RIP or Readers Imbibing in Peril is in its 11th year! It was first started by Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings, and last year was hosted by Andi and Heather of the Estella Society. Carl is back hosting it again this year!
This fall reading challenge is all about books of:
Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.Or anything sufficiently moody that shares a kinship with the above.
I always go with Peril The First:
Read four books, of any length, from the very broad categories earlier defined as perilous. They could all be by the same author, a series of books, a random mix of classic and contemporary or whatever you like.
I’ve taken part for quite a few years now but this year I’ve decided to write up a list of POC authors whose works fit into those categories above. I’m still working on this list, so please let me know if you have any recommendations!
Octavia Butler
NK Jemisin
Nnedi Okorafor
Nalo Hopkinson
(For these four writers, I’m gonna say, pretty much all their work fits in!)
Tananarive Due (I loved The Good House)
Attica Locke (Pleasantville and The Cutting Season)
Helen Oyeyemi
Natsuo Kirino – Grotesque; Real World; Out
Asa Nonami – The Hunter
Keigo Higashino -I’m reading his latest translated work, Under the Midnight Sun, right now. It is massive but I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN. Also The Devotion of Suspect X
Liu Xiaolong – Inspector Chen series
Han Kang – The Vegetarian
Ken Liu – The Paper Menagerie and other stories
Zen Cho (Sorcerer to the Crown)
Yangtze Choo (Ghost Bride)
Daina Chaviano
Alain Mabanckou (Memoirs of a Porcupine)
Those whose books I’ve yet to read
Indra Das
Hao Jingfang
Cixin Liu
Alaya Dawn Johnson
Malinda Lo
Shizuko Netsuke
Miyuki Miyabe
Koji Suzuki
Kazuhiro Kiuchi
Are you taking part in RIP IX?? Also, here is the RIP IX review site!
Real Life Reading 
Fantastic list, Sharlene! I will definitely be reading more Due for this challenge🙌 Also looks like I can read some of these for our challenge as well, win!
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Yes! Wicked list. I’m also hoping to fill some gaps from previous year’s RIP lists, but I will need to include some of these fine writers to diversify that list a little. I’m especially keen to read of Jemisin’s works, as I just finished my second. And those new Nalo Hopkinson stories too!
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I didn’t know about Readers Imbibing In Peril!
I’m proud to say that I’ve read several of these authors, but still have many more to explore and that’s a wonderful thing.
This sounds like a fun challenge. I’ll take a look at my reading schedule, but I may already read several books under these genres, so it should be easy!
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What an amazing list! I haven’t heard of many of these books and authors, but I am intrigued. Octavia Butler seems like a choice I would love as well. Good reminders!
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No Reading in Peril for me. I try to avoid creepy books.
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Hi Sharlene, happy reading!
*whispers* It’s RIP XI, not RIP IX 🙂
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Haha thanks for that. Should’ve doublechecked!!
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Thanks for the list! I’m trying to get back into reading (and hopefully blogging). The R.I.P. Challenge seems like a good place to start. I had a feeling you would have a list of POC authors! 😉 Your list is exactly what I need.
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What a fabulous list! I’m grabbing Andrea Hairston’s book at the library today (hopefully), and I’m hoping that one will turn out sufficiently dark that I can count it for RIP. Ugh I love this event and also, September and October always end up being so busy for me it’s hard to remember to participate. Cause I am flaky. :p
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I have no idea what I am going to read, but I am excited about the event!! I hardly read this summer so hoping the fall will go better!
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I appreciate the list of diverse authors, but I’m too much of a wimp for this challenge! Ghost Bride is the only book I’ve read of the ones you mentioned.
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My first RIP read this year was by Tananarive Due (The Between), and I positively loved it! I have the first of African Immortals books in my RIP pool too, along with a Butler, an Oyeyemi, and I think(?) a Kirino (though I can’t remember which one I pulled off the shelves. And I have Pleasantville on hold at the library–if I’m not mistaken I read both The Cutting Season and Black Water Rising during previous RIPs. I’d like to think I’ll get every one of these books this year, but know I probably won’t. And yet still I want to go and grab some of these other authors you’ve shared…😉
Happy RIP-ing!!! 👻
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Fantastic list! Although i don’t think I have time to participate in the RIP challenge, I will be definitely adding some of these authors on my TBR.
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Nice idea with the POC list. Cool! Glad you are back again this year and I hope your Peril is truly perilous, in all the best ways.
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Thanks Carl! I always look forward to your challenges!
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[…] take a look at Sharlene’s wonderful recs for a more diverse R.I.P here, she has great recommendation for all RIP genres, I know I’ll be reading The […]
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These recommendations all sound really great! You’re inspiring me to join this challenge.
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Yay!
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[…] For this peril, all you need to do is read a short story that fits one of the above categories. I love short stories, so this peril is perfect for me; Kelly Link’s blend of horror and fantasy in particular fits in really nicely, and I also have Margaret Atwood’s short story collection on my TBR. I also think that Alyssa Wong’s Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers sounds really intriguing after hearing about it on Bina’s blog post about horror and women of color. Sharlene at Real Life Reading also posted a lot of great diverse suggestions for the RIP challenge. […]
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I enjoyed Ghost Bride by Choo and Kindred by Butler. I also read one of the Inspector Chen books and learned quite a bit about post-Mao China. Have you read Beloved by Toni Morrison? It’s top of my list for ghost novels. Truly beautiful and moving.
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