Since the past two years I haven't been reading anywhere close to my usual reading rate. I don't really count my books, but I know that I've been reading much, much less than I used to. It's not for lack of trying; I'm just having a hard time liking any of the recommendations I get, both online and via my friends. I have a much easier time reading long fanfics, but even then, due to the uneven writing quality…it's kind of hit or miss.
Books that I've read and liked in the past:
The Count of Monte Cristo
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
anything by Terry Pratchett(mostly the Night Watch series)
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller
What I'm looking for:
Books that are written well. Not having pretentious, purple prose, but not crude language either. Simple, pragmatic, use of language, poetic and raw writing also works, but I deeply dislike prose that is flowery for the sake of it. Writing that pulls you in, keeps you hooked, gets the job done.
Books that treat their characters with depth, and understanding. I want to read about characters that I care about, not flawless ice-cold queens or gross monsters with no redemptive qualities. The characters can be played straight(like Steve Rogers), complex and 3 dimensional(like Jaime Lannister), or nuanced(like Matt Murdock), but they must be treated with depth, empathy and understanding. For instance,…Sam Vimes is a pretty "black and white" character, but he still struggles with his addiction, with feeling like he doesn't deserve whatever good that is happening to him, deep down, and his fear of losing control and lashing out. He's a good man, a deeply good man, but he has layers. Similarly, Jaime Lannister is a good man who did objectively terrible things, and maybe became a bad person along the way, and his arc is about finding absolution, trying to get on the road to redemption, although it is still incomplete.
The point I'm trying to make is: I'm not looking for specific archetypes. I'm not looking to read a book just because it has a warrior prince as a character, or because it kills off a lot of major characters, or has gore and sex. I have no objection to those things, but I don't read a book because of those things. I read a book if I care about the characters. Because the story is about the characters.
One more thing: I don't mind heroes with noble lineage and everything, but I love to read about the every day men and women. The ones who don't plan marches and command armies, but the ones who draw water from the well and get drafted into the war when the time comes. The ordinary people, they may rise high or low, but their roots are among the ordinary people
Books that have a good sense of plot timing and execute it well-via pacing, elements of mystery, logical groundwork for events to draw upon.
Also:
I mostly read fiction. I haven't read a lot of non-fiction. if you have non fiction recommendations, please give those as well! In non-fiction, I'd like to read stuff that is interesting, engaging, written in a style that doesn't drag or plod, and has depth of thought(doesn't reduce everything to simplistic terms)
by Independent-Flow5686
6 Comments
*Lamb* by Christopher Moore. Comedies tend to be easy reads, and you mentioned Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. *Lamb* is “the Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s childhood pal.” It’s a really fun read and does a great job humanizing its biblically-inspired characters. I’m not religious, so take that for what it’s worth, but I lobed this one.
I noticed all your example characters are men. Do you prefer male characters?
With your list of books you enjoyed containing both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, I have 2 recommendations to make.
Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch
Anything Jasper Fforde (notably the Thursday Next or Shades of Grey series)
Both authors acknowledge their admiration of Douglas Adams and Pratchett and there are nods to both in their work. Some less subtle than others 😅 both authors lean into quirky fantasy and have a very British sense of humour.
You mentioned hitch hikers guide to the galaxy, and if you are curious about non fiction maybe try Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams. It’s about him traveling around to see endangered animals and it has his trademark humor.
For some fantasy recommendations with interesting characters I would say Assassins apprentice series by Robin Hobb or First Law series by Joe Abercrombie
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
The Collected Schizophrenias by Esme Weijun Wang
Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Hunger by Roxane Gay
Underland by Robert MacFarlane
Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Loving Day by Mat Johnson
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
The Collected Schizophrenias by Esme Weijun Wang
Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Hunger by Roxane Gay
Underland by Robert MacFarlane
Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Loving Day by Mat Johnson
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi