The library at Mount Char
by Scott Hawkins, Hillary Huber · first published 2015
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
Original, dark and mysterious genre-blending novel, not quite sci-fi or fantasy; readers call it one of the strangest and best books they've read, best for those who enjoy unsettling, unusual fiction.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A missing God. A library with the secrets to the universe. A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away. Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts. After all, she was a normal American herself once. That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father. In the years s
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Non-fiction: Illumination in the Flat-woods by Joe Hutto, an amazing story about raising turkeys. Fiction: Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, a new great magical realism book, great if you like Stephen King / Clive Barker / Robert McCammon. My list: https://schollz.github.io/books-2017/
on “Ask HN: What is the best book you read on 2017?” ↗"The Library at Mount Char" by Scott Hawkins. His first novel. Very original, not quite sci-fi, not quite fantasy. Some rough edges. Excellent.
on “Ask HN: Which book do you keep asking people to read?” ↗The Library at Mount Char. https://www.amazon.com/Library-at-Mount-Char/dp/0553418629
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗Cool! I actually made a book recommendation service as well. [1] Its been indispensable for me, gives me much better recommendations than friends/Amazon/Goodreads give me. I've found Library at Mount Char and Hard Magic because I wanted something similar to Weaveworld [2] and both those have been perfect. I'm only two months into using it, but I feel like I have a never-ending reading list now! I look…
on “Show HN: Kooba, an interactive graph for finding new books” ↗The Library at Mount Char came from a Reddit recommendation for weird/bizarre fiction, and it did not disappoint. It's about kids who were abducted by a very powerful person, and that's all I'll say about it. If you like house…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗Library at Mount Char was reeeeally disturbing. Good, but ye gads... not what I was expecting... :)
on “Show HN: Kooba, an interactive graph for finding new books” ↗…suggestions with unrelated genres, multiple books from the same author, or sequels. I wanted to get suggestions without those, hence this app. I ended up finding one of the best books I've ever read, Library at Mount Char (#2 on the suggestions for Weaveworld). [2] Maybe it will be useful for you too! [1] https://rpiai.com/why-i-made-a-book-recommendation-service/ [2] https://www.booksuggestions.ninja/book/weaveworld-by-clive-b...
on “Show HN: Find your next book to read” ↗I also read The Library at Mount Char this year. I picked this up off the shelf at the library somewhat randomly. I didn't know anything about the book and so I was a bit skeptical. It took me a while to crack it. But wow, once I did...this…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗…suddenly tracking individual paper clip usage doesn't seem so ridiculous. Generally a fun series, but it seems to be moving towards a revolving cast that I'm less interested in continuing on with. The Library at Mount Char - One of my favorite books this year. Quite dark and mysterious. I liked the payoff and character arcs. But really it's the well maintained atmosphere that pulls everything together. There Is No Antimemetics…
on “Ask HN: Books in 2025” ↗Library at Mount Char, Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation/Authority/Acceptance), Laundry Files (kinda). Definitely looking for other reqs, raw shark texts look very interesting.
on “MMAcevedo aka Lena by qntm” ↗…suddenly tracking individual paper clip usage doesn't seem so ridiculous. Generally a fun series, but it seems to be moving towards a revolving cast that I'm less interested in continuing on with. The Library at Mount Char - One of my favorite books this year. Quite dark and mysterious. I liked the payoff and character arcs. But really it's the well maintained atmosphere that pulls everything together. There Is No Antimemetics…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