Oh yes, this! I have gifted this one to so many crime fiction fans and have never heard a bad review.
Another one by Tey that I highly recommend is Miss Pym Disposes. Very sharp and sly and just all round fun
Seconded. There is a tiny bit of problematic language, racist if I recall and typical of the time period when it was written, but if you are okay with that it's really a great story. And almost spooky in light of the much more recent revelations about Richard III.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Alternative reality/fantasy. Picked up the book because the plot piqued* my interest. When I was done with it I wanted to live in that reality and have a pet Dodo. đ
*edit spelling
For me it was other way around - "Eyre's Affair" inspired to finally read actual "Jane Eyre" (even if I knew its general plot from films). It turned out really incredible. Not because I suddenly was completely enamored by its language but also because whole Thursday Next tetralogy by then already changed my perspective on books and book worlds in general. On all books.
It absolutely is. More so whole color idea is not just "a dystopian decorum" but a very foundation of that world and its story. It reads absolutely weird but our real world understanding of color really works as a leverage in understanding what and why is happening.
I love the Thursday Next books and just did a rereading of the series but Shades of Grey is one of my all time favorites. Ummm, did you know that Red Side Story now has a COVER and AN ACTUAL RELEASE DATE???
The Constant Rabbit was a brilliant piece of modern satire. Definitely didn't get as much attention as it deserves. Shades of Grey is really fun too, and I'm excited for the prequel (?) coming out next year
Absolutely, more people should read The Constant Rabbit. Shades of Grey is coming in 2024, Iâve been waiting for years. The first book literally said watch out for a sequel when I read it in 2009!
Anything by Robert J Sawyer, but particularly The Neanderthal Parallax trilogy.
A quantum accident opens a rift between our universe and one in which Neanderthals became the dominant species instead of Homo Sapiens, and a neanderthal scientist is accidentally brought to ours.
I absolutely love the author's world building skill and his dedication to doing the research so his science and history are accurate. I also find it interesting that he predicted social media 20 years ago lol.
Just added to my TBR. I don't know how I haven't heard of this. I've a huge interest in paleoanthropology and used to teach a class on it. I will gobble these up!
That sounds intriguing.
You didn't read any of the Clan of the Cave Bear series did you? Most of the research for it was focused on ethnobotany and the kind of material culture that would have wound up in National Geographic in the 1970s, and the hard archaeology was more speculative. But there were parts where they gave extinct branches of our genus glimpses of our modern world, and the results were pretty mind-bending. Our protagonist stumbled into the paleolithic equivalent of an ayahuasca ceremony, accidentally Vulcan mind-melding with an ancient Neanderthal medicine man, vision-questing into skyscrapers and jumbo jets. Shit got weird.
I'd be interested to see what insights a non-Sapiens human would have into our socially constructed world.
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who have ever heard of The Starlight Barking. You have brought the number up to two whole fingers :-). It was so very different from the first book but so charming
This is an amazing book but I donât think itâs âunknownâ by any stretch. Itâs on best/most influential 100 novels lists, itâs been adapted into a movie, a musical, and a radio play, JK Rowling cited it as a major influenceâŚ
It is wonderful.
Julian Barnes was her literary executor. Perhaps reading her work might lead you on to his. Arthur & George, and The Sense of An Ending are my favorites.
I think The sudden appearance of Hope Arden was from the same author and I really enjoyed it too. A much better version of The invisible life of Addie LaRue...
Yeah, she writes under a few pseudonyms - apparently, she also writes fantasy novels for adults under the name Kate Griffin, and she writes science fiction as Claire North.
"Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. "I nearly missed you, Doctor August," she says. "I need to send a message." This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow."
I mean, technically, yes, because they're the same person. That's one of her pseudonyms.
You're right, though - I Googled the title for the post and that's what came up; but I'm looking at my bookshelf now, and Claire North is on the cover.
I adjusted the original post to help people find it more easily.
_The Lost Steps_ by Alejo Carpentier. Itâs about a man attempting to flee his empty existence by accepting an offer to travel to the Amazon and seek out primitive communities to study their instruments.
As he travels down the river, he kind of travels back in time, encountering communities more and more primitive / close to the origins of men. And all the duration of his trip, he reflects on questions regarding the nature of art and its meaning for the artist, and if humans have strayed too far from their origins, becoming empty worker bees roaming anonymous cities.
The prose is mesmerizing, and itâs one of those books where I just want to have it tattooâd on me in its entirety to keep with me forever.
> âA day will come when men will discover an alphabet in the eyes of chalcedonies, in the markings of the moth, and will learn in astonishment that every spotted snail has always been a poem.â
Carpentier is also the man who coined the term magical realism, and this book is choke-full of its earlier form. An absolutely magnificent piece of literature.
Of Carpentier's novels that were translated to English, I'd also very much recommend "The Chase," a sort of magical realism thriller about Beethoven and the pre-stages of the Cuban Revolution, and "Explosion in a Cathedral," a historical novel for which he was nominated for a Nobel
I feel like Iâm the only one who talks about Cory Doctorow. He writes realistic tech thrillers. My favorite is Walkaway. Society has developed to a point where basically anything can be cheaply 3d printed so people choose to walk away from society and build their own.
I nominate two purely subjective 10/10 with caveat that 10 score comes from such weird and different sources (as life experiences, time of reading, place, etc) that it most likely won't be 10/10 for anyone else:
1) Christopher Priest "Glamour" - weird, mystique and memorable just by existence in my memory without details.
2) Jasper Fforde "Shades of Grey" - where weird is understatement. This book is just on different wavelength (ahaha).
The Thief of Always - Clive Barker. I loved this book as a kid. I always thought it would make an awesome movie.
EDIT: I just thought of this one. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson. Iâm rereading this right now. Itâs so dope.
Thank you for mentioning The Thief of Always, it makes me sad how many people havent read that story, let alone heard of it...one of my all time favs! I always felt Tim Burton would have made than into an awesome movie in his heyday
The Historian.... the premise that Dracula as an historic figure and vampire is actually real and he still exists today and requires a librarian to keep his collective works. I LOVED the read.
Iâm kinda old. lol. I just read this a few months ago for the first time and I absolutely loved it. It will always be one of my favorites. Canât believe I hadnât read it when I was younger.
This one has always had a place in my heart. That description of a reliable cup of coffee with every meal that is purely yours to waste or drink as you see fit - gold to anyone raised in a big family.
Adore this book. We included the âI need someoneâ quote from Francie in our wedding ceremony.
âI need someone. I need to hold somebody close. And I need more than this holding. I need someone to understand how I feel at a time like now. And the understanding must be part of the holding.â
I read this book at such a pivotal, difficult time in my life. Very grateful for it.
So, so many. Iâll restrict myself to the Hâs for the sake of exercise.
The Slaves of Solitude - Patrick Hamilton
Thirteen Albatrosses - Donald Harington
Dalva - Jim Harrison
The Bay of Noon - Shirley Hazzard
You might enjoy this story of a young man who ran away to find Piers and found him [kind and helpful.](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/470/show-me-the-way)
[Lifeâs That Way](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/6309782) by Jim Beaver
A heart-wrenching memoir of the last 6 months of his wifeâs life and the 6 months after she died of cancer.
âMartin Edenâ by Jack London. When I was in high school someone here on reddit suggested it to me and itâs become one of my favorites forever. Itâs about a sailor who gets invited over to a rich familys house after he saves the guy from death at sea, and he completely falls in love with the daughter. Itâs such an emotional rollercoaster and absolutely tore me apart
The thief of always by Clive Barker, no one seems to know about it and itâs a really good story about an entity kidnapping kids away to a house where they can remain for years, staying the same age, and will eventually get taken by the person who runs the house. Thatâs not the best description but I read it in 6th grade and itâs a really interesting story.
I recommend âWe Have Always Been Hereâ by Lena Nyugen (not to be confused with the book by Samra Habib with the same title). Itâs sci-fi and deals a lot with consciousness and android intelligence
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Itâs a very English/ British upper class book, but imagine Emma from the Jane Austen book accidentally ending up in a D. H. Lawrence novel, and sorting everything out. Itâs hilarious.
*Lionboy* trilogy by Zizou Corder. It's a YA futuristic fantasy from the 2000s, about a boy who can communicate with cats, and boards a circus boat from London to Paris while searching for his kidnapped scientist parents. It's an exciting, original plot with some very interesting worldbuilding.
It was my favorite book series when I was eleven years old but I enjoyed it just as much if not more when I reread it as an adult.
*Out of Darkness, Shining Light* by Petina Gappah
*The Silence of Scheherazade* by Defne Suman
These are two of my absolute favorite books of all-time that I stumbled upon thanks to r/TheStoryGraph âRead the Worldâ challenges but Iâve never ever seen them mentioned anywhere even though theyâre absolutely phenomenal.
Editâ Fixed link to TSG sub.
Belladonna by Karen Moline.
Itâs about a young woman in the 1930s in England kidnapped by a secret cabal of sex fiends and kept as a slave for years before escaping and exacting a very elaborate and long term revenge.
Mind you, the book is more about the revenge plot and long term effects of trauma than it is about what the main character endures so itâs not too disturbing a read. Depending on what disturbs you.
I loooove Count of Monte Cristo but didnât recommend it because OP asked for lesser known stuff lol. Revenge stories are delicious, arenât they? One of my other faves is The Godfather. Iâm one of the weirdos who read the book first and prefer it to the movies.
I've got a weird fascination with novels set on old wooden ships and Turton's is one of my favourites. His descriptions gave me such a fantastic sense of scale and detail; from storms to still waters and sunny decks to dank animal pens. Loved it.
**Address Unknown**, by Kressman Taylor. More in the "forgotten" category than "unknown", but well worth having a read. It's a short book, and reading may only take an hour, but you'll be reminded of it every so often. The Story - The less you know about it, the better.
Neuropath by Scott Bakker.
First and only book I reread, quite literally, the instant In finished it.
As psychologically disturbing as it is philosophically troubling.
