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Recommended Reading
Munkus Beaver
Registered User, ClubPA regular
Registered User, ClubPA regular
This thread serves a double purpose. It gives reccomendations to people looking for a good read and it allows some insight on what kind of books certain forumeres like to read. If you are writing a fantasy story you might be more inclined to take plot advice from a fan of Tolkien and Pratchet than from a fan of Shakespear and Cummings.
The idea here is one post to put in your reccomendations for reading. Preferably in a list format such as
If you want to give a brief description of the books without spoiling anything, or give a brief reason why you chose a particular book, you may do so. But please, if you do, keep it a short list.
Please only one post and no discussion in this thread! We are trying to keep it small and uncluttered so it can be easily browsed.
If you want to talk about a book, make a thread to discuss it.
Yes, you can do that.
The idea here is one post to put in your reccomendations for reading. Preferably in a list format such as
Heading for list [list][u]Book:[/u] by: Author McWriter [u]Pamphlet[/u] by: Writer McAuthor[/list]
If you want to give a brief description of the books without spoiling anything, or give a brief reason why you chose a particular book, you may do so. But please, if you do, keep it a short list.
Please only one post and no discussion in this thread! We are trying to keep it small and uncluttered so it can be easily browsed.
If you want to talk about a book, make a thread to discuss it.
Yes, you can do that.
Munkus Beaver on
"Advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice."
"Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but it dies in the process."
Imagine all of my posts being spoken by Alec Baldwin
GamerTag: MunkusBeaver ||||| Steam: munkus
"Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but it dies in the process."
Imagine all of my posts being spoken by Alec Baldwin
GamerTag: MunkusBeaver ||||| Steam: munkus
Posts
However, only read this book if you: like history, like semi-confusing plot lines, and like hard reads.
A Game of Thrones by: George R. R. MartinA Clash of Kings by: George R. R. Martin
A Storm of Swords by: George R. R. Martin
Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore
Preacher by Garth Ennis
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
American Tabloid and Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy.
http://promo.net/pg/
Anything older than 100 years will be there, as the site covers all public domain works.
Also, Wikipedia is developing their own version of a public domain library.
http://s90802637.onlinehome.us/old/top100.php
Oh yeah, and
Forrest Gump
much better than the movie.
Watership Down
Most anything Tom Clancy himself wrote. Including:
The Hunt for Red OctoberRainbow Six
The Bear and the Dragon
On the Road by Jack KerouacHard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World by Haruki Murakami
The Fat Man in History by Peter Carey
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
A Short History of Nearly Anything by Bill Bryson
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
Actually, any of the books I've read by those authors have been wonderful.
The Number of the Beast by: Robert A. HeinleinTime Enough for Love by: Robert A. Heinlein
Shogun by: James Clavell
The Bourne Identity by: Robert Ludlum
The Bourne Ultimatum by: Robert Ludlum
The Bourne Supremacy by: Robert Ludlum
The Stand by: Stephen King
Voyager by: Diana Gabaldon
The Incarnations of Immortality Series by: Piers Anthony
The Xanth Series by: Piers Anthony
The Adept Series by: Piers Anthony
The Foundation Series by: Isaac Asimov
The Pellucidar Series by: Edgar R. Burroughs
The Mars Series by: Edgar R. Burroughs
Garrison Keillor's works are also highly recommended. Nobody sets a scene and sets a mood like Keillor.
Complete Short Stories by Flannery O'Connor
Utter brilliance. 10-20 pages of perfection in each short story... and each introduce some of the most compelling characters I have ever read, only to jerk the rug out from under you by the time the tale is over and leave you in shock and awe. O'Connor is brilliant. Everyone should read her works. Amazing stuff.
what is up doggies
it is so good to post
Space Demons by Gillian Rubinstein
The Rats oF Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien.
1984 by George Orwell
The Princess Bride - S. Morgenstern (get the abridged version by William Goldman
AN EXCELLENT BOOK BY THIS AUTHOR IS ENTITLED "WISE BLOOD."
IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
The Dragonsbane series (Dragonsbane, Dragonshadow, Knight of the Demon Queen, Dragonstar)- Barbara Hambly
The Dragons of Pern series (Too many to list)- Anne McCaffrey (surprised this one hasn't been named yet!)
