Reading

[Mr Unoriginal]

Before there were video games, there were books. I actually still enjoy reading books as well. I was wondering if anyone had some good authors/books I could check out. I am especially into fantasy a la Tolkien as well as science fiction. The only thing I really dislike is Horror. Thanks in advance.

[st0neface]

If you like fantasy check out the Dragonlance series. Check out the Chronicles and Legends trilogies.

[SneakyPenguin]

if youve ever heard of the warhammer universe, there are a few series that are very good. here are some w/ authors:

Eisenhorn Trilogy - Dan Abnett
Gaunts Ghosts - Dan Abnett
Space Wolf - William King
Slayer - William King
Last Chancers - Gav Thorpe.

all are great sci-fi. except the slayer series which is fantasy. each book is about 300 pages, and total for all those series i named are like 25 books.

[jmcc]

Well, the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is fantasy and scifi.

[doctorfaustus]

Well, the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is fantasy and scifi.
Not to mention "Western" . THis series rocks! Highly recommend.

[Mr. Anderson]

No brainer = Harry Potter series (which you've probably already read)

Jurassic Park is one of my favorite books, and Timeline is quite good also. Sabriel by Garth Nix is just amazing. Pick it up NOW.

[CaseyRyback]

last book I read was the Hunt for red October about a year ago, I read only half of Lord of the Rings (I hate to read since I read so many text books)

if you have not read it, its a really good book and much better than the movie

[Mr_hockey66]

Terry Pracket! Very fun wizards and such the comedy central version of lord of the rings!

[Mr Unoriginal]

Terry Pracket! Very fun wizards and such the comedy central version of lord of the rings!

I appreciate all the quick responses. So far this is probably what I'm nost looking for. I only read one book by Pratchet "Guards!" and it was great.

Right now I'm reading Eragon, which is MUCH better than I thought it would be.

[WhipSmartBanky]

The Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. 7 books, a great read.

I'm also a big fan of Issac Asimov's stuff.

[spoo]

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

I don't like horror books but this is a book like no others. This is a must read. Google it for reviews.

Other suggestions:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Prey, Sphere, Jurasic Park by Michael Crichton
Tishomingo Blues, Get Shorty, Pagan Babies by Elmore Leonard
Light House by William Mohan

[Mr_hockey66]

The Terry Prckett discworld books are great! I just read the one based on the ps1 discworld game. Cann't think for the name. But yes they are great!

[doctorfaustus]

any one read any shadowrun books? I've only read Psycotrope, but it really piqued my interest.

[Mr_hockey66]

Hey WSB are you intersted in getting some Issac Asimov's hard back books cheap . I have a couple Of books that I want to get rid of. Intersted?

[WhipSmartBanky]

PM me a list and what you want for them, Mr_hockey66. I'll look over it and let you know. I've got quite a few already.

[jlarlee]

Before there were video games, there were books. I actually still enjoy reading books as well. I was wondering if anyone had some good authors/books I could check out. I am especially into fantasy a la Tolkien as well as science fiction. The only thing I really dislike is Horror. Thanks in advance.

You must read a set of 4 books called the hyperion series by Dan Simmons. These books are sci fi at the core but have elements of adventure and a love story mixed in. the books are in order Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and the rise of Endymion. Simmons won quite a few prestigious sci fi awards with these including the Hugo. it also introduces one of the most bad ass characters of all time the shrike. The shrike is an 11 foot creature made of metal with razor sharp blades all over him. I read an interview with stpehen king once and he was asked what book that he wish he would have written instead of the person who wrote it and he named one of simmons books. Google dan simmons and look at his book list you will be impressed he write in a variety genres(including mystery novels now) and all of his book have interesting premises

[Mr_hockey66]

WSB pm being sent

[MisterRaven]

My Reccomendations:

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Shogun, by James Clavell
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Rainbow Six, by Tom Clancy
Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
Grass for his Pillow, by Lian Hearn

Just a few of my favorites. That's all I can think of offhand.

[Mr Unoriginal]

My Reccomendations:

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Shogun, by James Clavell
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Rainbow Six, by Tom Clancy
Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
Grass for his Pillow, by Lian Hearn

Just a few of my favorites. That's all I can think of offhand.

I really really liked Shogun, but couldn't immediately get into Tai-Pan. Did anyone else have the same problem or was I just not in the mood for more asian fun?

[Dead of Knight]

The original Dracula by Bram Stoker. I read it for school for my research report and it's probably my favorite book since I don't really like books that much, and I loved it. :) You can actually read the whole thing for free on SparkNotes (http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/dracula/), but the book is 400 pages long in print, so I doubt you'd want to stare at the computer for that long.

PS. You said you didn't like horror, but nothing in this book is really scary; it's more imagery than anything else. :)

[MisterRaven]

My Reccomendations:

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Shogun, by James Clavell
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Rainbow Six, by Tom Clancy
Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
Grass for his Pillow, by Lian Hearn

Just a few of my favorites. That's all I can think of offhand.

I really really liked Shogun, but couldn't immediately get into Tai-Pan. Did anyone else have the same problem or was I just not in the mood for more asian fun?

I haven't read any other books in the series yet--my local Borders and B. Dalton never seem to have any of them. :(

But yeah, Shogun is really great.

[karmapolice]

I would have to suggest you check out the Ender series...Orson Scott Card...You might have already read them, but they are great books...I believe there are 7 books in the series...I have read 3 of them and am on the fourth one...There has been "contraversy" on which order the books go in ,but this is the order "Enders Game","Enders Shadow","Speaker For The Dead","Xenocide","Children Of The Mind","Shadow Of the Hegemon",and "Shadow Puppets" (the first two can be swapped...same book but from a dif. point of view) I recomend this series to any Sci-Fi fan.

[PsyClerk]

If you like Star Wars, or actually some CRAZY Star Wars, check out the "New Jedi Order" books. I'm trying to catch up on the story. It currently spans over a dozen books. Han Solo and Princess Leia are married, and they had three kids, all who became Jedi Knights. Luke Skywalker marries Mara Jade and they have a kid. Some badass aliens who use only living biological weaponry (no machines at all) are taking over the galaxy.

SPOILERS:






Chewbacca dies!

[suffah]

Lots of good fantasy/sci fi books posted so far....but how could no one have posted two of the BEST series to have come out in the last decade?

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth and George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

I read a LOT(1-2 books per week, easily) and these two series really stand out. If you are a fan of fantasy, you owe it to yourself to read these. They are spectacular.

As for Sci-Fi, you can't go wrong with Neal Stephenson or William Gibson.

[MorganWebbLover]

Well, the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is fantasy and scifi.


Stephen King is my favorit author of all time I love the Dark Tower series it's a great read !

I know you said that you don't like horror books but if you really want to be scared read the the Shining by Stephen King . Wow I couldn't sleep for a week after I read it now that's some freaky shit .

Another book I just got finished reading was Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick it's loosely based on the film Blade Runner . It one of the best science fictions books i've ever read . Pick it up you wont be disappointed .

[WhipSmartBanky]

Another book I just got finished reading was Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick it's loosely based on the film Blade Runner . It one of the best science fictions books i've ever read . Pick it up you wont be disappointed .

Considering the book was first published in 1968, I sincerely doubt that.

[magilacudy]

I thinking of picking up one or more of those novels based on Halo, I hear those are pretty good.

As for favorite novels, I'd have to say anything by Lincoln Child, including Utopia, Relic, Mount Dragon and Reliquary. I'm kind of biased though because he's my uncle.

[Mr Unoriginal]

CAn anyone reccomend anything by Ayn Rand? I always see her novels and imagine they are good but never got into one.

[doraemonkerpal]

No brainer = Harry Potter series (which you've probably already read)

Jurassic Park is one of my favorite books, and Timeline is quite good also. Sabriel by Garth Nix is just amazing. Pick it up NOW.

anything by michael crichton is awesome! i especially liked congo (hated the movie though), jurassic park, andromeda strain, and eaters of the dead (the movie 13th warrior was based on this book). most of his books have been made into movies and the books are 10X better!

[magilacudy]

CAn anyone reccomend anything by Ayn Rand? I always see her novels and imagine they are good but never got into one.

The only one I can think of offhand is Atlas Shrugged. We studied excerpts from it in a Philosophy class I took, but I didn't really buy into her spiel.

[Mr Unoriginal]

CAn anyone reccomend anything by Ayn Rand? I always see her novels and imagine they are good but never got into one.

