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God damn it I need a good, no, GREAT book
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One of the most original worlds I've seen created in bookform in years. Also very original in depicting a semi post-apocalyptic world that goes further then just projecting a barbaric tribal Mad Max setting on a decor of the shells of former cities rusting away. Actually quite believable in mixing old and new tech. I'm really hoping this gets picked up some day for a movie.
I also liked Justin Cronin's The Passage. It's not great by any means, but very entertaining and solid world building.
bloodydrake
Cool Smoke Luke
I just finished Leviathan Wakes and thought it was great.Its the first book in the Expanse series, Fun read and enjoyed the edge of Horror/Suspense added to the Scifi Opera genre
BossLackey
Gold Member
I just read Ender's Game, and I really liked it
It's been around forever, but I hadn't heard of it
Fantastic if you like Sci-Fi
Also, Goodreads.com is a great tool
It's been around forever, but I hadn't heard of it
Fantastic if you like Sci-Fi
Also, Goodreads.com is a great tool
Read through the Night Angel Trilogy since the post was made and overall really enjoyed it. Though the overall ending with the prophecy seemed to come out of nowhere and was rather lackluster.
Can't say the same for The First Law though. It's awesomely written but I really don't care one bit for any of the characters. That they're all either psychopaths or assholes doesn't help either. Does it improve or should I just cut my losses?
Mango Positive
Member
This book was absolutely amazing. It's one of my favorite fantasy novels. Highly recommended. The 2nd book can't come soon enough.
vincent vega
Member
my bad, I didn't read the op about sci-fi.
I dont read any sci-fi so I can't offer a suggestion.
I dont read any sci-fi so I can't offer a suggestion.
Just thought I'd pop into this thread to add my recommendation to The Hyperion Cantos and the other related books, as well as The Lies of Locke Lemora. These are some of my favorite books ever. Hyperion is a bit hard to get into but once you get a little ways in you'll be hooked on it you're into Science Fiction.
I found Locke Lemora books to be incredibly hard to put down, the characters are very likable, the story is gripping and the writing is top class. Can't recommend it enough even if you aren't all that into fantasy.
Edit: If you managed to get through A Song of Ice and Fire, I would think you'll be able to handle Hyperion. It's pretty intense and hard to read at times but you'll be glad you did. It was my personal cool down from the ASOIAF series.
I found Locke Lemora books to be incredibly hard to put down, the characters are very likable, the story is gripping and the writing is top class. Can't recommend it enough even if you aren't all that into fantasy.
Edit: If you managed to get through A Song of Ice and Fire, I would think you'll be able to handle Hyperion. It's pretty intense and hard to read at times but you'll be glad you did. It was my personal cool down from the ASOIAF series.
edible_candle
Member
At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. It's pretty short, so it can be read in a sitting, but it is quite excellent.
michaelius
Banned
The Witcher series by Sapkowski - very dark fantasy kinda similar to Martin books (less politics more contrated on single person trying to escape from intrigues)
Also +1 to whoever recomended Hobb and assassin's apprentice series - I love those books.
As for Sci-fi
This thread needs some Morgan
great vision of future where human soul can be digitalized and backed up and it's cheaper/faster to transfer human as a transmission of bits than physically
Also +1 to whoever recomended Hobb and assassin's apprentice series - I love those books.
As for Sci-fi
This thread needs some Morgan
great vision of future where human soul can be digitalized and backed up and it's cheaper/faster to transfer human as a transmission of bits than physically
I just finished Leviathan Wakes and thought it was great.Its the first book in the Expanse series, Fun read and enjoyed the edge of Horror/Suspense added to the Scifi Opera genre
This one sounds amazing!
Damn, this will be hard.
JasoNsider
Member
I actually laughed at it after you admitted joke was funnier in your head. *thumbs up*
Maklershed
Member
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Pushing Ice
A Song of Ice and Fire series
World Made by Hand
Heechee Saga
Hyperion
Foundation series
Pushing Ice
A Song of Ice and Fire series
World Made by Hand
Heechee Saga
Hyperion
Foundation series
Conscience Falls
Member
The best novel I've read, invariably addicting. If you can go into it blind- you'll enjoy it far more.
Read it!
oh yes! I'm reading book five right now (The White-Luck Warrior), it's simply brilliant. It's hard to get into, I agree, but bare with it, you won't regret it. A very fine fantasy story. I can also recommend the First Law trilogy.
edit:
I haven't read many scifi books except the Darth Bane books and the Legacy of the Force-series (so Star Wars bascially). Legacy is brilliant but not a good point to starts since it's the in the middle of the EU stories. I had to read up a lot on wikipedia to understand everything.
WernhamHogg
Neo Member
Name of the Wind, definitely. And the sequel.
Personally, I enjoyed the second as much as the first. Goes off on some GRRM esque tangents, but still excellent. I almost skipped because of luke warm reviews, glad I didn't.
I also really enjoyed Wool. Self published Kindle book, good stuff.
Personally, I enjoyed the second as much as the first. Goes off on some GRRM esque tangents, but still excellent. I almost skipped because of luke warm reviews, glad I didn't.
I also really enjoyed Wool. Self published Kindle book, good stuff.
JzeroT1437
Member
Sorry...I've only got good books.
I did.
