Discover books similar to "The Alteration"

Peter Ackroyd

Hawksmoor

A meticulously researched and beautifully written novel that interweaves the stories of Nicholas Dyer, a master architect and murderer in 18th-century London, and Nicholas Hawksmoor, a modern-day detective investigating a series of grisly murders that seem to be linked to Dyer's dark past. Ackroyd's prose is rich and evocative, and his depiction of London's dark, labyrinthine streets is utterly transporting. Like 'The Alteration', 'Hawksmoor' is a work of historical fiction that explores the intersection of religion, morality, and power, and the ways in which the past can haunt the present.

John Barth

The Sot-Weed Factor

A sprawling, bawdy, and uproarious picaresque novel that follows the misadventures of Ebenezer Cooke, a poet and would-be planter in 17th-century Maryland. Barth's prose is extravagant and playful, and his satire is biting and irreverent. Like 'The Alteration', 'The Sot-Weed Factor' is a work of historical fiction that explores the absurdity and folly of human ambition, and the ways in which language and culture can shape our perceptions of the world. Fans of Amis's wit and humor will find much to enjoy in Barth's novel.

John Fowles

The French Lieutenant's Woman

A metafictional novel that explores the relationship between a Victorian gentleman and a mysterious woman with a scandalous past. Fowles's prose is elegant and precise, and his depiction of the social and cultural norms of the Victorian era is both nuanced and insightful. Like 'The Alteration', 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' is a work of historical fiction that challenges conventional notions of morality and identity, and invites readers to question the nature of reality and representation.

Umberto Eco

The Name of the Rose

A thrilling and intellectually stimulating mystery set in a medieval monastery, where a series of grisly murders has occurred. The novel follows the investigation of William of Baskerville, a Franciscan friar and amateur detective, as he uncovers a web of intrigue, heresy, and deceit. Eco's prose is erudite and allusive, and his depiction of medieval culture and thought is both rigorous and imaginative. Like 'The Alteration', 'The Name of the Rose' is a work of historical fiction that explores the intersection of religion, morality, and knowledge, and the ways in which power and ideology can shape our understanding of the world.

John Fowles

The Magus

A psychological thriller that explores the nature of reality, perception, and identity. The novel follows the experiences of a young Englishman named Nicholas Urfe, who becomes embroiled in a series of increasingly bizarre and unsettling events on a remote Greek island. Fowles's prose is rich and evocative, and his depiction of the island's eerie landscapes and mysterious inhabitants is both atmospheric and unsettling. Like 'The Alteration', 'The Magus' is a work of fiction that challenges conventional notions of morality and identity, and invites readers to question the nature of reality and illusion.

China Miéville

The Scar

A sprawling and imaginative work of speculative fiction that explores the consequences of power, exploitation, and rebellion in an alternate 19th-century London. The novel follows the adventures of a group of sailors, convicts, and rebels as they navigate a treacherous and ever-changing landscape of piracy, slavery, and revolution. Miéville's prose is dense and allusive, and his world-building is both intricate and imaginative. Like 'The Alteration', 'The Scar' is a work of fiction that challenges conventional notions of morality and identity, and invites readers to question the nature of power and resistance.