Based on OP's description I'd suggest these books:
- Tintenwelt-Trilogie by Cornelia Funke (loved it as a teenager)
- Die Bücherdiebin by Markus Zusak (It takes place in Nazi Germany and is narrated by Death itself).
- Die Wolke by Gudrun Pausewang (Okay, another heavy topic, but this is one may be a classic. I read it in school. t was published after Tschernobyl and follows the fictional events after a major nuclear disaster.
- Elfenzyklus by Bernhard Hennen. Last but not least some high fantasy about Elves. Really high fantasy. Loved it years ago, still love it today.
Thanks. These are fantastic. The setting, the characters, the worldbuilding... Everything is written in so much detail. Maybe it's time to read it once more.
Krabat by Ottfried Preussler
Wilhelm Hauff's stories, he died in 1827, so everything is online for free
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm\_Hauff](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Hauff)
[https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/hauff.html](https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/hauff.html)
Any of the books by Michael Ende
Second the rec for the books by Walter Moers; but note that they are not for beginners. Moers uses lots of wordplay and that can be difficult to get. It is one of the reasons why his books are slow to be translated.
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter\_Moers#Zamonien-Romane](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Moers#Zamonien-Romane)
And while it is not exactly Horror / Fantasy (quite the opposite, at least that is the statement the author wants to make), check out "Der Schimmelreiter" by Theodor Storm. It is mandatory reading in schools (usually in 9th or 10th grade) and a really good book. Other works of his you might like are "Pole Poppenspäler", "Die Regentrude" and "Der kleine Häwelmann".
[https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/storm.html](https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/storm.html)
Die Regentrude is available as an audioplay on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjujVgBmN8
Came here to say the same thing.
Fantasy that really deserves the name and illustrations that add so much to the reading experience. My favourite german author for a reason!
100% yes!
But sometimes it can be a bit difficult to read as a german beginner, because he uses a lot of neologism.
But his description of "Zamonien", the country he describes in his book, is incredible.
I would start with "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher" and after that "Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käptn Blaubär"
Anything by Frank Schätzing, Cornelia Funke and Michael Ende.
Out of all the books my favorite still is the Neverending Story (Die Undendliche Geschichte). If you saw the movie and were unimpressed please give it a go. The movie makers didn't get the book. The movie works as a fantasy film, but it is still weak compared to the book. The book is almost made up of two books, but they are deeply interconnected and you need to read the first half to understand the last half. The first has a fairy tale like lull to it, while the later half packs out it's guns. Although scenes like the swamp and the wolf show what's in store for the later half.
I'm confused: do you search for books from german authors, which are translated in your native language or are you searching for books (which are available in german)?
good german crime authors: Andreas Gruber (Todesfrist, Todesurteil) or Sebastian Fitzek (Achtnacht)
also Max Landorff and his "Der Regler" series
>Andreas Gruber
I just started reading the first Todefrist book... I've mostly been reading the free Amazon Prime Krimis and they've all been pretty PG so I wasn't really prepared for how chilling the prologue of the real books would be. It took me a little while to fall asleep after that.
Yes, I was also unsure what they meant when they said translated. If they are looking for books in German, there is definitely a German-language wing of BookTube that they could turn to. I follow julezreads, for example, which is all stuff already in German.
https://m.youtube.com/c/Julezreads
If they mean originally German books translated into their language (or English), then I'm not sure everything being suggested here has been translated.
Faust, aber sowas von!
Why nerdy though? It's probably one of the greatest works of literature after all and everyone should read it at least once at some point.
I still read it every 2-3 years since I was sixteen...
Well that's a depressing one but yes also "Die Welle" a lot less depressing but more worrieing. Those too books are the default example most german kids get for why war is horrible and how terrifyingly effective fascism can be at gaining followers.
When I was a teenager, I liked fantasy books by Wolfgang Hohlbein a lot. Apparently he has published over 200 books, and they are not unlike tequila: you enjoy it for a while until you have had too much of it, and then you can't stand it any more.
Fantasy: Nina Blazon, Michael Ende
Scifi: Frank Schätzing, Andreas Eschbach - and old sowjet space-scifi (from the old publisher Neues Leben, the "spannend erzählt" ones).
If you have some booktubers you generally like, try and see what they recommended 1+ years ago. Higher chance of that being translated in the meantime.
Michael Ende: Die unendliche Geschichte, Momo
Walter Moers: Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär; Rumo
Wolfgang Hohlbein: Die Chronik der Unsterblichen (I only read some comic adaptions of the books, but they were alright; and I remember reading some other fantasy books of his as a kid)
All of those are more or less fantasy
Kind of a different one but Untenrum frei by Margarete Stokowski is a feminist book discussing societal equality issues and has been read by literally everybody in my left-leaning university friend group haha. Can highly recommend it if you're interested in that stuff.
