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Argent
2006-07-13, 03:42 PM
This is inspired by the "books or authors you love" thread. There are a lot of authors and novels that get mentioned over and over there -- and for good reason. But what about the obscure books and authors you love, that nobody seems to have heard of other than you? The ones where you mention their names and people **** their heads in puzzlement. It's time these people get their due, people!

I nominate House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves). Never heard of it before a few years ago, picked it up at a discount bookstore for next to nothing, and WOW. Horror without the booga-booga, intricately interwoven storylines and a sense of creeping doom. The kind of book you truly should be reading under the covers with a flashlight.

Also Michael Moorcock's Prince with the Silver Hand series. Moorcock is well-known, but mostly for his Elric series. This series focuses on Corum of the Silver Hand, another incarnation of the Eternal Champion, and his struggles against the Mabden who threaten to take over his beloved homeland. Bargains with mad gods, epic battles, wisecracking sidekicks... awesome stuff.

What other authors and novels do you love that nobody else ever seems to have heard of?

El Jaspero, the Pirate King
2006-07-13, 03:48 PM
I am a big fan of Russel Hoban's Riddley Walker (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0253212340&itm=1). It's set in a post-apocalyptic world, but that's just the setting. It's a brilliant thought experiment about a society and a language being rebuilt. I've read it three times and now, thinking about it makes me want to reread it again.

Mr Croup
2006-07-13, 04:00 PM
One, hooray for metafiction and House of Leaves.

Two, an extra big hooray for Riddley Walker. It's definitely an underappreciated novel. It's such an interesting tale, and the style of writing is fantastic. Defintely an interesting look at language.

Right, had to get that out of the way.

In the world of non-fiction, I'm a huge fan of Speed Tribes, by Karl Taro Greenfeld. It's a collection of essays about various different youth subcultures in modern Japan, from bike gangs to ultra nationalist youth movements. It really explores a side of Japan that most people have no knowledge of, and is a fantastic read.

For fiction, I really have enjoyed the books of Arturo Perez Reverte that I've read, those being The Flanders Panel and The Club Dumas. Interesting mysteries, indepth and well researched and worth picking up.

I'm also a continual proponent of Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. I'm surprised that I haven't run into more people that have read it. A wonderful period piece set during the Napoleanic War, and a different take on fantasy than the normal pulp. Probably one of my top ten books.

The Tales of the Otori series, by Lian Hearn are amazing. Set in a culture based on feudal Japan, they are a wonderful trilogy of extremely low fantasy books.

Alarra
2006-07-13, 05:39 PM
House of Leaves is great fun.

As for obscure? I don't really know what I'd classify as 'obscure' .... but in any case, most books I read aren't really very obscure.

I'm going to head away from fantasy/sci-fi into my current genre of choice....memoirs.

Anyone read 'Running with Scissors' or 'Dry' by Augusten Burroughs? He is one of the most fun and witty writers I've come across and his life is absolutely fascinating. I mean, it takes a pretty darn good author to make you laugh out loud every page or so, while telling a story of his recovery from nearly fatal alcoholism.

A Girl Named Zippy, by Haven Kimmel is a very good book as well, very funny, sarcastic, and cute.

Devil in the Details, by Jennifer Traig is what I'm currently reading and is an amusing story of extreme scrupolosity and ocd. She's an excellent writer.

Goat, by oh who was that by? I can't recall....is a very interestng memoir.

Of course everyone loves David Sedaris, but he's by no means obscure.

And hmm.....that's enough I suppose. Go pack you! *skuttles off*

The Prince of Cats
2006-07-13, 05:49 PM
I'm also a continual proponent of Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. I'm surprised that I haven't run into more people that have read it. A wonderful period piece set during the Napoleanic War, and a different take on fantasy than the normal pulp. Probably one of my top ten books.
I second that. I am halfway through and I just cannot believe how unique it is. Truly, I have never read a book like it. No single element is unique but the way she combines them...

Art...

The_Logic_Ninja
2006-07-13, 06:02 PM
Jonathan Strane & Mister Norrell is *wonderfully* British.


My favorite author, Guy Gavriel Kay, seems to be remarkably obscure.
Which is sad, because he writes incredibly beautiful, bittersweet things.

Closet_Skeleton
2006-07-13, 06:11 PM
I don't read enough books. Last two books I read where Fahrenhiet 451 (not really obscure, I've read it twice at least) and Foucault's Pendulum (which I don't know how obscure it is).

I read the Illuminatus! Trillogy once, that might be considered obscure.