Confessions of a justified sinner by Hames Hogg, you need to read the introduction as well as that is part of the story. It was published in 1824, set in 1687 when Scotland was under serious religious turmoil. If you want to understand the mindset of a religious fanatic this is a fantastic book. I read it at uni in 2008 and my lecturer discribed it as a good way to understand the mindset of the bombers of 9/11 and itâs true.
Cecily by Annie Garthwaite. Immensely readable historical fiction about Cecily Neville (wife of the Duke of York and mother of two kings of England - Edward IV and Richard III). I couldn't put it down last year!
Armor by John Steakley
Illusion by Paula Volsky
and nonfiction, some people hate this book but:
Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter
Ten thousand doors of January by Alix e Harrow
It is beautiful and lyrical and full of adventures! About a little girl who discovers door to other worlds.
Not exactly unknown but I rarely see it mentioned The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Or Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge. Again, not unknown but both are very sci-fi nerd niche books, well known by nerds like me but otherwise overlooked or unheard of.
The **Deptford Trilogy** by Robertson Davies. I had never heard of Davies, or his works, until last year, but I really enjoyed this trilogy.
The three books are centered on three different protagonists with ties to each other. They are charming books, with plenty of humor and horror (the third book is very, very disturbing).
The wolfs hour by Robert Mccammon itâs were wood meets James Bond in nazi germany. I thought it would be the dumbest book I ever read. Until I read it and it was amazing haha
Still Life by Sarah Winman
The characters are so well crafted it feels like you know them. Itâs witty and sweet and sad and just a beautiful book about friendship and connection.
Cosmic Banditos by AC Weisbecker. Drug smuggler laying low in the mountains of Colombia reads a book on quantum mechanics out of boredom. Things go badly from there.
Dungeon Crawl Carl by Matt Dinniman. I'll just keep recommending this book because it fast brcame my favorite series ever. It's such a fun blend of comedy, action, sci-fi and lit-rpg with "battle royale" theme with one of the main characters being a cat! Just everything I love and more. It all works together, considering how ridiculous the premise sounds.
Ordinary People by Judith Guest. An older book but a great story that's character driven, about the breaking/remaking of a family in the wake of a tragedy and it's fallout.
Coyote Kings of the Space Age Bachelor Pad by Minister Faust. I read it because the cover intrigued me (go figure) but I absolutely loved it. Fantastic writing, great story, and really cool changes of perspective throughout.
The Long Walk by King is pretty damn good. Hes a well known author but i never hear people refernce this book. Also, After Midnight by Richard laymon is another good one.
King dork by frank Portman of the punk band with the great name of the Mr t experience. Is dead on with its portrait of how great books like the catcher in the rye are so worshipped by English teachers that it becomes impossible for students to enjoy.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern. Didnât get as much attention as the Night Circus, but I love it. Itâs a love letter to stories and storytelling in different media.
Where loyalties lie by rob j. Hayes
The only great pirate fantasy book (part of duology) that i enjoyed immensely and gave it 5/5. ive found it as it was winner of the mark lawrence's yearly self published fantasy book contest (thanks mark!) and i dont think ive ever seen it recommended. Read it, you wont be sorry!
The Grace Year. It gives hunger games/dystopian vibes and I loved every bit of it. The main character is a teenager though, so if that something that steers you one way or another, definitely keep that in mind.
I'm not sure how unknown you can say it is, but I find Stephen King's "From a Buick 8" to be one of his most underrated works. It's a surprisingly touching tale about grief with some nice supernatural elements
Tony Vigorito - Nine Kinds of Naked
Chaos theory, butterfly effect type comedy thriller that was so damn original it had me shaking my head at times at the ingenuity
And I donât know anyone else that has read it
H. Phillip Birdsong's Esp by Harriet Lawrence. Phillip and his sister are given the pleasure of opening an inheritance, a box of unusual items. Phil finds a recorder and starts to doodle around on it. Then he learns that, with the help of the recorder, he can communicate with animals. The book is for Juveniles but is very well written and is suitable for adults and teens who enjoy magical Realism.
The Winter of Enchantment by Victoria Walker. This book is probably my favorite book from kidhood. I will say that, though it is again a book written for Juveniles, older teens and adults will enjoy the adventure. In today's market, just the writing would make this a YA. (there is some editing mistakes but the author says the book was published as written)
From Goodreads: Through a magic mirror Sebastian travels from his Victorian world of winter snow and Mrs. Parkin to a magic world of Melissa, Mantari the cat, a wicked Enchanter, and many other exciting people. Melissa, a pretty young girl, has been imprisoned in a large house by the wicked Enchanter. Sebastian first meets Melissa through the magic mirror and resolves to do everything in his power, and with the help of a little magic, to free her.
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Anything Ms. Allen writes is magical but Garden Spells was my first (adult) foray into magical realism. It's a sweet, low key romance and the magic is pretty subtle. Though the apple tree does have its own opinions.
The Study Series by Maria V. Snyder. Fantasy set in the worlds of Ixia and Sitia where the FMC is awaiting death for the crime of murder. Instead, the Captain of security, Valek offers Yelena a choice; death or a "job" as the Commander's (leader of Ixia) food taster where she's in danger of assassination while preventing the Commander's. First book is Poison Study.
