Fantasy Aficionados discussion

Hello Fantasy Aficionados!
I'm searching for something new to read, and I want something weird. I want to remain within the realms of fantasy, but lose the medieval weaponry, maybe, and tell the story from an unusual perspective - like the main character is a mythical animal, or something.
Alternatively, it would be interesting to hear about the weirdest book you've ever read. One that has really stuck in your mind, whether good or bad.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks Patrick.
All three look pretty good, especially The Weird: A Compendendium Of Strange And Dark Stories. I find that the weirdest stories are usually short stories.

Definitely agree with House of Leaves If you can get past some of the weird format, unusual story telling elements, and some pretty strange character interactions there are some genuinely terrifying moments.

Gruntsif you're looking for a different perspective and a plot that sometimes veers off into a weird place, this is totally it. At times funny, disturbing, and, well, weird. The book as a whole never quite lives up to its potential but it's entertaining.

YarnA sort of dystopian near future of fashion and hypersexualization. Sometimes reminded me of Brave New World. A really interesting, if cynical and weird story and world.

The Seven Circles Trilogy Seven Circles 1 It's been awhile but I really liked the first two, but the third one veers off into a totally different direction and I was left feeling pretty confused and dissatisfied.

The Last Green TreeSomewhat science fiction, but it threw me off so much I'll put it here. Mentions of pedophilia, sentient trees and their human keepers, mind control, child abuse and almost everyone dies in the last chapter apparently just because. It was both confusing, disturbing and annoying.

How about Noir set in a world where the dwarves, trolls and elves are real but they've gone into hiding? I'm a big fan of Michael Kanuckel anyway but Agent White has something that's all it's own. I've not read a lot of fantasy like it. It isn't quite urban fantasy or Noir. It's set in a modern version of our own world and at the tipping off point that leads into the other ages in his other books. Ezra Beckitt is a noir detective discovering that his modern world isn't all it's cracked up to be and that fantastic creatures exist.

I find most of Neil Gaiman to be "within the realms of fantasy, but lose the medieval weaponry, maybe, and tell the story from an unusual perspective" :The Ocean at the End of the Lane is probably the most approachable, but American Gods is my favorite.

Strangest "I can't believe I read it all and I may still not know everything that happened" goes to Winter's Tale

I still can't quite say how I feel about Zarsthor's Bane .

I've read it at least twice but...I've no real clue what happened. It's all really surreal but still with some type of goal. It's kinda weird and symbolic without really being symbolic at all.

It's what I would assume an author on LSD or something would write. My copy is the 1979 paperback and there's illustrations in there that reinforces the dreamy quality.

What makes it even more strange - to me - is that the book doesn't really fit within it's own series cannon. It's almost as if Norton wrote it after a dream and then tried to shove it into the Witch World.

Thanks everyone.
I've been adding all these books into my To Read list.
I love Noir and fantasy, so Agent White will be one of the first I read. Thanks, Amanda. I've added Eyes Like Blue Fire, too. Sounds wicked.
I like that Grunts is told from the villains perspective and has VERY mixed reviews -- so that'll be fun. House Of Leaves is a must. Yarn, the Seven Circles trilogy, and The Last Green Tree all great recommendations, too.
And thank you, Mrs Joseph. Zarsthor's Bane sounds utterly bizarre!
Lucinda: I seem to be allergic to Neil Gaiman, unfortunately, but Winter's Tale is definitely something I could sink my teeth into.

Keith wrote: "Thanks everyone.
I've been adding all these books into my To Read list.
I love Noir and fantasy, so Agent White will be one of the first I read. Thanks, Amanda. I've added Eyes Like Blue Fire, too...."

Eyes Like Blue fire is going to be re-released from my press in a month or two so it might be a bit of a wait. Thanks for adding it :) I hope you like Agent White when you get to it too.

Keith wrote: "Thanks everyone.
I've been adding all these books into my To Read list.
I love Noir and fantasy, so Agent White will be one of the first I read. Thanks, Amanda. I've added Eyes Like Blue Fire, too...."

