Here's a thread to tell people about great books nobody reads

jlarlee

jlarlee

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I have kind of noticed that a decent amount of people on here do a bit of reading. I thought this would be a good space to discuss books and maybe suggest books that people would not heard of.
I'll start Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a great Sci Fi read and my fav Sci Fi book. It has elements of adventure romance and mystery in it as well. The shrike is also in my opinion the most bad ass character ever created in Sci FI. Also if you like this book it is the first of 4 books in the series. ALso Simmons has written quite a few other books in the Horror,Fantasy and murder mystery genres that are worth checking out.
 
That Hyperion series was pretty good. The Shrike did kick much ass :)
A couple of my all-time favorites are:
Stranger in a Strange Land [unedited version] - R Heinlein
Gaea trilogy-Titan, Wizard, Demon--John Varley [actually, all of his stuff, and Heinlein's, is good]
Bio of a Space Tyrant- Piers Anthony

All of the above are scifi.

I also like 'thrillers', especially John Sandford's Lucas Davenport series, and the Harry Bosch series.
 
Anything by F. Paul Wilson. He has written science fiction, horror, crime, medical thrillers. He is not confined to any one genre, except great storytelling.

There is a great site for all of his books and stories: www.repairmanjack.com

His "Repairman Jack" character is the best ever.
 
I know alot of people have read this, but it's a great book anyway.....Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. It's funny stuff.

Right now I'm reading Necroscope by Brian Lumley. It's about Vampires, and People who can see the future and people that can talk to the dead.....Good horror stuff.

And anything thats written by Neil Gaiman I can't recomend enough.
 
[quote name='shajek']Anything by F. Paul Wilson. He has written science fiction, horror, crime, medical thrillers. He is not confined to any one genre, except great storytelling.

There is a great site for all of his books and stories: www.repairmanjack.com

His "Repairman Jack" character is the best ever.[/quote]

Simmons is similar in that he does a lot of different genres. He once wrote a horror,fantasy and sci fi books ina row and won awards for all three
 
[quote name='dtcarson']
Bio of a Space Tyrant- Piers Anthony
[/quote]

That was ok, though a little weird (hey I enjoyed all the sexual content since I was like 14).

I like his Split Infinity series MUCH MUCH better. It's 7 books - read it if you haven't.
 
Right now I'm reading "The Know It All" by A.J. Jacobs...it's non-fiction, about a guy who decides he's going to read every volume of the Encyclopedia Brittanica in the hopes it will make him super-smart. Hilarious and cool.
 
Hopefully this thread can break away from Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, so here are some ideas.
First is one that few(er) read, 2nd is prob more likely to be read/heard of.

Humor Fiction - Funniest novels ever.
A Confederacy of Dunces
Catch-22

Politics/Social.
Future of Freedom
Fast Food Nation

Classic Fiction (prob have heard of, hence classic).
Animal Farm
Count of Monte Cristo (1000 pages)

Fantasy. (had to throw some in)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (700+ pages)
Dragonlance Chronicles (D&D Trilogy)

Humor Nonfiction:
Anything by David Sedaris
America the Book (more coffee-table-esque, but I read it straight through, which I dont recommend)

Modern Fiction:
Syrup (by Max Barry, maybe 2 Xs - getting his newer one)

well cant think of any others just yet, so thats what I can think of now without looking at my books - talk amongst yourselves.
 
"Hyperion" is a retelling of Chaurcer's Canterbury Tale, right? I tried reading it, but couldn't get into it.

Has anyone read George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series? I'm just starting the second book, and I'm loving the series.
 
[quote name='Backlash'][quote name='dtcarson']
Bio of a Space Tyrant- Piers Anthony
[/quote]

That was ok, though a little weird (hey I enjoyed all the sexual content since I was like 14).

I like his Split Infinity series MUCH MUCH better. It's 7 books - read it if you haven't.[/quote]

I really liked the first 3 or 4 books in that series, but after that, they seemed to be very repetitive. Much like books, oh, 42 and up of the Xanth series. I'll still read them if I find them and want some 'light reading,' but they're not very memorable.
One common thread through his books is the sexual-content-that-appeals-to-14-year-olds : ) I think I first read him when I was 13 or 14 or so, and those parts definitely piqued my interest ;)
There were some truly twisted stories in Anthonology, and I'm still looking for a copy of Pornucopia.
The Incarnations series, as well, is very good; some were better than others, of course. On a Pale Horse was my favorite.

Hey, what's wrong with Sci-Fi/Fantasy titles? ; )

I read Confederacy of Dunces. Enjoyed it while it lasted, but I wasn't as impressed with it as I was supposed to be.

