Beyond The Best sellers: Lesser-Known Authors and Their Captivating Works.

 Unlock the world of lesser-known literary brilliance with our spotlight on remarkable authors and their captivating works. From the fascinating "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng to the poignant "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones. join us in uncovering these hidden gems that deserve a spot on your reading list.

1. N.K. Jemisin:

Nora Keita Jemisin (born September 19, 1972) is an American science, fiction and fantasy writer.Her "The Broken Earth" trilogy - a groundbreaking fantasy series, which explores themes of power, oppression, and survival in a world plagued by seismic cataclysms, earned Jemisin three consecutive Hugo Awards for Best Novel as well as the first to win for all three novels in a trilogy. She won a fourth Hugo Award, for Best Novelette, in 2020 for Emergency Skin.

Other Works:
The Inheritance Trilogy.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (2010)
The Broken Kingdoms (2010)
The Kingdom of Gods (2011)

2. Samantha Shannon:

Samantha Shannon (born 8 November 1991) is a British author of dystopian and fantasy fiction. Her debut novel, The Bone Season, was published in 2013 and is the first of a seven-book series. This dystopian fantasy series follows a young clairvoyant woman in a future London controlled by a totalitarian regime. Shannon's intricate world-building and compelling characters have garnered a dedicated fanbase.

The priory of the orange Tree, this standalone fantasy novel showcases Shannon's versatility as a writer. Set in a world threatened by a dangerous dragon, the story weaves together the fates of powerful queens, dragon riders, and a secret society sworn to protect the realm. With its intricate world-building, diverse cast of characters, and themes of power, identity, and sacrifice, "The Priory of the Orange Tree" received widespread acclaim from readers and critics alike.

Other Works:

• The Bone Season (2013)
• The Mime Order (2015)
• The Song Rising (2017)
• The Mask Falling (2021)

3. Celeste Ng:

Celeste Ng (born July 30, 1980) is an American writer and novelist. Ng's first novel, Everything I Never Told You, released on June 26, 2014, won the Amazon Book of the Year Award. 

Her second novel, Little Fires Everywhere, was published in 2017, which delves into the complexities of motherhood, identity, and privilege in the suburban community of Shaker Heights, Ohio. The story unfolds as the lives of two families become intertwined, leading to unexpected consequences.

Her most recent novel, Our Missing Hearts, was released on October 4, 2022.

Other Works:

• Everything I Never Told You.
• "Girls, At Play". 
• Little Fires Everywhere..
• Our Missing Hearts.

4. Tayari Jones:

Tayari Jones (born November 30, 1970) is an American author known for An American Marriage, which was a 2018 Oprah's Book Club Selection, and won the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction.

Perhaps Jones' most widely acclaimed work, "An American Marriage" tells the story of Roy and Celestial, a young African-American couple whose lives are upended when Roy is wrongfully convicted of a crime he didn't commit. The novel explores the impact of incarceration on individuals and relationships, as well as themes of love, loyalty, and racial injustice.

Other Works:

• Leaving Atlanta, 2002.
• The Untelling, 2005. 
• Silver Sparrow, 2011.
• Atlanta Noir (ed.) 2017.

5. Yaa Gyasi:

Yaa Gyasi (born 1989) is a Ghanaian American novelist. Her debut novel Homegoing, published in 2016, won her, at the age of 26, the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Award for Best First Book and received widespread critical acclaim for its ambitious scope, lyrical prose, and exploration of the legacy of slavery.

The novel tells the sweeping multi-generational saga of two half-sisters born in 18th-century Ghana and their divergent paths through history.

Other works:

• Transcendent Kingdom (2020)
• "Bad Blood" in the 1619 Project: A New Origin Story (2021)

6. Kevin Barry:

Kevin Barry (born 1969) is an Irish writer. His City of Bohane was the winner of the 2013 International Dublin Literary Award. Beatlebone won the 2015 Goldsmiths Prize and is one of seven books by Irish authors nominated for the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award, the world's most valuable annual literary fiction prize for books published in English. His 2019 novel Night Boat to Tangier was longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize.

"City of Bohane" - Barry's novel is set in a dystopian future Ireland where rival gangs vie for control of the city of Bohane. With its rich language, vibrant characters, and dark humor, the novel offers a gritty and atmospheric portrayal of a society on the brink of collapse.

Short Fictions:

• There are Little Kingdoms (2007)
• Dark Lies the Island (2012)
• That Old Country Music (2020)

7. S. A. Chakraborty:

Shannon A. Chakraborty (born December 7, 1985) is an American historical fantasy and speculative fiction writer, best known for The Daevabad Trilogy. 

"The Daevabad Trilogy" (starting with "The City of Brass," followed by "The Kingdom of Copper" and "The Empire of Gold") - Chakraborty's lush and immersive fantasy series draws inspiration from Middle Eastern folklore and Islamic history, following a con-woman in 18th-century Cairo who discovers her connection to a hidden world of djinn and magic.

Other works:

The City of Brass (2017) 
The Kingdom of Copper (2019)

The Empire of Gold (2020)

8. Marlon James:

Marlon James (born 24 November 1970) is a Jamaican writer. He is the author of five novels: John Crow's Devil (2005), The Book of Night Women (2009), A Brief History of Seven Killings (2014), which won him the 2015 Man Booker Prize, Black Leopard, Red Wolf (2019), and Moon Witch, Spider King (2022).

A Brief History of Seven Killings-James' epic novel delves into the political turmoil and cultural upheaval of 1970s Jamaica, exploring themes of violence, identity, and power through multiple perspectives and voices.

9. Madeline Miller:

Madeline Miller (born July 24, 1978) is an American novelist, author of The Song of Achilles (2011) and Circe (2018). 

"Circe" is a spellbinding retelling of the mythological figure's story, focusing on her journey to discover her own power and identity. Exiled to a remote island, Circe encounters gods and mortals alike, navigating themes of power, agency, and belonging. Miller's lyrical prose and nuanced characterization breathe new life into an ancient tale, earning widespread acclaim for its feminist perspective and emotional depth.

10. Ruth Ozeki:

Ruth Ozeki (born March 12, 1956) is an American-Canadian author. Her books, including the novels My Year of Meats (1998), All Over Creation (2003), A Tale for the Time Being (2013), and The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021) seek to integrate personal narrative and social issues, and deal with themes relating to science, technology, environmental politics, race, religion, war and global popular culture.

"A Tale for the Time Being" - Ozeki's novel intertwines the lives of a Japanese teenager named Nao and a writer named Ruth who discovers Nao's diary washed ashore in British Columbia. The novel explores themes of time, memory, and the interconnectedness of lives across vast distances.

Other Works:

• My Year of Meats. 
• All Over Creation. 
• A Tale for the Time Being.
• The Book of Form and Emptiness.

Conclusion:

These authors and their works offer rich and compelling narratives that deserve recognition and appreciation alongside more well-known titles.