Definitely House of Leaves. A story inside of a story, inside of a story, with all narrators being just a bit crazy. Text of different fonts, going all over the place and even upside down based on the story. Just make sure to get the physical copy.
I’ve been meaning to get his latest work which he predictably didn’t finish. Have you read it?
Oh I didn’t know about this. You’re talking about The Familiar, right? I don’t know if I’m up for another 5 books like this but now I really want to try.
Not a book, but a webcomic: https://elan.school/
Be careful what you wish for OP, this is THE WILDEST shit you will ever read (at least top 5, guaranteed) and the worst/best part is that it’s all true.
Also, its VERY addictive so clear your schedule.
You’ve been warned.
You’ve ALL been warned.
I remember reading through the entire thing in one sitting… it is LONG. You can’t look away
Yup, I started reading out of curiosity from a suggestion on a thread just like this one, then found myself 10 hours later feeling like I’d come down from an acid trip.
I’m jealous of the people who can take that ride now, but also glad my ride with it is over. If that makes any sense.
No it’s NOT all true. It begins true, like the first couple chapters, then it spirals into 100% creative fiction. Please do not trouble your brain & emotions over fiction.
What years were you in Elan, since you are the obvious expert? And even if the Elan part was creative fiction, are you saying that I shouldn’t care about the children who really went through that? Should I watch Saving Private Ryan and not “trouble my brains and emotions” about war because “Tom Hanks wasn’t really a soldier”?
You sound like a sociopath.
I went into Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? blind. Hadn’t seen the movie, hadn’t read any other Dick, hadn’t even had it hyped to me by a friend. What a series of mindfucks.
If you want something really wild by him you can try Valis. Going in blind or not won’t really make a difference.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is an obvious but nonetheless relevant answer. What a ride.
Also Infinite Jest.
I’d say the first book of The Chronicles of Thomas covenant the unbeliever was a wild trip.
In the story, Thomas covenant has leprosy. Due to the leprosy he is numb from the neck down even though he can still walk. He has no sensation when he touches anything and he cannot engage in his chosen profession which is writing. In a fit of pique he rescues a girl that almost gets hit by a car and gets isekaied.
This was written in the late '70s so it was not a common trope at the time.
He arrives in a world of magic on top of a mountain covered in Giant steps, he crawls his way down the mountain and encounters a girl who uses the magic of the land to heal him of his leprosy.
Believing this is all a dream and trying to prove to himself that this is not real, he rapes the girl.
The girls seems very distraught but pulls herself together and guides him into town and that is when he discovers that the white gold wedding ring on his finger is the source of wild magic.
There is a great evil on the land that plans to destroy everything and he is the chosen person, the only person who can stop it.
He has to fight against his disbelief of the world while reconciling his abhorrent actions with his own internal sense of morality in order to have a chance to go home again.
This book spawned a 10 book series covering hundreds of years of history in the land with Thomas Covenant’s battle with the forces of evil and the lives of the people of the land resting in his leprosy numbed hands.
It’s an amazing work but it is a rough read.
Have read the first 6 books at least a half dozen times since my local librarian suggested Lord Foul’s Bane to 12 year old me in the early 80s. Little heavy for a pre teen, so I’m pretty sure she hadn’t read it herself…But those books ignited a lifelong passion for fantasy adventure stories. Saltheart Foamfollower is one of my absolute favorite characters of all time. Sooo many wild parts in those books. Good call!
Indeed. When saltheart foamfollower undergoes the lava caamora? Like I don’t cry but that brought a tear to my eye.
There is a final four books out which are of a different caliber than the first six but not a terrible read.
