ONTD Book Club discussion

I felt the overwhelming desire today to recommend some of my FAVORITE authors who aren't well known. I want more people to discuss them with!

So here is what I am recommending, my favorite two books from two of my favorite authors.

Expendable by James Alan Gardner
A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski

Both are science fiction, but I think even non-genre fans would love them.

Anyone else have stuff to recommend?

One of my favorite books that I don't think is very well known is What Happened to Lani Garver it's YA/maybe what you would call fantasy.

Either way, I've read it several times, and have loved it every single time.

Great idea for a discussion topic!

I thoroughly recommend F.G. Cottam's books. They're all really atmospheric ghost stories with brilliant characters and lots of suspense. I've never understood why he hasn't become more comercially successful. Dark Echo is the best, but any of them are worth reading if you can find them.

The House at Midnight and The Bed I Made by Lucie Whitehouse are both brilliant and I can't wait to read more from her. Her books are also very suspenseful thrillers with really likeable characters, though without the supernatural element.

I know D.B.C. Pierre isn't an unknown author, but I think his third novel Lights Out in Wonderland deserves more recognition, it's completely original and absolutely sublime.

I'll stop there, could go on though!

I read
A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski for a Science Fiction class. It introduced me to a lot of great authors. I also highly recommend anything by
Ted Chiang.

Soulless and the rest of the Parasol Protectorate is fun.

Aah, I love science-fiction and fantasy, so I've added both of those books to my "to read" list.

I'm not certain how popular this is, but Geek Love by Katherine Dunn is one of my very favourites of all time. I probably recommend it to anyone who asks.

It's about a family of circus geeks and the strange circumstances that they put themselves into. It's mostly contemporary, with a little magical realism for spice. To say more would ruin the ~mystery~.

I loooove the Soulless series, as well! They are fun books.

Another book I would recommend, although I'm not sure how well know it is or isn't, is The First Princess of Wales: A Novel. It's sooo good. If you like early British historical fiction, you should read this. :)

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng.
This was a nominee for Man Booker 2007. So maybe not exactly "little known".
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...

I personally never felt the eastern backdrop to be a very compelling thing in a novel. Somerset Maugham and Pearl Buck being my points of reference. But this one is different.
This book not only introduced me to the relatively less known WWII conflicts amongst south east asian countries but also the interwoven theme of eastern philosophy vs western was very interesting.
The relationship between the protagonist and his mysterious Japanese sensei will keep you hooked till end.

Phantom

My all-time favorite book that no one seems to have heard of or read.

It's the story of the man who becomes the Phantom of the Opera from the moment of his birth through his life up to and beyond the story in the play / musical / original novel.

Breathtaking and beautifully told, I re-read it every few years.