The only one I can think of offhand is Atlas Shrugged. We studied excerpts from it in a Philosophy class I took, but I didn't really buy into her spiel.

Who'd you have for Philosophy?

[magilacudy]

anything by michael crichton is awesome! i especially liked congo (hated the movie though), jurassic park, andromeda strain, and eaters of the dead (the movie 13th warrior was based on this book). most of his books have been made into movies and the books are 10X better!

Haha I just posted three times in a row I believe. I have to agree with you on Eaters of the Dead, that's a great book (even though the movie sucked). I didn't like Jurassic Park as much but it was decent. Have you read Timeline (I think that was his book) which was recently made into a movie with the Fast and Furious guy?

[magilacudy]

CAn anyone reccomend anything by Ayn Rand? I always see her novels and imagine they are good but never got into one.

The only one I can think of offhand is Atlas Shrugged. We studied excerpts from it in a Philosophy class I took, but I didn't really buy into her spiel.

Who'd you have for Philosophy?

I had this French-Canadian guy as a professor, Le Morvan his name was. Yeah French-Canadian, it was a running joke in class to make fun of the French. Anyway, the class was Contemporary Moral Issues so we touched on all the major philosophical 'schools' of thought. I think Rand was all about ethical or psychological egoism.

[Mr Unoriginal]

CAn anyone reccomend anything by Ayn Rand? I always see her novels and imagine they are good but never got into one.

The only one I can think of offhand is Atlas Shrugged. We studied excerpts from it in a Philosophy class I took, but I didn't really buy into her spiel.

Who'd you have for Philosophy?

I had this French-Canadian guy as a professor, Le Morvan his name was. Yeah French-Canadian, it was a running joke in class to make fun of the French. Anyway, the class was Contemporary Moral Issues so we touched on all the major philosophical 'schools' of thought. I think Rand was all about ethical or psychological egoism.

Ah yes, I've heard of Le Morvan. I had khawaja for CMI and damn was it awesome.

[doraemonkerpal]

anything by michael crichton is awesome! i especially liked congo (hated the movie though), jurassic park, andromeda strain, and eaters of the dead (the movie 13th warrior was based on this book). most of his books have been made into movies and the books are 10X better!

Haha I just posted three times in a row I believe. I have to agree with you on Eaters of the Dead, that's a great book (even though the movie sucked). I didn't like Jurassic Park as much but it was decent. Have you read Timeline (I think that was his book) which was recently made into a movie with the Fast and Furious guy?

yea, i read timeline, but i didn't like it too much. i also didn't like his newest book either (the name escapes me at the moment). timeline and the (name that escapes me at the moment) book were better than average, but imho, they didn't live up to the hype i had after i read all his previous works. the great train robbery is good too. has anybody ever seen that movie? i heard sean connery is in it. probably sucks like all his other movies :lol:

[magilacudy]

Mr. Unoriginal, so I assume you' go to or graduated from TCNJ?

[Mr Unoriginal]

Will be graduating in 2 weeks.

[PsyClerk]

Ayn Rand's novels come off as too preachy and way too long winded. The characters are not very believable either. The characters she intends to be the protagonists come off as self-righteous pricks. She wrote Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, and another big one but the name escapes me. There was also another relatively short story she wrote about a society where the word 'I' and 'ego' is banned. That story was actually pretty good.

Edit: The good story is "Anthem". The other book is "We The Living".

Rand is best when you read some of her essays. Her novels leave a lot to be desired unless you are an absolute fanatic of Objectivism (which is sort of a oxymoron).

[magilacudy]

I would be graduating too but I shaq fu-ed up frosh year. It was because I didn't read enough (now its somewhat on topic). I have 1 more semester left. What a cheapass small world.

[thatstoobad]

although it's a fairly predictable response, i really like chuck palahniuk's books.

as far as science fiction type stuff, i've read "men at arms" by the previously mentioned terry pratchett, which i enjoyed, i've read "i, robot" by the also previously mentioned isaac asimov which i thought was great, and i have been reading "holy fire" by bruce sterling, which i like (though i still have to finish it). "villians by necessity" by eve forward was a fun book.

the mega man 2 and metal gear novels ruled, by the way.

and the motley crue autobiography "The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band " was great.

