Mobb Deep's Book Ones, Pt. II
What do tunnels full of gold, cactus-people, twins who hate each other, and Russian magicians all have in common?
I am addicted to buying books. My bookshelves will soon overflow, and I promise this isn’t a weird backhanded way to brag on myself. I just own too many books. I went to grad school in part so I would have an excuse to buy books. Was that a joke? Not sure. In particular I like buying and reading Science-Fiction and Fantasy books. And because I fancy myself as some sort of cultural tastemaker, I’ve laid out what some of my favorite books are below. Please feel free to cancel me for any of these choices. I took Ender’s Game of the list cause I’m not as much a glutton for punishment as my brand lets on. Also, I own all of these books so if you want to borrow any of these, just let me know!
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Cryptonomicon – Neal Stephenson
Neal Stephenson almost certainly has shitty politics. While he’s never really talked about them, and truthfully, I’ve never investigated, but if I had to guess he’s probably some weirdo techno-libertarian who thinks rich people are going to save us. I mean maybe not, but I’ve got a feeling you know? In either case, Cryptonomicon slaps. A reimagining of both World War Two-era cryptology and the development of non-governmental monetary systems a la Bitcoin, Stephenson weaves science and history into a quick-moving tale of lost gold, Indiana Jones-esque treasure hunts and better than James Bond-level spying. There’s also a love story in here too. He followed this up by taking the story, and some of the characters, a couple hundred years back in the past for his The Baroque Cycle series. All worth checking out.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms – N.K. Jemisin
N.K. Jemisin freaking rules. Jemisin has been sweeping up awards whenever a new book of hers is released, and she absolutely deserves it. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms brings the reader into a world where Gods are real and very petty. Beautifully rendered and full of energy, Jemisin creates and creates and creates some more. Never tiring and always leaving you wanting more, Jemisin uses expertly uses emotion to breathe life into her characters. Get on this train. The sequels are just as good.
Neuromancer – William Gibson
A classic. The book that almost single-handedly invented “cyberpunk.” One of the best opening paragraphs ever put on the page. Dang dude (what the heck?) do I even have to keep going? Gibson is a legend and Neuromancer is one of his best. Pretty much every science-fiction book written after this just copies Neuromancer at some point. Almost impossible to avoid. Read where it all started.
Vellum – Hal Duncan
I vividly remember reading this book. I had just picked it up secondhand from Uncharted Books in Logan Square. I was eating the Shrimp Pad Thai at Trike, also in Logan Square. I was listening to the song “Look Ahead” by Future. I read the first chapter and I think I blacked out for a little becuase I came too after finishing like half the book and not eating my Pad Thai. I apperently texted my dad after completing the first chapter that he had to read this book. I later continued to listen to “Look Ahead” whenever I read this book, putting the song on repeat and entering what seemed like a fugue state. I don’t understand half of what this book is about, and I don’t want to. Vellum bounces around like a rubber ball on a basketball court careening wildly from chapter to chapter but never completely going off the rails. I won’t recommend listening to Future while reading this book but I also won’t not recommend it.
Perdido Street Station – China Miéville
If some criminal with a horribly out of whack set of priorities put a gun to my head and asked me to name my favorite novel I’d probably stutter out Perdido Street Station before pissing my pants. Miéville’s works often get called “weird-fiction” or various other genre epithets but more than a willingness to float in and out of genres, what defines Miéville’s works is his ability to fill his worlds with fully realized characters. In perhaps the most preeminent example of this Miéville introduces us to Bas-Lag in Perdido Street Station a world full of characters that could stand up to anything else in the literary canon for pure inventiveness. Paired with a razor-sharp political sense and an ear for turns of phrase Miéville can change a reader’s world in a second.
Annihilation – Jeff VanderMeer
On a shameful note, I have to admit that I only read Annihilation after watching the movie version. While the movie is wonderful, Annihilation and its two sequels, Authority and Acceptance are even better. VanderMeer masterfully creates a swooning heatstroke of a world that keeps you on your toes. Reading this work provides what feels like a low-level hallucinatory experience. You’re never quite sure what’s going on yet you feel all the better for it.
The Tombs of Atuan – Ursula K. LeGuin
Is this the best of the Wizard of Earthsea novels? No. Did it scare the shit out of me as a kid? Absolutely. Did I read it like a bunch of times because of that fact? Yes. The sequel to LeGuin’s classic A Wizard of Earthsea, the novel barely features the characters of the original, which forced 10-year-old me to check multiple times to be sure that I was reading the right book. The Tombs of Atuan largely takes place in an underground maze. LeGuin expertly ties emotional storytelling with a powerful sense of space and history grounding her story in the dust and dirt of the tombs. A short read aimed at younger folks but worth it.
The Black Prism – Brent Weeks
I like this book, and the subsequent sequels, despite my sneaking suspicion that people will judge me for it. Whatever. Brent Weeks writes some cool books. As long as you don’t think about them too hard, The Black Prism provides neat world-building, and interesting magic system, and some frothy romance. Weeks strength comes from his ability to ground the action in emotion. The characters never stray too far from themselves and while at times the plot twists can verge on the ridiculous, he always goes back to the emotional stakes, never letting the plot veer to far out of bounds.
The Spy Who Came Into The Cold – John Le Carré
Le Carré is the king. No author comes close to writing spy novels as good as Le Carré’s. The Spy Who Came Into The Cold first released in 1965 it remains a masterpiece of a thriller, reveling in its Cold War setting and deftly pluming the depths of its character’s psyches. If you’ve never read Le Carré before this is a great starting place. About a spy in East Germany this book also features Le Carré’s most famous character George Smiley. A short but powerful work.
Vita Nostra - Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
What if doing magic absolutely sucked shit? This question drives the narrative of the Dyachenko’s 2007 novel. First published in Ukraine and only recently translated into English Vita Nostra illuminates what would happen if Hogwarts existed primarily as a way to torture its students. A very bleak novel that nevertheless manages to insert pockets of brightness throughout its pages. A fun winter novel for those looking for a bit of a challenge.
Here’s a non-book related funny video.