Book recommendations!

Don't think we've had a thread like this in a while! If ever!

So what are some of the books that really made an impact on you and you'd like to recommend to others?

From the ones I've read recently, A Prayer for Owen Meany comes to mind. It looked super thick and at first it didn't look like there was anything special about it. But then it turned out John Irving writes in a very easy to read way, so it really take as long as I thought it would. And the book itself ended up impacting me much more than I expected. It's a really beautiful tale about a friendship between two men, it's about love, faith, loss, and finding meaning in all of those things.


Currently reading The Witcher saga and I'm at the seventh volume, The Lady of the Lake. This is another one that took me by surprise. Initially, I started reading it because I heard the English translation was notoriously terrible, so I thought I could kinda make my break into translating literature by providing better translations for the books that hadn't been released in English yet. Sadly, school and a crapload of other things happened, and I took way too long to read the books, so that opportunity was lost.

The saga consists of seven books (plus one more that Sapkowski wrote way later but apparently it's kind of a side-story rather than a sequel), the first two of which are short stories about the Witcher Geralt's various tasks and most of them are deconstructions of classic fairy tales. The other five books form a more cohesive novel, and some minor elements from the shorts actually end up being huge plot points in the novel. The books are mostly dark fantasy, though not quite to the degree of ASoIaF, but you can still expect a more realistic take on medieval-ish societies, with all the dirt and grime and political intrigue and stuff.

That said, Sapkowski does some things I really don't like, with the fourth book being particularly egregious (there's an incredibly poorly explained Gambit Pileup with Loads and Loads of Characters involved, and the end of the book features one of the most, uh... sexually distasteful things I've read), but it's really just one weak book in a really good, involving series that otherwise just gets better and better with every book. It's got interesting characters, including some very complex, believable, and likeable female characters (very surprising, considering Sapkowski is a pretty raging sexist irl), as well as a really nice world building with an original setting that combines elements of Slavonic and Anglo-Saxon folklore. So yeah, definitely recommended if you're into that stuff.

Also, a little heads up, if you haven't played the games yet and want to some day, I highly recommend you read the books first. While the first game actually uses a clever device to not alienate players who haven't read the books, it's actually a sequel to the books, with multiple allusions to them throughout the whole saga. So you'll get huge book spoilers (and miss out on a ton of amusing shout-outs) if you play the game first.

The Clockwork Century series by Cherie Priest. A fantastic series of Steampunk/alt-history novels.

Currently reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander because I watched the Netflix documentary the 13th. I am getting a lot of education from this.

I also recommend Wild Seed from Octavia Butler. It's a science-fiction novel that's about two "mutants" basically discovering each other and their relationship over time. I'm bad at making other people's stories sound good, but it's one of my favorite books period.

have you guys heard of Dune

So this isn't a place for non-fiction books I suppose.

why not

Okay then.

The Predictioneer's Game - Bruce Bueno De Mesquita. This book is more of a serious book, it's about using peoples self interest to see and shape the future.

Books I have yet to read; Chance - Amir D. Aczel, Risk -Dan Gardner
Those are books I am yet to read, I also have these books on Analytics for Business Management and Insight.

I am also currently skimming through Moral Relativity - Steven Lukes. For me reading books like these are relativeness smooth sailing once you get the general idea. I just read it because I want to know how to explain it in ways that other people can understand and doesn't make me look stupid.

I've started The Expanse series with Leviathan Wakes and I love it so far. I also really liked the Hyperion series, particularly the first two books. There's several others I can recommend, but this is such a vague topic that I'll just go with what I've read in the last year or so.

There are two book series I usually recommend to people: The Stormlight saga by Brandon Sanderson and the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. Both are wonderfully written and really leave you wanting more and more with the ending of every book.

If you want something easy to read I recommend the Dresden Files. The books are good, nothing great, but the man is possible the greatest writer, in the sense of choice of words, that I've ever seen. Reading the books is almost like you're not reading it. It's hard to explain. You are never reminded you are reading instead of living out a personal fantasy in your mind, if that makes sense.

Dude what about the DragonLance book series? Are those still around, my uncle used to read them.

Pfff, I'm kind of burned out on dragons. But I'll keep that suggestion, thanks.

It was a question, not a suggestion. LOL don't hold me it.

I will. And when you lie on your deathbed, your children and grandchildren holding your hand. Your wonderful life flashing before your eyes, you will hear a grumpy, grating, old man voice:

"That totally sucked, you old coot."

Hahaha always nice to die with a smile though, lol I would be at piece known that I wasn't the only one to experience a reading of Dragonlance. Hahaha coot, what d word.

Ooh, just remembered! Robert Galbraith's (surprise, it's actually JK Rowling) detective series, Cuckoo's Calling, The Silkworm, The Career of Evil is excellent. With each entry better than the last, Rowling just keeps proving that she's the best at writing compelling characters and relationships, as well as thought-provoking mysteries with surprising endings.

Really, these books deserve more love - they're excellent!

Have you read the Simon Baron Cohen book "The Science of Evil?"?