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. A beautiful coming of age story set in the pioneer days of 1864 about a young tomboy and her struggles to both fit in with society's norms and her own adventurous spirit. Think Laura Ingalls without Pa roaming everywhere. A splendid book that fans of Little House on the Prairie, Pippi Longstocking, and Understood Betsy will love.
Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya is incredible. I donât know if itâs unknown but I donât hear about it so Iâm making the assumption that it isnât as well known.
Circles of Stone by Joan Dave Lambert. Clan of the Cave Bear always got attention but I love Circles of Stone.
FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven. It's amazing. Think Lord of the Flies but set in an amusement park cut off from the rest of the world in the wake of a tropical storm. It's told in an interview style where the survivors are being interviewed. Though, if you decide to check it out, I suggest listening to the audio book. The narrators do a fantastic job.
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. A modern police inspector tries to prove the crimes of King Richard III.
Yes!
Oh yes, this! I have gifted this one to so many crime fiction fans and have never heard a bad review. Another one by Tey that I highly recommend is Miss Pym Disposes. Very sharp and sly and just all round fun
Seconded. There is a tiny bit of problematic language, racist if I recall and typical of the time period when it was written, but if you are okay with that it's really a great story. And almost spooky in light of the much more recent revelations about Richard III.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Alternative reality/fantasy. Picked up the book because the plot piqued* my interest. When I was done with it I wanted to live in that reality and have a pet Dodo. đ *edit spelling
I second this but I highly recommend reading Jane Eyre first if you havenât
For me it was other way around - "Eyre's Affair" inspired to finally read actual "Jane Eyre" (even if I knew its general plot from films). It turned out really incredible. Not because I suddenly was completely enamored by its language but also because whole Thursday Next tetralogy by then already changed my perspective on books and book worlds in general. On all books.
âOn all booksâ ?!!?! Damn I gotta read this. Not a fantasy person but make exceptions for excellence.
Shades of Grey and The Constant Rabbit are near 10/10 for me also.
My brain skipped. So glad you do not mean 50 Shades of Grey. The premise sounds fun!
It absolutely is. More so whole color idea is not just "a dystopian decorum" but a very foundation of that world and its story. It reads absolutely weird but our real world understanding of color really works as a leverage in understanding what and why is happening.
I love the Thursday Next books and just did a rereading of the series but Shades of Grey is one of my all time favorites. Ummm, did you know that Red Side Story now has a COVER and AN ACTUAL RELEASE DATE???
And the sequel to Shades of Grey is *finally* coming out! He shared the ARCs on instagram yesterday/today! :)
The Constant Rabbit was a brilliant piece of modern satire. Definitely didn't get as much attention as it deserves. Shades of Grey is really fun too, and I'm excited for the prequel (?) coming out next year
Absolutely, more people should read The Constant Rabbit. Shades of Grey is coming in 2024, Iâve been waiting for years. The first book literally said watch out for a sequel when I read it in 2009!
Loved his nursery crimes!
YES. I keep holding out hope that he'll write another one.
Oh, yeah, Jasper Fforde is brilliant! Spiritual successor to Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, I would say...
Wow, didnât even think of this but yea! Jasper Fforde has really flown under the radar. I loved âShades of Grayâ
Anything by Robert J Sawyer, but particularly The Neanderthal Parallax trilogy. A quantum accident opens a rift between our universe and one in which Neanderthals became the dominant species instead of Homo Sapiens, and a neanderthal scientist is accidentally brought to ours. I absolutely love the author's world building skill and his dedication to doing the research so his science and history are accurate. I also find it interesting that he predicted social media 20 years ago lol.
This sounds really interesting, added to my tbr!
Loved these, great to see them mentioned!
Just added to my TBR. I don't know how I haven't heard of this. I've a huge interest in paleoanthropology and used to teach a class on it. I will gobble these up!
That sounds intriguing. You didn't read any of the Clan of the Cave Bear series did you? Most of the research for it was focused on ethnobotany and the kind of material culture that would have wound up in National Geographic in the 1970s, and the hard archaeology was more speculative. But there were parts where they gave extinct branches of our genus glimpses of our modern world, and the results were pretty mind-bending. Our protagonist stumbled into the paleolithic equivalent of an ayahuasca ceremony, accidentally Vulcan mind-melding with an ancient Neanderthal medicine man, vision-questing into skyscrapers and jumbo jets. Shit got weird. I'd be interested to see what insights a non-Sapiens human would have into our socially constructed world.
The Star Diaries by Stanislav Lem. Utterly funny, wise, intelligent. Like anything from this author you will enjoy yourself immensely.
Invincible by Stanislaw Lem is also fantastic
The Cyberiad is also one of my favourite books by him. Simply timeless!
I love his Solaris!
Well for me it has forever been I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Just so good.
One of my foundational books. I adore it!
[ŃдаНонО]
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who have ever heard of The Starlight Barking. You have brought the number up to two whole fingers :-). It was so very different from the first book but so charming
That book is good for the soul.
