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Reading? Do people still do that?

The Rh Factor

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Reading? Do people still do that?

Does anyone know of any good books or authors to recommend? I'll read pretty much whatever, but tend to lean more toward sci-fi/fantasy type stuff (the dragons/mages/warriors type, not the spaceship/futuristic type). Any and all recommendations welcome...

And, yes, I know reading mya be considered outdated in this day and age, but what can I say? I like to kick it old schoooool :p
 

Angel

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

If you haven't done so already, I would strongly recommend Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Also Terry Pratchett's Discworld, some David Eddings, Trudi Canavan, Maria V Snyder, Anne McCaffrey (sp?) and maybe the lesser known JRR Tolkein works such as the Children of Hurin.

I'm a book fiend- we have a few of us on here (Walker would be your best bet when it comes to recommending a good read). Unless you need something to put you to sleep, avoid the Sword of Shannara series like the plague - seriously.
 

Firis

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

H.P Lovecraft, Frank Herbert, Garth Nix, Piers Anthony.
 

GrimWhim

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Yes, people still read but nowadays they use technology to get their books.

Anyways, I can't suggest anything because it's been too long since I've read anything worthwhile.

There was a series of books written by someone and while I don't remember his/her name I do remember the name of one of his/her books and it was "The Black Cauldron".

It was fun to read but then again, I read it as a child so I'm not sure if an adult would consider it a "good read".

I actually read quite a few amazing books that really captured my attention when nothing else would... it's a shame I can't remember any of them.
 

Hermit

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

I just read your post

so yes
 

The Rh Factor

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Thanks for all the suggestions! I feel like I keep reading the same authors over and over again, so it'll be good to mix it up a bit.

Angel;422633 said:
Unless you need something to put you to sleep, avoid the Sword of Shannara series like the plague - seriously.

Ha ha!! I read the first Shannara trilogy and actually enjoyed it quite a bit... but this was more years ago than I'm willing to admit! At the time I also thought the Dragonlance Chronicles were the best books ever written. Just goes to show there's no accounting for pre-teen tastes ... :)

HI I AM AL;422704 said:
I just read your post

so yes

Thank you, I appreciate your taking time complete my survey about literacy :p
 

Tyloric

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Angel;422633 said:
If you haven't done so already, I would strongly recommend Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Ick. That series becomes such a cluster **** that it's hard to tell what the hell is going on after a while.
 

xzxzxz70

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

I would recommend the Dragonlance series, they are a bunch of fantasy books that follow the same rules as Dungeon and Dragons. The book I am reading right now is Called 'One Seconed After' its about America getting EMP bomed and it follows the story of a small town and how they survive, its not a fantasy book but its still a good read.
 

Angel

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Tyloric;422720 said:
Ick. That series becomes such a cluster **** that it's hard to tell what the hell is going on after a while.
I have no idea what's going on in the series, to be honest :lol: I have to keep re-reading it to work out who did what and when and whatever else. But I still think it's awesome so it doesn't bother me to have to do that. No idea how it'll end, though. Be really disappointed if it sucks.

I'm a fantasy reader by preference but there are some pretty good gaming novels out there - the Halo books are not bad as are the Mass Effect ones. Splinter Cell books are also a decent read - it's not usually my type of thing but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and turned out to be quite enjoyable.

I am Legend by Richard Matheson is waaay better than the film and if you can stomach it, try at least the first three books in the Dune series.
 

Zjuggernaut

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

I haven't read anything in a while but I remember enjoying the Darren Shan series. The vampire one, that is. I'm not sure if it's for a younger audience or not but if you're 10 - 16 they're worth reading. Quite simple and not to complex.

I've also been reading Confessions of an Economic Hitman. It's a true story but it's not for everyone. :lol:
 

TRA Rotid

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Actually reading is very popular at the moment.

But on to the topic:

aside from the aforementioned classics, a friend of mine read a series of books called Tales of The Otori.

Basically, it's a fantasy adventure story about slightly superhuman Japanese samurais. But, since it's written by a woman, it has a kind of sensitive touch to it and a different atmosphere than you'd expect.

I'm currently finishing the Dune series; after that, I'm determined to pick up some of the Moomin books.
Tales of The Otori is in my must read list. As well as a new sci-fi book we found about a ring planet, I can't find it from the Internet at the moment.

Angel;422738 said:
I am Legend by Richard Matheson is waaay better than the film and if you can stomach it, try at least the first three books in the Dune series.

I'm so disappointed I accidentally read the spoilers of I Am Legend from Wikipedia. Such an epic ending. Maybe I'll pick up the book sometime as well.

And about Dune - the first one is great; the second one is probably the worst in the series. I personally like the fourth one the most.
 

Noctus

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

A book? What'dya want a book for when you got the television set sittin' right in front of ya'?

Matilda-Danny-Devito1.jpg

 

The Rh Factor

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Awesome!! The people at the library are going to hate me when I go in there with my 2 and 1/2-foot-long list of books I'm looking for! :lol: Thanks everyone!

Zjuggernaut;422749 said:
I haven't read anything in a while but I remember enjoying the Darren Shan series. The vampire one, that is. I'm not sure if it's for a younger audience or not but if you're 10 - 16 they're worth reading. Quite simple and not to complex.