Reading this right now, really enjoying it. Didn't know they were making a movie - sweet!
StalkerUKCG
Banned
Iv not read them personally but i hear good things about the Discworld books
Pollux
Member
I enjoyed them, but I would not go in expecting Game of Thrones. These books are much smaller scale.
Ah, that's a little disappointing. Guess I'll still give them a whirl, thanks.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
Name of the Wind? It's a bit tedious at times but still a good read.
dangerbyrnes
Member
i'd say these are kinda mediocre. but for some reason i really enjoyed them. its a lot of military lingo and sci-fi ridiculousness. but i think i like them because they don't try to be anything but fun. i mean the second book involves them flying a modified submarine in space!
also, do not under any circumstance read book 3 + 4.
EDIT: do quotes not resize pics anymore?
also, do not under any circumstance read book 3 + 4.
EDIT: do quotes not resize pics anymore?
The best novel I've read, invariably addicting. If you can go into it blind- you'll enjoy it far more.
Lol, I came into this thread to post this same book.
elrechazado
Banned
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
IISANDERII
Member
What's that?
One of the best "hard sci-fi" I've read in the last couples years.
Trilogy? I've been looking to read more Asimov but The Foundation series seems to consist of 7 books. But if one could eliminate a few and leave me with 3, that would be splendid.
Possibly the greatest science fiction trilogy ever written. It has everything, from a fantastic adventure tale, and good religious and political discourse to awesome characters and sound pseudo science. And surprisingly it's a very light read.
Conscience Falls
Member
Amazing read! It's an 80's nerd dream, brought to life in novel format.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
I've gotten a few good recommendations from this thread, particularly Simmons's The Terror. Thanks folks.
I know I'm responding to an old post but while the internet is pretty infatuated with Rothfuss I think his series is horrendous and there are a few others here who agree with me.
I know I'm responding to an old post but while the internet is pretty infatuated with Rothfuss I think his series is horrendous and there are a few others here who agree with me.
I liked the first trilogy (the holy war), but it wasn't until the second arc started--the Aspect-Emperor--that I truly began to love the series. A lot of the things that made the first three books inaccessible--the constant, wearying misogyny (that really can't be excused), the endless philosophizing, etc--are fixed or at least attempted to be resolved. And Bakker's natural talent at storytelling, at making badass endings, shines through.
Cloud Atlas is pretty darn good. For all the high-falootin' about its structure, it's really just a set of very traditional narratives split in two, sort of a tribute-slash-rebuttal to If on a winter's night a traveler.
Exactly what I was thinking. I've read this three times.
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
ZackieChan
Member
This. I absolutely loved the first, but had heard that Wise Man's Fear was not very good. I dunno. It seemed a lot like the first, expanded on the world, had some awesome parts, and was quite enjoyable. People seem to have a problem with
him banging a bunch of chicks or whatever
QuiteWhittle
Member
Does anyone have any recommendations for some good nonfiction? I heard Joseph Stiglitz's new text was good, has anyone read it?
bloodydrake
Cool Smoke Luke
I don't read much non fiction, however Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken was simply fantastic,a captivating account of a very amazing man I couldn't put it down till it was finished.
heres video preview of the book they made for promotion
http://youtu.be/TjfGxiE2UzI
The Horror the horror
Banned
Let me take this opportunity to introduce to you the Waylander, arguably heroic fantasy's greatest assassin. He was created and written by the late David Gemmell, who also authored Legend. If you are not familiar with David Gemmell or his work, I'll try to summarize his style without despoiling the man's legacy...
His work is more character based, as opposed to world-based like Robert Jordan (RIP) who emphasized the creation of settings and worlds. The dialogue among characters, their minimalist and cut-and-dry approach to life might be off-putting to someone who prefers their fantasy characters to be more hearty, self-reflective, optimistic, and full of life -- like the stuff you'd read about in those Forgotten Realms books and Wheel of Time. The world he creates is full of gritty, violent, and solemn characters with a Nietzschean perspective of life. Gemmell's never afraid to kill of characters, even characters that might seem untouchable and important at first, which puts him on par with George Martin as far as author-to-character attachments are concerned.
His books are very well written and easy to read. Definite page-turners, if you appreciate that sort of thing. I'd recommend you start with Gemmell's first blockbuster book, LEGEND, to get an honest feel of his style. I only mentioned Waylander here because he's my favorite character among all of Gemmell's creations, but you're free to start with those books, as well, especially since the events in Waylander take place before the events in LEGEND.
Just finished this book love it and recommend it to anybody interested in a good scifi book. Any other books like it that treat time and space that would seem to take thousands/millions of years to pass but only experience just minutes of it.
One of the best "hard sci-fi" I've read in the last couples years.
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
The main story wraps up in the first three books that were published and are together considered as the essential Foundation story. You can try the prequels and sequels but they're not terribly good.
Read it in this order:
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation.
I know you said Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but you had also mentioned "gore" in one of your other posts. This one technically is set in present day but it deals with Bioterrorism. It's written in such a way that every detail of the disease that is unleashed upon a city is almost gut wrenchingly real. It starts off slow but becomes very fast paced and its a book I've recommended to many others and have always gotten a good response back from.
Richard Preston's The Cobra Event.
Richard Preston's The Cobra Event.
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