Non-sci-fi fiction recommendations?

Question

I love science fiction, but I've been reading too much and am a little burnt out! When I look for recommendations based on my tastes, I only get more sci-fi results. Do you have any recommendations for interesting reads from other genres that would suit a sci-fi fan?(My recent favorites have been the Three Body Problem series, Permutation City by Greg Egan, Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and The Man who fell to Earth by Walter Tevis.)Thanks!

fokinsean · Accepted Answer

Kurt Vonnegut is really great, my personal favorite is Sirens of Titan which is his most "sci-fi" of the bunch but I wouldn't really call it sci-fi. Other great starting points are Cat's Cradle, Mothernight, and of course Slaughterhouse Five.
I've only read one Toni Morrison book, Song of Solomon, but that was one of my favorite reads of this year.
If you haven't read Frankenstein or Dracula then I would highly recommend them. I personally enjoyed Frankenstein much more than I thought I would.
Norse Mythology and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman are also fun reads.
If you want some non-fiction, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a very engaging read.

muzani · Answer

Worm: https://parahumans.wordpress.com/Dark/superhero genre. I was recommended to it from HN. Every time it's brought up, it's fairly controversial. Someone even made a throwaway account to criticize it. But I suppose the fact so many read it makes it of interest to the kind of people who visit HN.

gadders · Answer

I really enjoyed the Nelson Demille Paul Brenner novels - The Generals Daughter (a film starring John Travolta) and Up Country: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_DeMille#Paul_Brenner_se...They're thrillers, but not brainless ones.

softwaredoug · Answer

I enjoy non fiction books about explorers or insane expeditions from the past. I feel like it gets at some of the &ldquo;exploring the unknown&rdquo; aspects of SciFi. And there&rsquo;s usually interesting characters.For example &ldquo;River of Doubt&rdquo; details an insane last minute choice during a Teddy Roosevelt South American goodwill tour to explore an unexplored river in the Amazon.

aristofun · Answer

All of Pelevin novels.If you&rsquo;re into philosophy, humor, and understanding meaning of life, but in exciting adventurous form.https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Pelevin/e/B000APHFPS/ref=dp_by...

mikewarot · Answer

1632 by Eric Flint, an alternate history which spawned a series of books.A small town in present day (2000) West Virginia is transported back in time to 1632 in Germany, and the middle of the 30 years war.

fattybob · Answer

In the past, I used to flip into classical literature, almost anything, Icelandic sagas, the Greek classics, brontes (still doing that), and recently I&rsquo;ve been into Mick Herron&rsquo;s books, but they may be an acquired (UK) taste ! Oh yes, possibly still sci fi in some classifications, Neil Gaimans works and the the disc world novels are great diversions.

jjjbokma · Answer

I read besides sci-fi and fantasy a lot of crime fiction. Can highly recommend the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly.

DarrenDev · Answer

If you want something completely different, take a look at Willy Vlautin. About as far from sci-fi as you're likely to get.
The tragedy of everyday life. Brief and almost poetically written.
I'm a big sci-fi fan myself, but like to mix things up.

potta_coffee · Answer

Haruki Murakami - Wind Up Bird Chronicle is my favorite but he has a lot of good novels. They're not science fiction but they're interesting and they have an "uncanny" aspect to them.

raptorraver · Answer

Russian classics (Dostoyevsky, Tolstoi etc.) have never failed me.

jvandonsel · Answer

Neal Stephenson&rsquo;s Baroque Cyclehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle

tenfourwookie · Answer

I read A Confederacy of Dunces every few years. It's a fun book.I also love Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess. Epic saga beautifully written.

GGfpc · Answer

Try Blindness by Saramago. It's kind of science-fictiony in the theme but its literary fiction.

brudgers · Answer

I am big Cormac McCarthy fan.Blood Meridian is a tale about the impact of a crate of new technology.

arethuza · Answer

I've almost finished reading Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman after seeing it mentioned on HN:https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27568340It's a stunning book - has had me in tears more than once.

cpach · Answer

Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard.

markus_zhang · Answer

Anything by James Clavells.

cosmodisk · Answer

The divine comedyMoll FlandersThe Glass Bead GameWhite Fang

Non-sci-fi fiction recommendations?

Worm: https://parahumans.wordpress.com/
Dark/superhero genre. I was recommended to it from HN. Every time it's brought up, it's fairly controversial. Someone even made a throwaway account to criticize it. But I suppose the fact so many read it makes it of interest to the kind of people who visit HN.

I really enjoyed the Nelson Demille Paul Brenner novels - The Generals Daughter (a film starring John Travolta) and Up Country: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_DeMille#Paul_Brenner_se...
They're thrillers, but not brainless ones.

