Summer Reading - Recommendations?
<div class="IPBDescription">Yes you nubcaek, i'm talking about books</div> Basically I've run out of books to read, and I need more. Feel free to post your recommendations.
Some basic rules about recommendations:
1) No textbooks. This is to be leisure reading only.
2) Sci-fi/Fantasy is the genre I'm looking for, although I'm open to others.
3) Please don't list Robert Jordan's books.
I'll start off by recommending these (well, they're good in my opinion anyway):
1) The Death Gate Cycle, by Margaret Weis (sp?) and Tracy Hickman. 7 book series, fantasy setting.
2) The Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. 3 books, fantasy setting.
3) The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. 3 books, fantasy setting.
4) Elminster: The Making of a Mage, by Ed Greenwood. 1 book, fantasy setting.
5) Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. 4 books, sci-fi setting. (Note: The books are titled Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion)
I know I listed some popular series there, but since it's possible that some people haven't read the R.A. Salvatore ones I put them in for the hell of it.
Some basic rules about recommendations:
1) No textbooks. This is to be leisure reading only.
2) Sci-fi/Fantasy is the genre I'm looking for, although I'm open to others.
3) Please don't list Robert Jordan's books.
I'll start off by recommending these (well, they're good in my opinion anyway):
1) The Death Gate Cycle, by Margaret Weis (sp?) and Tracy Hickman. 7 book series, fantasy setting.
2) The Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. 3 books, fantasy setting.
3) The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. 3 books, fantasy setting.
4) Elminster: The Making of a Mage, by Ed Greenwood. 1 book, fantasy setting.
5) Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. 4 books, sci-fi setting. (Note: The books are titled Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion)
I know I listed some popular series there, but since it's possible that some people haven't read the R.A. Salvatore ones I put them in for the hell of it.
Comments
Slaughter house five is about a guy who is kinda lost in time of his life. Its sorta hard to explain.
I'm currently reading The Bourne Identity (again!) by Robert Ludlum. It's great as well.
So I've been reading all the Dark Elf books by R.A. Salvatore again. Someone already mentioned them, but I had to give them my two Duff's up, because they definitely are awesome reads. There's a few new ones out that I have to catch up on even.
Hmm, what else is good...
Ehh, Redwall series by Brian Jacques, a little bit kiddie, but still good reads.
That's all I can think of.
It's a very good read and one I highly recommend to anyone who's into fantasy, but also for readers who don't like the "rub fur and bat dung to make fire" type of hokey-magic. The magic actually makes some sense in this series. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
It's not a series (but it should be <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->), but there's a very good book called "Villains by Necessity" by... I think an Ursula somebody or other (but I might be getting mixed up with Earthsea). Anyway, the premise is that the balance of good and evil has swung way, way too far to the good and the world is about to be destroyed. So an assassin, a thief, a dark knight, a druid, and possibly a few others I can't remember, have to restore the balance of evilness, hence the title. It's <i>very</i> good.
Finally, if you haven't read it already, read the Belgariad by David and Leigh Eddings. Don't waste your time with the Malloreon (it's awful) or the Elenium and the Tamuli. You see, the Eddingses don't seem to understand that not all of your characters have to be exact carbon copies - if you've read the Belgariad you've already read the rest. That's not to say it isn't very good the first time.
[edit]Oh, and anything by Terry Pratchett. Particulary Discworld, and particularly the later ones (he hadn't really got it down right the first two books, imho).[/edit]
Ender's Game, read it, love it, trust me.
period.
read the whole series, starting with ender's game.
best experience of your whole life - savour it. im serious. try not to space it out, or skip parts, or ****, cos then youll forget and ruin it.
go. now. get it.
I've been looking into getting the original <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>. I watched the original Matrix film a couple times recently, and I feel like a general nubcaek for not having read it already.
As always, <i>Lord of the Rings</i> is a sure bet if you haven't read it already. Silmarrilion (sp?) is pretty good as well.
