Books that Pull Me in and Leave Me Shattered

You literally described Dungeon Crawler Carl!

For me what broke my 10 year reading slump was dungeon crawler Carl.
It’s recommended all over here for a good reason.
It’s a sci-fi book series, it’ll be 10 in total, 8 books are out now (book 8 in 13 days). It’s hard to describe in a way that doesn’t sound unhinged but I’ll try.

For the tone of the books, book 1 feels kind of silly, and by book 7 it’s insane action and heavy narrative.
Book 1 also leans heavily on video game jargon but that really falls away quickly, and I know a TON of non-gamers that are as obsessed with it as I am.

My favorite things about the book series is the character development, it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve laughed and also genuinely cried because of how compelling the characters are. The author does a great job of discarding tropes too which I love, and writes honest and complex characters.

It’s often compared to hitchhikers guide meets hunger games meets maze runner but it’s definitely of its own thing.

I’d highly recommend the audiobooks, a single voice actor does an incredible range of voices, easily exceeding 30-40 voices across the series.

In short, it’s about an alien corporation that seizes earth to mine its mineral resources, and gives the survivors a chance to regain control of earth by completing a challenge course called the world dungeon. The course is 18 floors and is televised to the galaxy which drives profits for the corporation. The protagonist Carl enters the dungeon with his cat who >! Gains human level intelligence !< and fights alongside him.
It’s a cool mix of sci-fi – aliens taking over earth, and fantasy – the characters use magic, etc.

Ive listened to the series easily 10 times. The fan base is amazing and the author is kind and engaging. It’s very cool.

I Know this Much is True by Wally Lamb
…A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
…Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
…The Last Child by John Hart.

I usually read British/Scottish murder mysteries but those are 4 novels that I still think about years later. Highly recommend. I read the Wally Lamb when I was on bed rest a ways back.

I loved Glass Castle

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. I read it over a year ago and I’m still devastated. 

h{{The River is Waiting}}

Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth was amazing.
Morsel by Carter Keane
And Maaybe SL Huang’s The language of liars?

IT, Stephen King – you will laugh, cry, rage and be left in awe.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee – brutal and a true story.

Illusions; The Adventure of a Reluctant Messiah

Ishmael (amazing book about a telepathic gorilla who is looking for a student to learn the real history of mankind since the agricultural revolution)

The Dark Tower series – Stephen King’s epic. (Follow along with the Kingslingers podcast for a great companion piece).

Educated (non fiction, Glass Castle vibe)

My Sisters Keeper

Flowers for Algernon

They Both Die At The End

The Frozen River

Tuesdays with Morrie (non fiction)

Project Hail Mary

Dark Matter and Recursion

The Giver quartet

A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner

The Art of Racing in the Rain

When Breath Becomes Air (non fiction)

Into Thin Air (non fiction)

My Friends (Fredrik Backman. Love all of his books)

Demon Copperhead (namely anything by Barbara Kingsolver)

Any book in the Gane of Thrones / ASOIAF series but ESPECIALLY A Storm of Swords – George RR Martin

11/22/63 – Stephen King

The Green Mile – Stephen King

I’ve seen a few suggestions for Wally Lamb. What book would be the best introduction to their writing?

Based off what you’ve enjoyed I would highly reccomend this series by V.C Andrews, grab Flowers in the Attic first! Trust me you will absolutely stare into the abyss

* *Flowers in the Attic* (1979)
* *Petals on the Wind* (1980)
* *If There Be Thorns* (1981)
* *Seeds of Yesterday* (1984)
* *Garden of Shadows* (1986, prequel)