I used to be an avid reader, but over time I've found it difficult to commit to the literature being released. I figure I just must be missing out on the good stuff. Use this thread to recommend the "best of the best" that you've encountered.
I've read all but the last "Game of Thrones" (Ice and Fire) books. However, my favorite series of all time is Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. Before that, I read a ton of fantasy and horror books, but none worth really recommending. Probably my favorite Stephen King book is Needful Things.
Any other readers out there?
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Catch 22 a must read
All of Tolkiens books, way better than the movies.
Any book by Richard Herman
Dirk Pitt adventures by Clive Cussler
Any Vietnam book on helicopter or fast jet pilots of forward air controllers. Can't read enough of those.
And any true life aviation books, my passion, even more so than VR
Everything that Isaac Asimov has written.
Everything that Stephen Donaldson has ever written.
Everything that J R R Tolkien has ever written.
Robert Jordan's Wheel Of Time series.
Out of all of those the Wheel Of Time books are my favourites I think. Along with the Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant I like any book where the protagonist has a REAL screw loose lol
The best thing about the Thomas Covenant books is that as you read them you start to realise that Covenant displays all of your own worst traits, you in effect ARE Thomas Covenant...Which is more than a little disturbing lololol
Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever
Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever
As far as non-fiction goes, I’ve recently gone through a Ken Follett phase. His Century trilogy (Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, Edge of Eternity) follows several American, British, Russian, and German families through WW1, WW2, and the Cold War. I’ve also read his Kingsbridge trilogy (Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, Column of Fire) which similarly spans several hundred years in the Middle Ages.
For science fiction, I’m partial to Arthur C. Clarke (particularly 2001, Childhood’s End, and Rendezvous With Rama), and I also love a book called A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller, about a future civilization after a global nuclear war.
I used to to read a lot of Stephen King, but mostly his older stuff (‘80s), and a few years ago I went through his Dark Tower series. I also loved Robert E. Howard’s Conan novels when I was younger.
I’m also obliged to recommend Dracula, because Bram Stoker is my great great great uncle.
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Assuming that she'd give me a nibble of course!
Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever
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I can not recommend enough the Prince of Thorns series (3 books with an additional 3 book side-series that is ALMOST as good)
as far as the previous sugestions... I agree with almost everything snowdog said, and nalex66 hit it on the head with "A Canticle for Leibowitz" - this is a top 10 book for me
I can't read!!! This is so unfair.
EDIT: I've only ever read one book my entire life, and that was American Psycho! I enjoyed it! lol
Kojack I agree Alen dean Foster has some great novels.
I still have splinter of a minds eye which he wrote to be Star Wars episode five until the change to empire.
It reads more like fan fiction now.
Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever
The top two here, Hamilton and Asher, are in my opinion the best sci-fi authors around at the moment, they're at the top of their game and there's none better than these two right now.
Peter F Hamilton (big chunky daunting looking books, but real page turners with no boring bits)
Neal Asher (he just keeps getting better and better. action packed sci-fi on a grand scale)
Charles Stross
Alastair Reynolds
Ian M Banks
Richard Morgan
Paul McAuley
Greg Bear
Gregory Benford (hard sci-fi)
Larry Niven
Scott Lynch (The Gentleman Bastard series)
Karl Schroeder (Virga series)
Ben Aaronovitch (Just started the Rivers of London books, very good so far)
China Miéville (for Perdido Street Station and The Scar. haven't got around to reading the Iron Council yet, any good? quite liked Railsea too.)
and a whole load more besides.
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For Sci Fi, I can't say enough good things about the "Three-Body Problem" series trilogy by Cixin Liu. It's got some pretty hard science, but there's some great imagry. Cryin for VR. It isn't light reading, but there are ideas leaking out from every corner.
With Pratchett, any of the Night Watch books. Love Sam Vimes and the whole crew.
Finally, was lucky enough to get an audio of the "Cabin Pressure" series with Benedict Cumberbatch before he was Benedict Cumberbatch. These are 1/2 hour radio audios. Very funny.
All of tom Clancy`s early stuff..i think his later stuff is a bit meh. Top recommendation ATM is John Scalzi`s Old mans war. really gripping read and very original. also anything by Raymond feist.
Plus the usual stuff like playboy .razzle fiesta and the other stuff.
but in between all of the early Viz stuff when I don't need to think
https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/29656/vr-books
Or the summary (editing it a bit to distill it down to just the ones I think really worth reading as that is the post title. Credit to the recommendations are in my previous post.)
Ready Player One - Ernest Cline - (highly recommend) Fantastic Book. No need for introductions.
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson's - (highly recommend) Great unique novel. A no holds barred brutal Cyber Punk future with large servings of action, VR, mystery and Katanas. Unusual writing style but you'll get used to it.(read twice)
Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan (highly recommend) - Cyber Punk Noir / The Maltese Falcon style Book - fast paced and Action packed. VR in it but not main story. Real cool book.
William Gibson sprawl trilogy
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If you like cyberpunk few beat Gibson' imagined worlds. Not many books I read twice but Gibson's are pretty deep and atmospheric and I seem to need to read them twice to get the full benefit)
1. Neuromancer - (highly recommend) (read three times, probably my favorite sci-fi book ever)
A washed-up computer hacker is hired by a mysterious employer for one last job against a powerful AI.
2. Count Zero - Good but more like epilogue for the first one but who can't get enough of the Gibson universe
3. Mona Lisa Overdrive - Another good one better than Count Zero. More Atmospheric Cyber Punk.
Another Gibson
The Peripheral - (Recommend) In a distant future technology has been discovered to communicate with the past. Every time they connect it creates a different alternate universe. Rich people can hire a server and play god with their own instance. (Gibson on form again)
Permutation City from Greg Egan - - (highly recommend if you like deep thought provoking books) The concept of this book is mind blowing. A real universe is born from the virtual auto-verse.
Bobiverse Series - (highly recommend) A man is copied into a computer and sent into space as one of man's last hopes. These are epic books.
The Name of the Wind - (highly recommend) or also know as The king killer chronicles first two books in the series by Patrick Rothfuss
Like a darker version of Harry Potter, couldn't stop listening to it. Slow start but it warms up very very nicely. Plus the other good thing is you really get your monies worth, I think both both books each were 40 hours plus. It takes him 6 years to write each one which shows the attention to detail he puts in them. I think the last one is due in the next 2 years.
Great story telling and the narrator is first class Rupert Degas (who also has won awards for narration)
Brandon Sanderson 'Mistborn' Series
If you like The Name of The Wind, try Brandon Sanderson 'Mistborn' Series. Excellent books. I am onto the fifth book now, really good. The way he creates depth to stories and characters is amazing.
Tea from an Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan. Classic cyberpunk, VR related, worth checking out.
Vurt by Jeff Noon. This is a weird one, really weird, but an engaging read.
Under the Amoral Bridge by Gary A. Ballard, also VR related cyberpunk. 3 part series.
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If you have a busy life I can recommend Audible for listening to books. So much easier to listen to books whilst driving, walking the dog, making love to the wife, washing the dishes, making love to somebody elses wife. Helps fill in the boring gaps in life.
Stephen Donaldson did a similar thing with his Gap novels. Every story ever written has a villain, a victim and a hero and throughout the 5 books those roles were switched around. Not as good as his Covenant novels but they are excellent.
Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever
I guess my favorite book is The Alchemist. i recommend this book, really worth reading