This is just a nice lazy old thread where those of us that actually LIKE to sit in big comfortable chairs and read things called books can share our favorite titles, authors and reasons why

My favorite, by far, is the Exiles Series by Melanie Rawn. So far, two out of the the three books have been written, The Ruins of Ambrai (volume 1) and The Mageborn Traitor (volume 2). Be warned, both these books push 800 pages in small font

I have always loved science fiction and fantasy, but with the Exiles series I felt that a true and total fantasy world had been created. I mean, most books I will read and enjoy... it's those rare few that actually GRAB me that I truly indulge my mind and my time in. With the Exiles series, I am quite simply flabbergasted. It is as near a modern example of perfect storytelling as I can think of. THen again, I'm the kind of guy that finds reading the entire 4 book Lord of the Rings series to be incredibly BORING with just a few fun parts (the battle before Mordor, Rivendell, etc). Exiles brings adventure, magic (two versions of it, no less), love, and politics together with a very wry sense of humor.

I highly recommend The Exiles Series by Melanie Rawn if you have the time and the inclination to enjoy some damned well written fantasy.

 

i really liked toni morrison's "song of solomon."
then there was this book wrtitten by a buddhist monk in korea, called
"cham jot da, jung mal jot gu na." (it means, "ah it's good, it's all good" or something. )

i also liked this book called... "the prize"?
it's about nobel prize but i forgot who the author was.

 

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea, by Gary Kinder

Non fiction, story of the SS Central America returning From the Calif. gold rush, foundered in a storm off the Carolina coast. This is the story of the ship and the young engineer that pushed the limits of oceanography, computer science, information theory, and advanced robotics. Also has evil lawyers.

I recommend this one because I think it will appeal to the type of folks that love the S2000. This is one of the very best books I (and friends) have ever read.

Bill

 

Who could forget Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series? It's certainly a classic, at least in some circles. It's witty, has lots of fun playing with crazy ideas, and is the source of numerous quotes that everyone should know! The first book was certainly the best, but the rest of the series is worth reading just to find out what finally happens.

I also like the "Wheel of Time" series by Jordan, but the freak won't finish it! I'm going to have to devote a whole year to reading it again when he does finish, though.

And for those that haven't read Harry Potter because they think it's too childish, you're missing out on a fun little story. Takes me back to younger times. It's definately worth a read.

 

Another series that I recommend is The Goldenwing Cycle (I forget the author)

A series of 4 books, if I remember, all of them INCREDIBLY well written, about the last of the Goldenwings, ships that travel between planets at near the speed of light. This particular ship is called Glory, and the books are titled, in order: Glory, Glory's War, Glory's People, and one last one I cannot for the life of me remember. Uses Einsteins relativity theory to awesome effect, and plays on emotions and feelings throughout. Plus the telepathic cats are really nifty

 

Close Quarters by Larry Heinemann, which is a semi-fictional story of one soldier's experience in the Vietnam war. This is the best novel I've ever read. Easily the most powerful and frightening, as well as emotionally draining. I've read other really good Vietnam fiction like Tim O'Brien, but I think Heinemann's novels are just a little better written. Oh yeah, it's out of print, but easy to find on http://www.half.com or elsewhere.

This is not a best ever, but I can also recommend a good non-fiction book I read recently called The Black Ship by Dudley Pope. It's the history of the famous mutiny on Hugh Pigot's ship the HMS Hermione in the late 18th century, and the ship's eventual recapture from the Spanish by the crew of the HMS Surprise.

If you're more interested in SF/Fantasy, I would say no author has stunned me more lately than David Brin. His "Uplift" series is well known, but I actually think the best one is the first, called Sundiver. I also really liked his novel The Postman which the Kevin Costner movie was based on. The novel is much better than the movie, and communicates the patriotic emotional theme much better. I've read almost everything else he's written, and it's all good.

 

"Childhoods End" by Arthur C. Clarke Science Fiction at it's best IMHO.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bieg
[B]"Childhoods End" by Arthur C. Clarke

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CBeyond
[B]Heh, I read almost all of Arthur C. Clarke's stuff when I was in grade school.

 

Sad to say I read very little now adays...Now time, nor energy.

And a little embarrased to say, my fav book of all time is "The Dark Half" by Stephen King...I just can't stop reading it