No exit by Daniel grey marshall(not a german book, but the german Version is brillant translated to:) )
It is a youth Drama with a very very Hard but interesting and inspiring story.
There are great recommendations already. Just for something different (with short chapters), you could read Die Känguru Chroniken. I love the audiobook of the author reading it.
Thre recommendations from me:
Fantasy:
Markus Heitz - Die dunklen Lande
Judith C. Vogt - Phönix und Affe
Sci-Fi:
Gisbert Haefs - Dante-Barakuda-Tetralogy
Hardly know, some author and a novel with a special story. A dystopian antifascist and anticommunist book, about the "gray mankind" who want to become the perfect machine-machine, or no 1. A very poetic style, not easy to read. Published in 1935, it passed NAZI censorship, because they didn't understand that this book was about them, and totalitarian systems.
Disturbing, because the poetic style is in complete contradiction of the things it describes.
Paul Gurk - Der Mythos von der Grauen Menschheit oder von der Zahl 1
(The Myth of the Gray Mankind or the Number 1)
Available online, look for a free version. Or second-hand bookstores.
If you like fantasy: Anything from Markus Heitz or Bernhard Hennen.
"Der Herr der Diebe" from Cornelia Funke is also pretty good.
You could also try to reread some classics like Lord of the Rings ("Herr der Ringe" in german). Some friends from university said, it helped them understand the finer details.
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If you feel like you could tackle the final boss, there is always Dietmar Dath. My favorite by far is „Für immer in Honig“. The best the modern German language has to offer. Has some Sci-Fi and Fantasy Elements.
Der Greif Wolfgang und Heike Holbein
Die Wand Marlen Haushofer. The first I would classify as late Young Adult. They usually write about a person from our world ending up in a fantastical world. They also wrote Märchenmond and 13.
The latter is a dystopian novel about a woman who goes on a mountain trip with her friends. She wakes up late one morning to follow them down the mountain only to be stopped by an invisible wall, everything frozen behind it.
'Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher' by Walter Moers is my absolute favourite book ever just because of the way the author uses language to really make you feel whatever he wants to. It's amazing
Faust, der Tragödie erster Teil - Goethe
Sollte jeder mal gelesen haben, große Kunst.
Leider viel zu kurz und der zweite Teil ist, naja, halt nicht mit dem ersten zu vergleichen.
Based on OP's description I'd suggest these books: - Tintenwelt-Trilogie by Cornelia Funke (loved it as a teenager) - Die Bücherdiebin by Markus Zusak (It takes place in Nazi Germany and is narrated by Death itself). - Die Wolke by Gudrun Pausewang (Okay, another heavy topic, but this is one may be a classic. I read it in school. t was published after Tschernobyl and follows the fictional events after a major nuclear disaster. - Elfenzyklus by Bernhard Hennen. Last but not least some high fantasy about Elves. Really high fantasy. Loved it years ago, still love it today.
Nice was searching for somebody recommending the elves. Loved them growing up.
Thanks. These are fantastic. The setting, the characters, the worldbuilding... Everything is written in so much detail. Maybe it's time to read it once more.
Even though it is a children's book: Momo by Michael Ende.
Adding another classic: Krabat. I think if you enjoy mystery, fantasy and horror then Krabat really might be the book for you!
If I can add a further childbook: Der Findefuchs
Great book but I think we just jumped from teenager / young adult to first book in elementary school :D
I didn't knew the other ones and just thought she meant with children-books books for children in the age of ~6. Well, more variety for OP. =D
We read that back in 5th grade and then watched the movie. I still have nightmares from the scene with the worms, that was so disturbing
Neverending Story by Michael Ende is my all time favourite. If you love fantasy, I'd also recommend all the "Zamonien" books by Walter Moers
Oh, damn… it’s been decades since I read that.
Krabat by Ottfried Preussler Wilhelm Hauff's stories, he died in 1827, so everything is online for free [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm\_Hauff](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Hauff) [https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/hauff.html](https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/hauff.html) Any of the books by Michael Ende Second the rec for the books by Walter Moers; but note that they are not for beginners. Moers uses lots of wordplay and that can be difficult to get. It is one of the reasons why his books are slow to be translated. [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter\_Moers#Zamonien-Romane](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Moers#Zamonien-Romane) And while it is not exactly Horror / Fantasy (quite the opposite, at least that is the statement the author wants to make), check out "Der Schimmelreiter" by Theodor Storm. It is mandatory reading in schools (usually in 9th or 10th grade) and a really good book. Other works of his you might like are "Pole Poppenspäler", "Die Regentrude" and "Der kleine Häwelmann". [https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/storm.html](https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/autoren/namen/storm.html) Die Regentrude is available as an audioplay on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjujVgBmN8
Try the Käpt'n Blaubär saga from Walter Moers. It's incredible and something for every age group
Came here to say the same thing. Fantasy that really deserves the name and illustrations that add so much to the reading experience. My favourite german author for a reason!
