Recommended Books?

[pearljammer10]

"Shutter Island" great book, movie was taken almost word for word, scene by scene... Good movie adaptation better book.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells... first of the John Cleaver series, the second book Mr. Monster is already available in the UK, out in the US in September.

Seriously, you guys need to give this book a look, it's excellent in my opinion. Fans of the TV show Dexter should certainly give it a go. It's a first person narrative from a 15 year-old sociopath who is obsessed with serial killers as he struggles to control himself to not become one. Through all this a real serial killer visits his small town, which to him is like your favorite rock band having a concert in town. So, he goes out find out more about what is going on, and since his family are morticians, he has access to the dead bodies when they're released to them. Well through all this his "monster" gets harder to control, etc. etc.

Anyways, a very good read about a very creepy kid. The main character is great, and he does a good job making you sympathize with him even with all that he does and thinks about doing. The novel has a bit of the supernatural though, so fair warning there.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, for those that have read the Dresden Files or have been interested in it, I read a couple of weeks ago his latest installment titled Changes, and it was completely awesome. So far my favorite read this year. I am Not a Serial Killer close behind it.

[misha]

This book changed my life.

[Redz]

A little disappointed with the Burning Land.  It was nice to get back in touch with Uhtred and all, but the plot had a lot less going on than the last few of this series.  

On the bright it made me finally pick up the copy of Agincourt I'd been given a year ago, and I'm enjoying it a lot.

I still am just biding time until George Martin finishes up the 5th book of the Song of Ice and Fire series.  Come on George!

Agreed about buring land.

I loved the book before it, but this wasn't nearly as good.

Have you read Agincourt?

No sir.

Agincourt fizzled

Now reading Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything...Always enjoy his anecdotal style

[incoherent]

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card ... awesome science fiction novel. I have read literally hundreds of sci-fi novels, and this is one of my top three picks of all time.

Was mentioned in the first couple pages of this thread but yeah... awesome book. 

I counter you with "Ender's Shadow" being just as good if not better / more interesting.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells... first of the John Cleaver series, the second book Mr. Monster is already available in the UK, out in the US in September.

Seriously, you guys need to give this book a look, it's excellent in my opinion. Fans of the TV show Dexter should certainly give it a go. It's a first person narrative from a 15 year-old sociopath who is obsessed with serial killers as he struggles to control himself to not become one. Through all this a real serial killer visits his small town, which to him is like your favorite rock band having a concert in town. So, he goes out find out more about what is going on, and since his family are morticians, he has access to the dead bodies when they're released to them. Well through all this his "monster" gets harder to control, etc. etc.

Anyways, a very good read about a very creepy kid. The main character is great, and he does a good job making you sympathize with him even with all that he does and thinks about doing. The novel has a bit of the supernatural though, so fair warning there.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, for those that have read the Dresden Files or have been interested in it, I read a couple of weeks ago his latest installment titled Changes, and it was completely awesome. So far my favorite read this year. I am Not a Serial Killer close behind it.

Also forgot to mention Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding, first of the Tales of the Ketty Jay series.. It reads like a Firefly, so fans of that series would most likely enjoy this. Fun book, sequel coming soon Black Lung Captain.

[indeedproceed]

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card ... awesome science fiction novel. I have read literally hundreds of sci-fi novels, and this is one of my top three picks of all time.

Was mentioned in the first couple pages of this thread but yeah... awesome book. 

I counter you with "Ender's Shadow" being just as good if not better / more interesting.

If you want some light humor, one of my favorites is Sideways. I actually listened to it on CD during my commute. Rent it from the library if you can. I found it much funnier than the movie- and it lasted longer too.

Ender's Game is one of the only fantasy books I could actually make it through- it was quite good.

Harlen Coben is terrific- like others have said. I do like his Myron series- especially since there is a Celtics connection, but I like the stand alone books even more.

Water for Elephants was a fantastic, and unusual read.

And a classic, and one of my all-time favorites- is The Caine Mutiny. Unbelievable.

I've ready Enders game more that the celtics play at home each season. Well probably not but Im up in the high 30's easily.

Ender's Game
Ender's Shadow

2 books, take place at the same time in the same place but from 2 different point of views.  I cant decide which one I love more but both are amazing.

Buncha TP's for you, but mostly because I was going in the thread to plug "Ender's War" (Ender's Game and Speaker For the Dead together in one volume) for like the 18th time.

But, alas, Incoherent is wrong about Ender's Shadow.

"Speaker For The Dead" is the best Ender book.

[KungPoweChicken]

Can anyone recommend me some really great inspirational novels? I only have two requirements: must be first person and it can't have anything to do with religion.

[Bahku]

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card ... awesome science fiction novel. I have read literally hundreds of sci-fi novels, and this is one of my top three picks of all time.

Was mentioned in the first couple pages of this thread but yeah... awesome book. 

I counter you with "Ender's Shadow" being just as good if not better / more interesting.

If you want some light humor, one of my favorites is Sideways. I actually listened to it on CD during my commute. Rent it from the library if you can. I found it much funnier than the movie- and it lasted longer too.

Ender's Game is one of the only fantasy books I could actually make it through- it was quite good.

Harlen Coben is terrific- like others have said. I do like his Myron series- especially since there is a Celtics connection, but I like the stand alone books even more.

Water for Elephants was a fantastic, and unusual read.

And a classic, and one of my all-time favorites- is The Caine Mutiny. Unbelievable.

I've ready Enders game more that the celtics play at home each season. Well probably not but Im up in the high 30's easily.

Ender's Game
Ender's Shadow

2 books, take place at the same time in the same place but from 2 different point of views.  I cant decide which one I love more but both are amazing.

