Just wondering if there were any books out there that people would like to recommend to read. I've got a trilogy that I really love, so I'm going to share them with you.
They are by Holly Lisle
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Diplomacy of Wolves
Kait Galweigh, a young diplomat cursed with a dark secret, must choose to save a world that shuns her and would destroy her if that secret were revealed. The epic search for the nature of good and evil, the definition of humanity, and the meaning of free will, duty, honor . . . and love.
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Vengeance of Dragons
Kait Galweigh must find a path to hope when a long-cherished prophecy shatters, leaving its believers, the only people who can battle an evil returned from centuries of hiding, crushed and despondent.
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Courage of Falcons
The Falcons, a band of fugitive wizards that includes skinshifters Kait Galweigh and Ry Sabir, struggle to wield ancient magics in their desperate battle against the immortal, soul-devouring necromancers called the Dragons.
At the same time, a thousand tribes of long-banished Scarred declare war on the civilized lands, with a prophesied messiah uniting them into an unstoppable army. Bent on conquest or revenge, the Scarred don't care that their new leader, Luercas, is a being so evil that even the Dragons fear him . . .
To defeat the Dragons, Kait and Ry must destroy the source of the sorcerers' power -- the Mirror of Souls. But if they succeed, they will lose the only weapon that can stop Luercas from becoming a demonic god who will enslave the entire world . . . forever.
Is there no one out of all the people on here that have a good book to offer up to all of us? I'm really interested in hearing about other books that people have read, and a little about them.
Wizard's first rule - Terry Goodkind
and Robert Jordan's series - Wheel of time or something like that.
Haven't read them in a long time so i cannot remember the name of it...just the author.
I dont know if you are looking for books more on the lines of Harry Potter, such as wizardry and stuff...I dont really read those, although my niece does, and she enjoys them. I have a few books that I really enjoyed: Many of them stem from WWII times, as I always enjoyed history
Herman Wouk: The Caine Mutiny ...its about mutiny aboard the U.S.S. Caine and Captain Queeg. Takes place in WWII. Fiction....its about a psychoneurotic captain.
Leon Uris: QB VII Its about a trial that takes place in Britain. Its about a libel case where a knighted doctor takes on an American author who defames him in a novel he wrote. They eventually go through this doctor's life, to see if such stories about him existed....its really good!!
Leon Uris: Mila 18 ...This is an awesome book...its about the uprising of the jews in the Warsaw Ghetto...based on a true story, but the characters are made up...the history though is accurate.....very compelling!!! I recommend it highly, although some parts can be boring at times....for the most part...its excellent!
Ann Rice: The Witching Hour and all the sequels to it, such as Taltos, and others .....great witch stories....this might be one that you might enjoy if you havent already read it! Definitely start with The Witching Hour...its over 1000 pages long but it is really good. It starts out in a time long ago and moves up to the present day...its about the history of a family of witches....really good!!!
One of my favourite set of books is the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman -'The Northern Lights' 'The Subtle Knife' and 'The Amber Spyglass'. Although it attracts a large number of younger readers, this fantasy epic is delightfully twisted and is largely oriented around themes such as the nature of religion, death and love.
The story (as a trilogy) begins in a parellel universe not so different from our own. A young girl, hungry for adventure, ends up in a dangerous journey North where she encounters strange creatures, and learns of hideous experiments that are being performed on children of her age there. As the story progresses, she crosses the boundaries of the worlds, and is pursued by those who recognise her importance to the fate of everything.
The lead characters are young, and so the reader is taken on a journey through the beginning of adolescence. The books are filled with emotion, symbolism, and an atmosphere of harsh reality despite the book's genre. Such atmosphere rivals that which Rowling creates in her work, and for those who are as big a fans of Harry Potter as I am, that is saying alot.
Okay, I'll help out a bit. In the last couple years, some of the most compelling stories I've read are (forgive my long-winded synopses):
"Mipam" - This is the first novel ever to come out of Tibet (1938)from a Tibetan author. Its original intent was to cast a light on Eastern Tibetan ways of life for a Westerner's comprehenison. It's the tale of a young boy whose parents believed initially that he was the most recent reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. After a series of tests they find that in fact the child (named Mipam) is not the revered Dalai Lama. Yet something is not quite normal about our young Mipam. He sets out on an 18 year journey to discover the world about him and to understand his role in it to uncover a remarkable twist towards the end of the story.
"Into Thin Air", Jon Krakauer. This non-fiction piece is Jon's personal experience of the 1996 Mt Everest expedition disaster when several climbers perished in a violent storm almost 18,000ft above sea level. The event occurred at the same time that IMAX was on the mountain filming their "Everest" piece which also mentions the disaster but does not focus on it. This gripping story will leave you tense, shivering and short of breath. Interestingly, Everest is in Tibet on one of its sides - I didn't plan that, I swear.
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice which are:
*Interview with the Vampire
*The Vampire Lestat
*Queen of the Damned
*The Tale of the Body Theif
*Memnoch the Devil
* The Vampire Armand
*Blood and Gold
Anne Rice's Lives of the Mayfair witches are also amazing
*The Witching Hour
*Lasher
*Taltos
these three are chronicles on the lives of the Mayfair witches and are an excellent read
For anyone who likes satire and sarcasm I reccomend the 5 book trilogy of The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, there are wonderfully hilarious, really dry sarcastic humor.
Thats all I have for now if I think of any others I will let you know.
Hi;
I don't have anything new to recommend but I have read a series know as the "Necroscope" its written by Brian Lumley, the series contains 8 Novels the first 5 deal with a child born with powers to speak to the dead and Vampires are a foot throught all the stories and involves time travel and the space continium.
let me give you a preview of the first novel know as the "NECROSCOPE" quote "THE OUTER LIMITS OF HORROR....
From the undead vampire in the Romanian mausoleum, Boris Dragosani tries to draw evil force so powerful he will gain supremacy in the ultra-secret paranormal agency he works for in Russia. His official job is as a NECROSCOPE -his speciality is tearing secrets from the souls of newly-dead traitors.
And England too has her necroscope-her communicator with the dead. When Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on the paranormal menace from behind the iron curtain, the stage is set for the most horrifying, violent supernatural confrontation ever .
