Book Recommendations

[Orc]

Recommendations

Do you have a book you thought was great and worthy of passing along to others? Well, here’s the place to do so!

One recommendation per post please. Post the name of the book, author, genera (science fiction, fantasy, history, etc.) and a brief synopsis, and your thoughts on it.

Please check what others have posted before you post your favorites so we don’t get a whole bunch repeats.

[Orc]

The Illiad

written by: Homer

The siege of Troy in all of it's origional glory (and gorey). An amazing account of early warfare full of blood, guts and gore as well as tales of honorable heroes.

[Achillies] struck him in the belly near the navel, so that all his bowels came gushing out on to the ground, and the darkness of death came over him as he lay gasping.
~ Illiad Book XXI

There is even an online text verison of theIlliad (http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.html). A wonderful story filled to the brim with detailed descriptions of hand to hand combat. Don't let the term 'classic' fool you. While the language can be a bit antiquated, it's still a wonderful read.

[Arwen Elf]

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
It is in the style of "New Gothic", of the mid-nineteenth century.
It details a young woman's life as she goes from being an unloved orphan to falling in love with her employer. I cannot possibly give it justice here! :(

[Daisy Gamgee]

The Princess Bride
can't remember the author, and its a fantasy/comedy (theres a film based on it, which is pretty funny). i think its actually got a few differnent genres thrown in - love story, pirates, assasins, etc... its worth a read

[Little Devil]

'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Brontë

[Sindarin]

"Dune" by Frank Herbert. (Sci-Fi.)

[Sindarin]

"The Odyssey" also by Homer. :knight:

[A! Elbereth]

The Edge of Eternity by Randy Alcorn

Christian Sci-Fiction
Wonderful book!!!! I highly reccomend it for all faiths! Its about a man who is is somehow in a strange world, filled with evil, and good all in one... Its about him traveling and learning about how his life is, and how much better it could be if.... well... you have to read it... It is a VERY interesting read! :thumbs:

I am reading it a second time right now :)

[Bonos-Girl]

the zagor cronicles by ian livingstone and carl sargeant...fantasy

[Daughter of Finarfin]

"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. Historical fiction. I guess it is also considered an Action-Adventure. It has a great theme of vengeance and getting what you wish for. The recent movie based on it strayed quite a lot from the book.

[Galadriel]

Jamaica Inn- forget who the authour is though.
Its a mystery/horror book. very good! about a girl that goes to live with her Aunt and uncle at an inn and a murder takes place. the mudrer is a total suprise

[Mirkgirl]

Off hand - Bram Stoker's Drakula is something everyone must have read (and it's not hard at all)

[Catz]

Mmmmm drac is good...tho not at all like many people think it is, before they read it.....Frankenstein is another good one, by Mary Shelley.....again, most people think they know what its about, and get a bit of a surprise when they read it.....
:catz:

[Elendur]

.. an author called Maurice Walsh.
Like Blackcock's Feather or The Key Above the Door.
Mostly writes period adventure books.. mostly with celtic..ish characters as he was Irish. Books are not easy to get hold of, as most are out of print!
Couple of Chinese legendary books....
Romance of the Three Kingdoms...
Great for historical significance
The Water Margin...
serialised on UK television quite a few years ago.. great story.
Ivanhoe.. Sir Walter Scot... medieval Knights and armour.... also Winning His Spurs by G.A. Henty.. same vein.
Kim by Rudyard Kipling.. orphan boy in India... spy, adventure etc.

[Calenhendi]

The Lathe of Heaven
By the great Ursula Le Guin
Sci-fi

Its a brilliant book. I had forgotten all about it until I saw a recent movie version on TV.

[Catz]

thanks for reminding me Cal....."the Left Hand of Darkness" also by Ursula le Guin...fabulous book....SF but not hard SF
and the Wizard of Earthsea also by le Guin....this is a fantasy trilogy....meant to be for teens but a great series of books...i still read them often....the protagonist Ged is a great character, with his own flaws and makes some major mistakes which he pays for...also great dragons lol
:catz:

[Tar-Ancalimë]

Harry Potter!
I don't care if you think the hype about it is stupid (i do too) I don't care if you're against witchcraft (that ISNT the point) I don't care if you disliked the movie (i did) i don't care if you're refusing to read it (i did at first) I don't care if you think they might be too long (every letter is worth it) I don't care if you think it's just for little kids (it's NOT) I don't care if you think I'm dumb for liking it:
READ THEM THEY ARE THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!!

[Little Devil]

Yes I have to agree they a brilliant books. I love them :read:

[Tar-Ancalimë]

:loveyou:

[Eärendil]

has anyone here read the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan? if so, what do u think of them? and if not, then i highly recommend them!

[Daisy Gamgee]

I did enjoy the Harry Potter books, and i actually enjoyed the film, but His Dark material trilogy by Philip Pulman is alot better read.

[Calenhendi]

Originally posted by Catz
thanks for reminding me Cal....."the Left Hand of Darkness" also by Ursula le Guin...fabulous book....SF but not hard SF
and the Wizard of Earthsea also by le Guin....this is a fantasy trilogy....meant to be for teens but a great series of books...i still read them often....the protagonist Ged is a great character, with his own flaws and makes some major mistakes which he pays for...also great dragons lol
:catz:
I loved the Wizard of Earthsea! I can remember reading that trilogy and The Sword of Shanara years ago. Oh! And the Gomenghast trilogy. So good. And books by Charles De Lint and Anne McCaffrey. Too many to list. :grin:

[Catz]

oh yeah Charles De Lint....Yarrow or Moonheart or any of his books....just beautiful...hes a musician and it shows in his writing....its so magical and lyrical...heartbreakingly beautiful....
may i congratulate you on your fine taste Cal ;) lol lol
:catz:

[Tary]

The Ameila peabody books by Elizibeth peters Historical adventure romance.

[Lynx]

ohh, books. I think I'm going to have to find some of those books. Like the Illiad or the Odyssey. I've read the abridged version of the Odyssey in school but I want the whole thing, its an awesome story.

Watership Down (don't remember the author but its a good book.)

The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas (and also The Count of Monte Cristo, the unabridged version cus the abridged leaves out too much, but thats been said before)

Spindle's End by Robin Mckinley (a good retelling of beauty and beast with a cool twist in the end)

The Princess Bride (but thats been said too. awesome book)

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (good book, quite funny too)

[Mirkgirl]

Originally posted by Lynx
The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas (and also The Count of Monte Cristo, the unabridged version cus the abridged leaves out too much, but thats been said before)

:thumbs: Great books!

[Elendur]

Good selection from Lynx... some of my old favourites in there!!
I think Watership Down was Richard Adams??
Three Musketeers was great,.. though somewhat darker than all its film adeptations!
Anyone read Quentin Durward by Sir Walter Scott??:thumbs:

[Lord Raistlin]

Read dragonlance books. It is the coolest fantasy book

[Lynx]

I think you're right, Elendur, it is by Richard Adams. I looked it up. If you want a good film adeptation of Three Musketeers try the 1974 version with Michael York as D'Artagnan. Its two movies(The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers) but it follows the book fairly wel, probably the best I've seen.

What is Quentin Durward about?

And what is Dragonlance about?

[Aerandir]

Redwall books are good. There's a new one out called Triss to:)


~Aerandir

[Daisy Gamgee]

I'm gonna go abit girly and recommend anything by Marian Keyes. I think her best are Watermelon and Rachel's Holiday but they are extremely funny love stories. She's Irish and so most of her book leads are Irish, but shes alot funnier and up to date than Maeve Bincy.

[Catz]

ooh speaking of funny i have to throw in Douglas Adams....the Hitch Hikers Guide is a very funny book...and contains the best piece of advice ever......."DONT PANIC" lol lol
:catz:

[Lynx]

Hitchhiker's Guide rocks! I forgot all about that.

"Ford! There's an infinite number of monkeys outside who want to talk to us about this script for Hamlet they've worked out."

hilarious book.

[Cuiel Rilwen]

Hitchhikers Guide is cult, it's soo weird! I completely believe in the planet for the lost pens..! Has anybody read "The wheel of time" books? I thought they were very good, but in the last ones the author has been repeting himself a little.

[Catz]

yeah well....he is up to book number 9 or 10 isnt he? lol lol kind of ineveitable heheheh....i dont have the patience...i read up to 4 or 5 i think, and then gave up lol
:catz:

[Dawnnamira Nerwen]

My Recommendations:

Name: Johnny Tremain
Author: Can't remember
My Opinion: Very good book. A classic, (again, don't let it turn you off) It is historical fiction about a 14 year old boy apprenticed to a silversmith. It occurs before and during the War for Independence. Very good. (as I said)

Name: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Author: Jules Vernes
My Opinion: Excellent read. I recommend it highly. The first time I read it it was kind of hard for me to get interested in it. But as I got farther into the book, it got better.

There are a bunch more books I would recommend, but I'm tired. and lazy.

[Isiltári]

I used to LOVE the book Johnny Tremain!!! It's by Esther Forbes. That was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. How strange, I was just thinking the other day that I'd like to find a copy of that book and read it again. :thumbs:

[Dawnnamira Nerwen]

Well, I'm glad I reminded you. (If you had forgotten.) I was browsing in my college library (Okay, let me clarify. I'm not in college, however my mom works at one, and I can check out books from the college library.) And I saw it. It looked neat, so I checked it out and read. I was totally shocked :elfeek: at how good a book it was.