Buncha TP's for you, but mostly because I was going in the thread to plug "Ender's War" (Ender's Game and Speaker For the Dead together in one volume) for like the 18th time.

But, alas, Incoherent is wrong about Ender's Shadow.

"Speaker For The Dead" is the best Ender book.

I have a hard time judging one over the others, but "Ender's Game" was my first taste of the Ender series, so it's a bit more special for that reason. You have to read them all ... and they should be assessed as a complete series, IMHO, not so much as separate entities.

Also: The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov ... or anything by "The Good Doctor" ... the first sci-fi book I ever read was "Pebble In The Sky" ... I was hooked for life!

[indeedproceed]

I have a hard time judging one over the others, but "Ender's Game" was my first taste of the Ender series, so it's a bit more special for that reason. You have to read them all ... and they should be assessed as a complete series, IMHO, not so much as separate entities.

Also: The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov ... or anything by "The Good Doctor" ... the first sci-fi book I ever read was "Pebble In The Sky" ... I was hooked for life!

I think you have to segment them..Orson Scott Card, despite being my second favorite author..he has a problem with overdoing successful things...he gets kind of greedy. Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead were released as a omnibus called "Ender's War"

Xenocide was left out, even in future releases (Ender's War was released in 1986, Xenocide was released in 1991) because it was just not really a good book. Really, it wasn't...it was his "Godfather 3".

Ender's Shadow was fantastic. Shadow of the Hegemon was amazing. Shadow Puppets...was not. Shadow of the Giant was a little better, but meh all the same.

Seventh Son, Red Prophet, Prentice Alvin, and even Alvin Journeyman were all fantastic books. Just all amazing novels. Heartfire, was not.

Ender's Game will always be my favorite, but Speaker For the Dead is the better book...he really hit his stride there, and the fact that Speaker came out a year after Ender shows you that his head was boiling with ideas waiting to get out.

[indeedproceed]

Can anyone recommend me some really great inspirational novels? I only have two requirements: must be first person and it can't have anything to do with religion.

Three Cups Of Tea is not first person, but it is legitimately amazing.

Check out the first few pages here:
http://www.amazon.com/Three-Cups-Tea-Mission-Promote/dp/0143038257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273987837&sr=1-1

[guava_wrench]

Can anyone recommend me some really great inspirational novels? I only have two requirements: must be first person and it can't have anything to do with religion.

If a book that inspires you to commit suicide counts, Catcher in the Rye.

[Bahku]

I have a hard time judging one over the others, but "Ender's Game" was my first taste of the Ender series, so it's a bit more special for that reason. You have to read them all ... and they should be assessed as a complete series, IMHO, not so much as separate entities.

Also: The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov ... or anything by "The Good Doctor" ... the first sci-fi book I ever read was "Pebble In The Sky" ... I was hooked for life!

I think you have to segment them..Orson Scott Card, despite being my second favorite author..he has a problem with overdoing successful things...he gets kind of greedy. Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead were released as a omnibus called "Ender's War"

Xenocide was left out, even in future releases (Ender's War was released in 1986, Xenocide was released in 1991) because it was just not really a good book. Really, it wasn't...it was his "Godfather 3".

Ender's Shadow was fantastic. Shadow of the Hegemon was amazing. Shadow Puppets...was not. Shadow of the Giant was a little better, but meh all the same.

Seventh Son, Red Prophet, Prentice Alvin, and even Alvin Journeyman were all fantastic books. Just all amazing novels. Heartfire, was not.

Ender's Game will always be my favorite, but Speaker For the Dead is the better book...he really hit his stride there, and the fact that Speaker came out a year after Ender shows you that his head was boiling with ideas waiting to get out.

Funny, I can easily name my favorite author, (Isaac Asimov), as his writing was what opened my mind to a complete new dimension and the realms of boundless imagination, but naming my "second-favorite" author would be nigh impossible, and would have to be a group, and not an individual.

Card would easily be one of that group, but also Arthur C. Clarke, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, Greg Egan, Frederick Pohl, Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson, John Varley, Harlan Ellison, Jack Vance, Gordon R. Dickson, Brian Aldiss, Larry Niven, Kathe Koja, Steven Utley, James Patrick Kelly, Robert Reed, Ian McDonald, Karen Joy Fowler, Walter Jon Williams ... man, I could go on and on, and I don't think I could pick one or two above the rest.

So much amazing literature in this world, and this is only sci-fi I'm touching on! Very few genres that I don't enjoy, but science fiction is easily my favorite. For those thinking about "testing the waters" of science fiction, short-stories are innumerable and a great place to start.

My favorite stories by far: "Press Enter" by John Varley, "With Virgil Oddum At The East Pole" by Harlan Ellison, "The Jaguar Hunter" by Lucius Shepard, and "24 Views Of Mount Fuji, By Hokusai" by Roger Zelazny ... these are four of the most amazing stories I've ever read, and you won't need to sacrifice a huge block of time.

[cdif911]

just finished class matters, it's a meh in my book, wasn't really shocking or surprising - If you want an investigative story about low wage jobs go for Punching In or even Nickel and Dimed

also finished Loot, which was about museums and how they acquire objects (it was for a class I'm taking) and it's ok, a bit long.

I'm currently finishing Let Me Tell you a Story, which is excellent, I'm truly enjoying it - one of the best Celtics books I've read

[Rida]

Can anyone recommend me some really great inspirational novels? I only have two requirements: must be first person and it can't have anything to do with religion.

Tuesday's with Morrie and anything written by Mitch Albolm