Author Topic: Recommend-A-Book (Read 77391 times)

relic2279 · « **Reply #120 on:** December 18, 2008, 11:12:59 AM »

Anyone else read the "Wheel of Time"? It's hands down one of the best things I've ever read. It's a bit long though, and that is something a lot of people complain about, but that's what I like most. The character development is on almost an entirely new level from most other books or stories.

They should be releasing the final book next year as the first draft has been completed.

forevr · « **Reply #121 on:** December 18, 2008, 11:57:16 AM »

I've read them all twice actually. Good books, in the fantasy genre second only to "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin.

I also read "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson when I heard he was the one to finish WoT. The story was ok but it was well written so I think "A Memory of Light" will turn out just fine.

penguin2b3 · « **Reply #122 on:** December 19, 2008, 09:34:37 PM »

I definitely started reading the Wrinkle in Time series for the first time since elementary school. Amazing!
Also, Wicked by Gregory Maguire is a good read, or even the original Oz saga by Frank L. Baum is quite excellent

penguin2b3 · « **Reply #123 on:** December 19, 2008, 09:40:12 PM »

Oh right, as for why they're good:
Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle - Great Sci-Fi about the possibilities of bending or, surprise, wrinkling the 3rd and 4th dimensions for travel through space/time, and the fighting of a dark creature.
Oz saga by Frank L. Baum - Who doesn't like a good classic?
Wicked by Gregory Maguire - Great book following the life and trials of the Wicked Witch of the West.

MadHatter · « **Reply #124 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:39:00 AM »

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Leketenem · « **Reply #125 on:** December 23, 2008, 07:54:21 PM »

Im surprised Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson isn't mentioned, its a wonderful book for all you nerds out there. sc-fi

Anything by Robin Hobb Once you go hobb you dont go back. Start with the Farseers trilogy, and then read on from there. Fantasy

LeGuin you can choose to read the Earthsea books, but i do recommend you pick up some of her other stuff, she is kinda walking the line between fantasy and scfi, well, i would say most of it is fantasy, but the town library arranging says otherwise :b

TeeEi · « **Reply #126 on:** December 25, 2008, 08:04:29 PM »

Great books beyond mainstream

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers. It's funny, exciting, easy to read, satiric, whimsical and very, very imaginativ

Borderliners by Peter Hoeg. It fetching, little bit surreal, philosophical and thought-provoking. Maybe you're thinkg of matrix or serial experiments lain. But borderliners is very different. Less spectacular and more confusing

Momo by Michael Ende. It's a book for children and for adult (I mean it seriously!

). It's imaginative, intense, of course easy to read, but in its own special way sophisticated (for both children and adult - and it's not that easy

).

Necriatria · « **Reply #127 on:** December 27, 2008, 05:56:41 PM »

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. A classic about the life of an ex-convict and some other characters around him in 19th-century France during and after Napoleon's fall. I've read it twice and highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. The ending, although not really surprising, always sends chills down my spine simply because of the amazing narration. Major themes include social conscience and the strength of familial love. You'll love it if you're into Romantic literature. Most people read an abridged version due to the length and cultural specificity of some of the chapters. I read this version. Don't get the green paperback version, they cut out almost an entire section about one of the main characters, Fantine.

I read a lot, but this is one of the few books that has left a lasting impression on me.

extra2000 · « **Reply #128 on:** January 03, 2009, 06:49:33 PM »

I'll suggest one of the toughest novels I've ever read:

Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco

It's more painful if you get the translated English version as some of my friends say. The original text was written in Italian. I'm no Italian so I got the translated version too.

The book's about conspiracy theories regarding The Knight Templars, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, etc. It's more of an intellectual book rather than a fictional one(the plot is still fiction). It's the kind of novel where you'd need to spend time researching to enjoy it.

If you like Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, then you may not necessarily like this one. It's more intensive and is more for the intellectual people of the subject matter.

Esoliken · « **Reply #129 on:** January 05, 2009, 03:03:04 AM »

A Boy And His Tank by Leo Frandoski - It was very enjoyable, I don't know why, but in the future: The wealthy Nations of Earth are transporting to worlds far, far away. The story takes a hold of a young man and his life as a polish student, from getting arrested and then put into a futuristic tank, and from there living his life in a simulated program, while taking out the enemies in the real world.

empyre · « **Reply #130 on:** January 05, 2009, 04:17:05 AM »

Ben Bova books, espicially if your into sci-fi.

svenningen · « **Reply #131 on:** January 05, 2009, 04:59:42 PM »

the inheritance if u like fantasy

Binny922 · « **Reply #132 on:** January 05, 2009, 10:43:00 PM »

Oh man...books, my vice.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister By the same guy who wrote wicked An good twist on the classic Cinderella story taken from one of the "ugly stepsister"'s perspective. The step sisters look less evil and the story more realistic than the classic disney tale we're all use to. [a bonus! No one has to cut off their right heel for a happy ending].