The second novel is Neroscope 2 -wamphyri
the third Novel is Necroscope 3 -The source
the fourth Novel is Necroscope 4 -Dead speak
the fifth Novel is Necroscope 5 -Dead spawn
Then Brian Lumley wrote 3 addition novel based on the Necroscope series two of the novels are like recaps of all five of the first except for new plots which both novels are called the "The Lost Years "volume 1 and 2 , both good reads.
Then comes the last novel Called Necroscope -Invaders a new necroscope. Its was to be continued but I haven't seen the next issue any where.
3 COOOOOOL BOOOOOKs:
1. Philip Pullman: His Dark Matter - brilliant.
2. Umberto Eco: Il nome della rosa/The Name of the Rose -- not sure if it's translated in English**
It's a philosophical crime story (I know it sounds impossible, but...) with a lot of humour and a tension through the whole 500 pages... It's about a series of murders in a 14th-century italian monastery. But there is more... a lot more... read it to find out.
3. Jean M. Auel: Earth's children
A Cro-Magnon 5 year old girl loses her parents in an earthquake some 25000 years ago and finds a new home with the Neanderthal people. She grows up with them, suffering prejudices because of being differnet, and then realizes she has to return to her race. Excellent.
1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Although this book is 1400 pages, I have read it every year since the first time. Edmund Dantes, a simple sailor who is about to be promoted and married, is framed by jealous men and thrown into prison supposedly never to be heard from again. While in prison he meets Abbe Faria who educates him on almost every subject, including the location of a treasure which is will make him richer than anyone has ever been. Edmund eventually escapes from prison and takes his revenge. We meet many interesting characters and learn all of their stories and how they are related to eachother and Edmund. Despite its length, it is an increadible book. So much better (and more detailed) than the movie.
2. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Yossarian is a fighter pilot who is afraid to die. He wants to be grounded, but you cannot be grounded unless you are insane, and you have to ask. The catch, Catch-22, is that if you ask, then you are obviously sane. This and many other ironies will make you laugh out loud while you are reading this book - no matter where you are.
3. Earth's Children Series
1. Clan of the Cave Bear
2. Valley of the Horses
3. The Mammoth Hunters
4. Plains of Passage
5. Stones of Shelter
6. Not yet published
This series is kind of brain candy, but i really enjoy it anyway. Especially good if you enjoy learning about ancient cultures. (See Maja88's post)
Witchcraft, Theory and practice. by Ly DE Angeles. Its a good for Beginner's trying Spell casting. (Follow the instructions) All of the Spells are light weight..Nothing you can get hurt on.
I'd given up on the entire fantasy genre for years because they tended to be predictable, derivative, and fluffy.
Then I found George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series, beginning with "A Game of Thrones".
Martin is a master at plotting, pacing, and cliffhanger adventure. He makes you care about all of his characters. Then he kills some of them, and warps other ones until you love the ones you hated and hate the ones you loved... Beautiful.
I must say that Gene Wolfe's idiotically named but extraordinarly written "Shadow & Claw" is amazing. He is a prose stylist the likes of which most (famous) fantasy writers could only dream.
Without intending to impugn certain previous posters, who may have a more sophisticated grasp on these works than I, I would avoid the following writers:
Robert Jordan. His ninth or tenth book -- and every one imbetween -- follows a mystical "cycle", which means that he recycles his plots over and over and over (in 900 page increments)
Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials". This series has been trendy as of late because Pullman's genius publicist linked it to Rowling by saying it was an "Adult Harry Potter". I got halfway through the first book and, when nothing had happened except a bunch of ordinary (i.e. unremarkable) prose, I put it down for good. I was expecting great things from this series and was dissappointed. Many people whose opinions I respect love this series, though, so don't just take my word for it.
C.S. Lewis. Unless you like Jesus allegories creeping into your fantasy.
*Definitely* avoid Terry Goodkind. Take a look at his frowning, pony-tailed, cross-armed, dressed-in-black countenance in his publicity picture. That says all you need to know about him. He's a wannabe ninja. Then pick a random paragraph from any one of his overwritten epics and prepare to gag. He's almost as bad as Weis and Hickman were. Goodkind makes Robert Jordan look like Graham Greene.
Non-Fantasy Reccomendations:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry is such a damn good western full of crusty, funny cowboys and heartbreaking adventures that you will never want to read another western again.
Shogun by James Clavell is an excellent adventure story about an Englishman stranded in mideavil Japan. Very good.
Fans of Harry Potter and other literary characters are breathing new life into their heroes, making up unofficial storylines and publishing them on the net. Much of it is terrible, but some is sublime. So is this where the next JK Rowling is lurking?
Just imagine this. Right here, right now, tens of thousands of writers across the globe are indulging in a vast collective outburst of creative energy.
They are riding the crest of a new and growing internet phenomenon, a wholly original literary genre: fan fiction or, as it is better known, fanfic. Not limited by the boundaries of conventional writing, and sometimes taste, its possibilities are endless.
Don't want to wait for the next Harry Potter? Then don't, just log-on to fictionalley.org and choose from thousands of new scenarios.
Want a new Star Wars film? No need to fork out the estimated $100m plus for a next big-screen feature, just go to faans.com and wallow.
Do you miss Mulder and Scully? Then resurrect the X-Files on starpulse.com.
All human life is here: Gollum joining the X-Men, Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennet enjoying - enduring? - married life as Mrs Darcy and even Captain Kirk canoodling with Mr Spock.
Some fanfic is professional, sublime, crafted. Much is terrible.
Many of the writers are female. Many are American. One of the most prominent of them, Dr Merlin - alias Melissa Wilson - was just 13 when she made her first attempts at writing fanfic.
"I blame my father," she says. "When I was little, he told me bedtime stories of how the characters from Star Wars came to our town, and how I helped them fix the Millennium Falcon."
Later, in college, she discovered the internet and a whole new world opened up before her. She wrote her first real fanfic in 1994: "It was long and goofy, and it starred Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but I still get feedback on it from time to time, and that makes me happy."
Today, through her extensive website, she hands out advice to other aspiring writers.
To many aficionados, the doyenne of internet fanfic is Tara O'Shea, a professional web designer and journalist living in Chicago.
