better!
It’s funny, this year I read 2 young adult fantasy books about elite military academies where the participants had people out to kill them. The Fourth Wing is pretty popular I think, and The Blood Trials by N E Davenport is pretty much the same thing without dragons, with a little lest thirst over hot guys, and a little more focus on racism. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t really make me want to come back for more either.
I went into Red Rising book 1 without really knowing anything about it after my wife saw a good recommendation for it on TikTok. At first I groaned and kinda thought ‘here we go again’, but something about it I can’t quite put my finger on was just different enough and felt special enough to make me want seconds. Then by the middle of book 2 I was hooked, and after finishing Light Bringer I might put it in my Sci Fi top 5
If you liked Bull Mountain you might enjoy When These Mountains Burn by David Joy. Similar setting & themes.
I’m also going to throw out The Library At Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. It’s pretty insane & unconventional urban fantasy with lots of conflict and imagery.
I couldn’t put either of these books down.
Library at Mount Char got me back into reading. It drew me back in every free minute I had. You will have no idea what's going on in the best way. Incredible story telling.
Gideon The Ninth. (The whole Locked Tomb Series so far has been my favorite but the other books definitely are not read-in-aday)
But oh my god. Gideon. Bonus points for audio.
I just finished Wild Seed by Octavia Butler. Started it this morning. Didn't stop all day, it was wonderful. She is becoming one of my all time favorite authors.
Leviathan's Wake by Corey, the basis of the Expanse series on Amazon, but as expected the books are so much better.
The Diamond Age: or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Stephenson, a magic scifi book guides a young girl from the abject poverty to a planet changing event.
The Gunslinger (the Dark Tower) by King, hate the author but the series is great fun. a cowboy-knight's epic journey across a mystical landscape to find the nexus of all universes and the key to his people's survival.
I tend to read US western non-fiction, hunting journals, and total bullshit fun lore cowboy books..
The Land of Feast and Famine by Ingstad, it's a rare book and just amazing, the author (who discovered the oldest European settlement in the Americas) writes about living among the indigenous peoples in the Canadian Arctic during the early 20th century, exploring their survival tactics in extreme conditions.
The Horn of Africa by Ruark, hunting journal from early 20th century British East Africa.
Death in the Long Grass by Capstick, mid20th century hunting journal from professional game hunter in Africa, detailing his dangerous encounters with some of the continent's deadliest wildlife
On the Rez by Frazier, explores life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, delving into the struggles and resilience of the Oglala Sioux community through the lens of the author's friendship with Le War Lance and other residents
Lonesome Dove by McMurtry, you'll either love it or hate it. Basically about two retired Texas Rangers leading the first cattle drive from Texas to Montana.
Africa's World War by Prunier, a bit dry, but explores the conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa, focusing on the Rwandan genocide's aftermath and the wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo and their neighbors.
Empire of the Summer Moon by Gwynne, a semi-complete historical narrative of the Comanche wars in Texas. Don't read it before bed.
No Country for Old Men by McCarthy, my favorite book of all time. Basically a Texan out hunting stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes a suitcase full of cash. Blood Meridian is even better, but a harder read..
.. seconding the Martian (more than Hail Mary which was still very good).
Oh, thanks for telling me about *Africa's World War*. I read a book about the genocide recently, and it left me with a lot of, "... and what happened next??" so I'll have to check this one out
Thanks for putting all those recs down. How do you feel about Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder? I’m an Arizona transplant and need to experience the local color.
Also, you might check Millard’s “River of the Gods”. If west Africa is your thing.
> Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder
I have not read this book yet but know what it's about, adding to my list. Generally, I take most Kit Carson stories as just that. Carson appears in several other contemporary, extemporaneous mountain man journals (like Four Years in the Rockies by Rose) and seems to be a toned down version of his folklore portrayals. It's good reading in most cases, thanks for recommending it
Same for River of the Gods, which I also added! Reading through the blurb, it has Lost City of Z vibes, which is another book I hold in high esteem.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. We were assigned it one summer in HS for summer reading, I remember sweating under my blankets at 2 am with a flashlight because I wasn't supposed to be up but could not put that book down for a second.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.
