Recommend me a book?

Linguo

Always love to hear recommendations for books, I love books with a sci-fi fantasy or Horror twist but have to be excellent ie Lord of the Rings, The Road, The stand and most Stephen King, time traveller's wife etc

Can anyone recommend some really good books in any of those veins?

Thanks!:D

Denerick

Sci Fi or fantasy?

Started Fahrenheit 451 last night, its very good! Isaac Asimov is a great Sci Fi writer, I haven't read much of him though. I've heard good things about Kurt Vonnegut, though again I haven't read any of his stuff.

In terms of fantasy the Wheel of Time series is time consuming but rewarding if you fancy tackling something like that.

Surly

Can't go wrong with 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson.

Don't be put off by the Will Smith crock of sh!te movie adaptation.

Most of Neil Gaiman's books are well worth a read also.

Linguo

Love asimov stuff and will def will give I am Legend a go, didn't mind the movie, thought the dog was brilliant:D

Dades

Linguo wrote: »

I love books with a sci-fi fantasy or Horror twist but have to be excellent ie Lord of the Rings, The Road, The stand and most Stephen King, time traveller's wife etc.

George RR Martins's "A Song of Ice & Fire" Series.

Medieval fantasy with real teeth! You will be hooked!

Linguo

Sounds interesting I'll have to give it a try!

giddybootz

Hey hey!!

Have you tried Peter Straub? He has written with King a few times. He is very good...I'm currently engrossed in The Hellfire Club (although it's more a graphic thriller than a horror of sci-fi).

have ya tried Dean Koontz? Especially ones like Shadowfires? He is not as amazing as king but a good read (maybe spends too long describing the colour of the sky everytime the character steps outside!!) on a quiet day!

Linguo

I read that Koontz book about the animals recently, cant remember what it's called, still have to finish it but it was good!

Am reading Duma Key at the moment, very, very good!

giddybootz

Think I read Duma Key awhile back...which one is it? I read SKs The Cell awhile ago and liked it alot!

Animals, esp dogs, feature alot in DK books!! Is it the light-sensitive guy?

Linguo

Yeah I read the cell too, Duma Key is the one where the guy is in an accident and moves to Florida and starts forseeing the future and painting and all sorts of stuff, very nicely written though!

The monkey one sounds intriguing!:D But no it's the one with the girls who always re-homes the dogs!

getz

your best following authors--like sharon green -very sexy sf-

Paddy Samurai

Linguo wrote: »

Always love to hear recommendations for books, I love books with a sci-fi fantasy or Horror twist but have to be excellent ie Lord of the Rings, The Road, The stand and most Stephen King, time traveller's wife etc

Can anyone recommend some really good books in any of those veins?

Thanks!:D

If u like king try Robert McCammon,hes been accused of copying King but I think he is superior to King and the King fans I have introduced to his books have ended up agreeing with me.

Swan Song is his version of The Stand,its darker ,scarier and a better story.I have also read Stinger(alien lands in small town america-brillant),The wolfs hour(werewolf killing Nazis it should'nt work ,but it does.great read).
Just bought Ushers Passing on Ebay,supposed to be a very scary book,looking forward to it.His books can be hard to get and sometimes go for mad prices,but Swan song was just rereleased.Let me know what u think if you try them.

mozmadfan

Anything by Sebastian Faulks - Engelby and Birdsong particular favourites of mine. Also Louis De Bernier (sorry about spelling) - Birds without wings and The troublesome offspring of Cardinal De Guzman - the latter being laugh out loud funny - at least to me - in parts

Enjoy!

mozmadfan

sorry - not read your post properly - neither of my recommendations fit your criteria, however if you ever fancy a change!

pljudge321

Ill put another shout out for A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin.

It reads like a fictionalised version of a historical account set in a very believable fantasy world. The magic is never really in your face, there's no heroes hurling fire balls at each other or anything, but as subversive, dark force that underpins all the events that unfold over the books and is gradually coming into the forefront as the series moves on.

Also it contains my favourite literary character of all time.

Paddy Samurai

pljudge321 wrote: »

Ill put another shout out for A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin.
Also it contains my favourite literary character of all time.

Tyrion?

pljudge321

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

Tyrion?

Do I really have to answer that question? :pac:

Linguo

Gandalf has to be the best literary figure of all time surely???:D

godspal

Linguo wrote: »

Gandalf has to be the best literary figure of all time surely???:D

a 2D father figure within a war novel. I somehow doubt it. Here are some better figures:
Atticus Finch, Leopald Bloom, Dick Diver, Hamlet, Brutus, Othello, Don Quixote, Holden Caulfield... I could keep going with this, and I haven't mention a woman yet.

Denerick

godspal wrote: »

a 2D father figure within a war novel. I somehow doubt it. Here are some better figures:
Atticus Finch, Leopald Bloom, Dick Diver, Hamlet, Brutus, Othello, Don Quixote, Holden Caulfield... I could keep going with this, and I haven't mention a woman yet.

The fact you consider Lord of the Rings as a war novel exposes you not only as ignorant, but pompous as well.

godspal

Denerick wrote: »

The fact you consider Lord of the Rings as a war novel exposes you not only as ignorant, but pompous as well.

