70 replies to this topic

[Yung]

The Inheritance series is awesome! I loved it.

[Yung]

It is like a dumb downed version of the lord of the rings and no where near as dragging. Every chapter, even the parts of wandering in the wilderness, are building plot.

It is the quintessence of what you'd requested in a suggestion.

[Junsu]

51 Shades of Grey

I thought The Hunger Games was alright for the first two books, but the last book was really... dark, I guess?
Read the classics like Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, Invisible Man, Catch-22, Lord of the Flies, etc etc.

I recently went on a Fitzgerald and Vonnegut reading spree :c Cats Cradle yay

Last book I read was Kindred by Octavia Butler which was an OK book I guess

[Leaf]

The Lesser Key of Solomon Goetia

[Yung]

The Count of Monte Cristo is another excellent classic if we're just tossing those out there. Definitely my favorite of all the classic novels in circulation.

[Junsu]

I Googled it and wiki states that it's a 'Young Adult' series, it's it well written? I find a lot of 'Young Adult' books are written like Twilight, or the Goosebumps collection, where the author 'dumbs down' their wording :\

The book isn't that dumbed down, but I could consider its more of an adventure fantasy battle magic dragon book, and most girls don't like it :c
I feel that each book gets worse and worse though

[Junsu]

I usually go to tumblr when I run out of books :c
http://www.tumblr.co...ed/reading list

Edited by PlsLetMeTalk2AdmBe4BanPls, 03 September 2012 - 05:23 PM.

[Nanarie]

I think Sarah Dessen's books are considered YA but regardless I think it's very good chick lit. Also Sophie Kinsella writes great romance novels. I liked Remember Me?
Hope these are what you're looking for!

[Yung]

The book isn't that dumbed down, but I could consider its more of an adventure fantasy battle magic dragon book, and most girls don't like it :c
I feel that each book gets worse and worse though

The series is over, he was only writing three books for it and the last one had too much content which is the only reason we ended up with four books to the series.

In my personal opinion the best chapter ever for the series was in Brisngr when Eragon forges Brisngr, I've re-read that chapter alone a couple dozen times easily.

[Nanarie]

Read the classics like Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, Invisible Man, Catch-22, Lord of the Flies, etc etc.

I had to read Invisible Man for my AP Lit summer reading and I didn't really like it :< But maybe that's just because I was forced to read it? I agree with all the other books. The Great Gatsby ;~;

[Trichomes]

I Googled it and wiki states that it's a 'Young Adult' series, it's it well written? I find a lot of 'Young Adult' books are written like Twilight, or the Goosebumps collection, where the author 'dumbs down' their wording :\

Yet you want to read The Hunger Games?

[Yung]

That was my thought too.

[Map]

I love reading! I couldn't get through the fourth book of the Inheritance cycle -- does everything get wrapped up in that book?

My reading suggestions for Fantasy books:

1. The Hunger Games
2. I am Number Four series -- I literally couldn't put down the book and finished it in one sitting! xD
3. Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief series -- If you enjoy a quick read with Roman / Greek mythology
4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and the following books Fire, and Bitterblue
5. Cassandra Clare, both series (The Mortal Instruments, Infernal Devices) -- Very Angel/Demon-ish but it was an entertaining filler while I was waiting for other books to come out :3
6. The Iron Druid Chronicles

[Bone]

White Noise! It doesn't fit your genre preferences but it will change your life

[Neoquest]

I really liked Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. It's written amazingly well. :3

[NapisaurusRex]

I think Sarah Dessen's books are considered YA but regardless I think it's very good chick lit. Also Sophie Kinsella writes great romance novels. I liked Remember Me?
Hope these are what you're looking for!

I love Sarah Dessen. I also really enjoy Nora Roberts... not the Silhouette stuff, but her novels. I liked the book The Started Wife a lot.

For not girly stuff, I like Wally Lamb. He's very... verbose, but writes great endings and ties shit together.

Edited by Napiform, 03 September 2012 - 07:11 PM.

[Nymh]

Terry Pratchett is fun, since you like fantasy.

Since you mentioned epic fantasy, and you're a chick, maybe check out the Rhapsody series.

Also, all of the Raymond E. Feist books.

The Coldfire Trilogy is by far my favorite fantasy series; too bad it was wrapped up so soon, but at the same time it's nice to not have to invest yourself to read 14 books when the series is over in 3 and they have some of the best characters I've ever read in them.

L. E. Modesitt is another pretty good fantasy author, I really like the spin on magic that he put into his books.

Epic epic fantasy like Robert Jordan is a significant investment. The Wheel of Time is a fantastic story but it is definitely a huge task to take on. The characters can get pretty fucking annoying as well, because I feel like they don't really grow or develop much, the story just evolves around them (if that makes any sense).

The Shannara series by Terry Brooks is a good, easy read for an epic series. It's a great starter series, there are a lot of books but they're not hard to get through and aren't boring.