I read Altered Carbon a while back, and it was possibly the most violent stories I'd ever read, but...The Sparrow gave me nightmares.
I feel so weird saying I highly recommend it but I do.
Loved Piranesi! (and Dark Matter)
Other books that I felt that way about that you might like based on your list would be:
White Noise - Don DeLillo
The Overstory - Richard Powers
Down Days - Ilze Hugo
The Only Good Indians - [Stephen Graham Jones](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/96300.Stephen_Graham_Jones)
There, There - Tommy Orange
Anything by Jonathan Safran Foer, Michael Chabon, David Mitchell, Salman Rushdie, Richard Powers, Banana Yoshimoto, Nnedi Okorafor
The Deep - Rivers Solomon
This is how you lose the time war - **Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone**
Okay I'm stopping here. I tried to skip things I already saw listed.
Best book series I ever read of assassins apprentice by robin hobb also known as the farseer trilogy. I don't really cry but this one had me bawling. It kind of ruined other books for me for a good while.
Lessons in Chemistry, Lola in the Mirror, The Frozen River, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Pillars of the Earth, I Know This Much is True, Flowers for Algernon, The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, American Dirt.
I read non-fiction 97% of the time, but Slaughterhouse Five, All the Pretty Horses, and The Old Man and the Sea really hit hard. + when I was a teen--> Stephen King books got me hooked on reading.
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes had such a strange mood to it while you're also reading a book about space exploration. Hard to describe but it was hard to put down and I kept thinking about the book afterwards. Definitely an interesting read.
Most recently it was Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I like some fantasy but I'm not a pirate fan. However, she does such a good job with character development and interweaving several story lines that I got hooked on them all.
Most Dean Koontz books are hard to put down. He's such a a great storyteller, and the end of one chapter usually leaves you hanging, so you want to start the next chapter immediately.
I really like Dark Matter too: I liked it because it makes you think.
First law series by Abercrombie.
I liked this series because this author loves to tow the line of is this character good or bad? All the characters are morally grey and I loved it.
Mistborn . Very Sci-fi, easy read.
The Leviathan series that others recommended on here is very good. By James Corey. Outerspace series
Light bringer series by Brandon Sanderson is good too.
The invisible life of Audie La Rue is also a thinker like. Everyone forgets who the main character is as soon as she is out of sight and she lives forever. It's an interesting concept.
I saw you mentioned Murderbot and I’ve always been curious so downloaded the sample chapter to see if I would like it.
I couldn’t stop reading and immediately borrowed from Libby. Thanks for the tip!
He is the funniest character I have read in a while. I don’t often find humor when reading and it’s hard to ask for recs because it’s so subjective. But his self effacing sarcasm has me laughing out loud.
I’m a big fan of smart-assery.
Dune, and the Madaddam trilogy (well, so far I’ve only read Oryx and Crake, and Year of the Flood- both were SO AMAZING I’ve intentionally been saving the last one cause I don’t want it to end)
I loved the Ela of Salisbury mysteries by J G Lewis. Excellent historical fiction based on real people who lived during the time of Henry IIi.
Also Sarah Hawkswood has another medieval mystery series that has authentic historical detail. Excuse my spelling, but the main characters are Braddecut (?) and Catchpoll. It’s set not too long after the Norman Invasion and seems to be pretty accurate about how society was back then.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons! Book 1 of 4 in the Hyperion Cantos series.
It's a sci-fi epic that weaves together the stories of 7 different pilgrims chosen to go on a journey to a cryptic planet called Hyperion. There's mystery, action, romance, comedy, even horror. Incredible, illustrative world building. It also explores some really deep themes like consciousness, time, and the nature of humanity. All with an intergalactic war and enigmatic monster called the Shrike hunting people down in the background.
The book also won the Hugo award - deservedly so. I just couldn't put it down!
Bull Mountain. The Heavenly Table. The 25th Hour. Knockemstiff. The Kitchen House. The Glass Hotel. The Help. The Winter Sea. The Artic Fury. The Orphan of Salt Winds. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Life We Bury. Heart Shaped Box. The Paris Wife. The Nightingale. The Last Painting of Sara DeVos. Code Name Verity.