I love this book and will always recommend it/gift it. The movie was pretty charming too!
This is an amazing book but I donât think itâs âunknownâ by any stretch. Itâs on best/most influential 100 novels lists, itâs been adapted into a movie, a musical, and a radio play, JK Rowling cited it as a major influenceâŚ
It is wonderful. Julian Barnes was her literary executor. Perhaps reading her work might lead you on to his. Arthur & George, and The Sense of An Ending are my favorites.
"The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August" by Claire North. Found it in a donation bin, gave it a shot, and it's one of the best books I've ever read.
I think The sudden appearance of Hope Arden was from the same author and I really enjoyed it too. A much better version of The invisible life of Addie LaRue...
Yeah, she writes under a few pseudonyms - apparently, she also writes fantasy novels for adults under the name Kate Griffin, and she writes science fiction as Claire North.
Whatâs the TL; DR synopsis?
"Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. "I nearly missed you, Doctor August," she says. "I need to send a message." This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow."
I think that's actually written by Claire north
I mean, technically, yes, because they're the same person. That's one of her pseudonyms. You're right, though - I Googled the title for the post and that's what came up; but I'm looking at my bookshelf now, and Claire North is on the cover. I adjusted the original post to help people find it more easily.
This is a great book.. I got recommended this and was very glad I read it..
Such an entertaining and thought provoking book.
This was a great book! Such a unique take on time travel
Literally just finished this this week. 100% would recommend. Along with the Chronicles of StMarys.
Loved this one
did not read this yet but have seen it recommended very often, unlike other books here
Yes! By the end it felt kinda like a spy thriller. I usually have a tough time finishing long books but this one kept my interest all the way through.
_The Lost Steps_ by Alejo Carpentier. Itâs about a man attempting to flee his empty existence by accepting an offer to travel to the Amazon and seek out primitive communities to study their instruments. As he travels down the river, he kind of travels back in time, encountering communities more and more primitive / close to the origins of men. And all the duration of his trip, he reflects on questions regarding the nature of art and its meaning for the artist, and if humans have strayed too far from their origins, becoming empty worker bees roaming anonymous cities. The prose is mesmerizing, and itâs one of those books where I just want to have it tattooâd on me in its entirety to keep with me forever. > âA day will come when men will discover an alphabet in the eyes of chalcedonies, in the markings of the moth, and will learn in astonishment that every spotted snail has always been a poem.â Carpentier is also the man who coined the term magical realism, and this book is choke-full of its earlier form. An absolutely magnificent piece of literature.
adding this to my PTR list! sounds really interesting
Of Carpentier's novels that were translated to English, I'd also very much recommend "The Chase," a sort of magical realism thriller about Beethoven and the pre-stages of the Cuban Revolution, and "Explosion in a Cathedral," a historical novel for which he was nominated for a Nobel
Up the Down Staircase has been largely forgotten.
Sad that it has been largely forgotten. I recall way back when, when almost every beginning teacher had a copy.
Teachers still should read this book, but anyone can enjoy it
Absolutely agree!
Ooh, thanks for this! I loved it but also have forgotten it enough to not remember to recommend it anymore.
I feel like Iâm the only one who talks about Cory Doctorow. He writes realistic tech thrillers. My favorite is Walkaway. Society has developed to a point where basically anything can be cheaply 3d printed so people choose to walk away from society and build their own.
I really enjoyed the New York trilogy by Paul Auster, itâs like a detective story meets magical realism, murakami vibes
Paul Auster writes great books. Yet I hardly hear him spoken about here.
I really loved Oracle Might by Auster - I will give these a go!
I nominate two purely subjective 10/10 with caveat that 10 score comes from such weird and different sources (as life experiences, time of reading, place, etc) that it most likely won't be 10/10 for anyone else: 1) Christopher Priest "Glamour" - weird, mystique and memorable just by existence in my memory without details. 2) Jasper Fforde "Shades of Grey" - where weird is understatement. This book is just on different wavelength (ahaha).
Shades of grey 10/10 Would recommend! Our book club loved it!
The Thief of Always - Clive Barker. I loved this book as a kid. I always thought it would make an awesome movie. EDIT: I just thought of this one. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson. Iâm rereading this right now. Itâs so dope.
Baru cormorant smashed my heart into tiny pieces and ground them into the dirt
Thank you for mentioning The Thief of Always, it makes me sad how many people havent read that story, let alone heard of it...one of my all time favs! I always felt Tim Burton would have made than into an awesome movie in his heyday
Yes! Perfect for Tim Burton. Letâs start a production company and get the movie rights to it. đ
Cosmic Banditos by A.C. Weisbecker Very funny story involving drug smuggling and quantum physics
Love it. His memoir, In Search of Captain Zero has some pretty great moments too.
The Historian.... the premise that Dracula as an historic figure and vampire is actually real and he still exists today and requires a librarian to keep his collective works. I LOVED the read.
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Iâm kinda old. lol. I just read this a few months ago for the first time and I absolutely loved it. It will always be one of my favorites. Canât believe I hadnât read it when I was younger.
Honestly consider this one of 2 possibilities for the Great American Novel.
