View Full Version : recommend a good book.
The Stranger
10-30-2011, 21:49
Here is my list (a max on 10?):
Veronika decides to die - Paulo Coelho
The witch of portobello - Paulo Coelho
The adventurers - Unknown by me
Waiting for columbus - Thomas Trofimuk
On the road (unedited version) - Jack Kerouac
Personal Notes - Marcus Aurelius
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
Reading 'The Iugurtha War' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus at the moment. Unbelievable that this is more than 2000 year old, could have been written today
a completely inoffensive name
10-31-2011, 06:57
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi.
The Stranger
10-31-2011, 12:10
Reading 'The Iugurtha War' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus at the moment. Unbelievable that this is more than 2000 year old, could have been written today
are you reading translation or original :P
The Stranger
10-31-2011, 12:10
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
=_= that book is on my hatelist.
Currently reading and enjoying:
The Wars of Alexander's Successors 323BC-281BC (2 volumes), BENNETT & ROBERTS, Barnsley, 2008.
I've been trying to read some new fiction. Highlights:
Best new fantasy novel lemur has read: The Blade Itself (http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law-Book/dp/159102594X)
Best new-ish historical novel: A Conspiracy of Paper (http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Paper-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0804119120)
Best new SF novel: Rule 34 (http://www.amazon.com/Rule-34-Charles-Stross/dp/0441020348)
SwordsMaster
10-31-2011, 17:03
The Circuit - Bob Shepherd
Lord Jim - Joseph Conrad
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway
Would really call them 'good' because they aren't, but 'The Hunger Games' Trilogy is just fun . Sit back and relax, like a good Hollywood summer-flick
The Wizard
10-31-2011, 18:53
Best new fantasy novel lemur has read: The Blade Itself (http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law-Book/dp/159102594X)
I loved that, if you enjoyed it you should definitely read the other two books in the trilogy and the standalone novel that follows on it, Best Served Cold.
In fact, if you enjoy Joe Abercrombie's writing, consider checking out some other rising stars of the new generation in fantasy, such as:
The Lies of Locke Lamora (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Scott-Lynch/dp/0575079754/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084198&sr=1-1) by Scott Lynch (and its sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies; where Abercrombie's work is a no-holds-barred action movie, Lynch is Ocean's Eleven meets fantasy)
The Darkness That Comes Before (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-That-Comes-Before-Nothing/dp/1841494089/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084225&sr=1-1) by R. Scott Bakker (stick with it through the rest of the trilogy, and you will be able to enjoy the incredibly good first book of the following trilogy, The Judging Eye)
And since I'm a fantasy buff, consider reading some older and even better stuff, such as:
The Book of the New Sun (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-New-Sun-Fantasy-Masterworks/dp/1857989775/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084250&sr=1-1) by Gene Wolfe (perhaps the best work of fantasy or science fiction I've ever read, it's pure literature; you should only pick it up, though, if you can handle a postmodern novel full of linguistic quirks and tricks by the author)
The Earthsea Quartet (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Earthsea-Quartet-Wizard-Farthest-Tehanu/dp/0140348034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084317&sr=1-1) by Ursula K. Le Guin (an omnibus edition of four books from the same series, which is a wonderfully fresh and exciting tale of adventure and discovery from the seventies, I especially enjoyed The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu, though not many agree with me on the latter)
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chronicles-Thomas-Covenant-Unbeliever-Preserves/dp/0006473296/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320085070&sr=1-1) by Stephen Donaldson (an omnibus of a classic trilogy of high fantasy featuring the epitome of an antihero, this is another wonderful and unique work of seventies fantasy)
Hawkwood and the Kings (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hawkwood-Kings-Monarchies-God-1/dp/1906735700/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084655&sr=1-1) by Paul Kearney (an omnibus edition of two books in a five-book series which is especially relevant to those who enjoyed Abercrombie's The First Law)
The Complete Chronicles of Conan (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Chronicles-Conan-Centenary/dp/0575077662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320085177&sr=1-1) by Robert E. Howard (it's an omnibus of all the original Conan the Barbarian stories, written in the '30s but just as amazing eighty years later. What more can you want?)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Scott-Lynch/dp/0575079754/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084198&sr=1-1) by Scott Lynch (and its sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies; where Abercrombie's work is a no-holds-barred action movie, Lynch is Ocean's Eleven meets fantasy)
The Darkness That Comes Before (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-That-Comes-Before-Nothing/dp/1841494089/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084225&sr=1-1) by R. Scott Bakker (stick with it through the rest of the trilogy, and you will be able to enjoy the incredibly good first book of the following trilogy, The Judging Eye)
Have not read these, will have to put them on my to-read list.
The Book of the New Sun (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-New-Sun-Fantasy-Masterworks/dp/1857989775/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084250&sr=1-1) by Gene Wolfe (perhaps the best work of fantasy or science fiction I've ever read, it's pure literature; you should only pick it up, though, if you can handle a postmodern novel full of linguistic quirks and tricks by the author)
The Earthsea Quartet (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Earthsea-Quartet-Wizard-Farthest-Tehanu/dp/0140348034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084317&sr=1-1) by Ursula K. Le Guin (an omnibus edition of four books from the same series, which is a wonderfully fresh and exciting tale of adventure and discovery from the seventies, I especially enjoyed The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu, though not many agree with me on the latter)
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chronicles-Thomas-Covenant-Unbeliever-Preserves/dp/0006473296/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320085070&sr=1-1) by Stephen Donaldson (an omnibus of a classic trilogy of high fantasy featuring the epitome of an antihero, this is another wonderful and unique work of seventies fantasy)
Hawkwood and the Kings (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hawkwood-Kings-Monarchies-God-1/dp/1906735700/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320084655&sr=1-1) by Paul Kearney (an omnibus edition of two books in a five-book series which is especially relevant to those who enjoyed Abercrombie's The First Law)
The Complete Chronicles of Conan (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Chronicles-Conan-Centenary/dp/0575077662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320085177&sr=1-1) by Robert E. Howard (it's an omnibus of all the original Conan the Barbarian stories, written in the '30s but just as amazing eighty years later. What more can you want?)
