Recommend a book

[donteatpoop]

I bought a few books to get me through the next two months or so, but when I'm done with them, I'm going to need a new book. That's where you come in; recommend a book. Preferably a good one. Tell me why it's worth reading and a brief synopsis.

I'll recommend one for all of you first; that way you don't have to be all nervous at being the first one to do so in this thread.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

This is the first book in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. It is possibly the greatest fantasy series of all time*. The characters are all fully developed and the world that this series takes place on is rich and full of life. The great thing about this series is that you're never quite sure who is and who is not a "good guy"; which reflects life, really. People are people, after all; sometimes they do good and sometimes they do bad.

The fantasy setting is somewhat different than what most of us are used to reading; there is little magic and the presence of mythical creatures is a rarity. This is the way I like it, though; it allows for more tension and more character development without maintaining a constant focus on how magical everything is. In his series, Martin proves that you don't need such writing crutches as magic and monsters to create a rich fantasy world.

(thoughts by anyone else who has read this?)

*according to donteatpoop

[apotheosis]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons.


It's a great sci-fi book and has several smaller interrelated stories within it. Very enjoyable read, the futuristic universe Simmons creates is inventive, fascinating, well thought out and not that terribly far-fetched.

[ChubbyTeletubby]

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

Provides the reader with some fairly in-depth insights into the rich history of Afghanistan, without being overbearing.

The story develops a little TOO nicely - all the pieces seem to fit together much too precisely. It seems engineered at times.

However, that being said, I finished the book in two days. My dad, who has been to Afghanistan, related many similar tales. Afghanistan is a fascinating place. This is not the land of Al Qaeda, nor the Taliban. It is a tribal land belonging to a strong and independent people who fall victim to the whims of larger, external powers.

[Leblanc4prez]

Papilion - Henri Cheri

The classic satory of an innocent man's struggle for freedom. The thing I most admire is that he never gave in. True story.

Animal Farm - George Orwell

If you haven't read this book, do your self a favor, go to the library and borrow it out... Now!
A classic story about power and the pressures caused by corrupt leaders. About as long as candidea and just as socialy important in my opinion.

[Vesnic]

The Velveteen Rabbit--makes me cry every fucking time. Life and death and friendship, oh my!

(I agree on Papillon. Not that I ever read the book. But Steve McQueen sure was a toasty muffin back before he died too young of cancer.)

[Usoki]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons.


It's a great sci-fi book and has several smaller interrelated stories within it. Very enjoyable read, the futuristic universe Simmons creates is inventive, fascinating, well thought out and not that terribly far-fetched.

Is that the guy who wrote Endymion? I've seen it on the shelves, but I've been a bit paranoid about picking it up. I have issues with reading series that go on forever- I want to know that a work has an actual conclusion before I pick it up. I have a few series I started reading before I made that personal self goal...but, other than that, I refuse to read something unless it's finished.

So...DEP, is that series finished? I could really use a fantasy series that doesn't go on for 10+ novels with no end in sight. *cough* Wheel of Time *cough*

That being said, David Drake's Lord of the Isles series is two novels away from completion, and totally awesome. It's the first fantasy I've read that actually balances magic. Not only that, they attempt to balance the "Unlikely heroes who shape the entire world" by involving epic military battles. It's ridiculoulsly predictable at times, but it's still well written. I approve.

[donteatpoop]

Is that the guy who wrote Endymion? I've seen it on the shelves, but I've been a bit paranoid about picking it up. I have issues with reading series that go on forever- I want to know that a work has an actual conclusion before I pick it up. I have a few series I started reading before I made that personal self goal...but, other than that, I refuse to read something unless it's finished.

So...DEP, is that series finished? I could really use a fantasy series that doesn't go on for 10+ novels with no end in sight. *cough* Wheel of Time *cough*

That being said, David Drake's Lord of the Isles series is two novels away from completion, and totally awesome. It's the first fantasy I've read that actually balances magic. Not only that, they attempt to balance the "Unlikely heroes who shape the entire world" by involving epic military battles. It's ridiculoulsly predictable at times, but it's still well written. I approve.

*sigh*

It's four books into it. Not quite finished yet. Don't know how long he's doing it, but every novel has an ending... just a sense of more to come.

It's Much better than Wheel of Time (which I couldn't seem to ever get into, and I'm glad of that now).

[kakunoshin]

Good Omens - Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman

Its apocalypse time but someone has misplaced the 10 year old anti-christ. Left to his own devices, he seeks to remake the world in his own image.

[Leblanc4prez]

Any of the Discworld Books. They all rock.. I like the ones about Death best.

[donteatpoop]

Good Omens - Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman

Its apocalypse time but someone has misplaced the 10 year old anti-christ. Left to his own devices, he seeks to remake the world in his own image.

I simply could not get into that book. I love Gaiman, but hate Pratchet; so I wasn't sure what I would think of it. All in all I think it tried too hard. I gave the book to a neighbor and he fucking loved it, he'd always try to talk to me about how great it was but I'd tell him "Dude, I only read three chapters before I got sick of it and gave it to you."

If you've never read anything else from Gaiman, you owe it to yourself to seek him out. He's a wonderfully quirky writer and one of my favorites.

[Vesnic]

In honor of the overwhelmingly homo-happy environment today, I will go ahead and recommend W.S. Burroughs' Cities of the Red Night. It's the first part of an "apocalyptic" trilogy he wrote at the end of his life. As you'd expect with Burroughs, there's tons of hot gay death hanging action and secret gay conspiracies smelling of ozone and opium. A great little book to accidentally leave sitting around at an evangelical church or a kindergarten classroom.

[Leblanc4prez]

Shippo: The Very Hungry Catepillar. (I wish Geroge Bush would return the copy I lent him)

[Vesnic]

No, he's still busy looking up the definitions to all those challenging words, forgetting what he just learned, looking up the words again, forgetting them again, looking up all those durned fancy words...

You just need to buy yourself a new copy methinks.

[Leblanc4prez]

Shippo: I am very sad now...

Psy: I recomend the art of war by Tzhang Tzun. (or how ever you spell his gay asian name)

[Hi! My name is: Katie]

The Diary of Chester the Killer

I came across this article yesterday at work. It completely fascinated me. For those that choose not to read the article here's the gist:

Guy gets girlfriend knocked up.
She wants to get married.
He doesn't
Guy kills girlfriend on boating trip.
Guy arrested and tried.
Guy sentenced to death.
Guy falsely believes he will be released.
Guy keeps a journal detailing his thoughts... only once mentioning the girlfriend he murdered...
Guy slowly comes to grips with his impending doom.

Looks like it will be an interesting read. He was a well read chap, and it includes quotes by numerous philosophers and poets. He might have fit in here, minus the whole murder thing.

~Katie