You said that you're thinking about the George R. R. Martin books, I haven't read them myself so I can't really comment, but I will be soon

[Map]

Terry Pratchett is fun, since you like fantasy.

Since you mentioned epic fantasy, and you're a chick, maybe check out the Rhapsody series.

Also, all of the Raymond E. Feist books.

The Coldfire Trilogy is by far my favorite fantasy series; too bad it was wrapped up so soon, but at the same time it's nice to not have to invest yourself to read 14 books when the series is over in 3 and they have some of the best characters I've ever read in them.

L. E. Modesitt is another pretty good fantasy author, I really like the spin on magic that he put into his books.

Epic epic fantasy like Robert Jordan is a significant investment. The Wheel of Time is a fantastic story but it is definitely a huge task to take on. The characters can get pretty fucking annoying as well, because I feel like they don't really grow or develop much, the story just evolves around them (if that makes any sense).

The Shannara series by Terry Brooks is a good, easy read for an epic series. It's a great starter series, there are a lot of books but they're not hard to get through and aren't boring.

You said that you're thinking about the George R. R. Martin books, I haven't read them myself so I can't really comment, but I will be soon

I've always seen the Shannara series by Terry Brooks around (When I was looking for Terry Goodkind, this author would troll me). I've always been hesitant to pick it up -- maybe because of the sheer number of the books. I think i'll make this my next project.

I've never heard of the Coldfire Triology! I just did a quick amazon search and it has high reviews, so I'm thinking of picking this up :3. Thanks Nymh!

Another book series that really loved was the Codex Aleria series by Jim Butcher. Highly recommend!

[Nymh]

I've never heard of the Coldfire Triology! I just did a quick amazon search and it has high reviews, so I'm thinking of picking this up :3. Thanks Nymh!

I hope that you do, it would be nice for someone to finally understand my love for Gerald Tarrant.

Oooh you play LoL? Don't wanna get this thread off topic, but we should chat

[Melchoire]

Cows
High Life
Empty Mile
(all by Matthew Stokoe, first two are extremely graphic though)

The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

Animal Farm - George Orwell

[redlion]

Epic fantasy is somewhat of a specialty of mine.

Terry Goodkind is a great place to start. I find that the volumes got a little less... engaging towards the end though. A little less unique. The last three books in particular really lost their flavor for me.

But since you started off so well, it'd be a shame to move on to the hunger games. I mean, the first one was alright. Not enough for me to read the other two (even though I have copies of both). Definitely not a good follow up though.

I've got three in mind for you. First, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Absolutely riveting, delving into the mythical and ancient without getting bogged down by details. I'm kinda surprised I beat Sweeney to the punch on this one. Usually he's the first to recommend it. Also, this series had this fantastic plot element about being able to move between parallel universes. Neato

Next up would be Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series. Start with Kushiel's Dart. Best story about a courtesan I've ever read. This is what I would call historical fantasy, in that it's set in a very earth-like world, albeit with some significant alterations. But basically it's the story of a courtesan in the french court in medieval Europe. Chilling detail though. So rich. I can still recall the first description (first pages of the first book) of the exact shade and tone of Phedre's eyes.

Third I'd suggest Dune by Frank Herbert. It's a fascinating universe that Herbert creates, but more over it's compete! Very few plot holes, very few times when you wonder "why aren't the characters doing X" when it's obvious (even from their point of view) that they should. Anyway, it's set in the far future after a jihad (used in the arabic definition: struggle, not holy war) against thinking machines. Technically, I guess you'd call this science fiction, but I think it's similar enough to your tastes to fit the bill.

Oh, and to whomever was reading Octavia Butler, all I can say is Lilith's Brood!

[Sweeney]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiix. Goddamnit.

Read nothing before the Abhorsen series. Or there will be trouble.
I'd put A Song of Ice and Fire ahead of The Hunger Games, too.
And then three books by Kristin Cashore: Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue. In that order. I don't think they have a collective name.

[trizzle]

YES! Read a Song of Ice and Fire. It will seduce and entrance you, make you fall hopelessly in love... then SMASH YOUR HEART INTO TINY PIECES WHILE GEORGE R.R MARTIN SITS ON HIS THRONE OF MONEY LAUGHING AT YOUR DESPAIR

*ahem*

I mean, uh, it's a great series. Really well written.

Some of my favourite books of all time of all time are:

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini



If you haven't read it already I think you'd really like that one.
Also, The Kite Runner by the same author



You've probably read it already but Wuthering Heights is absolutely fantastic.

Wild Swans by Jung Chang is stunning, with a really beautifully interwoven narrative but it's quite depressing.


Hmmm I'll think of some more then get back to you

Edited by trizzle, 03 September 2012 - 11:14 PM.

[redlion]

I almost said Garth Nix too. But then I wanted to limit myself to a list someone could feasibly manage