Underappreciated Literature Gems

[Quaxar]

"Epic" by Conor Kostick
For all the people not knowing it: basically how it's like in a whole society of WoW players. They sort out all RL differences by fighting in their game arena, pay with gaming money, etc.

 

[Eekaida]

'The Demon Ororon', a 4 issue graphic novel by Hakase Mizuki. People overlook it because the artstyle is different from the norm, but she story is really good.

 

[Cargando]

Pretty much all of Gerald Durrell's work. Whenever I mention him, all I get in return is "Gerald who?". Still my favourite author.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Before anyone else says it: Reading's for squares.

*Step backs, raises flame-shield.*

*Drops you in a big barrel of ice water and seals it*
Flames are the only weapon in my arsenal.

I honestly don't know which of the many books I love reading is under-appreciated, because I don't pay any attention to how popular things are. I believe in what Mark Twain said, "Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident."

 

[evilartist]

Funny in Farsi, by Firoozeh Dumas

 

[Mitzi952]

Joe Abercrombie's "First Law" Series - they rule.

 

[Queen Michael]

Joe Abercrombie's "First Law" Series - they rule.

I agree! I met Joe Abercrombie last year on a signing/reading. He was nice.

'The Demon Ororon', a 4 issue graphic novel by Hakase Mizuki. People overlook it because the artstyle is different from the norm, but the story is really good.

I'll have to disagree for three reasons.

1. Comics aren't literature. I don't mean this as an insult, I do consider comics to be works of art. I just think they're their own medium. The subtitles you have to read while watching foreign films don't make foreign films literature either.
2. I'd say this manga is okay. Not more, though.
3. It's been translated into several languages, and Tokyopop even released a hardcover omnibus edition. They don't do that to just any series.

But on topic: Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar. The greatest Argentinian novel ever. Like a beautiful jazz song. Highly recommended!

 

[notyouraveragejoe]

Garth Nix's Shade's Children was wonderfully dark. I really enjoyed it.
The thing is that he doesn't usually write things as gritty as that. Which isn't to say that his well known stuff is bad (It's really good), it's just that Shade's Children was his best novel IMO, and I wish he'd write something with the same dark sense of humour.

Hell yes. I fully agree.

And I don't really know what books are underappreciated. However no-one I know has even heard of Ayn Rand and I love Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

 

[Cheesebob]

Requiem for A Dream - Hubert Selby Jnr

 

[DefunctTheory]

Recently, I have been very addicted to the Ender's Game series. I swear, it's like readable crack.

Honestly, Ender's Game was garbage. I hate that book... mediocre story with horrible writing. Could never push myself to read the sequels after the vomit worthy first book.

Hmmm... Battletech books. The story lines and actual history in Battletech are pretty good, and they have some good authors going. Can;t think of anything specific though.

 

[Dana22]

Most of the Stanislaws Lem works, known mostly for "Solaris".

 

[Fightgarr]

Recently, I have been very addicted to the Ender's Game series. I swear, it's like readable crack.

But sadly, this book series doesn't get much attention (at least where I am) or is even well known. Which is really, really sad and makes me very sad because the books are very good and Orson Scott Card is a good author.

I definitely wouldn't say Ender's Game is under-appreciated. It's one of the most celebrated science fiction books in the world. It would be equivalent to saying Blade Runner is an under-appreciated film.

Last year I read What is the What, and while I don't think it's "under-appreciated", I think that more people should read it. It's a gem to be sure. It's the heartbreaking (and true) story of a refugee in Sudan as he grew up and follows his oppression as a refugee both in Africa and later in the U.S. It's written by Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, editor of the McSweeny's; you may know him better for his recent work in movies with Where the Wild Things Are and Away We Go) though it's told very much with the voice of Achak Deng. Read it, love it. It's fantastic.

 

[LegendaryMan]

Lolita

A real masterpiece of the english language with a controversial and wall breaking story.

Yet there are people that hate the book.

I dont know but most people that read the book said it wasnt good and it was ''wrong'' and ''immoral''.

 

[leviathanmisha]

Forgotten Fire by Adam Bagdasarian

It's an account of the Armenian Genocide by the decedent of one of the survivors. It's really good and you can feel the pain that the main character is feeling at some parts.

 

[Flauros]

Recently, I have been very addicted to the Ender's Game series. I swear, it's like readable crack.

But sadly, this book series doesn't get much attention (at least where I am) or is even well known. Which is really, really sad and makes me very sad because the books are very good and Orson Scott Card is a good author.

So, have you ever loved a book that is not well known?

The Dark is Rising series. They made a bomb movie seemingly loosely based on the title.....but no more so famous then yours.

Enders game series is extremely well known, i thought. Everyone is always talking about those books...

 

[Chris Kolbeck]

metro 2033

 

[bubba145]

heres one no has said yet
ANY HARRY TURTLEDOVE STORIES!

 

[Blue Musician]

The Bartimaeus Trilogy, only one person in the Escapist apart from me has read it. And no one I know has read it.

 

[Wolfenhawk]

Anything by David Zindell or Roger Zelzany. (A Requiem for Homo Sapiens series, and Lord of Light, namely)