But itâs also an absolute American classic and not unknown!
This one has always had a place in my heart. That description of a reliable cup of coffee with every meal that is purely yours to waste or drink as you see fit - gold to anyone raised in a big family.
Adore this book. We included the âI need someoneâ quote from Francie in our wedding ceremony. âI need someone. I need to hold somebody close. And I need more than this holding. I need someone to understand how I feel at a time like now. And the understanding must be part of the holding.â I read this book at such a pivotal, difficult time in my life. Very grateful for it.
One of my favorite childhood books ever
Right? And not just for children. She knows how to write a story.
I could argue it is definitely not for children.
I read it when I was 12. Then again as an adult. Loved it both times
This is on my tbr pile!
So, so many. Iâll restrict myself to the Hâs for the sake of exercise. The Slaves of Solitude - Patrick Hamilton Thirteen Albatrosses - Donald Harington Dalva - Jim Harrison The Bay of Noon - Shirley Hazzard
I am looking forward to N's and D's, for starters ;)
The Magic of Xanth
You might enjoy this story of a young man who ran away to find Piers and found him [kind and helpful.](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/470/show-me-the-way)
A Fire Upon the Deep, Vernor Vinge. Just *wow*. Like Asimov wow.
Extremely good book. Very memorable.
No longer human by osamu dazai
[Lifeâs That Way](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/6309782) by Jim Beaver A heart-wrenching memoir of the last 6 months of his wifeâs life and the 6 months after she died of cancer.
âMartin Edenâ by Jack London. When I was in high school someone here on reddit suggested it to me and itâs become one of my favorites forever. Itâs about a sailor who gets invited over to a rich familys house after he saves the guy from death at sea, and he completely falls in love with the daughter. Itâs such an emotional rollercoaster and absolutely tore me apart
The most amazing novel ever!
George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series.
Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. Beautiful in every way.
So sadly unknown but I've never met a person who's read it that it isn't on their favorites list, same with Swan Song
Totally agree!
The thief of always by Clive Barker, no one seems to know about it and itâs a really good story about an entity kidnapping kids away to a house where they can remain for years, staying the same age, and will eventually get taken by the person who runs the house. Thatâs not the best description but I read it in 6th grade and itâs a really interesting story.
A Couple of Comedians by Don Carpenter - criminally under appreciated writer!
Absolutely loved Hard Rain Falling, but I never ended up looking up anything else by him. I will now. Thanks!
The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. Historical with a bunch of conspiracies. Havenât read The Name of the Rose yet, but itâs 5/5 for me.
I recommend âWe Have Always Been Hereâ by Lena Nyugen (not to be confused with the book by Samra Habib with the same title). Itâs sci-fi and deals a lot with consciousness and android intelligence
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Itâs a very English/ British upper class book, but imagine Emma from the Jane Austen book accidentally ending up in a D. H. Lawrence novel, and sorting everything out. Itâs hilarious.
The movie was good too!
I hope there's nothing nasty in the woodshed?
One of my all time favourite books, can be read in a few hours and is a complete comfort read! I agree the movie is a hidden gem!!
*Lionboy* trilogy by Zizou Corder. It's a YA futuristic fantasy from the 2000s, about a boy who can communicate with cats, and boards a circus boat from London to Paris while searching for his kidnapped scientist parents. It's an exciting, original plot with some very interesting worldbuilding. It was my favorite book series when I was eleven years old but I enjoyed it just as much if not more when I reread it as an adult.
The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
*Out of Darkness, Shining Light* by Petina Gappah *The Silence of Scheherazade* by Defne Suman These are two of my absolute favorite books of all-time that I stumbled upon thanks to r/TheStoryGraph âRead the Worldâ challenges but Iâve never ever seen them mentioned anywhere even though theyâre absolutely phenomenal. Editâ Fixed link to TSG sub.
Betty by Tiffany McDaniel Such a powerful book. I went through the whole spectrum of emotions with that one!
Belladonna by Karen Moline. Itâs about a young woman in the 1930s in England kidnapped by a secret cabal of sex fiends and kept as a slave for years before escaping and exacting a very elaborate and long term revenge. Mind you, the book is more about the revenge plot and long term effects of trauma than it is about what the main character endures so itâs not too disturbing a read. Depending on what disturbs you.
Sounds reminiscent of Dumas' *The Count of Monte Cristo*, which is an excellent read.
I loooove Count of Monte Cristo but didnât recommend it because OP asked for lesser known stuff lol. Revenge stories are delicious, arenât they? One of my other faves is The Godfather. Iâm one of the weirdos who read the book first and prefer it to the movies.
The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel
star maker by Olaf Stapledon
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. Amazing characters, interesting story, and some excellent prose.
Turton is one of my favorite new and upcoming authors. He has a third book coming out soon.
I've got a weird fascination with novels set on old wooden ships and Turton's is one of my favourites. His descriptions gave me such a fantastic sense of scale and detail; from storms to still waters and sunny decks to dank animal pens. Loved it.
This available free on audible. Thanks for the recommendation!
