9 Books You Need to Read This Year: Southern Gothic, Political Realism, and Radical Fantasy
Across the E-right, we hear endless complaints about the state of modern media. Regardless of the medium, people (myself included) bemoan the fact that they are force-fed a diet of slop, where the only choice is between soulless corporate coach grabs or thinly veiled leftist religious propaganda.
As true as this may be, there is one medium where one can still find something of value… books.
Many young writers and publishers are fighting the good fight. They have the talent but lack the reach, so in an effort to help mitigate the issue, I have compiled a list of some of the best books to come out of this literary renaissance.
A gritty Western drama where the Ballinger family must resist a ruthless industrialist threatening their land. Ezra, a complex and haunted figure, grapples with familial tensions and moral dilemmas, as the Cowboy Church becomes a symbol of redemption amid looming destruction.
The latest edition of this literary magazine offers a collection of stories steeped in myth, noir, and existentialism. From a retelling of Greek legend to a writer confronting nihilism, it’s a rich anthology exploring human ambition, despair, and resilience.
Set in a frozen, dying world, this fantasy adventure follows an exiled Astronomer carrying the last histories of his order toward the fabled city of Calrathia. Along the way, he faces both supernatural horrors and the haunting consequences of human folly.
A definitive collection of Nick Land’s radical writings on cybernetics, political collapse, and exit strategies from the modern state. Drawing from his influential blog, this volume challenges conventional politics with unsettling visions of a post-human future.
Atticus Remington Scutt, a spiritual vagrant, returns to the American South to investigate his young cousin’s brutal murder. As he delves deeper, he uncovers a tapestry of familial dysfunction, religious fervor, and supernatural occurrences, suggesting that the Devil has indeed returned to Georgia. This Southern Gothic tale intertwines themes of grief, prophecy, and the haunting weight of legacy.
A powerful indictment of modern governance, arguing that liberal democracies inevitably drift toward authoritarian control. MacIntyre traces how institutions, corrupted by an elite managerial class, slowly erode constitutional freedoms under the banner of progress.
Jeff Deist’s sharp critique of the American political experiment reveals how democracy has abandoned its promises of peace and constitutional order. Deist calls for decentralization, localism, and personal resistance as the last true defenses against political overreach.
In this charming and imaginative fantasy, Sir Thomas—miniaturized and mounted atop a rooster—leads a daring battle against the tyrannical weasel clans. A tale of courage, loyalty, and the triumph of the small against overwhelming odds.
and yours truly…
Set in post-WWII Arcadia, Alabama, this Southern noir follows disillusioned private investigator J.D. Hooks as he navigates a city where corruption and crime are entwined with the law. When heiress Evelyn Sinclair hires him to find her missing sister, Hooks is drawn into a web of deceit, betrayal, and moral ambiguity. Haunted by his past and confronting the city’s dark underbelly, Hooks must decide whether to uphold his code or succumb to the pervasive darkness.
Each of these books, in its own way, breaks through the noise of the modern literary landscape—whether through adventure, critique, imagination, or deep insight. If you’re looking for something new to read, you could do far worse than starting here.
-TJS
Not one of these is available at either one of my public library systems. Disappointing but sadly not surprising.