Just discovered your channel, so apologies if you've covered this, but I have to recommend one of my favorite messed up sci-fi stories.It's an oldie but a goodie: "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison. It's a short story, but that's probably a mercy. 😄 Great video!
I completely understand you on the Y.A./Adult book feel. I used to really like Y.A. books and had no problems switching back and forth from them and adult books all the time. Especially in the Fantasy and Sci-fi genre but I'm finding it harder to enjoy Y.A. books lately too.
Greg Egan is one of my favorite authors, but I haven't read Dichronauts yet. I hope to read The Book of the New Sun soon. I also enjoyed reading A Clockwork Orange.
Totally agree with what you said about the YA v. Adult books. And IMO it's not only the tone but also how heavily tropey they almost always are that I find so characteristic (and off-putting) of them, regardless of their genre/subject. I've given up.
@@TheShadesofOrange often for me, adult fiction expects a level of life experience to be present in the reader that YA doesn’t expect. Word choice. Tone. Background. All of that seems to differentiate for me.
I loved A Clockwork Orange. It's one of those books that definitely makes your brain shift in order to understand it. It's another book that Stanley Kubrick remade into his own vision, but I can read ACO without seeing McDowell's portrayal in my head. I really liked your video. Your delivery is so smooth with great information and without a bunch of cuts, so pleasant to watch.
I would recommend _Where Time Winds Blow_ by Robert Holdstock. It is from 1981 and fits nicely into your "messed up" Sci Fi. It is wrapped in a dense mystery where the reader is not sure what is happening and the framework of time slippage. The bonus for you is that it also has a "ghost" or ghostly aspect. Nothing is what it seems. It really is messed up!
For messed up sci fi, 2001: a space Odessy is pretty good. I know, an oldie but a goodie. Clockwork Orange is definitely one that needs to be read several times, I definitely agree with you on that. I agree with you on YA!
As someone on the Sci-fi/Fantasy side of your followers, I have to say those few horrors I've read the last couple of years come mainly from your channel. Also, I've been planning to read Dichronauts, ever since I've watched Michael's video on it, but I'm afraid I will struggle understanding the underlying science. Is it too hard?
I'm happy I've gotten you into a few horror books! And as for Dichronauts, if you are willing to accept that some (or a lot of it) will go over your head then it's not too hard to get through
The book of the New Sun turned into my favorite book when i read it a year or so ago. I bought the Folio Society Hardcover collectors set, and the ebooks. I first read it through audible and Johnathan Davis was PERFECT for that set of books. His tone and style fit so well. Great story, its gets better with every read. Ok, im done gushing over it now haha
Completely agree on your YA take, in fact I feel like I've run across plenty of (even advertised as) YA with drugs, sex, murder, revenge, etc. anything really. It's all in the way it's written that counts.
1. Dead Girls, Dead Boys, Dead Things: The Trilogy by Richard Calder. 2. Anything by Kathleen Ann Goonan 3. Likewise Thomas Disch 4. Requiem for Homo Sapiens sequence by David Zindell 5. China Mieville 6. Starbridge Chronicles by Paul Park.
I haven’t ever been super into science fiction, but I do love me some thrillers/mysteries/stabby books, so this could be just the video I need to dip a toe back into the sci-fi waters! Thanks! I did enjoy A Clockwork Orange back in undergrad. Definitely interested in Dare to Know.
I rarely re-read - but it's amazing when I discover elements and scenes that suddenly make sense - or are more important than I imagined. But that's mostly true for the more "difficult" texts. I'd like your discipline and perceptiveness.
I really like A Clockwork Orange. I had a hard time with the language the first time I tried to read it but when I went back I found I didn't have any issues at all and like you said, there is plenty of context to understand the slang. As a big sci-fi and cyberpunk subgenre fan this book feels almost like a direct precursor to the cyberpunk that came later
You might like the DNA Cowboys trilogy by Mick Farren though they are out of print. He also wrote The Time of Feasting, Darklost and Underland in the horror genre. Twisted horror you say? Clive Barker has a few.
