31 votes

What books are best read with zero advance knowledge?

The time loop topic has a few entries of media where the time loop is a twist/spoiler, and made me think of how hard it is to recommend books/media where the reveal is part of what makes it impactful.

Two I can think of off the top of my head are

  • The Girl with all the Gifts by Mike Carey

  • We are all completely beside ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

Very different genres and topics and I can't at all think of how to describe either one without spoiling it.

23 comments

  1. [3]
    mat
    Link
    House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski is a freebie for this sort of question. But knowing The Thing in advance would take some of the edge off. If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino...

    House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski is a freebie for this sort of question. But knowing The Thing in advance would take some of the edge off.

    If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino would be no fun at all if you knew anything much about what was going to happen, and that would be a great shame.

    For some reason I'm also thinking of The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks and that's really just to do with one twist. But it is a biggie.

    13 votes
    1. Not_Enough_Gravitas
      Link Parent
      I was just invited to a book club where the current members are reading through HOL. It's so exciting to watch and listen to their reactions and commentary.

      I was just invited to a book club where the current members are reading through HOL. It's so exciting to watch and listen to their reactions and commentary.

      4 votes
    2. Dr_Amazing
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      I read House of Leaves and I don't think I understood it well enough to know what the big thing would even be

      I read House of Leaves and I don't think I understood it well enough to know what the big thing would even be

  2. [6]
    Tlon_Uqbar
    Link
    The Brothers Karamazov. At its core, it's a murder mystery. Who you think "dun it" maps to the questions of faith, knowledge and goodness that are brought up throughout the book. Knowing the...

    The Brothers Karamazov. At its core, it's a murder mystery. Who you think "dun it" maps to the questions of faith, knowledge and goodness that are brought up throughout the book. Knowing the answers spoils the philosophical themes, imo.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      trobertson
      Link Parent
      Honestly, you just rekindled my interest in TBK. I put it down at about 30% of the way in (and I picked up Umineko instead, which is also a murder mystery (of sorts)). Tensions had been slowly...

      At its core, it's a murder mystery.

      Honestly, you just rekindled my interest in TBK. I put it down at about 30% of the way in (and I picked up Umineko instead, which is also a murder mystery (of sorts)). Tensions had been slowly rising, and I can see lots of motives from where I left off, but damn is it a slow start.

      I went in totally blind on the faith that people wouldn't call Dostoevsky one of the greatest writers ever unless his works were actually good. I had become convinced that it was merely a "period" drama and that it wasn't for me.

      3 votes
      1. Tlon_Uqbar
        Link Parent
        In the preface Dostoevsky calls it something like 2 novels stitched together. He does ask a lot of readers to get through all the set up. But once the actual, well, murder happens, it starts...

        In the preface Dostoevsky calls it something like 2 novels stitched together. He does ask a lot of readers to get through all the set up. But once the actual, well, murder happens, it starts snowballing really quick.

        Actually found the preface here. I'll let big D speak for himself:

        The additional difficulty is that, although I have only one life story to tell, there are really two novels here. The main novel is the second one, which describes the life of my hero in our time, at this very moment.

        1 vote
    2. [3]
      kari
      Link Parent
      This is on my to-read list and I know nothing about it, so this makes me excited for it. Maybe I'll try to read it soon. However, I couldn't stand reading Crime and Punishment in high school so if...

      This is on my to-read list and I know nothing about it, so this makes me excited for it. Maybe I'll try to read it soon. However, I couldn't stand reading Crime and Punishment in high school so if it's too similar I probably won't be able to finish it.

      1. [2]
        Tlon_Uqbar
        Link Parent
        It's so worth it. It was sitting on my bookshelf for ~10 years before I actually decided to read it, but it instantly became one of my favorite books ever. Starts out slow with a lot of necessary...

        It's so worth it. It was sitting on my bookshelf for ~10 years before I actually decided to read it, but it instantly became one of my favorite books ever. Starts out slow with a lot of necessary set up, but the back half moves really quick when you start getting into the meat of the mystery. IDK what translation (assuming here) you read in high school, but the Pevear/Volokhonsky translations of Dostoevsky are very modern and readable.

        2 votes
        1. kari
          Link Parent
          Thanks! Saving this comment so that I'll be sure to look for those translations specifically then if/when I get around to reading The Brothers Karamazov :)

          Thanks! Saving this comment so that I'll be sure to look for those translations specifically then if/when I get around to reading The Brothers Karamazov :)

  3. boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    We have always lived in the castle, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Piranesi, Are all books where the reader gets a more compelling experience by not knowing what is going on from the beginning

    We have always lived in the castle,

    The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen,

    Piranesi,

    Are all books where the reader gets a more compelling experience by not knowing what is going on from the beginning

    5 votes
  4. [2]
    gil
    Link
    The Bible Spoilers Imagine reading the whole resurrection plot twist for the first time.