Humor Fiction--Straightjacket and Tie, Eugene Stien, about a boy/young man who grows up with a mentally imbalanced brother andmeets aliens in his yard.

Also--Youth in Revolt, CD Payne. One of only a few books I've read more than once [three times.] Also one of only a few books that caused me to laugh out loud, even on multiple readings. If you have ever been or known a teenaged male, you need to read this book. Hilarious. The sequel, Revolting Youth, not bad, but not as good. Just saw on IMBD a movie version is 'Announced.'
 
[quote name='ChrisXE']Divinchi Code by Dan Brown

one of the best books in the past few years, end of story[/quote]

Anyone who liked that book should read Umberto Eco.

Why eat hamburger when you can have steak?
 
dtcarson - Nothing in particular wrong with Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but after reading it so much in the past (and playing games), I grow tired of the length of books, like Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind, you need a glossary to read em, not to mention I forgot things that happened in the earlier books by the time the next one comes out.
I'm gonna look into Youth in Revolt, thanks.

Oooh, new category:
Graphic Novels
Blankets
Maus by Art Spiegelman
 
[quote name='poormojo']"Hyperion" is a retelling of Chaurcer's Canterbury Tale, right? I tried reading it, but couldn't get into it.

Has anyone read George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series? I'm just starting the second book, and I'm loving the series.[/quote]

I've read the first 2 books of the "Game of Thrones". Both were excellents reads. I have really enjoyed how the story and characters are progressing. I'm kicking around the idea of starting the 3rd, now that the 4th one finally was released (hardcover). Hopefully this series won't turn out like the Wheel of Time (long, drawn-out, with no end in sight).

EDIT: The series is actually titled "A Song of Ice and Fire"
 
[quote name='Arakias']
Oooh, new category:
Graphic Novels
Blankets
[/quote]

I picked up Blankets about 2-3 years ago in a barnes and noble one night and read the whole thing in one sitting in the store. That's a great GN.
 
One of the most horrifying books I have ever read was a non-fiction book:

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

Basically it's an account of the discovery of the Ebola virus - truly terrifying stuff.

Also, an excuse to plug my favorite book:

Watership Down by Richard Adams

It's the "adventures" of a group of rabbits led by their faith in a visionary within their group. A fantastic read that parallels so many things regarding human nature -a great social commentary - much like say...Animal Farm by George Orwell.
 
I just finished The DaVinci Code byt Dan Brown since it gets so much hype and it was pretty good - I think at least part of its populaity comes from the fact that it has heavy religious themes and paints Catholics and evil nut jobs.
 
This thread could easily end up with hundreds of titles that go unnoticed, so, rather than add more books that make get overlooked, let me add my support for two awesome ones already mentioned:

Maus (graphic novel)
Watership Down


PS: For Piers Anthony fans, I also recommend Battle Circle. I have read it like 3 or 4 times.
 
Most recently, I've been reading a non-fiction book from the library "America Right or Wrong: An Anatomy of American Nationalism" by Anatol Lieven published by Oxford University Books.

A much more nuanced view (then say Michael Moore's) of how badly we've messed things up.

His analysis of American nationalism (says the Republican Party could be renamed the American Nationalist Party) is deep and complex and is generally in conflict with the United State's imperialist interests.

So, as we seek near world domination (militarily, economically, and culturally) our nationalism (which also led to our particular relationship with Israel) contradicts our embrace of globalism.

This will be the biggest challenge for the Republican Party balancing out the idea of America as a real leader that is accepting of others vs. the outright bullying that nationalism demands.
 
[quote name='poormojo']"Hyperion" is a retelling of Chaurcer's Canterbury Tale, right? I tried reading it, but couldn't get into it.

Has anyone read George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series? I'm just starting the second book, and I'm loving the series.[/quote]

it kind of has simalarites to the tales and some elements but not quite a retelling. He does a similar thing in Hyperion with proust while also retelling Homer's greek tales with a Sci Fi twist. Pretty much this guy from the future is sent by the greek gods to monitor what is going on. It gets really good when the future guy starts changing outcomes and ultimately pits the gods against each other. I really can't wait for the second book Olympos to be released this summer so I can finish the tale.
 
I can't believe no one's mentioning Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. If there's anything close to a video game/sci-fi military strategy book, this is IT.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I just finished The DaVinci Code byt Dan Brown since it gets so much hype and it was pretty good - I think at least part of its populaity comes from the fact that it has heavy religious themes and paints Catholics and evil nut jobs.[/quote]

If you thought Da Vinci Code is anti-Catholic (I thought it was a great read though BTW), the prior book in the series, which I also heartily recommend, "Angels and Demons" is even more so.

