Books with tight writing, memorable characters, and a male lead?

SoulofaWriter · Nov 7, 2016

I'm looking for books that either have things in common with what I'm currently writing, or things that I need to do better.

But first and foremost, I'm looking for a book I can actually truly get into. I haven't read a book in months.

Things that are psychological/emotional are great. I love being deep inside characters' heads. I want to see their vulnerabilities and their weaknesses and their strengths.

No romance, at least not as a genre. Other than that, I don't care what the genre is. Fantasy, psychological thriller, crime, dystopian, sci-fi, mystery... It's all good.

I prefer male MCs. Just a preference.

One of my writing struggles is keeping things concise and not waffling. So a writing style that doesn't meander too much would be preferred.

Any suggestions that have at least some of these things? I've needed something new to read for a while, so I would REALLY appreciate it.

Helix · Nov 7, 2016

Get thee to a library with a collection of Elmore Leonard novels. The crime ones, rather than the westerns. Not that there's a lot of psychological intensity, but there is a lot of lean and tight writing, characterisation (mostly through dialogue) and male MCs.

Chris P · Nov 7, 2016

Some favorites of mine:

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Celestial Navigation by Anne Tyler
Snow by Orhan Pamuck
Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut

SoulofaWriter · Nov 7, 2016

Split Images by Elmore Leonard, and The Dog Stars by Peter Heller stuck out at me. Possibly Motter Night as well. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

dinky_dau · Nov 9, 2016

SoulofaWriter said:
Things that are psychological/emotional are great. I love being deep inside characters' heads.
I want to see their vulnerabilities and their weaknesses and their strengths.
Other than that, I don't care what the genre is. Fantasy, psychological thriller, crime, dystopian, sci-fi, mystery... It's all good.

Tight writing? Certainly Elmore Leonard, but I'm not sure how John Kennedy O'Toole or Kurt Vonnegut also fit that specification.
Maybe we all define 'tight' slightly differently?
Oh well. In this case, instinctively I think of genre titles --but for something which meets all the parameters asked for--maybe not even typical genre books are quite apt.

So I'm going to rec a title which is short, suspense, psychological, but which is also lit-fic.

'Ransom' by Jay McInnery

This book displays the brevity of Elmore Leonard but the psychological depth of say, a Bellow or Updike.

Then, maybe something from Donald Westlake / Richard Stark. The famous 'Parker' series of books.

cornflake · Nov 9, 2016

I'm not a Leonard fan. For tight writing with complex characters try Robert B. Parker's Spenser mysteries.

In general also cosigning Anne Tyler.

Have you read The Martian? It's pretty engrossing and internal. Not great literature but compelling and good escapism.

blacbird · Nov 9, 2016

Any Travis McGee novel by John D. MacDonald.

caw

dinky_dau · Nov 9, 2016

blacbird said:
Any Travis McGee novel by John D. MacDonald.

Very intriguing rec! Travis McGee fans are a rare breed these days but they are *discriminating* crime readers. McGee books are the fine wine of crime fic.

I myself tend to stick with his single, one-off-reads. Just a personal quirk. I simply like standalone books. I don't think I've ever stuck with any series (book or film, from anyone) more than two installments.

Books with tight writing, memorable characters, and a male lead?

SoulofaWriter

Helix

socially distancing

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

SoulofaWriter

dinky_dau

Cowabunga!

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

blacbird

dinky_dau

Cowabunga!