Now in her late 20s, she has been writing and illustrating fanzines and fanfic for nearly two decades and has an impressive back catalogue.
"To date, I've written short stories, novellas and novels based on programmes such as Disney's Gargoyles, Nikita, Star Trek: Voyager, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Wonder Woman."
And she is impressed by the range of fanfic currently on the internet: "Every genre is represented, from action to horror, romance to mystery, science fiction to historical. You can find everything from romantic comedies, to erotica, both heterosexual and homosexual in nature."
And there are many sub-genres: Mary Sue's feature lead characters based on an idealised version of their writer, songfics are written around popular lyrics and "what ifs?" deal with alternative history.
Perhaps fanfic's most controversial area is slash fiction. This sub-genre, written - and read - mainly by young women, features same-sex relationships between fictional characters.
For example Spock/Kirk or Harry/Malfoy - the slash referring not to a knife but to the punctuation mark.
Seen by its writers as a new nonconformist form of female sexual expression, some stories are romantic Mills and Boon parodies, while others are explicitly pornographic.
"Heaven forbid Mickey Mouse falling into the wrong hands," quips Tara O'Shea.
The relationship between fanfic writers and published authors is a complex one. Some writers, most notably the late Douglas Adams, of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fame, and JK Rowling, have welcomed fanfic - though Rowling is unhappy about sexually explicit parodies.
Others, like fantasy-meister Terry Pratchett and Anne Rice, author of Interview with a Vampire, have taken a hard line, publicly asking writers not to use their characters or stories.
"I do not allow fan fiction," Rice's website recently stated, somewhat pompously. "The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan fiction with my characters. It is absolutely essential you respect my wishes."
To this end, Rice's formidable lawyers have chased all fanfic based on her work off the internet. But fanfic's legal status is complex.
Copyright expert Robin Fry, of the London law firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs, says there's "no copyright in characters - only in a book's storylines - so material 'inspired' by others may well be acceptable. The Willows in Winter or Bored of the Rings don't disguise their origins and that's fine.
"But if the public become confused over the source or think it's the real McCoy, then a freezing order's not far behind.
"I wouldn't recommend anyone to pitch Barry Trotter or Dr Atkins Beer and Chips Diet Revolution to an agent."
And pitching fanfic ideas to literary agents might just be the next big thing. Already a number of fanfic writers have been published, mainly writing fantasy and sci-fi.
Surely, though, more will follow: what price the new JK Rowling, Robert Harris or JRR Tolkien emerging from the net? With all those thousands of writers out there, the chances are high that some will achieve greatness.
But to Dr Merlin the pleasure is in the writing: "For most of us, that will never mean a publishing deal, but it could mean posting to a public place and receiving praise and criticism within an hour of publication.
"Frankly, that's what we want: other people to validate our work, to tell us 'This was great! I totally agree with your take on the characters!' Our payment is the ego boost."
Long ago the world of Shea Ohmsford was ruined by the wars of ancient Evil. Now mankind must compete for the Earth with many other races-- gnomes, trolls, dwarfs and elves. But Shea, the half-human, half-elven adopted son of an innkeeper, knows little of such troubles. Shady Vale, where he grew to manhood, seems a haven for peace.
Then into Shady Vale comes the giant, forbidding figure of Allanon, possessed of strange knowledge and even stranger Druidic powers. To Shea, he reveals that the evil Warlock Lord, supposedly long dead, is once again plotting to destroy the world. Against this Power of Darkness the sole effective weapon is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true descendant of Jerle Shannara. Shea is the last living heir: on him rests the hope of all races! When Shea protests that he is no hero, the Druid states that he must reclaim the Sword. In the morning Allanon is gone, leaving behind a mysterious warning note.
Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of the Warlock Lord, flies to the Vale, seeking to destroy the last heir of Shannara. Rather than risk destruction for the Vale, Shea and his skeptical half-brother Flick flee, drawing the Skull Bearer after them. Allanon's cryptic orders have directed them to Culhaven, home of the dwarfs. Somehow they must go there to await him, despite the Skull Bearers and other unknown, dire perils. And beyond Culhaven, they must enter the ravaged Northland, where the Warlock Lord holds total dominion.
Thus begins the seemingly hopeless quest of a simple man against the greatest power of evil the world has known. Valiant comrades join him against a host of foes and soul-wrenching dangers. Terrors and wonders increase as the overwhelming armies of the Warlock Lord move toward war. But in the end, Shea alone must confront the Lord of Evil without knowledge or hope to guide him.
The Elfstones of Shannara
Ancient, ultimate evil threatened the Elves and the Races of Man. For the Ellcrys, the tree created by long-lost Elven magic, was dying, loosing the spell of Forbidding that locked the hordes of ravening Demons away from Earth. Already the Reaper, most fearsome of Demons, was free. Only one source of protection was powerful enough to stop it: the Elfstones of Shannara.
The Stones and the right to use them belonged to Wil Ohmsford, given him by his grandfather Shea. And now Allanon, legendary Druid guardian of the Races, summoned him from his studies in Storlock to protect Amberle, the Elven girl who must carry a seed of the tree to the mysterious Bloodfire, life-source of earth, there to be quickened and to create a new Ellcrys.
While Allanon and the Elves fight a hopeless war against the emerging multitudes of Demons, Wil and Amberle plunge forward in a seemingly impossible quest for the Bloodfire. Before them lie unknown dangers, impassable barriers, and the savage Wilderun, from which none have ever escaped.
Behind them follows the Reaper. Against it, Wil has the Elfstones -- but he has lost all power to control them. Weaponless, he and Amberle watch as the shadow of the Reaper appears on the trail before them...
Here are valiant companions -- old and new -- awesome foes, wonders, romance... and the ancient mystery of how the Elves survived among the Races of Man.
The Wishsong of Shannara
Horror stalked the Four Lands as the Ildatch, ancient source of evil, stirred to new life. Once it had sought dominion through the Dark Lord and his dread Skull Bearers. Now it sent the ghastly Mord Wraiths out to create war and destroy Mankind.
