I'm frequently asked for suggestions of books to try, by people who have heard how much I read but have struggled to start - or finish - their latest attempt. In this post I have compiled a number of general suggestions of places to start reading great books, and where to go next if you fall in love with one of them like I did.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
(Otherworldly, contemplative, entrancing)
I believe the experience of discovery is vital to enjoying a book, and Piranesi is especially difficult to describe without revealing too much. Try to go in as blank-minded as the amnesiac protagonist, and enjoy Clarke's ambient and mysterious storytelling.
If you enjoy the otherworldly aspect of Piranesi, you might consider trying:
The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood (adds more fantasy elements)
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (dives headfirst into questions of sanity)
The Magicians by Lev Grossman (magic school with real, devastating consequences)
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (endlessly dark, funny, and imaginative)
The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red by Martha Wells
(Action Sci-Fi, funny, lovable main character)
Murderbot would love to watch their TV shows, but keeps needing to save their beloved humans who always seem to get themselves in trouble. The character has been seen as beautifully representitive of both neurodivergent and asexual/aromantic perspectives, in addition to being a lovable badass.
Murderbot is everything. Most of the books are short and poignant, and Wells has developed a fascinating world and cast around the greatest point-of-view character to ever exist.
If you like Murderbot, consider trying:
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (broader space opera setting)
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (complex and endlessly fascinating)
Dead Space by Kali Wallace (space-based action adventure)
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (if Murderbot was political fantasy)
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
(Light Fantasy, fairy tale, introductory)
I am a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, a sprawling and interconnected world containing and serving as the backdrop for most of his fantasy novels. Tress, released in January 2023, serves as a perfect light-hearted introduction for Sanderson's tone and worldbuilding. If you already prefer more serious fantasy, I'd still recommend Tress but you could just as easily start with any of the books listed below.
If you like Tress, consider trying one of Sanderson's other Cosmere books:
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (two souls connected between worlds)
Mistborn: The Final Empire (heist/revolution with magic and great cast)
Elantris (a young noble must deal with being chosen for damnation)
Warbreaker (a vibrant and vicious world, with unforgettable characters)
The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell
(Urban Fantasy, funny, dark)
I tend to have a fun time whenever a book sees our world playing host to fantastical creatures, and The Stranger Times is no exception. Join an humourously exasperated cast trying to determine what's real as the clock ticks down on a terrible ritual. The jokes here won't be for everyone - the first book especially leans into it's funny 'cause he's a conservative asshole - but give it a shot if some dark British humour is up your alley.
If you like The Stranger Times, consider trying more urban fantasy(ish):
Storm Front by Jim Butcher (the Dresden Files are incredible... after a few books)
The City we Became by N.K. Jemisin (diverse avatars of New York assemble)
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (weird murder mystery)
The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (secret societies and dark rituals at Yale)
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
(Speculative Sci-Fi, thought-provoking, wide scope of time and space)
Another place where it will be best to avoid spoilers if possible! Children of Time explores evolution, first contact, human responsibility and so much more, in a truly special tale spanning millennia. It also has two excellent sequels so far!
If you like Children of Time, consider trying:
Semiosis by Sue Burke (focus on plants, instead of animals)
The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu (first contact and its implications)
Pushing Ice by Alistair Reynolds (character driven journey through time)
We are Legion (We are Bob) by Dennis Taylor (one nerd explores space)
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
(Dark Fantasy, emotional, questions morality)
Step into a complex and gripping fantasy world through the eyes of a young royal bastard surrounded by a truly special cast. The worst thing about this book is how generic it sounds, yet the story and characters within feel as deeply real and important as any book I've read. It is dark fantasy, so some Content Warnings: Violence to children and animals, suicidal ideation, misogyny, ableism.
If you enjoy Assassin's Apprentice, read its sequels! Then consider trying:
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (Clockwork Orange meets Grimdark Fantasy)
The Black Company by Glen Cook (mercenaries serving evil magic empress)
A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (wider scope political fantasy)
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman (dark D&D style adventure)
Dracula by Bram Stoker
(Horror, epistolary, mystery)
I'm not totally convinced of the superiority of classic literature - as is probably evident by how recent most of these book are, - but Dracula just does so much right. I can't think of a better introduction to horror literature (and the epistolary style - stories told through letters, diaries, etc.) than this book's haunting ambience and slowly unfolding mystery. It is from 1897, so don't expect overmuch diversity or empathy toward characters who aren't white and male.
If you enjoy Dracula, you might try:
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (alternate world history following Dracula)
Salem's Lot by Stephen King (the prolific author's most similar work)
Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (short, features a lesbian vampire pre-Dracula)
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin (a short and visceral horror story)
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
(Speculative Fiction, queer, emotional)
Mandel's books explore the interconnected lives of diverse characters in worlds very similar to our own. Station Eleven is particularly notable, having been published just before the Covid-19 pandemic and being centered on a fictional pandemic of its own. There are strong ties to Mandel's Sea of Tranquility, which I also loved.
If you enjoy Station Eleven, take a look at these:
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (lovable family deals with supernatural insight)
Gamechanger by L.X. Beckett (a potential utopian world after extreme struggles)
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (dark and magical - who gets to be human?)
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse (indigenous magic and action post-apocalypse)
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Send me a message or leave a comment if you end up trying any of these books. Thanks for visiting my blog and Happy Reading!
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