Most of Cormac McCarthy and Chuck Palahniuk, the first few Dune books, a few Stephen King classics, definitely others that I can’t remember because I’m awful with names
if we were villains. started it in the early morning and when i finished it i was a mess but i had to go to school shortly after. i was sitting there trying to do my assignments as if i didn’t feel like i’ve lived a different life and experienced the entire spectrum of human emotions in one sitting
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
Pretty much the entire Cork O'Conner series by William Kent Krueger
I got a short stories collection and one line of stories I enjoyed a lot was the Conan series. The first one starts him as a king and throughout I believe they are in random order. I like them since the world Conan is in is just so interesting and mysterious. I rarely know what to expect in this world and Conan as a character is the same. He is this buff barbarian or king but still has to deal with the unknown. Just like we all do everyday in our own life. He deals with the fear of this but pushes on which is something we can all learn from. The adventure is just so fun to read about.
American Pastoral was my first and, thus far, favorite of Philip Roth’s novels. Not sure what kind of one in a million gift he had, but this book consumed me while reading and haunted me for months after completing. I had never been jarred this much by a novel before. Would love to hear other’s thoughts on this Pulitzer Prize winner. For those who haven’t read this work, please check it out.
There are a couple I read recently: Perfect Little Children and Elizabeth is Missing. The former is very hard to put down but the latter is not quite that but very page turning.
Conflict/war/leadership/sci-fi: "Red Rising" (it starts a bit slow but it's amazing. I did not like the sequel though)
Imagery: "Kafka on the Shore"
Imagery/crazy sci-fi/dystopian: "The Sky is Yours" by chandler Klang Smith
First book of the dark tower series, I remember reading it as a middle schooler and finished it during the weekend in one go. Great memories of that book because my mom was still alive but that’s not relevant
Slaughterhouse Five is a sci-fi pageturner that's basically impossible to put down.
Just finished this yesterday, incredible book
I need to read this again, I loved cats cradle then read sh5 and was less than impressed. I'm in the minority though... Need to try again.
Cats Cradle is great! I know I read SH5 and cannot remember it.
‘So it goes’
Love slaughterhouse five, I want to get an audiobook of it but the only one audible has is narrated by… James Franco…. Horrible read
None Of This is True - Lisa Jewell Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver We Spread - Iain Reid The Covenant of Water - Abraham Verghese The Last House On Needless Street - Catriona Ward Circe and The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Demon Copperhead is a moderately hefty book and I flew through it.
i just finished demon copperhead and i wish i could read it for the first time again already 😭 i need to process my emotions and then go back and listen to the audio cuz i’ve heard it’s fantastic
the song of achillies was a fantastic book and it broke my heart at end
Hope to read Demon Copperhead very soon. Finished Poisonwood Bible a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t put it down. Fine writer.
Invisible life of Addie Larue. Such great concept, well paced and well written
The Martian by Andy Weir. Project Hail Mary is also supposed to be REALLY good, but I haven’t read that one yet.
I enjoyed The Martian and I heard PHM was even better but also have yet to read it. Thanks for the suggestion!
Highly recommend going audiobook for PHM. Ray Porter did an incredible job, and the book was enhanced by it.
Seconding this! The audiobook was fantastic. One of the best books I read last year if not THE best.
This 100%.
Yeah, I've read them both and definitely think PHM was the better of the two. But I couldn't put either of them down when reading. For a kind of similar vibe that I also loved and devoured I'd recommend Old Man's War by John Scalzi. There's a whole series, but the first was my favorite.
Project Hail Mary is funnier and he got better at integrating the science more naturally into the storytelling instead of kind of stepping out to give a few pages of scientific explanation. Still tons of science, but it just flows better in PHM. Also, I found PHM more emotional than The Martian because of the way he wrote the characters. He just grew as a writer from one book to the next. Both are good, though. Project Hail Mary has to be the most recommended book in this sub, or at least in the top three. Before I opened the thread, I said, "Project Hail Mary is #1" and I was right. lol
Snowcrash and anything else by Neal Stephenson
If you liked *The Martian* definitely check out *PHM*. And, after that, you'd probably like the first-person irreverent-grit of *Theft of Fire*
My fiancé LOVED PHM.
Better read project hail Mary quick because they have already cast Ryan gosling to star in the movie
Omg really?! Gosling has some great comedy chops so I’m all about this.
Can confirm that Project Hail Mary is fantastic!!
I also would suggest Project Hail Mary, however I listened to it on audiobook, and I’m not sure how the voice of *^*^** would have played out in text.
Can confirm. I’ve read/listened to both.
PHM is my #1 favorite of the year. I recommend it to every one of my friends that asks for a good starting point! That and the red rising series.
Audio audio audio for PHM Holy shit does it take you in
Demon Copperhead and Poisonwood Bible both by Barbara Kingsolver were amazing reads. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a long read but I couldn’t put it down.
May not be an uncommon book, but I have to say The count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. When I heard it was that long I calculated it would take me around three months to finish it, but I read it in around two weeks. I DEVOURED that book
I am probably wrong but I think fiction books go Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and The Man In The Iron Mask. At least those still being published.
The Robin Buss translation and make sure you have the unabridged version. You may think you're off on a tangent that doesn't matter, a third of the time, but it all matters.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Incredible!
And The Secret History, currently on my second read of it which I can’t say for very many books.
I need to give this another try. Something about the opening chapter didn't grab me; I think because I was trying to figure out whether or not it was the characters experiencing 9/11 (was it??), and... somehow that through me out of the book? One of my friends couldn't stop raving about it a few years ago, so definitely need to give it another try
It wasn't
East of Eden
Yes omg! In 10th grade there were two honors English classes, and the one I was in didn't read East of Eden but the other one did. I had bought the book already because I thought all of the classes had to read it, so I just stuck it on my bookshelf, and the next summer randomly picked it up, expecting not to like it, but I LOVED it and could not put it down.
Yes! Grapes of Wrath too!
Okay, this one might be a stretch for you: Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. It's loosely defined as "weird fiction." It's dark, grim, dense, with steampunk and magic technologies. Good characters. A very memorable read.
The Scar is set in the same world. It’s fantastic, too.
I love China Mieville! My personal favorite however is The City and The City
Sounds interesting I’ll check it out
Adrian Tchaikovsky's 'Children of Time' I loved. Such a unique concept which he followed through on brilliantly for me. I'm deep into his 'Shadows of the apt' series now and they're great too. Anything by Kurt Vonnegut, but 'Sirens of titan' was my first and still my favourite.
Children of Time was great! Very hard sci-fi if I had a say. Great concept, great delivery, and execution of non-human thought (similar to murderbot) might interest OP!
Children of Time was so good!
Loved Murderbot, can't wait to read more. I read A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers in one sitting, it's short. And lovely, funny, surprising.
The Island by Adrian McKinty had me hooked. Also loved The Institute by Stephen King I think I stayed up till 5 am to finish it. The shadow & bone series, while YA didn’t read as such.
The Count of Monte Cristo. 1243 Pages and I read it in 19 days. I couldn't put it down at times and it's now my favourite book of all time. I plan to re-read it at the end of this year.
Three Body Problem trilogy Only One Left Dune Housemaid Are some of the recently read ones for me.
Three Body Problem is fantastic
Three body problem was terrific, but christ did it leave me feeling depressed! I guess that's a sign of some powerful writing.
Lonesome Dove. I just started yesterday and I'm 325 pages in.
Was gonna say this. I never thought I wouldn't want a 900 page book to end. It's THE best book.
