This is my book club, the space where I can tell you about the books I love and why I love them. And if you love them too, feel free to tell me why at hello@joelcscoberg.com.
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Writers of the Future Volume 41 (June 2025)
Yes, my story features in this book and this is a shameless book promotion post to coincide with its UK release. However, the stories in this anthology are awesome, the illustrations will blow your mind, and its received consistently great reviews (so don’t just take my word for it!).
Dune by Frank Herbert (May 2025)
This is the most epic of epic science fiction novels and was a winner of both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award (as the inaugural winner). For me, Dune is to science fiction what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy; the pinnacle of the genre.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (April 2025)
Elantris is a city that was once home to god-like magic users, until the magic failed and turned those people into zombie-like wrecks. I was immediately hooked from the opening line and it’s a standalone novel, which is quite rare in fantasy these days. And read on to find how this book is connected to my own writing journey.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (March 2025)
This is a story that will break your heart, that will leave you cursing the cruelty of man, and make you wish you had never read it just so you could go back and read it again as if for the first time.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (February 2025)
I think of this as a dreamer’s book and for anyone who has a dream, read this and feel inspired. It’s about Santiago, a young shepherd who leaves his home behind in search of his personal calling. It is simply one of the most powerful, moving, and life-affirming stories I have read.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (January 2025)
What better place to start than with the original science fiction novel? And forget what you’ve seen in movie and television adaptations, nothing comes close to reflecting how great this book is or even accurately portraying Dr. Frankenstein’s “monster”.