The Best Books No One Has Ever Heard Of

[tehllas]

I just joined this forum today to help me on my way to make a living writing, and have already read through as many threads as I could.

I see there are quite a few threads about favorite books, or terrible books, but I was hoping this one could go a different direction.

What are the best books that no one else has ever heard of? Are there any books anyone can recommend to others that are just off-the-wall barely heard of books that they absolutely loved?

For me, I can't think of any. I've read a lot of the classics, you know, the books that everyone recommends and I'm trying to widen my reading base. Any suggestions?

[Lemex]

'Romance of the Three kingdoms' does not get the attention it deserves.

[lordofhats]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms indeed. While the west was still writing prose RotTK was already being written in a much more modern format.

I think Tom Clancy's Without Remorse is ignored to much. I can't even get Tom Clancy fanatics to talk about it because they've apparently never heard of it.

[Heather Louise]

I liked So This is Heaven but I cannot remember who wrote it. It is this book from the 70's or something and I loved it but no-one has heard of it.

Also, what about Laybrinth by Kate Mosse. Another excellent novel.

[Jaclyn]

I'm not sure what authors people know of and which they don't, but 'Why Shoot the Teacher?' by Max Braithwaite was a good read. My mom just randomly grabbed it from a library bookshelf and it turned out to be great.

[B-Gas]

"Weaveworld" by Clive Barker. SO MUCH CRAZY!!!! *ahem* He managed to put together a magic system that worked, for a world that seemed real, and... It's just so much imagination! I grabbed it from a used book store after finding the Abarat series to be quite interesting.

[Crazy Ivan]

Anything by Robert Rankin, or the Pure Dead Series by Debi Gliori. They're all so fantastically wacky and so utterly bizarre, not to mention perfectly hilarious. But they're also impossible to find anywhere in the US.

[ValianceInEnd]

Elric of Melnibone by Micheal Moorcock is an awesome traditional myth-style fantasy in a fantastic and dark world. Incredibly tragic story filled with sensless gore. This is what Lord of the Rings should have been like.

[Myst]

Anything by Robert Rankin

I wouldn't say they are completely unheard of, but at least not so well known outside the UK.

But like Crazy Ivan has said his books are a feverish mix of strange (almost) nonsense, bizarre wording and plot, that come together to make something quite funny if you're open to receive it.

[SnipSnap]

Lol ... Pincher Martin by William Golding.

Awesome book.

Perhaps ... We the Living by Ayn Rand.

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad ... Maybe you guys know of that and I'm just unaware of how well-known it is.

Cyrano de Bergerac. It has been my experience absolutely no one knows what that's about. I'm sure very few could tell me it's actually not a novel.

And ... Lady Chatterly's Lover ... Awesome Porno book. I"m sure a lot of you knew it existed though.

[Eoz Eanj]

The Fur- Nathan Hobby

I fell in love with it, basically.

[SnipSnap]

I sing the body electric. A collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury that are pretty much beast. The artificially flavored powder to my Ramen Noodles.

[Kid At <3]

I love ramen!

"Fat Kid Saves The World" by Ian Bone

I love the way it's written, and I love the message as well.

[Tori]

The book of lost things - John Connolly.

It's amazing. I love this book.

[SnipSnap]

The octopus by Fank Norris. Anyone know that exists?

Titus Andronicus by Shakespeare. A play w/ a horrible plot w/ some awesome poetry.

[RomanticRose]

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn

[SnipSnap]

Ah, No fair! I was gonna say Anthem.

It's a really beast book. One of the best dystopias made in the 20'th century.

[Raven]

Flight Of The Eisenstien. Brilliant book. Author James Swallow.

[lessa]

Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn

finally someone else has read this one.
I read it when I was about 15 (6 times) gave it to somebody and never got it back. The library has never even heard of it.
thanks for letting me know I didn't dream it.

[RomanticRose]

Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn

finally someone else has read this one.
I read it when I was about 15 (6 times) gave it to somebody and never got it back. The library has never even heard of it.
thanks for letting me know I didn't dream it.

You definitely did not dream it. I got my current copy at a used bookstore. And I pick up every copy I see anywhere, because I try to spread the word about that wonderful story.

