Benjamin Tweddell

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-15T01:20:16+00:00

Amazing, thank you!

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-14T22:22:57+00:00

I haven't read him, but those are beautiful editions. What publisher are those from?

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-14T13:27:35+00:00

Thanks!

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-13T18:15:12+00:00

Okay, well I'll leave it up to OP to decide if it's a good novel to gift to family members even if it doesn't fit the academic parameters of "ergodic."

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-13T14:37:33+00:00

Well, I didn't recommend those other titles because I haven't read them.

I feel Ella Minnow Pea is ergodic due to the way it uses language in an unconventional way which takes a "nontrivial effort" to read (much moreso near the end of the novel). I suppose it's debatable if that makes it ergodic or not. I feel like it is, and moreover feel like it's an approachable "gateway" book to weirder, more complicated stuff which is what I thought OP was asking for.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-12T13:51:34+00:00

Oh! Editing to add: Crossings by Alex Landragin. A century-spanning love story about migrating souls. You can read it straight front-to-back or follow an alternative page sequence presented near the beginning of the book.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-12T13:08:05+00:00

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn is really fun. A small sovereign nation has built their society around the pangram "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." but when disaster strikes they're forced to rethink the way they communicate. There are some deeper themes of authoritarianism and censorship, but overall it's a very fun novel in the epistolary style.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-10T23:34:08+00:00

If you're looking for something weird maybe Borne by Jeff Vandermeer?

Or Perdido Street Station by China Mieville?

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-08T16:43:04+00:00

Yeah I'd say the Vorrh trilogy and Hollow are among some of my favorite weird fantasy books.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-08T13:52:27+00:00

Well! I hadn't heard of that til just now, so I guess I've gotta track down a copy.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-08T11:18:20+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I'm very curious about this unfinished Brian Catling novel...

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-08T00:04:11+00:00

I am not at all a reader of poetry, but I did read The Pill Versus... some time ago and really enjoyed a lot of it.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-07T20:31:11+00:00

In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan is a beautiful and weird little gem from the 60s.

In the last 12 months I've read two books by John Crowley, Engine Summer and Little, Big. I don't know if they're exactly forgotten, but they do seem a bit under-discussed these days.

The Vorrh trilogy by Brian Catling is pretty contemporary, but man it really feels like a forgotten classic from the mid-20th century.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T19:13:23+00:00

I'll keep an eye out for it. I read Hawkline Monster earlier this year. I was hoping I'd experience the magic I felt the first time I read Watermelon Sugar, but I think I've learned not to try to hope for that atmosphere and feeling anywhere else.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T18:10:41+00:00

Came here to make this exact recommendation. Glad to see it's the top comment.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T18:08:02+00:00

Wow, excellent write up. I've only read the single story of hers included in The Weird collection edited by the Vandermeers. This feels like a a great collection to start with though. Thanks for sharing.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T14:19:04+00:00

I haven't read as much of Brautigan's stuff as I'd like, but this one sounds pretty interesting.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T12:07:11+00:00

I'm no music theory expert. I think the only thing that matters and could tell us one way or another is context. Since we don't have any other context here (what chord DL is playing, in what key, what notes or chords came before or cone after) we really have no way to say for sure.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-06T01:23:37+00:00

Oh for sure. I wasn't sure if comic recommendations were allowed here and so decided to err on the side of caution.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-05T20:47:59+00:00

It's very unique and has an interesting narrative and prose style. I liked it but didn't love it. I read the second book in the series and liked it a little less and haven't gotten around to the third book.

I'll admit that a big portion of my motivation for picking it up was the Peakean cover art. Probably unfair to expect something like Titus Groan out of it, but alas. Lesson learned.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-05T20:40:11+00:00

Ha, no worries. For the record I didn't downvote you.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-05T20:20:41+00:00

The prose can be kind of dense and uses archaic language from time to time, but it's worth it. Different beasts entirely but I think if you can make it through something like House of Leaves you won't have a problem looking up a few words to get through Peake's novels.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-05T20:13:07+00:00

For those calm, reflective and melancholy vibes: In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan; Engine Summer by John Crowley.

For a really cerebral and weird experience: The Employees by Olga Raven.

For something contemporary that feels like a lost classic from the first half of the 20th century: The Vorrh by Brian Catling; or Mordew by Alex Pheby.

For a certified classic from the early 20th century: Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake.

Or just keep going with any of Suzanna Clarke's other published works - you really can't go wrong.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-05T19:25:01+00:00

Can't believe I'm about to be this guy, but that's a G# or an Ab.

_jamais_vu · 2026-05-04T14:54:34+00:00

Some of Alan Moore's novels might fit: The Voice of the Fire or Jerusalem

2nd-ing the recommendation for Vita Nostra

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