My future PhD, which I am doing now, would beg to differ. Just because J.R.R. Tolkien masked a huge war behind a fantasy veneer doesn't make it any less of war novel. The majority of the books establishes both the politics, movement, and fighting of a war, just because I mis-categorized the novel doesn't make me ignorant.

And why Gandalf is two-dimensional is that the friendships that the characters establish throughout the trilogy are undermined by Gandalf's immorality, and the general high place that every character places him within the novel. Gandalf can therefore act with disregard because there is no personal consequence to his actions, only consequence are of a politcal and abstract nature. (His saving of middle-earth is also undermind by the fact that he travels to the Undying lands, therefore showing his connection to Middle-Earth is flimsy at best.)

And let me pick the least "pompous" character on my list: Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird was read by nearly everyone I know for their junior cert, and that when I read it too.) Atticus Finch's dilemma is to choose between his professional and his duty as a father, he is put into a situation where the racially charged era of Southern politics has forced him to choose between protecting his children's innocence, however putting them at risk, or throwing them into lion's den and scarring them forever. A slightly more complexed character then Gandalf the Grey (enjoyable character, however deeply flawed, and much more enjoyable in The Hobbit.)

Denerick

My future PhD

Had to drop that one in?

Denerick

(His saving of middle-earth is also undermind by the fact that he travels to the Undying lands, therefore showing his connection to Middle-Earth is flimsy at best.)

To be perfectly frank its years since I read LOTR. And my LOTR lore isn't well brushed up on. But I do believe most of the main characters ended up in the Undying lands, either dead or alive, and this doesn't make their connection to Middle Earth tenuous at all. I always felt it was a metephor for heaven (Tolkien being very religious and all)

Sconsey

Denerick wrote: »

Had to drop that one in?

Well you did just call him/her ignorant, so you were kind of asking for it in fairness.

Denerick

Sconsey wrote: »

Well you did just call him/her ignorant, so you were kind of asking for it in fairness.

I meant ignorant in a sort of beefy, caveman sort of way. Not ignorant as if 'you clearly don't know what you're talking about'.

I do apologise, was hungover in the morning and words didn't... come out right.

gogo

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

If u like king try Robert McCammon,hes been accused of copying King but I think he is superior to King and the King fans I have introduced to his books have ended up agreeing with me.

Swan Song is his version of The Stand,its darker ,scarier and a better story.I have also read Stinger(alien lands in small town america-brillant),The wolfs hour(werewolf killing Nazis it should'nt work ,but it does.great read).

Wow, havent thought of mcCammon in years, his 'Boys Life' is an excellent read, am here looking for swan song now to buy, remember looking for that book for years (before I could buy things online), and basically forgot all about it. Im all excited now at the thoughts of getting it. Its really supposed to be an excellent read.
Going to go buy it and pull out boys life again.
Thanks paddy, really good recommdation.

Linguo

Yeah Robert McCammon sounds interesting I don't remember ever having seen his books up until now but will certainly look out for them! And don't care what anyone says, Gandalf is a brilliant character!!

jen_da_fer

I have just recently begun to read Sci-fi but I found 'Space Merchants', by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth and 'Notes from a Coma' by Mike McCormack to both be good in terms of examining time exploration and human materialism. Very interesting novels however, both do involve rather a lot of sub-characters and so really would not be considered lightreading, but worth the effort.

Paddy Samurai

gogo wrote: »

Wow, havent thought of mcCammon in years, his 'Boys Life' is an excellent read, am here looking for swan song now to buy, remember looking for that book for years (before I could buy things online), and basically forgot all about it. Im all excited now at the thoughts of getting it. Its really supposed to be an excellent read.
Going to go buy it and pull out boys life again.
Thanks paddy, really good recommdation.

If u get swan song,let me know what u think?
I am reading "Ushers passing "at the moment (2/3 finished)and its a great read so far.
Give it a try if u like McCammon.

Sammy Jennings

Whatever else, don't read A Graveyard for Lunatics by Ray Bradbury. That might be the worst ****ing book I ever read.

docmol

Sci-fi Dune by Frank Herbert (politics, intrigue and an amazing story, told by a master storyteller)
Chasm City By Alastair Reynolds (the start of a whole series of gritty ciberpunk done in a very original way, mindblowingly good)
Consider Phlebas by Ian Banks (the first culture novel, any fan of sci-fi must read everything by Banks. There is a reason he sell so many books, he's a fantastic storyteller. Just don't start with Feersum Endjinn....)

Fantasy The Gardens of the Moon by Steven Ericson (first book in the best series of current epic fantasy, more addictive then heroin, be warned)
The chronicals of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson (best characterisation I've ever read, in any genre. Very dark. Genius)
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe (mixes sci-fi, fantasy and horror. 4 (+1) books that you will read and reread, again and again, and still get something new every time you read them. One of the deepest and most enjoyable books I've ever had the pleasure of picking up.)
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin (the four books are available in one volume these days. Amazing storytelling, so far above the usual run of the mill fantasy. Can't overly recommend)

Enjoy!