Book recommendations?

[Ghost]

Hey Rebels!

So my birthday is coming up (*cough* two weeks *cough*).

And I happen to know I am getting a Kindle Touch.

It's one of those 'You can't have it until your birthday' scenarios.

But it's not much use if I don't have any books.

So I was wondering if anyone has some recommendations?

I'm not too fussy over what I read.

I want to try a bit of everything. Different genres, fiction, non-fiction, reference.

Right now I just read some Sci-Fi, some Fantasy.

I do love some thrillers, and I prefer things that are well wrote.

Thanks very much!

[SusieBlu]

Brent Weeks- Night Angel Trilogy and the first book in the Light Bringer Trilogy; Black Prism

Joe Abrecrombie- The First Law Trilogy (book one The Blade Itself) along with Best Served Cold and Heros (same 'verse). If you like fantasy and are looking for something different. It is gory, graphic, and very well written. It has all your standard fantasy tropes in it but Abrecrombie takes them piles them into a bag beats and twists them up and give you something great.

Pat Rothfuss- Kingkiller Chronicles Trilogy; Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fears. Awesome books. I am a huge fan. Again Rothfuss takes your classic tropes and shapes them into something fresh and exciting. He give you details upon details that builds the world so completely yet you don't feel like it is a info dump.

The Clockwork Century Series by Cherie Priest- If you like Steampunk or Alternate History read this series starting with Boneshaker.

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher- Book 14, Cold Days, is coming out 27 November. Urban Fantasy, quick reads (IMO), the audio books are fantastic Jame Marsters does an awesome job.

Other books I have read recently and would recommend. Leviathan's Wake by James S.A. Corey, Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobbs, The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham.

Oh anything written or edited by George R. R. Martin.

Happy reading.

[shortstuff]

Ranger's apprentice series - the first couple of books are about how 15 year old Will becomes a ranger's apprentice, after that it's about his life as a ranger. It's a really good series, I started it in year 7, I have finished school, but I still enjoy it just as much now as what I did back than.

If you can get manga, check out some of the Pokemon manga (I know you like Pokemon), death note (smart series about two boys who try to out smart each other, one has a death note which he uses to kill bad people), ouran high school host (girl breaks something and has to repay her debt by working as a host, it's funny).

When I am in my bedroom next, I will raid my book case for more ideas

[leadchipmunk]

Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series, starting with Clockwork Angel - Teen fiction. I've read Angel, and am halfway through Prince. The third book isn't out yet though. Steampunk, Victorian era, deals with Nephilim (children of angels and men), faerie folk, demons and mundanes (normal humans) and the goings on between them. Obvious love story throughout, but still a really good read. Is a prequel to (written after, but story takes place long before) Clare's Mortal Instruments though I haven't read.

Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series - Teen fiction. Re-imagining of World War I, where the Allies are genepunk (genetic modification) based society and the Axis are steampunk. Very well written, and a good story. Especially awesome if you are a history buff.

Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There - Classic. One of my favorite books. Just bought another copy of it so I could own a hardcover version.

George Orwell's 1984 - Dystopian fiction. Originally written in the 1950's and portrays a suspected future of the distant year 1984, and is about a Big Brother state (and where the term Big Brother comes from) where everything is completely controlled.

Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange - Dystopian fiction. Written in a made up slang that will take some time to get used to. Really great once you get into it though. About a teenage gang leader in a mostly anarchic society.

Douglass Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Scifi comedy. Wonderful, beautifully written series of books. My favorite series I've ever read, so much so that when it got stolen, I bought it again. Well, I did that to 1984 and Alice in Wonderland, but they're all good books.

Isaac Asimov's Foundation - Scifi. I've only read Prelude to Foundation and it was really good. Started Foundation but lost the book and by the time I found it, I wanted to restart the series and lost Prelude...

Philip K Dick's A Scanner Darkly and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Scifi Gold. Both have movies (A Scanner Darkly and Blade Runner respectively). Not going to say any more except read them both!

That should be good for now. If you want more, feel free to ask.

--EDIT--

Ok, I just read Shortstuff's post and it brought to mind 2 more suggestions, if you are into manga. I'm not sure if they are available on Kindle though.

Uzumaki by Junji Ito - I recommend everyone to read it. It is a horror manga and it actually left me a little nervous. I promise, you'll never look at spirals the same way again.