And again Allanon, legendary Druid protector of the Races, had to seek aid from a descendant of the Elven King Shannara. For Brin, daughter of Wil Ohmsford, held the magic power of the wishsong. To her, it was only something to make plants bloom instantly or to turn trees from summer green to autumn gold. But to Allanon, it was the only means to penetrate the vile growth that protected the Ildatch. Reluctantly, Brin joined the Druid on his perilous journey eastward.
Behind, her younger brother Jair was soon kidnapped by gnomes and also forced eastward. Then finally freed, he learned from the mysterious King of the Silver River that Brin was doomed to fail and die -- unless Jair could somehow reach her in time!
With a strange band of companions, Jair set out -- through the very heart of evil, where death threatened with every step. And ahead, the Ildatch waited, nursing its plans to trap Brin into a fate far more horrible than death!
Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement had promised. But after he purchased it, Ben Holiday learned that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention. The kingdom was in ruin. The Barons refused to recognize a king, and the peasants were without hope. A dragon was laying waste the countryside, while an evil witch plotted to destroy everything. Ben's only followers were the incompetent Court Magician; Abernathy, the talking dog who served as Court Scribe; and the lovely Willow-but she had a habit of putting down roots in the moonlight and turning into a tree. The Paladin, legendary champion of the Kings of Landover, seemed to be only a myth and an empty suit of armor. To put the final touch on the whole affair, Ben soon learned the Iron Mark, terrible lord of demons, had challenged all prospective Kings of Landover to a duel of death-a duel which no human could hope to win. The task of proving his right to be King seemed hopeless. But Ben Holiday was stubborn...
The Black Unicorn
The outcast king
A year had passed since Ben Holiday bought the Magic Kingdom from the wizard Meeks, who had set a series of pitfalls against him. Ben survived, by the aid of three loyal friends: Questor Thews, an illed trained wizard; Abernathy, a talking dog, the court scribe; and the lovely Willow, who sometimes had to be a tree. But Ben had been troubled by dreams of disaster to his former partner, Miles Bennett. Yet when he returned to Earth, Ben found miles doing splendidly. Unknown to ben, the dreams had been a trap by Meeks, who had returned to the Magic Kingdom as a tiny insect hidden in Ben's clothing. That first night back in Landover, Ben awoke to see Meeks gloating over him, claiming to have the medallion that could summon the mysterious knight-protector, the Paladin, and that he had cast a spell to switch appearances with Ben. Ben found himself outcast, no longer recognized by any friend, though all his powerful enemies seemed to know him. Without the medallion, he couldn't seek the help of the Paladin against Meeks. There was only the prism cat-whatever that might be! And where was Willow-and the mysterious black unicorn she'd set out to find?
Wizard At Large
A spell for Abernathy
It all began when the half-able wizard Questor Thews announced that finally he could restore the Court Scribe Abernathy to human form. It was his spell that had turned Abernathy into a Wheaten Terrier-though with hands and able to talk. All went well-untilthe wizard breathed the dust of his magic spell and suddenly sneezed. Then, where Abernathy had stood, there was only a bottle containing a particulary evil imp. It had been in the collection of Michel Ard Rhi, former King of landover, now exiled to Earth. Abernathy must now be a part of that collection! High Lord Ben Holiday set forth for Earth, taking his green but beautiful love, Willow, with him. unfortunately, they were long in returning. And without the soil of Landover to root as a tree at times, Willow could not long survive. That left it up to Questor Thews to save them. Grimly he set out to seek help, knowing himself to be incompetent. And to make things worse, the imp had escaped and sought the help of the evil witch Night shade, now back from exile in Faerie. Questor's only idea seemed impossible, but...
The Tangle Box
Oh, what a tangle web...
Everything should have been quiet and pleasant for Ben Holiday, former Chicago lawyer become sovereign of the Magic Kingdom of Landover. But it wasn't. Horris Kew, cojurer, confidenceman, and trickster, had returned to landover from Ben's own world. Alas, Horris had not returned of his own volition-he had been sent by Gorse, a sorcerer of great evil, whom Horris had unwittingly freed from the magic Tangle Box, where it had long ago been imprisoned by the fairy folk. now it had returned to enslave those who had once dared to condemn it. But first, it woul rid Landoverof all who could stand in its way... Soon Ben found himself imprisoned within the gloom of the Tangle Box, lost in its mists and its labyrinthine ways. the only one who could free Ben from the Tangle Box was the lady Willow. But she had disappeared, was gone from Landover on a mysterious mission of her own...
Witches' Brew
Another Time, Another Place
Former Chicago lawyer Ben Holiday was proud and happy. And why not? The Magic Kingdom of Landover, which he ruled as High Lord, was finally at peace, and he and his wife, the sylph Willow, could watch their daughter Mistaya grow. And grow she did-shooting through infancy in months, learning to walk and swim in the same week. Mistaya had been born a seedling, nourished by soils from Landover, Earth, and the fairy mists, come into being in the dank, misty deadness of the Deep Fell. With dazzling green eyes that cut to the soul, she was as lovely as her mother, and Ben wanted nothing more than to enjoy his daughter's childhood and his peaceful kingdom forever. But his idyll was interupted when Rydall, a king of lands beyond the fairy mist, assembled armies on Lndover's border and threatened to invade unless Ben was able to defeat Rydall's seven champions. Some counseled the High Lord to refuse Rydall's challenge, but Holiday could not, for Mistaya had been snatched from her gaurdians by foul magic. And Rydall held the key to her fate...
Dhampir is a wonderful read with an unexpected twist -- exactly my kind of book. I would like to see this book developed into a series. The characters are interesting and it is easy to care about them. When you reach the end, you feel rather let down because you want it to continue, even though this is a lengthy book when compared to the "average" mainstream novel. It has 374 pages.
This is the story of a woman who found an easier way to earn a living. Magiere's mother died during her birth. Her father disappeared with her mother's sister. She never knew him and could not learn anything about him except that he had a bad reputation among many villagers as an evil person.
Magiere left home at a young age and learned to depend upon herself for survival. After almost starving to death twice, she figured out a way to prey upon the villagers' superstitions. She would enter a town and explain that she was a vampire hunter. She would rid their village of the evil beings that caused death but it would cost them an extreme price. Her scheme became quite elaborate, with fake blood and battle wounds.
When a half-elf named Leesil attempts to steal her pack, she cuts him in on her scheme. He will play the evil vampire. They stage mock battles for the villagers and quickly move on their way once Magiere collects the payment.
Things work well for them for four years, but Magiere grows tired of traveling and being forced to steal away in the night. She has been saving money and watching for a place to settle down. Her real estate agent locates a pub and makes all the arrangements for her to buy it. She plans to do one last job before telling Leesil that she's quitting the scam. But a real vampire spots Magiere coming through the village and attacks her, forcing her to kill him. His fellow vampires want revenge and her troubles really begin. The fakery is over and Magiere finds she is forced to deal with the real thing. Worst of all, the vampires live in the same village where Magiere has purchased the pub. She unknowingly traveled straight into their lair.
I cannot tell you anything more without ruining the book for you. There are several subplots woven into the primary story. This book offers it all: mystery, suspense, romance, intrigue, humor and even a brave wolf dog to love. It will keep you turning pages and anxiously seeking answers to all its mysteries. In the end, things are resolved to satisfaction but left in ideal condition for a sequel. If you like a good vampire or strong suspense story, get a copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait to read more.
Barb and J.C. Hendee are both college English teachers and published writers. They have worked together before, but this is their first full-length novel collaboration. Barb is the author of Blood Memories.
For a thousand years the Acharites have lived prosperous lives, protected by vast insurmountable mountains and the powerful Seneschal, guardians of the mysterious Way of the Plow and intermediaries with the great god Artor.
But now Achar's security is threatened as a millennia-old prophecy predicting the return of the Forbidden Ones flares into life. An unnatural winter grips the land as the Ice Lord Gorgrael moves his armies of demonic wraiths and IceWorms south. Achar crumbles under Gorgrael's murderous onslaught: it seems that no one can stop him.
Faraday, betrothed of Achar's War Lord, Duke Borneheld, is as frightened as everyone else. While fleeing to safety with Axis, legendary leader of the Axe-Wielders and hated half-brother of Borneheld, Faraday learns that all she has been taught about her people's history has been based on lies. Leaving the company of Axis - a man she secretly loves, although it would mean his death to reveal it - Faraday embarks on a journey that will forever change both her life and those of her people.
The Wayfarer Redemption is the beginning of an epic fantasy about honor, family, and love: of Faraday's fight for one man's love, and their struggles to free the people from the lies that have bound them... and lead them into the truth of the Star Gate.
The Brotherhood under Artor suspected The Forbidden had returned, the evidence reaching from the frontier regions of Achar in the Retreat of Gorkentown to Ravesbund to the northern Ichtar to Smyrton. None were left untouched. The first few chapters of The Wayfarer Redemption by Australian author Sara Douglass relate the history of the Axis Trilogy from the backstory to the present day troubles. King Priam is stuck between his two warring nephews, one he refuses to claim but leads the AxeWielders, the other who shall inherit the kingdom. Meanwhile, Brother-Leader Jayme fears the worse after listening to the reports coming in from the surrounding retreats.
When Jayme sends Axis to the Silent Woman's Keep in an attempt to uncover the mysteries falling at their doorstep, strange and unbelievable things begin to happen. In the midst of the trouble are the Sentinels who have walked the paths waiting for the Prophecy to come to life. Little did they know their champion would be a part of the royal Seneschal, carrying hatred toward the magic residing dormant within his soul.
Ironically, not far from Axis is a woman named Faraday. This is the woman who has the power to save his life. But to save his life, she must wed Borneheld and risk losing the man of her dreams. Only then can the darkness be held at bay until Axis is strong enough to take his rightful place. Duke Borneheld wants the kingdom at any price. He feels the Prophecy is directed at him and he would be the one to unite the lands. The Forbidden continually stalk the troops with numerous men dying. As word of the Prophecy spreads, Borneheld's troops begin to rally behind the BattleAxe for they believe that Axis is the one who will unite the races to save mankind.
The other main player is Tree Friend -- also called Lady Faraday. During the passing of time, Faraday realizes the truth of her love lies elsewhere as the tragic beginnings of all she knew were outright lies. Desperate to be with Axis but knowing she must fulfill her part of the Prophecy, Lady Faraday marries Borneheld.
The lies. The betrayals. The Acharites had deceived their people into believing all other races were the Forbidden. Yet things have a way of setting right what once went wrong. The Wayfarer Redemption is just the beginning of this quest to uniting peace throughout the lands. Douglass magically weaves together hatred, scorn, love, and the desire for freedom.
ok- here's one not of the fantasy genre. "Down from Basswood" by Lynn Maria Laitala. An easy read about the Finnish immigrants and Chippewa Indians in northern Minnesota, how they mixed in the rugged lands and cold climes! it'll help you all appreciate every little thing you have!
Anything by Dean Koontz (though I'm sure everyone's read atleast one)
Also Richard Laymon (a fantastic and underrated author, though his books are often a little twisted)
I'd like to re-recommend Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice, as it's a great story which plays strongly on the concepts of heaven and hell.
And also The Devil's Teardrop by Jeffrey Deaver (or any of Deaver's books... he's the man who wrote the book that the Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington was based on).
None of these are fantasy either... but I enjoyed them.
1984 by George Orwell
This book changed the way I look at life. We were forced to read it in high school and I skipped most of it. I guess I was too young to have it sink in. I read it later when I turned 30, and twice since then. It's a mean disheartening book, but it has a uncanny insight into the way people think and the mind games they play with themselves.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
The world wiped out from Nuclear War. Future man trying to move on. This was another book we read in high school, but this one I got right away. It to is about religion and government and the future of mankind. It's mildly depressing to read, but it too is written with characters that act and feel like people in real life.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
A ten part book series (and more to come) about a messiah figure who must save the world from the "dark one", or all will perish. The twist is that he has done this 1000's of times before and always defeats the dark one, but then he goes crazy and destroys everyone close to him. Time keeps repeating over and over, time is a great wheel that turns.
The current messiah figure, who is named Rand Al'Thor, must try to defeat the dark one and hope against hope that he can somehow break the cycle.
