Books To Share: Favourite Books and Book Recommendations Thread

[x1yyz]

Don't forget those books were written 60+ years ago, and writing styles change over time. In the 1800s and the first part of the 1900s things like complex plots were not common, yet authors would spend pages on flowery language whilst not saying much at all. I think Tolkien was ahead of his time in that he did (at least in parts of the LotR trilogy) weave together different plot lines and give the story some depth. I would have loved to see what he would have done if the books were written today, in a modern, complex style.

 

I didn't read The Hobbit or LotR until I was in my 20s, and have read them each at least 3 or 4 times since. I still love them all.

[Segue Myles]

Don't forget those books were written 60+ years ago, and writing styles change over time. In the 1800s and the first part of the 1900s things like complex plots were not common, yet authors would spend pages on flowery language whilst not saying much at all. I think Tolkien was ahead of his time in that he did (at least in parts of the LotR trilogy) weave together different plot lines and give the story some depth. I would have loved to see what he would have done if the books were written today, in a modern, complex style.

 

I didn't read The Hobbit or LotR until I was in my 20s, and have read them each at least 3 or 4 times since. I still love them all.

 

Most of the books I love are a lot older than the works of Tolkien, I just think his style is one of a kind and something I have not only warmed too, but now crave more of!

Edited November 17, 2014 by Segue Myles

[anima]

There have been complex multi-layered plots since way before Tolkien!

 

Tolkien is unusual, though, in the way he invented the world he wrote about. Unlike his friend CS Lewis, he worked everything out in incredible detail first. Not just the plot line, but the mythology, native languages, geography, everything.

 

I used to know elvenscript but I've forgotten it all now.

[Curly]

Right now re-reading Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine." An excellent book - deep, beautiful writing about the simple pleasures of growing up in a small Mid-western town.

[EagleMoon]

Right now re-reading Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine." An excellent book - deep, beautiful writing about the simple pleasures of growing up in a small Mid-western town.

 

Ray Bradbury was one of the first Sci-Fi authors I read, along with Isaac Asimov. I've always loved his work.

[Rhyta]

This is a great thread Segue, I am glad I found it. I could agree with so many of the authors posted:

 

Love Tolkien, re-read him every 5 years or so.

Guy Gavriel Kay Fionavar Trilogy I think it ranks up there with LOTR, really like his writing, so lyrical. He has a bunch of stand a lones that are great , The Lions of Al Rassan is a lot like Spain in the time of EL Cid but he creates beautiful worlds of his own.

Ursula LeGuin, The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers, so thought provoking and intriguing.

 

I devoured all of Ray Bradbury's books in my 20's and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Dan Simmons, I have yet to read Hyperion (but it is on my list) I loved his duology Ilium and Olympos. It has a re-creation of the Trojan War on Mars, a look at what is going on back on Earth and two funny robots who love to debate who is the best writer Shakespeare or Proust.

 

I love mythology so I have devoured the YF series Percy Jackson and the Olympians plus the Heroes of Olympus. These are so fun and clever and I have learned about some myths I forgot and/or never heard of. He is getting ready to start a Norse series and he did a 3 part Egyptian one as well.

 

Guess I am stuck in a juvenile phase but it is fun, also ready to re-read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

 

I am sure I will think of more and post them later :D

Edited November 26, 2014 by Rhyta

[EagleMoon]

This is a great thread Segue, I am glad I found it. I could agree with so many of the authors posted:

 

Love Tolkien, re-read him every 5 years or so.

Guy Gavriel Kay Fionavar Trilogy I think it ranks up there with LOTR, really like his writing, so lyrical. He has a bunch of stand a lones that are great , The Lions of Al Rassan is a lot like Spain in the time of EL Cid but he creates beautiful worlds of his own.

Ursula LeGuin, The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers, so thought provoking and intriguing.

 

I devoured all of Ray Bradbury's books in my 20's and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Dan Simmons, I have yet to read Hyperion (but it is on my list) I loved his duology Ilium and Olympos. It has a re-creation of the Trojan War on Mars, a look at what is going on back on Earth and two funny robots who love to debate who is the best writer Shakespeare or Proust.

 

I love mythology so I have devoured the YF series Percy Jackson and the Olympians plus the Heroes of Olympus. These are so fun and clever and I have learned about some myths I forgot and/or never heard of. He is getting ready to start a Norse series and he did a 3 part Egyptian one as well.

 

Guess I am stuck in a juvenile phase but it is fun, also ready to re-read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

 

I am sure I will think of more and post them later :D

 

You and I have a lot of similar tastes in books. I've never read the Fionavar series, I'll have to check it out.

[Segue Myles]

This is a great thread Segue, I am glad I found it. I could agree with so many of the authors posted:

 

Love Tolkien, re-read him every 5 years or so.

Guy Gavriel Kay Fionavar Trilogy I think it ranks up there with LOTR, really like his writing, so lyrical. He has a bunch of stand a lones that are great , The Lions of Al Rassan is a lot like Spain in the time of EL Cid but he creates beautiful worlds of his own.

Ursula LeGuin, The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers, so thought provoking and intriguing.

 

I devoured all of Ray Bradbury's books in my 20's and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Dan Simmons, I have yet to read Hyperion (but it is on my list) I loved his duology Ilium and Olympos. It has a re-creation of the Trojan War on Mars, a look at what is going on back on Earth and two funny robots who love to debate who is the best writer Shakespeare or Proust.

 

I love mythology so I have devoured the YF series Percy Jackson and the Olympians plus the Heroes of Olympus. These are so fun and clever and I have learned about some myths I forgot and/or never heard of. He is getting ready to start a Norse series and he did a 3 part Egyptian one as well.

 

Guess I am stuck in a juvenile phase but it is fun, also ready to re-read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

 

I am sure I will think of more and post them later :D

 

Thanks mate!

 

I live YA fiction.

 

My favourite series are:

 

1. Harry Potter

2. The Spiderwick Chronicles

3. His Dark Materials

4. The Chronicles Of Narnia

5. Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events

 

Lately I have been on a real nostalgia kick. Children's literature (and I include teen reads in this) often has the best scope of imagination combined with readability one can find in a book.

 

And Harry Potter was my childhood. For all the flaws they contain, the characters themselves are classic! I reread these books this year because I was desperate to get back in touch with Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the rest of J.K. Rowlings colourful cast. To me, they are real people.

 

The adventures are just a juicy bonus!

[Rhyta]

This is a great thread Segue, I am glad I found it. I could agree with so many of the authors posted:

 

Love Tolkien, re-read him every 5 years or so.

Guy Gavriel Kay Fionavar Trilogy I think it ranks up there with LOTR, really like his writing, so lyrical. He has a bunch of stand a lones that are great , The Lions of Al Rassan is a lot like Spain in the time of EL Cid but he creates beautiful worlds of his own.

Ursula LeGuin, The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers, so thought provoking and intriguing.

 

I devoured all of Ray Bradbury's books in my 20's and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Dan Simmons, I have yet to read Hyperion (but it is on my list) I loved his duology Ilium and Olympos. It has a re-creation of the Trojan War on Mars, a look at what is going on back on Earth and two funny robots who love to debate who is the best writer Shakespeare or Proust.

 

I love mythology so I have devoured the YF series Percy Jackson and the Olympians plus the Heroes of Olympus. These are so fun and clever and I have learned about some myths I forgot and/or never heard of. He is getting ready to start a Norse series and he did a 3 part Egyptian one as well.

 

Guess I am stuck in a juvenile phase but it is fun, also ready to re-read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

 

I am sure I will think of more and post them later :D

 

Thanks mate!

 

I live YA fiction.

 

My favourite series are:

 

1. Harry Potter

2. The Spiderwick Chronicles

3. His Dark Materials

4. The Chronicles Of Narnia

5. Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events

 

Lately I have been on a real nostalgia kick. Children's literature (and I include teen reads in this) often has the best scope of imagination combined with readability one can find in a book.

 

And Harry Potter was my childhood. For all the flaws they contain, the characters themselves are classic! I reread these books this year because I was desperate to get back in touch with Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the rest of J.K. Rowlings colourful cast. To me, they are real people.

 

The adventures are just a juicy bo,nus!

 

I so agree, I have read and listened to the Harry Potter books so many times, they are characters I never get tired of. I even named some of my cats after them I truly enjoy the audio version by Jim Dale (he got me started on audio books, he's fantastic). I think reading was one of the best things about growing up, I entertained myself for so many hours and learned much in the process. I can't imagine NOT reading, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Listening to Rush of course :geddy:

Edited November 27, 2014 by Rhyta

[Segue Myles]

This is a great thread Segue, I am glad I found it. I could agree with so many of the authors posted:

 

Love Tolkien, re-read him every 5 years or so.

Guy Gavriel Kay Fionavar Trilogy I think it ranks up there with LOTR, really like his writing, so lyrical. He has a bunch of stand a lones that are great , The Lions of Al Rassan is a lot like Spain in the time of EL Cid but he creates beautiful worlds of his own.

Ursula LeGuin, The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers, so thought provoking and intriguing.

 

I devoured all of Ray Bradbury's books in my 20's and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Dan Simmons, I have yet to read Hyperion (but it is on my list) I loved his duology Ilium and Olympos. It has a re-creation of the Trojan War on Mars, a look at what is going on back on Earth and two funny robots who love to debate who is the best writer Shakespeare or Proust.

 

I love mythology so I have devoured the YF series Percy Jackson and the Olympians plus the Heroes of Olympus. These are so fun and clever and I have learned about some myths I forgot and/or never heard of. He is getting ready to start a Norse series and he did a 3 part Egyptian one as well.

 

Guess I am stuck in a juvenile phase but it is fun, also ready to re-read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

 

I am sure I will think of more and post them later :D

 

Thanks mate!

 

I live YA fiction.

 

My favourite series are:

 

1. Harry Potter

2. The Spiderwick Chronicles

3. His Dark Materials

4. The Chronicles Of Narnia

5. Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events

 

Lately I have been on a real nostalgia kick. Children's literature (and I include teen reads in this) often has the best scope of imagination combined with readability one can find in a book.

 

And Harry Potter was my childhood. For all the flaws they contain, the characters themselves are classic! I reread these books this year because I was desperate to get back in touch with Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the rest of J.K. Rowlings colourful cast. To me, they are real people.

 

The adventures are just a juicy bo,nus!

 

I so agree, I have read and listened to the Harry Potter books so many times, they are characters I never get tired of. I even named some of my cats after them I truly enjoy the audio version by Jim Dale (he got me started on audio books, he's fantastic). I think reading was one of the best things about growing up, I entertained myself for so many hours and learned much in the process. I can't imagine NOT reading, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Listening to Rush of course :geddy:

 

I read His Dark Materials, Narnia, Robert Louis Stevenson novels etc before Harry Potter, so when people say I love the books because they were my generations hype machine I have to disagree.

 

No other book or series has involved me with its cast of characters as deeply as Potter. I really think, of all the books in the world, this series has the finest cast, as well as humour, horror and action. warts and all, i have to give this epic series 10/10.

[gypsy muse]

I'm not a big movie person but I'm always reading. I've kept a list of all the books I've read (except for textbooks) since January 2000. On that list I've got 94 titles I've marked with five stars, and most of them are either non-fiction (largely biology-related) or fantasy. Some of my faves are:

 

Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicles (2 of the trilogy have been released so far)

Robin Hobb - Farseer Trilogy (I'm currently on book three, and have the first book of the next series in wait)

JRR Tolkien - TLotR

George RR Martin - Song of Fire and Ice series (although not all are five stars)

Alexandre Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo

Clive Barker - Books of Blood

Farley Mowat - The Serpent's Coil; Grey Seas Under

Michael Pollan - The Omnivore's Dilemma; In Defense of Food

Richard Dawkins - The Ancestor's Tale

Jared Diamond - Guns, Germs, and Steel; Collapse

David Quammen - The Song of the Dodo

Diane Ackerman - The Zookeeper's Wife

Sylvia Earle - Sea Change

William Stolzenberg - Where the WIld Things Were

 

Etc., etc.

sounds like some good reads there!

[Turbine Freight]

H.P. Lovecraft is always a good read.

[Segue Myles]

H.P. Lovecraft is always a good read.

 

Are they occultist?

[Segue Myles]

Still reading Tad Williams series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

 

Book 1: The Dragonbone Chair

Book 2: The Stone Of Farewell

Book 3: To Green Angel Tower: Storm

Book 4: To Green Angel Tower: Siege

 

Once again I am caught in its grip, and this rereading (for like the zillionth time) of a major favourite of mine has established Memory, Sorrow and Thorn as my very favourite fantasy series. Comparable to Tolkien, but I find Williams more accomplished at creating real characters, ones that I truly feel grow as individuals from chapter to chapter. This is essential reading for any fantasy fan, but also a worthy pick up for those who love literary fiction.

 

The feel of the prose, as weighty as Tolkien but as alive as Tolstoy, keeps me both intellectually charged, and wilfully entertained in a way that feels at once classic, and yet alarmingly modern. Tad Williams is not for the fainthearted: his books are heavy, and they are deep, and they are not for those who think fantasy is only about dungeons, dragons, and fast paced adventure, moving from one literary setpiece to the next with barely any room to breathe.

 

This series often has the feel of moving in real time, and you either get down with it and live alongside the characters (highly recommended), or you sadly resign yourself to giving up around the two hundred page mark, and lose out on one of the most intoxicating adventures in all of literature.

 

I love it when a writer takes their time establishing settings, characters, and events through gradual buildup. In the first book alone, hundreds of pages are spent following the daily tasks, tumblings, and creeping terrors of a castle kitchen boy and his friends; elsewhere, chapters and chapters can be spent wandering the damp, green and eerie forests; dismay, fear and tension during fights, ambushes and uncertainty of where and what to do next pulsate through beautiful prose, and with every mysterious question that arises, grandeur builds, and tension rises.

 

Many of these characters genuinely touch my heart. Regarding the details provided, I swear I can smell everything; my mind sees the mediaeval architecture, the baked goods, the hog roasting on the spit, and the fabric of the very robes of the unholy king in such alarming detail it could easily be that i had dreamed of the very events of this book- as if this very story had been an accurate account of my first hand experiences.

 

This series was a direct inspiration for A Song Of Ice And Fire (indeed, two characters are even referenced in passing in that series), and in all honesty, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is infinitely superior. But regardless of whether or not you enjoy the works of Martin, Williams now classic series is worth all the time and effort you put into reading them.

 

Captivated beyond words. Fantasy for the Tolstoy fan.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Segue Myles

[Lucas]

Segue, are books from all eras ok ?

 

I go thru different phases in reading - for a month I will stick with classic old 1800s horror, then move onto something like the history of Casablanca Records, from there to the Ancient Egyptians, etc

[Lucas]

.. I am just now coming out of an old gothic horror phase - Henry James, Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood

 

I highly recommend "Turn Of The Screw" and "Aspern Papers" from Henry James ..... Arthur Matchen was a most odd person, and his stories are fascinating - "The Great God Pan" is very strange but interesting, and "The Great Return" is excellent too ...

 

Algernon Blackwood's "The Willows" is classic - arguably one of the best horror stories ever ( IMHO )

 

All these stories are short - and I love the language and styles of the old writers

 

.

 

.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Lucas

[Segue Myles]

Segue, are books from all eras ok ?

 

I go thru different phases in reading - for a month I will stick with classic old 1800s horror, then move onto something like the history of Casablanca Records, from there to the Ancient Egyptians, etc

 

Defo!

 

I highly recommend everyone read A Tale Of Two Cities or War And Peace at least once as well!

[catherine]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5163797-catherine

[EagleMoon]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5163797-catherine

 

I'm on there now and then. I'll see if I can friend you. I can't believe it's been that long since the last Harry Potter book was out? That's amazing.

Edited October 21, 2015 by EagleMoon

[Segue Myles]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

Gets better with rereads

[catherine]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

I'm on there now and then. I'll see if I can friend you. I can't believe it's been that long since the last Harry Potter book was out? That's amazing.

 

Yep. I am finding that I didn't remember as much as I thought about plot details, so it's fresh but familiar at the same time. It's good to return to a favorite series after a longish break. I have many books and series that I re-read regularly but I do tend to give them a long season between. I recently read the Chronicles of Narnia to my younger children and I hadn't read those in probably 15 years. I read TLotR and the Hobbit at least every 4-5 years and never get tired of revisiting them. I swear they get better every time.

[catherine]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

Gets better with rereads

 

Agreed there. I know that the first time I read them I kind of devoured them so every re-read I catch more. This is actually the first time since the series was completed that I have read all seven in succession. It's fun and a nice break from some of the heavier stuff I have been reading this year. I had finished Les Miserables when I started HP. ;)

[Segue Myles]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

Gets better with rereads

 

Agreed there. I know that the first time I read them I kind of devoured them so every re-read I catch more. This is actually the first time since the series was completed that I have read all seven in succession. It's fun and a nice break from some of the heavier stuff I have been reading this year. I had finished Les Miserables when I started HP. ;)

 

I have been reading Tolstoy, and I am now tackling Tad Williams. Honestly, the two are both so heavy!

 

Love it. Tad Williams fantasy is really recommended if you like strong and gradual character development!

[EagleMoon]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

I'm on there now and then. I'll see if I can friend you. I can't believe it's been that long since the last Harry Potter book was out? That's amazing.

 

Yep. I am finding that I didn't remember as much as I thought about plot details, so it's fresh but familiar at the same time. It's good to return to a favorite series after a longish break. I have many books and series that I re-read regularly but I do tend to give them a long season between. I recently read the Chronicles of Narnia to my younger children and I hadn't read those in probably 15 years. I read TLotR and the Hobbit at least every 4-5 years and never get tired of revisiting them. I swear they get better every time.

 

The Chronicles of Narnia was the first book series I remember reading as a kid. I was in middle school and I remember seeing it in the library. I remembered it for years but it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I bought the books and reread them for the first time since I was a kid. Such a sense of wonder in them. I would have to say they're probably one of my favorite books as a series or otherwise ever.

[Segue Myles]

I am re-reading the Harry Potter books right now. It is so fun to read these after so long. I last read them in 2007 when the last one was released. My favorite thing about them is that the characters are real to me. I am 70% through PoA and enjoying it thoroughly.

 

Is anyone here on Goodreads? If so and you want to friend me there my user name is Catherine Harrison https://www.goodread...3797-catherine

 

I'm on there now and then. I'll see if I can friend you. I can't believe it's been that long since the last Harry Potter book was out? That's amazing.

 

Yep. I am finding that I didn't remember as much as I thought about plot details, so it's fresh but familiar at the same time. It's good to return to a favorite series after a longish break. I have many books and series that I re-read regularly but I do tend to give them a long season between. I recently read the Chronicles of Narnia to my younger children and I hadn't read those in probably 15 years. I read TLotR and the Hobbit at least every 4-5 years and never get tired of revisiting them. I swear they get better every time.

 

The Chronicles of Narnia was the first book series I remember reading as a kid. I was in middle school and I remember seeing it in the library. I remembered it for years but it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I bought the books and reread them for the first time since I was a kid. Such a sense of wonder in them. I would have to say they're probably one of my favorite books as a series or otherwise ever.

 

Have you ever tried Susan Cooper's magnificent The Dark Is Rising Sequence? In the same ballpark.