[Nessa]

Name: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Author: Ken Kesey
Opinion: Completely brilliant, a favorate of mine. Very psychological, read it a few times to pick up the details. ;)

[Elrenia]

Has anyone read the trilogy of Pamela Belle...It is a well written historical and romance story (History has a big part in it). My opinion is that her writing is rich and authentic...and it is unforgettable...Loved it!!! :grin:

Here's the titles

The Moon in the Water
The Chains of Fate
Alethea

:thumbs:

[Cuiel Rilwen]

Stupid of me not to remember this thread when I created a new one...but anyways, The pillars of the earth are just one of my favourites, totally different from anything else Ken Follet has written. (I'm not much into crimebooks, so these ones really surprised me.) I really got to love the caracters and missed them when I had finnished reading. The mid-eval human mind as portrayed in these novels sure are equally deavious as any mind today! If any of you enjoy a good historical novel, read them!

[Lintefaniel]

Little Women! Louisa May Alcott, if you have seen the movies you know the basics but I highly recommend the book. But I can't bring myself to read on to Little Men! I hear sadness and death comes to Jo once again and I just can't bear it! Another book I recommend John Saul writes one about a blind girl's spirit haunting a coastal home. I can't remember the name just now..but I'll think of it....;)

[Daisy Gamgee]

Little Women - fabulous book, but I too haven't read the next book - sound like a bit too much heartbreak

my recommendation is Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood (can't remember the author, and the books at home). Its just been made into a movie with Sandra Bullock, which I am yet to see, but the book is very good. It involves a daughters relationship with her mother, and flits between current day, and the childhoods of both the daughter and mother.:thumbs:

[Sharky]

I love Colleen McCollough's series on the fall of the Roman Republic, First man In Rome, Grass Crown, Fortunes Favourites, Caesar's Woman, and Caesar. Such great historical figures she brings to life like Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Cicero, and of coarse Caesar. Its very well researched too, much better than Robert Graves' I Claudius books.

Wonderful race the Romans.

[Cuiel Rilwen]

That sounds like something right up my alley, I'll look for them next time I'm in the library!;)

[Eärendil]

Author: Robert Jordan

Book/s: Wheel of Time
- The Eye of the Worl
- The Great Hunt
- The Dragon Reborn
- THe Shadow Riseing
- The Fires of Heaven
- Lord of Chaos
- A Cown of Swords
- A Path of Daggers
- Winter's Heart
- Crossroads of Twilight
(10 books out, 12 to come)

Genre: Fantacy, "With the Wheel of Time, Jordan has come to dominate the world Tolkien began to reveal"- The New York Times

Opinion: Great books, good characters, it is done in prespectives. So it looked through the eyes of each characer, and very very huge detail to the world, much like Tolkien. RECOMMENDED. I'm up to book 8, a path of daggers, and can't get enough :)

ages: 14 or older...

PS; Good luck, and hope u at least try one :)

[Windwater Elf]

For those who like mythology, I wish to recommend a book on Celtic Myth in the Myth and Mankind series entitled Heroes Of The Dawn. There are various writers who contributed towards this book which is published by Time-Life Books BV, Amsterdam.

[Lintefaniel]

I think I will also recommend anything John Irving, he's different in his concepts and family relations. But he's beautiful and I will recommend A Prayer for Owen Meanie most of all. Though Hotel New Hampshire is a good one too. Setting Free the Bears and Widow for one Year is excellent as well. And the indomitable Cider House Rules. All good reads...but these are just a few.....;)

[Ralenquil]

H. Beam Piper :

Uller Uprising
Federation

top notch sci fi

[Lady Rowena]

Greet thee your lads and lasses,

I have several good books for your liking (and mine)

First of all: Bored Of The Ring (Harvard Lampoon)
This book is not meant to mock Tolkiens Masterpiece, but it's soooo funny and well written.

Darren Shan is ver y good

And I think the Brother Cadfael chronicles by Ellis Peters are very good as well

Greetings and fare thee well
Lady Rowena

[Bright Shadow]

im about to read fight club, by chuck palahniuk
and lord of the flies is the best book ive had to read in school, by uhh william golding i think..

[Saruman]

I posted this before once, but no one noticed.
'The 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear' by Walter Moers. A bear with blue fur recalls his life, which is not dissimilar to Frodo's journey in LOTR. On the way, Bluebear encounters the deadly Spiderwitch, takes up residence in a giant monster's brain, gets taught by a proffessor with seven brains, and finds the truth about his parents.

[Charis]

I recommend "The Oath" by Frank E. Peretti. It's a mature Christian thriller, featuring a dragon, a bear hunter, and a deep dark secret.
The road scene in it still gives me shivers when I'm driving at night.

[Daisy Gamgee]

I just read an excellent book called "White Gardenia" by Belinda Alexandra. I couldn't put it down. Its probably classed as drama. The story begins with a young girl in Harbin, in northern China, which has many relocated Russians living there, at the start of the WW2 -it follows her life through Singapore and to Australia - the relationships she has, the people she loses, and her survival from events throughout her life. Its an amazing story, probably not everyones cup of tea, but I throughly enjoyed it.

[Gwaihir]

Mysteries by Agatha Christie. Especially Poirot and Tommy & Tuppence. I like the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. And I recommend Louis L'amour's stories! They are so adventurous!

[Elentari]

I've seen Marian Keyes and Elizabeth Peters recommended here; I have enjoyed both these authors immensely!

I've read every book ever written by Dick Francis! His mystery/adventure stories are always well-written and researched. His main character is ususally a jockey who races in the steeplechases, so the stories are always somehow connected to horses and racing.

Another series I love is by author Diana Gabaldon. In the first book, Outlander, we meet Claire, a nurse just back from serving in WWII. She and her husband Frank, also in the service, have come to Scotland to have a second honeymoon and get re-acquainted. All is well, until Claire, an amateur botanist, goes looking for native plants growing around a strange cleft-stone which is part of a little henge, or stone circle, at the top of a remote hill. Accidently putting her hand against the stone, Claire finds herself enveloped in chaos...........and transported two hundred years into the past.

If this sounds at all intriquing, please read these books! I have recommended them to two friends recently, both of whom have fallen head over heels for them! Since there are young members of this community, I must state here that there is quite a bit of rather racy bits, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under the age of 18, so please keep that in mind. Elentari does not want to contribute to the delinquency of minors!
A note to readers in the UK: Over there, you will probably find 'Outlander' realeased under the title 'Cross Stitch'; one friend from London found that to be so!

The entire series, in order, is: Outlander, Dragonfly In Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, and Fiery Cross.
I hope you'll give them a try!

:)

[Lintefaniel]

Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

My favorite classic revenge novel...;)

[Rumil]

Hmmm... so many good books. I love Jane Austen and Robertson Davies fairly fanatically (ie read every novel they've done). Austen has an amazingly light touch which i adore. As far as fantasy goes i really enjoyed a trilogy by Patricia A. McPhilip (i think it was) Riddle Master of Hed, Harpist in the Wind and the Heir of Sea and Fire. Cracking good fantasy. The first book ends with an unexpected cliff hanger almost as good as TTT (book).

[gilraenn41289]

nebody know ne good books? i've read The Green MIle (that was a good book), Night I Disappeared (it was ok), and lots more, but i want 2 read some new 1s, so ne help is great!

[Caligula]

We can't really help you if you don't give us direction. So, what genre do you like? What are your interests? If you could reply to anything along those lines of questioning, it would help us determine if we can help you and recommend any books.

[Mirkgirl]

Well I believe that's just general recommendations, say which books you like, what genre they are and why you like them...
btw as you see I've merged this with the old recommendations thread... just recommend a book someone'd like it lol

"The Ants" and "The Day of the Ants" by Bernard Werber
Is the intelligent life we're looking for in the space under our feet? Includes parts from the encyclopedia of absolute knowledge, which is written from the scientist who first discovered the ants world as such and found a way to communicate with them. I'd say the second book is more interesting, but it has to be read after the first which is not that bad on its own (:

For a cross between fantasy and fairy-tale (very good one) try Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg... its about a king who finds himself not remembering anything from his previous life in another body. He becomes a juggler and goes to find his mother whos the only one who can help him.

An interesting look what might happen when we start living together with the extraterrestrials and our own folklore creatures. One men is duplicated during one of his space travels, comes back to find out that he is dead (well his duplicate), which causes some problems and he can't solve them as he has to find the way to get the information from one dying planet. Ofc the most awful extraterrestrials are after the same.

If you want to read a briliant thriller it's David Morrell's trillogy - "The Faternity of the Stone", "The Brotherhood of the Rose" and "The League of Night and Fog"
The first two are separate, the last one gathers the characters from the first two.
In the first one after killing innocent child a professional killer goes to a monastry (the toughest order, which usually doesnt accept young men). The monestry is attacked because of him and he's the only survivor who has to return to the world he tried to escape from.
"The Brotherhood of the Rose" is about one man who uses orphans to create an army of killers. Two of his "children" wonder why the only father they ever knew tries to kill them.