... (sigh)... unfortunately, I left that age range a loooong time ago. Lol. But thanks for the compliment on my youthful appearance... or persona... or whatever it is that is exuded through cyber space ;)
 

Trawgdor

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Orson Scott Card, if you're into Sci-Fi.

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins is also amazing.
 

cheezMcNASTY

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

most anything by chuck palahniuk (that's pronounced pah-lah-nick for you newfags out there)
starting with fight club or choke. survivor, invisible monsters, and pygmy just to name a few others.
 

Tyloric

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

The Dresden Files
The Greywalker Series
The Weather Warden series

all three are modern fantasy
 

Arseface

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Get some Peter F Hamilton into you. You can thank me later.
 

jwc2200

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

This is a great series of several books involving a fantasy world with wizards, royalty, mercenaries, thieves. and the city they live in. There are at least 10 books in the original series, I read all of the a few months ago and will reread them in a few more months.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieves'_World

This is a series of three books about a world where everyone is a wizard of some sort, then kids start to be born without magic. It is very well written, even though it starts a bit slow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darksword

Any thing by Stephen King is great in my opinion, but his Dark Tower series is the best single story I have ever read.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Tower_(series)
 

Walker

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

Your thread title is dangerously near to sacrilege.

My own suggestion, not duplicating anyone else's, would be... actually, I haven't read much sword-and-sorcery-type stuff recently. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are pretty good. Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga, I've really been enjoying. I read some of her fantasy in the past and it was pretty good, but I have no specific reccomendation.

Philosophical Strangler and Forward the Mage, by Eric Flint. Humorous fantasy that I enjoyed a lot.

Dragon Precinct, Keith R.A. Decandido. Vaguely reminds me of Discworld in that it's medieval-ish fantasy cops, but different in tone. Not so humor-focused, as I recall. It was awhile ago.

Can't remember the titles of the books, but a woman named Hilari Bell wrote a trilogy of epic fantasy with a vaguely Indian inspiration/flavor.

Aaaand... Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia. There's a fourth in the series whose title I can't remember... (Cue Wikipedia) ah, A Conspiracy of Kings. The first one is the best, and also targeted at a younger audience. (Usually, anyway.) Don't let that prejudice you, please. (EDIT: And that's ancient-Greek-flavored sword-and-arquebusier-and-divine-intervention fantasy.)

GrimWhim;422689 said:
There was a series of books written by someone and while I don't remember his/her name I do remember the name of one of his/her books and it was "The Black Cauldron".

It was fun to read but then again, I read it as a child so I'm not sure if an adult would consider it a "good read".

Lloyd Alexander. The Chronicles of Prydain series. Pretty good, but I haven't read it in awhile either. My suggestion would be to try it and see.

Angel;422633 said:
If you haven't done so already, I would strongly recommend Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Also Terry Pratchett's Discworld, some David Eddings, Trudi Canavan, Maria V Snyder, Anne McCaffrey (sp?) and maybe the lesser known JRR Tolkein works such as the Children of Hurin.

I'm a book fiend- we have a few of us on here (Walker would be your best bet when it comes to recommending a good read). Unless you need something to put you to sleep, avoid the Sword of Shannara series like the plague - seriously.

Better believe I do.

I agree with basically everything she said. Discworld is awesome. Wheel of Time and Shannara are both on roughly the same level for me-- readable, but not my favorite by far, frequently confusing. The earlier prequel... I think they're called the Word series by Terry Brooks I actually enjoyed a bit more. He's in the process of linking the two together now, and I haven't read them recently.

Never read most of those others, actually. Anne McCaffrey does more sciency fantasy. Pern is probably most your style, her and her son.

Never read Children of Hurin, but Silmarillon was... enjoyable, if not exactly something I got roaringly enthusiastic about.

The Rh Factor;422804 said:
Awesome!! The people at the library are going to hate me when I go in there with my 2 and 1/2-foot-long list of books I'm looking for! :lol: Thanks everyone!

... (sigh)... unfortunately, I left that age range a loooong time ago. Lol. But thanks for the compliment on my youthful appearance... or persona... or whatever it is that is exuded through cyber space ;)

We will. I promise... wellllll... depends. We'll be with you up to the twentieth book or so, then we start plotting entertaining deaths. And remember, librarians are always more accomodating than the circulation staff. They get paid more. *******s. JUST because they have master's degrees.

Don't be so quick to judge, would be my suggestion. I'm pretty close to that age range myself (20) but my humble opinion as a library circ employee and bookworm is that you're never too old for a book.

Seriously, the book I enjoyed more than any other recently was The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. Technically a kid's book. And most people here have probably read Harry Potter, and that's targeted for a younger audience.

Tyloric;423054 said:
The Dresden Files
The Greywalker Series
The Weather Warden series

all three are modern fantasy

Dresden Files I've read and are highly enjoyable. I liked the same guy's (Jim Butcher) Codex Alera series-- epic fantasy-type-- though not as much.
 

Tyloric

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Re: Reading? Do people still do that?

The Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks was astounding. I enjoyed it more than I did Lord of the Rings.
 
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