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I like and read just about anything. But, I'm sort of at a loss what to read at the moment, and I've read every book I own at two times, some I've read 15 or 16 times.
-I'd like it to be newer (In the last 5 years)
-Preferably a series
-I don't like mystery/crime books
-I like romance (well), but I don't like chick lit
-I enjoy historical fictions
-I enjoy books set in other countries
Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. :nod:
The Sword of Truth is not exactly new, but it is worth diving into! It is a huge universe, so there's a lot to choose from. Television show known as The Legend of the Seeker. :D
Halo: The Fall of Reach (then just read the rest :P )
Dresden Files.
Forgotten Realms
Though new ones... I haven't read.
Netheril Trilogy
Avatar Series
Anything by RA Salvatore (though these are like comic books)
The Old Man's War series by John Scalzi.
It's ostensibly military sci-fi, but Scalzi is smurfing hilarious.
Historical Fiction
Check out Wolf Hall & Bringing Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. They two of some of the most highly rated books in recent years, historical fiction or otherwise. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is also a fantastic historical fiction. It's a giant fat thing of a book and I read it in like 2 days, it was that engrossing. You just can't stop once you start. I really enjoyed Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison Weir too.
Series
If you want kind of a cheap, easy series that's still entertaining (ie: way better than Twilight), look into The Vampire Academy. I know, I know, vampires. But seriously, this series got me through 5 days of sneezing, wheezing sickness. It was great fun.
Set in Other Countries
My Life in France by Julia Child is great if you're into cooking or French culture at all. Same for The Sweet Life in Paris which is HILARIOUS.
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea is as "other" as you can get. Really fascinating look into the lives of the people trapped in North Korea. Heartbreaking stuff but also oddly uplifting.
Romance
The Fault in Our Stars for romance. Not the hot steamy sexy kind of romance. But the simple heartfelt kind that will melt or break your heart. One of my all time favorite quotes about love comes from this book:
“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.”
I mean c'mon. That's good stuff.
Romance AND Series AND set in other Country
Daughter of Smoke & Bone and the sequel Days of Blood and Starlight are some of my favorite Young Adult books I've read in recent years. Daughter of Smoke & Bone was especially good and it's set in Prague. The 3rd book in this series isn't out yet so I don't know if you want to join the rest of us in the OH MY GOD IS IT OUT YET?? Boat.
I could go on and on and on.
Regarding Chris' suggestion for The Sword of Truth, I would recommend you skip the books and just watch the show. The books are terrible and the show is so much fun.
Neverwheeeeere.
Since you're all up in England's bidness, I very strongly suggest Neverwhere and/or anything ever by Neil Gaiman. A story about a man who goes down into the London Underground tunnels and the alternate world that waits down there.
Neverwhere is the story of Richard Mayhew and his trials and tribulations in London. At the start of the story, he is a young businessman, with a normal life. All this changes, however, when he stops to help a mysterious young girl who appears before him, bleeding and weakened, as he walks with his fiancée to dinner to meet her influential boss.
The Raven and Elves books, in the correct order (starting with Dawnthief) by James Barclay. It's like a Final Fantasy in a book, but with fantastically believable and "real" characters (ie, they swear, they have banter, they can be serious, the characters develop and grow on you, etc). I'm not a huge reader all the time, but I've read my fair share of Fantasy books and I have to say that I adore these, they're possibly my favourite fantasy books ever, alongside Lord of the Rings (which are rather ironically the exact opposite in style). Very fast and extremely well written action, global threads, a rag-tag team of adventurers group together to save a world which is very well thought out in history and magic. There is very little if anything about the Raven books that I have ever disliked and God damn, I can't wait for the next Elves book to come out. o_x
Dawnthief can be purchased for around $4.00 on Amazon, so no excuses!
The Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. Has a big Harry Potter feel to it, but it deals more with demons. Yes, they're directed towards youth, but I found them whimsical and addicting. :)
It is fantasy, but my favorite relatively recent series is the Mistborn trilogy. My mind is blanking on historical fiction books at the moment, though. I'll try to ask around with my friends who read a lot of historical fiction if I get the chance.
Oh! Submarine by Joe Dunthorne is pretty good from what I've read so far. I like the movie better just because the book has some more explicit content, but it is still pretty beautifully written. It's a Welsh coming of age story (if I remember right) about an awkward teen. You have a bit of a love story in there and it also deals with some family issues as well.
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Originally Posted by Shorty
Yeah, anything by Gaiman is win. He gets attention for his kiddy works, but he has other work worth reading too. American Gods, for example, is utter genius.
Morgan Llywelyn is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, but I haven't read her newest works (Pirate Queen, Vikings in Ireland, etc.). Finn Mac Cool is one of the greatest books ever, though. If you like Ireland at all, she's a go-to.
I was going to recommend the disc world series, but someone beat me to it.
So instead, I will recommend the disc world series.
Seriously. Read it.
EDIT: Especially the ones with Vimes. I have a fem-boner for Vimes.
It is probably the best fantasy series ever. And it's certainly the best satirical fantasy series ever.
The best thing is there's just so many of them, you'll have plenty to read, and yet it's not like reading The Wheel of Time or something. Each book starts off a little slow, a little off, but it gathers steam and about 5 pages in it's impossible to put it down.
There are a few movies based on the books too. They're not the greatest, but some of them are fun.
Or, since we have suggestions for both Gaiman and Pratchett, you could just read the book they co-wrote: Good Omens. It's not the best work of either man, but that's like saying "those aren't the best boobs I've ever seen." I mean, they're still boobs right?
Your request reminded me of something.
I'm about to re-read Shogun. It's part of The Asian Saga. It might not be your style, but I like James Clavell. I haven't read all the books, but so far they're great. Really rich in story line and character.
The books are loosely linked, mostly by genealogy, as they take place over a span of 300 years. Still, they all follow the theme of a Europeans in Asia and the dynamic of the two cultures.
If you want something more light and fast to read, maybe Artemis Fowl. I haven't tried it, but have heard good things.
The Legend of the Seeker is a good series.
Midkemia series
This always put me off. I find it hard reading satire. I can only read it in short bits for the most part.Quote:
Originally Posted by chionos
Are you speaking of Discworld specifically or satire in general? Have you read Pratchett before? Discworld reads like no other satire I know. It's subtle, and it mixes the satire with fantasy elements like no other story or set of stories I've ever read, and I've read a lot. Many satirists sacrifice good storytelling to get at some point but Pratchett doesn't. He's fantasy's version of Oscar Wilde.Quote:
Originally Posted by Loony BoBThis always put me off. I find it hard reading satire. I can only read it in short bits for the most part.Quote:
Originally Posted by chionos
I have read a little Discworld, and it was entertaining but I got a bit bored of the satire. I think it just ruins the immersion for me, to some extent. I honestly don't remember what it was that I read, or what book it was. I just remember it being Discworld because of the hype a friend in high school gave it, and I just couldn't keep myself interested in it. I guess I like taking my books seriously.
Two books I did read all the way through are The Soddit and Bored of the Rings, one which was alright and the other which was utter crap. I suspect Discworld would be better than both, but that's not enough to make me want to read the books.
I might like some other books out there like that Wheel of Time series, perhaps. Most of the books I read in the fantasy and sci-fi genre were lesser known ones, I suppose, but I've yet to come across anything that captures my favoured style better than Barclay's books (Raven/Elves ones, not Shout for the Newborn which was way too political for my tastes despite being a lovely idea for a book) or the world-immersion I got out of Tolkien's books.
EDIT: I also liked the Darksword trilogy but I didn't like the ending.
Anyone looking for a new series in fantasy should really take a look at The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson (who finished the Wheel of Time after Robert Jordan died). The first book (The Way of Kings) came out in 2010. Due to the last book of the Wheel of Time getting delayed, the second book will be out later this year. It's planned as a ten-book series, so it's a bit of an investment starting now, but Sanderson also seems to put out books a lot faster than certain other authors in the fantasy genre.
I cannot in good conscience recommend The Wheel of Time to anyone despite enjoying it. The ending was satisfying, but hardly worth justifying telling someone to jump into a fourteen-book series which often becomes a very long, slow slog through the muck before getting good again.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Preferably start with the Second Chronicles - it's the best of the three.
Also, if you're looking for a good long historical novel, I got a lot out of Hawaii by Michener, tho it's not my usual fare.
This man has taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkythesharkdogg
Two others have already said it, but seriously consider anything by Brandon Sanderson. The Mistborn trilogy is a fantastic read! :love:
Ian Irvine has some similar books out, the three worlds series, consisting of 11 books so far but with at least one more planned. I can't sell this guy's work enough, he's amazing.
For something a little different you could try Suzanne McLeod's Spellcrackers series. It's still a fantasy book, but has magic and vampires in as well.
They may not be to your taste but certainly worth a read :D :D :D
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Originally Posted by louby_4eva
Vampires need to die...:(
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Originally Posted by Flaming IceQuote:
Originally Posted by louby_4eva
Vampires need to die...:(
These are more Buffy vampires than Twilight....and Buffy vampires are actually really cool!! :love:
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Originally Posted by louby_4eva
Oh, guess it's not as bad then....vampires don't need to be romantic :greenie:
I like how boobs asked for historical fiction or romance, and every single person here mentions a fantasy/sci-fi book in their post. Oh EoFF, we sure have a type.
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Originally Posted by Miriel
;)Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkythesharkdogg
I didn't say only mentioned fantasy/sci-if. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkythesharkdogg
The point is I delivered something in the historical fiction category then went into nerd mode. :p
Oh, and for what it's worth, there is a romance sub-plot in the Raven series which is remarkably well written. It takes a little time to really kick in and is closer to Cloud & Tifa than it is to Squall & Rinoa (my romance knowledge is very limited, I have to say).
If you're after period drama-romance stuff I would probably have to ask Danielle, but to be fair she focuses on the famous stuff for the most part.
I will have to third the recommendation for Shogun. One of my favorite historical fiction books of all time. The rest of the series is also good, though I didn't like it as much.
Also, if you're at all interested in US historical fiction, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is justifiably one of the most popular Civil War fiction books ever. It's sort of part of a series, as the author's son ended up writing both a prologue and a sequel, though they aren't as good.
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Originally Posted by Miriel
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Originally Posted by sharkythesharkdogg
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Originally Posted by Vincent, Thunder God
I said every single person mentioned a fantasy book. Which you did, as well as Sharky. I gave a bunch of non-fantasy book recommendations, but I *also* mentioned fantasy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent, Thunder God
Is the point I was making really that hard to understand? People here really like fantasy.