[Mr Unoriginal]

Yeah I think Big Dirty is from the area too, I dunno if he went to TCNJ or not. I'm sure you've seen me on campus, I have a big-ass beard and a Toy Story messenger bag.

[PsyClerk]

Thatstoodbad, if you liked 'I, Robot' you should look into the sequels. Asimov didn't write them, but he gave his blessing to the guy who did (can't recall the name). The books are 'Caliban' and 'Inferno'.

[Mr Unoriginal]

although it's a fairly predictable response, i really like chuck palahniuk's books.

as far as science fiction type stuff, i've read "men at arms" by the previously mentioned terry pratchett, which i enjoyed, i've read "i, robot" by the also previously mentioned isaac asimov which i thought was great, and i have been reading "holy fire" by bruce sterling, which i like (though i still have to finish it). "villians by necessity" by eve forward was a fun book.

the mega man 2 and metal gear novels ruled, by the way.

and the motley crue autobiography "The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band " was great.

Yeah I read all of Palanhiuk's novels except Diary. And I also own all the Nintendo novels. I liked the Bionic Commando one the best.

[magilacudy]

Can't remember seeing anyone with a Toy Story bag, but then again I'm an engineer so I don't really go outside of Armstrong or see daylight.

[Mr Unoriginal]

Hahah well im a Comm major so I don't do jack shit.

[Whambamm]

Well, it's not sci fi or fantasy, but thriller. I just started reading the 'Bourne' series by Robert Ludlum a couple of weeks ago, and they're great so far. I'm just starting The Bourne Ultimatum, but if it's anything like The Bourne Identity or The Bourne Supremacy, I'm sure I'll thoroughly enjoy it. If you do start reading these though, do not go into it thinking about the movie; besides the character Jason Bourne they are almost completely different with the book being better in every way. I would suggest anything by Ludlum though, because I have yet to hear a bad review for one of his books, but if you do start with the 'Bournes' be sure to read them in order.

[JSweeney]

I actually like reading the Odyssey and the Illiad, and many of the other works of greek mythology.

[Mr Unoriginal]

I actually like reading the Odyssey and the Illiad, and many of the other works of greek mythology.

Funny you should mention that, I'm in a class now where we are reading them. Finished the Iliad, almost done with the Oddysey. I have always loved mytholoy.

[Tom]

I like the Redwall series, the author's name escapes me right now, but they are pretty cool to me.

[Mr Unoriginal]

I like the Redwall series, the author's name escapes me right now, but they are pretty cool to me.

Brian Jaques, and an AWESOME series. The problem is, being the cheapass that I am I only get books used, so its hard to find them in order that way.

[robdees]

If you want some more adult, literary type fantasy (i.e. NOT Harry Potter) check out George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" and following books. Excellent stuff, although very lengthy.

[Whambamm]

I like the Redwall series, the author's name escapes me right now, but they are pretty cool to me.

Brian Jaques, and an AWESOME series. The problem is, being the cheapass that I am I only get books used, so its hard to find them in order that way.

The Redwall series is great...The only books I would read when I was little. And I gotta be a bitch and correct you, it's Jacques. But anyways, the Half Price Books in Austin tend to always have at least a couple of the Redwall books, so if you want me to look for any certain ones for you next time I go, I'd do it. Just PM me if interested.

[moiety]

I didn't see anyone mention this, but Robert Jordon's Wheel of Time series is pretty good. I'm (slowly) working through that one right now.

[paz9x]

This is a good thread, Ive been wanting to start on a good fantasy series.

I also loved palahnuik's books, I really like his writing style.

[jlarlee]

I actually like reading the Odyssey and the Illiad, and many of the other works of greek mythology.

Sweeney you should check out a book called Illium by Dan Simmons. Its a futruistic tales and one of th emajor plot lines involves people relieving the illiad and Odyssey

[coldwine]

Perdido Street Station by China Meville is simply amazing; my favorite. An epic fantasy that takes place in a city full of incredible wonders.

Main plotline (there are many) is about creatures that get unleashed upon the city, feed upon the dreams of humans, and the subsequent chase to hunt them down and destroy them. One of the many subplots is about a transdimensional spider that aids in the chase, but has a nasty habit of collecting scissors and body parts.

Check it out!!!