The Stand by Stephen King
another end of the world book. awesome book, excellent. It could do with some editing out of some over the top gross out stuff that happens every now and again, but if you can get past some of the shock jock nastiness that may last half a page or two every now and again, it really is a book filled with hope.
The engines of God by Jack McDevvit
It's got a slow start, but it picks up and turns into one of those books you have a hard time putting down, even when you have to work the next day and it's 2 in the morning. You think, just one more page.
Do androids dream of electric sheep by Philip Dick
I read this one cause it had a "Blade Runner" title. It was nothing like the movie. This is a fasinating book filled with stuff going on that I still don't understand to this day. It is a good read. Another end of the world book, with the remnant of humantiy trying to move on.
The Tommy Knockers by Stephen King
A woman digs up an alien ship in the woods and a gas like film on it's surface starts to transfer the town into an alien species. Some are resistant to it and fight it. A good vrs evil tale that like the Stand, has some shock jock stuff in it, but an excellent read.
Yeah, 1984 - great book.
Try Salman Rushdie's 'Shame'. I'm just reading it... It's a funny story about Pakistan. About life there, corruption, people, their beliefs... described thru a story about two families. Fantastic.
Then there's a Finnish writer Mika Waltari who had written a lot of books but for beginning his 'Dark Angel' is fantastic. it's a book about downfall of Istanbole - or Constantinopolis on the beginning of the story...
And i gotta say i just managed to read 'A midsummer-night's dream' and it's fabulous.
I just finished reading an old book, called Neuromancer by William Gibson, it is an old book, 1970-something i think, but it is "The Matrix" movies sort of, it has a computer called the Matrix which runs everything and a place called Zion and heaps of stuff similar to the movies.
I wonder if anyone else has read it and had as much trouble understanding it as I did. I felt as though I was reading the "Reader's Digest" condensed version or something because it seemed to have a lot of gaps and a lot of stuff that didn't make sense or things that weren't explained.
Even so, it was an interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone.
I loved Sidney Sheldon's books!!!! My favorite was... Master of the Game!!! OH man... that book absolutely rocked, as far as I'm concerned!!! He is a superb writer!!
Originally posted by gaboman I'd just like to suggest a couple of books
Anything by Dean Koontz (though I'm sure everyone's read atleast one)
Also Richard Laymon (a fantastic and underrated author, though his books are often a little twisted)
I'd like to re-recommend Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice, as it's a great story which plays strongly on the concepts of heaven and hell.
And also The Devil's Teardrop by Jeffrey Deaver (or any of Deaver's books... he's the man who wrote the book that the Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington was based on).
None of these are fantasy either... but I enjoyed them.
Dude, I camei nto this forum just to suggest Dean Koontz. Looks like you beat me to it. Great minds think alike.
KJ - I read all the Shannara books - was really into it as a teen. I loved the detail into which Brooks would go on scenery as I'm a very visual person. His writing always painted a vivid picture for me. Tried out the Magic Kingdom series and after 3 or 4 attempts on the first book I finally forced myself to finish it. Hated it, never went back to Brooks again. Though I was amused to find out that he wrote the novel version of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace for George Lucas.
If you're into sci/fi fantasy at all, you have to check out Piers Anthony if you haven't already. Very light hearted, much easier read, fantastic subtle humor. Pick up any one of them, they're all great, and generally unrelated to one another.
I also got into Allan Dean Foster a bit when I learned that he wrote the novel Alien on which the movie was based. I recalled the film being awfully gripping so tried the book and it was even scarier because you don't have that realtime fulfillment in under two hours. the suspense is crazy. Another book of his that I read was called "Sentenced to Prism" which was an amusing relation of a planet whose lifeforms are silicon-based (rather than carbon-based as here on Earth), and so things which appear to be inanimate crystalline structure may really be a moving, breathing animal - and these things FEED on carbon-based matter! So it's a pretty frightful place for a humanoid to be.
Another sci/fi book, REAL short (~ 200 pages?) that I want to try and find to read again was called The Veils of Azlaroc by Fred Saberhagen (out of print now). It's the story of a space traveller who visits a popular tourist pit planet called Azlaroc which is an amusing place because the planet is subject to the passage of "veils" which fall over the planet from some source in space. Once a veil falls over the planet, anything beneath the veil is "trapped" and essentially bonded with the planet, may never leave. An interesting side effect is that the more veils that separate any given object, the more difficult that object becomes to see & hear as if it is slowly fading from existence. The story begins to take shape when the traveller accidentally oversleeps, his tourist ship leaves without him and he is stuck on the planet as the next veil descends. So he spends his time determined to discover a method to escape the veil which is interesting because of course the greatest expertise on the planet are those who have been their the longest, but of course through so many veils over time, he can barely communicate with them as they're nearly phased out of his dimensional awareness completely. The thing ends up in some really wild Space Odyssey area that was well over my head as a teen, but I'd like to go back and give it another go now.
OH, ALSO: http://www.abebooks.com/ <- outstanding! (Hard to find and out of print books. Also services UK, Germany & France.
Wow, Sean... thank's for all the book recommendations!
I went to that link and found The Veils of Azlaroc for $1.00
That's a great price...
Wonder if I can find it in an old book store here?
I liked the Magic Kingdom for Sale series, but, I couldn't get through the 4th book. I think that I had just read them all, back to back, and it was too much for me.
All those books sound great, and I'm going to look in to getting those.
Great thing we have libraries, so that I can check them out. I could end up in the poor house (not that I'm not already there) if I bought every book that I wanted.
I have a few books from Oprah's book club, only by coincidence, I have not sought them out or anything. I have found most of them to be good reads and entertaining books.
But I wonder - is it a coincidence that all my Oprah Book Club books are about slavery or persucution of blacks, etc? I don't watch Oprah, so I don't follow the Club, but I just noticed that all my OBC Books are about blacks in some way.
Is this what Oprah does, pushes "black" books on to people?
Oprah recommends books that mean something to her personally. Since she is black, books about blacks appeal to her more. That is why there is a coincidence.
Sorry if anyone else mentioned it before, but I'm just reading a book by Douglas Adams, "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", and it's absolutely brilliant! It's very funny and has a very interesting story - totally not just-another-science-fiction-book. Recommended!
