Hatari Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 What book series does everyone like? I'm a massive fan of the dark-hunter series (romance supernatural novels, though probably geared towards women). And Cliche enough, I like the twilight series (hate the movies), and harry potter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ein Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 The only time I've ever read books was when they were assigned to me in classes. I normally read manga but even then I don't read too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatari Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 I can't read manga...I've tried and failed numerous times. Give me a good old book any day...comics *shudder*. There are tons of other series that I like too, just way too many to name... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defeatist Elitist Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I read all sorts of books. Great fan of Terry Pratchett though, he's pretty much the awesomeness and everyone and their mum should read his books. Seriously, go out and buy every single Discworld novel and read them all. Then read his other books. Other than that, I doubt I can cover all the books I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 (edited) I read all sorts of books. Great fan of Terry Pratchett though, he's pretty much the awesomeness and everyone and their mum should read his books. Seriously, go out and buy every single Discworld novel and read them all. Then read his other books. Other than that, I doubt I can cover all the books I like. Seconded. You might want to hold off a bit on some of them if you aren't familiar with what the specific book you're looking at is parodying. Terry Pratchett is much funnier when you actually understand his references. You're the best judge of whether you'll 'get' a book or not, so keep that in mind. My personal favorites among series that aren't widely popular are George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, James Clavell's Asian Saga and Robin Hobb's Assassin trilogy. The first two are a bit dense and havy on the "death and sex" themes, so I don't know if someone who likes Twilight could get into them easily, but Robin Hobb is more accessible and 'cleaner'. I prefer her Assassin trilogy and its follow-up, the Fool trilogy, because nearly everything else she's written is more oriented toward young adult readers and it shows. But, of course, if you haven't read the really famous books like Dune or The Lord of the Rings or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy those should be your first priority. Edited January 28, 2010 by Hero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrightBow Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Well I'm a happy owner of dozen of Diskworld novels as well as several other novels of him. You can't go wrong with that man. However I haven't read any of his more serious books in their original language so I can't really judge how entertaining he can write outside of the Diskworld. Otherwise as far as entire series are concerned there would the "Hitchhiker to the Galaxy" novel adaptions. Also I have arround a dozen volumes of One Piece, a shonen which always confuse me with it's lack of popularity in the USA. Personally I consider it the best currently running shonen series by far. However the german translation sometimes makes my facepalm (my favorite: Luffy's "Gomu Gomu no Gatling" became "Gum Gum Kalashnikov". I'm not kidding.) but it is by no means bad. I also have several Bleach volumes, though while the story tends to be so forced at times, the characters are quite likable. Still, I can't help but think that the series is generally overrated but at last the german translation is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wist Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 These works I suspect would remain just as personally valuable to me were I to reread them as when I first had the pleasure. Dream of the Red Chamber / Story of the Stone (I don't know if it counts as a series, but it's long enough as to need to be broken into multiple volumes.) Dune (Although I would not rate anywhere nearly as highly the rest of the series.) Mars trilogy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wandering Mercenary Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I'm sticking towards the fantasy side, with books such as Eragon and Inkheart, and their corresponding books. I've read both at least two times each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defeatist Elitist Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) But, of course, if you haven't read the really famous books like Dune or The Lord of the Rings or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy those should be your first priority. Yesyesyes. Really, even if you won't like them, you should probably read a lot of the classics. This includes stuff like Orwell, Isaac Asimov, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, etc. It's just pretty good to get a good background knowledge down. EDIT: Do not, and I repeat, do not read Eragon until after reading other, earlier Fantasy staples. I don't hate Eragon, but it does lift pretty directly, and I feel, poorly from earlier fantasy works, namely the Lord of the Rings. Edited January 29, 2010 by ZXValaRevan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inactive Account Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Think I've seen a thread like this around somewhere... Anyway, OH SO MANY BOOKS Mainly I read sci-fi/fantasy stuff, but also some realistic stuff. I like some of the classics I've had to read. (And the ones that I didn't, but read anyway.) Quick few I'd recommend: --The Eyre Affair and the Thursday Next series that follows it by Jasper Fforde --Howl's Moving Castle and sequels (yeah, it was a book first) by Diana Wynne Jones (and some of her other stuff) --Tamora Pierce's Tortall universe series (there's four quartets, a duology, and another series in progress as well as some short stories) --The Firebringer Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce --Lots of Timothy Zahn's books --Scott Westerfeld's stuff, particularly the Uglies series, the Peeps duology and So Yesterday --Elsewhere and Nevernever by Will Shetterly --The Chronicles of Faerie trilogy by O.R. Melling --Some of Michael Crichton's stuff, Timeline in particular comes to mind. Some of his other stuff made me hit my head against the wall (oh good Lord State of Fear oh gosh) --The increasingly inaccurately-classified Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" by Douglas Adams, though the original radio program was better IMO. Also, by the same author, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. --Dracula by Bram Stoker. No sparkles there. Also, unofficial sequels Bloodline and Bloodline: Reckoning by Kate Cary; they keep the original style, though don't pull it off quite perfectly. Things I liked but would not necessarily recommend for everyone: --James Patterson's Maximum Ride series. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure, because the main character's definitely a Mary Sue... but still kind of a fun series. --Dune was good. Just... a bit thick in relation to the amount of time I actually have for reading at the moment. Er... wow. I'll shut up now; maybe I'll post more later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Communard Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) Really, even if you won't like them, you should probably read a lot of the classics. This includes stuff like Orwell, Isaac Asimov, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, etc. It's just pretty good to get a good background knowledge down. The men hunted. The hunting was good, a manly hunting, a good thing. The men took their dogs. The dogs were brown and gold and black and green and cyan, beautiful dogs, the colors of the fall. The dogs were good. The men were going after game, game being a manly thing to hunt. One of the men was from the War. The War had not been good--there had been neither game nor fish. Nor had there been love. But it did not matter, since love was not to be. There had been loud explosions and death and despair. The men were stoic as they had headed out. They had shown no emotion. The Veteran took liquor from his flask. He unscrewed the top with his pale hands and drank from it. The liquor was good. It had been a long, hard winter, and there was not much game in the forest. The game was scarce. Like love. The men took out there guns. "I see no game" "Neither do I" "This is not good" Things were not manly. This was bad. The men conferenced with each other. It was a conference of brotherhood. They talked of game and boxing and hunting and fishing. But although they were manly, they could not agree. This was bad as well. THE END Gentlemen, I give you Ernest Hemingway. Edited January 29, 2010 by Le Communard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) EDIT: Do not, and I repeat, do not read Eragon until after reading other, earlier Fantasy staples. I don't hate Eragon, but it does lift pretty directly, and I feel, poorly from earlier fantasy works, namely the Lord of the Rings. That's pretty common. Eragon, or at least the first book, lifts the most from Star Wars. The plot of Eragon and the 1977 movie parallel each other practically completely, there are only a few scenes and characters in Eragon that don't fit. Edited January 29, 2010 by Hero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defeatist Elitist Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 That's pretty common. Eragon, or at least the first book, lifts the most from Star Wars. The plot of Eragon and the 1977 movie parallel each other practically completely, there are only a few scenes and characters in Eragon that don't fit. I was going to reference Obi Brom Kenobi and all, but I didn't, especially considering Lucas intentionally made the original movies with The Hero With a Thousand Faces in mind, so I can't fault it too badly for that. But the rest of it, and then the rest of the series, I can fault THOSE. Also, Communard, ilu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatari Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 I tried to read Eragon, but totally failed at it. I just couldn't get into it. As for the "death and sex" theme. The dark-hunter series is one of my all time favorites. It's a romance series... Yes, I like twilight, but that doesn't mean that I'm trapped in the pre-teen/teen realm :). The classics: I can't handle books like Shakespeare or Jane Austin, etc. Lord of the Rings: No...I was never a fan of them or the movies. Probably because of all of the hype about them...and listening to other girls drool over the elf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvin Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Orson Scott Card is my absolute favorite author, and the books I enjoyed most be him were Enchantment and the Ender Series (specifically, Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead). But really, I rip through almost anything he writes with enthusiasm and excitement. On a more old school level, Catch-22 is one of the best books I've ever read. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life at a fiction novel as I did when I read this book. A lot of the time I'll make my online handles literary references from this book. I read it years ago, but to this day I'll think of something funny I remember from it and laugh out loud. Stephen King's Dark Tower series is another bunch of books that I absolutely loved. It was totally unique, and had the best beginning and ending out of any story I've read personally. Stephen King considers it to be his Magnum Opus, the Lord of the Rings to his Tolkien. In fact, if I remember right, the LotR books are what inspired him to create an epic like this initially. I also really enjoyed Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. Follet usually does spy thriller and action type books, but this book was the exception as it dealed with the building of a cathedral in early medieval Britain, and spans decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatari Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) I've heard of the ender series. That might be something to look into. I'm more of a supernatural kind of book person. So, things like the Pride Series by Vincent or Briggs Mercy Thompson's Series (geared towards women again). Historical books are great too. Historical Fiction as well, though, if it's fiction, I tend to go nooo...that's false XD. One of the bad sides of being a history buff. Edited January 29, 2010 by Hatari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PostPavilion Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I don't read much, but sometimes a good book doesn't hurt. I have a list of unfinished books (which I should probably finish) which includes... -Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Shelby Jr. -1984 by George Orwell -Zodiac by Robert Graysmith -Nine Stories by J.D Salinger and speaking of J.D Salinger, I LOVED The Catcher in the Rye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pride Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) I don't have much taste in books, but I like the classics. Things like the Arabian Nights, H.G Wells stories, stuff from those authors Communard and Revan mentioned, and nearly any murder mystery that isn't straight horrible. Edited January 29, 2010 by Goldnail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatari Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 mysteries and thrillers aren't my cup of tea usually. Who is your avatar btw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defeatist Elitist Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 The classics: I can't handle books like Shakespeare or Jane Austin, etc. Lord of the Rings: No...I was never a fan of them or the movies. Probably because of all of the hype about them...and listening to other girls drool over the elf. Why not? Have you ever tried reading something like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Communard Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) Why not? Have you ever tried reading something like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility? Mr. Darcy was like the Edward Cullen of Victorian England. Or something like that. Edited January 29, 2010 by Le Communard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ansem Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Angels and Demons is not bad if you didnt see the movie I find the book better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnell Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 My favorite authors are Terry Pratchett and Orson Scott Card. My personal favorites from Pratchett are the Reaper Man and Good Omens (not a Discworld book). From Card, I absolutely love the Ender/Shadow series (Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, Ender in Exile: Ganges). I read all eight (currently published) Ender/Shadow books in the eighth grade, and I've read each one at least once more. Despite the fact that the characters seem a little too smart, I absolutely love the plot and how Card displays the various alien species throughout the series. I'm also a pretty big fan of Eragon, despite how many people hate it. At least Paolini understands that if you're going to copy, copy from the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatari Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 I tried Pride and Prejudice and was bored out of my mind XD. Hamlet took me days to try to decode it, then I gave up and looked up summaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcerzak Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I am shocked and disappointed at the lack of mention of Neil Gaiman in this thread. I will be back later, and more thorough, but for now, this is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.