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Post by princesskelly84 on Jan 7, 2015 18:10:49 GMT
For those that don't know, I spend my spare time helping primary school children to read. Despite getting very frustrated listening to the same books over and over and over...sorry, over again, I love reading. Nothing beats a good book, in my opinion, and after discovering that many of you like to read too, I thought I would create this thread for us to share our recommendations. I, personally, prefer post apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, if the undead are involved, even better! Here is a short list of some of the books that I really enjoyed. Firstly I love anything by David Moody. He is without a doubt my favourite author and writes the exact genre I like to read. His stand out books are: The Autumn Series, A six book series, with a few novellas as well, that are based around the undead. The Hater Series, A three book collection that focuses on society being split by one factor. Race, age, gender, wealth, family, none of that matters. You're either a Hater, or one of the Unchanged. Only one side can survive. There are a few more, but I wont bore you with them now The Death of Grass by John Christopher is a science fiction-post apocalyptic novel that imagines what life would be like if a virus were to kill off all strains of grass.
Last Light and Afterlight by Alex Scarrow focuses on what would happen if the worlds oil resources were to be compromised.Survivors by Terry Nation: A virus has wiped out 95 per cent of the world's population in just a few weeks, leaving the remaining five per cent to stay alive in a world devoid of the most basic amenities - electricity, transport and medicine. The few survivors of the human race are forced to fall back on the most primitive skills in order to liveOne Second After by William R. Forstchen describes the aftermath of an electro magnetic pulse attack and how fast society falls.
So these are some of the books that I have enjoyed reading over the past couple of years. I would love to hear what your tastes are and what books you would recommend
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Post by coach_wargo on Jan 7, 2015 19:27:22 GMT
I love the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Roland Deschain is the last gunslinger desended from the line of Aurthur Eld (yes that King Aurthur). He is on a quest to reach the Dark Tower, the center of all worlds. The setting is a post apocolyptic/dystopian future when, "the world has moved on." The series is an awesome mix of westerns, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. i've reread the whole series at least once, and some of the books two or three times. The Road by Cormack McCarthy (really anything by him). Maybe it's because my son had just been born when I read this, but the book really touch a never in me. Set in a post apoocolyptic world it's really a downer, but beautifully written and also touching. For more scary post apocolyptic horror check out the Passage series by Justin Cronin. Fuck yo zombies, bring on the vampires.Yes, vampires are scary again, not shiny mopey fucks living in Seattle. Ok, you want zombies. Check out Deadman's Road by Joe R. Lansdale. It's a collection of stories following a hard drinking, sharp shooting, evil hunting preacher in the old west. The first story is a novella call Dead in the West about a medicine man who gets lynched and brings back the dead to exact revenge on the town. Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere and American Gods, and the short story collection Smoke and Mirrors. I've loved everything I've read and yet somehow forget to read more of his stuff. Lonesome Dove by Larry Mcurtry. Hands down my favorite book ever. I've worn out 3 copies from rereading it so often. I wanted to name my son Augustus after the main character, but my wife was having non of that. I have more, but need to get back to work .
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Post by fierytruth on Jan 7, 2015 21:44:24 GMT
Agree with coach, The Dark Tower series is amazing! I'm a big Stephen King fan and besides The Dark Tower series some of my faves are The Shining, The Stand, The Talisman and Different Seasons. Still got lots of SK novels to read yet though. I'm also making my way through The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, currently on book 8. Thought the first four books were really good, this middle section of the series seems to be a bit slow paced, hoping it picks up again over the next few books.
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Post by coach_wargo on Jan 7, 2015 22:05:35 GMT
Stephen King's son is good to, Joe Hill. N0S4A2 was good and Heart-Shaped Box was scary as hell.
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Post by SPEEDSTER0595 on Jan 9, 2015 4:08:41 GMT
Not trying to solicit readers here, but i know this bloke that used to write, until a certain video game drew him away completely from writing, he's got a piece that he was working on, a supernatural novel, aimed at young adults, anyone interested in reading it?
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Post by princesskelly84 on Jan 9, 2015 7:57:40 GMT
I would Speed
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Post by pkcrazie on Jan 23, 2015 11:42:47 GMT
FantasyThe Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson is an epic fantasy saga along the lines of A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones!), but darker and more complicated. It's not a series for the light hearted though as there are 10 books by Erikson, and then an additional 6 by Ian C. Esslemont. SE and ICE created the series together and co-wrote it, so although you can read SE's ten books separately, I'd recommend doing it properly and include all of ICE's in their correct spots. As much as I'm a huge huge ASOIAF fan, I think MBotF might just edge it because it's utterly bonkers. I'm currently tackling it for the second time, and started my re-read within a couple of weeks of finishing it all for the first-time because it's that good! There are several short-stories and also a few trilogies in the works from SE and ICE set in the universe proving even more context and world building. It's currently one of my missions in life to get more people to read this series. There is a superb re-read blog that makes digesting the whole series infinitely easier too. A first-timer and second-timer provide commentary and analysis on a chapter by chapter basis. www.tor.com/features/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallenTalking of epic fantasies, The Wheel of Time is another superb one - this time just 13 books. It's more Lord of the Rings than ASOIAF (as in "safer" and not quite as adult-focused). It also comes highly recommended. Worth noting the original author died before writing the final three books, but spent the final years of his life collaborating and dictating notes etc to allow the series to be completed as he wanted it. For quite a while my avatar on here, and on GTAF was a picture of my fav character from the series, Matrim Cauthon. Dovie'andi se tovya sagain!If you're already a fan of ASOIAF then you MUST read the Dunk and Egg novellas, which is currently comprised of three short stories set approx 120 years before the first book. Lot's of focus on the Targaryens, the Blackfyre Rebellions, and some very pertinent insights into a certain man in a tree. Enough said. GRRM intends to write 12 of these I believe... Staying with ASOIAF there is also two more short stories; The Princess and the Queen, and The Rogue Prince, both of which are presented as the writing of the fictional Archmaester Gyldayn, so have a scholarly and historical feel rather than the typical ASOIAF POV style. DistopianIf you want some apocalyptic zombie series, I read the first in a trilogy by Justin Cronin called The Passage and thought it was excellent. I had the pre-release version from a book event back in 2006 and never got round to reading part two ( The Twelve) when it was published in 2012. Part three is due for release this year. I know Ridley Scott optioned the rights as soon as the first was released... Sci-FiThe Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, the father of sci-fi and reputedly the man to first coin the term "robot" , is frankly insane considering the original trilogy was published between 1942 and 1953. It is timeless and totally holds up to today's standards. Although the prequels and sequels added in the 80's aren't quite as amazing (although still very good), they do tie up several of his series into one mega series (Robot series - Galaxy Series - Foundation Series). The Foundation Series also features one of my favourite villains of all-time, The Mule, a "mentalist" who has the ability to reach into the minds of others and "adjust" their emotions, individually or en masse, and he can use this power to conquer whole planets without firing a single shot. Would-be assassins enter the room and instantly become his most dedicated followers etc... C-c-c-c-crazy!
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Post by pkcrazie on Jan 23, 2015 12:51:44 GMT
Hahaha! I just looked back and saw a couple of my recommendations! coach_wargo Did you read the second one in the The Passage series? It's certainly vampires done right, less of this Tru Blood/Twilight bullshite! fierytruth WoT does get better. It does get bogged down in the middle a bit, but it certainly recovers. Fav character? Fav of Rand's wives?!?
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Post by nittydon on Jan 23, 2015 15:11:08 GMT
Do not read fiction, read plenty of autobiographies though, fave that I have read recently was "Nikki Sixx - The Heroin Diary" dude was fucking insane !!