All of Pelevin novels.
If you’re into philosophy, humor, and understanding meaning of life, but in exciting adventurous form.
https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Pelevin/e/B000APHFPS/ref=dp_by...

1632 by Eric Flint, an alternate history which spawned a series of books.
A small town in present day (2000) West Virginia is transported back in time to 1632 in Germany, and the middle of the 30 years war.

I read besides sci-fi and fantasy a lot of crime fiction. Can highly recommend the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly.

If you want something completely different, take a look at Willy Vlautin. About as far from sci-fi as you're likely to get.
The tragedy of everyday life. Brief and almost poetically written.
I'm a big sci-fi fan myself, but like to mix things up.

Haruki Murakami - Wind Up Bird Chronicle is my favorite but he has a lot of good novels. They're not science fiction but they're interesting and they have an "uncanny" aspect to them.

Russian classics (Dostoyevsky, Tolstoi etc.) have never failed me.

Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle

I read A Confederacy of Dunces every few years. It's a fun book.
I also love Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess. Epic saga beautifully written.

Try Blindness by Saramago. It's kind of science-fictiony in the theme but its literary fiction.

I am big Cormac McCarthy fan.
Blood Meridian is a tale about the impact of a crate of new technology.

I've almost finished reading Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman after seeing it mentioned on HN:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27568340
It's a stunning book - has had me in tears more than once.

Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard.

Anything by James Clavells.

The divine comedy
Moll Flanders
The Glass Bead Game
White Fang

Non-sci-fi fiction recommendations?

Worm: https://parahumans.wordpress.com/Dark/superhero genre. I was recommended to it from HN. Every time it's brought up, it's fairly controversial. Someone even made a throwaway account to criticize it. But I suppose the fact so many read it makes it of interest to the kind of people who visit HN.

I really enjoyed the Nelson Demille Paul Brenner novels - The Generals Daughter (a film starring John Travolta) and Up Country: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_DeMille#Paul_Brenner_se...They're thrillers, but not brainless ones.

All of Pelevin novels.If you’re into philosophy, humor, and understanding meaning of life, but in exciting adventurous form.https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Pelevin/e/B000APHFPS/ref=dp_by...

1632 by Eric Flint, an alternate history which spawned a series of books.A small town in present day (2000) West Virginia is transported back in time to 1632 in Germany, and the middle of the 30 years war.

I read besides sci-fi and fantasy a lot of crime fiction. Can highly recommend the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly.

If you want something completely different, take a look at Willy Vlautin. About as far from sci-fi as you're likely to get.The tragedy of everyday life. Brief and almost poetically written.I'm a big sci-fi fan myself, but like to mix things up.

Haruki Murakami - Wind Up Bird Chronicle is my favorite but he has a lot of good novels. They're not science fiction but they're interesting and they have an "uncanny" aspect to them.

Russian classics (Dostoyevsky, Tolstoi etc.) have never failed me.

Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cyclehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle

I read A Confederacy of Dunces every few years. It's a fun book.I also love Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess. Epic saga beautifully written.

Try Blindness by Saramago. It's kind of science-fictiony in the theme but its literary fiction.

I am big Cormac McCarthy fan.Blood Meridian is a tale about the impact of a crate of new technology.

I've almost finished reading Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman after seeing it mentioned on HN:https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27568340It's a stunning book - has had me in tears more than once.

Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard.

Anything by James Clavells.

The divine comedyMoll FlandersThe Glass Bead GameWhite Fang

I really enjoyed the Nelson Demille Paul Brenner novels - The Generals Daughter (a film starring John Travolta) and Up Country: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_DeMille#Paul_Brenner_se...
They're thrillers, but not brainless ones.

All of Pelevin novels.
If you’re into philosophy, humor, and understanding meaning of life, but in exciting adventurous form.
https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Pelevin/e/B000APHFPS/ref=dp_by...

1632 by Eric Flint, an alternate history which spawned a series of books.
A small town in present day (2000) West Virginia is transported back in time to 1632 in Germany, and the middle of the 30 years war.

If you want something completely different, take a look at Willy Vlautin. About as far from sci-fi as you're likely to get.
The tragedy of everyday life. Brief and almost poetically written.
I'm a big sci-fi fan myself, but like to mix things up.

Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle

I read A Confederacy of Dunces every few years. It's a fun book.
I also love Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess. Epic saga beautifully written.

I am big Cormac McCarthy fan.
Blood Meridian is a tale about the impact of a crate of new technology.

I've almost finished reading Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman after seeing it mentioned on HN:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27568340
It's a stunning book - has had me in tears more than once.

The divine comedy
Moll Flanders
The Glass Bead Game
White Fang