Extraordinary:
Very unusual, special, unexepcted or strange
-Cambridge Dictionary
Even though I know what extraordinary means, sometimes it does help to look up the meaning of a word when you are unsure of which direction to go.
For today’s top ten tuesday (as always hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is about extraordinary book titles. Titles can be talked about a lot, how they can be so generic in fantasy (queen, crown, dark etc). But sometimes there are those authors and sometimes even genres that just know how to step away from the mold.
For me that is very often Sci-Fi. Becky Chambers is its queen.
To Be Taught If Fortunate
By Becky Chambers
I only knew the title and that it was a novella. That was all I needed to know. The title in itself is not something you see very often. It keeps an element of surprise, and to be honest, if you didn’t know it was sci-fi you could also think it was a contemporary or something.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
By Becky Chambers
This is the first Wayfarers book and one that means the long way literal but also figuratively. You don’t know this going in though, but even that it still catches your eye as it talks about a small, angry planet. That piqued my interest.
A Closed and Common Orbit
By Becky Chambers
The next Wayfarers book title is shorter but still draws the attention. What is a closed and common orbit? How does it work with the first book?
Record of a Spaceborn Few
By Becky Chambers
The third Wayfarers book is again not super long but the combination of spaceborn and record sparks to the imagination.
Warp Gate Concerto
By Dorian Graves
Another sci-fi title that just grabbed me immediately. It’s an interesting combination of words, especially concerto.
The Lies of Locke Lamora
By Scott Lynch
Not a sci-fi title but this is the kind of thing that grabs me with fantasy. Not the typical queens and kings and magic titles. But something that keeps one wondering. And shows we are getting a character that is a bit extra.
Howl’s Moving Castle
By Diana Wynne Jones
How extra do you have to be to have a moving castle?
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon
By Mary Fan
Hello. Who is stronger than a bronze dragon? What is a bronze Dragon? DRAGON?
Where the Stars Rise
Edited by Lucas K. Law and Derwin Mak
This title is super intering but for an anthology I think it is unexpected.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
Edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
How many books promise that?
I love Howl’s Moving Castle ❤️
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Great list! I love the title of The Lies of Locke Lamora and To Be Taught, If Fortunate made my list this week, too. You’re right – Becky Chambers’ books always have the best titles!
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These are lovely and your explanations are perfect.
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Howl’s Moving Castle sounds like such a fun read. 🙂
My TTT.
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Howl’s Moving Castle is such a great title!
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These are all great titles! I especially like A Thousand Beginnings and Endings! Happy reading! 🙂
My Top Ten Tuesday!
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Howl’s Moving Castle sounds indeed so weird, but I really want to read that book one day. The movie was amazing! I think The Appletart of Hope is another really extraordinary title.
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I love the title The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It doesn’t sound like my sort of book, but the title always grabs my attention because, like you said, I want to know what a small, angry planet is! So much yes to your reasoning for The Lies of Locke Lamora! A character that openly lies and has a ton of secrets sounds like one that’d be fun to take a journey with. Even more bonus points with the fact that the series is called “The Gentleman Bastards.”
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I like A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. It makes me want to know what they are.
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All of these are new to me, but I’m very intrigued!
Here is my take on this week’s TTT!
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Yay for the Chambers books! They have such amazing titles. I love Warp Gate Concerto too!
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Oh, I forgot about Howl’s Moving Castle, that title, the pics of the movie, and the cover, all combine to pique one’s interest. The book matches that sense of whimsy too. I love it.
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Becky Chambers has such amazing titles! And agreed on Lies of Locke Lamora as well.
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Maanden terug vroeg Kwante een keer via Insta welke gekke titels we in onze boekenkast hadden staan. Ik was toen van plan om daar eens naar te kijken maar dat is er nog steeds niet van gekomen. Na jouw leuke lijst krijg ik er nog meer zin in. Dus ik zal hem maar terug op het inspiratie-lijstje zetten.
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Yes! The Chamber’s book titles would have been on my list, too! 👍✨
One of my favorites is The Luster of Lost Things. 💕
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