I’m making my way through the Strugastky brothers’ works, found out about them through roadside picnic but i just finished “Monday starts on Saturday” and enjoyed it just as much. Edit to add: it’s a science fiction novel from the perspective of a soviet programmer who stumbles into magic. He meets a lot of people for whom magic is mundane, and the book does such an awesome job describing his confusion and curiosity vs everybody elses acceptance of it as day-to-day. Its also super funny :)
I’m a novice in terms of bookworm territory, but I’ve found my favorite book currently.
Flowers for Algernon. It’s a story about an intellectually disabled (68 IQ) man named Charlie who wants to get smart. Due to his immense motivation to learn, a research group offers him an experimental brain surgery operation which should increase your IQ. This book explores on how a person’s life changes depending on his intelligence. 10/10 book for me, it has absolutely amazing character building.
Hell yeah! A friend gifted me a physical copy of it & its a great read
You have a friend with a great taste, that’s for sure!
I read Piranesi by Susanna Clarke recently, in about 2 sittings, it was amazing. Very fantastical and weird.
By the same author, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - alternate British history set around 1800 where magic is real, one of those books that you just live in the whole time you’re reading it (also made into a very good BBC miniseries)
Against the Day
The Futurological Congress
XX by Rian Hughes. Get the physical book. The author uses typography tricks to tell a great story.
I just read Yellowface. Hated nearly every character but loved the book. Also read Our Wives Under the Sea and it instantly became one of my favourite books ever.
Solaris was good
I just read through The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison again. It’s about a half-goblin half-elf outcast who suddenly becomes the ruler of a country of elves. It’s a fantasy book, but more about court politics than dragons. And even though that might sound a little dry, it’s charming as hell.
Reading Valuable Humans in Transit by qntm. It’s scifi short stories, a few about the human consciousness stored as a digital file. My favorite is “cripes do you remember Google People”
Do audiobooks count? Then the Kyoshi novels.
If not, the only book I’ve read recently was Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces.
If you’re into fantasy then anything by Mark Lawrence is fantastic. Empire of thorns is top tier and I’m currently listening to Book of the ancestor trilogy and loving every bit of it!
Just reread Lost Gods by Brom. The only book I’ve ever reread. Imagine if darksouls took place in the 70s, but with a bit more real world mythology influence. Its my favorite book
I’m going to go back a few books and say Stalking the Wild Pendulum, simply because it’s so out there and weird while still feeling vaguely plausible, maybe?
Just reading through the acknowledgements and preface made me excited to read this. Thanks for the link!
mistborn: the last empire is a great fantasy novel about the overthrowing of a god emperor. it has a lot of mystery and badass action and is part of a big fantasy novel universe.
I’m chewing my way though Malazan Book of the Fallen. I’m on Book 6. It’s a LONG series.
ooo I’m planning to start that soon. How long has it taken you to get to book 6?
A year and a half. Lol.
I’m listening to it on audiobook. I’ve been pretty diligent on listening for a half hour or so every night
I’ve been on a nostalgia trip reading the Legend of Drizzt series. I’d normally go for fantasy that’s darker or verges more on weird fiction, but I read the Drizzt books as a kid and Baldur’s Gate 3 made me want to read them again.
About to finish book 10, I’ve enjoyed a good amount of them but I am starting to see how Drizzt’s plot armor gets old after a while, haha