The Guardian by Nicolas Sparks. For someone craving romance hardcore. This is one of my favorite books by him. It's about a widow who's husband had died leaving her a great dane. And its about her growing to love someone else. It's a romance and a thriller (His first I believe) And it makes me smile. Another book by Sparks that I suggest is The Rescue

The Host by Stephenie Meyer. The same author who did the Twilight series. I personally like this book much more than the twilight series. It's more adult and the heroine doesn't have codependency issues. But it has all of the good points that Stephenie Meyer has in her books. It's though provoking and very well written.

The Tale Of Despereaux Ok I know this is a children's book, but it's CUTE! And it made the movie all that much better by reading it. I loved it and I highly recommend it. (Note: Only for those that prefer more chidlish books)

The Series of Unfortunate Events The movie did NOT do this series justice. It was such a good series, and the humor in there is definitely missed when Jim Carey was casted as Olaf. It's good for both young and older readers because it is a very dark book with a lot of black humor. But it also has some light comedy in there for the younger readers. I really enjoy it.

Up the Down Stairs It's about the experience of a newly graduated teacher working the New York Public School System with all of the problems and obstacles she has to face to make a difference and the things she learns that is wrong with the education system and what she can do to change it. It's really good. It's not your normal story read, it's mostly through correspondance with other teachers, friends and notices from the school. It's hard to describe but I really enjoyed it.

Hanbok · « **Reply #133 on:** January 07, 2009, 12:13:28 PM »

A Farewell to Arms By Ernest Hemingway

Sidith · « **Reply #134 on:** January 08, 2009, 04:53:02 AM »

The wheel of time was an AMAZING book series. The best, hands down...
Robert Jordann is dead though...
and with him the last book,
He DID leave a manuscript, so the book will be written.....
Though not by him.
I recommend them all,
Along with the Dragon Lance books by margret weis and tracy hickman
Also Anne Rice....The vampire books she wrote....
No twilight......EVER. .....Do not read....twilight... Evil......

Falomam · « **Reply #135 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:43:42 AM »

So much out there that I loved reading.
Some of the books I love that have already mentioned:
Song of Ice and fire Series from GRRM
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
The Malazan Series by Steven Erikson
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (as mentioned above he died with it unfinished. Yes he did leave a manuscript behind and oked it to be ghost written. I do not believe it was to be the final book and finish off the 11 or so book series. I was under the belief that is was just gonna settle some unanswered questions he promised to answer from "Knife of Dreams" but I might be wrong although if it is to be the last book... seems like it would have to be forced to wrap everything up.)

A few titles that ave not been mentioned yet:
Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian (Now the movie "Captain and Commander" staring Russel Crowe was based of this series. but not off of a specific book.)
Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik very similar to O'Brian but in an alternate reality where Dragons exist adding another layer of aerial combat during the Napoleonic wars
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
The lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell
I know Steven King was mentioned but I am not sure if The Dark Tower series was. Love it!
I have never read or plan to read the Twilight crap.. err well havnt read it so I guess I don't know that it is crap but... anyways my point if you want a good errr entertaining Vampire series (well sorta Vampire) try the Vampire Earth Series by EE Knight. nothing to sophisticated but it is defiantly entertaining.

Malific · « **Reply #136 on:** January 12, 2009, 10:01:50 PM »

In the line of vampire novels:
The Shadow Saga by Christopher Golden

Of Saints and Shadows
Angel Souls and Devil Hearts
Of Masques and Martyrs

Completely redefines Vampires, and their relation to the Catholic Church (the whole can't go on scared ground bit) Among many other things relating to demons, hell, and all the monster myths you've ever heard.

I'd also like to recommend Larry Niven to Sci-Fi lovers. He does interstellar Level science fiction, but he pretty much takes the fiction bit out of it. Almost everything he writes his based on actual physics, and his stories are more about laying down what things would be really be like when all our theoretical science becomes real. Stuff like Exploring the center of the galaxy, examining Nuetron stars at close range, you know the important stuff.

Ringworld is a fantastic starter novel For Larry Niven's books, and a must read for any hard core Sci-Fi fan.

Sakura588 · « **Reply #137 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:49:29 PM »

With regards to the Wheel of Time ghostwriting, the ghost author said that it might not be practical to end the storyline that was planned out in one book since there is apparently too much information to put down into words effectively, therefore introducing the possibility of more books than just the one book that was supposed to end it all.

I also recommend the Ender's Saga by Orson Scott Card, The Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, and the Belgariad/Mallorean series by David Eddings.

relic2279 · « **Reply #138 on:** January 14, 2009, 08:42:46 PM »

Quote from: Sakura588 on January 14, 2009, 03:49:29 PM

With regards to the Wheel of Time ghostwriting, the ghost author said that it might not be practical to end the storyline that was planned out in one book since there is apparently too much information to put down into words effectively, therefore introducing the possibility of more books than just the one book that was supposed to end it all.

According to his blog, he wrote the book, but it's so big they might split it in 2

agbaba · « **Reply #139 on:** January 17, 2009, 10:16:08 AM »

To all you Ender fans. there's a new edition to the series. Ender in Exile.
Personally I think Speaker for the dead is the best, followed by Ender's Shadow, and then Enders Game

Author Topic: Recommend-A-Book (Read 77391 times)

Necriatria