I have received books on tape my whole life, and have read literally thousands of books by hundreds of authors. every once in while like now I start drawing a blank on what turned to next. I read a lot of science fiction, read two science fiction journals a month, along with the common adventure stories, some true life adventures, and some historical novels preferably those written in the time period about which they portray. I will read just about anything if I can be convinced is worth reading. I haven't read a whole lot of contemporary novels by which I mean the high end intellectual variety but wouldn't mind getting into this.
I have a few minor restrictions one the books must've been in print a year and a half to two years for them to be in the braille Institute reference category. from which I'm allowed to choose books freely and at no cost.
Second I am only able to read in English and do not as a habit but for no particular reason read very many translations, help her feel free to give suggestions in this gene.
Third I am politically conservative and generally do not I just get annoyed by stories author's themes which have an excessively liberal bent.
Thank you for any and all suggestions I just read so many books so quickly that sometimes I run out of ideas more quickly than I can come up with new books and authors, and unfortunately I have fallen into a rut of reading every available book by my favorite authors and not making much in an attempt to branch out.
Thanks for any and all advice and suggestions
I need help finding new authors and books to read.
Two that I can think of are Starship Troopers (assuming you haven't already read it), and a book titled Labyrinths, which is a collection of some of Jorge Luis Borges' short stories translated into English.
Will
"No one wants to look the fool. Everyone does the best they can. If they knew better, they'd do better" - old woman on the railway tracks to Sal.
Avatar by Datan!
"No one wants to look the fool. Everyone does the best they can. If they knew better, they'd do better" - old woman on the railway tracks to Sal.
Avatar by Datan!
-
Puyallupknifegu
- Member
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 1:20 am
- Location: Puyallup, WA
- Contact:
Hard to make any recommendations without any knowledge of what you have or haven't already read. I just finished reading all of the Dune books again... so if you haven't put those away, I would highly recommend them. Before that, I read all the Hitchhikers Guide books, also highly recommended. Anything by Asimov or Heinlein is bound to be good, but thats a given. You might check out the Berserker series by Fred Saberhagen, or for some good adventure novels you could read anything by H Rider Haggard.
Orson Scott Card has some truly great works... I particularly liked the Enders Game series. Phillip K. Dick is great, so is Will Nolan (he wrote Logan's Run). If you haven't picked up Steven King's Dark Tower series... I would recommend that as well. Even if you hate Steven King, you might like that series. Along that vein, there are also the Richard Bachman books (Steven King adopted that as a pseudonym for a while). The best one, in my opinion, was The Running Man (don't judge it by the crappy Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, the novel is way different). If you are looking for entertaining pulp, I'd suggest Micheal Stackpole and Robert Jordan.
Of course, there are always the classics... never hurts to go back to those every now and again. Robert Louis Stevenson and James Fenimore Cooper for adventure novels, Jules Verne and H. G. Wells for sci fi. I find that anything you loved once, you will find new value in on a reexamination.
That's pretty much all I can think of off hand anyway... hopefully I helped at least a bit, best of luck!
Orson Scott Card has some truly great works... I particularly liked the Enders Game series. Phillip K. Dick is great, so is Will Nolan (he wrote Logan's Run). If you haven't picked up Steven King's Dark Tower series... I would recommend that as well. Even if you hate Steven King, you might like that series. Along that vein, there are also the Richard Bachman books (Steven King adopted that as a pseudonym for a while). The best one, in my opinion, was The Running Man (don't judge it by the crappy Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, the novel is way different). If you are looking for entertaining pulp, I'd suggest Micheal Stackpole and Robert Jordan.
Of course, there are always the classics... never hurts to go back to those every now and again. Robert Louis Stevenson and James Fenimore Cooper for adventure novels, Jules Verne and H. G. Wells for sci fi. I find that anything you loved once, you will find new value in on a reexamination.
That's pretty much all I can think of off hand anyway... hopefully I helped at least a bit, best of luck!
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
- Theodore Roosevelt
"I twisted the knife until I heard his heart-strings sing."
- Jim Bowie concerning Maj. Norris Wright
- Theodore Roosevelt
"I twisted the knife until I heard his heart-strings sing."
- Jim Bowie concerning Maj. Norris Wright
-
druid
- Member
- Posts: 930
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: The western edge of north America
I feel like I've read anything everything I would consider reading that I know about far too many to elucidate but I have read the Dune series, Isaac Asimov's foundation novels, some of the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy books, starship troopers a lot of Robert Silverberg stuff, everything by Stephen King you can get including most of the Bachman books all of the Dean koonz novels I could get except for a few of the early ones which style I don't like quite as much. lots of Terry Pratchett Disk World Series the lion the witch and the wardrobe series, Lord of the rings trilogy, probably most of the most well-known science-fiction novels but some might have slipped through the cracks, so far I've gotten more than half a dozen good leads despite all of that, the braille Institute free matter for blind and dyslexic's will be opening an online library style browser soon just in time because I'm just about out of ideas and books so so it will be good to have some new names to browse with.Jordan wrote:Hard to make any recommendations without any knowledge of what you have or haven't already read.
