What do you recommend?

[landcruisergal]

Memory & Dream, by Charles de Lint. Basically about a Canadian painter who discovers her paintings can come to life... and all of the good and evil that can entail.

Haven't read that one. I enjoyed Moonheart, Yarrow and Into the Green by the same author. Are all his main characters women I wonder?

 

[AnelizeDarkEyes]

George R. R. Martin has written some excellent work in the fantasy genre. His new book should be out shortly. Can't wait.
Game of Thrones
Clash of Kings
Storm of Swords
Don't remember if that is the right order.

I love them.

In my opinion he is the best "world builder" writing in the fantasy genre right now. I am eagerly awaiting the next book . And yes, you got the order right.

Another favorite of mine is a stand alone by J. V. Jones called The Barbed Coil. A fascinating work using manuscript illumination as a premise for a way to create power. I still re-read this one (in my world, that always means a good one LOL).

~anelize

 

[A Desert Rose]

If you want excellent crime-novels I would recommend a Swedish author by the name of Henning Mankell. I am sure his books are translated to English - so go look for them, you won't regret it.

Also try to find an author by the name of Lars Saabye Christensen, who writes amazing novels about growing up and human relations, love, life, lust, desire, sadness, tears and laughter. Everything.

My favorite book of all times, I think must be John Irving - A Prayer For Owen Meany - highly recommended.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will look for them when i get the chance.

I have read most everything John Irving has written. I like him a lot and I loved Owen Meany, too. Have you read any of his other books? If you have, have you noticed a common theme that runs through them all?

 

[FungiUg]

Haven't read that one. I enjoyed Moonheart, Yarrow and Into the Green by the same author. Are all his main characters women I wonder?

Nope. But his better ones are. I pretty much read all of his books (when I can find them), and he's reliably good. But some of them are better than others.

(Charles De Lint, for those of you who have forgotten of whom we are talking.)

 

[FungiUg]

In my opinion he is the best "world builder" writing in the fantasy genre right now. I am eagerly awaiting the next book . And yes, you got the order right.

Well, after Tad Williams' Dragonbone Chair trilogy, George has his work cut out for him! Although I have to say I prefer his concentration on older characters rather than the "progression of a youth to man" thing.

I'm still a fan of Raymond Feist. His latest two (Talon of the Silver Hawk, The King of Foxes) are excellent. And Magician is a classic.

Another favourite author, if you like something a little unconventional is Steven Brust -- his Taltos the Assassin series, in particular. Taltos is probably my favourite anti-hero of all time. Highly recommended. He also has a related series based on Dumar (The Three Musketeers, etc) which is hard to read, but good going if you can handle the style (it's wordy -- Dumar got paid by the word, but very tongue in cheek.)

Never really got into J.V. Jones.

 

[FungiUg]

Okay, for those of you who aren't yet suffering from Tolkein over-exposure, here's a recommendation.

Get ahold of the extended DVD versions of Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers. Watch the movies (they add so much back in.) But then take your time and watch the bonus DVDs -- there's so much in there about the making of the movies, the script writing, Tolkein's writing, and so on.

And the tour through the Weta Workshops is just... staggering.

It's given me a damned good appreciation of just how much love, care and sheer hard work went into those movies!

 

[Ezarc]

Well, after Tad Williams' Dragonbone Chair trilogy, George has his work cut out for him! Although I have to say I prefer his concentration on older characters rather than the "progression of a youth to man" thing.

I'm still a fan of Raymond Feist. His latest two (Talon of the Silver Hawk, The King of Foxes) are excellent. And Magician is a classic.

Another favourite author, if you like something a little unconventional is Steven Brust -- his Taltos the Assassin series, in particular. Taltos is probably my favourite anti-hero of all time. Highly recommended. He also has a related series based on Dumar (The Three Musketeers, etc) which is hard to read, but good going if you can handle the style (it's wordy -- Dumar got paid by the word, but very tongue in cheek.)

Never really got into J.V. Jones.

