"The First Law" series by Joe Abercrombie. The first three are a single story, the last two are self-contained, but with a lot of the same characters.
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Need a good book series
- Thread starter Stilettoprefer
- Start date
Dunno if anyone has suggested it, but The Wheel of Time. There's to be 14 books in the series, and 13 have been complete do far. Robert Jordan began releasing them in the early 90's with about a 6 month wait in between each one. He was later diagnosed with a blood disorder/disease, and there began to be a larger wait in between books. In 2007, he passed away. Two years after releasing his the 12th book. Naturally, his fans were devastated. However, Jordan left partially completed chapters, all sorts of notes, and ideas passed to his wife so that someone could complete the stories. It was decided that Brandon Sanderson (and accomplished fantasy writer) would complete them. Brandon Sanderson, with the help of Jordan's widow, Tor Books, released The Gathering Storm. Just a few months ago, The Towers of Midnight was released. A Memory of Light is to be released sometime in 2012.
Now if you want a series that will last you a long time, one that will not dissapoint, one that will create such a vivid world in your head, the Wheel of Time is for you. I began reading it in grade ten (...Two days after Jordan died...), and it was incredible. I was a hardcore gamer, yet my Xbox remained untouched for a large portion of the year, my basses stood neglected, my homework remained untouched. It was just such an amazing series. The first book is a bit slow in some areas (as there's a lot to take in, and it's setting the entire series up), but it's still amazing, nonetheless. Jordan's writing style is amazing, there's long periods of description in between two lines of dialogue (where about 5 seconds have passed in the book)...
So...Read it. You won't regret it.
Now if you want a series that will last you a long time, one that will not dissapoint, one that will create such a vivid world in your head, the Wheel of Time is for you. I began reading it in grade ten (...Two days after Jordan died...), and it was incredible. I was a hardcore gamer, yet my Xbox remained untouched for a large portion of the year, my basses stood neglected, my homework remained untouched. It was just such an amazing series. The first book is a bit slow in some areas (as there's a lot to take in, and it's setting the entire series up), but it's still amazing, nonetheless. Jordan's writing style is amazing, there's long periods of description in between two lines of dialogue (where about 5 seconds have passed in the book)...
So...Read it. You won't regret it.
Clive Barkers Abarat books are worth a gander. Very imaginative and unique.
The series is nearly 3 (of 6 or more) in. Highly recommended.
The series is nearly 3 (of 6 or more) in. Highly recommended.
God bless you for being a reader!
Now, don't waste your time reading crap. Try to read stuff by people who can actually write and are allowed to by their publishers and fans.
That excludes most series stuff in any genre and virtually all SF, Fantasy and best sellers.
Don't get me started!
Try to read stuff that makes you think a bit and expands your horizons as well as your ability to discern between really accomplished, talented writing (which does not have to be "fancy" and inaccessible) and hackwork. Most readers never do this. Most readers never learn to appreciate the unique beauty and subtlety of the English language, a true writer's language (like Russian, its only real competitor).
Here's the main TB "book thread."
if you like classics, a lot of classics are online free under amazon's kindle service (not necessarlity the device) or nook. yo udon't have to have the kindle to have the file.
I also recommend abebooks.com for inexpensive used books. we're talkin $1 books.
I also recommend abebooks.com for inexpensive used books. we're talkin $1 books.
I have to recommend the Ender and Bean series of books. Each is 4 books, Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite writers, and I read all 8 books every year. They're not very hard to read, but very entertaining and very gripping.
God bless you for being a reader!
Now, don't waste your time reading crap. Try to read stuff by people who can actually write and are allowed to by their publishers and fans.
That excludes most series stuff in any genre and virtually all SF, Fantasy and best sellers.
Don't get me started!
Try to read stuff that makes you think a bit and expands your horizons as well as your ability to discern between really accomplished, talented writing (which does not have to be "fancy" and inaccessible) and hackwork. Most readers never do this. Most readers never learn to appreciate the unique beauty and subtlety of the English language, a true writer's language (like Russian, its only real competitor).
Here's the main TB "book thread."
Oh hey it's that guy.
Yes!
Yes!
No!
May I introduce you to Sturgeon's Law?
Theodore Sturgeon said:
There's both gold and dross under every mountain. "High" art has no more intrinsic merit than "low". I hold a season ticket to the SF Symphony and love seeing bands on tiny stages in the back of dive bars. Had some wonderful nights at both, had some very dull experiences at both too.
Some SF and Fantasy is churned out by the inch to be consumed by the inattentive, but some is very carefully crafted, often in a subtle way that rewards careful examination beneath the lightweight surface. Pratchett and Banks are two wildly popular authors mentioned in this thread who are a lot smarter than they appear on the surface.
Don't get me started!
Try to read stuff that makes you think a bit and expands your horizons as well as your ability to discern between really accomplished, talented writing (which does not have to be "fancy" and inaccessible) and hackwork. Most readers never do this. Most readers never learn to appreciate the unique beauty and subtlety of the English language, a true writer's language (like Russian, its only real competitor).
Yes!
(but don't feel guilty for reading bubble gum once in a while...)
Not sure if this is considered a series but I had gotten halfway thru CloudAtlas by David Mitchell his 3rd novel, when I read that his first two that he wrote all intertwine....So I have Ghostwritten his first he wrote and am very excited to start. http://www.thousandautumns.com
+1 On the Joe Abercrombie books they take some of the fantasy cliches and turn them on their heads. It says something when by the end of the third book the most sypathetic character is a bitter twister and mutilated torturer.
Some other suggestions that are well worth looking up
-Best New SF # edited by Gardener Dozois
Annual collection of SF short stories usually a mix of big name writers and up and coming guys. Well worth picking up.
-Rebus books by Ian Rankin
Crime novels about an Edinburgh detective.
-Tremaire by Naomi Novik
Set during an alternative Napoleonic Wars with dragons. Not as daft as it sounds and really good fun.
-Age of Misrule series by Mark Chadbourne
Modern day fantasy series that starts off with the idea of magic coming back into the world and technology failing.
-Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Sort of a Science fiction reworking of the Canterbury Tales the sequels are also well worth a read.
-Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Great noirish science fiction
-Deaths Head by David Gunn
Pure Cheese military Scifi about the biggest baddest soldier in the meanest regiment. Deeply silly but great fun.
There are plenty more authors that are worth looking out for such as Issac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Phillip K Dick, Peter F Hamilton, Charlie Stross, Stanislaw Lem, Sergey Lukyanenko, Gene Wolff, Katherine Kerr, Elizabeth Moon, James Barclay, Mary Gentle...
Can you tell it's mostly Science fiction and fantasy I read?
+1! Read what your interest takes you to, because everything else will feel like work.
Le Carre used to write well, now he's a smartass. His very early "Smiley"-era stuff was great, though. Perfect realism, so much so that I was just stunned when I first read it.
John Lawton's Frederick Troy series is very well-written as are Alan Furst's books.
This might be a little dull/mature for a young guy, though...but you never know.
Though the movies have probably ruined them for everyone, the first couple of Harris's Hannibal Lecter books were exceptionally good. Red Dragon literally gave me nightmares.
