Books

[Sinfulwolf]

I don't know how many people on this forum are avid readers, though I'm sure there are enough that I thought a thread involving opinions and recomendations for books would be a good idea. While Manga and Graphic Novels could be considered books, I was thinking more on the novel format, because I'm always looking for what to read next.

I'll start by mentioning "The Winter King", its book one of the Warlord Chronicles Trilogy, and its a variation on the Arthurian Legends. The novel is essentially stripping away the romantic notions that surround the legends as we know them, leaving in the author's wake a brutally violent and calculating world. All of Britain is at war with the Saxons, the Irish and themselves, while their neighbour Brittany to the south is being invaded by Franks. I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of Arthur, or anyone who dosn't like Arthurian tales because they are too "romantic", or anyone who likes good historical fiction. Well written.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Books

Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series. Everybody that loves good, gory vampire stories should check it out. Romantic bullshit is cut to a minimum, instead you get a crime thriller with a film-noir flair that happens to star vampires. Even though these books almost beg to be made into movies.

Sergej Lukianenko's Watch series is something else that I'll recommend highly. The books made the author famous well beyond Russia's borders, and with good reason.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Books

For fast readers, I recommend Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. It's fantasy and it's insanely long(there are currently 11 books in the series with around 800 pages/book +one prequel).

For those who like horror, you've probably already heard about Lovecraft. Most of his short stories can be found

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.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

Wheel of Time put me to sleep, and I usually like Epic Fantasy.

Anything Fantasy by David Eddings is a real treat. There's a 12 book circle, and a few smaller cycles that he's written, as well as a Standalone called "The redemption of Althalus"

Mercedes Lackey is also good, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Anne Rice. Anne Bishop...

And a Series named "Earth's Children" by Jean M. Auel.

The Dirk Pitt Novels by Clive Cussler are also a Win.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: Books

Anything Fantasy by David Eddings is a real treat. ...as well as a Standalone called "The redemption of Althalus"

Thank you! Had read part of that one during Finals Week in my senior econ class. I could never find another copy, though, because I couldn't remember the author.

As for books that I've read...Uh, I kinda lost track...

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

Thank you! Had read part of that one during Finals Week in my senior econ class. I could never find another copy, though, because I couldn't remember the author.

As for books that I've read...Uh, I kinda lost track...

No problem. He's my favorite Author, and I really wish he wasn't so old, and that his wife hadn't died... Now there will be no more books!

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Books

Eddings? I don't really like them anymore. Sure, when I was twelve-year-old they were great, but in my opinion his books are worst fantasy series I've read. I do kinda like the Redemption of Althalus, though.

For more fantasy, Dragonlance is good, especially the Chronicles and the Legends. There's also Forgotten Realms books, which are mostly pretty good. And Terry Pratchett, of course.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

Eddings? I don't really like them anymore. Sure, when I was twelve-year-old they were great, but in my opinion his books are worst fantasy series I've read. I do kinda like the Redemption of Althalus, though.

For more fantasy, Dragonlance is good, especially the Chronicles and the Legends. There's also Forgotten Realms books, which are mostly pretty good. And Terry Pratchett, of course.

Really? DragonLance bored me to tears. I could never get into them >.< Maybe we just have different tastes. My mom got me into Eddings' books and she's 51. xD She's been reading them for the last 20 years, that's gotta say something about his writing.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Books

Really? DragonLance bored me to tears. I could never get into them >.< Maybe we just have different tastes. My mom got me into Eddings' books and she's 51. xD She's been reading them for the last 20 years, that's gotta say something about his writing.

Then we definitely have different tastes. The two series I mentioned are among my favorites. Of course, not all Dragonlance books are that good, pretty much everything that takes course after Legends and is written by Weis is bad compared to her other books, so it still depends about what Dragonlance book you've tried to read...

At least we can agree about Pratchett, right? I mean, no-one can dislike Pratchett, right?

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Books

Lot of fantasy lovers here apparantly. In that case I reccomend George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. Currently at book four, I'm anxiously awaiting book 5. The books are titled : "A Game of Thrones" "A Clash of Kings" "A Storm of Swords" "A Feast for Crows" and the fifth will be "A Dance with Dragons".

Really good series that actually cut down a lot on magic, focusing much more on a political conflict that results in a civil war and lots of back stabbing. Really good story, and though the first book is a bit boring it sucks you in really well. Very wide scope on his world.

Another series is the "Inhuman Trilogy" by... I believe James Marco, can't be sure, but the books are "Eyes of God" "Devil's Armor" and "Sword of Angels". The back of the first book almost sounds like a cheap knockoff of Lord of the Rings, but that all happened in the first hundred pages, after that it went on its own cycle that took the handsome knight figure, and transformed him into a scarred (mentally and physically) mercenary. Good trilogy with a sense of adventure.