The problem with me trying to post in an obscure books thread is that you have to talk to people who read books to learn which are obscure. I may of heard about tons of books at lot of people don't know about and not know it myself.

Monkeypaws
2006-07-13, 06:18 PM
Most books I read these days are technical manuals or modern sci-fi/fantasy that everyone else is reading.

I did read Jennifer Government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Government) by Max Berry a few years back. Not a bad read.

waspsmakejam
2006-07-13, 07:27 PM
One of my favourite books is

"And To My Nephew Albert I Leave The Island What I Won Off Fatty Hagan In a Poker Game" by David Forrest.

Very, very funny.

Starla
2006-07-13, 07:49 PM
My favorite author, Guy Gavriel Kay, seems to be remarkably obscure.
Which is sad, because he writes incredibly beautiful, bittersweet things.

My aunt refered a book to me by him...what was it? Dangerous Island or ...(google)...it was The Summer Tree. cool

I got into Terry Pratchett recently thanks to everyone's recommendations but as a child I really ejoyed reading Babysitters' Club, Midnight in the Dollhouse, Jane of Lantern Hill (same authoress that wrote Anne of Green Gables series), Work and the Glory series, and as a young adult I have really enjoyed the Pern Series, Acorna Series, and Pegasus Series by Anne McCapphrey.

In school my favorites were East of Eden, Our Town and Franny and Zoey

The_Logic_Ninja
2006-07-13, 09:08 PM
My aunt refered a book to me by him...what was it? Dangerous Island or ...(google)...it was The Summer Tree.

Read it. And the other two in that series. They're his first and not his best, but still amazing, and with some utterly incredible moments. The start, when they transition to Fionavar, is the weakest point, but the whole thing is incredibly beautiful.

Then read Tigana, which is considered his best.

Genome
2006-07-13, 09:59 PM
The Giggler Treatment (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439163005/sr=8-1/qid=1152842258/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4194659-9720157?ie=UTF8), by Roddy Doyle. Sure, it's a kid's book, but I was a kid when I read it. Very random comedy. :)

Zeful
2006-07-14, 12:56 AM
My favorite obscure author (at least I think he's obcsure...) is John Peel. He has two great series, Diadem Worlds of Magic, and 2099. The first has a great cosmology/interdimesntional thingy. And the second is in the future (Dun dun duuuun!)

Spuddly
2006-07-14, 01:36 AM
Harry Potter was pretty good.

The_Logic_Ninja
2006-07-14, 01:36 AM
Harry Potter was pretty good.


1) Not really.

2) Harry Potter is obscure?

Thray
2006-07-14, 01:41 AM
My favorite obscure author (at least I think he's obcsure...) is John Peel. He has two great series, Diadem Worlds of Magic, and 2099. The first has a great cosmology/interdimesntional thingy. And the second is in the future (Dun dun duuuun!)
Dude! I don't know anyone else who's read Diadem! I've read the first six, do you know if that's the whole series?

LordOfNarf
2006-07-14, 01:45 AM
My favorite obscure books are The Septimus Heap series (currently Magyk and Flyte) by Angie Sage, I'm not sure how obscure these actully are, but I'm going to assume they count since I never have met anyone else who's read them.

i also completely loved The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks, Its his first book, and Athe first in the fourth realm trilogy, and i really loved it.

The Prince of Cats
2006-07-14, 04:35 AM
I know she is not a particularly obscure writer but I find an alarming number of people have never heard of Diana Wynne-Jones and that makes me sad.

I mean, how many other children's writers can write a book about a shameless womaniser and still not seem inappropriate for younger readers. (Howl's Moving Castle, the book rather than the Anime which shares its name and a few elements of the plot)

Beleriphon
2006-07-14, 04:46 AM
1) Not really.

2) Harry Potter is obscure?


For those of living under rocks certainly. Good, they get progressivly better, but I'd never call them literature.

For obscure, I enjoyed House of Leave. Very strange. I really liked Tad Williams Otherland series. Not alot of people seem to have heard of that one.

Charity
2006-07-14, 05:26 AM
Jonathan Strane & Mister Norrell is *wonderfully* British.

Hmm if you liked that then try The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400032717/104-6037863-7168747?redirect=true&v=glance&n=283155)

On the obscure front

Anything by Dave Gorman is good, but an all time old favorite is Milk, Sulphate and Alby Starvation (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/095332754X/026-6431246-6471615?v=glance&n=266239) by Martin Millar it's a great read.

