Recommended Reads

[Mokrie Dela]

Basically, a simple thing. Everyone posts in here, what their favorite book(s) are, and any others you'd recommend.

 

Genre and style etc isn't relevant - if you like a book/wish to recommend one, post

 

And please, no spoilers. If you MUST post one, use the spoiler tags Like This:

 

text here...

 

If you could post the title and author (obviously!) as well as the ISBN if you can find it it would be a great help! Also add a little explanation why you think others should read this book.

No unpublished self promotion! Please do not try to promote your own work, only other people's works that are available commercially in shops/internet.

Also this is for FICTION. If you want to recommend poetry books or factual books, feel free to set up a new topic. (Any posts that break these rules will not be added to the list). Feel free to discuss each book with other users too, but BE RESPECTFUL. Anyone being aggressive or disrespectful will be reported.

I'll get the ball rolling. Click titles or ISBN for links*.

 

Once you've read a book on the list, i implore you to post your thoughts on it in here also, discuss it with fellow readers

 

Title:..........................	Author(s):...................	ISBN:.....	Recommended by:	Description/Comments(Quoted from user):
Rainbow Six	Tom Clancy	0-14-027405-7.	Mokrie Dela	Not sure if the book or game came first, but this one is a gripping read. A sturdy back-story, and plot that, i think, pulls you in. A good balance of action and descriptive, i found it hard to put down
The Hunt For Red October	Tom Clancy	0-00-776853-2	Mokrie Dela	the book that made him, if anyone's seen the film, then they'll know the story. A very well written and seemingly well researched book.
[Tom Clancy's] Splinter Cell	Raymond Benson (As David Michaels)	0-425-20168-6	Mokrie Dela	Written effectively in First person, this book feels like Sam Fisher himself is telling you the tale. It's easy to get immersed and i feel the charecters are both interesting and remain true to the game series. None of the Splinter Cell books share any continuety with the games, story wise, though many of the same charecters are included (Fisher, Lambert, Grim, Redding, Sarah...) a MUST for any splinter cell fan.
Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda	Raymond Benson (As David Michaels)	0-425-20422-7	Mokrie Dela	The sequel to Splinter Cell, Sam's first person Adventure continues while he continues on his quest to eliminate an international arms dealer. Another well written book, but Raymond's last Splinter Cell book. Grant Blackwood takes over the reigns (unfortunately dropping the First Person perspective) with Checkmate,Fallout,Conviction and Endgame (The same story as Conviction, but from Ben Hansen's (leader of the team hunting Fisher) point of view.
The Exile	Allan Folsom	ISBN-10: 0751525308 ISBN-13: 978-0751525304	Mokrie Dela	A story about a LAPD officer who discovers corruption in his own squad and, after certain events, has to leave the country.. It's not the best book i've ever read, but it's certainly worth a read.Borrow it from your local library if you can. It's a fairly long book, but it's certainly not the worst and it has it's thrilling moments and the odd twist. Worth a read.
ALAMUT	Vladimir Bartol	ISBN-10: 1556436815 ISBN-13: 978-1556436819	Mokrie Dela	A MUST read for Assassin Creed fans, it depicts the birth of the Hashashin, telling the story of their founder and a few of the assassins themselves. It touches on the deceit and manipulation by the master to create the ultimate soldier/Assassins. Can be slow at times, but it's captivating and, as mentioned, tells the story behind the Assassins. I highly recommend everyone to at least read it once....
A Scanner Darkly	Phillip K. Dicks	ISBN-10: 0385016131 ISBN-13: 978-0385016131	Unoriginal44	A Scanner Darkly was well written, and shown to not show enough to make it mysterious and leaving you wanting more. Though classified as Sci-Fi, it takes place 'several years from now' a poster line to describe what will probably become America in a few years, thanks to survellience, drugs, and paranoia. It proposes the deep side of Anehiem life, showing both a crowd of kids who use and Abuse a deadly drug, and one man's spiral into chaos as he himself loses all sight of what is really happening. Based heavily on Phillip K Dicks (Author) younger life experiences, it touches down on the fear most people in modern times face, a world without the ability to hide, or more so, know what people try to hide.
Strange Pilgrims	Gabriel Garcia Marquez	ISBN-10: 1400034698 ISBN-13: 978-1400034697	PresidentKiller	Strange Pilgrims is a really interesting collection of short stories by the author. PresidentKiller's favorite is Miss Forbes's Summer of Happiness, a dark but great story that was even made into a TV movie a while ago.