<i>Stupid White Men</i> by Michael Moore is both hilarious and disturbing; if you like any of his other works, you'll love this.
cant rememebr what its called though.
oh and if u want a sort read but really good read coils ex-genisis it's sic!! and you'll find it here on the forums <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
and uh
Tao Te Ching
oh and anything with pictures of nekkid ladies.
The Book?
Day Of The Triffids (One of my favorite books) By John Wyndham
Also far something a little more Sci-Fi based theres 2001 A Space Oddessy and the RAMA series (Best Book series ever!) Both by Arthur C Clarke
The Book?
Day Of The Triffids (One of my favorite books) By John Wyndham
Also far something a little more Sci-Fi based theres 2001 A Space Oddessy and the RAMA series (Best Book series ever!) Both by Arthur C Clarke <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ender's Game isn't a great book becauses its realistic, it's a great book because its original, and actually tries to stand on it's own merit throughout the series without copping out to cliches. It's not as hard as you might think to write a realstic book, because you have reality to draw from, but making one that's original takes talent.
P.S. above wasn't meant in any hostile way, just stating my opinion on it.
HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Sci-fi/Comedy book, it's a trilogy in 5 books <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
YOU MUST READ THIS ALL OF YOU NUBCAEKS!!!!!
EVAL!
Almost as evil as this
Might as well list of my sci-fi allstars list at the moment
Ursula K. LeGuin - The Dispossessed <-the best book I have ever read.
William Gibson - Neuromancer
Walter M. Miller Jr. - A Canticle for Leibowitz
Frank Herbert - Dune
Isaac Asimov - The Gods Themselves
Arthur C. Clarke - Childhood's End
Phillip K. **** - The Man in the High Castle
Ray Bradbury - The Martian Chronicles
Edit: Jesus, his name is phillip K. d-i-c-k. Swear filters are rediculous sometimes
strangely, i find it very scary
WTHff
strangely, i find it very scary
WTHff<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You should be afraid, <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'><b><span style='color:RED'>IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!</b></span></span>
and seeing as last night i spent about an hour or two reading up on urban legends [i.e gruesome murders, etc, serial killers hiding under bed, dead bodies, etc etc, as well as bloody mary... which i didnt read much up on because it wasnt a very interesting article] now im kind of sus'd out
meh
but that is a really really scary picture.. the face... crap, the face....arghh
edit: okay, its worn off. phew. im going to go have a shower <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Best book ever.
Peter F. Hamilton's "Night's Dawn" Trilogy, epic SciFi novels and probably the best I've ever read,
Any of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett,
and many others on my shelves I can't think of right now...
Greatest sci fi book, hell, probably greatest <i>book</i> ever.
Don't argue, I'm right.*
2) "Excession"- Iain M. Banks.
One of the few modern authors who can sit next to Frank Herbert and not look crap. If you like it, all the "Culture" novels are worth a read. Start with "Consider Phlebas" and "Player of Games" though..they'll make more sense then. He seems to be largely unknown outside the UK, but trust me, he rocks.
3) "Forge of God", and "Anvil of Stars"- Greg Bear
Intelligent hard sci fi on an epic scale, highly recommended.
4) "I am Legend" - Richard Matheson.
5) "Lord of the Rings"
In the unlikely event you aint read it...
6) "Enders Game"
See everyone elses posts for why you should read these. "Enders Shadow" is brilliant as well.
7) "Trainspotting" and "Porno" - Irvine Welsh.
Ok, not sci-fi / fantasy, but they are splendid. If you read and understand them you get to be an honorary Scottish person, which is good, because we rock.
And finally, although this may be pushing things into the "Land of Uber-Geek", some of the New Jedi Order Starwars books are actually worth reading. Quite dark and bleak, but a helluva lot better than most of the rubbish that pops out with a Starwars logo on it. Honestly, don't listen to Starwars geeks about this one, they're just pi**ed off because they killed Chewbacca..<!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
* While most of the "prequels" written by Brian Herbert are pretty shabby in comparison to the work of his dad, "The Butlerian Jihad" is actually very readable and entertaining. The writing never hits the heights of his late dads work, but hey, very few books do, so it might be worth considering.
Hmm, I'll be back when I think of more..