Edited for greater clarity and thread relevance

Closet_Skeleton
2006-07-14, 08:16 AM
Funny, I wouldn't consider Anne McCathrey (can't spell), The Curious incident of the dog in the night time or Diana Wynne Jones as obscure at all.

The only people I know who've read Otherland are my parents, my brother and his girlfriend.

AmbrMerlinus
2006-07-14, 09:43 AM
I think The Blue Girl by Charles deLint is pretty obscure, but that might be just because I hang around with a lot of illiterate people IRL.

Charity
2006-07-14, 09:56 AM
I find Charles DeLints work tends to get a bit... samey after a while. Don't get me wrong I have enjoyed his novels it is just that after the first three or four you read the pattern forms in your mind and you can no longer approach it with the same ... enthusiasm.
I feel the same about quite a few authors in fact, most notably the afore mentioned Anne McCathrey and Terry Pratchett. Their work is rather depressingly formulaic IMHO.

Alarra
2006-07-14, 12:58 PM
For obscure, I enjoyed House of Leave. Very strange. I really liked Tad Williams Otherland series. Not alot of people seem to have heard of that one.

With as many of us as have now mentioned house of leaves.....i can't see that it can be considered obscure ;)

But yes, the Otherland series.....liked that too.

waspsmakejam
2006-07-14, 02:18 PM
I know she is not a particularly obscure writer but I find an alarming number of people have never heard of Diana Wynne-Jones and that makes me sad.

I mean, how many other children's writers can write a book about a shameless womaniser and still not seem inappropriate for younger readers. (Howl's Moving Castle, the book rather than the Anime which shares its name and a few elements of the plot)

My favourite Diana Wynne-Jones book is "Power of Three", although I'm also very fond of the Chrestomanci books.

Were-Sandwich
2006-07-14, 03:29 PM
H.P. Lovecraft is pretty obscure outside Nerddom. Those are some of the best books ever written.

Sedated_Freak
2006-07-14, 05:10 PM
I really love Lovecraft's works as well. A lot of the time there is a little description, but I think it is more the feel, imagination and atmosphere that make his books so enjoyable.

I also really enjoy Bill tha Galactic Hero (and sequals). They are very long books, but are so very easy to read, and funny as anything (dare I say it...more funny than THHGTTG?)

Muffin_Mage
2006-07-15, 12:22 AM
John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces is pretty good. IT won a Pulitzer prize, but not only will I not hold that against it, but I'd never heard of it until I came across it in Barnes and Noble.

The only other obscure authors I can think of are obscure only in the sense that I don't know anyone else who's heard of them, namely:

Roger Zelazny- the Chronicles of Amber
Julian May- Intervention and Galactic Milleu trilogy, and something about the Pliocene Epoch.

Also, the Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse was good. I can't think of the author offhand.

And Robert/Roger Aspirin (Can't think of the name offhand, and I confuse the two first names anyway.) He writes a pretty neat series of light comic fantasy- lots of puns and potshots. I only picked up one of his books because Phil Foglio did the illustrations, and as anyone who's played Magic when it was actually Magic and not utter crap knows, Phil Foglio = win.

Bookman
2006-07-15, 12:23 AM
John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces is pretty good. IT won a Pulitzer prize, but not only will I not hold that against it, but I'd never heard of it until I came across it in Barnes and Noble.
.

AGHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh BURN THAT BOOK!!! It's HORRIBLE. I HATED every MOMENT of it

Thray
2006-07-15, 12:30 AM
John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces is pretty good. IT won a Pulitzer prize, but not only will I not hold that against it, but I'd never heard of it until I came across it in Barnes and Noble.

The only other obscure authors I can think of are obscure only in the sense that I don't know anyone else who's heard of them, namely:

Roger Zelazny- the Chronicles of Amber

I'm reading through the series now. I wasn't under the impression that it was obscure; a few of my friends have read it too. It is fun, though.

Muffin_Mage
2006-07-15, 12:40 AM
I'm reading through the series now. I wasn't under the impression that it was obscure; a few of my friends have read it too. It is fun, though.
Well, I don't think it's technically obscure, as such. But like I said, it's not as widely known as it deserves to be. I only heard of it through my dad.

Speaking of that, he's been talking for awhile about the Riddlemaster of Hed. Should I investigate?

The Prince of Cats
2006-07-15, 09:36 AM
Roger Zelazny is far from obscure. Amber is probably not one of those books everyone has read but there is an Amber Diceless game going on in the roleplay forum, so a few of us must know the books.