Welcome! Tell me how you like it. :)

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, Volume One by Gordon Dahlquist comes to mind.

If you like noir, you may like Perdido Street Station 1. I found it too dark for my taste, but it's certainly original.

The weirdest book I remember reading was Something Wicked This Way Comes. I loved the book, but it was really odd.

Noir Fantasy: add Something More Than Night by Ian Tregillis . It was a great read.

Alice in Wonderland is certainly a weird book.

Cursed is weird. I don't know if I'd call it sci-fi or fantasy, but I think I threw it in the fantasy/bizarro category. It's set in the real world and narrated by a man who is certain he is cursed. I really, really liked it.

I think I'll go with one of my personal favorites: Shriek: An Afterword by Jeff Vandermeer.

Elric of Melniboné
The Book of Dead Days
Snow Crash

Cloud Roads by Martha Wells. Weird, but awesome.

Fantasy from an animal perspective: Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams. It was the first novel of his I ever read and now he's one of my most favorite authors ever (it's the perfect novel for me, since it combines my love of cats and fantasy).

Probably Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami is the strangest I've read. I really liked it and have wanted to read more by Murakami. Some of the "weird" stuff that happens is fish raining down from the sky, a villain who kills cats in order to make a flute out of their souls, ghosts appearing of people who are still alive but the ghosts are of their younger selves and a lot more. The novel is definitely very different.

c.o.lleen ± (... never stop fighting) ± wrote: "The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, Volume One by Gordon Dahlquist comes to mind."

Sounds like it's definitely my kind of book. I've put it on my To Read list. Thanks, c.o.leen.

Robin wrote: "If you like noir, you may like Perdido Street Station 1. I found it too dark for my taste, but it's certainly original."

I've had that monster of a book on my desk for over a year now and can't quite bring myself to make a spirited start. I hear it's very much about the city, not exactly plot-driven and pretty hard going. Alternatively, it gets tons of praise. Maybe one day...

Anne wrote: "The weirdest book I remember reading was Something Wicked This Way Comes. I loved the book, but it was really odd."

I LOVE Something Wicked This Way Comes. VERY weird. VERY creepy, too. Thanks, Anne.

Lucinda wrote: "Noir Fantasy: add Something More Than Night by Ian Tregillis . It was a great read."

Definitely adding it on my To Read list. It says it's Raymond Chandler inspired, so I'm bound to like it. Thanks, Lucinda.

Greg wrote: "Alice in Wonderland is certainly a weird book."

I have to agree. It is probably the weirdest book I have ever read.

Carol. [All cynic, all the time] wrote: "Cursed is weird. I don't know if I'd call it sci-fi or fantasy, but I think I threw it in the fantasy/bizarro category. It's set in the real world and narrated by a man who is certai..."

Oh, yes! I like the sound of this one. Nice review from you on there, too, btw. Thanks, Carol.

Malrubius wrote: "I think I'll go with one of my personal favorites: Shriek: An Afterword by Jeff Vandermeer."

Thanks, Malrubius. Think I will start at the beginning of the Ambergris trilogy, as all three books are appealing.

Keith wrote: "Oh, yes! I like the sound of this one. Nice review from you on there, too, btw. Thanks, Carol."

Thanks, Keith! I'll be interested to learn your opinion.

I just read another pretty weird one:

Jalilah wrote: "I just read another pretty weird one: "

Thanks, Jalilah. Both of your recommendations sound very, very weird indeed.

Michelle E. wrote: "Fantasy from an animal perspective: Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams. It was the first novel of his I ever read and now he's one of my most favorite authors ever (it's the perfec..."

Thanks, Michelle E. I, too, am a massive fan of cats. I also have a massive cat. Tailchaser's Song sounds ideal.

Jason wrote: "Cloud Roads by Martha Wells. Weird, but awesome."

The Cloud Roads and the other two Books Of The Raksura series are very appealing. I quite fancy some of the other books by Martha Wells, too. Thanks, Jason.