The Sholan Alliance series- Lisanne Norman (excellent romantic sci-fi, lots of politics and intrigue, but occasionally difficult reading)
Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, including:The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
John Bellair's "Lewis Barnavelt" trilogy, including:
The House with a Clock in Its Walls
The Figure in the Shadows
The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring
I'm sure I don't have to mention J.K. Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien.
Right now, I'm reading
Garth Nix's "Abhorsen" trilogy, including:Sabriel
Lirael
Abhorsen
I've finished Sabriel and I'm about to start Lirael. So far, so good.
Suggestions of more books along these lines would be welcomed.
PM me with your favourites, or any comments on this list.
(If you like that sort of thing)
Libraries should have the first few in circulation.
I reccomend
Tailchasers Song: A very well done tale about the lives of intelligent felines, faced with oppression in their world.
Memory, Sorry, and Thorn : A three/four part tale (it depends on how you look at it) of a young boy named Sam. A classical Mideval romp throgh lands of Magic and Dragons, with some very unique twists.
Otherland: My personal favorite books of all time. This series of Four volumes takes you to places you have never before concieved, through characters that you will come to love. This is a real brain buzzer, so if you have a very active imagination, get ready for a breathtaking experience, that will leave you hungry for more. Its sort of a cross between Science fiction and fantasy, because the means of what you experience has to do with realistic technology, but the substance of what you experience is wholly fantastical, in more ways then one.
I have 20 pages left of Abhorsen left to read i can highly recomend all three books and have red one a day. But i just had to go to bed last night so will finish it to day. His dark materials is well worth a read too.
Futuramer
Pattern Recognition - William Gibson
Fact
Colossus: the Rise and Fall of the American Empire - Niall Ferguson
Open Secrets - Alice Munro
Dumped - Various
Jenny & the Jaws of Life - Jincy Willett
Naked - David Sedaris
Carrie, The Stand -Stephen King
Ghost Soldiers-Hampton Sides (Great WW2 Concentration camp liberation historical book)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (good for those with philosophy in their heads, and people who like to understand other people and how they work)
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran (quite a nice bit of wisdom packed into the poetry)
The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody by Will Cuppy is an awesomely hilarious history book about some pretty famous people.
the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is well done (though simple, it is a children's series) but is certainly an example of Hero and Villain and character development for those who intend to write sequels.
R. A. Salvatore's Icewind Dale trilogy (The Crystal Shard, Streams of Silver, and The Halfling's Gem) is a fantastic fantasy read.
David Eddings' Belgariad, Malloreon, Elenium, and Tamuli series were constant bedside reading material during my formative years.
For a little Canadian literature, try out:
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler
Toni Morrison's Beloved is bizarre and thought provoking.
Joseph Mitchell's Joe Gould's Secret was also fantastic.
Monkey by Wu Ch'eng-en.
Jonathan Lethem's Gun, with Occasional Music and The Fortress of Solitude are also superb books.
That list ran a little longer than I thought, but they're all titles that have become near and dear to me.
Thank you, Rubacava!
The Name of the Rose
Travels Through Hyper-reality: both by Umberto Eco
The first is probably his most popular work. It is amazing as a detective story and Eco REALLY knows his history. The second is a collection of essays. The titular one, concerning America's need to have things that are more real than real, is the best piece of short non-fiction I've ever read.
White Noise
Mao II: both by Don DeLillo
Perhaps the greatest living American author. Mao II is so good and so expertly crafted, that I got a headache reading it and seriously questioned my desire to ever write again, because I knew that I could never create anything that good. The guy knows America and what it means to be an American in the modern world, perhaps better than anyone.
The Complete Harlan Ellison: by Harlan Ellison
Great, great sci-fi (but if you ever meet him, it's "speculative fiction", trust me on this). "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is one of the most reprinted short stories in the world. Find out why.
The Books of Blood
The Great and Secret Show: both by Clive Barker
I like Stephen King. I like his short stories. I like the Dark Tower series. Barkers short story collection of the truly terrible (in a good way) and his modern fantasy epic put both to shame. "Dread", "In the Hills, the Cities", "Jaqueline Ess, Her Will and Testament", and "The Yattering and Jack." are highlights of the BoB.