(Personally, I prefer Lord of Light to Amber but then, I am a sci-fi geek)

Iamyourking
2006-07-15, 05:05 PM
Dude! I don't know anyone else who's read Diadem! I've read the first six, do you know if that's the whole series?


You are not alone, for I have the entire series. Unfortunatly there is only 6, because that was a great series.

Elryck_Kaldazaar
2006-07-15, 09:34 PM
All six of Lynn Flewelling's books are enjoyable. My favorite is The Bone Doll's Twin.

Thray
2006-07-15, 10:15 PM
You are not alone, for I have the entire series. Unfortunatly there is only 6, because that was a great series.

Phooey. I remember that he wanted to write a seventh, but the publishers refused because the first six didn't make enough money...such a shame.

straphael
2006-07-16, 06:56 AM
I've read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. A good book, but some parts were boring.

Another obscure book. First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough. It completly changed my mind about history and next term I'm going to take latin.

Ravyn
2006-07-16, 02:36 PM
The Shamer Chronicles, by Lene Kaaberbol. Strong stuff.

Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel (formerly Crown Duel and Court Duel) and Wren trilogy. Just got rereleased. Finding them in a bookstore's a bit hit-or-miss, but they're worth it.

Just about anything by Lloyd Alexander.

Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger, which is about as obscure as they come (I didn't realize what a minor miracle my finding the fourth was until I met a fan in college).

Piotr_Zak
2006-07-17, 02:10 AM
Roger Zelazny- the Chronicles of Amber
Great stuff. I also recommend Doorways in the Sand by the same author -- more humorous, and science fiction rather than fantasy, but recognizably the same style.

Speaking of humor-SF&F, I used to be a fan of the Incomplete Enchanter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Shea_%28fictional_series%29) series by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. I've never heard anyone else mention those. OTOH, I realize now that I haven't read any of it for 5+ years, so it's possible I would like it less now. (There were more stories written after Pratt's death that definitely aren't as good.)

One obscure gem I've found is actually a series of D&D novels: J. Robert King's Planescape trilogy. Not the first book, which was so-so, but the other two. Same caveat applies, though, about my having read them when I was fourteen or fifteen.

Seems most of the fiction I've read since then has been relatively non-obscure, though if you want non-fiction, I recommend Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande by Edward Evans-Pritchard, which is the best anthropological study I've ever read, but which isn't (IIRC) in print.

Democratus
2006-07-17, 12:09 PM
I don't think anything that has been distributed by a publisher en masse can be considered obscure.

Try reading some hand-copied manuscripts that haven't been in publication since the middle ages. Or maybe a book that is micro-published with a total copy count of less than 100.

Anything that you can buy at Barnes & Noble is hardly obscure. ::)

Evil_Pacifist
2006-07-17, 05:46 PM
I really enjoyed The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear, by Walter Moers. I used to have a quote from it as my personal text. I don't know anybody else who's read it, leading me to beleive that it does not, in fact, exist, and that I have been eating far to many strange wild mushrooms.

Closet_Skeleton
2006-07-17, 06:41 PM
I don't think anything that has been distributed by a publisher en masse can be considered obscure.

Try reading some hand-copied manuscripts that haven't been in publication since the middle ages. Or maybe a book that is micro-published with a total copy count of less than 100.

Anything that you can buy at Barnes & Noble is hardly obscure. ::)


Actually, seeing as those are usually histories, well known legends and Bibles, its very hard to find an ancient book that is actually out of print.

Yeah, micro-published books would be obscure.

Anything without a laminated cover that you can only buy in a tourist information center in a small village in Surrey...

Tarnag40k
2006-07-17, 08:58 PM
the only obscure books I have read are ethier forgotten kingdoms, or warhammer 40,000 based novels. And well we all know why those are obscure.

Serpentine
2006-07-17, 11:07 PM
Lessee... I don't think Tad Williams, Anne McCaffrey (checked the spelling on A Diversity of Dragons) or Stephen King are at all obscure, but Tailchaser's Song, The Ship Who Sang, and Through the Eyes of the Dragon, respectively, seem to be relatively so, and I love all of them. Graham Chapman's A Liar's Autobiography is awesome, and very very strange. Also, I forget who wrote them (not the same people), but the post-apocolyptic Z for Zaccariah and Taronga are reasonably good, the former more so than the latter which is a "young adult" book. World Zero Minus, compiled by Aidan and Nancy Chambers, is an excellent, easy-to-read science-fiction anthology (the first story's by Isaac Asimov). I seem to recall another scifi, Night of Masks, as being pretty good.

