New book suggestions? Please?

[sumdawgtwigg]

I've been trying to get sucked into a new book for a very long time now. The last thing that really got me was hunger games. Before that it had been over a year since something really caught my attention. I want something new but within my past interests, maybe a new author...if that makes any sense. So here is what I'm really into :

Michael C (jurassic park, etc)

Stephen King (loved most of his stuff)

I really enjoy things that involve believable sci fi. Like near future stuff. I also enjoy things set during the 60's. I really liked boys life, and of course the body.

I know this is scattered all over the place but I miss reading and figured someone here might have a good suggestion.

[Timmy M]

not really what you requested but that's all over the place anyway i've just finished reading 'Under the Wire' by William Ash it's about one of the men that Steve Mcqueen's character was based on in the Great Escape (he was there when it happened but was in isolation when it happened) it's a very good read. also one of my favourite books is 'The Way of Kings' by Brandon Sanderson it's fantasy and takes a bit to get into but i couldn't put the damn thing down (read 200 pages whilst on am 8hour night shift)

variety is the spice of life, i'd almost guarantee you'd enjoy both of these

[20mb13]

if you can put up with a book about aliens... infected was a terrific novel, in my opinion. if you can get into zombie novels... then i could tell you about a dozen pretty good books almost.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

You might like Charles Stross' 'Halting State' and 'Rule 34' for near-future science fiction. They're quite funny and engaging, and pretty prescient.

China Mieville is always good for odd world-building; "The City and the City" is a noir murder mystery set in two cities that occupy the same space, but are separated by custom. It's a weird setup, but he makes it work.

Cory Doctorow's stuff is also good for near-future sci-fi, especially his recent young-adult writing. "Little Brother" is about a hacker kid who gets swept up by Homeland Security after a terrorist attack on San Francisco, and "For The Win" is about gold-farming and international finance. Plus he's enough of a tech geek to make his inventions plausible. (That should scratch your Crichton itch.)

Another writer I cannot recommend enough is Barry Eisler. He writes spy thrillers. He's a former CIA agent and judo black belt, so his stories are absolutely believable. Start with 'Rain Fall' or 'Fault Line'. Go get them. Now. No arguing. :-)

[littlewings]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is something I'd recommend. Basically about a man telling his story (so it takes place both in past and present) where he was an orphan boy becoming a legend (kinda like harry potter) but the author describes everything more scientifically than just "magic". It's got a sequel to it and is currently becoming my favourite trilogy, so... I might be biased but you might enjoy it!

[obax]

I agree with The Name of the Wind, I've read it and quite enjoyed it. I really like the idea of it being a story within a story, and the switches from past to present work really well.

I also second The City & the City, this is my favourite book by China Mieville (that I've read so far, I haven't read them all yet, but he's one of my favourite authors) and the idea behind the two cities is absolutely fascinating.

I'd also reccomend either Anglemaker or The Gone Away World, both by Nick Harkaway. Anglemaker takes place in the modern day as well as in the past in our real world, but with a touch of steampunk thrown in (I'm not describing it well at all, it's an incredible book about the impending end of the world and the people who are trying to stop it). The Gone Away World is a bit surreal (it felt like China Mieville and William Gibson got together to write the craziest book they could) but I absolutely couldn't put it down. It's a near-future alternate reality post apocalyptic story, and it whips along like a runaway train that's running on the seam between imagination and reality. It's really quite fascinating and the twist floored me, I totally didn't see it coming. Or rather, I did, but not until just before the reveal, and then I was delighted at how the story drew me in and made me not see it sooner.

I'm not sure any of that fits in with the examples you gave, but I'm all for clambering out on a limb every now and then...

[sumdawgtwigg]

Wow, lot's of recommendations there. I guess I'll take one from everyone's list! First I'll go ahead and get The City and the city since so many of you recommended it. Then a Barry Eisler, since there is no arguing . I'll check out everyone's recommendations tomorrow when i go out and see what I like best! Thanks!

[CalvinHobbes]

I loved the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (also into Stephen King) so I'd say look into it. All the books are mysteries, but have a science fiction twist (best way to describe it).

[notcreative]

I love dystopian near-future sci fi! I'm a big fan of The Hunger Games as well.

Here are my recommendations:

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (great, great, book that inspired Brave New World)

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

1984 by George Orwell

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut (Galapagos, Slaughterhouse Five, and Player Piano are some of my favs)

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I also really liked the Pendergast Series.

[Oogiem]

For a writer similar in many respects to Stephen King try Blake Crouch.

For a really good believable Sci Fi start with John Scalzi Old Man's War series.

[DangerDave]

Neal Stephenson hasn't let me down yet.

For near(ish) future stuff you could go Snow Crash or Anathem (this one starts slow, but gets crazy).

For some historical fiction go with Cryptonomicon, it's a WW2 story with links to the present, focusing on codebreaking and computer science.

[sumdawgtwigg]

I love dystopian near-future sci fi! I'm a big fan of The Hunger Games as well.

Here are my recommendations:

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (great, great, book that inspired Brave New World)

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

1984 by George Orwell

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut (Galapagos, Slaughterhouse Five, and Player Piano are some of my favs)

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I also really liked the Pendergast Series.

I generally cannot stand dystopian future sci fi. Hunger games and I am legend are two of the few exceptions. My mood is very easily influenced by what I read or watch and I try to stay away from overly dark material. I am Legend is amazing though. The vincent price movie adaptation was incredible as well.

[67alecto]

We have a great (and active) thread of book recommendations here: Linky Link Link