your favourite book/ book series and why

The unbearable lightness of being
why - amazing insight into the human condition and relationships


How mumbo jumbo conquered the world.
why - because he points out very eloquently how many emperors are wearing no clothes.

Fight club
why - Book and film, covers a side to human nature that we often like to pretend doesn't exist.

Games People Play
why - More very good insights into human behaviour.

Anything by Terry Pratchet
Why - funny as hell.

 

why must we read books about insights into human life?

If I want to know these things or experience them I'll do it myself.

why read a book about normal life and such when there are just so many better things to read that take you away from life and provide the escapsim that many people desire?

Steven Erikson, read him if you know whats good for you!

dark(not gothic though) Fantasy at its best.

who else can create such a rich and important history and know how to develop people than an archeologist?

especially one who expresses great interest in peoples development through time.

Gardens of the moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories of Ice
House of Chains
Midnight Tides

pick one up and read it!

 

My favorite collection of books is those of Louis Sachar's Wayside School. They're just so funny and incredibly quirky.

The only other series or collection I've read is Harry Potter and well, I'm not too entirely fond of it but will finish the series anyway.

 

I consider it a crime against literature that Douglas Adams has yet to be mentioned. All of his published work is fantastic. He combines humour with a form of surreal but strangely logical poignancy. He also provides some of the best quotations ever. "In the beginning the Universe was created. This made a lot of people very angry and has since been widely recognised as a bad move." [paraphrased]

I second the His Dark Materials trilogy. Who cares if it's for kids. It's good.

 

Because one of the most satisfying things I can experience is having someone change my view of the world, in any way.

 

Yeah, Hitch Hikers Guide was great, and I enjoyed Dirk Gently. I like the way Adams reinvented the story for each medium that it was presented in, making it a whole new experience, instead of trying to convey things directly from one to the other.
Almost finished the original Dune series, definitely going to go back and read them again. Anyone offer some comments on the Dune prequel series?
(Also, apparently Herbert Jnr has found some "secret long lost" drafts of Frank Herberts Dune conlusion, and plans to pump them out. Sounds suss to me)

Has anyone here actually read all of the Discworld books? Cos there is a damn lot of them. I like the Watch arcs, Vimes is a great character. My fav is probably Last Continent for giggles, or Montrous Regiment from some great writing. I've always wanted to see more of Cohen the Barbarian and The Silver Horde.

The Space Odyssy (sp) started out so good. Sadly, it was all downhill from there...

Will I get lynched if I say I don't like Tolkeins stuff?

 

For me I guess it would be Sho Gun
For the most part, I like the way it was written. And I like to read things about Asia, even if it is not real.

 

I'd have to go for the Tolkien saga... although the best book in my opinion was the Silmarillion. I hope they'll eventually make it into a movie. Can't wait to see an army of balrogs...

 

Favorite Series - The Jack Ryan Novels.

Favorite Book - Without Remorse.

Why? - I like intense books/characters.

 

karatepig, Terry Pratchett rules! I'm with you, his insight into the human condition is quite perceptive. I think he's one of the best writers in English today. Writing comedy is difficult, it very easily breaks down into farce. The man can write (I'm reading Thud now).

 

For those into SF.

David Brin: Uplift Series
Alastair Reynolds: Redemption Series
Ian M. Banks: Culture Series
Neal Asher: Gridlink Series
Richard Morgan: Altered Carbon Series

 

R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen series.
Philip Pullman - The Butterfly Tattoo.
John Christopher's The Tripods Trilogy.
Michael Moorcock's History of the Runestaff.

Those are the ones that stand out in my mind.

 

A man of taste - Takeshi Kovacs rocks and the Culture series is a superb creation

Can I also mention:

The Scar/Perdido St Station/ the Oron Council by China Mieville
Neutronium Alchemist series from Philip Hamilton

and - from the golden age of pulp s.f.
The Lensman series by E.E. 'Doc' Smith

 

My favorite book series includes:

=The "Aliens", "Predator" and "Aliens vs. Predator" series that encompasses a total of 13 books and various authors including Steve Perry.

=The "Sten" series by Chris Bunch & Allan Cole. Sci fi.

=The german "Perry Rhodan" series, which now includes +90 books and also is by various authors. Sci fi.

=The "RAMA" series by Arthur C.Clarke and Gentry Lee. Sci fi.

and...

=The "Sunset Warrior" series by Eric van Lustbader.Mix of MA's and action and romance.



Christian

 

Recognition at last! :love:

Agreed, Kovacs-san is the man.

Lensman series - definately a golden oldie.

My I presume to suggest another oldie 'doublet':

'Whipping Star' followed by the amazing 'Dorsadi Experiment' - Frank Herbert.

 

Hm...hard one. I don't really know if it's my favorite, but I love the 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' series. And the book 'Catalyst' was really awesome for me, as was 'Speak' by the same author.

 

I've gotta say by far the greatest story I've ever read/heard are George Martin's 'A song of ice and fire'. He sets the story up in such a way that you are sucked in at the very begining and form an emotional bond with these characters. My job requires me to drive alot (i sell drugs...legally! Im a drug rep) so I get the books off of Audible. The guy that reads these books is amazing. His name is Roy Dotrice. I am chomping at the bits for the next book to release on 11/8.
Running in a close second to Martin is Terry Goodkind. I'm working on book 5 right now and the story just keeps getting better. Wizard's First Rule was an absolutly amazing book.

gurupain

 

A Song of Ice and Fire. I can't get over the gritty reality of this fantasy series. Feels more real than any "regular" fiction I've ever encountered.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn had a lot of poignancy. I kinda thought of it as LotR improved. (Silmarillion's still great though!)

I didn't particularly care for His Dark Materials. It seemed to rely too much on controversy and otherwise built on overused, standard fantasy.

Discworld never disappoints. Night Watch was a particular favorite.

 

One great series I don't see mentioned is the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

 

"Meditations in Green" by Stephen Wright
It's about the Vietnam War, but it's got so much more going on in it. I read it over and over and every time I'm just blown away by it... (sic :woo: lol)
:Angel: