Recommendations about special/odd objects

[Jerry]

I'm looking for some suggestions on some standalone stories (series are okay too) with special or odd objects. Not unique artifacts like Excalibur, but I'm thinking more like the objects in Roadside Picnic or the miniseries The Lost Room, if that makes sense. Modern day is great, but I'm also open to other eras as well. Something with a mystery about them.

[Colin]

Maybe I'm going in the wrong direction. Would books like:

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett or
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur Clarke

fit what you are looking for?

[Jerry]

Maltese Falcon not so much, I'm looking for more of a sci-fi "mysterious object" theme.

2001 is a good suggestion and kinda fits with the obelisk and what-not, assuming it's similar enough to the movie. I'm just not sure it's what I'm necessarily looking for. Thanks though!

[Chris]

Are you familiar with the Big Dumb Object trope?
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
- https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

[Jerry]

Yep, familiar with the trope. It's not quite what I'm looking for. The Lost Room miniseries is a good example of what I'm after, with smaller oddball things, rather a one large focal point object. A world with mysterious bits and bobs.

[Becky]

Jerry wrote: "Yep, familiar with the trope. It's not quite what I'm looking for. The Lost Room miniseries is a good example of what I'm after, with smaller oddball things, rather a one large focal point object. ..."

This definitely makes me think of the videogame "Control", which was fantastic. Not a book, and likely not helpful to you, but I now want to read books with that same kind of style/tone as well. I hope someone comes through with some recommendations!

[Nadine in California]

Rosewater or Sleeping Giants are in the neighborhood of mysterious object. I DNF'ed Sleeping Giants, but it is loved by many. A short book, The Employees: A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century is all about some very strange found objects at the start, but goes in unexpected directions that I loved, but some didn't.

[Jerry]

Becky wrote: "Jerry wrote: "Yep, familiar with the trope. It's not quite what I'm looking for. The Lost Room miniseries is a good example of what I'm after, with smaller oddball things, rather a one large focal ..."

Control is another good example of what I'm looking for! I didn't cate much for the game itself, but really enjoyed the lore and setting!

[Jerry]

Nadine in California wrote: "Rosewater or Sleeping Giants are in the neighborhood of mysterious object. I DNF'ed Sleeping Giants, but it is loved by many. A short book, [book:The Employees: A Wo..."

I've read Sleeping Giants, but wasn't into it enough to pick up the sequel, so I can't blame you for the DNF. I'll look into the other two, thanks!

[Becky]

Jerry wrote: "Becky wrote: "Jerry wrote: "Yep, familiar with the trope. It's not quite what I'm looking for. The Lost Room miniseries is a good example of what I'm after, with smaller oddball things, rather a on..."

Yes, the lore was great. The enemy stuff got a bit repetitive but I enjoyed it because of the mysteriousness and feel.