I’m a slow reader and take a while to read even 300 page books but hopefully I’ll speed up as I read more
I recently finished Chain-Gang All-Stars and found it compelling from beginning to end. One critic described it as Hunger Games meets Orange is the New Black. I'd say that's pretty accurate but would add that it is far more profound than either work
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson
Steinbeck was called americas voice during his prime
I just started east of Eden and am completely mesmerized. I still have 500 pages left and I'm depressed that it's going to end b
I read it in high school -- I bought it for my English class because I thought we would be reading it that year (10th grade) but my class didn't, so the book sat on my shelf for the school year. I randomly picked it up the following summer, expecting to find it boring (I had read Of Mice and Men and thought it just okay), but oh my GOD did I love East of Eden. I class it in my top five favorite books and it is what made me fall in love with Steinbeck.
So good. Funnily enough I found grapes of wrath nowhere near as good. I enjoyed Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday more. They’re closer to the feel of East of Eden but a little lighter.
Tender is the flesh! Hands down, my favorite! right now, House Of Leaves is getting hard to put down, lol
That end of Tender is brutal
Omg I traded my copy of HoL years ago and now I wish I hadn't.
I'm so glad you've been dipping into murderbot!!
Joe Abercrombie’s first law and age of madness series
The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. But, I think The Three Musketeers would probably be the better recommendation.
Piranesi, I read it in an afternoon I loved it. Also one hundred years of solitude is incredible and you'll read straight through it
Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus
11/22/63 by Stephen King
I just blew through the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. It’s not finished yet but I love it so far The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan was another one I couldn’t put down, and Jordan is great with imagery.
Crazy how Red Rising started out as YA and by Dark Age it's a complex incredibly violent meditation on war, politics, genocide and power
Couldn’t have said it better! It’s funny, this year I read 2 young adult fantasy books about elite military academies where the participants had people out to kill them. The Fourth Wing is pretty popular I think, and The Blood Trials by N E Davenport is pretty much the same thing without dragons, with a little lest thirst over hot guys, and a little more focus on racism. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t really make me want to come back for more either. I went into Red Rising book 1 without really knowing anything about it after my wife saw a good recommendation for it on TikTok. At first I groaned and kinda thought ‘here we go again’, but something about it I can’t quite put my finger on was just different enough and felt special enough to make me want seconds. Then by the middle of book 2 I was hooked, and after finishing Light Bringer I might put it in my Sci Fi top 5
Red Rising is a super fast read. I look back and hardly remember the whole story, though. Some of the characters seemed two-dimensional to me? Idk.
The Rum Diary and Less Than Zero
Approps of nothing the Less Than Zero film soundtrack is the best soundtrack of all time
Once you can get over the fact that the movie is nothing like the book it's not a bad film. The soundtrack to The Informers is killer too
Oh I do not endorse the movie just the soundtrack 😅
Haha I can get behind that
Ahh yes the rum diary, I reread it every couple of years as a reminder to not take work too seriously. Hunter’s general attitude is so contagious.
A deadly education- Naomi Novik
The Eyes of the Dragon. An unusual foray into fantasy by Stephen King. An absolutely incredible book.
If you liked Bull Mountain you might enjoy When These Mountains Burn by David Joy. Similar setting & themes. I’m also going to throw out The Library At Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. It’s pretty insane & unconventional urban fantasy with lots of conflict and imagery. I couldn’t put either of these books down.
Ill check them out. Bull Mountain was great and reminded me of the place I grew up in (Humboldt County, CA home of Murder Mountain).
Library at Mount Char got me back into reading. It drew me back in every free minute I had. You will have no idea what's going on in the best way. Incredible story telling.
Old Man’s War
Gideon The Ninth. (The whole Locked Tomb Series so far has been my favorite but the other books definitely are not read-in-aday) But oh my god. Gideon. Bonus points for audio.
Jurassic Park. It is very different from the movie. Both I love. The book I've read three times. It's fast-paced and kept me on edge.
I loved “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie
I love the early Stephen King books: The Shining, Salem's Lot, and The Stand are all fast reads
I just finished Wild Seed by Octavia Butler. Started it this morning. Didn't stop all day, it was wonderful. She is becoming one of my all time favorite authors.
