5
Metro 2033 by Dimitry Glukhovsky.
Being the first full-length novel I ever read, it has a rich and detailed world that really got me into books, and every time I read it, I felt myself being trapped in the tunnels of Moscow. Each section of the books is claustrophobic and dark and fixes the doom and gloom into its themes. Coming from the game based on it, it was a much easier transition than other books, and it got me invested in its plot following Artyom navigating his way through the post-apocalypse. I can say that if I never read Metro 2033, I might have never started reading or writing for fun in the first place.
4
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.
This gruesome tale really opened my eyes to the stylistic choices of narrative writing. The way in which McCarthy writes is so unique to him, and no one can ever truly replicate it. With not saying much, McCarthy says a whole lot. No matter when I read Blood Meridian, it just makes me appreciate the setting and how well it’s described. It almost seems alien and unnatural with its description of its wilderness and people living there. And, every time I read this, it just makes me want to tear out everything that I’ve done to follow the example of this book. From the terrifying Judge Holden, the fellow members of the Glanton gang, we get horrific points of views into the soul of the lawless American west and the monsters who terrorised it.
3
A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin.
When it comes to big scale epic fantasy, this book series has everything. While this is technically not one single book, I’m counting it as each book equally inspired me to write my own worlds. With this being a still ongoing series, we can’t know how it ends (and most likely never will unfortunately), I can still appreciate just how much effort has gone into a game of thrones and its subsequent entries. The characters each have a unique role to play in Westeros, and we get to see each perspective in each part of the world. What makes this such a special series is its spin on fantasy, taking elements of old school dungeons and dragons, and applying realistic heavy weights to decisions and battles.
2
Blindsight by Peter Watts
This is a hardcore science fiction novel that plays on the first contact story. It has such great concepts on humanity and a godless nihilistic world that really inspired my own sci-fi writing. those damn vampires were so terrifying on an initial read, and they fit into the universe with such clarity. Understanding the genre undyingly, I have been itching to write a full-on science fiction novel for years, not quite getting to the technical level of Watts. What puts the cherry on the top is the depth of its themes and how it pulls them off with flying colors. This truly earns its spot on anyone’s list for book favourites.
1
House of Leaves by Mark z Danielewski
Being a very popular book among horror fans, I think most people would have this on their list. The slowly revealing plot and truly creative style of publication made this an experience and a real inspiration for my own writing. While the story may not be the most original, the way in which it is told is truly inspiring. Following 3 separate narrative roads, we are given a winding pathway of stories. And just like these 3 stories, the literal words on the pages do not follow a set path either. You’ve probably already heard all this before, but if you haven’t, read this book now and see what you think. I won’t spoil anymore.