Fade To Black	Alex Flinn	ISBN-10: 0060568429 ISBN-13: 978-0060568429	VercettiTheNiter	Its about a kid with HIV who gets attacked on the way to school. Its told in three portions running simultaneously: the witness, the victim, and the suspect. "Superb. I've read it a few times and love it everytime."
Burger Wuss	M. T. Anderson	ISBN-10: 0763631787 ISBN-13: 978-0763631789	VercettiTheNiter	The teen equivalent of a dark comedy if that make sense. It's sort of polarizing. I liked it alot because it was fresh and just different. It's about a kid who's girlfriend cheats on him and he joins a McDonald's parody to get revenge on the guy. I like it but my friends didn't. I say just read it once.
The Da Vinci Code	Dan Brown	ISBN-10: 0307474275 ISBN-13: 978-0307474278	VinnyGouveia	The way that Dan Brown writes is simply amazing, switching the perspective at each chapter. Also, the story has LOTS of details, the conversation is very rich, and it seems that Dan Brown tried to put as much effort as possible on the books, with lots of researching made so the story could be as real as a fiction could be.
Angels and Demons	Dan Brown	ISBN-10: 074349346X	VinnyGouveia	As above. Also, no, the movies AREN'T the same thing. They just aren't."
Lord of the Flies	William Golding	0-571-05686-5	PresidentKiller	"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is really good too. It's about the chaos that ensues after a group of children are left alone in a deserted island after their ship sinks. An interesting view of human nature by the author, a view that terrifies me though."
To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	ISBN-10: 0060935464 ISBN-13: 978-0060935467	elanman	All pretensions aside, the book tackles racial issues of mid-20th century America, noting the hypocrisy of the era all whilst retaining humour, admirable written charm and an endearing childhood story.
Gears of War - Aspho Fields	Karen Traviss	ISBN-10: 0345499433 ISBN-13: 978-0345499431	elanman	Expanding on the games, both books realise the detail unattainable in both of the fantastic Gears of War games whilst fleshing out all characters and background information at the same time; a great read, for Gears of War nutters and everyone else, although it's clear this will appeal more to the former audience.
Gears of War - Jacinto's Remnant.	Karen Traviss	ISBN-10: 0345499441 ISBN-13: 978-0345499448	elanman	As Above.
Dog Eats Dog	Ian Levison	ISBN-10: 1904738311 ISBN-13: 978-1904738312	Ziggy455	It starts as a bank robbery begins, the main robber tricks his conrades and ditches them at the bank leaving them to the dogs as he exits out back with $250,000. His journey from the cops lads him with a gunshot, he hitched a ride out to a small new hampshire town. Meeting our second character - Elias White. This plot centers around Elias's blackmail as the robber knows he is f*cking an underage student. As the plot thickens we're shown a third character - Denise. I underutilised FBI agent who is investigating the marked bills from the robbery. This leads her to the new hampshire town and to Elias White.
Roadside Picnic	Arakady & Boris Strugatsky	ISBN-10: 0575070536 ISBN-13: 978-0575070530	Farenheit	This is a down to earth Sci Fi novella. Kinda like District 9 down to earth Sci Fi, except unlike it and most other "alien" fiction, you never really see the aliens, nor or they a threat. Aliens visited for about 12-24 hours in 6 different places on Earth. Their leavings have created "zones" that are very dangerous, yet hold artifacts of incredible scientific value. Those who smuggled these artifacts illegally in and out of the zone where known as "stalkers". Redrick Schuhart is among these men, and the book is all about his ventures.
No Time For Goodbye	Linwood Barclay	ISBN-10: 0752893688 ISBN-13: 978-0752893686	General Goose	The protagonist/narrator is a teacher whose wife's family disappeared overnight in her teen years, after a family argument. Some really interesting twists and turns and some interesting characters.
Past Mortem	Ben Elton	ISBN-10: 0552771236 ISBN-13: 978-0552771238	General Goose	A detective novel about a serial killer who kills his victims in very strange and specific ways, and follows Detective Inspector Newson in his attempts to solve the case and also use one of those school reunion websites. Very interesting, entertaining story.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas	John Boyne	ISBN-10: 1862305277 ISBN-13: 978-1862305274	General Goose	An interesting and rather tragic read about a young boy who is the son of a concentration camp commandant during the Holocaust, and who mets and befriends a young boy in the camp.
All Quiet on the Western Front	Erich Maria Remarque	ISBN-10: 0099532816 ISBN-13: 978-0099532811	General Goose	An [classic] book telling the stories of some German soldiers during the First World War.
Catch 22	Joseph Heller	ISBN-10: 0099477319 ISBN-13: 978-0552134620	General Goose	About some American soldiers based in Europe during the latter stages of WWII, a very interesting read and funny in a dark, depressing kind of way.
