UNIQUE FANTASY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS ~ genre bending books

UNIQUE FANTASY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS ~ genre bending books
You can find the books on bookshop here, or in the links below: bookshop.org/lists/unique-boo...
Gideon the Ninth
Amazon US: amzn.to/3TtEllP
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3Tykr9u
Piranesi
Amazon US: amzn.to/3Txjf6d
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3TsDHVK
Strike the Zither
Amazon US: amzn.to/3TulK9d
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3PgL1B9
Strange the Dreamer
Amazon US: amzn.to/3Tvyrk4
Amazon UK: amzn.to/4a8sPlc
The Bone Orchard
Amazon US: amzn.to/3Tw3PPF
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3wFKxOz
City of Nightmares
Amazon US: amzn.to/3TuM03n
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3PgL3ZN
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[@89sooner]

Harrow (the 2nd book) definitely fits the challenging read reputation…that book is a workout…and written in 2nd person. And then given the story of how the 3rd book, Nona, came about and massively expanded from like a prologue to what will now be the 4th book, I was shocked at how much I loved Nona as a a character.

[@JAF30]

I need to get back into Harrow, I think I finished it, the classes I am taking are pretty much all my mind is doing right now. So I pretty much stopped everything for awhile.

[@antiformsora]

I recommend the Locked Tomb (Gideon the Ninth) audiobooks. Book 2 especially is fantastic in audio. There's little hints to things just in how the narrator speaks.

[@lalalaurenlibby]

So glad to hear you liked Gideon the Ninth! Excited to hear your thoughts on the rest of the series, I’m planning on reading the third book this month

[@SlowBurnReader]

I would say the Starless Sea by Eren Morgenstern, although it almost feels tied to literary fiction and like it’s a compilation of short stories, such as original myths or fairytales, it is so beautiful and still fantasy in my opinion. While also being very abstract and metaphorical.

[@robirb_]

I'm a simple sapphic, I see Gideon I click

[@NonAnonD]

Gideon is usually summed up “LESBIAN necromancers in space,” which doesn’t really describe it well at all but does usually connect the audience it wants with the vibe it gives. Also i think the more “it can be confusing” comes from the next books in the series

[@emmal7510]

I'll second the next book being confusing. Starting Harrow, my immediate reaction was "Wait, am I completely misremembering what happened in Gideon?" No, I wasn't. Nona, I'd just forgotten who enough characters were that I needed to reread Harrow, but I wasn't as lost.

[@nicoleneedschocolate]

Yeah, after I read the book I was baffled as to why they put so much emphasis on her being lesbian and liking porno magazines when it was only brought up like 3 times? It was a very minor plotpoint given the amount of marketing it dominated…does that make sense?

[@robertawalsh2995]

@@nicoleneedschocolateMany of us are puzzled by marketing. 🙄

[@heatherbocks]

@@nicoleneedschocolatedefinitely would say it’s more than three times. Gideon is constantly thirsting after Dulcinea and Corona

[@nicoleneedschocolate]

@@heatherbocks yes she’s hot for Dulcinea, but that’s about it. It’s like a subplot within a subplot in the larger context of the story, but it’s the FIRST thing any of the marketing says about the book. That’s where my confusion lies. But if you want to be ticky-tacky about details, sure, it’s more than three times.

[@Jane42.]

City of nightmares sounds great to me. I think Seanan McGuire’s Middlegame is a good weird fantasy/sci-fi mashup.

[@tyamizuki5304]

Very excited to hear your thoughts on Harrow and then hopefully on Nona when you get there. The locked tomb is one of my favorite series

[@g.mariepickett]

I am just starting Gideon the Ninth.

[@Dpal9959]

Thank you! Love your recommendations! Definitely going to read Gideon the 9th, Bone Shard’s Daughter! 😊

[@tinyprettymoon]

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy was so good. I feel like her writing is so vivid and so much happens but it didn’t seem like it was dragging on like other books can. But I think now is actually a good time to recommend the Empirium trilogy by Claire Legrand lol. It’s not as weird but still has a lot of different elements, like angels, magic, and time travel. I’ve seen people criticize it for how many different things it does but for me it was kinda like Daughter of Smoke and Bone and it all worked.

[@betsyrabel5778]

You should check out Perdido Street Station by China Meiville. Amazing world building and the characters and societies are so unique! It's a trilogy but I have only read the first one. Very immersive.

[@MortMe0430]

I loved the Bone Orchard! super fascinating.

[@sarasgonzalezg]

My TBR list grows every time you release a new video 🤣... thank you!!!

[@teawithleia]

I've read Gideon 3~4 times by now so I can objectively say everyone should read it. Also make sure to read the short stories in between The Locked Tomb books, they explain a lot!

[@riva7rau]

A science fiction book that I also found to be unique and different is Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice. Themes of gender diversity, sense of self, the nature of memories - very inventive and different.

[@mischarowe]

Always good to see a Laini Taylor recommendation. :)

[@SKAlice236]

For Gideon: read part 2 and 3, that is where it gets confusing. Gideon is pretty straight forward in comparison. Also would recommend to read the books pretty back to back, you kind of need the memory to be fresh, otherwise you're going to be even more confused (like me), not recommendable with this series

[@vanessax6938]

So happy you finally read Gideon the Ninth. Also looking forward to your thoughts on Harrow ❤

[@sampenny4586]

Tamsyn Muir is a New Zealander. Over here dumb humour is basically a national tradition. Check on 'always blow on the pie' to get a good example. I loved this book but have struggled with the second book.