And I havn't read enough Prachett, though I did see a movie based on one of his discworld novels. It was pretty damn good, so I should hunt down some of the books. Someone else has recomended Prachett to me before. DOn't know why I never picked up any of his work.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

Then we definitely have different tastes. The two series I mentioned are among my favorites. Of course, not all Dragonlance books are that good, pretty much everything that takes course after Legends and is written by Weis is bad compared to her other books, so it still depends about what Dragonlance book you've tried to read...

At least we can agree about Pratchett, right? I mean, no-one can dislike Pratchett, right?

Honestly nothing of his has interested me. I've looked at a few books but nothing really caught my eye.

also, who could forget the punmaster himself, Piers Anthony. Both Xanth and Incarnations of Immortality are awesome.

And if you like history with a fantastical twist Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is amazing. It's about the Napoleonic wars. With Dragons.

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is a great series if you aren't too squeamish about pain and pleasure as one along with intrigue, spying, and a nation founded by a rebel angel. All contrived from a passage in Genesis where the sons of God came unto the Daughters of Men. It's a parallel world of sorts, and it's beautiful.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Books

.
And if you like history with a fantastical twist Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is amazing. It's about the Napoleonic wars. With Dragons.

You must be registered to see the links

is a great series if you aren't too squeamish about pain and pleasure as one along with intrigue, spying, and a nation founded by a rebel angel. All contrived from a passage in Genesis where the sons of God came unto the Daughters of Men. It's a parallel world of sorts, and it's beautiful.

I'll have to look into both those series. I like history with fantasy twists, and the second suggestion just seems up my alley somehow.

 

[SilentSilth]

Re: Books

Oh Gods Sin, I could sex you right now for making this thread.

Small Gods - A stand alone novel in the Discworld series, even though it features some returning characters (Like Death). This book... is extremely hard to describe, but I always try and spell it out like this: It's about a young man, named Brutha, who lives in a giant walled city called Omnia, named after their god (Om). Brutha is basically stuck between the stages of altar boy and a scribe, who lives at the city's largest abbey, tending to the gardens and doing various chores. He can't read, and he obviously can't write, and people think him stupid. However, one day while he's tending to the Garden, a tortoise falls from the sky - not just any tortoise, mind you, but one who's talking to Brutha, using his mind. The tortoise claims to be Om, the one, the only God of Omnia.

It's actually much more funny then I always make it seem, plus it's pretty deep for a novel of it's kind.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

I'll have to look into both those series. I like history with fantasy twists, and the second suggestion just seems up my alley somehow.

Oh yes. Somehow xD

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Books

Oh Gods Sin, I could sex you right now for making this thread.
.

I bet you could...

And yes Chibi... Somehow

 

[dmronny]

Re: Books

I'll start by mentioning "The Winter King", its book one of the Warlord Chronicles Trilogy, and its a variation on the Arthurian Legends. The novel is essentially stripping away the romantic notions that surround the legends as we know them, leaving in the author's wake a brutally violent and calculating world. All of Britain is at war with the Saxons, the Irish and themselves, while their neighbour Brittany to the south is being invaded by Franks. I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of Arthur, or anyone who dosn't like Arthurian tales because they are too "romantic", or anyone who likes good historical fiction. Well written.

Who writes these they sound good? Geroge R.R. Martin is the Westeros books right.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Books

I haven't read half enough lately. I just never seem to pick up books anymore. But I was reading Pratchet from the early age of 8. Sure I missed a lot of the jokes at that age, but still loved it. My dad had the entire collection. Would definitely recommend.

It's strange that I've just stopped reading. People were half convinced I'd become a librarian back then.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Books

It's been a long time since I've read anything. I just fell out of it, I think. Last series I was reading was Stephen King's

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series. I really enjoyed it, but stopped at book 5, I think. I like Stephen King books in general anyway, though. The Stand and The Shining are great books. Much better than the movies/tv adaptations.

Before that I read most of

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, which was already mentioned, and I liked it. I did read a lot of

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, but Jordan's writing style just irks me. He goes on for a full page about how thick the fog is. That's why his books are so effin long.

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is another long series that I read and enjoyed, but sometimes it felt like a soap opera. I used to read

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, but looking back on them now, they seem kinda simple. I dunno. I've also read some of Eddings' works, including Althalus, at the urging of a friend. I really disliked them.

My friend also let me read a series called the

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, which is interesting, but kinda weird. The main character is the bastard son of a prince, who can talk to animals (has a wolf for a pet), is trained as both a mage and an assassin, and becomes a berserker, all in the first book.

 

[Newbie]

Re: Books

The last serious fantasy book I read was by Terry Brooks, but I can't remember the name of the novel or the series. I don't read much after I stopped taking the bus, and most of it is comic books. I do love me some Discworld though, Prachett's not a bad writer.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Books

Yeah Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind and that whole series was one really long, really descriptive Fantastical soap Opera. Bu I liked it xD

And i think that's why i didn't like those Wheel of Time books... there is a such thing as too much description. *Prods "The Sword of Shannara"*