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1y ago

2024 Bingo Recommendations List

Have you really enjoyed reading a work that qualifies and want to recommend it to others? This is the prime spot to help people out with those recommendations.

The way this thread works is that this thread will contain one top level comment for each Bingo square. In order to preserve the organization and readability of this post, please limit recommendations to only replies on those top-level comments. We will be removing comments that don't follow this rule for for this specific post.

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Older Than You Are	Water, Water Everywhere	What’s Yours is Mine	Family Drama	It Takes Two
2	New Release	Plays With Words	Independent Author	Bookception	Disability Representation
3	Eazy, Breazy, Read-zie	Stranger in a Strange Land	One Less	There is Another...	LGBTQIA+ Lead
4	Now a Major Motion Picture	It’s About Time	Award Winner	Mashup	Local to You
5	Debut Work	It’s a Holiday	Institutional	Minority Author	Among the Stars

Alt.	Same Author, New Work	She Blinded Me With Science	Pseudonymous Work	Translated	A Change in Perspective

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Reminder, Please DO NOT make comments that are not replies to a prepopulated top-level comment. Your comment will just be removed without any additional info.

77 comments

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

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

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

Minority Author:
Minority or LGBTQIA+ author. A minority can be any member of a generally underrepresented population where you live. HARD MODE: Minority and LGBTQIA+.
- Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
  Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
  The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
  Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
  The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
  Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
  The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
  Jade City by Fonda Lee
  
  Anything by Roxanne Gay and Nikki Giovanni will work for HARD MODE.

Award Winner:
Has won a significant literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.
- I would love some suggestions for awards to look up, that you'd consider big for your country or preferred genre. I've looked up lists of awards, but they tend to be pretty US-focused, and it's hard to tell what's actually significant.
  I'm familiar with the Hugos (SFF), Nebula (SFF), Bram Stoker (horror), Edgars (mystery), Pulitzer (lit), Booker (lit), and Newbery (kids).
- Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
  Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
  Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
  A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
  The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Bookception:
Features a book-related aspect. HARD MODE: Something other than a book, like an author or library.
- The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
  The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
  The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

There Is Another…:
Not the first in a series. HARD MODE: Series has 5 or more entries.

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

It’s About Time:
The passage or manipulation of time is a major theme or plot driver. HARD MODE: Backward in time, not forward.
- Won't fit the hard mode, but Charles Sheffield's Tomorrow and Tomorrow was an interesting read. The first third wasn't really my thing, but after that the book goes way far into the future.
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
  This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar
  11/22/63 by Stephen King
  The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold

It's a Holiday:
Takes place during a specific holiday, which is significant to the plot. HARD MODE: Not Christmas, a fictional variation of Christmas, or other winter festival.
- Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
  Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
  We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
  V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
  Walpurgisnacht by Gustav Meyrink, Mike Mitchell
  A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny

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

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!)

Water, Water Everywhere
The title refers to some form or body of water. HARD MODE: Not liquid water.
- On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
  Midnight Riot (The original UK title of this is River's of London) by Ben Aaronovitch

What’s Yours Is Mine:
Theft, piracy, fraud, or espionage is a major topic or plot point. HARD MODE: No MacGuffins.
- The Recognitions by William Gaddis
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
  The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
  The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes
  The Redemption of Althalus by Leigh Eddings & David Eddings
  Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
  Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding
  On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

Family Drama:
Family is important, but sometimes it's also the cause of problems. Family dynamics are fundamental to the narrative. HARD MODE: Involves three or more generations of family members.
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
  The Sandman Graphic Novels by Neil Gaiman
  The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
  
  “100 Years of Solitude” Gabriel García Márquez (this works for HARD MODE)

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

Disability Representation:
A main character has or gains a disability to which they must adapt. This disability must be grounded in reality: if a 4,000 year old Prince of the Shokan lost an arm, that would count; if he became a werewolf, it would not. HARD MODE: The piece is at least partially from their perspective.
- I was reading onyx storm (Rebecca Yarros). While not stated explicitly, the main character exhibits symptoms of EDS.
- Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton
  How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
  Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

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

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.

ALT - She Blinded Me With Science
The author has a background and degree in a hard science. HARD MODE: More than one post graduate degree.
- The Postman by David Brin
  Contact by Carl Sagan
  The Boat of a Million Years by Poul Anderson
  Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
  Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre

ALT - Translated
Not originally in your native tongue. HARD MODE: Has been translated into at least ten other languages. This Wikipedia page is a good place to start for widely translated works.
- "100 Years of Solitude" Gabriel García Márquez (this works for HARD MODE) "Love in the Time of Cholera" Gabriel García Márquez
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
  Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
  The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
  What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
  Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
  Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief by Maurice Leblanc
  The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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

ALT - Pseudonymous Work
Published under a pen name. HARD MODE: The author generally never writes under their own name.
- Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
  Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
  A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
  Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  The Beast Master by Andre Norton
  Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré

Older Than You Are
Published before your birthdate. HARD MODE: Published before 1924.
- Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
  Ulysses by James Joyce
- This category is a bit tougher to recommend because the qualification depends on your age, but these are all over 100 years old and I've enjoyed all of them.
  Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
  Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
  King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
  A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Mashup:
A combination of two or more genres or non-fiction topics. HARD MODE: Unusual combo, like fantasy thriller.
- Have read and enjoyed:
  Iron Truth by S.A. Tholin - space opera with horror elements
  Leech by Hiron Ennes - gothic sci-fantasy horror, set in some kind of post-apocalypse
  The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison - fantasy of manners mystery
  The Mister Trophy by Frank Tuttle - fantasy mystery
  The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope - historical fantasy
  Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara Siler Jones - fantasy mystery
  Priest of Bones by Peter McLean - fantasy organized crime
  When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger - cyberpunk mystery

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)

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.
- The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
- Mr Palomar by Italo Calvino.
  Also qualifies for hard mode (the character is named after an observatory).
- 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)

Local to You:
The author lives in or writes about a location local to you (city, state, province, territory, etc.). HARD MODE: The author has spent a significant amount of time there, but wasn't born there.

Stranger in a Strange Land:
The primary PoV is dropped into a completely unfamiliar situation or location. HARD MODE: Not portal fiction or isekai.
- Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
  A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

One Less:
A book that’s been on your TBR list for a long time. HARD MODE: Overlaps with at least one other bingo square theme.

77 comments