Hello Escapists, What books would you recommend?

[Baghram]

Can't believe nobody mentioned Patrick Rothfuss yet.

'The Name of the Wind' his debut novel has won tons of awards, and his second novel 'The Wise Man's Fear' came out last year. I highly recommend those. It's definitely my favourite series of the latest years. Well written, intelligent and has a new take on the Fantasy genre.

I also second the mentioning of Joe Abercrombie, his 'First Law' trilogy is very well written, dark and gritty and doesn't feature your average goody two shoes heroes.

If you like reading about multiple big complicated story archs stretching over several novels and always leaves you guessing, then you could give Steven Eriksson's 'Malazan Book's of the Fallen' a try.

And of course, Brent Week's 'Night Angel Trilogy' is awesome.

 

[Oesinger]

Just today i finished "Leviathan Wakes" from James S.A. Corey, i rather enjoyed it, its a SciFi Novel set in the near future and has a more "realistic" tone than most of the Scifi i am familiar with.

Also i would recommend "the Hobbit", in case you have not read it yet, its one of my favorite books, especially the illustrated version.

 

[Micromyni]

Ripped directly from a post I've put on ANOTHER book recommend thread:

What Book: Dragon Champion by E.E Knight of the Age of Fire series
About: A clutch of dragons from the POV or each of the three hatchlings per book.
Enjoying: Hellz to the yeah. This series is my favorite fantasy books of all time. These dragons actually act like DRAGONS, and they have no problems killing and eating humans, but they also have the capacity for advanced thought and speech. Such a fascinating take on dragons; reading the book you feel like you're looking through the mind of an enormous predator. They see ambush opportunities and the prospect of a quick meal in everything, but can talk casually to the human that they just briefly toyed with the idea of eating a split second before.

 

[You Can't Take the Sky From Me]

If you're interested in some off the beaten path, modern fantasy, try to find somthing by Charles de Lindt. His stuff is set in the modern world but with faries, magic and all that good, fantasy stuff underneath.

 

[savageoblivi0n]

*snip*

I highly recommend the Necroscope series, by Brian Lumley. International psychic espionage set in the cold war, also talking to the spirits of the dead, vampires, and all other kinds of good stuff.

 

[VladG]

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.

I've read Dune and pretty much everything by Pratchett. Though I did not like the Dune extended universe.

I got Metro 2033 the book just a few days ago because I really liked the game. Haven't started it yet.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

Awesome, a chance to call back to my second post http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.384696-Escapist-Podcast-057-Condiments-Kids-and-Metacritic#15275834 in which I call back to my first. I love it when life works, I should celebrate.

Anyway, I would suggest The House of Leaves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves

I would say get it in the book form not on a reader, but you never know it might be nice to have it on that medium alternatively or as well.

 

[Guffe]

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

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

I haven't read any religious books, as in the big ones like the Bible or the Koran, but that's exactly what I've heard from people who have read it. That it isn't reccommended unless you actualy believe or want to try and believe.

 

[The White Hunter]

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

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

I haven't read any religious books, as in the big ones like the Bible or the Koran, but that's exactly what I've heard from people who have read it. That it isn't reccommended unless you actualy believe or want to try and believe.

Have they all also told you that they say more or less the same things? And that they're much more vague than the fundamental wackjobs would have you believe?

 

[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.

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

That's probably true but I can't even read it's native language and have no real desire to do so.

Oh well.

 

[3quency]

The Gone Away World by Nick Harkaway.
It's fantastic.

And it has ninjas.

 

[Guffe]

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

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

I haven't read any religious books, as in the big ones like the Bible or the Koran, but that's exactly what I've heard from people who have read it. That it isn't reccommended unless you actualy believe or want to try and believe.

Have they all also told you that they say more or less the same things? And that they're much more vague than the fundamental wackjobs would have you believe?

Pretty much yeah.
But that's something I knew without reading 'em. Because then again I find religious history, especially the Catholic history very interesting and there the Bible and faith are of course brought up so you also get a small portion of that at the same time.

 

[The White Hunter]

Or if you just want a challenge read the Bible.

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

I haven't read any religious books, as in the big ones like the Bible or the Koran, but that's exactly what I've heard from people who have read it. That it isn't reccommended unless you actualy believe or want to try and believe.

Have they all also told you that they say more or less the same things? And that they're much more vague than the fundamental wackjobs would have you believe?

Pretty much yeah.
But that's something I knew without reading 'em. Because then again I find religious history, especially the Catholic history very interesting and there the Bible and faith are of course brought up so you also get a small portion of that at the same time.

Fair enough, the history around it can be very interesting but it often feeds my disdain for organised religion.

I also stand to never have arguments with people who only have one book, because all they can do is recite non-contextual gibberish.

 

[RADIALTHRONE1]

A Dogs Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. Im not usually an emotional person, but this book made me cry once or twice. Its all written from the perspective of a dog.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

The Dresden Files. Read them, cherish them, love them.

I've yet to meet someone who's read them who hasn't liked them. They're just in general really fun books.

 

[Spaghetti]

Some of the best Sci-Fi that I can suggest is Peter F Hamilton's "Night's Dawn" Trilogy.

It is a Space Opera in every sense with three massive books with three or four story lines going on at the same time at any given moment and perhaps 50 fantastic characters. I can't do it proper justice here but I really do urge you to go out and read them.

 

[Wolf In A Bear Suit]

I liked the Eragon books. They're by no means original but they're well written and veeeeeery long, something I look for in a book

 

[chadachada123]

CTRL+F -> 1984 -> No results

Well shit, what the hell is this?

OP, you should read 1984. It's my favorite book ever, and I can think of no parallels in dystopian novels.

 

[notyouraveragejoe]

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.

I just couldn't get into the Bartimaesus books. Book one left me bored. Percy Jackson fared better but eventually I stopped reading. That's just me though.

I recommend my favourite series of all time: Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Western Sci-Fi Fantasy amalgam with well rounded characters and a story that sucks you in. If you like it then it's both long and complete so no waiting between books. Other than King I tend to read crime/thriller (Rankin, Patterson and Koontz rule) or comic books (Nightwing duh!) so can't help you that much.

 

[Signa]

If you love Fantasy, the Shannara books by Terry Brooks are fucking amazing. I must have read them all 4 times or more as a kid. Not so sure about the newer books, but Terry Brooks is still my favorite author.

Currently, I'm reading the books that the show Dexter is based off of. The first book and first season match up quite closely, except for the end (which involve main characters dying that are still alive in the show). After that, it's like reading the show in an alternate universe. Every character is exactly the same, but they are all going through different things instead of what we saw in the show.