Oh, Ms. Fairbairn also worte That Man Cartwright, too and it was just as wonderful, although not as sweeping in scope.

[SnipSnap]

Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce. An awesome book if you like his awkward and poetic writing style.

[andycerrone]

Lol ... Pincher Martin by William Golding.

Awesome book.

Perhaps ... We the Living by Ayn Rand.

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad ... Maybe you guys know of that and I'm just unaware of how well-known it is.

Cyrano de Bergerac. It has been my experience absolutely no one knows what that's about. I'm sure very few could tell me it's actually not a novel.

And ... Lady Chatterly's Lover ... Awesome Porno book. I"m sure a lot of you knew it existed though.


Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce. An awesome book if you like his awkward and poetic writing style.


Pincher Martin is extremely well written, as is Lord Jim and Cyrano de Mergerac. And of course, Finnegan's Wake is quite a masterpiece. I would also like to bring to attention the books "The Voice of the Planet" from Michael Tobias, who is an incredibly smart man (he's written numerous books about ancient eastern philosophies and religions), as well as Caleb Carr's "The Alienist". Thirdly, I HIGHLY recommend Tayeb Salih's "A Season of Migration to the North". He manages to write incredible prose somewhat like Kerouac but in a totally different voice and in a completely different world. For pieces of writing not in novel/novella form, Neil LaBute is one of my favorite new writers in the drama track (go get (Some Girls) if you've never heard of this guy!), his character development and style reflects much of David Mamet and Harold Pinter.

Seeing as we are all extremely aware of well known and the lesser known literary masterminds, I think you would all extremely enjoy "The Roads Taken: Travels Through America's Literary Landscapes" from Frank Setterberg, a professor in California. This book is incredible, absolutely astounding. He travels the country and visits the worlds that many of the famous American writers called home, and reflects the writing style with the atmosphere while directing the scene with a beautiful flow of imagery. Do check this out. I'm sure there's plenty more I can't think of offhand, but this is a good starting point for unusual and well-written books.

[EyezForYou]

Boy's Life

My Uncle Oswald

The Girl Next Door

[Edward]

Nobody's ever read Paragaea. People where suggesting me books and I said I just finished reading Paragaea, and that it was like A Princess of Mars, only instead of John Carter it was a Russian chick from the 60s, a British guy from the Napoleonic Wars, and a jaguar. Man. A Jaguarman.

In the future. An alternate future created by magicians who harnessed the power of singularities in their Crystal Spires and Toga cities in what is now Antarctica.

[TheFedoraPirate]

The Good Soldier Svejk - For anyone who knows this one (without google of course) I will discover their address, bake them cookies (can't promise they'll be particularly edible cookies), and ship 'em to 'em.

Godstalk - Been a while since I read it (6th rade) but...'tis about a people traveling the universe spreading the word of their God from planet to planet. The story follows a girl who if left behind on a planet where anything you believe becomes real.

Dragon's Egg - Another 6th grade read. The entire history of a species, from the formation of their "planet" (it wasn't really a planet but I can't remember what it was), to the evolution of intelligent life, and their first contact with human-kind. Pretty crazy, 'specially the part where they meet humans since the creatures only live about 15 minutes...communication with the 'aliens' is a lifelong job for them.

[Milady]

Ah, No fair! I was gonna say Anthem.

It's a really beast book. One of the best dystopias made in the 20'th century.

Ditto to that one.

And... if I may be so bold as to travel back to Middle School reads... Dragon's Blood and Heart's Blood, of Jane Yolen's Pit Dragon trilogy.. (didn't know it was a trilogy till I googled it... I'll have to go find the third one, A Sending of Dragons... >.<)

I know everyone is sick to death of dragons, but these books are awesome and a great example of the best convergence of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

[Lemex]

Necromancer - Ian Irvine

Great novel by a great writer.
Mr Irvine! I am a fan!

[iseult_monet]

Theophilus North by Thornton Wilder

[Randomthought31]

I personally think the book Crash, by Jerry Spinelli was the greatest book I've ever read. Of course, it's been so long. All I know is it inspired me to write.

[(Mark)]

Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy

I think that's definitely one of the best pieces of American writing in the last fifty or so years.