A few of my favorite novels and authors Terry Pratchett, a book called shootout at the know K. corral by an author whose name I cannot pronounce through the system. The left hand of darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, fear nothing and seize the night to related novels by Dean Koontz his best writing I believe. a book called sick puppy by another I can remember my name at the moment. I just finished reading a book called Man plus which is interesting because it was science fiction written about 20 years ago about the very near future and has many interesting anachronisms as well as a good storyline.
why
#2432
#2432
Sci Fi? Um, I would say anything by Michael Crichton, he writes fiction so believable that it could be fact. Maybe start with jurassic park, or airframe was good too.
A different author that dosen't really do sci fi but can write a real attention grabbing book is Harlan Coben. Definately start out with Just One Look. He writes with a lot of suspense and dosen't overload with facts or details, just a great author to keep you interested.
A different author that dosen't really do sci fi but can write a real attention grabbing book is Harlan Coben. Definately start out with Just One Look. He writes with a lot of suspense and dosen't overload with facts or details, just a great author to keep you interested.
Sick Puppy was by Carl Hiaasen, anything by him will elicit smiles from me on a dark day and guffaws when the sun shines. Another is the John Dortmunder series by Donald Westlake which affirm Murphy's law applies to petty criminals. I hope you have sampled the Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston novels (Relic, Reliquary, The Cabinet of Curiosities); agent Pendergast is so danm cool.
.><CHINOOK*>
-
Firefighter880
- Member
- Posts: 453
- Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:22 am
- Location: USA
Hi Druid,
From what you've listed, it sounds like you like a lot of the same authors and styles that I do. So, you might like some of the other stuff that I do. As for suggestions, you might try The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Nelson DeMille is another good author - try The Charm School or The General's Daughter. And, of course, anything by Tom Clancy.
:spyder:
From what you've listed, it sounds like you like a lot of the same authors and styles that I do. So, you might like some of the other stuff that I do. As for suggestions, you might try The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Nelson DeMille is another good author - try The Charm School or The General's Daughter. And, of course, anything by Tom Clancy.
:spyder:
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]
[CENTER]"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." [/CENTER]
Current Spyders: Civilian, Matriarch, Endura 3 CE, Endura 4 CE, Endura 4 SE, SS Endura 4 SE, Lava, Manix CE
Spyders of the Past: ATR, BlackHawk, Bob Lum Tanto, Chinook 3, Dodo, Gunting, Karambit, Lil Temp, Manix PE, Para Mili, Ronin, Yojimbo, Mili, Native
[CENTER]"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." [/CENTER]
Current Spyders: Civilian, Matriarch, Endura 3 CE, Endura 4 CE, Endura 4 SE, SS Endura 4 SE, Lava, Manix CE
Spyders of the Past: ATR, BlackHawk, Bob Lum Tanto, Chinook 3, Dodo, Gunting, Karambit, Lil Temp, Manix PE, Para Mili, Ronin, Yojimbo, Mili, Native
-
street soldier
- Member
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Northeast USA
On the science fiction/ fantasy side, I would recommend the authors Terry Brooks, Dennis McKiernan, and Raymond Feist, just to name a few. They are all excellent writers who have written some very enjoyable series.
From a suspense/ thriller/ real world fiction standpoint, I would recommend Robert Ludlum (the Jason Bourne series), W.E.B. Griffin ( he has several series which are excellent; I am currently reading the Presidential Agent series and it is awesome), Larry Bond, and Tom Clancy. All very good writers.
From a suspense/ thriller/ real world fiction standpoint, I would recommend Robert Ludlum (the Jason Bourne series), W.E.B. Griffin ( he has several series which are excellent; I am currently reading the Presidential Agent series and it is awesome), Larry Bond, and Tom Clancy. All very good writers.
For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.
If you really like Terry Pratchett and haven't read Good Omens then get to it. It's a rather brilliant book by Pratchett and Gaimen. Furthermore if you like Pratchett you may also enjoy Gaimen's work which dosn't have the comedy of Pratchett but does have a similar feel too it. They both deal with very down to earth human conflicts using broad fantastic brushstrokes to tell the story.
Gaiman borrows heavily from all the world's religions to populate his stories. For example "American Gods" is about mostly Nordic Gods who came to America when it was it was settled by Europeans. They are now dying because no one bellieves in them anymore. Pratchett dealt with similar themes in the book "Small Gods".
