Help distract me?

Hi,

I have a library and have been slowly adding it to librarything. However, I havent been involved in the forums so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong place!
I have a request...
I am waiting on a neck surgery and Im in severe pain. I have been looking for anything to distract me (books first of course!). However, I could really use some suggestions of REALLY GOOD novels.
I prefer historical,romance,thrillers and general.
Like you all, I have read many, but it takes a good book right now to keep my mind off of the pain. I will be using audible books after the surgery.
I am thinking of going back through the Gabaldons but I thought I would ask you all what you thought first :)
I found a list of "best romances" online but they were older...anyone know of a newer list?

Thanks!
Deb

Here's some popular choices you might like and can really get lost in:

Pillars of the Earth, historical romance (England)
Silence of the Lambs, thriller
The Autobiography of Henry VIII, historical, sorta romance
The Far Pavillions, historical romance (India)
The Mists of Avalon, retelling King Arthur from the women's perspective
Clan of the Cave Bear, 1st in a series about the stone age; gets more romantic in the 2nd book Valley of Horses

Edit: for romances my wife would say nobody can beat Nicholas Sparks. Her favourites are The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe, but she generally praises everything by this author.

I can always turn to Catch-22 to take my mind off of my woes. The Catch is, do you really want to be laughing when your neck is hurting?

Some page-turning, distracting historical fiction, some with more romance than others:

Jackdaws by Ken Follett

The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester, starting with Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

The Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, I suggest starting with Sharpe's Rifles, although there are chronologically earlier ones

Shogun and Tai-Pan by James Clavell (and others if you like those)

I would suggest what I read when recovering from hand surgery: the Hilary Tamar mysteries by Sarah Caudwell. Generally I don't buy novels unless I'm sure I'm going to read them again--I have all four of these: Thus Was Adonis Murdered, The Shortest Way to Hades, The Sirens Sang of Murder, and The Sybil in Her Grave. It doesn't matter that I already know "whodunnit"; Caudwell's witty prose and surprising denouements are always delightful.

I also recommend the historical novels of Gillian Bradshaw. They all have elements of romance and suspense, and Bradshaw, unlike many novelists who set their stories in the ancient world, has created believable and sympathetic characters.

Mary Renault, if you haven't yet read her books, is another historical novelist not to be missed. Want to be transported to ancient Athens, Persia, or Central Asia?

For maritime excitement and the re-creation of the past, no one else even comes close to Patrick O'Brian. The Jack Aubrey books are best read in order, starting with Master and Commander.

Another series I've been enjoying lately is written by P.F. Chisholm (Patricia Finney). Her mysteries feature Sir Robert Carey, a real historical figure who was the cousin and nephew of the first Queen Elizabeth. Ingredients include a generous dash of humor.

May your surgery go well and may you amaze everyone with a quick recovery.
Best wishes! Orsolina

I'll second the Mary Renault suggestion. I have two copies of The Mask of Apollo because I literally read the first one to tatters.

My first ever post
Good luck with the surgery hope all goes well. I loved Gabaldons books as well. I am just finishing The Empress of Ice Cream by Anthony Capella
http://www.anthonycapella.com/ It has kept me riveted on the way to and from work.

Regards
Jean

Now I have to put The Empress of Ice Cream on my wish-list!

Note to self: stop reading these threads... *sigh*

On a better note: good luck with the surgery MystyDeb and wishing you a pain-free outcome!