Maja88 said this in post #47 : Sorry if anyone else mentioned it before, but I'm just reading a book by Douglas Adams, "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", and it's absolutely brilliant! It's very funny and has a very interesting story - totally not just-another-science-fiction-book. Recommended!
OMG I have not read that since high school, I loved it, I remember it being very very good, but I don't remember much about it. Just that the meaning of life was "33" and that everyone used to go around saying it and before i read the book I had no idea what they meant so I read the book. It was great.
I've mentioned Harlan Coben in another thread, but his novels 'Tell No One' and 'Gone For Good' kick way too much ass. Mystery/suspense all the way. I recommend.
I'm currently reading "Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart - very colorful story-teller. He seems to specialize his writings on the orient, especially China. I enjoy reading about eastern cultures, especially through folklore, and though I'm partly jaded that Hughart is just some American white-boy who is inspired having spent some time over-seas, I think his style is quite clever, he spins a great, well-thought tale, provides a perfect amount of detail when it comes to background information pertinent to the story, draws upon a fancy vocabulary (refreshing! ), and succeeds in transporting the reader to another time and place. Though written through the eyes of a westerner, his eastern tales are still most enjoyable, and I intend to pick up the other two books in this series to see where he goes next.
i like reading about history and war, especially WWII. i read this one book called War of The Rats and its the story of Stalingrad and the fight against the German invasion. if anybody has seen the movie Enemy at The Gates and really enjoyed it, then they should read this book. it goes in depth farther and is more detailed than the movie. i also just finished Fallen Angels which is about Vietnam. right now im reading Band of Brothers.
if anybody would like to recommend anything to me im all ears and would check it out.
I want to recommend Sara Douglass to you. She writes scifi/fantasy books.
Sara is from Australia, and wrote her books and they became popular, and then she hit the US. So, I got the advantage of reading the Axis Trilogy after it was already complete.
The Wayfarer Redemption or Battle Axe
One young woman, Faraday, betrothed of Duke Borneheld, learns that all she has been told about her people's history is untrue. Her land lies in the grip of a millennia-old prophecy pronounced by the Forbiden Ones. Gorgrael, the ice-lord, drives south with his demonic frozen army and the ancient Forbidden threaten to once more bring her people under their tyrannical rule.
Fleeing to safety from the dangerous land, Faraday rides with Axis, legendary leader of the Axe-Wielders--and hated half-brother of Borneheld. Faraday secretly loves Axis, although it would be death to admit it. She embarks on a journey, which will change her life forever, in search of the true nature of her people.
This grand and heroic story tells the tale of one woman's struggle to learn the truth and change the hearts and minds of her people forever. She fights against oppressive forces and will not desist until everyone knows the truth of the Star Gate.
Enchanter
The stunning sequel to The Wayfarer Redemption
Axis is a true hero, in every sense of the word. On his shoulders lies the double burden of prophecy and war. Having fulfilled the first part of the prophecy by becoming the StarMan, he now must reunite the three races inhabiting his world.
It is his destiny to lead an army against his evil half-brother, to regain control of Tencendor, once the greatest land in the world.
It is his destiny to be caught between the two women he loves, one the epitome of gentility, beauty, and intelligence, the other a fierce warrior with a cunning wit.
And it is his destiny to be thwarted at every turn by the vicious Goragel, an insane monster bent on destroying all that Axis works to preserve . . .
Enchanter is the riveting sequel to Sara Douglass's spell-binding first novel The Wayfarer Redemption, and winner of the 1996 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. Sara Douglass has taken America by storm with this powerful tale of love, prophecy, battles, and revenge.
StarMan
Axis is the Starman of Prophecy and legend, destined to lead the three races of his world to unite as one people. The people of his world all know the Prophecy of the Destroyer, despite the failed attempts of the Seneschal to suppress it in the name of the god Artor the Ploughman, and it predicts and dictates Axis's path through war and destruction to the creation of Tencendor.
The Prophecy foretold that Axis would defeat his half-brother and lay claim to the land that Tencendor will be created upon. The Prophecy told of the traitor in Axis's camp -- Faradays champion, Timozel.
And the Prophecy foretold many a choice that Axis must make in order to fulfill his destiny . . . but neglected to mention the choice between the beautiful and courageous Faraday, his late half-brother's wife, and the feisty and hauntingly enchanting Azhure.
To Faraday, he had pledged his love and a place by his side as ruler of Tencendor; to Azhure, he had given his children, his time, and his devotion.
His love for both women is what the last twist of the Prophecy relies on. While Azhure explores her newfound powers as an Icarii Enchantress, and Faraday replants the ancient forests of the Mother, the evil Gorgrael is plotting Axis's downfall, invading the sky with ice and terror and the flesh-hungry Gryphons. His most daring move is to follow prophecy, to taunt Axis with the pain of his beloved.
But which beloved woman will Gorgrael choose . . . and will she be the one whose death will distract Axis from saving the world?
I wish I could appreciate Fantasy novels again. Ever since I finished the Shanara series, I've tried picking up books from other authors only to find them lacking in substance, or covering the same old, same old with different names and faces.
And authors who make up hard-to-pronounce names drive me up the wall. "I am Throglwnn-ee, leader of the High Command and heir to the Stones of Elvish Power.." - whatever
Aside from Tolkein's works, what's out there containing Elves and Magic, but which contains true depth, thought, and clever writing style?
I'll recommend a couple novels that I've read that were really good: John Wyndham's The Chrysalids; and George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty Four (best book I've read yet).
All works by J.R.R. Tolkien are wonderful as are the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
The Witching Hour, Lasher, Taltos by Anne Rice. Wonderful and spooky story of the Mayfair witches. Wonderful. She also wrote Servant Of The Bones that is quite good.
The Stand by Stephen King. Still one of my favorites.
OMG I have not read that since high school, I loved it, I remember it being very very good, but I don't remember much about it. Just that the meaning of life was "33" and that everyone used to go around saying it and before i read the book I had no idea what they meant so I read the book. It was great.
