The Gone World or Dead Silence … maybe

[Coragem]

Hi:

I'm looking for my next read. I'm just coming off reading something with exceptional writing style, so ideally I'd like something that is going to compare fairly well: something with top notch writing that a writer can appreciate and learn from. Advice and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

My current shortlist is as follows:

*In SFF, either The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch or Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes.

*In crime, either City of Dreams by Don Winslow or Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane.

Thanks!

 

[hitmouse]

Easy enough to list Sf writers with distinctive writing styles, if that is all that you are after. Plenty of those.
However, I have not heard of any of the authors on your shortlist, so without a bit more detail, any of my suggestions are likely to be random and possibly not what you are seeking.

 

[BAYLOR]

Not familiar with those but a where are some writers Wirth distinctive writing styles you might find of interest



The Killing Star By Charles Pellegrino and George Zebrowski
All Judgement Fled by James White
The Dreaming Jewels By Theodore Sturgeon
The Dragon Never Sleep by Glen Cook
The Rediscovery of Man by Corwaner Smith
Jack Faust by Michal Swanswick
Past Master by R A Lafferty
Rim of the Morning Two Tees of Cosmic Horror by William Sloane
The City of the Singing Flame by Clark Ashton Smith
I Have no Mouth But I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Tales From the Dying Earth by Jack Vance

Under Crime
Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich
Fallen Angel By William Hjortsborg

Post Apocalyptic novel you might want to check out
Earth Abides by George R Stewart

 

[Coragem]

Easy enough to list Sf writers with distinctive writing styles, if that is all that you are after. Plenty of those.
However, I have not heard of any of the authors on your shortlist, so without a bit more detail, any of my suggestions are likely to be random and possibly not what you are seeking.

Any suggestions welcome. In terms of personaly preference, I aim for crime/noir or SF with crime/noir elements. Possibly cyberpunk vibes. I'm a fan of Richard Morgan, TR Napper, the above-mentioned Don Winslow.

But really, I'm a sucker for anything that has some really good, tight prose style. I like learning from a good "writer's writer", regardless of genre.

 

[BAYLOR]

Any suggestions welcome. In terms of personaly preference, I aim for crime/noir or SF with crime/noir elements. Possibly cyberpunk vibes. I'm a fan of Richard Morgan, TR Napper, the above-mentioned Don Winslow.

But really, I'm a sucker for anything that has some really good, tight prose style. I like learning from a good "writer's writer", regardless of genre.

There's a book by Bernard Wolfe Limbo which could be describe aa sort 50's precursor to Cyberpunk . It did score a Science fiction Masterworks edition.

 

[Toby Frost]

How about the LA series of books by James Ellroy? They remind me of Don Winslow quite a lot (before Ellroy wrote The Cold Six Thousand, which is terrible).

I write fantasy with a noir setting. Up To The Throne and Blood Under Water would both count as crime fantasy.

 

[BAYLOR]

Hi:

I'm looking for my next read. I'm just coming off reading something with exceptional writing style, so ideally I'd like something that is going to compare fairly well: something with top notch writing that a writer can appreciate and learn from. Advice and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

My current shortlist is as follows:

*In SFF, either The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch or Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes.

*In crime, either City of Dreams by Don Winslow or Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane.

Thanks!

You might want to check out Glen Cook's P I. Garret fantasy Detective Series. its s fancy Nor series and fun to read.

 

[hitmouse]

SF, possibly in the vein you are looking for:
William Gibson
Richard Morgan
Alfred Bester

Agree with the James Ellroy suggestion. Perhaps start with Black Dahlia and go in from there.

 

[Toby Frost]

I found Richard Morgan's Black Man/Thirteen really interesting, although I'm not sure it's a great novel. It feels extremely relevant for a number of reasons and sadly seems to be getting more relevant by the day.

 

[Coragem]

You might want to check out Glen Cook's P I. Garret fantasy Detective Series. its s fancy Nor series and fun to read.

Glen cook is new to me, so I'll check that out. And your other suggestions above. You mentioned LIMBO to me before, so it's already on my "to-read" list.

@Toby Frost and @hitmouse:

I've been heavily into both Morgan and Ellroy in the past. I met Richard a decade or so ago and he signed all my books. At first reading, I loved BLACK MAN. I actually really enjoyed THIN AIR. Sometimes Morgan suffers a bit from overwriting IMO, but not THIN AIR.

Ellroy's AMERICAN TABLOID is his masterpiece. I actually loved all the others when I first read them, at least up until The Cold 6K, although there are flaws upon re-reading. The prose and the plotting often a bit all over the place. The guy's genius sometimes takes him to extremes.

William Gibson, yes, of course, I've read him. Essential reading if you're into SF noir / cyberpunk.

 

[BAYLOR]

Glen cook is new to me, so I'll check that out. And your other suggestions above. You mentioned LIMBO to me before, so it's already on my "to-read" list.

@Toby Frost and @hitmouse:

I've been heavily into both Morgan and Ellroy in the past. I met Richard a decade or so ago and he signed all my books. At first reading, I loved BLACK MAN. I actually really enjoyed THIN AIR. Sometimes Morgan suffers a bit from overwriting IMO, but not THIN AIR.

Ellroy's AMERICAN TABLOID is his masterpiece. I actually loved all the others when I first read them, at least up until The Cold 6K, although there are flaws upon re-reading. The prose and the plotting often a bit all over the place. The guy's genius sometimes takes him to extremes.

William Gibson, yes, of course, I've read him. Essential reading if you're into SF noir / cyberpunk.

Some other books to suggest

The Star Rover by Jack London his only fantasy novel little known and unlike all of his other books. It about straitjacket death row who while prating transcendental meditation ( to make life in the jacket bearable ) discovered that he not only leave his body but can astral project himself into his past lives at will . The boy is espied instep and scale. ot a terror book can be found complete via project Gutenberg.

The Metal Monster by Abraham Merritt an American expeditionary party traveling I the mounts o Asia diver a race of machines that have some very like Wifi Technology and liquid metal weapons that can ship shift a bit like the T 1000 in terminator . what extrindary is this boo was written in the 1920s ! In terms of story concept, Abraham Merrit was lightyears ahead of his contemporaries.

Bloodstone by Karl Edward Wagner This book is has sword and sorcery and a frightening powerful and malevolent Piece of alien technology known as the The Bloodstone and Kane who Immortal and amoral wants it for his purposes. its great stuff !

The Humanoids by jack Williamson His career began in 1928 and continued to 2006 the year his death , He's one greats and grandmaster He coined the terms Genetic Engineering and Terraforming , The Humanoids are robots who propose is serve mankind and keep us from harm other we like it or not and if we don't like it m they adjust us to like it .

The Berserker Saga by fed Saberhagen

The Veils of Azlaroc by Fred Saberhagen

On a Planet Alien by Barry Malzberg

Nonstop by Brian Aldis


I will leave it at that.

 

[Bick]

Quite a broad request that - you're after a well-written book, essentially?
How about The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald?