Colonists on another planet/in another dimension are forced to face the truth of their reality when a commercial analyst begins to uncover the shrouded past of her communal society. It’s definitely a slow burn (a short one), but its the kind that keeps you wanting more as things are steadily revealed. Amatka includes: queer relationships, communists, mushroom farms, formless goop, and a good dose of resisting authority.
Veniss - a futuristic city state populated by humans and their biotech servants. The Underground - a hellish world, directly beneath the surface of Veniss. Three characters descend into the Underground, facing the bleak reality of a world gone awry. An early VanderMeer novel, this book left me disturbed, guilty, and worried about the fate of humanity and the Earth (but somehow hopeful). Great for the lover of surreal SF.
This is a space opera par excellence, so if that's your jam, you won't be disappointed. The world Gladstone portrays moves at light speed and contains a host of strange and exciting civilizations, from a destroyed race of cyborg super-pilots, to things as varied and odd as nanobot genies and fallen gods. Protagonist Viv Lao can come across harsh in the beginning, but you'll love who she becomes by the end.
Humans have colonized the solar system and a cold war brews. This is the first book in the Expanse series, and once you start, you won't stop. The physics are close to reality, and I love that the central drama is always inter-human in nature, despite the high tech world it takes place in. You should definitely read ALL the books before watching the show, because its better that way (trust me).
Ghosts from WWII, a mysterious journey to the afterlife, cabbage patch babies, and the vodka fueled miracles of holy men are a few of the oddities among many that populate these scary fairy tales. Much like Petrushevskaya's characters, I felt lost, yet entranced, by the stories' strange circumstances. If you have any interest in contemporary Russian literature, this is a great and entertaining place to start.
A creature hitch-hikes its way into our world on a young boy's foot and begins wreaking domestic havoc in this story of childhood adventure. I always love the strange versions of our world Neil Gaiman creates, and this is no exception. The book straddles the line between middle reader and young adult/adult fiction, so it's great for everyone, plus the illustrations in this edition are gorgeous.
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This is rather dark, coming from Clive Baker (creator of Hellraiser and all that bloody business), but it isn't horror as much as it is a modern, dark fantasy. I read this book quite a while ago and it has stuck with me ever since. The imagery is creepy and often gruesome, but fantastic nevertheless. I love how vile the villains are and that, somehow, there is a little redemption for them along the way.
