Book/Author Recommendations

Never read Harry Potter or saw the films but I'd imagine if you like that you would like other fantasy books.

A few years back I went through loads of them. The best I thought was Magician by Raymond Feist http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385175809/002-9614814-6785637?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=glance
 
Cahir said:
Really? I'd read all sorts about people fainting during the reading of the book so I was expecting something gruesome - I have to say I ended up disappointed by the tameness even though it's still a good book.
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I was actually disappointed with it overall. The gruesomeness (sp?) was a bit crap really, but overall I thought it was a poor read.
 
If you start reading fantasy and enjoy it, I would suggest Raymond E Feist, L.E. Modesitt (except the Soprano Sorceress series), David Eddings and David Gemmell.
For light hearted fantasy, read Terry Pratchett.
 
ronan_d_john said:
I suppose when I say tough going, I mean that I was actually disappointed with it overall. The gruesomeness (sp?) was a bit crap really, but overall I thought it was a poor read.
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Ah, that makes more sense. His other books were certainly better, with the exception of Choke.
 
ClubMan said:
Penguin Classics - they should keep you going for a while!
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I sometimes feel bad about this, but I get over it quickly, but I have absolutely no time for reading the "Classics" at all.
 
And if you decide you like fantasy books, the Robin Hobb trilogies are excellent. Assassin trilogy first, Liveship trilogy second and the Tawny Man trilogy last. She's also just released a new book but haven't read it yet.

Also the Bone Doll's Twin and Hidden Warrior by Lynn Flewelling.

And Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn.

Sigh...so many books, so little time.

And classics are great (some of them anyway, have never managed to make my way through the Hunchback of Notre Dame, just can't do it) but I do find it takes a while to get into the rythm of the language sometimes - try Three Musketeers or Tale of Two Cities, great books.
 
If you liked Harry Potter, you could try The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings? Or the recent Mr. Norrell and Jonathon Strange. If you liked The Da Vinci code, you could try 'The Labrynth'. I'm reading that at the moment, its fairly good. Theres a three for the price of two offer at the moment in Easons, so I have stocked up! But you could also try Amazon for buying books- you can even buy second hand, and its delivered to your door. So handy!
 
The Kite Runner by Khaleid Hosseini? It is a very good easy read and a gentle breaker from your mills and boon diet set in the era of the fall of the Shah but don;t let that put you off. James Patterson's early books are very good but the most recent two or three are formulaic and enough to drive you back to Mills and boos forever. so bad I can't even remember their names but if published in 2004/05 I would say avoid. I'm afraid youre just goinna have tor try some of everything mentioned to date because we all have different tastes in books = I hate John Connolly's work but also love Ian rankin's where another poster loves both. But lucky you that is discovering books now. I wish I still had all this unread stuff waiting on me!.
 
Brian4B said:
But lucky you that is discovering books now. I wish I still had all this unread stuff waiting on me!.
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I found this a very bizarre comment, Brian4B.

Not having a go mind, but you surely can't be saying that there's nothing else out there that you'd like to read???
 
I find Jack Higgins a good read, his books do what they say on the tin... Irish agent + murder + US government = Thriller.

If you want something more taxing, give Ulysses a shot. I got to 600 pages and put it on hold!
 
Now that I'm sitting beside my bookcase, I could just list out the contents for you - but in the interests of brevity, I'll restrict myself to one further recommendation - Try any of [broken link removed] - He's a Scottish writer with a nice line in modern political/social/criminal satire - good tension with a few good giggles thrown in.
 
I suppose what I mean is that for Flexible who is only starting out on his/her reading career now there are still a lot of books out there that will be new to him/her that I have already read and enjoyed. For me it is always the first reading that gives me most pleasure in any book. Yes I hope to read lots of other new ones but I cannot again enjoy for the first time those that I have already read. I didn't for one second think you were having a go Ronan. Another lot of books that Flexible might enjoy are those by Stephen King. Have fallen out of favour with lots of people nowadays but at one time I loved them - particularly his earlier ones
 
Brian4B's recommendation of Kite Runner is a good one. It is a definite page turner.

Marion
 
Personally I much prefer Dean Koontz to Stephen King for the horror genre. A book that surprised me in that I really enjoyed it but didn't expect to was The World According To Garp, by the end I was almost emotionally attached to the lad!! Another author I really like is Robert Ludlum, mainly politcal thrillers and great page turners. And lastly but by no means least, Robert Harris, Archangle, Fatherland, Enigma, Pompeii, loved them all!
 
Would go with

John Connolly
Lee Child
James Paterson
Michael Connolly

Some of the early Tom Clancy stuff is quite good.

C
 
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