The Call of Cthulu	H P Lovecraft	ISBN-10: 0141187069 ISBN-13: 978-0141187068	Unoriginal44	One of his most famous works 'The Call of Cthulu' is a dark tale of the sick realization that humanity isn't the dominate power on Earth. Cthulu description in the book leaves you wondering how such a being exists, leaving even further confusion when he intervenes with the narrator
'The Shunned House	H P Lovecraft	ISBN-10: 140993652X ISBN-13: 978-1409936527	Unoriginal44	A boy decides to investigate the unknown house on Back street. His investigation leaves more questions than answers, and he soon decides to stay the night in the basement with his uncle, whom knows something terrible happened here
I'll Steal You Away	Niccolo Ammaniti	ISBN-10: 1841959456 ISBN-13: 978-1841959450	elanman	Ammaniti's narrative is engaging, his written style flowing and absorbing and the tales he weaves ultimately humorous and emotionally involving. Ammaniti's works concern different areas of Italy
I'm Not Scared	Niccolo Ammaniti	ISBN-10: 1400075637 ISBN-13: 978-1400075638	elanman	the rustic, rural Italy of a bygone age is represented flawlessly in "I'm Not Scared"...
The Crossroads	Niccolo Ammaniti	ISBN-10: 1847670377 ISBN-13: 978-1847670373	elanman	..."The Crossroads" differs to present a more modern realisation
Killing Floor	Lee Child	ISBN-10: 0553505408 ISBN-13: 978-0553505405	nerner	First in a long series starring the charismatic and brilliant in every way Jack Reacher. A drifter passing through town coincides with the first murder in the town's history, but as the body count mounts it becomes painfully clear that they have picked the wrong guy to take the fall...
Too Close To Home	Linwood Barclay	ISBN-10: 1409102092 ISBN-13: 978-1409102090	nerner	I think that this book surpasses his first book, recommended earlier on in the thread by General Goose, when it comes to twists and turns. I'll simply post the tagline from the blurb to see if it absorbs you all.   "What's more terrifying than your next door neighbours being murdered? Finding out that they went to the wrong house..."   How can you not love that?
Abandoned	Cody Mcfadyen	ISBN-10: 0340962410 ISBN-13: 978-0340962411	nerner	Not the first book of his, so I would possibly suggest starting out at the beginning of the series, however this dark psychological thriller about abduction, kidnapping, murder and the FBI task force sent to find the culprit is absolutely rammed full of twists and turns, with an ending that is impossible to predict.
Street boys	Tim Pritchard	ISBN-10: 0007275412 ISBN-13: 978-0007275410	brownbear	About a group of 7 young black men growing up on an estate called Angell town in Brixton, South London. The book is very well written and shows just how pointless and hopeless the lives of these young men who were born without a chance.
The Beach	Alex Garland	ISBN-10: 1573226521 ISBN-13: 978-1573226523	brownbear	A young backpacker who is obssessed with the Vietnam war goes backpacking in Thailand. However he is bored of the mundane tourist life ... until an insane Scottish man reveals to him a map to a secret island paradise. He, along with a French couple head to the island and enjoy life in paradise ... but as the story unfurls and builds up to the gut wrenching finale, they realise not everything is as it seems.
The 25th Hour	David Benioff	ISBN-10: 0452282950 ISBN-13: 978-0452282957	brownbear	Monty Brogan is a low level drug dealer working for a mysterious crime lord. It is his last day in New York before being sent to prison over a drug possession charge and his friends are throwing a going away party. But as the day unfurls that he has wastedd his life.
Cat's Cradle	Kurt Vonnedgut	ISBN-10: 038533348X ISBN-13: 978-0385333481	Untame Snail	It's an adventurous, humorous satire about humankind's lust for power and the ultimate destruction it brings. It starts out slow, but as soon as you get to the 50th page or so, it's very hard to put down. 11 out of 10 stars.
Saturday	Ian McEwan	ISBN: 0224072994	SIKKS66	Against the backdrop of the 2003 London anti-war protests, we follow a day in the life of a successful neurosurgeon called Henry. On his way to play a game of squash he gets into a disagreement with an angry young man named Baxter. Little does Henry realise that this confrontation will not change his life but that of his whole family as his children, wife and in-laws await him for a family gathering. I think I read this book faster than any other on the course because McEwan's writing was engaging, funny and thrilling. I think it's ironic that Henry is a neurosurgeon because- as cheesy as this sounds- you really find yourself inside his mind, he's a very interesting creation. There are a number of scenes in Saturday that really take your breath away but I don't want to discuss them as it may spoil the story. If you feel like coming out of your comfort zone, give Saturday a read.
A Brave New World	Aldous Huxley	ISBN-10: 0099518473 ISBN-13: 978-0099518471	RadioIsotope	such an excellent book that really does depict what modern day life is becoming.
The Road	Cormac McCarthy	ISBN-10: 0330468464 ISBN-13: 978-0330468466	Panz	a post-apocalyptic story following a sick man and his son as they travel through a dead world covered in ash. The world is riddled with cannibals and thieves and, unfortunately, no food because it's all either been destroyed in fires or taken by someone else. The man and son's goal is to move south toward the coast because they can no longer live where they've been staying through another winter, and they encounter some very traumatic and emotional events along the way. This is definitely one of the saddest and most depressing books I've read. Beware, McCarthy hates using punctuation in his writing, so I hope you can bear with it. Otherwise, the man writes like a genius; I read it straight through in just a few hours.
On The Beach	Nevil Shute	ISBN-10: 0345311485 ISBN-13: 978-0345311481	Panz	If you like post-apocalyptic tales like The Road, this book is definitely worth reading despite the slow start to it all. It just focuses on radiation basically wiping out humanity. That's really all there is to say about it.
Johnny Got His Gun	Dalton Trumbo	ISBN-10: 9780141189819 ISBN-13: 978-0141189819	Afro Zombie	It follows the story of a young soldier who is lying in a hospital bed after losing both arms and legs as well as most of his face on the last days of the first world war. (read more)
Flowers for Algernon	Daniel Keyes	ISBN-10: 1857989384 ISBN-13: 978-1857989380	StoneHead37	Recommended because this book is truly inspiring. It proves that even people with mental disorders are willing and able to reach great heights to become smart. (read more)
The Death of Ivan Ilyich	Leo Tolstoy	ISBN-10: 0141023600 ISBN-13: 978-0141023601	mark-2007	As the name may suggest, it deals with Ivan Ilyich's death, beginning with a look at how those closest to him dealt with such news (a "rather him than me" attitude, despite being close friends) and then went on to tell of Ivan Ilyich's life before setting up his illness. The story focuses on Ilyich's fear of death and the meaning of life and death as a whole - whether he had lived a "good life" or not.
The Devil	Leo Tolstoy	ISBN-10: 0974607835 ISBN-13: 978-0974607832	mark-2007	"This book centres around Evgeny Irtenev who has recently inherited his father's land (and debt) and sets about re-establishing the Irtenev name to it former respectable status. What entails is a story of redemption gone wrong, with Evgeny torn between love and lust, leading to a memorable and dramatic conclusion
Ham on Rye	Charles Bukowski	ISBN: 0-87685-558-3	mark-2007	"Ham On Rye is the semi-autobiographical account of Bukowski's upbringing. The central character, Henry Chinaski, is a tough loner, a true anti-hero. The book takes the reader from Chinaski's birth, through visits to his grandparents, to tales of domestic abuse at the hands of his violent father, encompassing Chinaski's troubles with girls in high school - not helped by a bad case of acne - and takes you up to news of Pearl Harbour, at which point Chinaski is going it alone as a part-time writer and full-time alcoholic. It's a coming-of-age tale different to others I've previously read. It's not a positive book, and Chinaski is often an unlikeable character, but Ham On Rye is one of my recent favourites"
Tender is The Night	F. Scott Fitzgerald	ISBN-10: 0684830507 ISBN-13: 978-0684830506	mark-2007	"his novel, Fitzgerald's final, completed one, revolves around the marriage of Dick Diver, a promising psychologist, to the beautiful Nicole. The Divers associate with a whole host of characters that gather around their Mediterranean retreat, including a Hollywood starlet, a professional soldier, and a talented musician plagued by alcoholism amongst others. The book begins with up-and-coming actress, Rosemary Hoyt, sunbathing on the beach and soon descends into her involvement in the inner circle of the Divers and, eventually, the marriage itself. Reflective of Fitzgerald's own marriage to Zelda Sayre, this is a romance, but not a particularly happy one. Great read. "
Carrie	Stephen King	ISBN: 978-0-385-08695-0	Ziggy455	"The book that launched King's career, Carrie is a the story of a bullied girl who lives with her manipulative and fundamentalist mother. Unknowing to all of her bullying peers, Carrie possesses the talent of TK or Telekinesis. The story builds up well and the last hundred pages are well worth the read. I thought it was a brilliant story."
Small Gods	Terry Pratchett	ISBN: 0-552-13890-8	Craig	"This novel is the 13th book in the "Discworld" series by Terry Pratchett. It tells the story of the great God Om who has returned to Discworld in the body of a tortoise, stripped of his powers, and desperate to spread the word about the coming of an eighth prophet. In the process, it satirises religious institutions, people, and practices, and the role of religion in political life. Memorable characters and a genuine charm in storytelling make this one of the most unique entries in the Discworld series, and you really see Pratchett as a godfather of fantasy. (...continued)"