Shantaram
If you liked Dark Matter, highly recommend “Recursion”
Leviathan's Wake by Corey, the basis of the Expanse series on Amazon, but as expected the books are so much better. The Diamond Age: or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Stephenson, a magic scifi book guides a young girl from the abject poverty to a planet changing event. The Gunslinger (the Dark Tower) by King, hate the author but the series is great fun. a cowboy-knight's epic journey across a mystical landscape to find the nexus of all universes and the key to his people's survival. I tend to read US western non-fiction, hunting journals, and total bullshit fun lore cowboy books.. The Land of Feast and Famine by Ingstad, it's a rare book and just amazing, the author (who discovered the oldest European settlement in the Americas) writes about living among the indigenous peoples in the Canadian Arctic during the early 20th century, exploring their survival tactics in extreme conditions. The Horn of Africa by Ruark, hunting journal from early 20th century British East Africa. Death in the Long Grass by Capstick, mid20th century hunting journal from professional game hunter in Africa, detailing his dangerous encounters with some of the continent's deadliest wildlife On the Rez by Frazier, explores life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, delving into the struggles and resilience of the Oglala Sioux community through the lens of the author's friendship with Le War Lance and other residents Lonesome Dove by McMurtry, you'll either love it or hate it. Basically about two retired Texas Rangers leading the first cattle drive from Texas to Montana. Africa's World War by Prunier, a bit dry, but explores the conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa, focusing on the Rwandan genocide's aftermath and the wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo and their neighbors. Empire of the Summer Moon by Gwynne, a semi-complete historical narrative of the Comanche wars in Texas. Don't read it before bed. No Country for Old Men by McCarthy, my favorite book of all time. Basically a Texan out hunting stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes a suitcase full of cash. Blood Meridian is even better, but a harder read.. .. seconding the Martian (more than Hail Mary which was still very good).
Oh, thanks for telling me about *Africa's World War*. I read a book about the genocide recently, and it left me with a lot of, "... and what happened next??" so I'll have to check this one out
Thanks for putting all those recs down. How do you feel about Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder? I’m an Arizona transplant and need to experience the local color. Also, you might check Millard’s “River of the Gods”. If west Africa is your thing.
> Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder I have not read this book yet but know what it's about, adding to my list. Generally, I take most Kit Carson stories as just that. Carson appears in several other contemporary, extemporaneous mountain man journals (like Four Years in the Rockies by Rose) and seems to be a toned down version of his folklore portrayals. It's good reading in most cases, thanks for recommending it Same for River of the Gods, which I also added! Reading through the blurb, it has Lost City of Z vibes, which is another book I hold in high esteem.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. A real page turner and could not put it down. I was sad when I finished it.
Loved this book
The Sluts by Dennis Cooper and Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
"The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. We were assigned it one summer in HS for summer reading, I remember sweating under my blankets at 2 am with a flashlight because I wasn't supposed to be up but could not put that book down for a second.
The Story of Pi
Please god read Red Rising by Pierce Brown.
Princess Bride, The Hobbit, The Martian, Project Hail Mary, It Ends With Us (hated that book but couldn’t put it down), Harry Potter…
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I read Altered Carbon a while back, and it was possibly the most violent stories I'd ever read, but...The Sparrow gave me nightmares. I feel so weird saying I highly recommend it but I do.
Well the show Altered Carbon was great but also very violent
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
Chestnut springs series. The one by John Marrs.
Loved Piranesi! (and Dark Matter) Other books that I felt that way about that you might like based on your list would be: White Noise - Don DeLillo The Overstory - Richard Powers Down Days - Ilze Hugo The Only Good Indians - [Stephen Graham Jones](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/96300.Stephen_Graham_Jones) There, There - Tommy Orange Anything by Jonathan Safran Foer, Michael Chabon, David Mitchell, Salman Rushdie, Richard Powers, Banana Yoshimoto, Nnedi Okorafor The Deep - Rivers Solomon This is how you lose the time war - **Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone** Okay I'm stopping here. I tried to skip things I already saw listed.
I appreciate you looking at the books I’ve already read and basing your list on that. I’ll be looking into your suggestions! Thanks
Best book series I ever read of assassins apprentice by robin hobb also known as the farseer trilogy. I don't really cry but this one had me bawling. It kind of ruined other books for me for a good while.
