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First Law is pretty great, Joe Abercrombie is an SF&F thread favorite. Brandon Sanderson is really hit or miss. If you like worldbuilding and magic system detailed enough to double as an RPG sourcebook and you don't mind his prose/dialogue/literally-everything-but-worldbuilding being mediocre at best, you'll probably be a fan. Night Angel is garbage even by the standards of a genre filled with garbage. High Warlord Zog posted:What about Stephenson's Baroque Cycle or, if he wants to read a contemporary shooty-shoot bang bang book, Reamde? Cryptonomicon and Anathem are his best, imo.
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Dec 21, 2015 18:55
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I'm looking for some novels that take place in the Roman Empire, preferably the eastern portion during the time of Jesus but not necessarily featuring him. An example would be the movie Ben Hur.
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Dec 23, 2015 17:12
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TommyGun85 posted:I'm looking for some novels that take place in the Roman Empire, preferably the eastern portion during the time of Jesus but not necessarily featuring him. An example would be the movie Ben Hur. the novel Ben Hur?
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Dec 23, 2015 17:18
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TommyGun85 posted:I'm looking for some novels that take place in the Roman Empire, preferably the eastern portion during the time of Jesus but not necessarily featuring him. An example would be the movie Ben Hur. Henryk Sienkiewicz's Quo Vadis is a little after Jesus's time (AD 64), but might suit you.
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Dec 23, 2015 17:49
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I'm thinking about getting my father in law a few books for Christmas. He mostly travels in dad-lit, e.g. cold war thrillers and related dashing American heroics. I'm not exactly trying to challenge him, but is there anything that falls within that genre that has a couple more dashes of literary merit than Clancy? I was thinking John le Carre, but I suspect he has the most obvious le Carre books since they've been around long enough. The more recent the publication, the better the odds he doesn't have it.
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Dec 23, 2015 19:54
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Flip Yr Wig posted:I'm thinking about getting my father in law a few books for Christmas. He mostly travels in dad-lit, e.g. cold war thrillers and related dashing American heroics. I'm not exactly trying to challenge him, but is there anything that falls within that genre that has a couple more dashes of literary merit than Clancy? I was thinking John le Carre, but I suspect he has the most obvious le Carre books since they've been around long enough. The more recent the publication, the better the odds he doesn't have it. Ken Follett is a favorite of my father and fits what you describe.
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Dec 23, 2015 20:11
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Hey can someone recommend me a new book series, I like to buy books by the series because I live in South Korea so it can be pricey to buy English novels and it is better to buy them 3 or more at a time. I like Joe Abercrombie, Jim Butcher, John Scalzi, anything Sci-fi or Fantasy really even like L E Modesitt I like, thanks guys!
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Dec 24, 2015 13:00
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Flip Yr Wig posted:I'm thinking about getting my father in law a few books for Christmas. He mostly travels in dad-lit, e.g. cold war thrillers and related dashing American heroics. I'm not exactly trying to challenge him, but is there anything that falls within that genre that has a couple more dashes of literary merit than Clancy? I was thinking John le Carre, but I suspect he has the most obvious le Carre books since they've been around long enough. The more recent the publication, the better the odds he doesn't have it. Olen Steinhauer is writing some excellent le Carre-type stuff (more tradecraft and psychological stuff vs gadgets and explosions), but he's a best-seller, so I dunno if he would know his work or not. Daniel Silva is another good one, but, again we have the issue of him being really well-known. Maybe Chris Pavone or, if you want something (a lot) more violent, Don Winslow? Joakim Zander's The Swimmer is fairly recent and has gotten some le Carre comparisons, but to me it felt like a cover version rather than something original. Good chance he hasn't read it, though.
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Dec 24, 2015 13:41
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alnilam posted:I'd like a Vonnegut recommendation please. I've read Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle, Slapstick, Bluebeard, and Player Piano. I love them all but if I had to pick a favorite it'd be Cat's Cradle. Mother Night is very good.
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Dec 24, 2015 14:19
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I just finished The Wise Man Fears by Patrick Rothfuss and I'm looking for more of the same so epic fantasy or maybe science fiction if it has a similar style. I really enjoyed the first-person perspective as I can't recall the last book I read that utilized it. My favourite book is probably Anna Karenina. I have read the Gentlemen Bastard series by Scott Lynch and enjoyed it but nearly as much as the Kingkiller Chronicles. I am up to date with the A Song of Ice and Fire series. I have had the Red Rising trilogy recommended to me by someone.
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Dec 24, 2015 17:01
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Dead Goon posted:Mother Night is very good. Seconding this. When I did a re-read about a year ago it surprised me just how stunningly good I had forgotten it was.
