Book Recommendations?

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:41 am

I need someone to recommend me a good book / series to read. I just recently finished the Wheel of Time series, including the recently released prequel. Now I'm looking for something along the same lines to read. You know the deal, magic type stuff, hideous monsters, epic battles, all that jazz.

T-Bone · Post by **T-Bone** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:11 am

I highly recommend the Welsh trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman. It starts with "Here be Dragons." It's historical fiction set amidst the struggle between Wales and England in the 12th - 13th century.

No magic or hideous monsters (except for some of the English Kings) but lots of battles and castles and intrigue. Plus you get to learn a little about history.

Plebeian · Post by **Plebeian** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:16 am

Might look some at the Shannara series, by Terry Brooks. Really good set of fantasy books. I think he's still writing some of the prequels, as well, but I haven't kept up, unfortunately.

Here's a link to the first series: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/st ... 94-0624120

And the second: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/st ... 94-0624120

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:26 am

Shannara series is the best, I'm currentl;y on the last one of the books he's written.

It's called High Druid of Shannara, Jarka Russ. I'm loving it. It was the 1st D&D type series I read and to me is still the best.

Wies & Hickman - Deathgate Cycle Series
Terry Goodkind - Wizard's First Rule series

Plebeian · Post by **Plebeian** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:36 am

Good to know the new ones are still good. Terry Brooks is a good writer. Another series to look at starts with "Magic Kingdom For Sale - SOLD". Looks like some of the books may be out of print now, though.

Here's that first book: click me

And since you bring up Weis/Hickman, Merlin, they wrote quite a few Dragonlance novels. They're really good writers. And you might recognize a certain someone from Deathgate in there.

A list of much of their DL books: click me

Haven't read the War of Souls set yet, but I need to.

Links embedded. Learn to use bbcode and the preview button when posting links this large. - MD

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:45 am

Yeah, I forgot about teh D&D books, I've read the series adn awhole bunch of others and yeah, Fizbin was in deathgate I think.

I read Magic kingdom for sale long ago. I started with the Shannara Series back ni 1987 and also played the PC game of it.

TheCops · Post by **TheCops** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:13 am

"a choice of weapons" gordon parks

no wizards n' chit in the book... but you should read it.

3vil l33t · Post by **3vil l33t** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:23 am

The Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett.
Any fantasy novel by Orson Scott Card... hell, anything by Card is awesome.

Are you looking just for fantasy, or are you looking for books in general? If the latter, pick up some Cordwainer Smith, specifically his collection of short stories; I guarantee you, they will blow your mind.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 2:43 pm

The Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin is most excellent.

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:19 pm

Thanks for the suggestions fellas! I was looking for some of them at my College's library and I'm not having much luck. Doh! Maybe I'll have to suck it up and buy a book.

HaAGen DaZS · Post by **HaAGen DaZS** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:25 pm

"Deception Point" by Dan Brown - a poltical and military twister, probably my favourite book indeed!

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:31 pm

Nothing can beat the greatest...The Lord of the Rings. As far as I'm concerned, it's required reading for every book fan

.

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:44 pm

Harry Potter.

Viralphrame · Post by **Viralphrame** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 11:24 pm

The Seafort Series by David Feintuch is an awesome 7-book (for now) collection of great writing. I highly recommend it.

Another good book is Choke by Chuck Palahniuk, one of my recent favorites.

Buef · Post by **Buef** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 11:34 pm

Masters of Doom
The story of how two guys created an empire and changed pop culture.
The best video game book I have ever read.
John Romero & John Carmack, a MUST read.

Gaurdians of the Flame
A great fantasy series!
Role Players are thrust into their fantasy world with their characters abilities, but the cool part is they have their "real world" knowladge still, including an engineering student who knows how to make Gunpowder.....think about it.....yeah, its a cool series with the first book, one of the least enjoyable. (Not saying its not good, just that it gets real good!)

The Belisarius Series
Starts with An Oblique Approach but almost all of the books are downloadable and free from http://www.baen.com in the Free library.
Roman General in heavy military strategy based semi-historic with a splash of magic. Co-written by David Drake, well known millitary Sci-Fi author of Hammers Slammers fame.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:04 am

Sams Teach Yourself C in 21 Days

Robo · Post by **Robo** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 4:43 pm

2001: A Space Odyssey... and the rest of the series (2010 onwards)

Robo · Post by **Robo** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:24 pm

Oh, I forgot...

The Mars Mystery. Very interesting, worth a read.

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:33 pm

Xciter wrote:Anything by R A Salvatore... esp the Dark Elf series.

You can read books?

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:43 pm

Interesting, maybe I'll head out to Borders and pick one up. Does it have magic and that sort of niftiness?

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 2:30 am

Starship Trooper, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon.

Ring World (and it's sequels) and a Stranger in a Strange Land. *GROK!*

Oh,and of course, Dune

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 3:39 pm

Plebeian wrote:Here's a link to the first series: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/st ... 94-0624120

I ended up going with the Sword of Shannara. Thanks for all the suggestions, I wrote a bunch of them down, but when I got to Borders they didn't have many of them so I ended up with that one.

Thanks again!