A couple years ago, I read Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, and it effectively ruined books for me. Everything I've tried to pick up since has felt like a shadow of those books, never as compelling, ambitious, imaginative, bold, or trusting of the audience.
I have found a little niche of what I'd call "literary genre fiction", books where it's clear the author took seriously both the genre ideas (world building, magic, sci-fi concepts, what have you), but just as much considered the way the story was told, having considered and nuanced themes beyond just conveying a narrative and a few ideas to go with it. I would put Gene Wolfe's work in here, as well as what I have read of Ursula Le Guin (I have not read Earthsea, so perhaps that's next, but it's a little intimidating), William Gibson, and a few other books by other authors I've read. Speaker for the Dead stands out, as well as some of Ted Chiang's stories.
Anyways, I am not sure if there is an existing name for what I am trying to describe, but I am looking for more books like these. Things which aren't trying to be massive epics, nor are they Brandon Sanderson-esque light reading, but science fiction or fantasy books where the author clearly took a more literary fiction-esque approach. I am generally more interested in speculative ideas, rather than the minutiae of space politics or magic systems.
If I were to be demanding, books that take perspective _very_ seriously, the way Gene Wolfe does, I would find particularly interesting, though I may just have to suffer with the fact that he was a unique talent in that regard.
by mascotbeaver104
2 Comments
The Terra Ignota series by Ada Palmer was inspired by Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun! I, however, have not yet read Book of the New Sun so I couldn’t say how it really compares. I too adore Gene Wolfe, to the point I’m trying to ration out the things he wrote rather than reading them all at once.
I also recommend:
* The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe by D. G. Compton. Very beautifully written. Sci fi aspects are fairly mild and imo the weakest part of the story.
* The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
* Courtship Rite by Donald Kingsbury. Lesser known, incredibly underrated.
* I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. Saw a recent surge in popularity due to the release of a new English translation.
* Void Star by Zachary Mason. It’s like a modern Neuromancer.
* Of Tales and Enigmas by Minsoo Kang. Not a very prolific author, but this short story collection reminds me a lot of Ted Chiang’s writing.
This is my favorite little niche! Some speculative + literary authors you might like:
Simon Jimenez
David Mitchell
Christopher Priest
Emily St John Mandel
Octavia Butler
China Mieville
John Crowley
Julia Armfield
Nicola Griffith
Ada Palmer
Samuel Delaney
George Saunders (Tenth of December specifically)
Kazuo Ishiguro