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Post by nittydon on Jan 23, 2015 15:11:56 GMT
Fave autobiography of all time "Howard Marks - Mr Nice"
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Post by pkcrazie on Jan 23, 2015 15:27:06 GMT
If you want fucked up and kind-of autobiographical, Naked Lunch by William Burroughs. Wikipedia says, "Naked Lunch is a non-linear narrative that is difficult to describe in terms of plot."It's about a wealthy homosexual, heroin addict in the 50's, and it's hard to read, not only for the "non-linear narrative", but also the exceptionally graphic homosexual fantasies he describes while utterly fucked. It's been banned in many countries and it's the most challenging thing I've ever read. If you want something weird but less harrowing, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov is a story written in the 30s and 40s about the Devil visiting an atheist Soviet Union, yet some of the novel is set in the Jerusalem of Pontius Pilate... It also features a huge black cat, called Behemoth, who has a penchant for chess, vodka, pistols, and obnoxious sarcasm... enough said!!
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Post by coach_wargo on Jan 23, 2015 16:38:56 GMT
I thought the Twelve was even better than the Passage. I picked up the Twelve on a whim at the airport and got hooked. I didn't realize it was a series until I finished it and looked into more books by the author. I'm hoping he finally publishes the third book this year.
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Post by princesskelly84 on Jan 23, 2015 17:03:03 GMT
Thank you for everyone's suggestions I've just reserved The Passage from my library for me to pick up tomorrow.
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Post by Davexen on Jan 23, 2015 21:35:24 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions Kel. Survivors and especially The Death of Grass sound awesome. Will definitely look into getting those. Have any of you read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? It's very wacky and funny sci-fi.
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Post by Mo-seph on Jan 24, 2015 1:09:34 GMT
Fave autobiography of all time "Howard Marks - Mr Nice" I like a good bio/autobio Did you also read Senor Nice, Marks' second autobio about his post smuggling days? I loved that, but i am bias with the welsh connection This thread makes me wana read more offline, rather than the ramblings of you lovely folk and those reprobates on gtaf lol I do however recommend a (imo) cool non fiction book called "The Tao of Pooh and the Tse of Piglet" Tryin to find my copy of it atm to recall the author. But its an analytic comparison of the actions of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet to the teachings of Toaism and how they both exude seperate aspects of the eastern philosophy Really quite an interesting read
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Post by pkcrazie on Feb 9, 2015 17:31:34 GMT
For the Wheel of Time fans in here..... they made a 30 min pilot tv episode!!!!!!
HOWEVER, it's low quality and from what I have seen tweeted by Bill Zane (one of the lead actor) it's literally the bare minimum the studio, Red Eagle, could do to preserve their rights for WoT...
*disclaimer, I've only seen the first 5 mins and the reactions*
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Post by princesskelly84 on Mar 11, 2015 16:21:31 GMT
Just wanted to say a big thank you to Coach and PK for recommending The Passage. I've finally finished it and picked up The Twelve this morning. Amazing book, really enjoyed it
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Post by Mackenizie on Mar 12, 2015 6:26:06 GMT
PK, a book I really enjoyed that was also written in the Soviet Union around that time [1937 I think] was the revolutionary and politician Nikolai Bukharin's 'How It All Began', written while he was incarcerated in a prison cell on the orders of his old friend Josef Stalin. It is a poignant and lyrical autobiography of his life before the Bolshevik Revolution - but without any political overtones or ideology - and made all the more so because Bukharin was executed by firing squad shortly after.
I also enjoyed reading the books of Louis de Bernieres, 'Birds Without Wings' and 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', some very interesting works of historical fiction set around Turkey [Ottoman Empire] during WWI and the Italian-occupied island of Cephallonia [Greece] during WWII, respectively. If anyone is interested in historical non-fiction I can think of one book which stands alone in my mind called 'Citizens' by Simon Schama. It is a lengthy work of history [976 pages!] chronicling the French Revolution but Schama has a way of making it almost come to life by telling it through stories of the personalities who made that time rather than some prosaic and dry account of facts.
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