3 Amazing Novellas You Can Read Before 2020 Is Over
They are barely an hour long and available for FREE!
What’s better for some quick weekend reading than an amazing novella with a well-detailed world and fully-fleshed-out characters?
Fortunately for the readers all over the world, there are some truly amazing, yet underrated novellas available for free. In this post, I’ve listed three of my absolute favourites. They span different genres and each has its unique taste. You can pick them up and read them in less than an hour.
Trust me, these novellas are so good, they will leave you smiling and wanting more. The one hour spent in reading will be the highlight of your day.
Firstborn by Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Science fiction
Number of pages: 47
As the son of a High Duke of the interstellar Empire, much glory is expected of young Dennison Crestmar. The expectations weigh heavy on his frail shoulders, even as it becomes increasingly clear that he has no talent whatsoever for war. But the life Dennison is forced to live will have its surprising lessons to impart.
It’s hard to say much more about the premise without spoiling an excellent reveal, but Dennison’s growth as a character is a joy to experience. There’s no doubt he’s a flawed character — thoroughly unskilled in strategy, cynical, jealous, and often pessimistic.
“Better to be the failure who nobly strived than the success who never really had to.”
Why you should read it
A little bit of Star Trek, a little bit of Ender’s Game, and some Game Of Thrones-style politics thrown in makes for a short story that’s entertaining, bright, and to the point. The beginning might be a bit confusing, but read on, for the twist at the end will take your breath away. From impeccable world-building to memorable characters — everything in this novella works.
Blasphemy! by TJ Klune
Genre: Fantasy/comedy
Number of pages: 51
Satan is lonely and overworked in hell. So, his brother/dad, God, sends him to earth for a day trip to harvest some souls. While Satan expects to have some fun, he could have never expected to meet this amazing human, James David Davison (Jimmy to his friends), who wants to sell his soul in exchange for a million dollars and some nachos.
As the author’s note says: “Straight up: if you are extremely religious and/or find the idea of Satan as the main character to be offensive, this is not the story for you.” With a title like Blasphemy!, what else can you expect?
“Shut up,” Satan growled, setting Jimmy back down on his lap. “Yes, I’m queer. All higher beings are. Heterosexuality is unnatural. It should only be used for procreation, and nothing more.”
“Whoa,” Jimmy said. “They sure got that wrong in the Bible, huh? God didn’t write that?”
Why you should read it
Filled with laugh-out-loud funny dialogues and some truly memorable moments, this book leaves its mark. The ending will make you grin like an idiot and wish you could spend more time with the awesome characters.
I can’t recommend this highly enough. Even more so because the author has hinted at a sequel in one of his recent Tweets.
Read it for free here.
Listen to the audiobook for free here.
The Autumn of the Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Genre: Magical realism
Number of pages: 60
This is the brilliant tale of a Caribbean tyrant and how power can corrupt even the best. The practically immortal dictator, blinded by his own egotism is a man of boundless power. Though portrayed as a caricature of various real-life dictators, this story is like a warning to what happens when so much power is concentrated into the hands of a single man.
From charity to deceit, benevolence to violence, fear of God to extreme cruelty, the dictator of The Autumn of the Patriarch embodies the best but also the worst of human nature.
“…the day shit is worth money, poor people will be born without an asshole”
Why you should read it
If you love Garcia Marquez’s work, you’re in for a treat with this story. Written in the author’s trademark style, this novella has it all: long, rolling paragraphs, unforgettable characters, and vivid post-colonial Latin American scenes that make you feel wrapped in their history.
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