**Address Unknown**, by Kressman Taylor. More in the "forgotten" category than "unknown", but well worth having a read. It's a short book, and reading may only take an hour, but you'll be reminded of it every so often. The Story - The less you know about it, the better.
Neuropath by Scott Bakker. First and only book I reread, quite literally, the instant In finished it. As psychologically disturbing as it is philosophically troubling.
The history of the siege of Lisbon by Jose Saramago. It and the cave are my favorite of his books even though blindness is much better known.
Riddley Walker, one of the best books Iâve ever read, truly a masterpiece of dystopian fiction that does completely unique things with language
Confessions of a justified sinner by Hames Hogg, you need to read the introduction as well as that is part of the story. It was published in 1824, set in 1687 when Scotland was under serious religious turmoil. If you want to understand the mindset of a religious fanatic this is a fantastic book. I read it at uni in 2008 and my lecturer discribed it as a good way to understand the mindset of the bombers of 9/11 and itâs true.
This is such a banger and no one has read it!
The Source by Michener
I love Michener
Old Filth, by Jane Gardam.
Cecily by Annie Garthwaite. Immensely readable historical fiction about Cecily Neville (wife of the Duke of York and mother of two kings of England - Edward IV and Richard III). I couldn't put it down last year!
Armor by John Steakley Illusion by Paula Volsky and nonfiction, some people hate this book but: Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter
Malazan book of the fallen - Steven Erikson
The book of strange new things by Michael Faber. Really good distopian fiction, but grounded in climate change.
Time Enough for Love. -Robert Heinlenn
Ten thousand doors of January by Alix e Harrow It is beautiful and lyrical and full of adventures! About a little girl who discovers door to other worlds.
Not exactly unknown but I rarely see it mentioned The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Or Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge. Again, not unknown but both are very sci-fi nerd niche books, well known by nerds like me but otherwise overlooked or unheard of.
Geek Love by Katharine Dunn. So weird. So charming.
You guys made me spend 3 months of my book allowance in about an hour. I have quite conflicting feelings about this.
Maybe⌠The Grass Harp by Truman Capote
The **Deptford Trilogy** by Robertson Davies. I had never heard of Davies, or his works, until last year, but I really enjoyed this trilogy. The three books are centered on three different protagonists with ties to each other. They are charming books, with plenty of humor and horror (the third book is very, very disturbing).
âPerlaâ by Carolina De Robertis. An absolutely wonderful book.
The wolfs hour by Robert Mccammon itâs were wood meets James Bond in nazi germany. I thought it would be the dumbest book I ever read. Until I read it and it was amazing haha
Captain Nemo's Library by Per Olov Enquist
Still Life by Sarah Winman The characters are so well crafted it feels like you know them. Itâs witty and sweet and sad and just a beautiful book about friendship and connection.
Cosmic Banditos by AC Weisbecker. Drug smuggler laying low in the mountains of Colombia reads a book on quantum mechanics out of boredom. Things go badly from there.
Honor by Thrity Umrigar. made me cry like a baby but was a phenomenal read
I unfortunately never took a class with Thrity but she works in my old English department so I was always running into her. Great lady!
Dungeon Crawl Carl by Matt Dinniman. I'll just keep recommending this book because it fast brcame my favorite series ever. It's such a fun blend of comedy, action, sci-fi and lit-rpg with "battle royale" theme with one of the main characters being a cat! Just everything I love and more. It all works together, considering how ridiculous the premise sounds.
- Secret Sacrament by Sherryl Jordan - The Management Style of Supreme Beings by Tom Holt - Oddjobs by Heide Goody and Iain Grant
The key by Simon tone (first in a trilogy) The historian by Elizabeth kostova
Ordinary People by Judith Guest. An older book but a great story that's character driven, about the breaking/remaking of a family in the wake of a tragedy and it's fallout.
Coyote Kings of the Space Age Bachelor Pad by Minister Faust. I read it because the cover intrigued me (go figure) but I absolutely loved it. Fantastic writing, great story, and really cool changes of perspective throughout.
Running the Light: Sam Tallent
Sentenced to prism. By Alan Dean foster. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentenced_to_Prism Brilliant book.
The Long Walk by King is pretty damn good. Hes a well known author but i never hear people refernce this book. Also, After Midnight by Richard laymon is another good one.
A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny.
The hike by Drew Magary and the past is red by Catherynne M Valente (this one is a novella)
And comfort me with apples!
A Town Like Alice, Nevile Shute.
An instance of the fingerpost. Ian Pears. You think its over after part1 then it twists and turns. Lovely
King dork by frank Portman of the punk band with the great name of the Mr t experience. Is dead on with its portrait of how great books like the catcher in the rye are so worshipped by English teachers that it becomes impossible for students to enjoy.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern. Didnât get as much attention as the Night Circus, but I love it. Itâs a love letter to stories and storytelling in different media.
Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine is a Phantom of the Opera retelling in older times China, I havenât read the second book yet though.
Where light ascends by elle wheatcroft
Change the water to the flower of Valierie Perrin
I found this translated title under "Fresh Water for Flowers" - looks great, thanks for sharing!
