Hello Escapists, What books would you recommend?
- Thread starter VladG
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Are you talking about the Shannara books, or the Dexter Books? The last trilogy of the Shannara books I read was certainly silly. Air ships, and stumbling on the ruins of a sci-fi tech level ruin. It was the changeup I thought the series needed, but it wasn't what I was looking for.VladG said:
As for Dexter, I'm 2/3rds through the 3rd book, and it isn't that silly. There's an implication that his dark passenger is self-aware, but it hasn't crossed any lines yet into something stupid.
If you like the complex world building of Martin, then allow me to recommend the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson.
Really good books (there will be a total of 10, with 9 published so far and the 10th due out next year, and unlike Martin, Donaldson is very serious about his writing, you can count on the fact that he will actually finish the series [in fact, he updated his blog last December saying the 10th book was in rough draft form, he just has to do the rewrites and he's done]).
His style is a bit hard sometimes, like Tolkien. He likes to use big words, so it's no easy read like Salvatore or Rowling. But it is well worth the effort involved. The story he tells is pretty amazing. In fact I like all of his stuff, he's done some Sci-Fi as well that is very good.
Also, I like Stephen King's Dark Tower series as well, so another recommendation for that one.
Really good books (there will be a total of 10, with 9 published so far and the 10th due out next year, and unlike Martin, Donaldson is very serious about his writing, you can count on the fact that he will actually finish the series [in fact, he updated his blog last December saying the 10th book was in rough draft form, he just has to do the rewrites and he's done]).
His style is a bit hard sometimes, like Tolkien. He likes to use big words, so it's no easy read like Salvatore or Rowling. But it is well worth the effort involved. The story he tells is pretty amazing. In fact I like all of his stuff, he's done some Sci-Fi as well that is very good.
Also, I like Stephen King's Dark Tower series as well, so another recommendation for that one.
Stephen King Books, really just any will do you fine he is an awesome writer
Edit:The guy above beat me to it
Edit:The guy above beat me to it
I've been on a bit of a fantasy kick this year. Having not read much else other than Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice over the last few years, I've started building up a mini collection and this year I've gotten through:
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series (Steven Erikson)
The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
The Way of Kings (Brandon Sanderson)
Mistborn Trilogy(Brandon Sanderson)
On queue (Abercrombie and Barker)
Malazan is a looong series, and not really for everyone as the author tosses you right into the story basically 'mid campaign', none of this easing you gently into a complex world sissy crap! Name of the Wind was a good book, and I still need to get the sequel, makes things a bit simpler as it's told from the first person view of a single character, but I personally wouldn't rate it as highly as others.
My ultimate favourite though is Brandon Sanderson (the guy who's finishing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series) The Way of Kings, 1st book of a planned 10 book series called The Stormlight Archive. Everyone's going to have their own opinions of course, but judging by the first book mine is that by the time it's completed this could knock Martin out of 1st place for fantasy series. Martin took the tired old fantasy scene and put a gritty realistic spin on it, which was a breath of fresh air on the genre, but that doesn't mean everything needs to be dark and gritty, and personally I think Sanderson shines here finding a nice middle ground.
The book is also beautifully illustrated and is a monster 1000+ pager. Usually when authors are starting a large series the first book is a little on the shorter side because they have to build up some credentials before a publisher will let them push that limit, but Sanderson got around this by starting with a number of smaller books before starting his big major epic series that he's had in his head for 10 years.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series (Steven Erikson)
The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
The Way of Kings (Brandon Sanderson)
Mistborn Trilogy(Brandon Sanderson)
On queue (Abercrombie and Barker)
Malazan is a looong series, and not really for everyone as the author tosses you right into the story basically 'mid campaign', none of this easing you gently into a complex world sissy crap! Name of the Wind was a good book, and I still need to get the sequel, makes things a bit simpler as it's told from the first person view of a single character, but I personally wouldn't rate it as highly as others.
My ultimate favourite though is Brandon Sanderson (the guy who's finishing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series) The Way of Kings, 1st book of a planned 10 book series called The Stormlight Archive. Everyone's going to have their own opinions of course, but judging by the first book mine is that by the time it's completed this could knock Martin out of 1st place for fantasy series. Martin took the tired old fantasy scene and put a gritty realistic spin on it, which was a breath of fresh air on the genre, but that doesn't mean everything needs to be dark and gritty, and personally I think Sanderson shines here finding a nice middle ground.
The book is also beautifully illustrated and is a monster 1000+ pager. Usually when authors are starting a large series the first book is a little on the shorter side because they have to build up some credentials before a publisher will let them push that limit, but Sanderson got around this by starting with a number of smaller books before starting his big major epic series that he's had in his head for 10 years.
I recommend the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy, it's set in Ireland in a world were magic exists, but is kept secret from humans and the story around a skeleton detective named Skulduggery and a girl named Valkyrie Cain (real name Stephanie) as they try to save the world from evil mages
The Stand is fantastic, it is extremely long but its flawed and varied characters really draw you in and it does what all people in apocalypses should always do, they use bikes.VladG said:
Try Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow. It's available in many different formats for free on the author's site, here: http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/
However, you should buy it. It's well worth the money.
However, you should buy it. It's well worth the money.
I saw this thread and immediately thought Neil Gaiman but since you've read most of his already, I'd suggest Garth Nix, specifically the Abhorsen series. Also, since you said you're not in the mood for fantasy or sci-fi, I'd say Animal Farm.
I personally really like The Picture of Dorian Gray.
By Oscar Wilde.
Here is a quote from Lord Henry Wotton (One of the main characters).
''A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?''
Mind, I do not smoke. But whilst reading the book I began to crave for one more and more the further I got.
By Oscar Wilde.
Here is a quote from Lord Henry Wotton (One of the main characters).
''A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?''
Mind, I do not smoke. But whilst reading the book I began to crave for one more and more the further I got.
