Book Suggestions

[rowech]

Alright...I'm in a reading funk. I'm at that stage where I don't know if I take a chance on a new author or if I read one I haven't yet from my favorite authors. Here are some books I'm curious about...looking for input. My favorite books are Pillars of the Earth, The Stand, Instance of the Fingerpost, and some others. Favorite authors are King, Preston and Child, Deaver, Iles, Flynn. Much of their stuff, especially the later ones I've read. In some cases, I've read all of them which is why it might not appear on my list. Here they are:

The Keep -- F. Paul Wilson (anything by this guy looks halfway interesting though...would love to hear thoughts)

Paradise City (Carcaterra) -- I've read Apaches and Gangster which were both alright. Wonder about this one though.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes, Salem's Lot, or Different Seasons -- King's probably my favorite but I don't go for his ultra horror books. I like his more creepy stuff for lack of a better word. Suspenseful, good story telling and not just gross out. Different Seasons I worry about as I already know two of the stories (Shawshank and The Body) Lot is weird because of the vampire deal. The other one, I like his short stories I've read but that book seems more of the true blood and gore.

Battle Cry (Uris) -- usually don't go for military type stuff unless it's true history but this one looks like it might be pretty good.

"The Epics" now

Atlas Shrugged (Rand) -- just have a feeling this is a book I should read although it looks like it could be very boring.

The Source (Minchener) -- looks good although I worry his stuff might be outdated.

War and Peace (Tolstoy) -- has anyone actually ever read this?

Slaughterhouse Five -- not sure why other than I hear it mentioned a lot. Seems fairly weird though.

North and South Trilogy -- worry about this one maybe being a bit "girlie"

Shogun -- not sure about this one either as it is the first of a massive series.

Aztec -- some of the same reasons as Shogun here but looks like it might be a solid book.

[Shkspr]

Originally Posted by rowech

The Keep -- F. Paul Wilson (anything by this guy looks halfway interesting though...would love to hear thoughts)

The Keep is the WW2 book about Nazis vs. vampires. You might consider starting with The Tomb first - it's a modern day story that introduces Wilson's series character Repairman Jack, and you'll appreciate some of the mystical elements in The Keep a little more afterward. Also, it's just been rereleased (today!) at a lower price point so you might find it at a discount shop for under $4 new.

Paradise City (Carcaterra) -- I've read Apaches and Gangster which were both alright. Wonder about this one though.

Crime novels? Connelly, Lehane, Pelecanos. Rinse. Repeat.

King's probably my favorite but I don't go for his ultra horror books. I like his more creepy stuff for lack of a better word.

You might take a look at some of the stuff from his middle period (Tommyknockers to Rose Madder, roughly speaking). It seems to me to be a little less gross-out (the accident knocked some gore back into his work, I think).

Battle Cry (Uris) -- usually don't go for military type stuff unless it's true history but this one looks like it might be pretty good.

Top shelf Uris probably belongs on your epics list at least as much as Michener. Trinity is another recent reprint you're likely to have an easy time finding in shops.

"The Epics" now

Atlas Shrugged (Rand) -- just have a feeling this is a book I should read although it looks like it could be very boring.

Are you younger than 25? If you're older you can probably give objectivism a miss, I think. At the very least you're outside the prime age for arguing over Rand's ideas, which is the fun part of her work.

The Source (Minchener) -- looks good although I worry his stuff might be outdated.

Not so much outdated as dated, and not entirely a bad thing. As I read Michener, I'm very much aware of the period the book is written in, like reading Dickens on a much smaller scale. The books just don't parse the way current fiction does. Several of the titles are still worth a read, however, and Source is high on the list.

War and Peace (Tolstoy) -- has anyone actually ever read this?

I did it just so I could say I did it - and it made me feel like an ass. Skip it.

Slaughterhouse Five -- not sure why other than I hear it mentioned a lot. Seems fairly weird though.

Vonnegut : literary nerds :: Rand : pricks

Breakfast of Champions is probably the current flavor for classic Vonnegut, but in a few years Cat's Cradle is likely to be the cool one. Again, Vonnegut is on the list of authors you should know to have Meaningful Conversations About the World in a Denny's at 3 AM on a Wednesday. If that doesn't describe you, you can safely pass by.

