Can you recommend some top absurdist novels?

Sure. One well - known absurdist novel is 'The Stranger' by Albert Camus. It presents a character, Meursault, who seems detached from the normal social and moral norms, and his actions and the way he perceives the world are quite absurd. Another is 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett. The play, which can also be considered in the realm of absurdist fiction, has two characters waiting endlessly for someone who may never come, highlighting the meaninglessness and absurdity of existence.

Yes. 'Catch - 22' by Joseph Heller is an absurdist classic. The 'catch - 22' situation in the book, where a pilot wants to be declared insane to avoid dangerous missions but is considered sane because he wants to avoid them, is a prime example of absurdist logic. Also, 'Slaughterhouse - Five' by Kurt Vonnegut has elements of absurdism. The main character Billy Pilgrim becomes 'unstuck in time', bouncing around different moments in his life in a very strange and absurdist fashion.

Another great absurdist fiction is 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett. The play has two main characters, Estragon and Vladimir, who are waiting for someone named Godot who never arrives. It shows the futility and the absurdity of human existence as they keep waiting without any real purpose.

One great absurdist horror novel is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It plays with the format of the book itself, creating a sense of unease and disorientation. Another is 'The Croning' by Laird Barron. It combines elements of the Lovecraftian horror with an absurdist take on reality. Also, 'John Dies at the End' by David Wong has a lot of absurdist elements in its horror, with strange and often illogical events that keep the reader on edge.

One of the well - known absurdist fiction novels is 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka. In this novel, the main character wakes up one day transformed into a giant insect, which is a very absurd situation that makes readers think about human existence and alienation.

I would recommend 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It's a complex and highly absurdist work. The layout of the text itself is part of the absurdity, with words arranged in strange patterns, footnotes that seem to go on forever, and a story within a story about a house that is larger on the inside than the outside. It challenges the reader's perception of reality and what a novel should be like.

Sure. 'Watchmen' by Alan Moore is a great one. It has a complex narrative with absurd elements that make you question society and superheroes. Another is 'The Incal' by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius. It's filled with strange and absurd adventures in a far - out sci - fi universe. And 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson also has some absurdist touches in its coming - of - age story, especially in some of the dream - like sequences.

Well, a common characteristic is the use of illogical situations. Like in 'The Trial' by Kafka, Josef K. is arrested without knowing his crime. Absurdist novels also often have a sense of futility, where characters' actions seem to lead nowhere as in 'Waiting for Godot'.

For beginners, 'The Stranger' is a good start. It's relatively short and straightforward in its absurdism. You can easily get into the mind of Meursault and start to understand how his actions that seem so strange to society are a form of absurd resistance. Another one could be 'Waiting for Godot'. The simple setting and the repetitive dialogue make it accessible, yet it's deeply absurdist as it shows the futility of waiting and the uncertainty of existence.

For beginners, 'Our Man in Havana' by Graham Greene is a great start. It's not too complex and has a really engaging plot full of absurd situations. The main character, a vacuum cleaner salesman turned spy, creates outlandish reports that lead to all sorts of chaos.