Any recommendations for books, novellas and short story collections?
Hey, I'm trying to pull back a bit from the present news cycle, so I'm looking for some alternatives. My brain often is looking for some stimulation that isn't something huge and meaty, so I figured short stories and novellas could be helpful in particular. If you have something long that's great, feel free to toss that in as well.
I like short stories that depict interesting and different worlds, though they don't need to be particularly detailed. Stories with positive (or at least not miserable) endings would probably be better for my mood. For some examples, I liked the I, Robot stories, particularly the first one with Grace and Robbie, They're Made out of Meat, Flatland, The Year Without Sunshine. I'm realizing that is kind of Sci fi heavy, but that might just be because there are more Sci fi short stories I've bumped into, a lot from links elsewhere on the internet.
For some examples of novels and series that I've liked, Cradle by Will Wight, Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels, Scholomance by Naomi Novik, Ender's Game. Recently, I liked Tomorrow and Tommorow and Tomorrow, and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, but I don't know if I could handle that level of sad right now. For historical fiction,the only examplez I can think of right now are A Woman of Independent Means, and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but I used to read a lot of it when I was younger.
Books I didn't like, but loved aspects of are Babel (I absolutely loved the setting, the book itself felt like it was beating you up with a cudgel), The School for Good mothers (I enjoyed the exploration of what Good motherhood is, and how mothers are judged by society, I disliked how disjointed the actual plot was).
I tend not to like stories where most or all characters are hard to have empathy for -- I hated A Catcher in the Rye, and loathed the Arthur Miller plays I had to read in school. I can get impatient with stories that keep the world vague for a very long time, like Never Let Me Go.
So, any recommendations?
Seconding Ted Chiang, and I will also highly recommend Greg Egan. Those two are in my opinion the best science fiction short story writers. Greg Egan has a The best of Greg Egan collection, which as the title implies great. For something a bit older, and with a generally cozy and positive vibe to most of his stories, I can recommend the stories by Clifford D. Simak.
And something completely different, as I also tend to read mostly science fiction stories, I have picked up a short story collection by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Not very far yet, but I like his simple yet very poetic language.
I love Greg Egan so much. <3 His stuff is just a little less accessible than Ted Chiang's.
If you haven't read any of Ted Chiang, he has two great collections of short stories and is a brilliant writer. Scifi.
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is a on going sci-fi novella series, with two full length novels. The story follows the main character a Security Unit (SecUnit) named itself Muderbot after it had hacked it's own governor module, but it would rather watch it's soap operas and considers spending less time with humans a blessing.
I recently read The Dispatcher by John Scalzi and enjoyed it.
I listened to the audiobook of The Dispatcher and enjoyed it as well. I was disappointed in the sequel, though. It seemed like the characters were suddenly 70% dumber. Things that were obvious to the audience (and not hidden from the characters in any way) needed constant explaining to them. Luckily the first one is a complete story and doesn't depend on the existence of the sequel.
The Murderbot Diaries isn't a perfect fit, because some of its books are proper novel length. It's so good though that I recommend it anyways.
even the 'full length novels' are like 120 pages of huge font (just sayin) - great series
Becky Chambers Wayfarers and Monk and Robot series. They're mostly cozy, though they deal with real issues, and they're hopeful views of the future.
I'm a sci-fi fan.
So hard to find a good escape. Seems like every sci-fi novel is a dystopian story.
If not a dystopian story, the story is run of the mill, filled with cliches, a hack.
If not those things the author is a lousy writer with poorly written characters.
If you have something that passes all of those test please let me know!
Anything by Becky Chambers - her books have substance, but in a calm and reflective and yet completely enjoyable and accessible way.
In a similar vein but going back aways, Zena Henderson did some great character-driven SF stories as well.
While we are dredging around in the past, Roald Dahl (yes, the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory guy) wrote three or four volumes of really good short stories for adults, most of which have quite disturbing horror-adjacent themes - and thereby maintaining a degree of shock value even today - but they are written in a clear and jaunty way that makes them enjoyable to read, and each one is bite-sized. Not at all like contemporary horror, and keep in mind he is an excellent writer who understands the craft involved in story telling.
Elizabeth Gilbert's A Signature of All Things is a longer novel that takes in... a lot of things... and is very absorbing to read.
If you want a rolicking read without a scrap of commonsense but lots of characterisation and decent plotting and some genuinely laugh out loud moments, try the Stephanie Plum series of detective novels by Janet Evanovich. Start at the series beginning, and if you like them you are in luck because I think there are about 30 of them.
The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin is one of my favorite short story collections. They're all great, like everything else she wrote.
I also have a special spot for Machine of Death, which is a collection of stories about a world just like ours except there is a machine that can tell you how you will die. The predictions are incomplete and ironic, so "old age" could mean you grow old or it could mean an old person hits you with their car next week. It was neat to see the ideas people came up with from the simple premise.
Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie is great collection of short stories.
The Collected Short Stories of Arthur C. Clarke if you've been enjoying Asimov, you'll likely enjoy Clarke as well. It contains my favorite piece of fiction ever, his story "The 9 Billion Names of God" which someone has posted here
Another more recent anthology I really enjoyed was Carbide Tipped Pens. Hard SF and some heavy hitters in the author list.
An old series that I am recommending is Gordon Dickson the dragon and the George and sequels. Like the pern dragon novels, these books feature a mix of 'medieval' social and survival issues, along with adventure. The main character is a modern man who finds himself transported to a medieval society. The twist is that when he finds himself there for the first time, he is also transformed into a Dragon and he continues living there as something a little bit like a dragon were creature. He also ends up training to be a knight and training to be a magician. There is a big fish out of water element to the story.
Black water sister by Zen Cho features a young woman living with family in Malaysia. There is a supernatural element related to religion and ancestral ghosts and there is a mystery to solve.
The goblin emperor features a youngest child of the emperor, raised in poverty far from court, who unexpectedly inherits the role of emperor. The main character is likeable and faced many challenges.
The wee free men and sequels by Terry Pratchett is a sub series of Discworld. Tiffany aching is a girl who becomes a witch and a midwife. If you like this sub series, there is more Discworld to explore.
Up the Down Staircase by bel Kaufman features a young teacher who has to navigate the classroom and a series of ridiculous beauracratic memos and the physical environment of an underfunded school district. It's funny and sad and heart warming and ironic.
All Creatures great and small is the classic story of a country veterinarian in Yorkshire. The books in this series are built from tiny stories from the veterinary practice. It's funny and interesting.
Dickson's Dragon books are some of my all-time favorites, thanks for mentioning them and reminding me. I need to do a re-read. Did you know there's a cartoon movie of the first book, A Flight of Dragons? Pretty true to the plot and great fun.
Currently reading Pratchett's Guards! Guards!, with Small Gods next up. So good.
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb. This first book is an introduction to an entire universe full of visceral situations and characters that’ll make you feel something. Worth giving a try because if you enjoy the first tastes of Robin’s creation, there’s a whole lot more headed your way.
Sum by David Eagleman is a collection of ~40 short stories about the afterlife. I thought it to be interesting.