Arian
2006-07-18, 12:14 AM
My favourite Diana Wynne-Jones book is "Power of Three", although I'm also very fond of the Chrestomanci books.


I love "Archer's Goon".

" 'Ellimeroterell!' went Quentin."

(This is Quentin saying "Tell him to go to hell!" when half-asleep from underneath a pillow.)

The_Logic_Ninja
2006-07-18, 01:36 AM
Speaking of good young-adult books--Darkangel, A Gathering of Gargoyles, and Pearl of the Soul of the World.

On Avaric's white plain, where an icarus now wings
From the steeps of Terraine to Tour-of-the-Kings,
And damozels twice-seven his brides have all become--
A far cry from heaven, a long road from home,
There strong-hoof of the starhorse must hallow him unguessed
If adamant's edge is to plunder his breast;
Then only may the Warhorse and Warrior arise,
To rally the war-hosts and thunder the skies.
But first there must assemble ones icari would claim;
A bride in the temple must enter the flame.
With steeds found for six brothers, beyond a dust deepsea,
And new arrows reckoned, a wand given wings,
That when a princess-royal's to have tasted of the tree
Then far from Estrenesse's city, these things:
A gathering of gargoyles--a feasting on the stone--
The Witch of Westernesse's hag overthrown.
Whereafter shall commence such a cruel sorceress war
To wrest recompense for a land leaguered sore;
With her broadsword Bright Burning, the shadow Black-As-Night,
From exile returning, shall dare dragons' flight
For love of one who, flag unfurled, lone must stand--
The Pearl of the Soul of the World in her hand.
When Winterock to water falls flooding, foes to drown,
Ravenna's own daughter shall kindle the crown.

molonel
2006-07-18, 02:59 AM
Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev and The Gift of Asher Lev are two of the finest novels about art and being raised in a stifling religious environment. Unlike a lot of people, like James Joyce, who look backward with nothing but resentment and bitterness, throughout his work Potok understands that the people from the background he left meant well, and portrays them as good people wrestling with the modern world instead of 1-dimensional characters.

The Chosen is still the best introduction to the world he writes about.

The Book of Lights is a book that I have recommended many times, and only two people have ever finished it on my recommendation. One of those was my mother.

awalton87
2006-07-28, 03:28 PM
Juliet E. McKenna has put so much thought into her series starting with A Theif's Gamble and I just love each book.

Dudukain
2006-07-28, 05:19 PM
Storytime by Edward Bloor. That book's great.


Also, Heir Apparent by Vivian Van Velde.

Zeful
2006-07-31, 12:45 AM
Dude! I don't know anyone else who's read Diadem! I've read the first six, do you know if that's the whole series?
I too have read the first 6 books and am trying to find the remaining four published by Llewellyn. There is also a few nifty fanfics on a site I'm browsing now. Some of them are really good, I'm hoping that they will keep updating it. Linky to the Diadem Fan Zone (http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/diadem/). If you have not read Book of War, Oceans, Reality, and Doom don't go into the romance section. Check out the Peel interview to.

AtVaR
2006-07-31, 03:12 AM
Well, not really how Obscure this author is, but I never see his name anywhere, or hear of anybody reading their books.

Try

"The Sword of Truth" series written by Terry Goodkind.

Heres a list of the books.
Wizards First Rule
Stone of Tears
Blood of the Fold
Temple of the Winds
Soul of the Fire
Faith of the Fallen
The Pillars of Creation
Naked Empire
A Debt of Bones (Not really part of the storyline. A history, something like The Hobbit.)

And the Chainfire series ends the Sword of Truth Story.
The books are:
Chainfire
Phantom
And the last book has no name that I am aware of yet.

Read them, Its a GREAT series. Watch out though, it gets really.... lewd in the middle of the fourth book, but that dies out quickly.

awalton87
2006-07-31, 04:25 PM
Dude, nobody talks about those ^ because everyone's read them xD

I dunno that for a fact, just that I have, and everyone I know has :P

TheRabidWalnut
2006-08-07, 08:22 AM
Its been mentioned already - but I'd just like to restate just how funny "Are you Dave Gorman" - By Dave Gorman & Danny Wallace really is.

But for obscure - "A Game of Universe" by Eric Nylund. (The guy responsible for the good halo books. They were good - but this book is great!)