Without Remorse	Tom Clancy	ISBN-10: 0425143325 ISBN-13: 978-0425143322	Mokrie Dela	"Chronologically the first book of Tom Clancy's 'Ryanverse', Without Remorse follows the story of a man Rainbow Six gamers will likely Know. This story revolves around the romance between John Kelly and a young girl enslaved by druggies. It depicts his introduction to the CIA, and chronicals the turbulant journey that requires for his name to ultimately be changed to John Clark. It also, rather well i think, ties the vietnam war in to the story and even a preteen Jack Ryan appears (his father also appears). A rather dark story, it showcases the wrath of a man who has the knowhow to get things done. Although many of Clancy's books are excellent reads, i chose this one for the different protagonist. Kelly/Clark's not a good guy, he's the dark version of Ryan, and the contrasts are apparent in proceeding books such as Clear and Present Danger and The Cardinal of The Kremlin. MAybe a little slow to get going but one Kelly's 'mission' is underway, i found it impossible to put down."
The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	ISBN: 978-0747566533	AceRay	"This amazing novel tells the story of two young boys in 1970s Afghanistan before one them commits the ultimate betrayal. The novel describes the fall of Afghanistan which is ravened by war for over 20 years, first by the Soviets, and then under the reign of the Taliban. Hosseini is a great story teller. The twist that Amir and Hassan are brothers is beautifully laid out."
A Thousand Splendid Suns	Khaled Hosseini	ISBN: 978-1594483851	AceRay	"The other book Hosseini has written and, in my opinion, an even better read. It tells the tale of two women and their struggles under the sexist Afghanistan culture and traditions. One of the reasons its better is that it stays in Afghanistan the entire time, letting the reader see how the war completely destroys the country over a long and slow period of time, ending in the tragedy of the Taliban's reign of terror rather than it just suddenly being an awful place. Furthermore, I felt the antagonist was a lot more threatening, more menacing than The Kite Runner's ridiculous villain. Mariam's death scene at the end is an absolute tear jerker, as is when you realize Tariq is still alive. A fantastic book, I cannot recommend it more."
The Dice Man	Luke Rhinehart	ISBN-10: 0879518642 ISBN-13: 978-0879518646	Ziggy455	"Luke Rhinehart is miserable with his life; he can't write anymore, he's bored with his life as a psychiatrist due to the discovery of Zen. One night after a few drinks he decides that if an askew dice he has found has a face of one up, he will go and rape his neighbour. The book if a wonderfully abstract look at chance and such. It details the evolution of the dice into a sort of religion. Brilliant read. Makes you think, and definitely makes you laugh."
The Godfather	Mario Puzo	ISBN: 0099528126	Ziggy455	"One of Puzo's greatest. It chronicles the lives of the Corleone family between 1945 to 1955. Michael Corleone, the only clean member makes a choice that sets in motion the events that will change the Corleone family forever. Bit slow but picks up soon enough. Recommended to all who love Crime. "
Star Wars: Death Troopers	Joe Schreiber	ISBN: 978-0345520814	Ziggy455	"I love two things; Star wars, and Zombies. I figured since there's enough Star Wars novels to fill a library, I wondered if there was one that actually included the munching dead. Turns out that Death Troopers is one of those rare books that are brilliant. It focuses on the Prison Transport Ship entitled Purge. It comes across a derelict, decrepit Star Destroyer floating in space. Once a recon crew get up to it, it turns out the Empire left it out there for a reason. Brilliantly paced, scary with a twist of humor and two memorable characters. Definitely a recommended read!"
Pay The Devil	Jack Higgins	ISBN: 0006514367	AceRay	"A thrilling, entertaining read about Confederate Colonel Clay Fitzgerald, who flees to Ireland after losing the Civil War to live in peace but soon becomes swept up in the local conflict between the rich landowners and Not a long read (finished it over about three days while I had busy work at the time) and it isn't the deepest novel you'll ever read but its got great action scenes and the main character reminds me, physically, of John Marston, what with the accent and scars and such, not to mention great horse chases. "
Game Of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice: Book One)	George R. R. Martin	ISBN: 0-00-224584-1	VProductions	"An epic fantasy novel set in a vividly described world, the story tells of the treachery, greed and war threatening the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall. In a world scarred by battle and catastrophe, it describes the deeds of a people locked in conflict and the legacy they will leave their children. It has nine protagonists. "