Gantz by Hiroya Oku - Not for everyone, or anyone really. Ultraviolent, full of nudity, adult situations, crude language and violence. Then even more of the above. There's 369 chapters to date, and it seems to be almost over. Won't even try to explain the plot outside of evil(?) aliens, violence and sex.

Ok, now I'm done. And don't get me checking my bookshelf for you. Haha

[Ghost]

Ha, so many great ideas.

I love Cassandra Clares work, read Clockwork Angel, and the first 4 of the other series.

Rangers Apprentice, I have all of them, loved them. My friend turned me off them though because he called them childish, stupid him.

Brent Weeks Night Angel series. I. Love. That. Series.

Great minds think alike maybe?

My friend also read 1984, he spoke highly of it. I passed it off as a phase, he does that a lot.

I was actually reading Fahrenheit 451 at the time, so I didn't want another distopia.

Looks like I'm reading it now!

Keep 'em coming, I'll make it a mission to read all of these.

EDIT: Oh leadchipmunk, you must read the Mortal Instruments. Amazing. Or so I say. Just try to remember, this is not Twilight.

[shortstuff]

Rangers Apprentice, I have all of them, loved them. My friend turned me off them though because he called them childish, stupid him.

They aren't childish, your friend just doesn't understand good books. If your not turned off all together the author of Ranger's Apprentice has a new series out called Brotherband, which is also pretty good. It's set in the same world, but at different times and different part of the world, it has some crossovers such as in the Ranger's Apprentice they talk about the main character's boat design at one point, and Erak is in Brotherband a couple of times, but he isn't the main character, other than that, so far it's been a whole other story different to Rangers Apprentice

[Stavs]

Just about anything by Garth Nix! Brilliant Aussie author.

The Old Kingdom (Abhorsen) trilogy is great. (sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen)

Shade's Children.

Have read a few others I can't remember the name.

And of course A song of Ice and Fire is brilliant, if you haven't already read it ten times

[Ghost]

I used to read Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series, back in the good ol' days of Primary School.

Surprisingly, I did not enjoy Game of Thrones.

I have it borrowed, it's been collecting dust for about 2 months now.

[shortstuff]

Have you read

Hunger Games (think of the movie)

Infinity and Invinclble (two different books) about a boy who is poor, ends up saving someone and gets a job working for a deman.

I am number four series, (think of the movie)

King Raven series by Stephen R Lawhead - about a prince who loses his kingdom and than trys to get it back again, sort of like robin hood in a way

Erogon series - the first book has been made into a movie, but the books are so much better

Any thing by Tamora Pierce

The name of the wind and the wise mans fear, both thick books, but they are worth it. Nonfiction, told like a story tale, as in they go back and forward between the now and the past, about a mans life who lost his parents and want to go to uni but it's not like our uni, you can learn magic and stuff

Bleach - manga about another boy who becomes a soul reaper to save his family

Legacy series by Cayla Kluver, princess (first in line) of a land who is now facing war, made to marry someone she doesn't love, falls for another, does unladylike things some times like ride a horse, although not in that order,

Warrior princess / destiny's path, princess gets sent to another castle for her own safety, learns about the old gods, and trys to save her homeland

Some more to check out if interested would be Kristin Cashore (author), Eoin Colfer (author) the power of five (series), blood song (book) tapestry (series) Bartimaeus trilogy and the laws of magic (series)

[katpower]

I second Joe Abercrombie and Tamora Pierce - although they are fairly different! Abercrombie more of a grownup guy book, Pierce more a YA girl book (I'm generalising hugely, I enjoy both and I'm a grownup girl).

I really like Kristin Cashore's books as well.

Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books will make you blush!

Reading Wool at the moment, it's great.

1984 is awesome.

War of the Worlds is great!

Never read anything by Fiona Mcintosh. Ack. So badly written!

[Church]

I am number four was a good books, and I've enjoyed the follow ups.

Terry Brooks is an amazing fantasy author. All of his books/series are amazing. Except for his Star Wars adaptation, I haven't read that one.

The Game, and Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life, by Neil Strauss are excellent books. I found them to be entertaining and fairly enlightening about the human condition and psychology. And Emergency is what ultimately prompted me to level up, way back before I heard about the rebellion.

Dale Brown writes excellent military techno-thrillers, I've enjoyed all of his books.

