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Recommend books for other to read - Great Rumbler - 21st September 2005
Just like the thread name suggest, this is for recommending good books.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
To put it simply, House of Leaves is a book about a book about a documentary, but that doesn't really describe it either. The genre it fits most into is horror, but this isn't a horror book like any that's ever been made before. The killer/monster isn't outside the house trying to get in, the killer/monster IS the house. It sounds kind of cheesy if you don't know much about the book, but believe me it's not like that at all. Once I started reading it I didn't want to put it down.
A quick summary: A famous photojournalist named Wil Navidson moves to a house in Virginia to try and save his marriage. He documents their move and how they settle into their new home. Soon however, it becomes clear that thing in the house are not as they seem. The inside of the house appears to be getting bigger while the outside is the same size. After all this Navidson makes a movie. A blind man named Zampano takes it upon himself to create an essay commenting on the events of the movie and explaining it, using various "sources" to back up his comments. Zampano dies and his notes fall into the hands of a young drug-addict named Johnny Truant. Johnny doesn't think much it at first, but the more he reads it the more his life seems to fall apart. He is soon haunted by strange dreams and visions and nothing he does seems to dispel them. He eventually compiles the book and sends it to a publishing house. An editor is assigned to and he explains foreign language phrases and provides context for numerous remarks throughout the course of the book. As I said, not a simple thing to explain.
One more thing: In several places the situation of the words and paragraphs on the pages are twisted and turned to mirror what is happening in the book.
Who is this book for? House of Leaves if for fans of horror who are looking for something different and realistic characters with realistic problems. Ryan, you'd probably love this book.