I enjoyed Tad Williams but I still like Martin better.
As for Steven Brust, the man does write a fast enjoyable read in his Taltos series and it is a lot of fun with the two Phoenix Guard books if you enjoy the pseudo Dumas style.(I did).
I have never tried Feist, maybe on my next shopping trip I will.

 

[catalina_francisco]

OK, I have found one I can't put down as it has me totally fascinated and caters to my love of anthropology, biology, and the macarbe....Death's Acre by Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson...written about the background and creation of the Body Farm and the discoveries in forensic anthropology which have become widely used (think CSI). Not for everyone, but certainly not boring if you are into such things. maybe not best to read over dinner though!!

Catalina

 

[A Desert Rose]

OK, I have found one I can't put down as it has me totally fascinated and caters to my love of anthropology, biology, and the macarbe....Death's Acre by Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson...written about the background and creation of the Body Farm and the discoveries in forensic anthropology which have become widely used (think CSI). Not for everyone, but certainly not boring if you are into such things. maybe not best to read over dinner though!!

Catalina

Oh man... if you like this kind of stuff... Have you read John Douglas' books? They are fascinating. He is the man who "created" FBI profiling. I have all of his books.

Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho -- by Harold Schechter is another really good read.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Oh man... if you like this kind of stuff... Have you read John Douglas' books? They are fascinating. He is the man who "created" FBI profiling. I have all of his books.

Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho -- by Harold Schechter is another really good read.

More to add to the list...my daughter is aiming toward studying forensic entomology so hope she keeps going. She is always giving me some obscure and fascinating facts on such things and already has lots of support from the right channels encouraging her to follow her dream to the end. Is such a fascinating area of science!!

Catalina

 

[DarkLadyOfDeath]

Yeah My mom's been on a Dr Phil binge so She started putting some of his books infront of me and well I'll read just about anything if bored enough.. I still haven't made any decissions weather or not it's bullshit or not.. but I can say It makes you think and be bluntly honest with yourself if you can handle it.

But for historical fantasy based off fiction.. I've found Jean M Auel's books amazingly interesting about human development over time. her books start when neanderthals broke into 2 subspecies of human pretty much.. our decendents and I belive it homo erectus. It tells about a woman's journey threw life at this time. borderes the supernatural relm but it's viewed with natural eyes.

Clan of the cave bear
The Valley of horses
The Mammoth hunters
Plains of Passage
The shelters of stone

Wonderful writing with I think a broad spectrum of real life occurances that we can relate to in this day and age still. The only downside I think to this series is the shortest one of the books is around 400 pages with the last book being a good 4" thick. But worth the read.

 

[A Desert Rose]

More to add to the list...my daughter is aiming toward studying forensic entomology so hope she keeps going. She is always giving me some obscure and fascinating facts on such things and already has lots of support from the right channels encouraging her to follow her dream to the end. Is such a fascinating area of science!!

Catalina

Good for her!!! It is really fascinating, indeed.

John Douglas has 3 or 4 books out. The last one is about an internet preditor who killed something like 7 submissive women... it's a true story, Anyone You Want Me to Be : A True Story of Sex and Death on the Internet.

His first is called Mind Hunters and deals with many of the more famous serial killers... Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy. But he adds so much more to what one already "knows" about them.

Another one that is good, and fiction is The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwall. I think Des would like her if she's not already read her stuff.

I hope your daughter follows this career path. I can't think of many others as interesting as this one.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Yeah My mom's been on a Dr Phil binge so She started putting some of his books infront of me and well I'll read just about anything if bored enough.. I still haven't made any decissions weather or not it's bullshit or not.. but I can say It makes you think and be bluntly honest with yourself if you can handle it.

But for historical fantasy based off fiction.. I've found Jean M Auel's books amazingly interesting about human development over time. her books start when neanderthals broke into 2 subspecies of human pretty much.. our decendents and I belive it homo erectus. It tells about a woman's journey threw life at this time. borderes the supernatural relm but it's viewed with natural eyes.