North and South Trilogy -- worry about this one maybe being a bit "girlie"

Naah. Plenty of guys read Jakes. It's still more character-driven than event-driven - read Shaara or Pressfield if you want to see guys killing each other - but for generational sagas about brother-vs-brother conflict, nobody's replaced John Jakes. (Hell, not sure many folks have tried.)

Shogun -- not sure about this one either as it is the first of a massive series.

Shogun can be safely read as a standalone; most of the other books in the saga take place 400 years after this one, actually. In Clavell, Jakes, Uris, and Michener, you've got pretty much the May 1975 bestseller list.

Aztec -- some of the same reasons as Shogun here but looks like it might be a solid book.

Keep to the stuff Jennings wrote and it is a solid series. Man died too soon. Also look for The Journeyer, a novel about Marco Polo.

[Groundhog]

Shogun isn't part of a series. Clavel wrote several Asian-themed novels, some of which were linked, but Shogun isn't part of that. It's a stand-alone novel and very, very good. It's historical inaccuracies would give me fits if I read it today, but back when I read it I couldn't put it down.

[st.cronin]

I loathe Vonnegut. If you want a gripping read, read his son's memoir of his battle with mental illness.

[Groundhog]

BTW, if you like creepy horror, you should read from the King (pun intended) of creepy horror, H.P. Lovecraft, who was a big influence on King. Mostly short stories, but his not-so-short stories are the better ones. Mountains of Madness & The Case of Charles Dexter Ward are my favourites. He's worth reading for his very unique writing style alone.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Speaking of creepy horror, might be worth checking out Robert McCammon's stuff.

[thesloppy]

You should read Don Delilo's 'Underworld', sez me.

[KWhit]

I'm reading Lonesome Dove right now and it is outstanding. I'm not into westerns, but it is so well written. Very entertaining.

[Vince]

Though completely and totally different than what has already been discussed, a friend pointed me towards Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, and I'm really enjoying it.

[rowech]

Shkspr,

Thanks very much for the info. I'm surprised I found someone who has read all of those. Very impressive. Are the F. Paul Wilson books considered horror or are they more Twilight Zonish? (I mean the Repairman Jack ones)

I come in at 30 on Friday but have recently had a friend beg me to read Atlas Shrugged. He's the ultimate libertarian...I'm pretty conservative in my views but I'm not sure how much I would take away from the book. I understand the basic premise of her philosophy as is. Do I need to read 1200 pages to get it used in a story?

The 3 AM Denny's comment resonated a bit with me. However, that was probably more 5-10 years ago than currently. Now I'm usually getting up at 3 AM to take a leak.

I don't have to have the killing fields. I liked Shaara's American Revolution series. Hated his dad's Killer Angels. However, I think that has to do with the fact I've never been able to get remotely into the Civil War. I also like Jeffery Archer's books..(Kane and Abel especially...just a fantastic book to me) and wondered if Jakes is similar.

May 1975???? Wasn't even born yet!

Are there any on that list of mine that really stand out as must reads? Maybe ones that didn't but that might fit with what you can tell about my reading styles.

[Edward64]

I'm a fan of George Martin and have read his 1st 3 books in the Ice series. I've decided not to read anymore though until he has all the books in the series done ... too long between each one.

I'm a new fan of Robin Hobb. She has a couple trilogies done. Her plots are a little strange but her characters are great and writing style really immerses me.

More recent books by Bujold, she writes sci-fi and fantasy and have only tried and enjoy her fantasy books.

Stirling and his alternative histories are a good light read, writing style is not my favorite but this plots are very intriguing.

[Bearcat729]

Originally Posted by Vince

Though completely and totally different than what has already been discussed, a friend pointed me towards Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, and I'm really enjoying it.

I love this book. I saw someone mention it in a summer reading thread last year I think and picked it up, and I found it to be really funny.

I've since read the other 8 or so books Chris Moore has written and I really liked The Stupidest Angel a lot as well.

