The most recommended multiverse books

For those who don’t want to read a novel length but want to experience worlds beyond worlds, this book I would recommend, a neat short story where the protagonist uses the multiverse as a form of self-discovery, experiences he would never have in his own life and considers to a change of character.

Might not be a full-blown adventure, but a calmer mundane life experience, relatable while simplifying the multiverse without any complexities. 

This is the book that launched my Zelazny obsession as a teen. Carl Corey wakes up after a car crash with amnesia (sense a theme here?), which he hides from those close to him, some of whom insist on calling him Corwin. He gradually discovers he’s an immortal with a strong claim to the throne of Amber, the one true world at the center of infinite shadow worlds, including our Earth. As Corwin’s memories return, he realizes he was a cruel and arrogant man, and some of his numerous siblings have good reason to hate him. Here the amnesia trope truly allows a character to examine their past through a less biased lens. Top-rate fantasy set against a war for succession to the keys to the universe.

Diana Wynne Jones understands fundamentally that cats rule and they are also little jerks. Throgmorten is a sacred cat from a temple in another world, which is a very cat lifestyle, and he spends the whole book spitting and scratching and biting people, which is the singularity of focus that I strive for in my life. Diana Wynne Jones is also not afraid to directly transcribe cat noises, by which I mean Throgmorten says “WONG” a lot, which is such an objectively weird way to describe a cat’s yowl until you actually hear a cat make that sound and realize, “Oh wow, yeah, it does sound like he’s saying ‘WONG.’” I’m not saying authors who exclusively say that cats “meow” are cowards, but. I’m not not saying that.

While I was literally lost a few times in the multilayered plot, I loved being caught up in this frothy, intricate fantasy!

I was in awe of how Jones juggles intergalactic politics and Earth-bound Arthurian legends with her typical deft touch and consummate skill. The story of a young British girl exploring a mysterious estate in her hometown contains plenty of twists and turns, all held together with a cast of appealing characters.

Jones’ lyrical tone, dry wit, and lighthearted touch make the occasional dark and frightening scenes tolerable for sensitive readers. 

I’m a scientist with an imagination. Where theory and evidence lead, I follow—even if the path ventures into exotic territory.

A routine description of the Big Bang isn’t enough for me. I already understand how our universe began. I want to know why it’s here. Where did it come from? Impossible to know, you may say, but hear me out.

Dr. Mersini-Houghton is a respected physicist on the cutting edge of cosmology who knows a lot about quantum fields (submicroscopic fluctuations that permeate our universe). As she dives into the world of the ultra-small, you’ll see, like I did, that she and her colleagues are onto something big.

This collection brings together eleven stories, some linked by shared characters or plot elements that connect the overlapping lives of the characters, ranging from apocalyptic science fiction, a fairy tale queen to a talking horse, which gives a winning betting tip to a racegoer, Franklin. In a later story, Franklin uses his winnings to buy an engagement ring before marrying Connie and moving into her wealthy parents’ home, where a surprising fate awaits him.

One of the pleasures is its intelligent, unforced humour, much coming from coincidences, observations, witty connections, and surprises. The stories are cleverly written, and the characters are well-drawn. A light but thoroughly entertaining read.

This book is an exciting, dimension-hopping adventure. It tells a unique concept of how one can travel between worlds beyond worlds, explore several worlds before going into the next, give an insight into the protagonist's constant struggle as he deals with this situation, he was in.

Even if each world is just a fragment of an entire universe, it still shows so many unique ideas and expansion of the multiverse in only a singular perspective. For that, I highly recommend this if you are looking for adventure and to explore several dozen worlds in the span of a novel.

The Keys to the Kingdom is another oft-overlooked series, which I recommend to anyone I can.

I’ve yet to meet anyone else who’s read it. This is the series that made me fall in love with magic systems and worldbuilding. I’ve always enjoyed fantasy more than other genres—something about magic existing in the grass and little monsters hiding behind the trees just made sense to me—but it wasn’t until reading this series that I realized a fantasy world can be more than just a setting.

Magic and the way the world functions can be characters in and of themselves. Whenever I need inspiration for building an intricate, interactive world, I reread this series.  

I know this thirteen-year-old boy who cannot stop talking about Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Something about the dark and eerie atmosphere of the book had him hooked from the start.

There is a quote that stayed with him, which I believe is a perfect summary of the book: "When you're scared, but you still do it anyway, that's brave." The story is exciting and humorous, with spare sprinkles of darkness. It is teeming with important life lessons about family, friendship, and finding your authentic self.

All in all, if your child is between 13 and 17, I completely recommend getting them to read Coraline.

Just be careful with allowing them to watch the movie version of this most excellent book. There are few children's animations on the silver screen more creepy than the book-to-movie adaptation.

Who doesn’t love a fantasy book where the characters are thrown into impossible situations right from the get-go?

In this series, the two main protagonists are playing catch-up almost the whole way. I loved how their romance developed in the midst of chaos, with both of them trying to figure each other out even as they tried to figure out their enemies.

The two-book series has a great ending as well. A true battle of wits.