Gold medal reading 🏅
Feats of literary excellence
G’day,
As the Olympics wind down to a close, I thought it worthwhile to take a moment to host my very own Olympic Games here in the newsletter.
Instead of feats of athleticism, though, today we’re going to award medals to feats of literary excellence (aka some of my favorite books written by others).
Hope you find something worth checking out!
Long-distance reading
Books so long you finish them at a different age than you started
🥇 The Natchez Burning Trilogy by Greg Iles
A small-town Southern lawyer-turned-mayor investigates and defends his father in a murder case with implications stretching back to the Civil Rights era, a KKK special operations splinter cell, the Kennedy assassination, and so much more. Incredibly compelling read.
🥈 I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
A sprawling, globetrotting thriller that follows a spy as he races to find a terrorist with a terrifying plot to take down the West. Despite its length, it races toward its climax like an action movie.
🥉 The Power of the Dog Trilogy by Don Winslow
Cops versus robbers on the biggest, most violent, and (unfortunately) all-too-real stage. Follows an obsessive DEA agent as he battles cartels, politicians, and a broad, eclectic cast of characters in an effort to take down the drug trade throughout the Americas.
Middle-distance books
Novels, but on the shorter side (<275 pages)
🥇 Close Reach by Jonathan Moore
A woman and her husband set sail into Antarctic waters, an adventure they hope can repair their damaged marriage. But another boat is out in one of the most remote places on Earth, too. And not for reasons of exploration. One of the tensest first 50 pages I’ve ever read in a book.
🥈 The Book of Skulls by Robert Silverberg
A science fiction classic. After uncovering a secret manuscript that points toward the House of Skulls—a legendary monastery in the Arizona desert—four college friends set off on a road trip to find immortality. A “road story” with dark psychological undertones.
🥉 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A fantasy story set amidst the hidden world of the House — an infinite structure full of endless corridors, thousands of statues (no two alike), and a tide which flows through the structure like a beating heart. The titular character studies this House, seeking to unlock the mysteries hidden within. You’ve never read a book like this one before!
Sprint Reading
Books you can finish in a sitting
🥇 What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear by Baoshu
An alternate history from one of China’s most prominent and interesting authors, this story tells the entire history of modern China. Backwards. One of the most unique stories I’ve ever come across.
🥈 The Gallery of His Dream by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
A powerful fantasy story that follows the life’s work of a Civil War-era photographer who receives a job so important that he risks his entire livelihood in its pursuit.
🥉 Lost Things by John Rector
A taut and suspenseful story about a night out with friends that goes terribly wrong — the consequences of which reverberate forward in time for years to come. I stole something from this book for one of my own (though I won’t say what 😀)
What do you think of the medalists? Do you have any favorites that deserve gold??
That’s it for this week. If you missed my last email, there were two recent releases of my own books — Last Ride: A Ledgerman Assignment Novella and When Sheds Talk (a short story). Check them out!
Until next time,
Niz