[Shkspr]

Originally Posted by rowech

Are the F. Paul Wilson books considered horror or are they more Twilight Zonish? (I mean the Repairman Jack ones

There are certainly horrific elements in the series - but on the whole, the series is more of a thriller. Jack's the guy you call when you need your life repaired. The threats are more X-Files than Twilight Zone. Think Preston/Child dealing with monsters under the bed.

I come in at 30 on Friday but have recently had a friend beg me to read Atlas Shrugged. He's the ultimate libertarian...I'm pretty conservative in my views but I'm not sure how much I would take away from the book. I understand the basic premise of her philosophy as is. Do I need to read 1200 pages to get it used in a story?

Google comes up with 226,000 hits on the phrase +rand +didactic. If you understand the Cliffs Notes version, you really don't need 1200 pages of it.

I also like Jeffery Archer's books..(Kane and Abel especially...just a fantastic book to me) and wondered if Jakes is similar.

Jakes is a strong historian for his era, writing a more swashbuckling style than Archer. I don't know where I'd slot Archer, though...alongside Sidney Sheldon? Dominick Dunne? Later-era Clavell, maybe? The best Archer story I've read is the short Just Good Friends, so you might want to pick up the collection it's in, A Twist in the Tale, if you haven't already.

Looking at the list you gave, I'll throw out Wilson's The Tomb and maybe Shogun to try first, with the thought that enjoying those will lead you to another dozen or so titles you'd enjoy. On a further note, I don't think there's a clunker in the dozen or so posts above this one. Larry McMurtry is about a must if you've got a historical interest in the old West, Chistopher Moore is one of those "first day" authors for me, and Underworld is a fine modern book as well (though I'd stay away from the rest of DeLillo's work, myself).

I'll finish by posting some of this year's selections from the book club I host at my store:

Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind
Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveller's Wife
Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
Jodi Picoult, The Pact
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

All five are excellent titles.

[Peregrine]

I can definitely second the suggestion of F. Paul Wilson and the Repairman Jack series. Honestly even his other non-Jack books have all been worth reading.

[rowech]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I'm going to try the F. Paul Wilson stuff...probably The Tomb.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Speaking of creepy horror, might be worth checking out Robert McCammon's stuff.

Agreed. McCammon's stuff is very much like King's. In fact, "Swan Song" is basically like "The Stand" with more fantastical elements and involves a nuclear war instead of the super-flu. Same type of set-up though: a battle between good and evil in a post-apocalyptic world.

Originally Posted by Edward64

I'm a fan of George Martin and have read his 1st 3 books in the Ice series. I've decided not to read anymore though until he has all the books in the series done ... too long between each one.

Most definitely agreed. If you liked "Pillars Of The Earth", you should love this series. While "Pillars of the Earth" is historical fiction and the "Fire & Ice" series is clearly a fantasy series, they really seem to have similar feels to them. I enjoyed both and felt they shared a bit of kinship in a way. I am pretty much addicted to the "Fire & Ice" series. I've read all four, most twice, and am currently listening to the first book (and plan to listen to the next two). It's an incredibly rich world.

[rowech]

I usually don't go too much for the sci-fi/fantasy.

There was one book I forgot to ask about...With Remorse by Clancy. I've read Red Storm Rising and Rainbow Six. Liked both, but Rainbow Six more. Without Remorse I believe is a non-Jack Ryan book or at the least he is just mentioned. Anyone with thoughts on it?

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by rowech

I usually don't go too much for the sci-fi/fantasy.

There was one book I forgot to ask about...With Remorse by Clancy. I've read Red Storm Rising and Rainbow Six. Liked both, but Rainbow Six more. Without Remorse I believe is a non-Jack Ryan book or at the least he is just mentioned. Anyone with thoughts on it?

Without Remorse isn't a Ryan novel, but it is in the same universe. It focuses on John Clark, the CIA spook, back during the Vietnam era (he does some work in Vietnam, but a majority of the book is focused stateside). Basically think of it as the story behind how John Clark came to be who he would be by the time Jack Ryan begins working with him.