*All links are for reference. If i have posted a link to the incorrect book, please let me know, and I'll rectify it. Edited January 21, 2013 by Mokrie Dela

[Tyler]

Hmm, I'll give it a hit.

 

I find

 

A Scanner Darkly was well written, and shown to not show enough to make it mysterious and leaving you wanting more. Though classified as Sci-Fi, it takes place 'several years from now' a poster line to describe what will probably become America in a few years, thanks to survellience, drugs, and paranoia.

 

 

A Scanner Darkly proposes the deep side of Anehiem life, showing both a crowd of kids who use and Abuse a deadly drug, and one man's spiral into chaos as he himself loses all sight of what is really happening.

 

Based heavily on Phillip K Dicks (Author) younger life experiences, it touches down on the fear most people in modern times face, a world without the ability to hide, or more so, know what people try to hide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like that one, and I'll touch another book I love in a while.

[Mokrie Dela]

Hmm, I'll give it a hit.

 

I find

 

A Scanner Darkly was well written, and shown to not show enough to make it mysterious and leaving you wanting more. Though classified as Sci-Fi, it takes place 'several years from now' a poster line to describe what will probably become America in a few years, thanks to survellience, drugs, and paranoia.

 

 

A Scanner Darkly proposes the deep side of Anehiem life, showing both a crowd of kids who use and Abuse a deadly drug, and one man's spiral into chaos as he himself loses all sight of what is really happening.

 

Based heavily on Phillip K Dicks (Author) younger life experiences, it touches down on the fear most people in modern times face, a world without the ability to hide, or more so, know what people try to hide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like that one, and I'll touch another book I love in a while.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scanner_Darkly

 

Just to confirm - That book?

I'll add it to my post on confirmation

[PresidentKiller]

"Strange Pilgrims" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a really interesting collection of short stories by the author. My personal favorite is Miss Forbes's Summer of Happiness, a dark but great story that was even made into a TV movie a while ago.

[Tyler]

Hey off topic, PK what part of mexico do you live in?

 

On topic,

 

Ever read the Tom Clancy book, Every Man A Tiger?

[PresidentKiller]

I live in Mexico City, and no, I haven't read any books by Tom Clancy yet, but I might take a look.

[Tyler]

Oh my bad I was pointing that part to te OP guy, he likes Clancy apparently...

 

 

But once again off topic, I really don't believe you want to live there forever

 

 

Why not move to Cuba? My personal favorite latin group in terms of food, culture, cigars, music and women

[PresidentKiller]

Well, Cuba is a nice place, but things over there are a bit more difficult than around here. Of course I don't want to live here forever, hell, I don't even want to celebrate my 30th birthday and still live here. It's a nice place (in terms of natural beauty and the like), but the government sucks and some people are just complete selfish morons around here.

 

Anyway, if you wish to keep discussing this, you can always PM me, just to avoid derailing this topic any further.

[Mokrie Dela]

Every man a tiger? I haven't. I'll keep a look out though.

BTW, when people post the recommendations, could you post a quick Wiki or Amazon link or something? It would help me ensure i get the right book when i add it to the list.

 

(BTW can anyone PM me on how to make one of those lists of boxes tables?)

[VercettiTheNiter]

These are some young adult books I read that I think are fanstastic.

 

Fade to Black Its about a kid with HIV who gets attacked on the way to school. Its told in three portions running simultaneously: the witness, the victim, and the suspect. Superb. I've read it a few times and love it everytime.

