Need book tips

[Rodion Romanovich]

I'm searching for a that has all of this:
- a good, exciting, thrilling story
- interesting philosophy discussions told through story, language or dialogues by the characters
- nice atmosphere through it's symbols, methaphors and low-level story details
- interesting characters
- nice language
- not too unlikely or unrealistic storyline, but may contain myths, dreams and other small isolated fantasy elements
- it should be different from the mainstream stuff
- preferably but not necessarily historical

I know it sounds like pretty tough requirements but I don't read very often so when I do I really want something of high quality, and I've actually on earlier occasions found and read a few books that fulfilled all of these requirements, so it might not be unlikely that there are many more such books that I haven't ready yet. What books can my fellow .orgahs recommend?

[R'as al Ghul]

You want "The Baroque Cycle" by Neal Stephenson.
One of the best books I've ever read and I've read a lot.
It even has its own wiki by now.

[Red Peasant]

The Bible. Especially for the myths and fantasy, but all the rest too!

[English assassin]

You could have a look at Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. http://www.jonathanstrange.com/ (Read the reviews and tell me you aren't impressed.)

I enjoyed it a lot, and I HATE fantasy.

[Fragony]

- a good, exciting, thrilling story
- interesting philosophy discussions told through story, language or dialogues by the characters
- nice atmosphere through it's symbols, methaphors and low-level story details
- interesting characters
- nice language
- not too unlikely or unrealistic storyline, but may contain myths, dreams and other small isolated fantasy elements
- it should be different from the mainstream stuff
- preferably but not necessarily historical

Elemental particles by Houellebecq.

[Geoffrey S]

Try Bernard Corwall's Warlord trilogy, about a possible real King Arthur. Well written, and surprisingly plausible.

Also, I'd recommend most of all reading a book by Mary Renault. My personal favourite is Last of the Wine, set during the Peloponnesian war, and it is most definitely a thoughtful book with a great historical setting.

[Rodion Romanovich]

edit: oops

thanks, I'll head for the library right away

[Avicenna]

Any book by Mario Puzo should be good. Personally I've read two and enjoyed both, but preferred The Last Don a little to Omerta.

[Kanamori]

Dune, my favorite audio book.

It almost reads historically, and definitely it is a true classic.

[Geoffrey S]

Before I forget, Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. Brilliant, brilliant sci-fi with great depth. It's one of those books that's worth re-reading twice just to note the connections between earlier and later chapters. Original setting, fantastic writing, intriguing characters and doses of philosophical musings. Absolute must read!

[Lemur]

Don't know if this is the sort of thing you're contemplating, but the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series is a masterpiece. Dialogue? Excellent. Plot? Very good. Ideas? By the bucketful. Philosophy? More than you can shake a stick at.

In a way, the entire series is a meditation on the nature of friendship. Powerful stuff. And very funny. One thing that drove me bonkers about the one film adaptation was the way they missed the humor completely.

[The Wizard]

Patrick O'Brien's language makes my eyes bleed... I can't even get past the fiftieth page thanks to that crapload of weird British.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I liked them, but the Hornblower series was far more interesting I thought. More action.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

i definetly reccomend the Emperor seires. there are 4 but start with the second one (Emperor: Death Of Kings). Its a historical fiction about Julius Caesar. If you like, Roman times, lots of battles and actions, outstanding story then this is for you. (there;s more i think) but of course its just mho.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Watership Down.

Enough good cannot be said for that book. It is a great classic of literature, an amazing adventure by a master storyteller. You will not be disappointed.

Crazed Rabbit

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Legion, I found a series for you. It is a series based on World War II, but with fantasy! Instead of planes, there are dragons. Instead of tanks, there are giant lumbering beasts.

You really should get at least the first one to see if you like the rest. It's the best series I've ever read in my life, and I recomend it to anyone looking for a book to read.

http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/darkness.html



If (when ) you get it, tell me about it...

[Papewaio]

Books by Janny Wurts.

[Banquo's Ghost]

'This Thing of Darkness' by Harry Thompson.

An excellent historical fiction on the life of Captain Fitzroy of the Beagle, who was the inventor of modern meteorology and one of the most brilliant seamen of his time, but due to fearsome luck, melancholia, bad politics and - of course -the influence of his well-known shipmate on the second voyage, lost everything.

Very sad, very uplifting, wonderfully told and a fitting tribute to a great man.