Just because there hasn't been one compiled yet, and we have two video threads going.
Also because I need some decent suggestions. This pretty much means you shouldn't mention anything by Dan Brown, Harry Potter novels, and god forbid any fang banger fiction.
I'm also going to mention the Book Depository, because I've never seen it mentioned here. It's a cheap book store with free delivery worldwide, takes a couple weeks to arrive (in my experience).
Free delivery worldwide on all books from The Book Depository
To clarify some of my reading decisions, I will explain my reading rule #1: I do not read incomplete series of books, I began this about 8 books into WoT and three books later the fucker died, completely vindicating my rule. Sometimes I get tricked by authors who write a "series" that is TO BE CONTINUED in another "series", these authors are motherfuckers, I'm looking at you Raymond E.
Here's my short list.
I also have a long commute, so I listen to audiobooks, the following are some that I have only listened to.
Also because I need some decent suggestions. This pretty much means you shouldn't mention anything by Dan Brown, Harry Potter novels, and god forbid any fang banger fiction.
I'm also going to mention the Book Depository, because I've never seen it mentioned here. It's a cheap book store with free delivery worldwide, takes a couple weeks to arrive (in my experience).
Free delivery worldwide on all books from The Book Depository
To clarify some of my reading decisions, I will explain my reading rule #1: I do not read incomplete series of books, I began this about 8 books into WoT and three books later the fucker died, completely vindicating my rule. Sometimes I get tricked by authors who write a "series" that is TO BE CONTINUED in another "series", these authors are motherfuckers, I'm looking at you Raymond E.
Here's my short list.
- The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher: I bought the first one on holiday because i'd seen the TV show and thought I'd give it a shot. I bought all the rest of the novels and I read all of them in under a month. It's an execellent series, magic, demons etc. in a contemporary setting based around a private detective mystery plot, with a decent dash of humour and good characterisation. The plot of each book is self contained but it does have overarching plotlines that lead to the plots in following novels. I mention this one first because it's fresh in my mind.
- Everything by Peter F. Hamilton: As a rule, I didn't read science fiction until I was introduced to the Night's Dawn Trilogy, since then I've read everything he's written that I could get my hands on (excluding items covered by rule #1). The Night's Dawn Trilogy and The Commonwealth Saga are some seriously large books, written in "Space Opera" style, far future, and are excellent value for money. The Commonwealth universe is also home to the void Trilogy (incomplete, rule #1). The Greg Mandell series is a Psychic Detective "trilogy" of sorts, but each novel has a self contained plotline. Set in the near future, the society is dystopian but hopeful, I quite enjoyed it. Fallen Dragon is a stand alone novel, full dystopian future all about evil corporations running galaxy wide colonisation and trying to realise profit from it, it's great.
- Terry Pratchett: Discworld + Others. I don't understand people who don't like Terry Pratchett, so you should like his writing, or I'm going to assume you don't get the joke. Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman) is a non-discworld novel, but definitely a highlight, i've read it at least 5 times, and it's always funny.
- Raymond E. Feist: The Magician and other Midkemian Universe novels that followed are like a standard for fantasy. Some of the more recent offerings are a bit questionable, but I'm willing to keep buying the books on faith.
- Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash. It's a story about a samurai hacker, called HIRO PROTAGONIST who delivers pizza for the mob, and a computer virus that kills you. It was written in the very early nineties and it's quite shocking the amount of stuff he predicted. It's also very funny.
- Dexter Novels: Jeff Lindsay. Normally I'd never have read these, but someone gave me the omnibus, it's very good, even if you've seen the show, it's a whole lot darker, and the third book (as far as I've read) goes apeshit nuts and brings in a whole fantastical supernatural theme. The one downside was that it may have ruined the show for me a bit, because I see what the show COULD have been. Although to be fair, it may be the shitty soap opera drama going on in the fourth season that's ruining the show for me.
I also have a long commute, so I listen to audiobooks, the following are some that I have only listened to.
- Clive Cussler: Dirk Pitt Novels. Marine Engineer saves the world, like 20 times. James Bond-esque adventure novels, reasonably humourous, and they come in BULK. One of the novels got made into Sahara (the film), and after reading the book, I can see why the author sued the production studio. The text was infinitely better... and I quite liked Sahara (the film).
- Neil Gaiman - American Gods, Anansi Boys, Neverwhere These books are good, read them. Supernaturally themed and comedy lined.
- Jasper Fforde: The Thursday Next series (thursday next is the name of the main character). These are easily the most absurdist books I've ever experienced. I was hunting for something Pratchett-esque, and I don't think it's quite there, but they are quite funny nonetheless. In a contemporary setting with a very very very alternative history, Thursday Next is a literary detective who ends up with the ability to travel within books. It's worth reading just for the dementedness. (British Author)
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