For the interaction between the East (China and Japan) and the West (mainly Britain) read James Clavell's books: Shogun, Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, King Rat, Noble House, Whirlwind... I haven't read the last two yet myself, for now Tai-Pan is my favouite.

[Elvenwanderer]

Hey everybody,
I just looked at all of the threads in this forum, and I noticed that there is not one that describes your other favorite book. For some of you, your mostest favoritest book is any LOTR.

Now that this is the other books section, please post the title of your favorite book and the author (also, please say if it is OOP.... out of print). Please no LOTR books! This obviously can change, so please just add another post with your new fav book.

My favorite:
Ice Bound
Jerri Nielson
it's an autobiography about Jerri, a doctor who went to the South Pole and was diagnosed with cancer.
not OOP

[Bonos-Girl]

i have no idea about my fave book......i read so many that i like...i swear its impossible to pick just one..

however...if i really had to pick on...it would be one of the James herriot books....not one of the ones where he's in the army...one of the first ones probably...

[Mirkgirl]

Well I believe you want to recommend the book you consider favourite... lets just stick to that thread... keeps the place more tidy and easy to use... I have merged

[Enelya]

title:Meg
author:Steve Alton
scifi
its about a paleontologist who takes a sub into the Mariana Trench and discovers a Megaladon(giant extinct shark) and it basically follows him up to the surface where lots of bad stuff happens because of it. theres a sequel called Trenches
i really loved this book partly cuz i like scifi but also it was just full of action and lots of cool stuff:thumbs:

[Daeron]

Title: Titus Groan
Author: Mervyn Peake
(fiction)

A broad, epic work that is simply too difficult to sum up in a short sentence. Just do yourself a favour and read it :->

[Periantari Andruil]

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is really good... it's... historical fiction i would say?
i like Harry Potter too...
Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry --Mildred Taylor (and that series i really like) about injustice to African-Americans in the South...
as well as certain Dean Koontz books with is suspense thriller... like "Lightning" which is about a young woman trying to escape fate
i used to like Nancy Drew a lot but that is like 10 yrs ago when i was 9 or 10 =)
"Falling Leaves" is a good nonfiction to read...it's about a young Chinese woman who was neglected by her family....very powerful read... by Adelaid (sp?) Yen Mah
"The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston is a collection of stories about Asian American women, and they're just really good fictional stories that focus on people's experiences...

i'll post more about the books later=)
:thumbs:

[Arninquelote]

I would thoroughly recommend Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy. It's a wonderfully written epic tale that challenges our perceptions of the concepts of heaven and earth, angels, and the power of the soul, and rivals Tolkien's work in its vision of a fantastic world that parallels our own.

[Brin]

Ohh somebody mentioned Randy Alcorn, I haven't read any of his fiction, yet, but my mom gave me one of his books, and now I'm totally hooked on this author and can't wait to read more.

Favorite classics:
To Kill a Mocking Bird
Pride and Prejudice
Huck Finn
Uncle Tom's Cabin (I know it's all ready been mentioned but it's sooo worth mentioning again.)
The Deerslayer (kind of slow going, but still a good book)

Fiction:
Flowers in the Attic, etc
anything by Julie Garwood
anything by Laverle Spencer
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

Scifi/fantasy:
The Xanth series by Piers Anthony
The Phaze series by Piers Anthony
The Mode series by Piers Anthony
The Pern series by Anne Mccaffery
The Shanarra series by Terry Brooks
The Landover series by Terry Brooks
Running with the Demon etc by Terry Brooks
The Finovar Tapestry series by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Mallorean by David Eddings
The Herald books by Mercedes Lackey.
Tarzan and the John Carter series by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Narnia books by C. S. Lewis
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis and Peralandra

Mystery:
Mary Higgins Clark
Victoria Holt
Phyllis A Whitney

Sorry if I took up too much space, but I just love to read. *heavy sigh*

[Gilraen]

Someone mentioned this already but His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman is absolutely brilliant, everyone should read it. Another good fantasy type trilogy is the Wind on Fire trilogy by William Nicholson. A lot of people think the first book, The Wind Singer is hard to get into, but its worth it because the second one Slaves of the Mastery is so good.

[Heidi]

Anyone who has not read the Tamora Pierce series(es) should definitely give them a try. The genre is fantsy and each book is a fairly short, simple but very enjoyable read. Book one of the first quartet is "Alanna, the first adventure"...Go and read it - quick!

(i also enjoyed the "his dark materials" trilogy as well, check that one out too if you haven't already)

[*Arwen*Evenstar*]

Redwall
And the Redwall Tales so far there are 17.-Fiction-mideavil animals
By Brian Jacques
By the same guy:
Casaways of the Flying duchman
the Angels command
Realy COOOL :thumbs: all of my LOTR( :ring: ) friends enjoy them.
want more info? Send me a message. or go to:
www.redwall.org
:thumbs:

[Arwen_Evenstar]

Other than LOTR of course, i would suggest The Memiors of Cleopatra by Margret George. I shows the real side of this famous queen, not the overdone Hollywood version which i really hate. It is a long book (like 900 pgs.) but it is very worth reading.

I also like Marion Zimmer Bradly and The Mists of Avalon and the other books that prelude it such as The Forest House.

And then there is old mythology which is good. I loved Beowolf, which by the way Tolkien based much of LOTR off of. And ancient Greek and Egyptian myths.

I hope you enjoy!:)

[Elvenwanderer]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned "the DaVinci Code" but it is great... hint hint... get the hardback and write down all the boldface letters in the description on the front and back flaps...

another good book for all those in the medical profession (or those like me who want to be) is called "Complications" by Atul Gawande. Very interesting.

[Gilraen]

I loved Redwall too! But my sister made me read the Alanna books by Tamora Pierce and I hated them. I thought they were very badly written and unoriginal and I wanted to strangle Alanna by the time I'd finished the last one. And my sister wants to strangle me for not liking them. O well, each to her own.

[Mánalinya]

The Dante Club, by Matthew Pearl, was really good too. It's about the group of poets (including Henry W. Longfellow, James R. Lowell, Oliver Wendell Holmes) that were working on the first American translation of Dante's Divine Comedy. When murders start happening in the city, only this group (who call themselves the Dante Club) realize that the murders are done in the fashion of Dante's Inferno. Only they have the knowledge to stop the murderer.

One of my favorite books of all time, I read it once every year, is "Sarah", by Marguerite Harmon Bro. It's just the story of a girl, of her struggles, failures and triumphs, sorrow and joy, death and life, and love. I love the author's style. Very poetic, and beautiful.

[Melian]

My favorite book for a good read is anything by Dean Koontz (sp?) He has such a sense of good vs evil, the little guy against the huge evil. His characters are so compelling and his story telling is superb. He is one of my favorite authors.

[cookiedough]

The Harry Potter series (hehe):) Oh and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Beauty by Robin McKinley, and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

[Gwaihir]

Hi, Cookiedough! :wave: Welcome to WotR. :) Have fun!

I love Ella Enchanted. It's so much more fun than the classic Cinderella.

[Aranel of Mirkwood]

Oh I like Ella Enchanted!!!!

I have to recomend, one of my fave serieses (Including Redwall, Wheel of Time and LotR )

It is the Earth's children series, by Jean M Aule

I really enjoyed the first one and am looking for the others.

This is the order in which to read

The clan of the cave Bear is the first one. The books tell the story of Ayla, born to the 'others' (cro-magon) in the ice-age, she is orphaned and brought up by Iza, the medicine woman, and Creb, the holy man. of the clan who are neadathal

It is a really good sireis I enjoy it and you might do too!

[Eyeris]

My favorite authors & books:
- Robin Hobb (ALL her books)
- George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire is solid, although its getting to be as bad as Wheel of Time in terms of it's never-ending syndrome)
- David Eddings (Some call it shallow, some call them fluff, I think its funny and ROCKS!)

[Lasgalen]

I second A Song of Ice and Fire. I would not lump it with WOT because it is not losing my interest. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.

Anyone heard of Melanie Rawn? Is her stuff any good?

[Eledhwen]

Hi there. This is my first post to this forum. :wave: Can't believe it took me this long! (LOVE bookses preciouss) I've had a peek through and I don't think anyone has mentioned these - although a lot of books I love have already been listed. :) Some of my faves are....

The Hyperion Series by Dan Simmons. Sci-fi and brilliantly written. Is extra good if you're a fan of the poetry of John Keats. I'll check the titles but I think they're Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.

The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. His other books are good too if you like historically-based fantasy. The two that I really like are Tigana and A Song for Arbonne.

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind is very good. Some of the other books in his Sword of Truth series can get a little tedious but Stone of Tears and Temple of the Winds both have a great pace to them and are interesting reads.

I also loved Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco and The Name of the Rose.

Also must give a nod to Paulo Coelho. I love everything he writes. I think my faves from him are The Alchemist and The Valkyries.

...erm sorry that was a bit long! But I feel so inspired to keep reading!!

[Elendur]

a thread devoted to Terry Goodkind's saga on this board.. have a look and put in your comments Eledhwen.. BTW.. some good books in your fave list!!:thumbs:
..The name of the rose was great.. I also loved the film!!

[Eledhwen]

Thanks Elendur. :) I'll be sure to pop into that thread. Watching the movie is on my "to do" list - I've only heard good things about it!

