I need a book.

[Kekkles]

This is most likely the 329,584,097,234th time someone has asked this but I was wondering what book I should begin reading.

I'm looking for something in-depth and in a fantasy/sci-fi setting, the thing is I'm the sort of reader that if I'm not sucked in quickly, I'll put the book down and never read it again. I don't like people using Tolkien's races, other than Tolkien unless they do a decent job of it. So really I just want something a bit original (in the writing, style and depth), gripping and worth the ride. I also don't mind Japanese style writing (manga whatnot).

I haven't read many book before but I have read;
- Orcs, Stan Nicholls
- Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
- The Wee Free Men,Terry Pratchett

And for Manga I read/have read;
- Persona
- Soul Eater
- I Luv Halloween
- Fullmetal Alchemist

Exactly. That's it. I'm too picky and for no reason at all, give me something mega to read. I'm also purchasing Dune, Game of Thrones (and that series) and Mogworld in the coming days, just need more.

 

[Mogg01]

Wheel of time. Great series, and since there are currently 12 books with a 13th on the way, each over 600 pages long, you won't run out of reading material for a while once you get hooked.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Want a history book?

The 900 Days - The Siege of Leningrad

By Harrison E. Salisbury.

I'm reading it and enjoying it immensely.

 

[Tharwen]

Moar Terry Pratchett!

If you like Terry Pratchett, read Douglas Adams! Then read moar Douglas Adams!

There. That's you covered for at least 4 years.

 

[ReaperGrimm]

Night Angel trilogy by Brent weeks, Harry Dresden files by Jim Butcher, nothing else comes to mind.

 

[klaynexas3]

try the Dark Tower series by Steven King. it's a 7 book series, and while i've only read the first two, so far it is awesome. another few books you should read are the Ender's Game series, along with the Ender's Shadow series, Arthas: Wrath of the Lich King, Warcraft: War of the Ancients trilogy. and i can't really think of many other books at the moment that i have read, with all of those you'll get a good 22 books to read though, so you should be good for a while

 

[Draconalis]

Storm Front, the first book of "The Dresden Files"

The series is amazing.

 

[kenu12345]

im just throwing this out there but the hunger games books are all awesome

 

[Smertnik]

Well, you can always read more Pratchett. He's written over 40 novels. Neil Gaiman writes in a somewhat similar direction.

Depending on where you live/which languages you speak you definitely should check out the witcher series by Andrzey Sapkovsky. I believe some of the books still haven't been translated to English.

As far as manga go, Parasyte (Kiseijuu) is highly recommendable.

 

[Tallim]

Moar Terry Pratchett!

If you like Terry Pratchett, read Douglas Adams! Then read moar Douglas Adams!

There. That's you covered for at least 4 years.

Why does no-one read Robert Rankin or Jasper Fforde?

^Authors I suggest to OP too.

Read The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.
Or pretty much any Robert Rankin. Dog Called Demolition is a good one.

 

[Draconalis]

Wheel of time. Great series, and since there are currently 12 books with a 13th on the way, each over 600 pages long, you won't run out of reading material for a while once you get hooked.

I can't bring myself to give that series a go.

I know the guy's son picked up where he left off when he died, and he had the entire remainder of the story in cliff notes and everything... but it just doesn't feel like it would be the real ending, because the author died. I just get this feeling it wouldn't satisfy me.

 

[Speakercone]

Isaac Asimov might be worth looking into. The Foundation series is a good place to start.

 

[Draconalis]

Oh, and if you like the Japanese style, there is a series of books called, "The Twelve Kingdoms" that are simply beautiful. The writing is almost poetic, and the world is quite imaginative.

 

[jat112786]

I suggest something from Tom Robbins. Like Jitterbug Perfume, Another Roadside Attraction, or Skinny Legs and All

 

[jat112786]

I suggest anything by Tom Robbins like Jitterbug Perfume, Another Roadside Attraction, or Skinny Legs and All. Not sci-fi really but good none the less. Also Douglas Adams works too.

 

[mParadox]

Anything by John Grisham. Probably start with the Rainmaker or the Firm. Those will get ya hooked for sure.

 

[Lilani]

-snip-

My personal favorites as of late have been a quartet by Dawn Cook, starting with "First Truth." It's got a female heroine and it's sort of a fantasy/romance thing, but there's a lot of character development and interesting turns, so I never got bored with it.

Then there is the Study trio by Maria V. Snyder. The books are Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study. These three have quite a bit more action than the Truth series. There's still a relationship subplot, but it's not the central focus. Again, female heroine. There is a spin-off series to this universe called the Glass series (Storm Glass, Sea Glass, and Spy glass) and the author has expressed interest in further exploring the series even more later.

I highly recommend both, though. The characters are fun and they will not fail to surprise you when you least expect it. And they both fit your criteria of not using Tolkienesque creatures. They both have very interesting takes on fantasy, actually, in my opinion. The Truth series mixes science and geneology in with its brand of magic (not just using the cop-out of "it's magic, okay?" to explain EVERYTHING), the Study series mixes very human and real problems while still maintaining that other-worldly feeling.

 

[Kekkles]

Thankyou all, I'll look every one of them up. Though you shouldn't stop giving me more books to read, I definitely have the time to read.

 

[Tharwen]

Moar Terry Pratchett!

If you like Terry Pratchett, read Douglas Adams! Then read moar Douglas Adams!

There. That's you covered for at least 4 years.

Why does no-one read Robert Rankin or Jasper Fforde?

Because Terry Pratchett.

He's the most fanboy-ed author I know of (except perhaps Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling).