Hello Escapists, What books would you recommend?

[Gabanuka]

The Belgariad by David Eddings

Then if you enjoy that you can read The Malloreon

Its not as adult as A Song of Ice and Fire but its a damn good fantasy series.

 

[Talvrae]

Look for William Gibson

 

[sage42]

I also highly recommend The Bartimaeus Trilogy.

I third this suggestion, it was quite fun, brings together many aspects of a good book nicely. Also if you want a nice long, long, long fantasy series, I suggest the Wheel Of Time series. 13 books in total and so many characters it would make A Marvel vs Capcom game blush.

 

[zerragonoss]

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.

The Koran is supposed to be about a hundred times better in its native langue, and does not translate well.

as for books to read I would recommend The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson or the Codex Alera series by jim butcher for more swords and horses fantasy like LotR
If you want to try some urban try jim butcher's Dresden Files, a maddness of angels Kate Griffin, excellent take on the possibilities of modernizing magic, or possibly the cal leandros books by Rob Thurman if you dont mind your main characters extremely angsty (with good reason but still).

 

[Elgnirp100]

I would highly recommend a book called "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It is an incredibly good book, probably my favourite.

The "Gone" series by Michael Grant is aimed more at teenagers, but is still a good read, if kinda depressing at times.

 

[The_Echo]

John Dies at the End by David Wong might tickle your fancy.

And while it isn't sci-fi or fantasy, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is just a really, really good book that I'd recommend to anyone.

 

[Silver Patriot]

I don't know what you have read from Asimov, but his I, Robot collection is good. Also if you haven't read it his Foundation novels you should.

Also "A HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy". More comedy with SyFi, but quite fun.

 

[MetaKnight19]

I will always recommend this book, even though I'm far older than its target audience.

Also I've started reading Mardock Scramble, the anime was great and so far the book is as well...

 

[VladG]

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.

I was half tempted to get into W40K books... Guess now I know where to start.

I'll give these a lookup

 

[Erja_Perttu]

John Dies at the End by David Wong might tickle your fancy.

And while it isn't sci-fi or fantasy, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is just a really, really good book that I'd recommend to anyone.

Man, I loved John Dies at the End. Best 99p I ever spent, I tells ya.

I love pulp thrillers, which don't sound a jot what you're after at all, but hey, what the hell. I'm reading Guns of the Navarone at the moment and it's a hoot, albeit a War is Hell, this is FUBAR, we're all going to die kind of hoot.

 

[VladG]

I don't know what you have read from Asimov, but his I, Robot collection is good. Also if you haven't read it his Foundation novels you should.

Also "A HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy". More comedy with SyFi, but quite fun.

I've read the first few Foundation novels, including the prequel. Can't say I liked The Foundation much past the.. 3rd novel maybe?

I think I've read through most of the I, Robot short stories.

 

[saintdane05]

Legend of Drizzt (Might be under Forgotten Realms)

Animorphs (I know it's for kids and the covers are gimmicky, but it's really good at the end!)

Retribution Falls

Star Trek: Before Dishonor

Starcraft: Ghost: Nova

Starcraft: I, Mengsk

The Railway Series (Especially the later stuff, if you are a train enthusiast. Most noticeably, this was the first appearance of Thomas the Tank Engine)

Halo: Fall of Reach

Halo: The Flood

The Once and Future King

Doctor Who: SHADA

------------------------------

Now, the Warhammer stuff

The first Blood Angels Omnibus

The Night Lord's Trilogy

Ciaphias Cain: Hero of the Imperium

THe First Heretic

 

[Sonicron]

I was half tempted to get into W40K books... Guess now I know where to start.

I'll give these a lookup

Well, they were what roped me in several years ago.
(Btw, there's a sequel omnibus to Eisenhorn, called Ravenor. Also very good.)

If you like those books you might want to check out the Horus Heresy series of novels. It's ongoing, spanning 20 novels so far, and it's a detailed multi-perspectival account of the events that led to the future being so messed up. In short, it's basically Warhammer 30.000.

 

[Silver Patriot]

I don't know what you have read from Asimov, but his I, Robot collection is good. Also if you haven't read it his Foundation novels you should.

Also "A HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy". More comedy with SyFi, but quite fun.

I've read the first few Foundation novels, including the prequel. Can't say I liked The Foundation much past the.. 3rd novel maybe?

I think I've read through most of the I, Robot short stories.

I have only read the Prequel and the first two. So I can't say anything about the quality of the later books.

Most of my favorite works from him are his short stories. Such as "The Last Question" and the I,Robot collection I mentioned earlier. (Which had no relation to the movie of the same name.)

 

[SckizoBoy]

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.

That... a lot of that... (just finished Behemoth... and I usually don't go for illustrations in books, but they go with the narrative really well, and they weren't half good as well).

Along with that, almost anything by Robin Hobb (reading the Rainwilds Trilogy atm), so I'd go for the Assassin/Liveships/Tawny Man trilogies, though they can be rather heavy going, but I got into them quite quickly. But they can be depressing at times.

However, if you can hack depressing, then go for Ian Irvine, Well of Echoes etc.

 

[Humble Grapefruit]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. Fantastic plot line, not too complex but lots of characters and places, some romance, moral decisions, action scenes.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

If you don't mind having your mind fucked with a bit, then I absolutely recommend the Dark Tower series by Stephen King

I also recommend two series by Jim Butcher; The Dresden Files, and the Codex Alera.

And there's the Nightside series by Simon R. Green. The books in this series are kinda short, but fun reads nonetheless.

 

[solemnwar]

Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky is excellent.

Gail Z. Martin and David Eddings are very good (with David Eddings start with the Belgariad, it's the strongest series). I also enjoy the fantasy novels by Ian Irvine (well, the first four, the rest get a bit... depressing).

Michael J. Sullivan has some very good traditional fantasy novels out. Clichetastic but so well written that you won't even care

 

[a7xman]

Not sure if you're a fan of the old classics in literary circles, but the Portrait of Dorian Gray (Grey?) is fsntastic.

 

[Heathcliff84]

It is the year 10191. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah
Emperor Shaddam IV.

In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice
melange. The spice extends life, the spice expands
consciousness, the spice is vital to space travel.

The Spacing Guild and its navigators, who the spice has mutated over
four thousand years, use the orange spice gas which gives them the
ability to fold space.

That is travel to any part of the universe without moving.

The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe .....

a desolate, dry planet with vast deserts.

Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as
Fremen who have long held a prophecy, that a man
would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom.

The planet is Arrakis, also known as... DUNE.

I read every piece of paper only remotly related to this marvelous universe.


Metro 2033 is quite good (btw. the game is just awesome and dirt cheap).

If you like his style: Terry Prattchet will reliably entertain you.