Jaren Cannier, Mul Warden. Freedom. AC 18 F14 R14 W14.
Redwall, and any others in that series, by Brian Jacques
Starfist Series -- First to Fight by Dan Cragg and David Sherman, about marines in the 26th century, good series.
Winter Warriors by David Gemmel and other books set in the same world as this. Such are In the Realm of the Wolf, Druss, etc.
The Dark Glory War By Michael Stackpole
Military/Spy fiction:
Tom Clancy (Those novels actually written by Clancy, NOT the vile Op Center)
Robert Ludlum
Bernard Cornwell
Daniel Silva
SciFi:
Isaac Asimov
R.A. Heinlein
Frank Herbert (Dune, naturally, and to a lesser extent some short stories)
Brian Herbert (as an example of how to destroy a great work)
Michael Stackpole
John Ringo
Larry Niven (Fight the power)
Timothy Zahn
Ray Bradbury
John Steakley
Piers Anthony
Orson Scott Card
Fantasy:
C.S. Lewis
Robert Jordan (Conan books, NOT Wheel of Time past book 4)
Brian Jacques
Neil Gaiman (especially American Gods and Neverwhere)
Tolkien (Not all of it, believe it or not. The Simarilion is a history book and reads like one. Useful, but not really what you'd call a good read).
R.A. Salvatore
Steven Brust
David Eddings (For selling the same story 3 times over. Awesome)
Piers Anthony (Mentioned once, but he does a lot of cross-genre stuff)
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Children's Fantasy/Sci-Fi (But enjoyable by anyone)
Patricia C. Wrede - The Enchanted Forest Chronicles: Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, Talking to Dragons
Diane Duane - Young Wizards series: So You Want to Be a Wizard is the first of seven (so far), of which my favorite is High Wizardry
Ira Levine - Ella Enchanted [Not extraordinary, but a very fun and pleasant read.]
Contemporary Fiction
Neal Stephenson - Cryptonomicon [Three tangled plot lines in one, essentially three books in one great read.]
Christopher Moore - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend [If you're deeply religious, this may not be for you, but it had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions.]
Science Fiction/Fantasy
David Farland - The Runelords Saga: The Runelords, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Wizardborn, Lair of Bones so far. And I just found out there's a movie trilogy starting in 2006 that's hoping to fill the LotR void in fantasy epics!
Dan Simmons - Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion, and in a separate series Ilium
George R.R. Martin - Songs of Fire and Ice: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords [The fourth book in this series is probably the second-most-awaited book on my list, after the next Wheel of Time book.]
Classics
John Steinbeck - East of Eden
Alexandre Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo
Nonfiction
Brian Greene - The Elegant Universe [Although I am a physics major, I really recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the most recent theories on how the Universe works.]
Edit: I also echo everyone above who recommended Robert Jordan, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowling, and Michael Stackpole. Stackpole in particular has written countless numbers of books in many different "universes," but his writing style makes all of it enjoyable.
It's a long book, so it's all I've been reading lately.
The Exorcist: By William Peter Blatty.
Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned, and Blood Canticle: By Anne Rice.
Ring, and Spiral: By Koji Suzuki.
Dracula: By Bram Stoker.
Anything by H.P. Lovecraft (I enjoy the format of The Best Of series).
Religion/Religious Fiction
While I'm not at all religious, I've become quite fond of studying different religions. Specifically the western ones. For anyone else who also enjoys studying religion here's a short list of fantastic reference books.
A Dictionary of Angels: By Gustav Davidson.
The History of Hell: By Alice K. Turner.
Sepher Rezial Hemelach: The Book of the Angel Rezial: By Steve Savedow.
The Book of Enoch the Prophet: By R.H. Charles.
The Book of Nod: By Sam Chupp and Andrew Greenburg (Tons of beautiful and dark illustraitions by a number of artists).
The Screwtape Letters: By C.S. Lewis.
Faust: By Goethe.
Paradise Lost: By John Milton.
Fiction
King of the Ants: By Charles Higson.
A Clockwork Orange: By Anthony Burgess.
Mondays are Red: By Nicola Morgan.
This book really inspired me. I did not thing it was possible to be so moved by a Fantasy book. The first 5 books are also very good, thought not as inspirational. If you decided to read 7 & 8 be prepared for a let down.