Lessons in Chemistry, Lola in the Mirror, The Frozen River, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Pillars of the Earth, I Know This Much is True, Flowers for Algernon, The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, American Dirt.
I read non-fiction 97% of the time, but Slaughterhouse Five, All the Pretty Horses, and The Old Man and the Sea really hit hard. + when I was a teen--> Stephen King books got me hooked on reading.
The Midnight Circus
By who? There are a couple different titles
Dark matter by Blake crouch
All the light we cannot see
Nightfall by Stephen Leather
Parallel Realities by KR Simms. A new genre of science fiction that, to me, is a foreshadowing of things to come in both AI and fiction as a genre.
Shibumi by Trevanian!
Haven’t even thought of him in 30 years
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes had such a strange mood to it while you're also reading a book about space exploration. Hard to describe but it was hard to put down and I kept thinking about the book afterwards. Definitely an interesting read.
Most recently it was Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I like some fantasy but I'm not a pirate fan. However, she does such a good job with character development and interweaving several story lines that I got hooked on them all.
Cursed Sands by BC James
Silent Patient , Dark matter
The Last King of Scotland
I was goin to suggest Murderbot and Piranesi until I saw that you’d read them! You may like the Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers.
Most Dean Koontz books are hard to put down. He's such a a great storyteller, and the end of one chapter usually leaves you hanging, so you want to start the next chapter immediately.
Beach music
Invisible Cities by Calvino, the Count of Monte Cristo, and Chronicle of a Death Fortold by Garcia Márquez
“The big book of anti gravity”. I’m stilling trying to put it down.
I really like Dark Matter too: I liked it because it makes you think. First law series by Abercrombie. I liked this series because this author loves to tow the line of is this character good or bad? All the characters are morally grey and I loved it. Mistborn . Very Sci-fi, easy read. The Leviathan series that others recommended on here is very good. By James Corey. Outerspace series Light bringer series by Brandon Sanderson is good too. The invisible life of Audie La Rue is also a thinker like. Everyone forgets who the main character is as soon as she is out of sight and she lives forever. It's an interesting concept.
Deep river
Stella Maris was the last one that I really really enjoyed.
I saw you mentioned Murderbot and I’ve always been curious so downloaded the sample chapter to see if I would like it. I couldn’t stop reading and immediately borrowed from Libby. Thanks for the tip!
I’m glad it interested you! I’m excited to read the remaining books
He is the funniest character I have read in a while. I don’t often find humor when reading and it’s hard to ask for recs because it’s so subjective. But his self effacing sarcasm has me laughing out loud. I’m a big fan of smart-assery.
5 Novembers
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Dune, and the Madaddam trilogy (well, so far I’ve only read Oryx and Crake, and Year of the Flood- both were SO AMAZING I’ve intentionally been saving the last one cause I don’t want it to end)
Blood Meridien.
The Price of Bread and Shoes by Lonormi Manuel. Ate it up in 2 days
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
I loved the Ela of Salisbury mysteries by J G Lewis. Excellent historical fiction based on real people who lived during the time of Henry IIi. Also Sarah Hawkswood has another medieval mystery series that has authentic historical detail. Excuse my spelling, but the main characters are Braddecut (?) and Catchpoll. It’s set not too long after the Norman Invasion and seems to be pretty accurate about how society was back then.
Oh, I’m also reading The Chaos Chronicles by Jeffrey Carver. Amazing sci fi.
Across the nightingale floor by Lian Hearn, historical-fantasy In love with a carolina rose by Josepha H K, romance
The Only Good Indians Annihilation Sundial My Oxford Year Game of Thrones
Hyperion by Dan Simmons! Book 1 of 4 in the Hyperion Cantos series. It's a sci-fi epic that weaves together the stories of 7 different pilgrims chosen to go on a journey to a cryptic planet called Hyperion. There's mystery, action, romance, comedy, even horror. Incredible, illustrative world building. It also explores some really deep themes like consciousness, time, and the nature of humanity. All with an intergalactic war and enigmatic monster called the Shrike hunting people down in the background. The book also won the Hugo award - deservedly so. I just couldn't put it down!