[@ladyfox6705]

Good morning 🙂 Nice to see another Kiwi writer making waves!

[@sampenny4586]

I also like H G Parry her The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep would fit in well with this list.

[@danilegge527]

I loved Gideon but gave up on Harrow half way through as I was SO CONFUSED! Went back and finished it, then decided I really needed to read both of them again to see if I could work out what was happening.

[@soniciris]

Your descriptions made me think of nothing more than China Mieville. Especially Embassytown--that primary genre is listed as sci-fi but it's more of a...socio-linguistic thriller?? Or was very strange and I felt like I was putting my brain through some kind of Olympic workout. Very rewarding but hoo boy!

[@jacquelinegreen4592]

Slewfoot or the Child Thief by Brom. Gothic Fantasy with beautiful, eerie illustrations. I would have a difficult time recommending a similar story teller.

[@thewitchyreader6131]

Great Video!

[@reneer7069]

I just found your channel and omg I love how you articulate your opinions! You’re also hilarious 😂 I’m excited to watch through all your videos!

[@mbranche4234]

I enjoyed The Bone Orchard! Such an original plot and character selection. The cover is stunning.

[@pacerdaisy]

I was so excited to hear you loved Gideon and picked up that we only know the world from her POV. I couldn't wait to hear your thoughts on Harrow, the next book in the series, and then I heard you describe what you didn't like about Piranesi. Oh no. Read the first 5 chapters of Harrow and then go back and watch your description of Piranesi (I can respect Piranesi, but I did not like it. I LOVED Harrow, please read it to the end). Then I watched the rest of the video and how you described what you liked about all of the other books you are recommending and I was like "Wait, did she actually already read Harrow and Nona the Ninth and pick these other books specifically to mess with us?" If not, then you are in for an amazing ride.

[@hisnik2]

Piranesi🤩 Great book!

[@kelseyvargo506]

Palimpsest by Valente was pretty wild (what if a fantasy city was passed around like an sti and you needed to meet and hook up with other people who've visited to gain access to other streets) its not as lascivious as the premise implies but there were moments for sure. It tackles the monotony of existence and addiction in a unique way

[@Mmm-xi7fx]

The Ten Thousand Doors of January would also be a good choice for this list.

[@riva7rau]

I've read the first three books in the Locked Tomb series, and I loved the fact that I was never sure what was actually going on / who was who / what the actual main plot is, etc. Absolutely loved the originality and (somewhat) blending of fantasy and SciFi. For reference, I listened to the audiobooks and can highly recommend the narrator and how she handles providing a different voice for each character (and there eventually are a lot of characters!).

[@ReadingNymph]

I really want to read The Bone Orchard, it sounds so intriguing

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I liked strike the zither, it was fun!

[@josie2412]

I read the City of nightmares and the sequel after you review... i found them interesting and funny and different...

[@GrimDORKFantasy]

Piranesi was pretty easy to read, lol. You don't really have to remember every location of every statue or where every single hallway leads. The story takes care of that for you as you go. It feels like the character is in some kind of MK Ultra experiment inside of "The Backrooms" liminal spaces you see on the internet with the pools and such, but in a story format.

[@finaleclipse2110]

I think The City We Became by NK Jemisin can easily be added to this list! It’s kind of sci-fi fantasy but that’s on par with Gideon the Ninth. I’m not even from the US and I still absolutely loved that book (particularly the audiobook).

[@sarahmellinger2907]

I think you’ve sold Castlevania to me based on the fact that Gideon is my favorite book of all time. Time to go get obsessed with a new show I guess.

[@deadlightlabyrinth]

Bone Shard Daughter became one of my all time favorite books last year and the Drowning Empire one of my ATF series. I do not hear this recommended nearly enough. Cannot wait to see what's next from Andrea Stewart.

[@surpriseitsus9622]

The Bone Shard Daughter was great, but book two, I barely made it through, didn't get book three. It will be interesting to see what she writes next. I'm interested.

[@lissavanhouten6628]

Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book is a unique read. It was very enjoyable. It is a fantasy with a mystery vibe. It has whimsy and coziness but with danger for the protagonist and a couple serious themes.

[@tinyprettymoon]

I checked that book out from the school library in elementary school and I still think about it occasionally. I had forgotten the name and author though

[@SolisScriptorivm]

I feel like Mordew by Alex Pheby really wants to be in this list! Fair warning, I thought the sequel Malarkoi was quite boring, but I adored Mordew so much that I can't wait for the third to come out this year!

[@Psittacus_erithacus]

Do you have an in-depth review up for City of Nightmares? I wasn't able to find one, but yt's search seems to be noticeably worse recently. - … or perhaps you've only addressed it in vids with opaque titles that can't be searched 😢

[@sarahmellinger2907]

I think it’s in one of her new releases wrap ups. That’s where I remember seeing her talk about it.

[@Psittacus_erithacus]

@@sarahmellinger2907 Thanks, I appreciate the pointer!

[@edamamame4U]

I started reading Piranesi and it is such a haunting, unnerving, yet beautiful little book. Susanna Clark's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has to be one of my favorite genre bending fantasy book. Part social commentary, part gothic fantasy/horror, it definitely isn't a book for everyone, but I honestly thought the over 900 page book was too short and I wanted more.

[@briankregg6329]

You keep getting more beautiful!