Help! I need to find a "can't put down" book. I have started and stopped 3 books in the past week and just can't seem to find anything to pique my interest. Suggestions?
Thraxas and the sorcerers by Martin Scott. Fantasy noir.
'It was your average kinda day in Turai. Elves were murdering Orcs, Orcs were murdering Elves, everyone was murdering Dwarves and anything that wasn't nailed to the floor had been stolen, fenced and then stolen again. Yep, business was booming - except for me. My last case was a bust, the bills were as high as a dragon's toupee and the only guys beating a path to my door wanted gold - or else it wouldn't be the path they'd be beating. My name's Thraxas, and I'm a P.I. So when the word hit the street that the Sorcerers Guild were holding their convention downtown I felt as happy as a crab in a whorehouse . Don't get me wrong - I do magic like the next guy - but as far as Sorcerers go, well, two's company and three's a crime-spree...'
I am reading
George R R Martin's
A Game of Thrones, which is the first of the
Song of Ice and Fire series. It definitely has "can't put down" characteristics. The chapters are short, which means you still have gas in the tank for another one. Although the story is told in fairly linear fashion, each chapter is the POV of a different character.
Hmm three people with suggestions only one of them is Science Fiction.
Kage Baker's
Company series is quite fun.
Ian McDonald's
Brasyl is very good.
I guess it all depends on what the OP likes - there are not enough shared books with me to allow me to get a good idea.
#6 You are right! So here goes with science fiction:
I agree with you on Kage Baker.
I also like Connie Willis. She finally has a new one coming out,
Blackout, to be followed in six months by All Clear (not showing up on LT yet?) She was recently inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
Catherine Asaro is fun.
I enjoyed S L Viehl's
Stardoc series and stand alone
Blade Dancer.
Then there's Julie E Czerneda.
Why, yes, I do like the female writers!
Edited to fix Blade Dancer.
Message edited by its author, Nov 15, 2009, 6:14pm.
The second post should have asked what sort of themes and ideas are you interested in, so I'll ask that now.
IWantToBelieve, I looked at your library & think you might like
Trading in Danger or
On Basilisk Station. Both have tough women that captain space ships. The latter, is about Honor Harrington, who also has something like a cross between a cat & a monkey that is her constant companion.
I really liked both series, but liked the Honor books the best. I think Weber is a better writer, although I tired of the series by the 8th book or so & that was fine. It was a great ride. Moon's writing improved & it ends well on the 5th book. I wanted to stay up late reading all of them.
Space opera is best for breaking those blues. Vernor Vinge,
A Fire Upon the Deep will grab you and keep the concepts flying. Then there are the Culture books... I'm not sure where to start, but
Excession is a good one that doesn't bog down. If you like the harder stuff, then give
Schild's Ladder by Egan a try.
I also recommend
Altered Carbon, a gritty cyberpunkish detective story. It's brutally violent, though.
Without knowing what you like, I'd suggest going in a different directions from your usual interest, or perhaps a day or two vacation from reading.
Going through the same thing myself right now. I've been 9 days on a book I should have finished in 2 or 3.
Have you tried reading graphic novels? I'd suggest
Watchmen by Alan Moore - it's what got me into graphic novels.
In regards to some more normal SF novels, I'd suggest
Old Man's War by John Scalzi and
Steel Beach by John Varley. Both are excellent.
Every time I see the phrase 'graphic novel' I think porn. Showing my age, I guess. ;-)
Why is it that every time I mention Watchmen at least one person becomes fixated on Dr Manhattan's penis?
There's also Laura Esquivel's
The Law of Love - mixed media reading, sci-fi, karmic issues and timeless characters. Very good female writer in the sci-fi genre, even if it is her only work in it, compared to some. Her other novels are also highly recommended.
Nobody here is fixated. But it's like Chekhov's gun. You can't just show a penis and then not do anything with it. It bugs people.
Every time I see a penis in a film, I do not expect to see an ejaculation in the third act.
#16 In my defense I thought 'graphic novel' = porn before I ever saw (saw, as in the movie) Watchman. Obviously I'm not a 'graphic novel' reader.
I still remember when graphic novels were still called comic books, and no one would have dared to even think the word penis near them.
Not counting a tijuana bible that is.
there's a penis in the Watchmen?!?!
what?
is it a character? or just a sidekick?
You guys are awesome! Thanks for the suggestions!
My tastes vary, so it is hard for me to say "I like this type of book or that" but I will definitely try some of these out.
Lately, I've been leaning more toward fantasy but I think I might give it a rest for awhile and try something real "science-fictiony" (space, technology, "the future").
THANK YOU!! :)
Message edited by its author, Nov 16, 2009, 3:59pm.
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