[Narulothwen]

Most of my faves are Science Fiction. As to being OOP, that is why we have libraries & those wonderful shops full of old books!:drool:

Princess Bride is by William Goldman (there never was such a book by S. Morgenstern! ;) ) Quite different from the movie!:thumbs:

Zenna Henderson's The Book of the People & The People: No Different Flesh Her People are a good look at humanity! :love:

Robert Heinlein's younger fiction, like Have Spacesuit, Will Travel; Starman Jones; Podkayne of Mars; The Rolling Stones... :read:...:read:

NARNIA books are a MUST for LotR fans!! After all, the authors were good friends!:cool:

(IMHO, personally, I found Terry Brooks' Shanarra books to be a total LotR rip-off, and NOT quality reading.pfbbt)

[Reem]

Dear lord!! Is it possible that in all the six pages of posts here no one has mentioned Isac Asimov?!! Or Terry Pratchet?!!!! Can this possibly be??!??!?!:o
Just wait till I recover from reading all those posts...i think my eyes will wilt intheir sockets if i don't take a break:p
reem

[Reem]

I'm back!
Ok, now, how can it be possible that people have mentioned sci-fi novels and yet not brought up Isaac Asimov?? He is after all the father of science fiction! He is what Tolkien is to fantasy! and it greatly amazes me that no one has mentioned him!

Has anyone read the Foundation series?? beautiful books! but alas, Asimov died before he could write the last one or two books...a good read nevertheless though!

Terry Pratchet?? Don't tell me you haven't heard of him! He is hillarious!!! His Disc World series are really something else!
This guy deliberately creates impossibly rediculous plots and characters, mingled with alot of wit, and the result is superb! I highly recomend his books! If you liked Douglas Adams, you'll defanitely enjoy Pratchet!

Colleen McCullough's Morgan's Run is truly a work of art. It is really amazing. The first chapter or two are kind of slow, but it picks up later on and you're left totally blown away! It happens to be one of my favoutire books. You won't be able to put it down:)

Gillian Bradshaw's Hawk of May is also a favoutire of mine. It's got alot of old Celtic in it. You'll enjoy it if you like that sort of thing.
reem

[Túrinqualië]

Im not fussed on terry pratchet his books take longer for me to read than the entire LOTR.My favourite books are:
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
Any Harry Potter book
To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

I also recomend the spoofs of both LOTR and Harry Potter but only to older readers (theyre quite rude)

[Mirkgirl]

God, it was ages since I read Isaak Asimov... too bad I don't have time to reread everything I want to ):

[Lasgalen]

I can't even find time to read what I want the first time, let alone a second time. I highly recommend the Foundation trilogy.

I also highly recommend The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson.

[Mirkgirl]

Well I mean books I have read long ago and I hardly remember anything but that I loved them... It hink it's as much worth (and sometimes more) to reread them rather than new ones...

I'm a bit off topic here... but I'm going to make a big list of all the books I recomment soon

[Lasgalen]

Both of the recommendations I just made, I read so long ago that I hardly remember them. But one thing stands out clearly in my mind. They were both awesome.

Recently read books that I recommend (though not as highly as Foundation and The Broken Sword) is GRR Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series.

[Mánalinya]

Nice list, Túrinqualië!

[Mánalinya]

Originally posted by Narulothwen
Princess Bride is by William Goldman (there never was such a book by S. Morgenstern! ;) )

On the contrary. The Princess Bride is actually by S. Morgenstern. In the 25th anniversary edition of the book, Goldman specifically states, "I wish I had written it....Alas, Morgenstern invented it all."
However, Goldman's abridgement, in my opinion, is much better than the original, for the reason that it gets rid of completely unnecessary parts (such as the time when Morgenstern goes off for something like 57 pages about one lady packing all her hats).

[Boromir_III]

The war of the worlds - Orson Wells
A classic Sci-fi book. Interesting read, a very short book.

[Lasgalen]

The War of the Worlds was by HG Wells
It is short, but a good read as is The Time Machine

[Túrinqualië]

Thanks Mánalinya

I also recommend the chronicles and legend of the raven series' by James Barclay and i've always loved the chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe series) :grin:

[Mánalinya]

I also really like Fire Bringer and The Sight, both by David Clement-Davies.

[Reem]

David Gemmell is pretty good:) I suggest you read his Drenai stories. Very good stuff there!
reem

[Mocha]

I love Garth Nix's Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen :grin:

[Elendur]

David Gemmel and the James Barclay novels of the Raven.
David Gemmel has a new- ish book out called White Wolf.. loosely based on Druss.. great new character called Skillgannon. White Wolf is book one, so expect some more in this series! Have you read this one yet Reem??
Really liked the latest novel in the Raven series called ShadowHeart.. have you read that yet Túrinqualië??
Pls tell me what you thought of them!

[Eledhwen]

Another series that was interesting reading was Patricia A. McKillip's Riddle Master trilogy.

(Love this thread! It's fuelling so many trips to the library!)

[Elendur]

series was great.... I read this about 20 years ago!! It first came out in three seperate books and I lost one in a house move while at University (very disappointed!). The books went out of print, so I was very happy when they re-released a one book compilation of all three about two/three years ago! Will try not to lose this one. Very vivid and different story.. the ideas were quite unique!:thumbs:

[Túrinqualië]

Originally posted by Elendur
Really liked the latest novel in the Raven series called ShadowHeart.. have you read that yet Túrinqualië??
Pls tell me what you thought of them!

Unfortunatly I havent ive only read elfsorrow and im half way through nightchild. I have a habit of reading the books in a series completely out of sequence its really annoyin cos it means when im reading one of the ealier books (like i am at the moment) i take a really long time to do it cos i already know what happens.:angry:

[Elendur]

I am always careful these days to look at the inside cover to see what else the author has written. The raven series is a bit of a pain that way, as it does not say book 1,2 etc. Anyway the earlier books will explain a lot about the emnity between the colleges and how the Raven became involved with Dragons!!:thumbs:

[Túrinqualië]

yeah im gona borrow them off my boyfriend cos i cant seem to find copies of the other books in any of the shops i go in in wales!!!

[Eledhwen]

I recently read a trilogy by Carol Berg: Transformation, Revelation and Restoration. Has anyone read them?

The cover was a little *cheesy* and so I thought the story wouldn't be any good. Boy was I wrong. It was innovative and made me think of the Matrix a number of times - moving through different worlds etc. And her characters were very well written - a really honest quality to them, not as contrived as other characters in fantasy books. And she doesn't spare the reader - no little "oh yeh, this works out and they can all go away and live happily until the end time" twists to make the story emotionally safe. I'd say :thumbs: !

[Reem]

It's sad that people sometimes don't know how to market good books. I think I've probably missed out on alot because of 'cheesy' book covers. Partly because they repulse me, and partly because I wouldn't want to be seen carrying them around!:p The marketing people don't know how to market ! lol!
reem

[King Elessar]

I like the books Fire Bringer and The Sight. Also I think the series Silverwing is great.

[Balrog X]

i recommend Takeo's diary it is a bit like lord of the rings but obviosly isn't as good

[Elendur]

.. never heard of this book.. who wrote it Balrog??

[Amithrellas]

My 9-year-old has been laid up with a fractured elbow, so I bought him a book on tape -- Eragon. The author, Chris Paolini, was 15 when he wrote it and is currently working on the next book in the cycle. It's fabulous!

My husband was so tantalized by it, that he's gone out to buy the book for himself lol

There are dwarves and elves and some creatures that resemble Orcs (even "Eragon" sounds like "Aragon" when spoken) but there's no denying this is a great book. Word on the street is that Paolini is the next JK Rowling

[Lasgalen]

I have heard good things about that book, Amithrellas. But it was marketed as a childrens book so I did not bother reading it. Sounds like I will need to go ahead and do so.

[Amithrellas]

I'm glad to have piqued your interest, Las ;)
I'll be curious to find out what you think of it.
I haven't been able to finish it, yet :(
Mother's lot in life? Prod your children to read and barely allowed the luxury of time for yourself lol

[Eledhwen]

Originally posted by Amithrellas
Mother's lot in life? Prod your children to read and barely allowed the luxury of time for yourself lol Ah! Too true!! I'd be interested in knowing what you guys think of it. I keep passing it in the book store and thinking that I'll pick it up one of these days! Sounds like it should be tomorrow... I hear they're going to make it into a movie as well.