    The Bible

    Spoilers Imagine reading the whole resurrection plot twist for the first time.
    5 votes
    1. Dr_Amazing
      Link Parent
      It's crazy to think of a bunch of people waiting for the next book to come out guessing what's going to happen. I dont know enough about the pacing of the Bible, but would Lucifer/Satan turning on...

      It's crazy to think of a bunch of people waiting for the next book to come out guessing what's going to happen.

      I dont know enough about the pacing of the Bible, but would Lucifer/Satan turning on god be a similar twist? Like does he appear before that, just helping God out?

      "Holy shit!! The serpent in the garden was Satan the whole time?!"

      In a similar vein, I was very surprised the first time i read Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The twist is such common knowledge now that I had never realized that it was a big ending reveal that they're the same person.

      1 vote
  5. [3]
    kfwyre
    Link
    Alastair Reynolds’s Eversion has a really nice slow-burn buildup in the first half. I was mortified to see, after I read it, that the official summary for the book steamrolls this entire portion...

    Alastair Reynolds’s Eversion has a really nice slow-burn buildup in the first half.

    I was mortified to see, after I read it, that the official summary for the book steamrolls this entire portion by flat out telling you the results of the slow burn, taking away any of the mystery it builds up.

    I recommend reading it, but only if you learn nothing about it.

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      Eji1700
      Link Parent
      I'm surprised to see this as I read it somewhat out of no where and wasn't sure how popular it was. I completely agree with your take however, even if it's a book that started as a 5/5 for me and...

      I'm surprised to see this as I read it somewhat out of no where and wasn't sure how popular it was. I completely agree with your take however, even if it's a book that started as a 5/5 for me and ended as a 3 or 4.

      1 vote
      1. kfwyre
        Link Parent
        I agree about the ending. For me the best part of the book was the buildup of the central mystery. Once the nature of that gets revealed, the resolution is way less compelling (it honestly could...

        I agree about the ending. For me the best part of the book was the buildup of the central mystery. Once the nature of that gets revealed, the resolution is way less compelling (it honestly could have stopped without resolving and I might have even liked it better).

        This, of course, makes it all the more a sin that the summary gives that part completely away. It’s quite literally the best part!

        Also,

        Spoiler

        I actually wanted to name the book in the time-loop topic, but telling people about that is, well, exactly what ruins the story. Correspondingly, I was very glad to see this topic pop up afterwards.

        2 votes
  6. Sodliddesu
    Link
    Two of my favorites, Catch 22 and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Fear and Loathing can be read in a day or so and Catch 22 you'll need more time. That's all I'll say.

    Two of my favorites, Catch 22 and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

    Fear and Loathing can be read in a day or so and Catch 22 you'll need more time. That's all I'll say.

    2 votes
  7. [2]
    l_one
    Link
    So, this is for an Anime and not a book, but there was one specific title that shouted in my head as fitting 'so much more impactful knowing nothing going into it'. Your Lie in April. I...

    So, this is for an Anime and not a book, but there was one specific title that shouted in my head as fitting 'so much more impactful knowing nothing going into it'.

    Your Lie in April.

    I intentionally did not link since it's hard to find something to link to that won't provide spoilers. I'm having the same trouble with providing an explanation of what it is... I can only say it is beautiful.

    For those who know, I request no spoilers if replying.

    1 vote
  8. panikode
    Link
    The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe. The final chapter of The Citadel of the Autarch sent me immediately to reread the entire series anew!

    The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe. The final chapter of The Citadel of the Autarch sent me immediately to reread the entire series anew!

  9. [3]
    PraiseTheSoup
    Link
    Uh, all of them? What even is this question?

    Uh, all of them? What even is this question?

    1 vote
    1. Nny
      Link Parent
      Some books are plot-centric to the point where describing the plot ruins the entire experience of reading it. Most books are not like that, as the focus can be on a variety of other things like...

      Some books are plot-centric to the point where describing the plot ruins the entire experience of reading it.

      Most books are not like that, as the focus can be on a variety of other things like characters or dialogue - hell, some don’t even have plots! So it’s asking about books like that.

      15 votes
    2. sparksbet
      Link Parent
      There are plenty of books that aren't particularly negatively affected by "spoilers" -- and some that even improve on a re-read! So I don't think it's a silly question at all.

      There are plenty of books that aren't particularly negatively affected by "spoilers" -- and some that even improve on a re-read! So I don't think it's a silly question at all.

      8 votes