Clan of the cave bear
The Valley of horses
The Mammoth hunters
Plains of Passage
The shelters of stone

Wonderful writing with I think a broad spectrum of real life occurances that we can relate to in this day and age still. The only downside I think to this series is the shortest one of the books is around 400 pages with the last book being a good 4" thick. But worth the read.

Oh yesssssss... Jean Auel is great! If you like her books I think you might also like Sarum by Edward Rutherford... great historical fiction.

 

[MissTaken]

I recently re read "the MisBegotten Son" by Jack Olsen. I have never read a piece of true crime as interesting and thorough as this one. Ann Rule is good, but Jack took her to school on this one.
And as it is based on events where I am living, this re read had an added dimension of interest for me.

Now, I am reading "Prey" by Michael Crichton. It has gathered my interest quickly. If you have read it, don't tell me how it ends!

 

[A Desert Rose]

I recently re read "the MisBegotten Son" by Jack Olsen. I have never read a piece of true crime as interesting and thorough as this one. Ann Rule is good, but Jack took her to school on this one.
And as it is based on events where I am living, this re read had an added dimension of interest for me.

Now, I am reading "Prey" by Michael Crichton. It has gathered my interest quickly. If you have read it, don't tell me how it ends!

Okay... I'll keep it a secret. ;-) It's a good book.

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

I finished reading Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith by John Krakauer. True story, and to make it more interesting was the woman murdered in the book was my cousin's sister-in-law.

MissTaken, I'm going to take your suggestion and read Jack Olsen's novel. I love true crime stories.

I keep thinkin' I shoulda been a forensic anthropologist.

 

[incubus'_sub]

I really enjoyed the John Douglas books as well and there are lots of books available about interesting murders & the investigations. Anne Rule springs to mind too. For those who are particularly into weird minds Jeffery Dahmer's father wrote an excellent book about Jeffery's life, a fascinating perspective.

If I read fiction I prefer Jonathon Kellerman (warped minds again lol) , James Patterson & for something completely different, the Roman series by Colleen McCullogh, wonderful detail.

 

[A Desert Rose]

I finished reading Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith by John Krakauer. True story, and to make it more interesting was the woman murdered in the book was my cousin's sister-in-law....

I could not put that book down. And amazing that you have a connection to that murdered woman.

 

[AvaAdore]

"The Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson is excellent. It's an alternate history of what would have happened if the majority of Christians were killed off by the plague very early on, so the world was dominated by Islam and Buddhism. It follows a group of people whose souls are linked and they are constantly getting reincarnated through time.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not a heavy read at all, but it's not completely light either.

 

[FungiUg]

I read his Mars series (Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars) which I enjoyed... but he's always been one of those authors I've found a bit "bitsy" -- some good, some bad.

I'll keep an eye open for that one though.

 

[lorddragonwolf]

i recomend the wheel of time series by robert jorden. great fantasy book.

 

[FungiUg]

Yes, except then there's the ten books that follow... I haven't picked it up to read it because of that! I went through one series like that with Katherine Kerr, without starting another!

 

[lorddragonwolf]

Yes, except then there's the ten books that follow... I haven't picked it up to read it because of that! I went through one series like that with Katherine Kerr, without starting another!

yes and he is not done writing. the series is good. i like the references he makes to our own legends and cultures

 

[AvaAdore]

I read his Mars series (Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars) which I enjoyed... but he's always been one of those authors I've found a bit "bitsy" -- some good, some bad.

I'll keep an eye open for that one though.

I'm reading Red Mars at the moment.

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

I could not put that book down. And amazing that you have a connection to that murdered woman.

Wasn't that the best book? His research must have taken him years!

I live around these parts, and my cousin is from Twin Falls, the same town the murdered woman grew up in. I know of all the places Krakauer spoke of, except the locations back east.

I remember meeting her briefly at his wedding. I didn't put two and two together until my mother told me who that was. I was living in the backwoods of Montana at the time of the murder. No phone, no electricity for television. I was way out of the loop of civilization.