I need a good book.

[swankyfella]

Any recommendations? Anything sci-fi, philosophical, or just generally awesome.

I reach out to the mighty knowledge base that is The Escapist community.

 

[SirDeadly]

I literally just posted something similar to this. For a generally awesome book you can't got past the Ranger's Apprentice series or the Night Angel Trilogy.

 

[TheAbominableDan]

Everyone should read American Gods by Neil Gaiman. If you haven't read it you're missing out big time.

 

[TimeLord]

I would suggest the 7 Artemis Fowl books. Easy to read and brilliantly written

 

[Cherry Cola]

Go get some Discworld.

Ain't gettin' much better than that

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

Try George R.R. Martin´s A Game of Thrones. It´s an awesome book that´s receiving a lot of attention because of the new HBO tv show. It´s medieval fantasy for mature readers that´s less about sword and sourcery and more about political intrigue,backstabbing and character development.

 

[Hosker]

A second A Game of Thrones, or LoTR, but that doesn't appeal to many people.

 

[KafkaOffTheBeach]

Haruki Murakami. He is excellent. I'd recommend After Dark as an entry drug into his style of writing and his peculiar take on magical realism.
If you are a major literaturefag, then maybe try some Mark Z. Danielewski - Only Revolutions and House of Leaves are both incredible and ludicrously canadian/postmodern-ish.
Ermmmm...
I've been rereading Hemmingway recently - his stuff is a work of genius, particularly Fiesta. And Machiavelli is essential. Or you could read some Kafka - I've always found his combination of hard philosophy, prose and dark humor really engaging. Or maybe some Joyce if you want to look down on everyone else.
Ah!
Read 100 years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez! It is necessary for everyone with a passing interest in books.
AND read Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting. I fucking love that book....

EDIT: This is a very silly post. I don't really know what I was trying to achieve with it.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

Everyone should read American Gods by Neil Gaiman. If you haven't read it you're missing out big time.

This. It´s the best piece of literature Neil Gaiman ever produced (and i´m a huge fan of Sandman, Anasi Boys and Neverwhere).

 

[exarkunsith]

I would suggest The Saga of Seven Suns, by Kevin J Anderson.

 

[Scorpianhead]

The star wars republic commando series and the warhammer 40k space wolves omnibus.

 

[pope_of_larry]

the eargon books are not bad

 

[Neverhoodian]

If you're into Warhammer 40,000 try tracking down a copy of Space Marine by Ian Watson. It was one of the first 40k books ever written, and it helped establish the style and tone of future books in the series. I just got a reprint copy from the Black Library website, and so far it's an incredibly engrossing book. It really captures the militaristic, dystopian insanity of the universe it's set in.

I feel like I have to insert a few caveats, however. The book's writing style is a bit clunky sometimes, and certain details are now inaccurate since it's based off the early versions of Warhammer 40,000.

If you don't mind some non-fiction, try reading John Keegan's or Antony Beever's works. Their books on the World Wars are some of the finest I've ever read on the subject.

 

[Gaiseric]

This post if from SirDeadly's recent thread.(slightly modified okay more than slightly)
Anything by Jim Butcher(Codex Alera/Dresden Files).
The Iron Elves series by Chris Evans is pretty good as is the Twilight Reign series by Tom Lloyd.
The Nightside series by Simon R. Green are usually good reads.
The Night Angel series by Brent Weeks
Twenty Palaces series by Harry Connolly
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey
Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis.
The Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell
Orphanage(and its sequels) by Robert Buettner
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
The Vampire Earth series by E.E. Knight
The Clone Republic(and its sequels) by Steven L. Kent
The Looking Glass series by John Ringo(good if you don't mind him trash talking Democrats and romanticizing Republicans whenever the books contains politics. I think the sci-fi tech and battles make up for it though)

edit: Any Battletech/MechWarrior books usually make for a good read. I love me some Battletech.

 

[Heronblade]

Just about anything by Orson Scott Card:
Alvin Maker series (A fantasy story set in an alternate version of 1800's America)
Homecoming series (sci-fi long exiled humans trying to make their way back to Earth)
Ender's Game series (sci-fi an intricate story that explores human nature as it deals with the sometimes violent relationships between them and various sentient alien species)

The Camulod chronicles by Jack Whyte. One of the best historical fictions I've ever read. The series begins from the point of view of a Roman soldier who returns to his trade of blacksmithing when crippled in early 400 AD, forges a sword known as Excalibur, and is grandfather to one Merlin Ambrosius.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

Mark Chadbourne's Age of Misrule trilogy. The Tuatha dé Danaan and the Formii (families of Celtic Gods) are back and they are pissed at having been away so long. The majority of mythological creatures they bring back with them are either hostile, predatory or hostilely predatory towards humans. The reemergence of magic shuts down technology. The Tuatha De Danaan are not all that kind themselves, they view humans as little more than bugs, they resemble the indifferent creator paradigm. Some of them are curious and take humans apart to see how they work (more to it then that but spoilers), some hate humans and others just ignore them completely.

It's actually fairly faithful to olden lore e.g Faeries reappear but they are not the cute cuddly re-imagining but the cruel, vindictive, malicious and vengeful Fae Folk.

It's not hardcore but it's definitely not a kid's book series. Maybe very late teens upwards.

Spoiler: Amazon description

All over the country, the ancient gods of Celtic mythology are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: the Fabulous Beasts, shape-shifters and Night Walkers, and other, less wholesome beings. As they grow in power, so technology is swept away. It is myth and magic that now rule supreme in this new Dark Age: The Age of Misrule. The Eternal Conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danann, golden-skinned and beautiful; on the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. But in times of trouble, come heroes. Five flawed humans, Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, are drawn together to search for the magical talismans which which to fight the powers of old. But time draws short and humanity looks set to be swept away . . .

 

[Strixvaliano]

Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (Great book)

Supernatural by Graham Hancock (Awesome book on human history and psychedelic usage)

Warlock by Wilbur Smith (Egyptian themed drama that "tracks a power struggle in ancient Egypt between false pharaohs and a true royal heir." Then again I'm also a bit obsessed with Ancient Egypt.)

Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism by Daniel Pinchbeck

2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck (an examination of prophecy through personal and philosophical approaches as well as global consciousness transformation theories, etc. Just an interesting read to me.)

Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan ("Chronicles the journey of a middle-aged, white, American woman with a group of 62 desert Aborigines, the "Real People", across the continent of Australia. The author states the book was written after the fact inspired by actual experience."

Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Robert Bach (Really awesome book. "Mystical adventure story revolving around two barnstorming pilots who meet in a field in midwest America. The two main characters, who are doing what each one really wants to do, take on a relationship of teacher-student about the illusions that make reality.")


Now I know some of the books I listed make radical claims and some people really really believe in them, but I read them and they allowed me to think in ways I may not have before... if the information they present is true or false, I simply do not care, I was entertained and that is enough to satisfy me.

 

[Ferrious]

Mogworld by our very own Yahtzee Croshaw!

Escapist-love aside, it's a great book for anyone who likes gaming tropes, fantasy deconstruction or just dry humour.

For the price of a London pint, you can't go wrong.

 

[Vault101]

Any recommendations? Anything sci-fi, philosophical, or just generally awesome.

I reach out to the mighty knowledge base that is The Escapist community.

The picture of Dorian gray is an old classic

Its actually pretty readable for somthing from that long ago

(most often with old lituriture I feel like Im missign subtle details because the language is so thick)

 

[Sethzard]

Magician by raymond E Feist
Any of Trudi Canavan's trilogies
The night angel trilogy, any of karren miller's series (http://www.karenmiller.net/books.cfm)