As for how it ranks in the pantheon, I consider it one of the better ones in the series, perhaps because Clancy doesn't have to worry with trying to make it "fit" with the other books and therefore doesn't spend portions of the book having to re-introduced us to everybody. As I recall, I think he started writing WR first among all his books, but then I think he put it aside and then wrote HFRO and the rest was history.

[Bonegavel]

Even thought it may be painful, I recommend picking up a "classic" every now and then. Borders and B&N usually have a nice cheap paperback section filled with these.

My latest is Frankenstein. The 19th century prose is sometimes beautiful but mostly grandiloquent. I am currently at chapter 16 in the middle of the monster's tale of his time after he came to life. It's really interesting to read the grandfather of today's sci-fi/horror genre and it is more interesting to see how Hollywood's early versions of Frankenstein have little to do with the actual book. (the more recent Dinero picture is closer, but still goes it's own way at times)

I also just finished the Big Sleep by Chandler (his first foray into the world of Phillip Marlowe) and Fahrenheit 451.

I even occasionally pick up my old copies of Shakespeare and trudge through them.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

I definitely agree with those that recommend Robert McCammon. Boy's Life is my all-time favorite. The man can write.

I enjoyed Atlas Shrugged, although there are some slow parts in it. At first I was a bit put off by its size and the philosophy in it, but I really enjoyed the story, and in the end, that's all that matters.

I'm also a huge fan of Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five is a classic for a reason, but I think Cat's Cradle and Mother Night are better. His books aren't very long, so why not give him a chance?

I would pass on Shogun. I was very disappointed in this. And bored.

The good thing about Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is that it doesn't really read like fantasy. It feels more like a historical war novel.

Originally Posted by Shkspr

Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind
Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveller's Wife

Both of these books are excellent.

If you liked Instance of the Fingerpost have you tried The Name of the Rose by Eco? I have yet to read either, but I constantly hear those two books mentioned together.

Oh, and happy early birthday. I turned 30 last month and I'm still trying to accept it.

[Lathum]

I am in the middle of the dark tower series by King, very entertaining.

If you like King you should try the
Talisman.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Ezarik

If you liked Instance of the Fingerpost have you tried The Name of the Rose by Eco? I have yet to read either, but I constantly hear those two books mentioned together.

Oh, and happy early birthday. I turned 30 last month and I'm still trying to accept it.

I have read In The Name of the Rose...liked it quite a bit.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I am in the middle of the dark tower series by King, very entertaining.

If you like King you should try the
Talisman.

I have been wondering if I should try the Dark Tower but it just looks to be about random bits all thrown together. I'm sure it's an epic but I'm not sure how I see the story going.

I've wondered about the Talisman as well but the few times I've read co-authored books (other than Preston and Child) I've been disappointed.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I know I mentioned Robert McCammon earlier, but I wonder how this specific title might suit you?
Swan's Song
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067...lance&n=283155

[rowech]

Actually Jon, that doesn't look too bad.

[Jas_lov]

I'm about halfway through the Tailsman right now and beleive me, you won't be dissapointed. I'm going to read Blackhouse after I'm done. I've heard mixed reviews about that one. Have you ever read The Stand by Stephen King? I would recommend that to anyone who likes King. It's not really ultra horror, it's about a group of people who have survived a deadly disease and wipeout of the human race. There then becomes a struggle between good and evil in the world that remains after the disease. Talking about it here makes me want to read it again.

[rowech]

The Stand is one of my three favorite books.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by rowech

The Stand is one of my three favorite books.

Then I would definitely recommend Swan's Song.

It's been years since I read it, but my recollection pretty well matches the positive reviews at Amazon.com

Heck, the fact I could conjure up the name of the book after some 20 years is a pretty good endorsement all by itself

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by rowech

I have been wondering if I should try the Dark Tower but it just looks to be about random bits all thrown together. I'm sure it's an epic but I'm not sure how I see the story going.

I've wondered about the Talisman as well but the few times I've read co-authored books (other than Preston and Child) I've been disappointed.

As a non-stephen king fan, I picked up the entire Dark Tower Series the day the last book came out (sick of waiting for authors to finish their series **cough cough** ROBERT JORDAN!!!!!!1) and enjoyed them very much. Regardless of what you think of the ending, the story told throughout makes it all worth it.