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Dec 24, 2015 20:59
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Captain Hotbutt posted:Seconding this. When I did a re-read about a year ago it surprised me just how stunningly good I had forgotten it was. The literary equivalent of being kicked in the nuts, repeatedly. it is good. e: Flip Yr Wig posted:I'm thinking about getting my father in law a few books for Christmas. He mostly travels in dad-lit, e.g. cold war thrillers and related dashing American heroics. I'm not exactly trying to challenge him, but is there anything that falls within that genre that has a couple more dashes of literary merit than Clancy? I was thinking John le Carre, but I suspect he has the most obvious le Carre books since they've been around long enough. The more recent the publication, the better the odds he doesn't have it. My pa got almost nothing but dad-lit this year, which included le Carre's Our Kind of Traitor (2010). BravestOfTheLamps fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Dec 24, 2015 |
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Dec 24, 2015 23:47
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I'm looking on a book that essentially just covers all of human history. Something along the lines of "humanity can be traced back to x, about z years ago" and from there it sort of gives a crash course of what lead humanity from that point to where it is now. How mankind migrated, how they survived, how cultures and languages developed and groups became kingdoms and etc down to the countries and regions we know today or something like that. Is there such a book that covers the big bullet points like that? Or do we only have big comprehensive encyclopedias for this kind of thing?
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Dec 25, 2015 05:22
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TommyGun85 posted:I'm looking for some novels that take place in the Roman Empire, preferably the eastern portion during the time of Jesus but not necessarily featuring him. An example would be the movie Ben Hur. I haven't read it but this thing sounds cool and might be up your alley: http://www.amazon.com/Captivity-Gy%C3%B6rgy-Spir%C3%B3/dp/1632060493 It's about jews in the eastern roman empire after Jesus' death.
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Dec 25, 2015 06:20
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E_P posted:Hey can someone recommend me a new book series, I like to buy books by the series because I live in South Korea so it can be pricey to buy English novels and it is better to buy them 3 or more at a time. I like Joe Abercrombie, Jim Butcher, John Scalzi, anything Sci-fi or Fantasy really even like L E Modesitt I like, thanks guys! How about sci-fi AND fantasy? The Quantum Thief trilogy is amazing.
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Dec 25, 2015 07:00
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Corte posted:I just finished The Wise Man Fears by Patrick Rothfuss and I'm looking for more of the same so epic fantasy or maybe science fiction if it has a similar style. I really enjoyed the first-person perspective as I can't recall the last book I read that utilized it. Try Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobbs
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Dec 25, 2015 08:17
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Space T Rex posted:I'm looking on a book that essentially just covers all of human history. Something along the lines of "humanity can be traced back to x, about z years ago" and from there it sort of gives a crash course of what lead humanity from that point to where it is now. How mankind migrated, how they survived, how cultures and languages developed and groups became kingdoms and etc down to the countries and regions we know today or something like that. Is there such a book that covers the big bullet points like that? Or do we only have big comprehensive encyclopedias for this kind of thing? I think you want Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and/or Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond.
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Dec 25, 2015 14:18
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Pork Pie Hat posted:I think you want Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and/or Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond. I hear that GGS's reputation these days is 'OK, but overshadowed by other, better books in the same vein'. Unfortunately, I can't help you with what those better books are.
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Dec 25, 2015 15:41
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Darth Walrus posted:I hear that GGS's reputation these days is 'OK, but overshadowed by other, better books in the same vein'. Unfortunately, I can't help you with what those better books are. Yeah Sapiens is the newer of the two so I'd probably suggest they start with that.
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Dec 25, 2015 16:35
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I recently finished The Rook. Looking for something similar, I enjoyed the strong yet unassuming main character, the bits of dark sarcastic humour and just overall how real the characters felt (even with the x-files comedy plot). Ideally something set in the UK but not too fussy. Already read Rivers of London.
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Dec 25, 2015 18:04
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Pork Pie Hat posted:I think you want Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and/or Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond. Thanks a bunch!
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Dec 25, 2015 18:22
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Space T Rex posted:I'm looking on a book that essentially just covers all of human history. Something along the lines of "humanity can be traced back to x, about z years ago" and from there it sort of gives a crash course of what lead humanity from that point to where it is now. How mankind migrated, how they survived, how cultures and languages developed and groups became kingdoms and etc down to the countries and regions we know today or something like that. Is there such a book that covers the big bullet points like that? Or do we only have big comprehensive encyclopedias for this kind of thing? It's limited to Europeans (and North Africa/the Ancient Near East), but I found Jean Manco's Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings to be pretty fantastic. It breaks down all the genetic, archaeological, linguistic, and (eventually) historical evidences for human migrations, mostly in pre-history (though it does touch on human migrations up to around 1000AD). I found it to be pretty comprehensive, if limited geographically. Reading it does get a little bogged down when the author gets into the specifics of DNA evidence, but I still found the whole thing compelling. The most surprising thing, to me, about reading it is- you're going along, reading about all these pre-historic tribes about which we know almost nothing, and then, bam, the Egyptians and Sumerians show up and start writing about how big their dicks are.
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Dec 25, 2015 19:05
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jax posted:I recently finished The Rook. Looking for something similar, I enjoyed the strong yet unassuming main character, the bits of dark sarcastic humour and just overall how real the characters felt (even with the x-files comedy plot). Ideally something set in the UK but not too fussy. Already read Rivers of London. The Laundry Files series by Charles Stross
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Dec 25, 2015 19:23
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funkybottoms posted:The Laundry Files series by Charles Stross Perfect, thanks!
