Can you recommend a book for me please?

I’ve basically been ordered to pick up any fiction book and read, after a friend discovered I’ve not read anything but non-fiction for a decade.

The ones I’ve enjoyed in the past have been short, fantastical or sci-fi (think Aldous Huxley, Ian McEwan), but crucially with amazing first person descriptive prose - the kind where you’re immersed in the writing so much you’re almost there with the character.

I liked sci-fi as the world’s constraints weren’t always predictable. Hope that makes sense.

Any recommendations?

Edit: I’m going to up the ante and, as a way of motivating myself to get off my arse and actually read a proper story, promise to choose a book from the top comment, after, let’s say arbitrarily, Friday 2200 GMT.

Edit deux: Wow ok I don’t think I’ve ever had this many responses to anything I’ve posted before. You’ve given me what looks like a whole year of interesting suggestions, and importantly, good commentary around them. I’m honouring my promise to buy the top thing in just under 4 hours.

Cyyris , (edited )

It's definitely not short, but The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey is absolutely top notch.

The attention to detail that goes into a sci-fi series that lives within a realistic world, with actual physics is incredible - i.e:

  • Ships need to calculate when to flip around midway through their journey to decelerate by burning the opposite direction.

  • Torpedoes and tungsten slugs have travel time.

  • Making hard accelerations or evasive maneuvers can and will crush you into your flight seat due to the intense G forces and the only way to not black out is a cocktail of stimulants, adrenaline, and blood thinners

  • Communications take place at actual light speed, which means when you're dealing with distances up to several hundred million kilometers, it can take anywhere from minutes to hours for your message to be received.

But fear not! This is truly a traditional sci-fi novel, packed full with ancient alien substances that seem to reprogram human cells for their own use - but to what end?
Ancient feuds between those born in space, and those born on a planet.
And the answer to the age old question: why not just use asteroids as weapons?

The main characters are an extremely close knit group, who it seems at times get by on sheer willpower and a touch of luck (with some excellent planning).

The story takes turns being told from different characters' perspectives, which really helps you get to know each character intimately - how they think, and feel about the events unfolding - how their morality affects their choices.

If you're looking for a more "realistic" take on sci-fi, this series is absolutely up your alley.

The first novel is called "Leviathan's Wake" and there are 9 main books in the series, with a smattering of novellas between that expand on the world.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes

JaymesRS ,
@JaymesRS@literature.cafe avatar

I tried to go for quick reads. The top 3 recommendations (all novellas, but incredible) would be

Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Or
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (already mentioned by others too)
Or
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

And 2 honorable mentions that are longer:
Thief by Margaret Whalen Turner
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

livus ,

I'd recommend The Martian.

It's hard sci fi and the writing style is quite similar to nonfiction so it should be a fairly fast read for you.

I'd also recommend grabbing a book of Philip K Dick short stories.

frankPodmore ,
@frankPodmore@slrpnk.net avatar

My top recommendation for 'fantastical [...] with amazing first person descriptive prose' is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. It's beautiful and unlike anything you've ever read. I've bought it for three or four different people now and they've all loved it. Couldn't recommend it more highly, a genuine five star read.

leraje ,
@leraje@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

My favourite read of last year. I know she has a long term illness that hampers her writing speed which is almost criminal as she's incredibly talented.

Nefara ,

I read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell recently and found it delightful and incredibly original. I haven't heard anything about Piranesi, I'll see if my library has it!

frankPodmore ,
@frankPodmore@slrpnk.net avatar

It's quite different from JS&MN, except in being about magic. If your library doesn't have it, it's worth buying a copy!

BraveSentry ,

It is fantasy but if you like hillarious and (in part) absurd stuff, read anything by Terry Pratchett. I personally would recommend starting with "Guards! Guards!". Be aware that there are over 30 books by him out there. There are multiple guides on which to read first to get the best start.

Most agree that it is not the best idea to start with the book he wrote first.

