Hello Escapists, What books would you recommend?

[VladG]

I've gone through A Song of Ice and Fire again, and now I have no idea what to read.

So I'm turning to you, fellow Escapists.

I prefer fantasy or sci-fi, though I'm open to pretty much anything.

I've read pretty much everything Pratchett, some Asimov, Dune, LoTR, some Neil Gaiman... That's kinda what I'm looking for. But again, open to anything clever, insightful or just plain fun to read.


On a side note, does anyone know if the Ebooks on Amazon are Kindle-only or you can download them and read them on a different device? Specifically I'm interested in Yahtzee's Mogworld and maybe a few other titles.


EDIT: After looking up the suggestions here, I've come to the conclusion that Sci-Fi or Fantasy may not be what I'm in the mood for right now. Unless George R. R. Martin comes up with the next book, I think I'm done with fantasy for the moment.

So I'm broadening the search. Just hit me with anything you guys really liked.

 

[Esotera]

I'm fairly sure it's kindle only, and is quite heavy on the DRM.

Anyway, I'll recommend you start reading the Mammoth Book of SciFi Anthologies, as they're about 600 pages long, and have about 30 short stories by a variety of different authors, and it's a great way to discover more obscure talent. Anyway, here is my list of authors:

John Wyndham
Iain M Banks
Stephen Baxter
Alastair Reynolds
Phillip K Dick
Richard Matheson

 

[Fractral]

I'm fairly sure it's kindle only, and is quite heavy on the DRM.

Anyway, I'll recommend you start reading the Mammoth Book of SciFi Anthologies, as they're about 600 pages long, and have about 30 short stories by a variety of different authors, and it's a great way to discover more obscure talent. Anyway, here is my list of authors:

John Wyndham
Iain M Banks
Stephen Baxter
Alastair Reynolds
Phillip K Dick
Richard Matheson

Alistair Reynolds and Iain M Banks definitely, of those that I've read, although they're kinda hit and miss imo- for example, 'Use of weapons' by Banks would have been a good story if it hadn't started at the middle and then taken two seperate paths back and forward through the book. I'd reccomend 'Pushing Ice' by Reynolds and 'Surface Detail' by Banks most of all. I've read some of stephen baxter but I really didn't like his Xeelee sequence very much- it felt kinda inconsistent.

And yeah, the anthologies are always good, although I have noticed that a number of the stories are kinda NSFW, like, alien sex. Gave me quite a shock.

 

[Euryalus]

I would recommend

HP Lovecraft
Brave New World
Atlas Shrugged (surprisingly good though it's philosophy is kinda shit)
and....

Nothing else. You've apparently read everything else I'd recommend and more. Hell I should be asking you what you'd recommend.

captcha: exercise more... lol

 

[Cheesepower5]

Yet another oppurtunity to shamelessly plug the Warlord Chronicles. I really won't stop until someone realises how great it is. Picture a King Arthur story. Now picture it as a realistic historical drama with the subtlety of a cat and the ferocity of a lion. It's badass.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warlord_Chronicles

 

[VladG]

Thanks for the suggestions, let's see how many of these I can track down.

 

[geK0]

I'd recommend this book to anybody!

 

[Nickolai77]

I'd second Bernard Cornell's Warlord series, i thoroughly enjoyed those. If you like Game of Thrones you'd defiantly like the Warlord series.


I've just finished reading The Iron Jackal by Chris Wooding, part of the Ketty Jay series. It's a steam-punkyish adventure novel- very funny and tremendously well written in both plot and characterisation.

 

[hazabaza1]

Why, 50 Shades of Gray, of course. Only the finest in literary genius.

 

[Matt King]

the alone series by james phelan, more for teenagers, the first two books are amazing and while the third isn't quite as good it's still a solid read

 

[Dr. wonderful]

Prepare to die by Paul Tobin is pretty awesome.

 

[Guffe]

Mogworld by Yahtzee was fun
A HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy
The Count of Monte Christo
Angels and Demons
These are the ones very very high up in my good books list

For seriously crazy real stories look up Ronnie "The Rocket" O'Sullivans and Jimmy "Whirlwind" Whites autobiographies. Two great Snooker players with a hell of a life.

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

 

[Alaster Angelo]

Percy Jackson isn't spectacular or anything, but the series is long enough to keep you occupied for a while and it's pretty good in it's own right.


I also highly recommend The Bartimaeus Trilogy.

 

[Mr.Philip]

Leviathans of Jupiter by Ben Bova is really good.

 

[The White Hunter]

Thanks for the suggestions, let's see how many of these I can track down.

Is manga a valid recommendation?

If so I recommend the first 12 volumes of one piece because they come in 3's for dirt cheap.

Otherwise I haven't read anything in a long time

 

[The White Hunter]

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

I read the Koran a few years ago, just for perspectives sake.

Can't say I recommend it to those not of that particular faith.

 

[Sonicron]

You enjoy sci-fi, you say? Try some Warhammer 40.000. There are tons of novels, most of them good, but the ones I'd recommend you start with is the Eisenhorn trilogy (available in a handy omnibus edition). It's an Inquisition plot, so expect a healthy mix of sci-fi, crime and action elements. The author's Dan Abnett, one of my favourites; and while we're on the subject of authors, if W40k does tickle your fancy, you usually can't go wrong with novels by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Graham McNeill, James Swallow and the aforementioned Mr Abnett.

Other than that, I'd suggest you look into Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy; the setting is basically a biotech/steampunk version of the First World War.

 

[dragon60fe]

If you're looking for sci-fi, I'd personally go with anything by Douglas Adams or Orson Scott Card.

Fantasy's a shorter list, but Terry Brooks and Piers Anthony have always been good.

 

[Cheesepower5]

Percy Jackson isn't spectacular or anything, but the series is long enough to keep you occupied for a while and it's pretty good in it's own right.


I also highly recommend The Bartimaeus Trilogy.

Gotta second Bartimaeus trilogy, definitely the greatest work of modern-period fantasy I've read. It definitely breaks away from the usual constraints of the genre.

And I get your game Nikolai... Trying to shut me up. XD Seriously though, I'm glad somebody else enjoys that series. Might I also reccomend Ender's Game, TC?

 

[Tiger Sora]

I recommend Sandy Mitchell author of the Caliphas Cain novels. War Hammer 40K.

Follows the adventures of one of the greatest Comissar who ever lived. Great read. Action, adventure, dark comedy. Read it or be heretict.

Number of the other WH40K are great, but do research into them.

Actually I'll toss in some more series.

Dark Tower - Steven King
Lord of the Ring - J.R.R Tolkien

I'll add Eregon. I liked the books, but it's by a novice author and borrows a lot of things from lotr, but still enjoyable.