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Dec 25, 2015 21:27
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I need something exciting, scary, and disturbing. And most importantly, well-written. I don't have a lot of patience for lovely characterization and prose. But I really want something that is going to keep me glued to the page and shuddering. edit: Current leading prospects are Bird Box and Nick Cutter's The Troop Borneo Jimmy posted:Cold Moon over Babylon by Michael McDowell blue squares fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Dec 26, 2015 |
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Dec 26, 2015 01:13
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blue squares posted:I need something exciting, scary, and disturbing. And most importantly, well-written. I don't have a lot of patience for lovely characterization and prose. But I really want something that is going to keep me glued to the page and shuddering. Cold Moon over Babylon by Michael McDowell
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Dec 26, 2015 01:29
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blue squares posted:I need something exciting, scary, and disturbing. And most importantly, well-written. I don't have a lot of patience for lovely characterization and prose. But I really want something that is going to keep me glued to the page and I think I have the perfect book for you: Mario Vargas Llosa's Feast of the Goat. It's an historical fiction novel about the arguably worst Latin American dictatorship of the 20th century. Amazingly written and deeply disturbing. It plunges that knife in your gut early and keeps twisting.
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Dec 26, 2015 02:48
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mcustic posted:I think I have the perfect book for you: Mario Vargas Llosa's Feast of the Goat. Looks like I have a 17 mile drive ahead of me tomorrow to go pick this up! Gonna grab something more traditional horror, too, but this looks great. Thanks.
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Dec 26, 2015 03:01
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Mvl is hype blue, you'll like him
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Dec 26, 2015 15:36
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I'm nearly finished with The Longships and I really loved the epic style and understated humor throughout. Has anyone that has read that found something else in that vein? It doesn't need to be about Vikings (in fact for variety I would prefer if it weren't), it's the style and humor I'm looking for.
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Dec 27, 2015 23:24
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Space T Rex posted:I'm looking on a book that essentially just covers all of human history. Something along the lines of "humanity can be traced back to x, about z years ago" and from there it sort of gives a crash course of what lead humanity from that point to where it is now. How mankind migrated, how they survived, how cultures and languages developed and groups became kingdoms and etc down to the countries and regions we know today or something like that. Is there such a book that covers the big bullet points like that? Or do we only have big comprehensive encyclopedias for this kind of thing? Late, but: Cartoon History of the Universe does that and is funny too. And now I'm gonna have to check out Sapiens.
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Dec 28, 2015 23:55
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Looking for a book dealing with first contact with aliens or the discovery of an alien artifact/first contact with aliens. Or maybe even a dystopian future dealing with the survivors/rebels dealing with the aftermath of alien ivnasion.
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Dec 29, 2015 17:07
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WastedJoker posted:Looking for a book dealing with first contact with aliens or the discovery of an alien artifact/first contact with aliens. Haven't read it, but Leviathan Wakes is all the rage these days, and the first part of a series. It's one of those books I've been thinking about reading for a while but worry that I would hate it.
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Dec 29, 2015 17:11
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WastedJoker posted:Looking for a book dealing with first contact with aliens or the discovery of an alien artifact/first contact with aliens. You could try Existence by David Brin. It's about what happens when we find an alien artifact in orbit.
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Dec 29, 2015 17:36
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WastedJoker posted:Looking for a book dealing with first contact with aliens or the discovery of an alien artifact/first contact with aliens. Goon favorite Blindsight by Peter Watts! (assuming you want to annhilate all vestiges of the holiday spirit from your mind)
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Dec 29, 2015 17:36
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I just finished re-reading some of Christopher Moore's books, ending with Lamb: The gospel according to Biff, Christ's childhood friend. I have never enjoyed an author this much, and I would love to find more like this. Its the mix of sarcasm, the good story telling, and the way he is going one way with the story and then out of nowhere something hilarious or awful happens.
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Dec 29, 2015 17:43
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Solfrann posted:I just finished re-reading some of Christopher Moore's books, ending with Lamb: The gospel according to Biff, Christ's childhood friend. Carl Hiaasen? He's got a very Moore-like sense of humor and a way with twists. I'd suggest Stormy Weather or Skinny Dip, but you can't really go wrong with any of his books. Another possible suggestion is Tom Robbins. He's a bit more ... wacky than Moore but a lot of fun. Try Skinny Legs and All or Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates, or Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas if you want something really out there.
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Dec 29, 2015 17:58
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WastedJoker posted:Looking for a book dealing with first contact with aliens or the discovery of an alien artifact/first contact with aliens. Ship of Fools/Unto Leviathan by Richard Paul Russo (same book, different title depending on which side of the Atlantic you live)
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Dec 29, 2015 18:58
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I think I've read Existence. I know I've read Leviathan Wakes and Blindsight! I'll try Unto Leviathan 
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Dec 29, 2015 22:23
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I just read And Then There Were None and liked it enough to want more of the same. Not necessarily by Christie but I'm not at all opposed to more of her. I liked the time period in which it was set and the isolation of the island. And the increasingly implausible murders of course.
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Dec 29, 2015 23:16
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