Where to Start Reading Brandon Hobson
Because all of Brandon Hobson's works are standalones, you can technically read them in any order. However, his writing style has evolved significantly from gritty, surrealist postmodern novellas to lyrical, myth-infused novels that highlight Cherokee history and contemporary struggles. Depending on what you enjoy, there are three primary starting points.
Option 1: The Acclaimed Breakout (Where the Dead Sit Talking)
For most readers, the best place to begin is Where the Dead Sit Talking (2018). As a finalist for the National Book Award, this novel exemplifies Hobson's spare, haunting prose and intense character work. Set in rural Oklahoma during the 1980s, it focuses on a Cherokee foster youth named Sequoyah and offers a deeply empathetic look at trauma, displacement, and quiet resilience without relying on heavy magical realism.
Option 2: The Mythic Family Portrait (The Removed)
If you prefer stories that blend contemporary realism with ancient folklore and the supernatural, start with The Removed (2021). This novel follows the Echota family as they grieve the loss of their son fifteen years after he was killed by police. It is the perfect entry point if you want to experience how Hobson weaves Cherokee myths (such as the Nunnehi) and the legacy of the Trail of Tears into modern-day struggles.
Option 3: Young Readers and Folklore Enthusiasts (The Storyteller)
For younger readers, or those who want a lighter, adventure-focused entry point, start with Hobson's middle-grade debut, The Storyteller (2023). Following a Cherokee boy named Ziggy Echota on a quest in the New Mexico desert to find his missing mother, this book serves as an excellent introduction to Cherokee legends, healing from anxiety, and the power of oral storytelling.
Brandon Hobson Books in Publication Order
Reading Brandon Hobson's books in the order they were published allows you to witness his transition from independent press, postmodern noir writer to a major voice in contemporary Native American literature. His complete bibliography of standalone novels, novellas, and major works includes:
- The Levitationist (2005) – Hobson's debut novella, a surreal and poetic early work.
- Deep Ellum (2014) – A dark, atmospheric novella set in the gritty underbelly of Dallas, Texas.
- Desolation of Avenues Untold (2015) – A postmodern, genre-bending novel about the hunt for lost Charlie Chaplin film reels.
- Where the Dead Sit Talking (2018) – The breakout literary novel following a Cherokee teenager navigating the foster care system.
- The Removed (2021) – A folklore-infused novel centering on family grief and the historic trauma of the Cherokee Nation.
- The Storyteller (2023) – A middle-grade adventure novel incorporating shape-shifting protectors and modern youth anxiety.
- The Devil Is a Southpaw (2025) – A complex metafictional novel depicting a rivalry inside a 1980s juvenile detention facility.
Connecting the Threads: The Echota Legacy
While Hobson's books are distinct standalones that do not share a direct, chronological storyline, readers will notice a recurring family name: Echota. This name appears in The Removed, The Storyteller, and The Devil Is a Southpaw. Rather than indicating a shared universe or direct sequel connections, Hobson uses "Echota" as a deliberate nod to New Echota, the historic capital of the Cherokee Nation prior to their forced removal on the Trail of Tears. The name serves as a thematic anchor representing Cherokee identity, survival, and the long shadow of history across different eras and characters.
Deep Dive into Brandon Hobson’s Novels
Deep Ellum (2014)
This early novella focuses on Gideon, a young man who returns to his hometown of Dallas after his mother suffers a drug overdose. Written in a spare, surreal style, it tracks his efforts to rebuild fractured connections with his siblings Meg and Basille against a backdrop of urban decay and family dysfunction.
Desolation of Avenues Untold (2015)
Leaning heavily into postmodern satire and noir, this eccentric novel centers on Bornfeldt Chaplin, a divorced middle school guidance counselor searching for rumored, private films of Charlie Chaplin. Set in the bizarre "Desolation City," Texas, it is a highly structured, fragmented narrative full of eccentric side characters and surreal encounters.
Where the Dead Sit Talking (2018)
Set in 1980s rural Oklahoma, this coming-of-age story is narrated by fifteen-year-old Sequoyah. Placed in foster care after his mother's incarceration, Sequoyah forms a close, complex bond with another Native foster child, Rosemary. The book is celebrated for its stunning narrative control and raw, sensitive look at the scars left by systemic displacement.
The Removed (2021)
Weaving historical trauma with Cherokee mythology, this novel centers on Maria and Wyatt Echota and their surviving children as the anniversary of their son Ray-Ray's death approaches. Blending the physical world with the spirit world, the narrative introduces the Nunnehi—spirit protectors—helping the family cope with inherited grief and modern injustice.
The Storyteller (2023)
In this middle-grade adventure, Ziggy Echota deals with severe anxiety and the painful mystery of his mother's disappearance. Together with his sister Moon and their friends, he embarks on an overnight journey into the New Mexico desert. Guided by Cherokee lore, they encounter magical creatures and historical spirits, learning how stories help us heal.
The Devil Is a Southpaw (2025)
Hobson's metafictional work features a novel-within-a-novel structure. Introduced by a fictionalized version of the author, it contains a manuscript by Milton Muleborn, an unreliable narrator detailing his time in a dangerous juvenile detention center during the late 1980s. The core of the book is Milton's intense, envious rivalry with Matthew Echota, a gifted and enigmatic Cherokee artist who uses his drawings to survive institutional violence.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Brandon Hobson's works, it helps to understand his unique style. Hobson is a master of subtlety; he avoids melodramatic plot points in favor of interiority, atmosphere, and character reflection. His narratives frequently blur the boundaries between reality, memory, and folklore. Additionally, because his novels deal directly with heavy themes like the foster care system, drug abuse, institutional violence, and the legacy of the Trail of Tears, readers should prepare for emotionally resonant, sometimes devastating journeys that ultimately focus on survival, healing, and cultural resilience.