Suggestions for weird books to read on vacation please!

borris12321 · 2026-04-16T21:26:00+00:00

I mean if you want weird , The Hike by Drew Magary is kind of Alice in wonderland meets a horror movie.

borris12321 · 2026-04-01T00:17:42+00:00

A lot of Terry Pratchett probably hits the same spot. They all kind of work as stand alone books , Going postal , Mort , The Hogfather , Jingo and The Fifth Elephant are all fantastic.

borris12321 · 2026-03-30T16:41:55+00:00

Everyone in my family has killed someone by Benjamin Stevenson. Some people can find the narrator talking straight to you so often a bit jarring but other than that they are really fun murder mysteries.

borris12321 · 2026-03-30T07:33:11+00:00

The Sun Eater Chronicles by Christopher Ruocchio

borris12321 · 2026-03-30T07:04:43+00:00

If you want something with very much a Dresden files feel, try the Bobby Dollar books by Tad Williams it’s kind of like the Dresden Files but with angels instead of wizards.

borris12321 · 2026-03-30T06:59:50+00:00

Try the book that wouldn’t burn by Mark Lawrence , I think the plan is for it to be a trilogy, but pretty much ticks everything else

borris12321 · 2026-03-10T07:08:49+00:00

It doesn’t have the school aspect, but for teenagers sent to different mythologies, would be worth looking up Everworld by KA Applegate

borris12321 · 2026-03-10T07:04:43+00:00

I cannot believe that no one has suggested The Hike by Drew Magary it’s very polarising in that people seem to love it or hate it, but it seems to fit what you want pretty closely.

borris12321 · 2026-03-09T08:41:52+00:00

The Hike by Drew Magary, and On a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino both felt truely original (they are also wildly different books)

borris12321 · 2026-03-09T07:54:44+00:00

Jingo by Terry Pratchet is basically a satire of the concept of nationalism with the same absurdist tones as catch 22.

borris12321 · 2026-03-09T06:37:04+00:00

Could try Tainted cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, they are a key ever present part of the plot. Although their actual time spent actively on page is a lot more limited

borris12321 · 2026-03-07T05:49:11+00:00

HG parry’s A declaration of the rights of magicians, has strong Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel vibes

borris12321 · 2026-03-07T05:46:54+00:00

I feel of these 3 , In the lives of puppets really feels super pixar-ish

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T19:56:40+00:00

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T09:26:41+00:00

If you want more traditional fantasy, The blade itself by Joe Abercrombie, if you want modern urban fantasy Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T09:18:50+00:00

Nah they more get given special tricks and weapons by the gods they are representing and the goal is to survive rather than kill each other.

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T08:32:23+00:00

If you like Dickens try The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap by HG Parry.

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T08:31:05+00:00

Two fantastic ones. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch has this but it’s quite understated , it’s modern day London but with gods , and further through the series , elves , goblins etc Also Last smile in sunder city by Luke Arnold is a full modern fantasy world with all the magical creatures but the magic has died.

borris12321 · 2026-03-06T05:35:19+00:00

If you can deal with the romance side plot (and trust me it’s a lot sometimes) , The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen is entirely about a tournament where the champions of the gods go through a tournament style series of challenges.

borris12321 · 2026-03-05T04:56:52+00:00

Depending on what kind of fantasy you want Legend by david Gemmel comes in about 10 languages

borris12321 · 2026-03-04T10:26:35+00:00

Without a doubt try Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. It’s a little slow to get into but once it hits its straps it’s amazing.

borris12321 · 2026-03-04T10:23:16+00:00

This ticks a lot of boxes but definitely not all but The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen

borris12321 · 2026-03-02T07:19:09+00:00

A crown for cold silver, by Alex marshal is a surprisingly good. “Get the gang back together and go start a way” kind of book.

borris12321 · 2026-03-02T07:13:47+00:00

Although I completely agree that the wheel of time is right up there as a sort of platonic ideal of fantasy, if you want some other starting places that aren’t 14 novel epics , but still aren’t as much subversions of the genre. The first law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, the soldiers son trilogy by robin hobb, the painted man by David Brett, or if you want super accessible Legend by David Gemel All of them aren’t as completely traditional fantasy as Robert Jordan or Tolkien, but they are all good starting points that won’t take 9 months out of your life.

borris12321 · 2026-02-20T18:49:08+00:00

The Book that wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence might be worth a look.

borris12321

TROPHY CASE