 

Burger Wuss The teen equivalent of a dark comedy if that make sense. It's sort of polarizing. I liked it alot because it was fresh and just different. It's about a kid who's girlfriend cheats on him and he joins a McDonald's parody to get revenge on the guy. I like it but my friends didn't. I say just read it once.

 

 

 

OFF TOPIC: Has anyone read the Dark Tower series by Stephen King? Is it any good?

[Mokrie Dela]

UPDATE:

I've added all the recomendations to the first post i a list. The titles, ISBNs are all linked to the relevant Amazon page (i hope!), and the ISBNs will help you find it quickly in a library/bookstore. I also tagged the user who recomended it with a hotlink to their profile. Why? I have no idea.

The post has also been added on there.

If allot of people post in this topic, the table will prove it's weight in gold.

 

Thanks to everyone who's posted. Spread the word!

[Gouveia]

I know the books may have been blown up to stardom and are very common, but I HIGHLY recommed "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons". The way that Dan Brown write is simply amazing, switching the perspective at each chapter. Also, the story has LOTS of details, the conversation is very rich, and it seems that Dan Brown tried to put as much effort as possible on the books, with lots of researching made so the story could be as real as a fiction could be.

 

I don't know if this applies to "The Lost Symbol", as I've yet to read it, but I think it has the same lineage as the predecessors.

 

Also, no, the movies AREN'T the same thing. They just aren't.

[PresidentKiller]

"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is really good too. Is about the chaos that ensues after a group of children are left alone in a deserted island after their ship sinks. Interesting view of human nature by the author, a view that terrifies me, tho.

[Mokrie Dela]

I was wondering how long it'd be until Dan Brown was mentioned!

They are a good read

 

And Lord of the flies... *Nods in agreement* I remember that from school!

I'll add them to the list!: P

Edited May 8, 2010 by Mokrie Dela

[Abel.]

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Edited November 1, 2015 by Failure

[Mokrie Dela]

Nice discussive (is that a word? Well it is now:P) post. It's what i like to see.

 

To kill a mockingbird. I'll add that to the list tomorrow.

 

I forgot about the assassins creed book. it was on my hitlist then i just forgot!

 

Just to clarify, do you wish for me to add both GOW books, the Assassins creed on and to kill a mockingbird ("Which offers no advice on how to kill a mockingbird" (Sorry couldn't resist)) to the list?

[Ziggy455]

I just finished reading 'Dog eats dog' by Iain Levinson. Nice read, Iain writes so coolly and corruptly.

 

The plot goes like this;

 

It starts as a bank robbery begins, the main robber tricks his conrades and ditches them at the bank leaving them to the dogs as he exits out back with $250,000. His journey from the cops lads him with a gunshot, he hitched a ride out to a small new hampshire town. Meeting our second character - Elias White. This plot centers around Elias's blackmail as the robber knows he is f*cking an underage student. As the plot thickens we're shown a third character - Denise. I underutilised FBI agent who is investigating the marked bills from the robbery. This leads her to the new hampshire town and to Elias White.

 

Brilliant read, suspenseful, witty, grimy. Betrayal and debauchery galore!

 

I'd reccomend it anyday

[Mokrie Dela]

Right, elanman and Ziggy455, apologies for a late reply. Post is edited and up to date. Once again, let me know if i've made any errors.

@Ziggy Ziggy, RE Dog eat Dog. I've put in a spoiler tag, I'm not familiar with this book, so i don't know if your description gave anything away.

 

Thanks for the posts guys, hopefully this will show alot of people good books to read. When my local library re-opens after its renovation, i shall have a looksie

Edited May 11, 2010 by Mokrie Dela

[Gouveia]

I was wondering how long it'd be until Dan Brown was mentioned!

They are a good read

Indeed they are. I only read those two books, and Angels & Demons is the best of the two. Just awesome, altough the story is revealed a little too early.

[Mokrie Dela]

BUMP!

 

Updated list, Added "Alamut"

[Farenhiet]

Most PC gamers will recognize the game series S.T.A.L.K.E.R (because it's awesome). However, most gamers won't recognize the book that its based off of. Ok it's not directly based off of it, more like it borrowed heavy elements from it, as well as the books movie, as well as the movies book. So in a way, the game is based off the book of the movie of the book, all of which are written by the same people. Yeah I know. Anyways, I'm talking about the original book.