[Reem]

I just read Assassin's Apprentice and I loved it! I can't wait to get the other books, but I have to order them first...so I don't know how many weeks it'd be before I actually get them. Is the rest of the series as good as the first book?
reem

[Úcenite]

Just read The Notebook of Nicholas Sparks, which is very very lovely! Made me cry in several parts mecry

[Lothiriel]

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Penman

The Morning Gift by Diana Norman

Foxmask by Juliet Marillier

[Úcenite]

Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess,
The Tunel - Ernesto Sabato,
Perfume - Patrick Suskind,
Journey into the Crystal - George Sand

[Heart-of-a-Hobbit]

A Journey of Souls (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/Between-the-Worlds/Etc%20Wallpapers/A_Journey_of_Souls.jpg)

[Úcenite]

I recently end reading "La Borra del café" - Mario Benedetti, a nice story of a young boy and his growing period until he becomes a young adult. Full of surprises. The way Benedetti writes is charming and involves u in the story until u end it. :thumbs:

[Heart-of-a-Hobbit]

I forgot to talk about A Journey of Souls... :blush:

In 1212, the most tragic of all the crusades was ventured--a crusade of children in which more than 50,000 young souls set upon a determined march toward Jerusalem. The book tells the story of young Wilhelm, Karl and Maria who leave their home in the tiny village of Weyer in 1212 to join the crusade. The group will journey through Germany, across the towering Alps, and into the depths of Italy with their ultimate aim being the reclamation of Jerusalem from the Turks. Along the way, they met an aged, yet agile Pieter, and his dog, Solomon. Soon the youthful group will grow to more than 20 with the addition of other children, most of whom were destitute and unwanted.
This heart-wrenching, nearly forgotten misadventure is now told through the lives of this brave band, these "Innocents" and Pieter, their wily priest. Their inspiring march of faith through the perilous world of medieval Europe leads them to discover what they did not expect. It is a must read!!

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

His Dark Materials-Philip Pullman! A great fantasy trilogy!!! Loved it!!

[Sweet Angel of Mercy]

I loooove books!! :loveyou: Here are some of my faves:

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Just in case someone doesn't know, here's some stuff about it: C.S. Lewis was Tolkien's good friend. The books are alot like LotR, when I read LotR, I kept thinking back to similarities in CoN. And they are very good!

Mara: Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
A story about an Egyptian slave girl, who is sold to a servant of Queen Hatshepsut, and she becomes a spy. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK!!!!

Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris
This is a story about a boy who was raised by a troll, and he falls in love with the princess. This is a light,kind of humorous, fairy-taleish story. I plan on reading it again soon.

If you like Star Wars:
The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster
It takes place just before the Atack of the Clones. I really like this book, it was very interesting to learn about Luminara Unduli and Bariss Offee(they are the main characters, along with Obi-Wan and Anakin)

Jedi Apprentice (a series) by Dave Wolverton and Jude Watson
These are about Obi-Wan when he was a teenager. They are written for a younger audience, but I have read reviews by adults who really liked them too.

Well, that's all I can think of....for now...

[Cuiel Rilwen]

I read a norwegian book about this! It was very interesting! And did you know that some think that the (originally german) fairytale "The Pied Piper" originated from these children pilgrimages? Because the children where lured out of their homes by the clever religious leaders, as were the rats by the piper.

[Úcenite]

While in school I read Pedro Paramo from Juan Rulfo (mexican writer). This novel is awsome and very dark. The story is twisted and until the end u realize the main character is also dead as all the village.

Now I read "El llano en llamas", a book with different tales. Rulfo keeps his dark and sarcastic style, which I like. If you have the chance to read more on him, go ahead, you'll enjoy it. :cool:

[Cuiel Rilwen]

I read a norwegian book about this! It was very interesting! And did you know that some think that the (originally german) fairytale "The Pied Piper" originated from these children pilgrimages? Because the children where lured out of their homes by the clever religious leaders, as were the rats by the piper.

Jeez...what happened to my quote? lol The book mentioned above I was referring to was ofcourse "A Journey of Souls"!

[LothlorienKiki]

Hmm...books to recommend...well, I say almost any you can get your hands on. Books are fantastic.

Anyway:

Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
These are excellent books. It did creep me out a bit when I learned the whole series is nothing but the Bible made into a children's story using symbols (it is true, just think about it for a bit.)

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Lovely books, enjoyable with their twisted humor.

All books by Francis Hodgson Burnett (she wrote The Secret Garden)

Time Stops for No Mouse and the Sand of Time by Micheal Hoeye
Wonderful books. They are fantasy books about the adventures of a mouse, but are a bit thrilling. Sort of like Redwall

The Wind in the Willows (author..erm. Don't remember)
Fantastic! This, along with The Phantom Tollbooth were two of my favorite books when I was younger...around 8 and 9. Very good.

The Canterbury Tales (again, author forgotten)
A must read! The tales of different travelers making their way towards the..oh foo, forgot the altar name..anyway, making their way towards Canterbury Cathedreal. A bit hard to read, it is written in Old English. But still worth it!

[JemFinch]

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Great Classic
About four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, growing up in Civil War America, and how Jo becomes a writer. Very, very good. Not as mushy as it sounds.
The movie with Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon is very good.

To Kill a Mockingbird , by Harper Lee, is my 2nd favorite book after LOTR.The two children in the story, Jem and Scout are entranced by the rumors of their mysterious neighbor, "Boo" Radley. At the same time, their father, Atticus Finch, is defending a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. An incredible story about the effects of prejudice. Great book.
Oh yeah, the movie with Gregory Peck is also really good.

[The Scottish Elf]

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Definitely my favourite book (and film) EVER! (which is saying something, as I am literally a readaholic) even better than LotR ;) . There are various film versions (including a Bollywood adaptation in the making - :S) but the BBC one with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth is the best one. The language is stunning, the story is enthralling and the characters are the best of all of her novels! Laugh, cry, scream, and fall in love with Mr. Darcy (AKA Colin Firth ;) ). Read.

Persuasion - Jane Austen
As good as Pride and Prejudice, but not as well known. Also, Read.

I'd also recommend (for fantasy fans lol) His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman and Daughter of the Forest, Son of the Shadows and Child of the Prophecy (The Sevenwaters Trilogy) by Juliet Marillier. Saying this, there are a thousand other amazing novels out there, so go forth and read!

[The Scottish Elf]

Oh, and how could I forget Melvin Burgess! These are all by him:

Junk
This is about two teenages who run away from home and, through some people they meet, become addicted to heroin. Each chapter is told from a different person's point of view to the last, the main characters telling more of the story than others. A very different theme from which I would normally go for, but I read it on a recommendation and then spent the next few years looking for other books from him. Described as a modern classic.

Bloodtide
London is in ruins. Two warring families of ganglords, the Volsons and the Conors, control the city. To cement a truce, Val Volson gives his fourteen-year-old daughter as a bride to Conor. But can either man trust the other? And what does trust matter when the gods decide to play a part in the affairs of men...?
This is based on the first part of the Icelandic Volsunga Saga. Some books are only worth reading once, in which case get it out of a library. Buy this.

lady: my life as a b****
Sandra Francy is seventeen and under pressure - pressure to be good and work hard at school. But she's fed up with all that. Sandra's been having fun, running wild - some say too wild. Then she gets turned into a dog. She's frightened at first, but she quickly finds pleasures she hardly knew existed. Sandra starts to wonder, is being human worth all the effort?
"It's orginal and challenging and incredibly rude" --> in a nutshell.

Also read anything written by Gareth Nix or Ben Elton, and The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Ben Elton co-wrote Blackadder 2, 3 and 4, and wrote the Thin Blue Line. Enough recommendation for anyone.

[Melathwen]

I have to recommend the Wheel of Time Series, by Robert Jordan. I know it says they're like Tolkien, but except in genre and general technique they're not, and they're excellent. I definitely recommend reading New Spring first, though it's not officially in the series. The titles are in this order:

The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers
Winter's Heart
Crossroads of Twilight

They're amazing books and excellently well-written. I read Winter's Heart in three days, I couldn't put it down.

[King Elessar]

Yes as a few people have mentioned The Sword Of Shannara Is An Awesome Book (I spent around 2 days and nights reading the trilogy straight through) I think its By Terry Brooks. A Series of Unfortunate Events is a hilarious series full of villians, nice people and cold cucumber soup. Also I would recommend The Thief Lord it is a great book, its fiction the writing is exellent and the storyline is good, new, and fresh.

[The Scottish Elf]

Okay, this is from the Bloomsberg Harry Potter site, on the page "You Recommend" Even if you don't like Harry Potter, if you love LotR you'll love most, if not all, of these books: Recommended Books (http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/wizard/section/recread.asp)

[Elrond]

i love the Redwall books by Brian Jacques. he also wrote Castaways of the Flying Dutchman and The Angels Command.

[Tirithel]

Can't believe nobody has plugged "A Song of Ice and Fire" yet...it's a fantasy series by George R. R. Martin thus far consisiting of "A Game of Thrones", "A Clash of Kings", and "A Storm of Swords", soon to be followed by "A Feast for Crows." Don't let the cheesy titles fool you- these are awesome reads with wonderful characters and LOADS of imagination. It's very Tolkien-esque in the detail he goes into in developing his world. You'll love it! :thumbs:

Also, less of a read and more of an art expo, but still very informative and enjoyable is Faeries, illustrated by Alan Lee and Brian Froud. Wonderful artwork and lots of folklore, generally originating from Western European mythology. AWESOME!

On the lighter side, for all you girls looking to get ahead in the world, is "The Sweet Potato Queen's Book of Love" by Jill Conner Browne. Advice from a 'fallen southern belle' relating to love, life, and six little words guaranteed to get any man to do your bidding- ANY man, ANY time. ;) :evilcool:

[Arwen_Evenstar]

Gosh, well...I'll just name my favs:

-Mists of Avalon-Marion Zimmer Bradley
-The Odessey
-The Iliad
-The Da Vinci Code-Dan Brown
-Angels and Demons-Dan Brown
-The Memiors of Cleopatra- Margaret George
-Harry Potter

I'll add more later:)

[Eowyn of Rohan]

I would add "lovely bones" by Alice Seebold. (hope I spelled her name right!)
It made me cry, think and see the world with a totally different point of view.

[Lady of the Rings]

Here are some books that I strongly recommend:

- The Riftwar Trilogy: Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon
This is very similar to a Tolkien book. Magician goes between two different worlds and the life-changing journeys of two young boys, one, who becomes a great magician, and the other who becomes a great warrior. The novel spans over many years, but the detail is amazing :thumbs:

[Tinuviel]

Here are my favourites:
Ch. Dickens "Great Expectations"
Henryk Sienkiewicz " Quo Vadis"
Umberto Eco "The Name of the Rose"
Charlotte bronte "Jane Eyre"

[Domlegolas]

Some of u did read Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown), I am just curious because I have it but I didnt start to read yet, but my mom suggested me to read it when I dont have any busniess..... My mom couldnt leave the book and she read it alone in her room for almost two days... :whoohoo:

[Eowyn of Rohan]

I read the Da Vinci Code Domlegolas and yes I liked it!
it has a good rhythm, short chapters and several story lines to follow! :cool:

[Steve the Great]

I recently finished China Miéville's book, the "Perdido Street Station"... I recommend it to all, who like post-industrial, a-bit-dark-and-gothic, fantasy and/or sci-fi novels... (umm... well, quite nice definition... Maybe we can call it simply "weird fiction"... lol)
The author created a great world and a huge city-monster called New Crobuzon full of *strange* creatures, machinces and magic which is not that far from science in this world...

[Dunthule]

A couple of my favorites that come to mind:
"A Soldier of the Great War" - Mark Halprin
"The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" - Chabon

The latter is a tale centered around the comic book industry of the late 1930's through mid 1950's. I was pleasantly surprised. :cool:

[Lynx]

Can't believe nobody has plugged "A Song of Ice and Fire" yet...it's a fantasy series by George R. R. Martin thus far consisiting of "A Game of Thrones", "A Clash of Kings", and "A Storm of Swords", soon to be followed by "A Feast for Crows." Don't let the cheesy titles fool you- these are awesome reads with wonderful characters and LOADS of imagination. It's very Tolkien-esqe in the detail he goes into in developing his world. You'll love it! :thumbs:

What a fantastic series! George R.R. Martin is one great author- This is one epic fantasy you will not forget! He breathes such life into his characters, and his battle scenes are phenomenal! However, I don't feel it's "Tolkien-esque" in the sense of language or story-telling, detail definitely. FYI This is probably not a series I would recommend to the under 13 age because of some of the content and violence.

Highly Recommended! Also try reading the graphic novel by George RR Martin, pencilled by Mike S. Miller, called "The Hedge Knight". The story is suberb and so is the art that accompanies it! :)

[Hector]

A few books I found to be really good are:

-The 3 Musketeers (Alexander Dumas)

-Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass (Lewiss Carroll)

-The Night Shift (Stephen King)

((And of course, the LOTR series!))

[Sirion]

Anyone reads Dick Francis? I liked his Longshot, Dead Cert or For Kicks.
As for more "serious" things, I would recommend Orwell's 1984 or Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

[Ivanhoe]

seriously, the best book you could read is Sphere by Michael Crichon.
OR
2001: A space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
OR
Slaughter House no. 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
OR
Killing Floor by Lee Child

[Mirkgirl]

Id say rather read Prey by Crichton... but thats me ;)

[Steve the Great]

I have been reading The First Cronicle of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliver (and hopefully can start the 2nd trilogy soon) It's such a wonderful and sad epic fantasy series! (as far as I remember, it has an own thread somewhere)

[Aragorn]

I have been reading The First Cronicle of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliver (and hopefully can start the 2nd trilogy soon) It's such a wonderful and sad epic fantasy series! (as far as I remember, it has an own thread somewhere)

Good luck to any who take on this trilogy. It is well written, but it may have been the most depressing thing I've ever read in my life. By the end, I was hoping that the main character would die so that I could be released from the hell that the author had created for me.

[Steve the Great]

Yea, this is definitely not an another fairy tale...

[Domlegolas]

Earlier I posted here and asked if someone did read Da Vinci Code? I agree with Eowyn of Rohan, it is soooo great!!! I cant ingore book in a few mins, I sat all day with book to read... Wow!!!! Who of u didnt read,I strongly suggest u to read it!!!! :thumbs:

I am looking forward to get another book of his, but I am waiting to my friend come here from Sweden as she will get book from my mom.
The book is transleted to swedish, thats why I have to wait for a while...
Second book is Angel and Demon..... :p :p (Did some of u readit??)

[Cuiel Rilwen]

Angels and Demons is also fab...you have somehing to look forward too! :thumbs:

[Eledhwen]

I didn't really like The Da Vinci Code because I made the connections before the characters in the book did - - but that's just me. ;) I really liked Angels & Demons tho'. It has a great pace, like Da Vinci and it goes through some interesting twists. And the ambigrams are fantastic. Domlegolas you should really enjoy it! :thumbs:

I've just been rereading my copies of The Darkness That Comes Before and The Warrior Prophet by Scott Bakker. Each time I read them, I like them more. Has anyone read these?

[Domlegolas]

Thanks, Cruiel and Eled. I am really looking forward to get second book :thumbs:
Eled, sure it's impossible everyone in the earth to love the same book, we have different opinions. :rose:

[Sirion]

I liked both The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons. The latter is my favorite, because it is so incredibly fast-paced and filled with action. The Code, on the other hand, offers interesting thoughts. I wonder if there's something true about the idea...

Anyway, there's a book I'd like to recommend: try Silence by Shusaku Endo. It's an interesting view of Christians trying to bring their faith to Japan.

[JemFinch]

In My Hands, by Irene Gut Opdyke. It's a memoir of a young woman during World War II, who saved about 10 Jews from the horrors of the Holocaust. Very interesting, and a good page-turner. :thumbs:

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. A classic, later made into a movie starring John Malkovich as Lenny and Gary Sinise as George. Really, really, good...terribly sad ending.

The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells. Another classic. lol (Most here have probably already read it. lol) Only problem is that it is too short. Not the typical science fiction novel. :thumbs:

[Lynx]

I've just been rereading my copies of The Darkness That Comes Before and The Warrior Prophet by Scott Bakker. Each time I read them, I like them more. Has anyone read these?

Hey Eledhwen! ;) I have a copy of 'The Darkness That Comes Before', but have not read it yet. I did not realize Scott Bakker wrote another novel! It seems that you recommend them very highly, therefore, I will read 'Darkness' very soon! I'll let you know what I think!

[Peppyy]

I recommend a book by tad Williams: "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn". I liked it a lot, it is a lot like other fantasy books, but still i think it is very good book which can really get atention of a reader.

[Sirion]

I strongly recommend the Sherlock Holmes short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. I've recently managed to buy a beautiful book with the finest selection of Holmes' best cases, and it cost me almost nothing - what a luck! It's brilliant - intelligent and funny, too.

[Ivanhoe]

When I first got the book City of Glass by Paul Auster, I couldn't wait to start reading it. And boy, did I do a good thing!!! That was an amazing, thrilling odyssey into the mind of a writer/private eye. And the ending...:hyper: :drool: :drool: :drool: I still can't believe I have read something as brilliant as that. I think I'm gonna shoot myself if I won't get other books by Auster.:( :( :(

[Flame of Anor]

I'd recommend you the Sabriel Series by Garth Nix. He is also writing The Keys To The Kingdom (7 books) but unfortunately I haven't read any of them yet :(

Also Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince for us old HP fans ...

[Stormcrow]

Yes, I would recommend the HP books to any reader. They are brilliant. You would love them if you are into magic, adventure, fantasy and all that goes with it. They are fantastic! Words cannot express how much I love them.

[Peredhil]

I just finished reading the Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan. It consists of The Magician's Guild, The Novice and The High Lord.

The basic story revolves aound a young girl named Sonea, who accidentally finds out she has magicial abilities. The very structured and upper class Magician's Guild seeks to find her and train her to control her power. But there are dark secrets that lie in wait for her at the guild and one wonders if not all magicians are good. The author tackles class relations, growing pains, and retribution for past wars.

I took a chance and bought the three books at once...then I proceeded to read all three in four days. Since then, I have read them twice more! The story had me completely hooked, with my heart thumping. I really enjoyed this series.

Trudi Canavan is a talented and clever first time SF Australian author.

[Stormcrow]

Hmm, I have never heard of Trudi Canavan. :huh:

[Peredhil]

Hmm, I have never heard of Trudi Canavan. :huh:
Yeah, Trudi Canavan is a new author. This series is the first book series she's written. According to her website, she worked on the manuscript for about 10 years before she submitted it for publishing.

I found these books purely by accident as I was browsing the Sci/Fi section on Amazon.co.uk. The synopsis caught my attention and the rest is history. If there was anything I didn’t like about the series it was that the beginning of the second and third books try to catch you up on the previous story and few paragraphs are a bit redundant (although I may feel that way because I read them one after the other in four days!):read: .