The meaning of life in Hitchhikers Guide is '42'
My top three books of all time would probably be:
1. LOTR - Tolkein
2. Rainbow Six - Tom Clancy (absolutely amazing book - should be made into a film, would thoroughly reccommend it to anyone with a similar character to TearUUp )
3. The Beach - Alex Garland (also an incredible book, the film just doesn't do it justice at all!!)
Ann Rice: The Witching Hour and all the sequels to it, such as Taltos, and others .....great witch stories....this might be one that you might enjoy if you havent already read it! Definitely start with The Witching Hour...its over 1000 pages long but it is really good. It starts out in a time long ago and moves up to the present day...its about the history of a family of witches....really good!!!
Mystic ..........
Did you catch my posts (first one is #29) over in Fuscia's [Anne Rice Books] thread?
I've read some reviews of a couple of her latest books that suggest to me that she is merging the vampire storyline with the Mayfair witches storyline. Have you read any of her latest books (since 2000)?
Man, that is a classic book, I love the idea of the Babble fish
Might I suggest an Author (Australian), named "Matthew Reilly"? He writes some pretty action packed books, 'Scarecrow' being his latest.
They're all gold, if you ask me.
The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Volume 1 = Dragon Wing
Volume 2 = Elven Star
Volume 3 = Fire Sea
Volume 4 = Serpent Mage
Volume 5 = The Hand of Chaos
Volume 6 = Into the Labyrinth
Volume 7 = The Seventh Gate
I have only started the 4th volume today but these are great books so far. Give them a chance and I think you will like them. (I have read the first 3 books in about 3 weeks, very good books )
The Darksword Trilogy is also by these authors and I have only read one of these books but I enjoyed it very much.
the continuence of Margret Mitchell's gone with the wind
I recomend all her books.... well, except "New Orleans Legacy" it's abit depressing and dull.... and completely devoid of all human feelings..... well, lacking in..... not completely devoid but you take my meaning.
Here are some books that I have read and thouroughly enjoyed.
- The Stand by Steven King
- Swan Song by Robert McCammon (another apocolypse story)
- Band of Brothers by Steven Ambrose
- The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brian
- War and Remembrance by Herman Woulk
- The Divinci Code by Dan Brown
- 'Salem's Lot (classic Steven King horror)
And now for the series that I am reading now. It is written by Steven King (yes I am a fan) and is called The Dark Tower. I recommend this series to any fantasy reader. Don't be discouraged by the first book though. Yes it is strange and hard to push yourself through (he started it when he was 19, so the writing style is different) but the last 30 or so pages make up for it. It's hard to understand because the first book starts in the MIDDLE of the story, not at the beginning. The fourth book contains a 500 page flashback that fills in a very large gap.
It's an interesting mishmash of many things, with a very interesting quest for something that is very mysterious and all-powerful. Long series, but so far it's been great.
THE AMONG THE HIDDEN BOOKS!!!!!!! very good....there are lots
among the hidden
among the betrayed
among the imposters
among the brave-just came out 2 days ago!
its about a place where people can only have 2 kids...
The story is about the third kid of a family, and how he has to hide from the government and stuff...(thats the among the hidden)
the rest are about his life as he grows up....they are really really really good books...
you know, i really dont remember who the author is....my books are at my moms house...(parents are divorced) I'll have to check and get back to you on that...
Anything by Nicholas Sparks! That is, if you're into romance... They're amazing books, and each one of them that he's written so far have made me cry! Definately my favorite author.
DEAD SOULS by GOGOL , 4 those who wanna be diferent (none of the people i know read it till it's end) also anything by BULGAKOV ( when they tried 2 make a movie on one of his books, in Russia, every thing went upside down... their films were lots of times ruined.... it's like someone outthere didn't want this movie 2 exist.....)
hatchjaw said this in post #77 : I'll second that Bulgakov recommendation, The Master and Margarita is just wonderful. Is that the one they were trying to make into a movie?
Yes, that's the one.... Here's another interesting story about this movie: when they've almost finished it, it's director was driving his car in Moscow and sudenly a terrifing accident happened 'n he almost got killed. When he got out off his damaged car 'n looked up, right in front of him was the house where Bulgakov lived 'n he saw it's portret right in front of his face..... After Bulgacov's death this director was a good friend (almost the only 1) of the writer's wife, so who knows, maybe he was gelous or smth 'n that's why he tried 2 kill him.....
I loved all the Leon Uris books you recommended but was surprised that you skipped "Exodus" about the Jews (modern day) making their way out from under English rule to sail to Israel and establish their homeland. It's fiction, but the history is accurate. Very, very compelling.
I have to recommend a book I read nearly ten years ago. It's one of those unforgettable books. I think it may be responsible for my obsession with Anthropology and the reason I study the discipline.
It's called Neanderthal, and I can't for the life of me remember the author's name. But it's a really good read. Despite its name, it is a work of fiction.
Some of my other favorite books are
- Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
- The Doors of Perception, by Aldous Huxley (Essay)
- The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
- A Child's night Dream, by Oliver Stone (his first novel)
- Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood
- Beautiful Losers, by Leonard Cohen A+
There was also a book in the mid '90's called the Celestine Prophecy. It's very simplistic, but it's an excellent introduction to philosophical thinking.
there are so many other great books I've read, but my mind isn't working very well at this hour. I'll post again when I think of them.
One of my favorites "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCort. It's actually an autobiography. Following that was "Tis" . It's a sequel. Growing up poor in Ireland was a truly hard life. Babies die for lack of warmth and nourishing food while the parents always have their cigarettes and the father has his alcohol whenever a few pennies finds its way into their "home." A really interesting (sometimes depressing) read.
Hmmmm....there are so many good books that I'll not even try to say all the ones I like.
LOTR series
Harry Potter series
Hitchhiker's Guide series
My Teacher Fried My Brains series (Is it a trilogy?)
The Music of the Dolphins
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Treasure Island
Kidnapped
Princess Bride
Eragon (And I'm sure Eldest, too, but I've not started it yet)
A few select books from the Royal Diaries series: Victoria, Anastasia, Elizabeth (not to be confused with Elisabeth), Kazunomiya, Lady of Ch'iao Kuo, Eleanor, Cleapatra, and Jahanara.
The short story All Summer in a Day. It'll make you cry every time you read it, but it's so wonderfully written.