I became a follower of the channel because of the horror but always open to the sci-fi and fantasy. I'm a bit under-read in both, especially Sci-fi, but I'm looking forward to trying some out.
Flood and Ark by Stephen Baxter are a 2-book sci fi series about (obviously) the world flooding. Without spoiling anything, it doesn't go well and while I don't think these books really qualifies as horror, I had several anxiety nightmares while reading them
I've been dying to start reading anything by Samit Basu... Love that you started with the City Inside because I've been trying to decide between that or the Jinn-bot of Shantiport. Both seem incredible...
I try to avoid "messed up" stories but once in a while one will sneak up on me. As others have commented the Gap series by Donaldson is definitely disturbing. Another Space Opera that took a turn to the dark side is the Farian War trilogy by K.B.Wagers. Good story that slowed down with the messed up plot line.
Rec: Stephen Donaldson's Gap Cycle. It's a Space Opera, is very psychological and has lots of political intrigue. And all the trigger warnings. Basically all of them. If you want to read an author who goes all in on trauma and has superb characterization, you should try it. It has at least 2-3 characters I hate as much as Joffrey. But there also good characters to latch onto. One downside could be that it's 5 books, although the first one is a novella, if you're not looking for a longer series.
I second this recommendation for the Gap Cycle. And if you're looking for messed up FANTASY, I recommend Stephen R. Donaldson's OTHER great series: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
Hi Rachel. I have 3 points to make (sorry!): 1. Almost everything I read is sci-fi or fantasy, but last year I happened to read Pride and Prejudice on a whim and it's absolutely wonderful. It's an incredibly funny social commentary more than a romance. Never say never! 2. I'm right there with you on The Book of the New Sun. First read didn't go so well, but the re-read with the benefit of knowing a bit more about what to expect was amazing and it has catapulted the series into my top 5 easily. Wolfe was a genius. 3. Messed up sci-fi: Hyperion. I think you're planning to read Hyperion soon. That book had some scenes and concepts that really fucked me up. Although I'm not a horror reader so maybe you'll find it tame. I hope not though. Cheers, Roy
Hi Roy! 1.Good point. I have read Pride & Prejudice and it didn't work for me, but I certainly have enjoyed some more wholesome reads like Little Women
2. I feel better if I wasn't the only one who needed to read Book of the New Sun a second time in order to appreciate it's brilliance. 3. Thanks for the recommendation... I'm hoping to pick up Hyperion by early next year and am excited if it explores some darker ideas
I was in a bar in Spain about 50 years ago and chatting with the English bar girl who told me that Clockwork Orange was Brolly boys. Some kind of gang style back in thee day.
As far as messed up goes: I still clearly remember every horrifying scene in Alistair Reynolds' Magnum Opus House Of Suns. Unlike his Revelation Space universe, he doesn't follow his usual gothic features here. I'd also highly recommend Reynolds' The Prefect (Aurora Rising) taking place before Revelation Space, this is his murder mystery. I can't remember if you like Steven King, or if you have read The Long Walk or The Running Man. Both game shows that end in almost certain horrible death. Have you read Richard Matheson's I Am Legend? It deserves the hype, especially when it comes to after reading it. Also along the line, I'm assuming you have read Max Brooks' World War Z, if not hoo-boy it's a doozie!
Love your recs. I need to read more Reynolds. I have read WWZ, Kings dystopians and I am Legends... but your tastes are good because I loved all of them!
Same feeling about those "adult but YA" books... I had the same feeling about Jay Kristoff's Nevernight. Plenty of swearing, violence, and sex scenes, so you can not really say it's YA, but at the same time, the author style, and all the tropes he uses felt very YA.
My favorite science fiction book is from author S.L. Viehl it's called ( BLADE DANCER) WILL SOMEONE DO AN AUDIOBOOK OF THIS FOR YOU TUBE?ITS 5 STAR ENTERTAINMENT.
Hi can you help me find the name of a modern female science fiction writer who has written books similar to the Expanse series about space mining? She was on a video advertisement blog about two years ago and I cannot find it. I hope you can help me find the name please. Thank you.
good to hear you liked A Clockwork Orange recall the Kubrick film based on it was banned in UK for years cause of its alleged nihilism and celebration of lethal violence (they missed the point) also follow another book tuber who is huge fan of egan (don't know if he's the one who recommended it to you) but I could never get into him his prose is way too DENSE for me
I know you’re not a YA fan but if you’re looking for a super messed up sci-fi book, the Unwind series is intense. I’ve read thousands of books at this point and remembering a scene from the first book I read years and years ago still upsets me.
I never use "stabby" for talking about horror media. "Stabby" is how I feel after spending two hours in traffic surrounded by the kind of idiots who honk in tunnels.
😳🚀📚 For 'messed up SF' I straight away thought of Stephen Donaldson's “The Gap Cycle” from the 90’s, which I recall being uncomfortable reading. I’m not a stabby-boy, so as you suspect of your viewership I swerve both that dark stuff and the matching #BookTube episodes normally. But Duncan Swan's “Monstre” falls into SF horror that I did enjoy. I happened upon that one via the Ficticious podcast. Wasn’t familiar with your mates Moid and Michael, but since I think SF > Fantasy I’ll check them out. FWIW, I also tend to prefer your format of TV show to the glossier efforts… 🧐 I very much tend to hard swerve YA but have dipped down there for specific reasons - e.g. I love Alastair Reynolds, full stop, so I do have his “Revenger” series despite it being a bit YA. Cannot stand romance and many of the YA tropes though 🤮
I totally respect skipping the dark horror content if you aren't a stabby boy (lol!)... and thanks for the Monstre rec... and I appreciate that you don't mind my low key setup. I feel so intimated by Booktubers that do fancy editing and Greenscreen but I just can't see myself having the time to learn that (or at least I don't want to cut into my reading time)
I'll try The City Inside and Dare to Know. Don't think I have them yet. I do have Under Fortunate Stars (downloaded two days ago, need to read it before library due date arrives). The Chosen 12 starts off like YA--very young adult, closer to age 13--because the protagonists are basically 12 years old. It starts off light, lots of joking, silly situations, banter, like a breezy Scalzi novel, but after the halfway point it begins to get darker. I ended up really enjoying it, probably 4-star read. Can't think of any messed up scifi I'd recommend right now. Must be something. If I recall one, I'll comment again. Started S.K. Dunstall's The Lineman because I enjoyed their Stars Uncharted and Stars Beyond books. Only about 70 pages into The Linesman, and am already invested in it. Intriguing and original concepts. I have to see where they take these ideas.
@@TheShadesofOrange Finished The Linesman. I liked it, I want to read the next two. I did feel it got bogged down in politics and I had to focus to remember who was with what alliance and who commanded which ships. And I felt it suffered from a protagonist who was a bit too powerful; you always had the sense that no matter how dire the circumstances, the main character had abilities to turn things around. Still, it was good enough that I read the rest of the book today in one sitting. Stars Uncharted is even better--they're finding their voice in the later works.
There have been a lot of adult fantasy recently that read young, The City of Dusk comes to mind. Would you consider The Blood Trials maybe New Adult? Too young for Adult but too old for YA?
Yes I 100% agree; there are adult books that read like YA. The most recent example for me is Hide by Kiersten White. It's marketed as adult, but it reads like YA, and in my opinion is YA with some swearing and gore that are probably a bit too much for a younger reader thrown in, so it can be called adult. I rolled my eyes a lot lol.
I dnf’d The Blood Trials. It read like YA to me despite the language and violence. And the character made the dumbest assumptions and decisions and I found her too irritating to continue.
A Clockwork Orange..... I so hated that movie. So so much. I tried to read the book but couldn't get past the slang. I wonder if the audio would be a better fit? There's not animal cruelty, is there?
Greg egan is something else₹ i just read his Permutation city... It was a mind blowing novel want to read it again... But i like to read greg egans more books like Diaspora but not available in online🥹🥹