If there is anything that I love about this series, its that the author does not spare the reader. She stays true to the characters...meaning there are no convenient endings.:thumbs:
:ring: --Peredhil

[Gil Galad]

A book i would strongly recommend, not sure what it is about it but its definitly worth the read


"The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran

you can actually read it of the internet its quite short

[Andy]

JD Salinger - Catcher in the Rye
Hunter S Thompson - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Joseph Heller - Catch-22
George Orwell - Down and out in Paris and London
George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell - Animal Farm


Those are a few of my all time favourite books. Sorry I haven't said what any of them are about, but they are all very popular anyway, and I'm assuming that you've heard of a few, if not read them.

[Elijah's Girl]

I strongly recommend The Door Within trilogy if you love knights, dragons...pure fantasy!

The Door within-Book One
The Rise of the Wyrm Lord-Book Two
The Final Storm-Book Three
By: Wayne Thomas Batson

[Gil Galad]

Excellent choices Andy-

Herodetos - Histories
Virgil - Aeniad
Homer - Illiad
Homer - Odysey (not sure how to spell that)

all very interesting and quite a bit of swordplay

[Gil Galad]

Machevelli - The Prince

[Amithrellas]

The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer

Non-fiction, of course ;) A balanced play by play of the steps that led up to the Iraq war and the people who made it happen. You won't view any of them the same way again, you won't view Iraq the same way.

[Gil Galad]

i might have a look at that Amithrelas

Dubliners - James Joyce

collection of short stories, quite thought provoking but easy to read

[Elfdaughter]

Not exactly bed-time reading, but the Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake is excellent! Tough reading in parts, but other places you can't put it down.

[Dunthule]

Seeing that the movie was just released, I read P.D. James "Children of Men".
Fantastic book that will tug at your heart!
The basic premise is that (in the not to distant future) no one can conceive children. So, how does the world cope without a future (with humans) and no-hope?

A great read!!! :cool:

[Gil Galad]

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray

good read(so far, im only half way through it), lord henry is such a brilliant charactor

[Amithrellas]

Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden. Remarkable look back at "America's first war with militant Islam". Very scary when you realize that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is (most likely) one of the student planners... and that many of his co-conspirators hold positions of power in Iran today, as well. I find that Bowden lays out the facts of the hostage crisis, leaving it to the reader to assign guilt or innocence.

[Andy]

I really want to read 'Illiad' so I might have to go buy it sometime soon.

My friend said he didn't really enjoy 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. He said is dragged out a bit.

Anyway, I finished 'The Catcher in the Rye' again and I'm still not to sure what to make of it. I mean, what to make of the ending, especially the final chapter. It just ended kind of abruptly, I think I was sub-consciously holding out for some kind of happy ending lol

Sounds silly now looking back lol

[Lessa]

If you want a copy of the Iliad then try your local library or failing that the local charity/thrift/second-hand shops/stalls. It's a good read once you get past the style it's written in.

[Amithrellas]

This one's for you, ImDaMom... Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Very funny, gritty, swashbuckling peek into restaurants' underbelly. If you are one of those who comes to realize that food can be a powerful, mystical, alchemical thing, Bourdain's book is a great romp. Not for the feint hearted! lol

[Elf Girl]

If you want a good re-telling of the Illiad/Odyssey I'd highly recommend Black Ships Before Troy, and The Wanderings of Odysseus, by Rosemary Sutcliff. They're beautiful books with illustrations by Alan Lee (a big plus!).

I also recently finished reading Sutcliff's book, The Eagle of the Ninth. It's about a man who decides to go after the lost eagle standard of his father's Roman legion. I really enjoyed it. Quite a good read.

[Dunthule]

Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden. Remarkable look back at "America's first war with militant Islam". Very scary when you realize that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is (most likely) one of the student planners... and that many of his co-conspirators hold positions of power in Iran today, as well. I find that Bowden lays out the facts of the hostage crisis, leaving it to the reader to assign guilt or innocence.

Sounds good Amithrellas. I remember the hostage crisis very well.

[Amithrellas]

It was a very good read :) This is the author of Black Hawk Down. I had to skip bits when he talks about what happened to the rescue effort for the Iranian hostages. Too painful. I remember the hostage crisis, too. ;) Who knew it foretold of such a militant turn throughout the region?

[MaielAlcinoe]

I find Mark Bowden books to be good all round, I think its the fact he states facts rather than elaborates around everything. Killing Pablo was an engrossing read, if hard going at times, although the subjects he covers tend to be quite emotive.

[Elijah's Girl]

If you are a big King Arthur fan, I would recommend The Book of Mordred. It takes place in the Authurian times, with wizards and knights! It's definately a dark and advengerous book ;)

[Amithrellas]

... Killing Pablo was an engrossing read, if hard going at times, although the subjects he covers tend to be quite emotive.
Oooh, thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to check that out next ;)

After reading "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain, I followed up with "A Cook's Tour"... his first jaunt as TV/Food Network personality and traveller "in search of the perfect meal".

I can't tell if it's because we're the same age, from a similar area of the US, shared passion for food or what... I completely identify with Bourdain's prose and sense of humor. Maybe it's just because he's a really good writer and ANYONE could identify with him lol Be prepared to laugh out loud, whether alone or in a crowd. Have someone at hand to read the passages to... it's so entertaining, you'll want to share ;)

[Sylvanashala]

Here are two of my current favorite authors/series...

Jane Linskold:

Through Wolf's Eyes
Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart
The Dragon of Despair
Wolf Captured
Wolf Hunting

and as a stand alone

The Buried Pyramid

And author # 2... Sara Douglass

The Wayfarer Redemption series in order:

The Wayfarer Redemption
Enchanter
Starman

Sinner
Pilgrim
Crusader

[BelovedCaptain]

I love Dickens! Some books of his that I recommend are A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, :grin: Tale of Two Cities, and Nicholas Nickelby. :)

[Frodo's Pearl]

If you love a nice, dark, mysterious book freely sprinkled with literary references, then look no further than Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events". :( :p lol

[Annawen]

One of my favorite authors is Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the best books I've ever read! Also, the D'Artagnan series is really good (The Three Musketeers, etc.)

BTW, Frodo's Pearl, when did Elijah Wood say that quote in your signature?

[Frodo's Pearl]

I'm not quite sure, Annawen. I found it among a long list of his quotes on some EW website.

[Lady Galadriel]

I love Dickens! Some books of his that I recommend are A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, :grin: Tale of Two Cities, and Nicholas Nickelby. :)

Gosh, I love David Copperfield and Nicholas Nickleby. I just finished reading them like perhaps two to three months ago. I'm currently reading Bleak House.

One of my favorite authors is Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the best books I've ever read! Also, the D'Artagnan series is really good (The Three Musketeers, etc.)

I LOVE Count of Monte Cristo. I also loved The Three Musketeers. I can't remember the name of my favorite Musketeer but I think its the one who was married to My Lady.

[BelovedCaptain]

Bleak House is one of the ones I haven't read... *arrgh* :o And DC is AWESOME!!! it's my favorite of his. :)
The Three Musketeers was a good book, but I thought it was sad. :(
I also recommend Jane Eyre

[Lady Galadriel]

Bleak House is one of the ones I haven't read... *arrgh* :o And DC is AWESOME!!! it's my favorite of his. :)
The Three Musketeers was a good book, but I thought it was sad. :(
I also recommend Jane Eyre

But that's all the point of a beauty in a book. Count of Monte Cristo was very sad and it ended unfulfilling because everything wasn't really set to right. It's a book about the way greed and jealousy can destroy so many lives. Yet, its a beautiful book. The way the writer handled the story, the way he invoked so many emotions...it was well done. That's what i love about these classical writers in particular. They are expert in exacting those emotions in the readers.

I've read Jane Eyre several years ago. I've read a lot of classical novels, in fact. I read a Tale of Two Cities but it was not my favorite. I love the sacrifice made in the book but that's about it for me. I prefer the other Dickens books.

[Frodo's Pearl]

One of my favourite books is "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. It is almost like a "Lord of the Rings" with rabbits; each of the rabbits in the story actually is like a certain character from it. There's a rabbit that's like Gandalf, one like Frodo, one like Boromir, etc. The story is really dark too; it's not a cute bedtime story for children. I highly recommend it.
I also recommend Brian Jaques' "Redwall" series, which is also similar to LotR, with animals. It's VERY well written, and though it's full of light-heartedness, there are also dark parts, and is FULL of adventure.

[Annawen]

I LOVE Count of Monte Cristo. I also loved The Three Musketeers. I can't remember the name of my favorite Musketeer but I think its the one who was married to My Lady.

Athos?

Have you read any of the other books with them in it?

[Gil Galad]

"Bury m Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown...everyone should read this, even though i dont hink everyone could, its quite teh accurate moving piece

[Lady Galadriel]

Athos?

Have you read any of the other books with them in it?

Yep, Athos. Now I remember. I love silent, inscrutable heroes.

I haven't read the other books. I usually read reviews before I decide on books and I got the impression that there is a general dissatisfaction with the other books in the Three Musketeer series.

