this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2024
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I started reading last year, mostly productivity stuff, but now I’m really looking to jump into fiction to unwind after a long week of uni, studying, and work. I need something to help me relax during the weekends without feeling like I’m working.

I’d love some recommendations for books that are short enough to finish in a day but still hit hard and are totally worth it. No specific genre preferences right now. I'm open to whatever. Looking forward to seeing what you guys suggest. Thank you very much in advance.

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[–] Aielman15@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Robert Silverberg's "The man in the maze" is a cool science-fiction book based on the Greek play Philoctetes. Iirc it's a very short story (maybe about one or two hundred pages), I don't remember the exact length but I recall reading it in one sitting. It is a very character-driver story where the "maze" itself is an allegory about mankind, isolation and disability, but it is very much enjoyable as a casual read as well.

The protagonist ("man in the maze") is an astronaut who has been somehow cursed to always radiate its emotions in such a way that others, even his family, find repulsive, so he self-exiles to a remote and long-dead planet to live the rest of his life in isolation. But when an alien species makes hostile contact with humans, he is needed again, as his "curse" is the only way to properly communicate with them and maybe convince them that humans are sentient beings and thus their equals.

[–] VoilaChihuahua@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

The Broken Earth series, Enders game series (the first 5 books about Ender), American Gods, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and the follow up A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, The Kingkiller Chronicle (we've been waiting 10+ yrs for the final book 3, some folks are pretty irked atp, but it will be ok). If you want YA beach reading, anything by Seanan McGuire / Mira Grant for easy fun books about fairies, cryptids, and zombies.

[–] Subtracty@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

My favorite easy fiction that helps me unwind is Agatha Christie mysteries. There is a reason she is the greatest mystery ŵritwr of all time. She sets up compelling situations and makes her way to a damn satisfying conclusion by the end.

A few of her shorter but still excellent stories: The Secret Adversary N or M The Unexpected Guest 3 Blind Mice Halloween Party Murder of Roger Akcroyd

Also if you like Mysteries I have to plug my all time favorite: 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

It is a great mystery in which the protagonist wakes up with no memories and has 8 chances to solve a murder.

[–] Hupf@feddit.org 2 points 10 months ago

Not sure about the length, but Vernor Vinge's Rainbows End is one of my favorite works of speculative fiction that really aged well so far.

[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

"Short enough to finish in a day" seems pretty tough for me, but maybe I read slowly.

Short story books are good for casual reading in short sessions. Robot Dreams by Asimov, or Welcome to the Monkey House by Vonnegut. I used to carry each of those around and read a short story while waiting at a restaurant or at the DMV or whatever.

I really liked Altered Carbon. Approachable sci fi with drugs, violence, sex, politics, and of course high tech ideas like flying cars, AI hotels, digital consciousness.

[–] qantravon@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

The Lady Astronaut series by Mary Robinette Kowal. The first book is called The Calculating Stars. Basically, an alternate history where (spoiler for the opening chapter)

spoilera meteor wipes out the east coast and kick-starts climate change, causing the Space Age to start 10 years early.
It follows a Jewish computer (a woman who literally runs calculations for NASA, as seen in Hidden Figures) who wants to become an astronaut, and her struggles with the racism and misogyny of the 1950s.

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I would recommend The Wheel of time, but be aware that its a very long book(series?). It contains 14 Books and totals at about 11k Sites. It absolutely takes quite a lot of time to fully read it, but its absolutely worth it. Its by far the best book ive read so far.

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[–] sanguinepar@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Not sure if I'd say they hit hard, but for readability it's hard to beat Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books. Some of the best murder mysteries I've ever read, so much fun.

[–] 2ugly2live@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The Heart Shaped Box

NOS4A2

Between Two Fires

The Troop

The Princess Bride

Edit: Just realized you're looking for something to finish in a day, my bad. Have your read any Sherlock Holmes? They're entertaining and you can get through quite a few stories in a day.

[–] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

A book that stuck with me for a long time was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It was a fairly quick read too, I'm a slow reader so definitely longer than a day but I think I read it over a short vacation.

[–] aaaaace@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 10 months ago

Raymond Chandler's novels, esp The Lady in the Lake

The Pirx the Pilot stories, 8 in 2 volumes

Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon and The Glass Key

2nd the Hitchhiker's Guide and they're easy to rejoin

A A Fair's novels are short and have odd western us lore in them, one has a great way to bet in Vegas, others name spots in Mexico, they were Gardner's fun books that he liked to write more than other series.

[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Lots of great recommendations here. I'd also add Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. Her Penric novels are quite fun, too.

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