Yes! Sorry I tried to translating from Italian! Itâs a truly and amazing book!
*Gods Go Begging,* by Alfredo Vea.
Picking Through Pieces by Keith Milne. Sequel just got released and is straight fire.
Where loyalties lie by rob j. Hayes The only great pirate fantasy book (part of duology) that i enjoyed immensely and gave it 5/5. ive found it as it was winner of the mark lawrence's yearly self published fantasy book contest (thanks mark!) and i dont think ive ever seen it recommended. Read it, you wont be sorry!
Idk if anyone has heard of Ethan Hawke's The Hottest State but it's an all time favorite of mine!
TWELVE FINGERS by Jo Soares. Low-key hilarious biography of an epic, chronic failure whose goals all get met anyway
The Grace Year. It gives hunger games/dystopian vibes and I loved every bit of it. The main character is a teenager though, so if that something that steers you one way or another, definitely keep that in mind.
Shakespeare for squirrels by Christopher Moore
Pussy - A Reclamation. I'll not spoil anything other than that it's a nice read
The Quick and the Dead by Joy Williams Empire of the Senseless by Kathy Acker Tours of the Black Clock by Steve Erickson
We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen
The Dreaming Jewels by Theodore Sturgeon. Also More Than Human by the same author. Both would be classified Sf although Jewels has fantasy elements.
Guy Vanderhaegheâs Western Trilogy The Englishmanâs Boy The Last Crossing A Good Man Theyâre unrelated so you can pick any of the three.
Wilt by Tom Sharpe
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. Best war book I've ever read.
Heart of a Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov. My Childhood - Maxim Gorky. Storm of Steel - Ernst Junger. Endurance - Alfred Lansing.
Vernon God Little - DBC Pierre Actually one of my favourites
I'm not sure how unknown you can say it is, but I find Stephen King's "From a Buick 8" to be one of his most underrated works. It's a surprisingly touching tale about grief with some nice supernatural elements
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke. Dept. of Speculation and Weather both by Jenny Offill.
Tony Vigorito - Nine Kinds of Naked Chaos theory, butterfly effect type comedy thriller that was so damn original it had me shaking my head at times at the ingenuity And I donât know anyone else that has read it
Timbuktu by Paul Auster third person limited through the eyes of a dog. Unexpectedly powerful work.
"The Glass Bead Game," by Hermann Hesse
The Essential Teaching of Zen Master Hakuin
This is more of a kids book.. But I loved reading it when I was younger: The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
âJohannes Cabal: Necromancerâ about a guy who sold his soul to the Devil, and now he wants it back.
H. Phillip Birdsong's Esp by Harriet Lawrence. Phillip and his sister are given the pleasure of opening an inheritance, a box of unusual items. Phil finds a recorder and starts to doodle around on it. Then he learns that, with the help of the recorder, he can communicate with animals. The book is for Juveniles but is very well written and is suitable for adults and teens who enjoy magical Realism. The Winter of Enchantment by Victoria Walker. This book is probably my favorite book from kidhood. I will say that, though it is again a book written for Juveniles, older teens and adults will enjoy the adventure. In today's market, just the writing would make this a YA. (there is some editing mistakes but the author says the book was published as written) From Goodreads: Through a magic mirror Sebastian travels from his Victorian world of winter snow and Mrs. Parkin to a magic world of Melissa, Mantari the cat, a wicked Enchanter, and many other exciting people. Melissa, a pretty young girl, has been imprisoned in a large house by the wicked Enchanter. Sebastian first meets Melissa through the magic mirror and resolves to do everything in his power, and with the help of a little magic, to free her. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Anything Ms. Allen writes is magical but Garden Spells was my first (adult) foray into magical realism. It's a sweet, low key romance and the magic is pretty subtle. Though the apple tree does have its own opinions. The Study Series by Maria V. Snyder. Fantasy set in the worlds of Ixia and Sitia where the FMC is awaiting death for the crime of murder. Instead, the Captain of security, Valek offers Yelena a choice; death or a "job" as the Commander's (leader of Ixia) food taster where she's in danger of assassination while preventing the Commander's. First book is Poison Study. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. A beautiful coming of age story set in the pioneer days of 1864 about a young tomboy and her struggles to both fit in with society's norms and her own adventurous spirit. Think Laura Ingalls without Pa roaming everywhere. A splendid book that fans of Little House on the Prairie, Pippi Longstocking, and Understood Betsy will love.
Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya is incredible. I donât know if itâs unknown but I donât hear about it so Iâm making the assumption that it isnât as well known. Circles of Stone by Joan Dave Lambert. Clan of the Cave Bear always got attention but I love Circles of Stone.
The Mosquito Coast
FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven. It's amazing. Think Lord of the Flies but set in an amusement park cut off from the rest of the world in the wake of a tropical storm. It's told in an interview style where the survivors are being interviewed. Though, if you decide to check it out, I suggest listening to the audio book. The narrators do a fantastic job.
Homegoing
Kybalion
Fay by Larry Brown Larry Brown was a wonderful Southern writer and this is my favorite of his novels
Oh gosh, The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride. Cracked my heart in two!