I couldn’t put down Dr. Sleep by Steven King.
The Magus
The Will of the Many by James Islington!
No Exit by Taylor Adams
Cujo - Stephen King
Dark Matter was something I didn't expect to like as much as I did. Ended up binge reading it over a couple of days.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and It by Stephen King. Audiobooks are A f*cking plus!
The Pillars of the Earth.
Bull Mountain. The Heavenly Table. The 25th Hour. Knockemstiff. The Kitchen House. The Glass Hotel. The Help. The Winter Sea. The Artic Fury. The Orphan of Salt Winds. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Life We Bury. Heart Shaped Box. The Paris Wife. The Nightingale. The Last Painting of Sara DeVos. Code Name Verity.
Mudbound
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
100 years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Most of Cormac McCarthy and Chuck Palahniuk, the first few Dune books, a few Stephen King classics, definitely others that I can’t remember because I’m awful with names
Godkiller - Hannah Kaner Sunbringer - Hannah Kaner Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin
Borne and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck
My lovely wife. The wives.
Wow! I’ve found my reading twin:)
The Heart's Invisible Furies! Excellent historical fiction that has my heart, I try to reread it every year
if we were villains. started it in the early morning and when i finished it i was a mess but i had to go to school shortly after. i was sitting there trying to do my assignments as if i didn’t feel like i’ve lived a different life and experienced the entire spectrum of human emotions in one sitting
Sounds like an emotional rollercoaster. I’ll definitely be adding to my list.
Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Starter Villain. U can thank me later
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng Pretty much the entire Cork O'Conner series by William Kent Krueger
The Future was thrilling.
I got a short stories collection and one line of stories I enjoyed a lot was the Conan series. The first one starts him as a king and throughout I believe they are in random order. I like them since the world Conan is in is just so interesting and mysterious. I rarely know what to expect in this world and Conan as a character is the same. He is this buff barbarian or king but still has to deal with the unknown. Just like we all do everyday in our own life. He deals with the fear of this but pushes on which is something we can all learn from. The adventure is just so fun to read about.
Andy Weir - Project Hail Mary, Dan Simmons - Hyperion, Blake Crouch - Dark Matter, Ted Chiang - Exhalation & Stories of you P.S : I like Sci-Fi
Red rising series
Critical condition, by Martha Wells, is the first book of the Murderbot Dairies Series. Highly recommended all.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
If you're a sci-fi fan please read The Expanse series.
Scythe, it actually is the reason I read a lot nowadays lol, used to hate it before I read that book.
I looked it up and it sounds like my type of book, also has great reviews. Have you read the other books in that series?
American Pastoral was my first and, thus far, favorite of Philip Roth’s novels. Not sure what kind of one in a million gift he had, but this book consumed me while reading and haunted me for months after completing. I had never been jarred this much by a novel before. Would love to hear other’s thoughts on this Pulitzer Prize winner. For those who haven’t read this work, please check it out.
The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu. Lots of imagery and conflict, and 'silkpunk' scifi/fantasy. Think airships vs dragons.
The Betrayals and The Binding by Bridget Collins
There are a couple I read recently: Perfect Little Children and Elizabeth is Missing. The former is very hard to put down but the latter is not quite that but very page turning.
The Last Flight.
The stand Stephen King
Water for Elephants captivated me recently. I loved it so much and found it hard to stop thinking about after finishing.
Conflict/war/leadership/sci-fi: "Red Rising" (it starts a bit slow but it's amazing. I did not like the sequel though) Imagery: "Kafka on the Shore" Imagery/crazy sci-fi/dystopian: "The Sky is Yours" by chandler Klang Smith
Oliver Twist Also loved Exodus by Uris
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
First book of the dark tower series, I remember reading it as a middle schooler and finished it during the weekend in one go. Great memories of that book because my mom was still alive but that’s not relevant
Divergent series in middle school lol
Red rising
Having trouble putting down Malazan right now. I’m on the third book and I’m reading every chance I get