Going off a different track though, does anyone read any history? I often find it more interesting than most fiction. Robert K. Massie's books on Russian history, "Peter the Great, His Life and World" and "Nicholas and Alexandria" are both excellent reads with plots more compelling than fiction.
 
great thread topic!

robert heinlein is a genius, starting with stranger in a strange land and the moon is a harsh mistress.

haven't read hyperion yet but i picked up all four paperbacks during a local book store closeout sale. looking forward to starting it up.

big fan of stephen r. donaldson: chronicles of thomas covenant and the gap series - very intense writing style. though i'm in the process of being disappointed as i read through the first book of mordant's need.

recently finished the first three books of asimov's classic foundation series. looking to start on caves of steel next.

orson scott card: ender's game. just amazing.

sorry i could go on forever but will stop here. love to keep hearing about what other folks read.
 
[quote name='jaykrue']I can't believe no one's mentioning Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. If there's anything close to a video game/sci-fi military strategy book, this is IT.[/quote]
just saw your post after i submitted mine :)
 
A Canticle for Leibowitz is a superb scifi novel. I, Robot by Asimov is also a great collection of short stories. (The movie is actually fairly true to the spirit of the novel, kinda sorta)

I love Crichton and have read every fiction novel he's penned.

Some others that have been mentioned by others that I love are Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, Watership Downs, Confederacy of Dunces, Ender's Game, Animal Farm.

At one point I was keeping a spreadsheet of every book I read, but I only kept it up for a year or so.

Lately I've been reading novels I picked up at yard sales or junk sales. Nearly finished Clancy's Rainbox Six. Awesome book, I'll have to read some more of his stuff.

Into Thin Air and Into the Wild are awesome non-fiction wilderness/survival stories.

There are just so many great books out there.
 
I have read and enjoyed the whole Eddings series.

Currently reading the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan.

Angels and Demons and Davinci Code were pretty good and enjoyable. Makes you think a bit about religion and power struggles.

Of course the LOTR books are way better than the movies.

Are there any books that are like the Harry Potter series but way better. I heard the Earthsea series was much better, but I dont know for sure.
 
[quote name='jaykrue']I can't believe no one's mentioning Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. If there's anything close to a video game/sci-fi military strategy book, this is IT.[/quote]

Well, it was originally lesser-known books, according to the original subject. Hopefully most people have heard of Ender's Game since it is so awesome (I also liked Ender's Shadow quitre a bit, but not the other follow-up books in the series).
 
The Dark Tower Series is also one of my current "must finish reading as soon as I have time and money to get the rest of the books" reading list.
 
[quote name='dtcarson']That Hyperion series was pretty good. The Shrike did kick much ass :)
A couple of my all-time favorites are:
Stranger in a Strange Land [unedited version] - R Heinlein
Gaea trilogy-Titan, Wizard, Demon--John Varley [actually, all of his stuff, and Heinlein's, is good]
Bio of a Space Tyrant- Piers Anthony
[/quote]
oh yeah the gaea trilogy - i would guess that this series is not very well known, but good stuff! what else has john varley written?
 
[quote name='dopa345'][quote name='javeryh']I just finished The DaVinci Code byt Dan Brown since it gets so much hype and it was pretty good - I think at least part of its populaity comes from the fact that it has heavy religious themes and paints Catholics and evil nut jobs.[/quote]

If you thought Da Vinci Code is anti-Catholic (I thought it was a great read though BTW), the prior book in the series, which I also heartily recommend, "Angels and Demons" is even more so.[/quote]

I'm reading it now. I should be done in a week or so - I get to read for 3 hours a day on the train to work...
 
Michael Moore is okay.

His books are scattershot, vague, and tend to favor anecdote.

If you are serious about learning exactly what is happening with our nation and our world, you need to go beyond political affiliation (liberal vs. conservative is not the issue) and consider who benefits from global conflict and social upheaval.

This is the book:

"Du Pont Dynasty: Behind the Nylon Curtain"
by Gerard Colby
1984 version

The original version is rarer still:

"Du Pont: Behind the Nylon Curtain"
by Gerard Colby Zilg
1974 version

It is about 900 pages, single spaced. Dense, detailed and it is quite simply the story of our nation and a family which today controls in excess of one trillion dollars in global assets, but you wouldn't know that because the mainstream press absolutely avoids this issue like the black plague. The Du Ponts are the wealthiest family on earth. They make the Kennedys, Bushs, Bin Ladens, and the House of Saud look like rank amateurs. Bill Gates is nothing compared to the wealth and influence of Du Pont.

