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.
If you’re into the sci-fi, you’ll probably like Project Hail Mary, it’s hard sci-fi and you get very invested in the story.
Ray Porter also does a great audiobook narration of it on audible.
I’m going to be upset if they change the ending in the movie, it was amazing
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)
The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells is a collection of short books in the first perspective of a cyborg. You might enjoy that.
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.
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.)
Have you read The Martian by Andy Weir?
Diamond hard sci-fi told mostly through the main character’s personal log. First time I read it, I couldn’t put it down, I read the whole thing in one sitting.
I’d like to add The Hail Mary Project by Weir as I recommended The Martian to a friend looking for sci-fi but he couldn’t get into it because it’s a little harder on the science and less on character development, although I personally agree it’s a great recommendation for immersive writing.
The Hail Mary Project might have more immediate emotional character connection if the Martian feels a little dry.
Really? I actually don’t know his history. Was Martian his first one or just his breakout hit? Are all of his later novels more character driven like Hail Mary project?
I like realistic science fiction a lot, but I need some more characterization and plots to really get into it like I did with the Hail Mary project.
If anyone stumbles on this thread, check out the mote in god’s eye for some amazing characterization and hard science fiction.