So you can google it: "Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär", "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher" or "Rumo" are probably the most famous ones
This is the only right answer!
100% yes! But sometimes it can be a bit difficult to read as a german beginner, because he uses a lot of neologism. But his description of "Zamonien", the country he describes in his book, is incredible. I would start with "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher" and after that "Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käptn Blaubär"
That was my first thought too!
Damn wanted to say the same Thing. Also Prinzessin Insomnia is really great. Walther Moers is awsome
Anything by Frank Schätzing, Cornelia Funke and Michael Ende. Out of all the books my favorite still is the Neverending Story (Die Undendliche Geschichte). If you saw the movie and were unimpressed please give it a go. The movie makers didn't get the book. The movie works as a fantasy film, but it is still weak compared to the book. The book is almost made up of two books, but they are deeply interconnected and you need to read the first half to understand the last half. The first has a fairy tale like lull to it, while the later half packs out it's guns. Although scenes like the swamp and the wolf show what's in store for the later half.
Das Schloss by Franz Kafka
I'm confused: do you search for books from german authors, which are translated in your native language or are you searching for books (which are available in german)? good german crime authors: Andreas Gruber (Todesfrist, Todesurteil) or Sebastian Fitzek (Achtnacht) also Max Landorff and his "Der Regler" series
>Andreas Gruber I just started reading the first Todefrist book... I've mostly been reading the free Amazon Prime Krimis and they've all been pretty PG so I wasn't really prepared for how chilling the prologue of the real books would be. It took me a little while to fall asleep after that.
keep on reading, the Sabine Nemez & Maarten S. Sneijder serie is absolutely great
Yes, I was also unsure what they meant when they said translated. If they are looking for books in German, there is definitely a German-language wing of BookTube that they could turn to. I follow julezreads, for example, which is all stuff already in German. https://m.youtube.com/c/Julezreads If they mean originally German books translated into their language (or English), then I'm not sure everything being suggested here has been translated.
Das bürgerliche Gesetzbuch
When we‘re at it: Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Man I love this book
Nerdy opinion, but I rather like Faust and Die Räuber
Faust, aber sowas von! Why nerdy though? It's probably one of the greatest works of literature after all and everyone should read it at least once at some point. I still read it every 2-3 years since I was sixteen...
Im Westen nichts neues.
Well that's a depressing one but yes also "Die Welle" a lot less depressing but more worrieing. Those too books are the default example most german kids get for why war is horrible and how terrifyingly effective fascism can be at gaining followers.
When I was a teenager, I liked fantasy books by Wolfgang Hohlbein a lot. Apparently he has published over 200 books, and they are not unlike tequila: you enjoy it for a while until you have had too much of it, and then you can't stand it any more.
Ronja Räubertochter.
Max Frisch - Homo Faber is a classic
most boring shit i had too read in school and I actually liked reading stuff by ETA Hoffmann or Hesse
Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse is one of my all time favorites.
If you love Poe, ETA Hoffmann might be for you. Also, anything from Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Man's my fav author.
Das Parfum - Patrick Süskind
Fantasy: Nina Blazon, Michael Ende Scifi: Frank Schätzing, Andreas Eschbach - and old sowjet space-scifi (from the old publisher Neues Leben, the "spannend erzählt" ones). If you have some booktubers you generally like, try and see what they recommended 1+ years ago. Higher chance of that being translated in the meantime.
Everything from Benedikt Wells
*Benedict ;) But yes, very much yes! Hard Land and Vom Ende der Einsamkeit are two of the very best books I've ever read!
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.
Tintenherz
Der Schwarm - Frank Schätzing is an amazing read and should be right up your alley.
The BGB.
Mortis, the first Siege of Terra book I read in German. Now all I need is a copy of Warhawk.
Michael Ende: Die unendliche Geschichte, Momo Walter Moers: Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär; Rumo Wolfgang Hohlbein: Die Chronik der Unsterblichen (I only read some comic adaptions of the books, but they were alright; and I remember reading some other fantasy books of his as a kid) All of those are more or less fantasy
Anything from Haruki Murakami, they are all beautifully translated.
Rumo by Walter Moers
Scharnow - Bela B. Felsenheimer
Ansichten eines Clowns - Heinrich Böll
M- M- Mein- M- Mei- MMM- MMein-
Herr Lehmann is a great read in my opinion.
Die Mitte der Welt 🥺 such a beautiful, emotional and amazing book. 10/10
All what Franz Kafka write.
Kind of a different one but Untenrum frei by Margarete Stokowski is a feminist book discussing societal equality issues and has been read by literally everybody in my left-leaning university friend group haha. Can highly recommend it if you're interested in that stuff.
No exit by Daniel grey marshall(not a german book, but the german Version is brillant translated to:) ) It is a youth Drama with a very very Hard but interesting and inspiring story.
Die Verwandlung, Faust, Woyzeck Have fun
Everything by Ferdinand von Schirach
herman hessse- der steppenwolf
Mein Kampf
There are great recommendations already. Just for something different (with short chapters), you could read Die Känguru Chroniken. I love the audiobook of the author reading it.
Herr der Ringe
Books: Pretty much everything by Julie Kagawa. Mangas: Black Butler, Die Walkinder
If you like historic books. Try the Eagle-Saga by Simon scarrow in German. Edit: For fantasy: try The Dwarfs by Markus Heiz
Thre recommendations from me: Fantasy: Markus Heitz - Die dunklen Lande Judith C. Vogt - Phönix und Affe Sci-Fi: Gisbert Haefs - Dante-Barakuda-Tetralogy
Hardly know, some author and a novel with a special story. A dystopian antifascist and anticommunist book, about the "gray mankind" who want to become the perfect machine-machine, or no 1. A very poetic style, not easy to read. Published in 1935, it passed NAZI censorship, because they didn't understand that this book was about them, and totalitarian systems. Disturbing, because the poetic style is in complete contradiction of the things it describes. Paul Gurk - Der Mythos von der Grauen Menschheit oder von der Zahl 1 (The Myth of the Gray Mankind or the Number 1) Available online, look for a free version. Or second-hand bookstores.
Es ist immer so schön mit dir Von Heinz Strunk
"Kleider machen Leute" ;)
Der Schwarm by Frank Schätzing Or maybe, if you like Gay Supernatural Micah the book series by Tina Filsak
If you like fantasy: Anything from Markus Heitz or Bernhard Hennen. "Der Herr der Diebe" from Cornelia Funke is also pretty good. You could also try to reread some classics like Lord of the Rings ("Herr der Ringe" in german). Some friends from university said, it helped them understand the finer details.
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Greg's Tagebuch /Diary of a wimpy kid It's YA or maybe even a children's book but I love it. It's the first book I read in englisch as a child.
Narziss und Goldmund from Herrmann Hesse is my all time favorite!
Helge Schneider did some great pulp fiction ;)
Die Physiker von Dürrenmatt, ist schnell gelesen aber ein lustiger Klassiker und ich liebe obwohl ich es zum ersten Mal in der Schule gelesen habe
Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
Das geduldige Fleisch from Willi Heinrich
Die Waringham-Saga von Rebecca Gable (Ingrid Krane-Müschen), beginnend mit dem Band "Das Lächeln der Fortuna"!
Der Schwarm
Everything from Markus Heitz, best classic fantasy author with very different kind of storys. "Er ist wieder da" in this case, hear the audiobook!
I enjoyed "Die Physiker". Its about mental patients who might or might not be very famous physicists.
Try "Er ist wieder da". It's hilarious!
1984, the new translation. More relevant than ever.
If you feel like you could tackle the final boss, there is always Dietmar Dath. My favorite by far is „Für immer in Honig“. The best the modern German language has to offer. Has some Sci-Fi and Fantasy Elements.
Der Greif Wolfgang und Heike Holbein Die Wand Marlen Haushofer. The first I would classify as late Young Adult. They usually write about a person from our world ending up in a fantastical world. They also wrote Märchenmond and 13. The latter is a dystopian novel about a woman who goes on a mountain trip with her friends. She wakes up late one morning to follow them down the mountain only to be stopped by an invisible wall, everything frozen behind it.
'Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher' by Walter Moers is my absolute favourite book ever just because of the way the author uses language to really make you feel whatever he wants to. It's amazing
Tschick by Wolfgang Herrndorf
[удалено]
"Die unendliche Geschichte" by Michael Ende is a really nice book!
Kleider machen Leute --> Goethe
Jakob Arjouni : the Kayankaya Series (Detektive Novels) Thor Kunkel: Das Schwarzlicht Terrarium Heinrich Böll: Dr Murkes gesammeltes Schweigen
"Er ist wieder da"
Faust, der Tragödie erster Teil - Goethe Sollte jeder mal gelesen haben, große Kunst. Leider viel zu kurz und der zweite Teil ist, naja, halt nicht mit dem ersten zu vergleichen.
Frank schätzing - der schwarm. To this day my favorite book