 

Title: Roadside Picnic

ISBM: 0-02-615170-7 (don't ever buy this book from Amazon, they still publish it in UK, so its cheaper to buy it internationally off of somewhere like E-Bay)

Disc: This is a down to earth Sci Fi novella. Kinda like District 9 down to earth Sci Fi, except unlike it and most other "alien" fiction, you never really see the aliens, nor or they a threat. Aliens visited for about 12-24 hours in 6 different places on Earth. Their leavings have created "zones" that are very dangerous, yet hold artifacts of incredible scientific value. Those who smuggled these artifacts illegally in and out of the zone where known as "stalkers". Redrick Schuhart is among these men, and the book is all about his ventures.

 

 

[Rhoda]

Hello, friendly neighbourhood area moderator here, fancy a topic title change?

[Abel.]

.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Failure

[Mokrie Dela]

Hello, friendly neighbourhood area moderator here, fancy a topic title change?

I would!

No idea where the M came from

 

Perhaps "Recommended Books to read?" Or something like that?

 

 

@Fahrenheit; I'll add that to the list!

 

@Elanman - thanks Hopefully it'll get enough views to warrant a sticky. I'm surprised there wasn't one already

Anyway i added the GOW books, seeing as you mentioned them. Sometime i may organize the list into (title) alphabetical order too.

Also a little side note, If you suggest a book, i will put it up, but I'm kind of hoping we'll get some of the lesser known books. Da Vinci code, for example, i think everyone in the world knows about, but ones such as Alamut...?

Also (and i shall add this to the first post) If anyone looks at the list then reads a book from it, why not discuss the book here, what you're thoughts are etc?

[Blissco]

I recommend the Doomspell trio, forgotton who it is who write it, I was like 11 when I first read it, picked it up from our 'LRC' but I found it an interesting read, maybe a bit of a copy from Harry Potter, but still interesting.

[Gouveia]

Sorry for the little bump here, but I'm in shock that no one mentioned these:

• The Divine Comedy: Inferno
• The Divine Comedy: Purgatorio
• The Divine Comedy: Paradiso

Come on, those are the MOST awesome books I've ever heard. I know I might be a little sensitive, but I actually cried in how Heaven is depicted, and I'm actually afraid of some punishments from Hell. Dante Alighieri's the man.

[General Goose]

I've read a few books I can recommend:

No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay

The protagonist/narrator is a teacher whose wife's family disappeared overnight in her teen years, after a family argument. Some really interesting twists and turns and some interesting characters.

Past Mortem by Ben Elton

A detective novel about a serial killer who kills his victims in very strange and specific ways, and follows Detective Inspector Newson in his attempts to solve the case and also use one of those school reunion websites. Very interesting, entertaining story.

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

An interesting and rather tragic read about a young boy who is the son of a concentration camp commandant during the Holocaust, and who mets and befriends a young boy in the camp.

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

An old book telling the stories of some German soldiers during the First World War.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

About some American soldiers based in Europe during the latter stages of WWII, a very interesting read and funny in a dark, depressing kind of way.

[Mokrie Dela]

Whoops double post

Edited June 24, 2010 by Mokrie Dela

[Mokrie Dela]

Sorry for the little bump here, but I'm in shock that no one mentioned these:

• The Divine Comedy: Inferno
• The Divine Comedy: Purgatorio
• The Divine Comedy: Paradiso

Come on, those are the MOST awesome books I've ever heard. I know I might be a little sensitive, but I actually cried in how Heaven is depicted, and I'm actually afraid of some punishments from Hell. Dante Alighieri's the man.

Can you get some URLs for these 3 please?

I had a look but i got several different results

 

 

BTW, has anyone read one of the books since it was recommended? What did you think....

Discuss!

[Tyler]

Let's see, I want to go ahead and tell you about one of the greatest science fiction/ horror writers of all time - H.P. Lovecraft. His work stands out from the usual with his combination of mythology of god-like beings, the realms of the universe and first person perspective writing.

 

One of his most famous works 'The Call of Cthulu' is a dark tale of the sick realization that humanity isn't the dominate power on Earth. Cthulu description in the book leaves you wondering how such a being exists, leaving even further confusion when he intervenes with the narrator.

 

Another great read is 'The Shunned House'. In this story, a boy decides to investigate the unknown house on Back street. His investigation leaves more questions than answers, and he soon decides to stay the night in the basement with his uncle, whom knows something terrible happened here.

 

________

 

Those are just two of his many great short stories, I certainly recommend them to anyone here interested in Science Fiction/Horror work.