book recommendations please

[haarewin]

Knowing that theres a few readers here, I want some recommendations!

I'm bored out of my mind with the same old and want to get back into reading. I went on holiday a few weeks ago and took 2 books with me. Catcher in the Rye (ok, that is quite short) and To Kill a Mockingbird (I loved this book! I wish all little kids were like Scout). I finished them in 3 days, and I need more recommendations because I only have one more book that I want to read now I'm back (1984) and that is in my locker at work. I'm just starting The Alchemist today because it's the only book on the shelf I've not read yet. Most recent sort of things I've read and enjoyed are a few Christoper Buckley books, Matt Beaumont, and the Harry Potter series. I reread 'You're an Animal, Viskovitz!' (If you haven't read it, it's told from the point of view of someone who keeps being reincarnated as different animals. It's quite interesting and it made me laugh) yesterday, and very much enjoyed that too. I quite like books to have funny moments but that isn't a requirement.

So uh, get on with it...

 

[Ezteq]

Haar, check out my blog page I use it as a book review site of everything i've read since the blogs started.

 

[Ormorof]

bit of a random one, im usually a fantasy fan myself but picked up a book called The Company by Robert Littel its about the history of the CIA and is absolutely amazing, quite funny at times and nearly heartbreaking at others (especially as you tend to know whats going to happen with the outcome as its based on historical fact with some fictional twists thrown in for fun!)

 

[haarewin]

thanks both.
i just finished the alchemist and i can see what the fuss is about! very much enjoyed it and i will read that again.

 

[Lamp]

No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Very easy & enjoyable reading

Amazon.com: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1): Alexander McCall Smith: Books

 

[Imgormiel]

Anything by Irvine Welsh

 

[fettoken]

May i suggest Glen Cook's Black Company novels...

The Black Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Billargh]

 

[Deebs]

For simple action I love reading Matthew Reilly. Just got a couple of his latest books to read.

Scarecrow is da man!

 

[Raven]

Scarecrow is da man!

agree

Icestation wins

ohhhh, he has a couple of "new" ones that i havent read

 

[TdC]

"his dark materials" trilogy

 

[tierk]

Seeing as the books you quoted in your first post were books that i studied in school all those years ago, i thought i would follow the same theme.

1. The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrsion
2. The Great Gatsby - Scot Fitzgerald
3. Silas Marner - George Eliot

All great books and certainly off the old fantasy novel trail nevertheless worthy of a mention.

 

[haarewin]

cheers all, lots to look at

 

[Lamp]

I might have to get this. Read a few reviews. Sounds most amusing.

 

[haarewin]

I might have to get this. Read a few reviews. Sounds most amusing.

i've read that, tis quite funny!

 

[Vasconcelos]

If you are into fantasy

"Malazan Book of the Fallen" saga. But be ready for 7 books of not the usual lord of the rings fantasy but instead Conan'esque gore battles, rape, murder, treachery, politics, sex, etc...

I really liked the whole 7 w8ing for the 8th to publish

 

[Rookiescot]

Best book I have ever read is

Chickenhawk (book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Supperb read.

 

[Lamp]

Best book I have ever read is

Chickenhawk (book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Supperb read.

I've read it and can vouch for its excellence

 

[Chronictank]

oo this time of year again

Wolf of the plains - conn iggulden

 

[svartalf]

If you like Nineteen Eighty-Four, you may enjoy Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

IMHO Nineteen Eighty-Four is the best book.

Ever. Which is disappointing really, because nothing ever lives upto it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman(the newest biggest version ofc). Absolutely wonderful and magnificent.

 

[kirennia]

My Lovely Bones

I don't care if it has a richard and judy award and a picture of a necklace on the front, it's a really really good book. I was given it by a friend who said, don't be put off by any of this, just start reading it. Sure enough, less then a chapter in, I realised the brilliance of it. One of the most heart rendering moments I've come across as well...and most attempts at that sort of thing usually make me laugh.

Don't know if anyonelse can vouch for the book from here, so why not go on the merits of Peter Jackson who has made the film, scheduled for release in 2009. Be warned though, don't read the reviews, they give away the first bit of the story which to me was a great place setter.

 

[Vasconcelos]

After finishing the last published book of the Malazan Saga (which i strongly recommend), im about to finish the first one of Joe Abercrmbie's "The First Law" saga, named "The Blade Itsef".
like with Erikson's malazans, im enjoying the raw story line, away from the classic elfs swords and dragons fantasy. Its all about politics, inquisitors, and weird anti-heroes: like a crippled inquisitor with a deep hatred for the world, an ex-soldier with the blood of inocents in his hands, a petty nobleman captain more interested in fencing, gambling, drinking and flirting with chicks than with the incoming war... Makes Eragon look like a kindergarden book.

For my metro trips I recently aquired "Watchmen" courtesy of FH recomendation

And as Tohori said, American Gods is superb too, and the other related Neil Gaiman's book, "Anansi Boys": a spin-up of one of the characters from american gods storyline.

If you like "Shadow of the Wind", I've just seen his new work in the libraries around here: "The Angel's Game", the backcover said it was kind of a precuel of the other book.

 

[Levin]

oo this time of year again

Wolf of the plains - conn iggulden

Aah, I didn't know Iggulden has released more written treasures! I'll have to read this ASAP!

May I also warmly recommend Igguldens The Emperor series which describes the rise and fall of Caesar in a very personal and engaging way - granted with some alterations for drama's sake - but they are all accounted for in the back of the books. The first book in that series is called The Gates of Rome (written 2003).

Even if you're only in the slightest interested in ancient times these books are must read! :worthy:

 

[haarewin]

i've recently started reading haruki murakami's 'the wind-up bird chronicle' and it's absolutely excellent. i love the way the author pays incredible attention to tiny tasks, whereas big important scenes dont get as much description or acknowledgment. it's like how the little things in life are whats important

 

[Laddey]

I've only ever read one book. It was about 500 pages long and took me like 6 weeks to read. Awesome book though.


Young Gangsters

 

[pikeh]

A short history of nearly everything - bill bryson

not really a novel as such but its so interesting.

 

[Bahumat]

Raymond E Feist is fucking awesome for Fantasy

If you decide to start, please start with his first story (he has released about 4-5 stories consisting of a few books all based within the same world)

Magician
Prince of the blood
Silverthorn
A Darkness at Sethanon

They are part of the Riftwar Saga iirc

 

[old.Tohtori]

and the other related Neil Gaiman's book, "Anansi Boys": a spin-up of one of the characters from american gods storyline.

Thank you very many, was in need for more of that stuff

 

[Fafnir]

Raymond E Feist is fucking awesome for Fantasy

If you decide to start, please start with his first story (he has released about 4-5 stories consisting of a few books all based within the same world)

Magician
Prince of the blood
Silverthorn
A Darkness at Sethanon

They are part of the Riftwar Saga iirc

And the new darkwar saga is exellent.