Can you name some possible candidates for the 'worlds second novel'?

James Joyce's 'Ulysses' is often considered a very misunderstood novel. Its complex narrative structure, which includes stream - of - consciousness writing and a lot of allusions to Greek mythology and Irish history, makes it hard for many readers to fully understand.

One strong candidate is 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar Allan Poe.

One possible candidate for the first vampire novel is 'The Vampyre' by John Polidori. It was an early work that presented the vampire figure in a more complex way compared to previous mentions in literature.

One possible candidate for the first fantasy novel could be 'The Epic of Gilgamesh'. It has elements of the supernatural like the gods and monsters. Another might be 'The Odyssey' which has mythical creatures and magic.

Sure. 'Endymion' could be a candidate. It has a rich tapestry of characters and events that are set against the backdrop of Victorian society. It's a long and detailed work that really immerses the reader in that era.

Some people might think that 'The Game - World Chronicles' could be among the first. It had in - depth character building based on game - like mechanics, such as attribute points and skill trees. But again, the definition of the first litrpg novel can be a bit hazy as different works had different degrees of the key litrpg elements.

Well, 'All Quiet on the Western Front' by Erich Maria Remarque is also a strong contender. It showed the brutal and senseless nature of World War I in a very modern way. It focused on the soldiers' experiences, their disillusionment, and the horror of war, which was a departure from previous war literature.

There's also Umrao Jaan Ada. It is a very well - known work in Urdu. While it's not certain if it was the very first, it was an early and significant work that contributed to the development of the Urdu novel genre, with its vivid portrayal of the life of a courtesan and the society around her.

Sure. 'Frankenstein' is often considered a strong candidate. It delved into the idea of creating life through science, which was quite revolutionary at the time of its writing. The implications of Victor Frankenstein's actions and the moral questions raised are still relevant in science fiction today.

One possible candidate could be 'Tristram Shandy' by Laurence Sterne. It has elements that seem self - aware, like the narrator constantly interrupting the story to comment on the act of storytelling itself.