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Good Books To Read?

#21
I highly recommend the following books as having made me extremely happy with myself for having decided to read:

The Marabou Stork Nightmares, by Irvine Welsh
Trainspotting, by Irvine Welsh
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Ironweed, by William Kennedy

I'm sure there's a bunch more I could put down, but these are the best I remember reading in a long time.
 
#25
Skorzen said:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, heck anything by Orson Scott Card. Ender's game is actually the first in a series, but stands as a great story alone.
Click to expand...

Orson Scott Card was *heavily* influenced by Asimov, if you dig card's stuff, you will surely enjoy asimov as well.

I loved the ender's game series, very well written, nice story..etc. I loved how communication technology enabled real time communication across the galaxy but transportation there would take 60+ years
 
#27
The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson & Robert Shea (I think) seriously f'd up world in that series, It will definitely make you look twice at our world. Maybe three times.

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is the modern Tolkien. I just wish he'd put them out faster.

How Few Remain and its sequels The Great War trilogy and American Empire by Harry Turtledove alternate history that could actually have worked that way.

American Gods by Neil Gaman I know two other people have tried to steer you toward rhis but it's just that good.

The Callahans Crosstime Saloon series by Spider Robinson (WARNING: Pun intensive) hilarious series. I especially loved the last one, Callahans Key It made me want to move to Key West.


There are others. I just thought i should pause there.
 
#29
pigpen02 said:
michael moorcock's one of my faves in the scifi/fantasy genre, good stuff. the elric and corum books are probably my faves.
Click to expand...

MM is a prolific writer. Unfortunately, his antecedents
have formula-ized this genre so much it is hard to
find an original work anymore, and Moorcock has
gotten a little lost in the noise.

Writers in this genre that are the exception are Roger
Zelazny and Phillip Jose Farmer.

Farmer's character, Kickaha, the trickster, in the
World of Tiers is an enormously enjoyable fellow.
And Zelazny's Corwin, in the Worlds of Amber, is
quintessential. Gaiman was influenced by Zelazny as
well. Check the link below.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#30
Wrong Robot said:
Orson Scott Card was *heavily* influenced by Asimov, if you dig card's stuff, you will surely enjoy asimov as well.

I loved the ender's game series, very well written, nice story..etc. I loved how communication technology enabled real time communication across the galaxy but transportation there would take 60+ years
Click to expand...


I've read all of Asimov's books and all of Card's and they are very different - you wouldn't think Card had been influenced by him - so Card is very much about his Mormon upbringing and family values.

I think Asimov can be a bit dry for contemporary readers and I much preferred Card when I first read him - I think Xenocide is still my favourite, but his books are very entertaining.

I would say Asimov's legacy is carried on by Iain M. Banks and his "Culture" novels - complex civilisations across the universe, but with a sense of humour!

Also - Arthur C Clarke - his Rama series is great fun and in that genre.

My favourite contemporary Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer is Gene Wolfe - he really makes you think and he is Neil Gaiman's favourite writer, as well!

But really there are too many to mention!!
 
#31
Thor said:
MM is a prolific writer. Unfortunately, his antecedents
have formula-ized this genre so much it is hard to
find an original work anymore, and Moorcock has
gotten a little lost in the noise.

Writers in this genre that are the exception are Roger
Zelazny and Phillip Jose Farmer.

Farmer's character, Kickaha, the trickster, in the
World of Tiers is an enormously enjoyable fellow.
And Zelazny's Corwin, in the Worlds of Amber, is
quintessential. Gaiman was influenced by Zelazny as
well. .[/URL]
Click to expand...

I love Moorcock and have read just about all his books that I can get my hands on - none of them will let you down!! It's funny how they are now re-appearing in Alan Moore's "League of Extraordinary Gentleman"!! ;)

I also like Zelazny - Lord of Light is incredible!! I've also read the Amber books and just finished Changeling and Madwand, which are very much along the same lines!! :)
 
#32
OK, I like the Dark Elf Trilogy; also really dig the Elrick Saga; didn't really like the Wheel Of Time-- found it to be too whiney.

Just finished Rush Linbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, and Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them-- fabulously funny, acerbic, and informative.

I really like prety much anything Tom Robbins has done-- my fav is probably Skinny Legs and All.
 
#34
Bruce Lindfield said:
snip...
My favourite contemporary Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer is Gene Wolfe ...
Click to expand...

Gene lives in Providence, RI, and summers in my local
little beach town, so I have run into him from time to
time, he is a very nice in person as well as an excellent
writer!

I missed mentioning some of the more classic
fantasy writers for those that enjoy such things,
though they could tend towards the 'dry' as well
for some younger readers, E. R. Eddison with the
Worm Ouroboros, and the Zimianvian trilogy is one.
Eddison was a contemporary of Tolkien and CS Lewis,
and belonged to a literary group, the Inklings, based at
Oxford that met to read their current works.

The other is the renowned Mervyn Peake, though
many find his novels about Titus Groan, Earl of
Gormenghast to be searingly heavy and grim.

Good thread, I got a few books up there I just
ordered online from the library!

Thanks, great inspiration to read more here!
 
#35
Thor said:
Gene lives in Providence, RI, and summers in my local
little beach town, so I have run into him from time to
time, he is a very nice in person as well as an excellent
writer!
Click to expand...

Wow - have you read his stuff?

And how about getting advance copies? I really want to read the next part of "The Knight" - it leaves you with a kind of cliffhanger at the end of the book - but it does say it is only book 1 in the "Wizard Knight" series"!

How do you feel about going round and getting an advance copy of the next part!!?? ;)

I feel that Wolfe is influenced by Zelazny - often he will take ideas which Zelazny explores and make them more complex and involved...
 
#36
Bruce Lindfield said:
Wow - have you read his stuff?

And how about getting advance copies? I really want to read the next part of "The Knight" - it leaves you with a kind of cliffhanger at the end of the book - but it does say it is only book 1 in the "Wizard Knight" series"!

How do you feel about going round and getting an advance copy of the next part!!?? ;)

I feel that Wolfe is influenced by Zelazny - often he will take ideas which Zelazny explores and make them more complex and involved...
Click to expand...

I have read the Book of the New Sun series, but that
was maybe 20 years ago.

I am mistaken, he lives in Illinois, but he still does summer
here in RI. Sorry for the inaccuracy.

I only know him by sight, certainly not well enough
to extract a galley. Of course, the first thing I
would want, anyway, is the name of his agent. ;)

The word in the trade is that the book will be out next
year, and that the story will be concluded in that tome.

I wouldn't dispute the Zelazny influence, though anyone
who was reading this genre before 1980 would certainly
have read Z as well.

The thing I like best about Wolfe is his excellent
command of written English, an accomplishment
I envy. It is kind of like hearing an excellent
bass player, or seeing a talented artist's
paintings, you aspire to that level, but you may
never get there.
 

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