342345 ,

Be aware that there are over 30 books by him out there.

All in all there are are like 40. At some point you will wish there were more.

Guards! Guards! is nice.
I also liked The Wee Free Men and a Hat Full of Sky.

Lauchs ,

Came to make sure someone had posted Pratchett.

I think it particularly suits OP as the prose is astoundingly good. I'd never been impressed by sentence structure until reading Pratchett.

Also, for someone into non-fiction, there's so much real world brilliance that it crosses over pretty well. (Sociology, science, politics, religion, damnit, everything. The whole human experience can be found in Pratchett's writing.)

Zellith ,

You might try some of Azimovs short stories. For a bit more meat you might try Frederik Pohls Hee Chee saga. Book 1 was great.

i_am_not_a_robot ,
@i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk avatar

The Mistborn Trilogy (start with The Final Empire) by Brandon Sanderson is superb.

After that initial trilogy they are a massive struggle, but the first three are well worth reading.

TheaoneAndOnly27 ,

I absolutely agree with your recommendation, but man if they're looking for something short, the mistborn series is the opposite lol

i_am_not_a_robot ,
@i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk avatar

To be fair, they say the previous books they've enjoyed have been short... Not that they want to read something short this time! But point taken.

TheaoneAndOnly27 ,

Oh I absolutely agree with you about the sequels as well. I tried reading the one that takes place more of like the Victorian era and just could not get into it

bunkyprewster ,

Cordwainer Smith

richieadler ,

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin.

cosmicrookie ,
@cosmicrookie@lemmy.world avatar

I can't believe that **Hitchhiker's guide to the gallaxy **isn't mentioned yet!

Its more of a funny story set in the future but its a classic, and its well worth reading (all 4 books of the trillogy)

Ixoid ,
  • Six books in the trilogy, if you include And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer (of Atemis Fowl fame)
plasticcanliner ,
@plasticcanliner@firefish.ranranhome.info avatar

@foofiepie Iain M Banks books are always a treat, and I mean the Culture ones

Jaysyn ,
@Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

Anything by Iain M. Banks.

vudu ,

The Player of Games is reportedly the best place to start but I personally started with Consider Phlebas and can't complain!

OldManBOMBIN ,

Read Everworld

tonylowe ,

Anything by Octavia E. Butler.

SzethFriendOfNimi ,

Did she ever finish the earthseed series?

dandelion ,
@dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

No, unfortunately she did not finish Parable of the Trickster before her death. :-(

SzethFriendOfNimi ,

I’ve read the first one but I’m not sure I want to read the rest if there’s no closure for the story.

dandelion ,
@dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I've read both Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, and while you can tell the general arc she was going for with the next book (and can imagine the broad strokes of what would happen next), I never felt there was a lack of closure for the story.

They are emotionally difficult books to read, so it's also hard to recommend them to people, but I would encourage you to not let the lack of a third book prevent you from reading the first two, they are worth reading on their own merits. The Parable of the Talents especially has significance to the situation in the U.S., as some say it predicted Trump.

SzethFriendOfNimi ,

I read the first. Just wasn’t sure about the second

dandelion ,
@dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Definitely worth reading, I remember it being better than the first book.

whatsgoingdom ,

If you also want some fantasy recommendations:

Malazan book of the fallen is one of my favorites

The King killer Chronicles if you can stand the long wait for book 3 to finally drop is also really awesome

HoodsOwn ,

HAIL THE MARINES!

drengbarazi ,
@drengbarazi@lemmy.world avatar

I think I read "The Name of the Wind" in two long sittings, about 12 years ago.

Holy fuck, what a great book that was.

whatsgoingdom ,

Hasn't been 12 years for me but it sure feels that long. I also pretty much inhaled both books.

hybridhavoc ,
@hybridhavoc@lemmy.world avatar

Sadly it has been more than 12 years we've been waiting for the next book. 🙁

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