Recommend me a new book to read

[Doggiedog]

The Mote in God's Eye is an interesting book but very dated. It was probably quite revolutionary when it came out but when they started talking about tape drives and such it didn't seem to fit in with the current version of what the future might be like.

 

[shortylickens]

I'll give the same recommendation as every other time that question is asked: A book on grammar.

 

[DaveJ]

Originally posted by: Xanis
I just picked up two books last week: "The Stand" and "On the Road". Reading the second one right now... pretty damn good.

I hope you got the Uncut edition of The Stand, it's much better than the original IMO. Great book.

 

[coloumb]

Physics of the Impossible. It will make you realize just how long we have to go until everything you see in Star Trek becomes a reality [which will probably be in about 5000 years].

 

[Kadarin]

Peter F. Hamilton - Pandora's Star / Judas Unchained

Follow that up with The Dreaming Void.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm liking the first book in the Mars Trilogy (Red/Green/Blue Mars) by Kim Stanley Robinson. They're thick though, and they have tiny print. I think Red Mars is something like 550 pages.

 

[acheron]

Originally posted by: Pheran

Originally posted by: mundane
Altered Carbon
Fallen Dragon
Consider Phlebas
The Dreaming Void
Anathem
The Scar
Neverwhere
Souls in the Great Machine
The Dark Tower (series)
Neuromancer
Snow Crash

Based on his description of his preferences, Iain Banks is not a good recommendation. I haven't read most of the others you list, except Snow Crash, which is fun but also possibly too esoteric for him.

Man, if you think Snow Crash is esoteric, wait until you read Anathem.

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: DaveJ

Originally posted by: Xanis
I just picked up two books last week: "The Stand" and "On the Road". Reading the second one right now... pretty damn good.

I hope you got the Uncut edition of The Stand, it's much better than the original IMO. Great book.

I have no idea if it's uncut, but it's a big fucking book.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: DaveJ

Originally posted by: Xanis
I just picked up two books last week: "The Stand" and "On the Road". Reading the second one right now... pretty damn good.

I hope you got the Uncut edition of The Stand, it's much better than the original IMO. Great book.

it's pretty hard to find the original nowadays unless you specific search for it.

 

[ModerateRepZero]

Bourne Trilogy - Bourne Identity, Bourne Ultimatum, Bourne Supremacy (there are books that continue afterward but aren't written by Robert Ludlum)

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks)

Term Limits - Vince Flynn

Transfer of Power - Vince Flynn (Part 1 of a series of books focused on CIA operative Mitch Rapp)

I'm also a fan of Andrew Britton, David Baldacci (esp Oliver Stone/Camel Club series)and Lee Child (Jack Reacher books)

 

[DaveJ]

Originally posted by: Xanis

Originally posted by: DaveJ

Originally posted by: Xanis
I just picked up two books last week: "The Stand" and "On the Road". Reading the second one right now... pretty damn good.

I hope you got the Uncut edition of The Stand, it's much better than the original IMO. Great book.

I have no idea if it's uncut, but it's a big fucking book.

If it's ~1100 pages, it's the uncut edition. The original was only about 700 pages.

 

[Pheran]

Originally posted by: acheron

Originally posted by: Pheran

Originally posted by: mundane
Altered Carbon
Fallen Dragon
Consider Phlebas
The Dreaming Void
Anathem
The Scar
Neverwhere
Souls in the Great Machine
The Dark Tower (series)
Neuromancer
Snow Crash

Based on his description of his preferences, Iain Banks is not a good recommendation. I haven't read most of the others you list, except Snow Crash, which is fun but also possibly too esoteric for him.

Man, if you think Snow Crash is esoteric, wait until you read Anathem.

It's not the most esoteric stuff I've read (Greg Egan might win that one), but it's out there.

 

[angminas]

Dune - Frank Herbert. A bit slow to start, especially if you don't have a long history of reading, but hang in there. Just a phenomenally built book. The sci-fi version of LOTR.

Shogun - James Clavell. One of the most interesting books I've ever read. Are you interested in feudal Japan? Over 1200 pages, but went pretty quickly. Not phenomenatastically historically accurate, but still fun.

Planet of Exile - Ursula K. Le Guin. Le Guin is my favorite author, though I don't agree with all of her philosophies. It's hard to say what's so great about her books, because it's often not what is there, but what isn't there. A true grandmaster. You should also check out A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness.

Neuromancer - William Gibson. If you're not familiar with this book, you will be simply astounded at its clarity of vision. Sci-fi owes much to this work.

Tigana - Guy Gavriel Kay. The best single-volume fantasy novel I've ever read. The most balanced novel I've ever read. Life, love, blood, steel, vengeance, honor, sacrifice, and your soul staring back at you with the pitiless understanding of who you are and what you have done.

Have Space Suit, Will Travel - Robert Heinlein. Again, I don't agree with Heinlein philosophically, but you can learn a lot from his books. This one has a young adult tone but is far richer than most similar works. One of the best ever written in its class.

Enemy at the Gates - William Craig. A non-fiction account of the Battle of Stalingrad, probably the largest battle in the history of mankind, and one of the most important. Thoroughly researched and humanely written. This is what war is really like.

His Needs, Her Needs - Willard Harley. Many things about love and marriage that you never even thought of. Great understanding of the dynamics of love and how to make a marriage work. The basics can be applied to any human relationship. Probably the most important book on this list, or 99.99% of book lists, for that matter.

 

[zebano]

Originally posted by: lizardth
I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I'm reading the second book now. The first book is very fast paced the 2nd seems not as much. The main character is a girl, and sometimes her inner monologue might be a bit boring for a guy.

Uggg, tell me about it. A co-worker and I trade book recommendations all the time and she loved these but I can't empathize well with the female monologue. Elizabeth Hayden and Anne Bishop (?) are similarly bad. She did help me discover Robin Hobb however, so all is forgiven =)

I recommend:

Book of the New Sun Gene Wolfe
The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb


I second the previous recommendations of :
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Erickson
A Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
The Dark Tower - King
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson (Zodiac, and The Diamond Age are also excellent)
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (American Gods is also highly recommended)
Hyperion - Simmons


I'll also throw Memory, Sorrow & Thorn by Tad Williams out there (the first book is the DragonBone Chair). I rather liked these but don't like any other works by Mr. Williams

 

[surfsatwerk]

Originally posted by: Cabages
Hyperion

Best book I've read in a long time. The author is a master of his craft.

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: surfsatwerk

Originally posted by: Cabages
Hyperion

Best book I've read in a long time. The author is a master of his craft.

Return to Hyperion was not even close to being as good. It felt like he rushed it or sold out. It was still an interesting book though. Did answer a lot of questions.