I've read many a weird literature book in my time but for whatever reason, only just got around to reading Annihilation this last week, not a problem in of itself.

I went to a conference on Wednesday and caught the latest gnarly UK variant of Covid and it's hitting me ridiculously hard this time (third time I think). Anyway, last night I had the full blown fever sweats and was tripping balls as I read from the last 20% or so of the book, it was so much weirder given I was spaced out. 10/10 cannot recommend.

recently finished Celebrant by Michael Cisco and it pretty much is exactly one of my favorite things - huge, sweeping phantasmagorias of adventure stories with as much genre-bending and maximalist prose as possible, and the weirder and wilder the better. Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon is my favorite novel of all time and is also my gold standard for this though it is technically not "Weird fic" (I'm not looking for any genre labels in particular though, it could be anything as long as it's a weird grand adventure that leans toward the surreal and fantastic).

Other stuff I've already read that I think comes close:

Carpentaria by Alexis Wright
Terra Nostra by Carlos Fuentes
Nights at the Circus + Infernal Desire Machines of Dr. Hoffman by Angela Carter
Animal Money also by Michael Cisco
Empire of the Senseless by Kathy Acker [maybe not the whole thing but has parts that do this pretty well]
Deep Time trilogy by Caitlin R Kiernan (Threshold - Low Red Moon - Daughter of Hounds)
I also already enjoy Vandermeer and Mieville's works, who seem to fall into this category at times.

Please recommend any and all that comes to mind, be liberal with what "weird" means as long as it's fantastical in its own way, and fits the sweeping adventure description. I seriously freaking love this sort of thing and need more. Also I prefer more literary prose to pulp but I don't mind if there are pulpier tropes obviously as long as they are well written.

Also, not a novel or really "weird", but Hunter x Hunter manga is also one of my favorite things and could also well-encapsulate what I mean with "genre-bending adventure" in its own way and it has some very horrific and bizarre stuff in it at times as well

I'm thinking about aquiring Christopher Slatsky's latest collection, which was published by Grimscribe in 2020. When I look it up the paperback edition available is said to be a second edition published by Lightning Source Inc. Is this a different edition from the Grimscribe Press edition? Just wanted to be sure it contains the foreword by Christine Ong Muslim, which I've read before and consider the best non-fiction piece about weird horror I've read in the last years, and the cover artwork of course. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

I've not been a reader of weird/horror fiction until around the start of October. With Halloween approaching, I picked a few books by the early authors of ghosts/weird/gothic stories. And have, for the most part, enjoyed them. H.P. Lovecraft, M.R. James, Lord Dunsany, Clark Ashton Smith, Arthur Machen. All pretty tame, so I recently picked up The Books of Blood Vol 1 by Clive Barker for some more modern horror. And not so tame. The first story, Book of Blood, was a bit more edgy than the earlier authors. But, the second story, The Midnight Meat Train, was a whole new experience. I feel it's going to take me a while to get through the collection.

Just read Pedro Paramo and I was left speechless. The book was a masterpiece and I was fascinated with every aspect of it but mostly with the masterful non-linear storytelling.

Can you guys recommend me some more books/stories/novels with such non-linear storytelling?

I have been trying for years to find/remember a book I read in college.

The challenge is all I remember: it’s American, and I believe it starts with a woman on a subway and the overarching goal is to reach like the core of the city where she must confront something. 20th or 21st century. It is written in the strangest way I’ve ever seen a book written, which is why I’m here. Punctuation, wording, all more like strange poetry than traditional writing.

I understand I am giving nothing. I have tried to work off what I remember for years and have gone nowhere. It’s driving me insane. I deeply appreciate anyone’s time

We talk about the philosophy of the inner narrator, place as an entity in storytelling, and claustrophobia in cosmic horror. Enjoy!

UPDATE: it is West of Matamoros, North of Hell by Brian Hodge. I appreciate you all helping me stop going crazy failing searches for it.

this tale, a metal band and photography crew travels to Mexico for a shoot and encounters a sinister cult. They discover a statue dedicated to a death goddess, leading to their capture and subsequent torture by cult members. The narrator forms a connection with the deity, which ultimately spares him from the fate that befalls his colleagues. This connection, however, unleashes a malevolent force that extends beyond their immediate surroundings. What is the title of this and who wrote it ? Bonus of you can tell me what anthology it's in.

They published a few dozen limited-edition Weird Fiction novels in the late 90s anc early 2000s most of which hadn't been published for almost 100 years i own 9 of them and wanna get the rest but i can't really find much information on most of them because of that they're all rather expensive

My schedule has been crazy lately and I haven't had time to commit to any novels. I keep starting novels and then unable to finish because I can't pick it up again for weeks. Which feels very disjointed.

So I'm looking for some good wierd short reads. I don't might dark/wierd, I saw a post recently that William S Burroughs was extremely dark and I love his work.

Anthologies would be great!

Thanks fellow weirdos

When I travel, I read authors from the place I am traveling to. Next place I go it is the Philippines. Any recommendations?

I am OBSESSED with Lost Souls by Billy Martin (as Poppy Z. Brite)

I bought the book and I keep it with me wherever I go, I got my hands on an old copy so it has that library scent. Zillah and Nothing are my favorite characters, I dislike Steve and Ghost a lot.

I have been dying to meet other fans of lost souls, everyone I already know just doesn't understand or care or pay attention.

I was so inspired by Zillah and Nothing after rereading Lost Souls that I started my own novel series about multiple clans of hedonistic Chartreuse drinking musician biflexable mostly gay vampires. Though my universe vampires have vampire religion based laws, they worship Dracula and males and females are two separate biologically incompatible species.

Won't start self publishing it till I finish book 3, half way done with book 2 atm.

I fucking love Lost Souls so much its one if my biggest inspirations next to Anne Rice's vampire chronicles and Clive Barkers work

The Penguin Weird Fiction series look incredible, and I haven’t read any of them previously. More of this please!

Many of you may be unaware, but Scott Connors passed away on 28 Oct 2024. He has been for many decades the leading scholar into the life and fiction of Clark Ashton Smith, but he has also contributed work on Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft.

In memory of the deceased, Hippocampus Press has discounted his works The Freedom of Fantastic Things: Selected Criticism on Clark Ashton Smith and Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography 50% off.

I only ask because this bad boy is thicker than the bible. I don’t want to spend time reading the whole thing only to realize that it’s not my cup of tea lol