Right now, you are probably wearing, using, or sitting on Du Pont products even if they are not labeled as such.

There are other books on Du Pont, most of them toothless and laudatory. But the Colby book is the one which the Du Ponts do not want you to read. Good luck finding it. A cursory foray onto Google will demonstrate to you just how rare this volume is. If you can find it, read it.
 
[quote name='fragmanslayer']The Dark Tower Series is also one of my current "must finish reading as soon as I have time and money to get the rest of the books" reading list.[/quote]

An epic series of books, you get a lot more out of it if you have read his other books that tie into the series(especially the stand) The ending pissed off a lot of people although I thought it was quite good and was happy to be blindsided by an ending for once.
 
Well if you're into anything sci-fi, then you should read anything and everything written by Timothy Zahn. He creates interesting characters that keep you on the edge of you seat that you must continue to read until you have finished. He pens impressive dialogue as well.
 
[quote name='woobacca'][quote name='dtcarson']That Hyperion series was pretty good. The Shrike did kick much ass :)
A couple of my all-time favorites are:
Stranger in a Strange Land [unedited version] - R Heinlein
Gaea trilogy-Titan, Wizard, Demon--John Varley [actually, all of his stuff, and Heinlein's, is good]
Bio of a Space Tyrant- Piers Anthony
[/quote]
oh yeah the gaea trilogy - i would guess that this series is not very well known, but good stuff! what else has john varley written?[/quote]

Not a whole lot.
Steel Beach [one of the most attention-getting opening lines in science fiction: '"The penis will be obsolete within 5 years"], The Golden Globe, Red Thunder [last year], Ophiuchi Hotline and Millenium [like the movie about time-traveling rescue people]. A couple more novels I can't recall, and a lot short stories. He's not real prolific, at least as novels go, but I've enjoyed everything I've read by him. Here's a [slightly out of date] bibliography. http://isfdb.tamu.edu/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?John_Varley
 
I have to mention "the chronicles of narnia" by cs lewis. They are intended for children but if you don't have a problem with reading the harry potter books, then give them a try.

Also one of my favorites is "battlefield earth" by L ron hubbard. It's a bit long and slows down in some parts, especially nearer to the end, but has a little bit of everything. And no, I'm not a scientologist. ;)
 
[quote name='bfg9k']I have to mention "the chronicles of narnia" by cs lewis. They are intended for children but if you don't have a problem with reading the harry potter books, then give them a try.

Also one of my favorites is "battlefield earth" by L ron hubbard. It's a bit long and slows down in some parts, especially nearer to the end, but has a little bit of everything. And no, I'm not a scientologist. ;)[/quote]

My dad is a 4th grade teacher and the chronicles were part of his curriculim. He used to reread them yearly. Great books.
 
[quote name='dtcarson']Steel Beach [one of the most attention-getting opening lines in science fiction: '"The penis will be obsolete within 5 years"][/quote]
lol. thanks for the bibliography link.
 
I'll thrid the Gaen trilogy, really amazing stuff. Some of my other favorites:

"Little, Big" by John Craowley a great fantasy novel.

The Riverworld Series which was recently made into a special on Sci-Fi channel. The series is about an afterlife where everyone is reborn along a river. Characters include Mark Twain and his nemesis Heinrich Himmler and Alice from alice in wonderland.

Anything by Bret Easton Ellis. He has a really quick entertaining writing style.
 
I'd recommend pretty much anything by Philip K. Dick or Robert J. Sawyer, two of my favorite sci-fi authors. I also love Neil Gaiman, especially American Gods, one of my all time favorite books. I'll also second hiccupleftovers in recommending Timothy Zahn; he's written some of my favorite Star Wars books, and his other sci-fi work is equally excellent. Outside of sci-fi/fantasy, I also like a lot of Harry Turtledove's stuff, very interesting alternate history.
 
[quote name='fragmanslayer']I have read and enjoyed the whole Eddings series.[/quote]
doesn't he have like 4 or 5 series out there? i've only read the belgariad and mallorean. i thought the characters were one-dimensional, but i guess they'd have to be given the kind of world eddings created. still entertaining though.
 
I'm currently reading Faithful by Stephen king and Stewart O'Nan. It chronicles the experince of a sox fan during last years title run. Quite interesting and a must read for sox fans. Its a great look at the obsession of sports fans
 
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