Is it sad that I've read every one of these except for the Kearny? Book of the New Sun, in particular, is some kind of twisted masterpiece.
Sasaki Kojiro
11-01-2011, 02:26
I am reading:
The Heavens and the Earth: a political history of the space age.
Very interesting book for the most part except for a few sections that are dull.
phonicsmonkey
11-01-2011, 02:33
Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy
Montmorency
11-01-2011, 04:50
The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker
YEAAAAAH BOIIIIII
Surprising, given that the consensus seems to be that TJE was the weakest book.IMO the The Thousandfold Thought is the best of the series, though on my first read-through I preferred Warrior Prophet. You wouldn't happen to have an account on the ASoIaF forum, would you?
Veho Nex
11-01-2011, 06:08
Here is my list (a max on 10?):
Veronika decides to die - Paulo Coelho
The witch of portobello - Paulo Coelho
The adventurers - Unknown by me
Waiting for columbus - Thomas Trofimuk
On the road (unedited version) - Jack Kerouac
Personal Notes - Marcus Aurelius
If you like Paulo Coelho, I recommend The Alchemist (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=the+alchemist&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7318478912629854960&sa=X&ei=FIOvTr6TC4fgiAKmgqHqDw&ved=0CFsQ8wIwBA)
Otherwise I recently finished reading Harry Turtledove's, The World War trilogy and the accompanying Colonization trilogy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwar_series).
I recommend both those with the highest regards.
=_= that book is on my hatelist.
Why?
The Stranger
11-01-2011, 10:38
If you like Paulo Coelho, I recommend The Alchemist (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=the+alchemist&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7318478912629854960&sa=X&ei=FIOvTr6TC4fgiAKmgqHqDw&ved=0CFsQ8wIwBA)
Otherwise I recently finished reading Harry Turtledove's, The World War trilogy and the accompanying Colonization trilogy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwar_series).
I recommend both those with the highest regards.
its on my nightstand, i started it but havent had the time to finish.
Why?
cuz its mindboggingly bad pseudophilosophic garbage
Major Robert Dump
11-01-2011, 11:48
For fiction I prefer The Nation and Mother Jones
The Wizard
11-01-2011, 20:25
At risk of hijacking this thread with fantasy banter: has anyone read Raymond E. Feist's Magician? Is it any good? I had it in my hands today in the bookstore and read the first chapter, but ended up getting a different book. Not because I thought it was crap, but because the first chapter gave off a Wheel of Time-esque "farmer boy becomes magician's apprentice and saves the world" type of vibe. As in, dull fantasy with no gray in it, only shades of black and white in a predictable epic format, of which I am not a fan. Does the book go beyond this in later chapters or does it stay that way? Just so I know if it's worth it to read it at some later date.
Is it sad that I've read every one of these except for the Kearny? Book of the New Sun, in particular, is some kind of twisted masterpiece.
No, that's not sad, that's great! You'd like Kearney's Monarchies of God series, I think. I enjoyed the read (I read all five books, contained in two omnibus editions, in less than two weeks), but I'm still not decided on if it deserves a place among my favorites, mostly due to a certain overarching high fantasy plot element that feels sort of forced and out of place.
YEAAAAAH BOIIIIII
Surprising, given that the consensus seems to be that TJE was the weakest book.IMO the The Thousandfold Thought is the best of the series, though on my first read-through I preferred Warrior Prophet. You wouldn't happen to have an account on the ASoIaF forum, would you?
I do, actually. I tend to get my recommendations for books to read from there :p (And which not to, such as Goodkind...)
As for Bakker, I think The Judging Eye was his strongest book by a long shot. The Prince of Nothing trilogy was good, but I found myself largely unable to relate to most of the characters (except perhaps Esmenet and Akka, and Cnaiür for good measure) and unsure of what Bakker was trying to say with his story. Plus, characters seemed to have a contract and the main plot seemed to move not of its own accord, but because the author wanted it to, which if visible isn't a boon in my book. None of that was present in The Judging Eye, as far as I'm concerned. Couple that with the extremely well-built world, its history and culture, and Bakker's gripping and vivid narrative (all of which are present in the first three books as well), and I think it's his best book so far.
The Stranger
11-01-2011, 22:28
ye i love the series. magician is one of the best as well. tho i like the ones with johnny the hand and mara as well.
it has some really cool stories, but it not all are equally good. u can just go to the library and try it out :P
Montmorency
11-02-2011, 02:35
unsure of what Bakker was trying to say with his story
Heh, read Neuropath and it will become abundantly clear. :smartass:
Magician is good.
I have a soft spot for Lee Child's Jack Reacher books.
Stephen King is a good read as well.
ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88
11-03-2011, 22:14
Prince Klemens Von Metternich's memoirs.
:yes:
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