[the imaldrian]

Magician by Raymond E. Feist
it's a good start to his riftwar series. i like his work.

he also pays homage to tolkein countless times in his books (eg. the twin cities of armengar and sar sargoth - based on minas tirith and minas ithil ( or morgul )

[ladyofthelight]

some of these have already been said, but:

Mists of Avalon
Twilight and New Moon, both by Stefanie Meyer
Chronicals of Narnia
Uglies, Pretties, and Specials by Scott Westerfield
Peeps and the Last Days by Scott Westerfield
Gone with the Wind


That's all I could come up with at the moment. I'll be back in a while with more;)

[ladyofthelight]

I've got more:grin:

Gunpowder Empire
pay the piper
the young wizard series by Diane Duane
wicked
Eragon and Eldest
Oxymoronica
Wizard Lord
Artemis Fowl series
A College of Magic and A Scholar of Magic
How to read Literature like a English professor
the Two Princesses of Barmarre
Basilisk
The Importance of Being Earnest
Pygmalion
Cyrano de Bergerac
Flowers for Algernon
Thrall's Tale

How to read Lit. is not as stuffy as you might think. it is very funnylol I think that's enough for now. Happy reading!:read:

[Annawen]

Yep, Athos. Now I remember. I love silent, inscrutable heroes.

I haven't read the other books. I usually read reviews before I decide on books and I got the impression that there is a general dissatisfaction with the other books in the Three Musketeer series.
Really? I liked them!

Here are a few others I liked as well, for those of you who like the historical fiction classics. ;)

~ "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy
~ "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo
~ "The Robe" and "The Big Fisherman" by Llyod C. Douglas
~ "David Copperfield" and "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
~ "The Black Arrow" by Robert Louis Stevenson
~ "Mara: Daughter of the Nile" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
~ "Calico Captive" by Elizabeth George Speare
~ "Rose In Bloom" by Louisa May Alcott

[Mirkgirl]

Yep, Athos. Now I remember. I love silent, inscrutable heroes.

I haven't read the other books. I usually read reviews before I decide on books and I got the impression that there is a general dissatisfaction with the other books in the Three Musketeer series.

They aint that bad :)

I love em too... but to tell the truth the characters kind of change - while my heart beated for athos during the first book, Aramis became the favourite after reading the rest of the series. Which aint surprising as he hardly does anything in the first book - - and Athos himself becomes really boring in the others.

Other classics worth a read would be
Dracula - Bram Stocker
Moll Flanders - Daniel Deffoe

[Lady Galadriel]

They aint that bad :)

I love em too... but to tell the truth the characters kind of change - while my heart beated for athos during the first book, Aramis became the favourite after reading the rest of the series. Which aint surprising as he hardly does anything in the first book - - and Athos himself becomes really boring in the others.

Other classics worth a read would be
Dracula - Bram Stocker
Moll Flanders - Daniel Deffoe

I'm glad I hesitated reading the rest then. lol

I loved Dracula. The only problem was that I couldn't sleep with the lights out during the time I was reading it. It was way too scary and I'm not ashamed to admit it. lol

PBS did a countdown on classics the other day and Moll Flanders made the list...though it was the movie.

[Frodo's Pearl]

:read: The "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" series by Brain Jaques is very good; it's like POTC in some parts. :Pirate:

[Amithrellas]

Just finished reading "Savage Garden" by Mark Mills. It's a great detective/murder mystery. He has a real feel for creating/recreating a place, and place is everything to his stories. "Savage Garden" is set in postwar Italy whereas his first book "Amagansett" is set right near where I live in NY. And he's from neither place - he's English lol

[Frodo's Pearl]

One author I like is Kate DaCamillo (sp?). She has such a charming, captivating way of writing. She wrote the heart-warming "Because of Winn Dixie", "The Tale of Despereaux" (about an adorable outcast mouse), and the extremely poignant "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" (about a toy rabbit whose journey takes him through the many lives of different people.)

Another author is Terry Prattchet. He's a fantasy author. I've only read two of his books: "The Wee Free Men" and "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents". (which I really like because rats are the good guys in it!! :grin: ) So, I recommend these and Kate's books.

[Steve the Great]

I recently finished reading my Dan Simmons books: the Hyperion Cantos (it's a tetralogy) and Illium/Olympos (a duology), and highly recommend them anybody who like good (and complex) science fiction novels.
Simmons is very talented author, he created complex and interesting universes and placed them into the far future (well, mostly... you never can tell for sure in case of a SF ... lol). Besides the good story, he showed us his great writing skills too: he weaved very different storylines (written in absolutely different styles) into a stunnig epic tale...
For example in Hyperion books we have an "ordinary" SF story (as a framework) and separated stories of 6 people... You can read a horror story (Priest's Tale: "The Man who Cried God"), an erotic (well, kinda) war story (The Soldier's Tale: The War Lovers), a memoir of a wierd and extremly long life of a poet (The Poet's Tale: "Hyperion Cantos"), a melodrama (The Scholar's Tale: The River Lethe's Taste is Bitter), a classic detective story (The Detective's Tale: The Long Good-Bye) and a story of love and political machinations (The Consul's Tale: Remembering Siri). Of course, all of them will find their place in the puzzle in the end...
Read 'em all... :)

[Frodo's Pearl]

A few more books I've read and liked and recommend:

"Animal Farm" ~George Orwell
"The House of the Seven Gables" ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
"The Adventures of Huck Finn" ~Mark Twain
"The Nun's Story" ~Kathryn Hulme
"The Screwtape Letters" ~C.S. Lewis

[Hathelin]

The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut's really the only American author I've ever loved. I'd recommend most all of his work.

[Frodo's Pearl]

A few more...

"In this House of Brede" ~Rumer Godden
"All Creatures Great and Small" ~James Herriot
"Robin Hood" ~Any author
"Silas Marner" ~George Elliot
"The Divine Comedy" ~Dante

[Hathelin]

The Lies of Lock Lamora - Scott Lynch
The Scar - China Mieville

[Frodo's Pearl]

Beverly Cleary's books are good.

[Ilmarë]

Stephanie Meyer's Twighlight series - written for older teens but excellently written books - if you like vampires. Edward Cullen *sigh*

[Frodo's Pearl]

"The Space Trilogy" by C.S. Lewis. I've never read it, but I've heard good reviews of it.

[ufodigest]

After reading The Lord of the Rings and viewing the movie adaptation I was left with a question: Did J.R.R. Tolkien, base his stories on mythology and folklore when he stated that The Dominion of Men had arrived. If so what had existed before it?

My research to find the answer required more than reading - it required exhaustive travel. I relied heavily on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Baigent, Sir Laurence Gardner, Zecharia Sitchin and other authors. I visited Chichén Itza in the Yucatan, Mexico, Glastonbury, Lock Ness, megalithic stone circles and Tintagel in Great Britain.

It is my belief that Tolkien used his knowledge of ancient history and English and Norse mythology to form the background story for The Lord of the Rings. I discovered that the Lord of the Rings is a traditional grail quest and I also learned the true meaning of the ring. It was also necessary for Aragon to marry Arwen, to join the bloodlines, so that Gondor and Middle-earth could heal!

The more I learned the more questions arose. In the Quest for Middle-earth I have attempted to answer the questions that made me believe I was watching mankind’s real history, history before the time of Man, history before the time of the flood!

If you’re interested in learning more about my “Quest for Middle-earth” you can visit http://www.ufodigest.com/quest.html or http://www.questformiddle-earth.com/.

[Frodo's Pearl]

The "Deltora" books by Emily Rodda are good. They are a fantasy series geered towards about 7-12 year olds, but I found them very exciting. If they were to be made into movies, they would definitly not be appropriate for very little children, as there are scary/violent parts.

[ladyofthelight]

Stephanie Meyer's Twighlight series - written for older teens but excellently written books - if you like vampires. Edward Cullen *sigh*

My friends and I love Twi-verse. i'm more of a Jacob or Jasper or Carlise person myself, though.

More recomendations: Anything by Jasper Fforde! The Eyre Affair and sequels (Lost in a Good Book, Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten and First Among Sequels) are all very well written, and make lots of references to many classics.

[Vanadesse]

Does anyone know of good books like Eragon/Eldest? That kind of "style"...like older and fantasy...dragons and elves are always a plus. :)
~Vana~

[ladyofthelight]

Off the top of my head, I don't know. You might like Vampire of the Mists, it has that sword and sworcery feel that Inheritance has.

Another recomendation: The Time Quintet by Madelaine L'engle and His Dark Marterials by Phillip Pullman.

[Yiara]

I don't know if you know Walter Moers? His books are great, but I only read them in German.
Another one(maybe it was mentioned before):Glennkill by Leonnie Swann... I love sheeps:grin:

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

Does anyone know of good books like Eragon/Eldest? That kind of "style"...like older and fantasy...dragons and elves are always a plus. :)
~Vana~

Well,I'd recommend Robin Hobb's "The Farseer Trilogy"; fantastic read,captivating and very imaginative-dragons, but alas, no elves, but a magical series of books to read!:)

[Lady Galadriel]

Well,I'd recommend Robin Hobb's "The Farseer Trilogy"; fantastic read,captivating and very imaginative-dragons, but alas, no elves, but a magical series of books to read!:)

Yes, you are definitely the expert on fantasy. :p

[Vanadesse]

Thanks much!!!
~Vana~

[Amroth]

I haven't read through the entire thread to see if this was recommended, but I recommend "Elantris", by Brandon Sanderson.

[Frodo's Pearl]

"The Prince and the Pauper" ~Mark Twain
"The Tolkien Reader" ~JRR Tolkien

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

the "Stravagnaza"trilogy by Mary Hoffman:
City of Masks