Twenty Novels That Go All-In
(I was asked for a list of novels that pursue their premise beyond its obvious boundaries, à la Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love. Most of the candidates that occurred to me display their ambition in their page count; all of them display their ambition in the whole-hearted prepossession with which they engage their material. I’ve listed them alphabetically by author.)
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts by Louis de Bernières *
The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry
Heavens on Earth by Carmen Boullosa
The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington
The Voice of the Moon by Ermanno Cavazzoni
Duplex by Kathryn Davis
Yesterday by Juan Emar
The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway
The Unfortunates by B. S. Johnson
Crossings by Alex Landragin
Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter
Loop by Brenda Lozano
The Deluge by Stephen Markley
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll by Álvaro Mutis
The Life of Insects by Victor Pelevin
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
After World by Debbie Urbanski
The Infinite Future by Tim Wirkus
* along with the second and third volumes in the trilogy, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman
— March 24, 2025