Beyond Band of Brothers, War, A Line in the Sand, The Red Circle, Seal Team Six, American Sniper and Where Men Win Glory were all excellent books. War memoir-type books, except for Where Men Win Glory, which was written posthumously by Pat Tillman's family.

I've also enjoyed the book 'American Gods' by Neil gaiman, a book about a man who get hired by a guy that turns out to be the diminishing Oden (from Norse Mythology) in a world where Gods exist, but they're dying because no one believes/worships any more.

The Redwall books were good, but I haven't picked them up since high school.

The Half-Made World was an awesome book, it's got a sequel coming out sometime soon. I think.

I also enjoyed 'Scar Night' by Allen Campbell, though I haven't read the sequel 'Iron Angel'.

That's good for now- oh, and Watchmen. I'll raid my bookshelf when I get home.

[blindasutsutsu]

Brent Weeks- Night Angel Trilogy and the first book in the Light Bringer Trilogy; Black Prism

Joe Abrecrombie- The First Law Trilogy (book one The Blade Itself) along with Best Served Cold and Heros (same 'verse). If you like fantasy and are looking for something different. It is gory, graphic, and very well written. It has all your standard fantasy tropes in it but Abrecrombie takes them piles them into a bag beats and twists them up and give you something great.

Pat Rothfuss- Kingkiller Chronicles Trilogy; Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fears. Awesome books. I am a huge fan. Again Rothfuss takes your classic tropes and shapes them into something fresh and exciting. He give you details upon details that builds the world so completely yet you don't feel like it is a info dump.

The Clockwork Century Series by Cherie Priest- If you like Steampunk or Alternate History read this series starting with Boneshaker.

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher- Book 14, Cold Days, is coming out 27 November. Urban Fantasy, quick reads (IMO), the audio books are fantastic Jame Marsters does an awesome job.

Other books I have read recently and would recommend. Leviathan's Wake by James S.A. Corey, Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobbs, The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham.

Oh anything written or edited by George R. R. Martin.

Happy reading.

I don't know about anything after the first line of this but I was going to recommend Brent Weeks books as well. SOOOOOOO Good. Then again I am a homer for the Night Angel Trilogy. But yeah you should read it!!!

[Centurion]

My friend also read 1984, he spoke highly of it. I passed it off as a phase, he does that a lot.

I was actually reading Fahrenheit 451 at the time, so I didn't want another distopia.

It's easy to dismiss 1984 just because using it as an example has become so cliched and it gets mentioned a lot but it is legitimately one of the best books ever written IMO. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is great as well but admittedly not up to 1984 (but I prefer them both to Fahrenheit 451)

To back up a few of the other suggestions, Hunger Games is awesome, Game of Thrones and all it's others are fantastic once you get into them, they can be a bit daunting and I didn't really get hugely into them until the 3rd book but I've been reading them solidly since then (on the final book now), Watchmen is one of my favourites as well but I'd recommend not getting that on Kindle simply because I think you need the full colour pallette to appreciate it in all it's glory.

I'm a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut, particularly Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse 5.

In more of a Sci-Fi vain Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons are both fantastic and The Stars My Destination (aka Tiger, Tiger) by Alfred Bester is one of my faves.

[illuminatus]

I'm going to suggest one of my personal favorites, any of the collected works of HP Lovecraft. His stories have really inspired generations of authors and storytellers with his tales of ancient, elder gods so inhuman to us that there very mention or presence drives people insane. If you've never read any of his stories, don't read expecting happy endings because Lovecraft wasn't big on them.

Also a fan of the Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy, started on Black Prism Series. Also the Crossroads Trilogy by Kate Elliot is really good also.

If you're into dystopian futures and cyberpunk, check out William Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy, Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive. Also check out the Johnny Mnemonic story written by him as well. Went on to become the movie by the same name with Keanu Reeves. the short story is much better

[Church]

Oh, Robopocalypse is a good book, as is Amped. Both my the same author, though I don't remember his name just now. I also enjoyed Fight Club and "The Screwtape Letters" was an interesting read as well. Also, Kylie Chan's "Dark Heavens" trilogy was an entertaining read as well.

[Guest ApptivGames]

Anything by Neal Stephenson. You'll thank me later.

Snow Crash to start

Baroque Cycle if you want a good 6 months-1 year worth of reading material that will open your mind and expand your horizons.

[TheOtherScott]

If AJ Jacobs wrote it, I'll read it. No exceptions. If he wrote the manual to a blender, I want that blender.

Hey, Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland is definitely my favourite non-classic novel. That passage about curses and prayers being the only human words heard in Heaven has stuck with me for the last five years.

In terms of classics? I definitely agree that 1984 is somehow overexposed and underrated at the same time.

[blindasutsutsu]

Ooo Ooo and Ender's Game!

[Barmacral]

If you're into longer series try Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, or Malazan: The Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, or the Black Company books by Glen Cook.

[chasely]

****Taking notes for books to look for****

You'll LOVE your Kindle. I started reading about 10x more than I was before.

Once you get it and make your wish list, send me a PM and I'll see if I can't hook you up with some DRM-free versions of some works.

Same offer goes out to anyone in this thread.

[leadchipmunk]

My friend also read 1984, he spoke highly of it. I passed it off as a phase, he does that a lot.

I was actually reading Fahrenheit 451 at the time, so I didn't want another distopia.

Looks like I'm reading it now!

...

EDIT: Oh leadchipmunk, you must read the Mortal Instruments. Amazing. Or so I say. Just try to remember, this is not Twilight.

Can't have too much dystopia for me. I absolutely loved Fahrenheit 451, but 1984 takes the cake for me. It is the only book I've read 4 times and bought 3. I'm not lending this copy out, got stolen too many times before.

There were 2 reasons I started with Infernal Devices, one was the Victorian era and the other was the cover of Clockwork Prince reminded me of the Ben Barnes version of Dorian Gray (absolutely love the idea and characterization and movies, but didn't care for Oscar Wilde's writing). A buddy of mine recently finished the Mortal Instruments series and highly recommended it to me without knowing I was reading the other series. Haha

It's easy to dismiss 1984 just because using it as an example has become so cliched and it gets mentioned a lot but it is legitimately one of the best books ever written IMO. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is great as well but admittedly not up to 1984 (but I prefer them both to Fahrenheit 451)

Brave New World was really good, though I'd put Fahrenheit 451 ahead of it.

I'm going to suggest one of my personal favorites, any of the collected works of HP Lovecraft. His stories have really inspired generations of authors and storytellers with his tales of ancient, elder gods so inhuman to us that there very mention or presence drives people insane. If you've never read any of his stories, don't read expecting happy endings because Lovecraft wasn't big on them.

I haven't read any of Lovecraft's works, but I know of them. I'm not exactly sure how they are set up; as individual short stories or a series or just disjointed works only related in that they are part of the same universe. So, any guidance on what to start with in his stuff?

[Centurion]

I haven't read any of Lovecraft's works, but I know of them. I'm not exactly sure how they are set up; as individual short stories or a series or just disjointed works only related in that they are part of the same universe. So, any guidance on what to start with in his stuff?

They're all just disjointed short stories set with some recurring elements. I'd recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345809368&sr=8-3

I think it has every short story he ever published, if not then it at least has the majority of them. It's really easy to just dip into and read a story every now and again. I love his stuff, it's all so inventive, kinda reminds me of the Twilight Zone in literary form

[leadchipmunk]

They're all just disjointed short stories set with some recurring elements. I'd recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345809368&sr=8-3

I think it has every short story he ever published, if not then it at least has the majority of them. It's really easy to just dip into and read a story every now and again. I love his stuff, it's all so inventive, kinda reminds me of the Twilight Zone in literary form

Thanks, I'll look for it, or another collection, next time I'm out by the bookstore.

[Animalben]

ALL of Robin Hobbs books

Anything by Ian Irvine

Trudi Cavana series of book (can't remember the titles)

Do androids dream of electric sheep - Philip K Dick

Dune - Frank Herbert

His dark materials - Philip Pullman

D we even need to mention Lord of the Rings?

Can't think of anymore off the top of my head but I will look over my books later and repost or edit

[Evicious]

Exploring the Earth and the Cosmos - Isaac Asimov. Just a classic eye-opener on life on this planet.

The Disappearing Spoon - Sam Kean. Excellent, entertaining and extremely fun to read history/"biography" of the periodic table. I know next to nothing about chemistry, but this book is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a while: highly recommend it for light, chapter-by-chapter reading. I was merely perusing the library shelves when the title caught my eye. I was hooked on the first page. :-P