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Plays With Words:
Written in a stylistically unconventional way. HARD MODE: Fits the definition of Experimental Literature.
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
- Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
- Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable by Mark Dunn
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Removed by mod
New Release:
New for 2024/2025 (no reprints or new editions). First translations into your language of choice are allowed. HARD MODE: This is the first work you’ve read by this author.
The gathering, by C.J. Tudor
Nuclear war: a scenario, by Annie Jacobsen
Now a Major Motion Picture:
The work has been adapted into a show or single episode, movie, play, audio drama, or other format. HARD MODE: The adaptation is regarded as better than the original work.
The Expanse series by James S A Corey
The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker
- The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
- Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
- Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- All Systems Red by Martha Wells
- Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Debut Work:
An author’s first work. HARD MODE: The author is widely regarded as having a profound impact on the genre/topic.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, with the caveat that her early work is a bit racist. Styles, for example, I recall having an n-word casually dropped into a conversation, along with a couple of antisemitic remarks. If you don’t mind reading around that, however, it’s a nice little Poirot case.
I had a similar experience when I was working through some of the early “The Shadow” pulps and was surprised a couple times at just how blatant the racism was.
- Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
- Carrie by Stephen King
- The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
- Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
- Neuromancer by William Gibson
Among the Stars:
Features space, astronomy, or stardom. HARD MODE: The title references the theme, too.
Mr Palomar by Italo Calvino.
Also qualifies for hard mode (the character is named after an observatory).
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu
- Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
- Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
- 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf (movie stars count)
Independent Author:
Self-published by the author. Works later published though a conventional publishing house don’t count unless you are reading it before the switch, and it’s republished before April 30th, 2025. HARD MODE: Not published via Amazon Kindle Direct.
- Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
- Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
- This Quest is Broken! by J.P. Valentine
- Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson
- Orconomics by J. Zachary Pike
- Unsouled by Will Wight
There Is Another…:
Not the first in a series. HARD MODE: Series has 5 or more entries.
It Takes Two:
Written by two or more authors. HARD MODE: Written by three or more authors.
- This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohta
- Good Omens by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
- Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (Corey is a pseudonym for the team of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck)
ALT - A Change in Perspective
Written in third-person perspective. HARD MODE: Second-person perspective.
- This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- Space Vampire (Choose Your Own Adventure #9) by Edward Packard
LGBTQIA+ Lead:
A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romance between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller would fit the hard mode here, for those interested.
- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
- The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Questions, Complaints, Whines, General Commentary, Shitposting
Just a quick note, Jaymes and I seeded the Storygraph challenge they built with literally hundreds of literary and genre fiction books (some of which they’ve crossposted here), in case you’re looking for ideas and prefer a more visual browse. (No account required!)
Eazy, Breazy, Read-zie:
A light, popcorn-worthy read that’s not real deep (see also “beach read” and “airport novel”). HARD MODE: You actually read it while on a vacation/staycation.
- Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
- The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
- The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
ALT - Same Author, New Work
An author you’ve read before, but a series (or standalone) you haven’t. HARD MODE: Give an author you didn’t like a second chance.
Institutional:
Set at a non-commercial institution or facility, like a school, science lab, or prison. HARD MODE: Not a school.
The institute, by Stephen King
- Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
- Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- Any of The Scholomance Series by Naomi Novik