King_of_Oz
2006-08-07, 04:44 PM
I really enjoyed The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear, by Walter Moers. I used to have a quote from it as my personal text. I don't know anybody else who's read it, leading me to beleive that it does not, in fact, exist, and that I have been eating far to many strange wild mushrooms.


That was an awesome book, with a strange title and I am the only person I know besides EP who has read it.

eggy_goodness
2006-08-11, 09:59 PM
Dennis L. McKiernan, the man who wrote the Iron Tower series. If you just ignore all the...strange bits in his books, they are brilliant. Just do not read Upon a Winter's Night , that book is one prolonged strange bit.

Starla
2006-08-14, 07:22 PM
Chris Heimerdinger. So far I have enjoyed every book I have read by him. He writes about time travel adventures and he uses multiple perspectives, adult and teenager etc. I get all his audio books because he and his family do a great job narrating them and I can listen to them any time but they are sooo helpful on driving trips because they are keep you awake exciting.

Hamsterboy_14
2006-08-15, 08:53 AM
My favourite book is the call of cathulu. By H.P Lovecraft, but why is it only people on here that know of the book or him, I mean he created illithids, and doesn't live them. They suck peoples brains out for cring out loud. What could be cooler.

storybookknight
2006-08-16, 01:43 AM
Darkangel was good.

I hope everyone has heard of Garth Nix; if you haven't, you should. He's the sort of guy who likes to put the Grim back into Grimme's Fairy Tales. Shade's Children is also an excellent post-apocalyptic work.

You probably haven't heard of David Wingrove, who wrote Chung Kuo. It's sort of like... Shogun meets Zelazny.

Unfortunately, Isaac Asimov, Ben Bova, Spider Robinson, Robert Heinlein; all of the old 'greats' and especially all of the old 'pretty goods' are falling away from the public eye.

Gnarf
2006-08-17, 07:38 AM
And Robert/Roger Aspirin (Can't think of the name offhand, and I confuse the two first names anyway.) He writes a pretty neat series of light comic fantasy- lots of puns and potshots. I only picked up one of his books because Phil Foglio did the illustrations, and as anyone who's played Magic when it was actually Magic and not utter crap knows, Phil Foglio = win.

The series you are thinking of here is the Myth series. Starts with Another Fine Myth and goes on for (so far) about 10 or 12 books. I like this one and his Phule series alot.

Another good but very unheard of (to me at least) book is "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb:_The_Gospel_According_to_Biff,_Christ's_Child hood_Pal

LordOfNarf
2006-08-17, 07:13 PM
My favourite book is the call of cathulu. By H.P Lovecraft, but why is it only people on here that know of the book or him, I mean he created illithids, and doesn't live them. They suck peoples brains out for cring out loud. What could be cooler.

I think it might be because if you said the word illithid in any other company but that which frequents these boards all you'd get is strange looks and questions about your mental state.

Kruxx06
2006-08-20, 11:41 PM
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Definetly a good book worth reading, especially if you are familiar with any of the gods that people used to worship. (such as Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Norse..)

Anouther author I would recommend is Chuck Palahnuik, who wrote the book Fight Club. He's written quite a few interesting books.

Steward
2006-08-21, 01:46 AM
Anyone ever read John Bellairs? He's a great author and his books are an example of how children's horror should be done.

happyjenn97
2006-08-22, 02:59 AM
The most obscure books (as opposed to plays) I can recommend are those by Francesca Lia Block: The Weetzie Bat series has been published in a single volume called Dangerous Angels.

Sir_Rosh
2006-08-24, 07:47 AM
Also, the Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse was good. I can't think of the author offhand.

Robert Rankin FTW!! A damn fine author and the titles of his books are hilarious. Hollow chocolate bunnies is great but I preferred Sex, Drugs and Sausage Rolls.

I also love Harry Harrison that someone else mentioned earlier. Bill the Intergalatic Hero and the Stainless Steel Rat being some of his better works.

Gotta mention Dennis Wheatley. He was a fantastic author of Occult Horror books. A lot of his books got turned into Hammer Horror films, most notably The Devil Rides Out and For The Devil A Daughter.

Clay_Cthulhu
2006-08-26, 01:32 PM
I think my 2 facorite authors are DAn Brown, and Piers Anthony. I loved how Dan melded all that truth with fiction in the books ANGELS & DEMONS and DAVINCI CODE...but I wouldn't say he's obscure.
Piers is a child-teen fantasy author, who uses an extreme amount of puns in his work. I am particularly facinated in how over 20 something-odd books he evolved the XANTH series.