Also if you like Gaiman but are looking for something with a bit more of a horror twist to it I can't suggest Clive Barker enough. The Great and Secret Show series of books in particular is great.
Finally I have realy liked what James Patterson I have read. He writes books about crime and serial killers as well as the occasional fantasy book. His fantasy books I really dig as he grounds the fantastic elements as best he can with very practical scientific explainations. When the Wind Blows in particular I really liked. It's about children who have been genetically modified to be able to fly.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head, I also really like Poppy Z. Brite but I seriously doubt you'd have any interest in her books.
Gaiman borrows heavily from all the world's religions to populate his stories. For example "American Gods" is about mostly Nordic Gods who came to America when it was it was settled by Europeans. They are now dying because no one bellieves in them anymore. Pratchett dealt with similar themes in the book "Small Gods".
Also if you like Gaiman but are looking for something with a bit more of a horror twist to it I can't suggest Clive Barker enough. The Great and Secret Show series of books in particular is great.
Finally I have realy liked what James Patterson I have read. He writes books about crime and serial killers as well as the occasional fantasy book. His fantasy books I really dig as he grounds the fantastic elements as best he can with very practical scientific explainations. When the Wind Blows in particular I really liked. It's about children who have been genetically modified to be able to fly.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head, I also really like Poppy Z. Brite but I seriously doubt you'd have any interest in her books.
"Always keep an edge on your knife son, because a good sharp edge is a man's best hedge against the vague uncertainties of life."
dedguy.net
dedguy.net
Try Neal Stephenson (start with his early work - work your way to his more recent stuff). Other recommended authors who haven't been mentioned yet: Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Coupland, Steven Brust, Mary Doria Russel (The Sparrow and Children of God)... can check my shelves if you want more.
I second the recommendation for Robert Heinlein -- start with Stranger in a Strange Land but be warned that most of his other stuff read very differently (but are just as enjoyable).
Grew up reading Asimov and Silverberg myself. Lord Valentine's Castle remains an all time favorite.
I second the recommendation for Robert Heinlein -- start with Stranger in a Strange Land but be warned that most of his other stuff read very differently (but are just as enjoyable).
Grew up reading Asimov and Silverberg myself. Lord Valentine's Castle remains an all time favorite.
Probably not well known is Anne Rices's "Sleeping Beauty" Trilogy, a little off the beaten path thoughFirefighter880 wrote:...
you might try The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Nelson DeMille is another good author
:spyder:
Good Stuff !!!anything by Nelson Demille
Kurt Vonnegut
John Sanford
Tom Robbins
"Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank
For a piece of comediec genius try John Kennedy Toole's
"A Confederacy of Dunces"
Intentionally Left Blank
-
Jenner 515
- Member
- Posts: 751
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
-
rolyat1978
- Member
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:19 pm
- Location: 32.78N -96.78W
-
tonydahose
- Member
- Posts: 6277
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:56 am
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
a lot of good authors are already listed so the only one i could think of was a comilation of short stories called Thieve's World. many different authors write about a core group of characters (whom they can't kill off, but they can off new ones that they bring into their story) it gives you a lil variety and if you don't like one author's style you can skip to the next one. i actually wrote a short story for a honors english class i had in college on this. i havent read any new ones since then so i dont even know if they are still around but when i saw somebody mention the dune series this came to my mind right away. as of the moment i am reading Next by Crichton, Portrait of a Killer, jack the ripper case closed by P. Cornwell and some short stories by Poe.
Hi Tony, check these out! I listed them in the order I like them (and also the number of times I have read them).
David Weber - Honor Harrington Series
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/01-H ... orverseCD/
(http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/)
Patrick O'Brien - The Aubrey/Maturin Series
http://www2.wwnorton.com/pob/pobhome.htm
Eric Flint - Ring of Fire Series ("1632", et al.)
http://www.ericflint.net/
S.M. Stirling - Nantucket Series ("Island in the Sea of Time", et al.)
http://www.smstirling.com/
C.S. Forester - Hornblower Series
http://www.hornblower.sundrymemes.com
Philip José Farmer - Riverworld Novels
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/disp ... ew=excerpt
David Weber - Honor Harrington Series
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/01-H ... orverseCD/
(http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/)
Patrick O'Brien - The Aubrey/Maturin Series
http://www2.wwnorton.com/pob/pobhome.htm
Eric Flint - Ring of Fire Series ("1632", et al.)
http://www.ericflint.net/
S.M. Stirling - Nantucket Series ("Island in the Sea of Time", et al.)
http://www.smstirling.com/
C.S. Forester - Hornblower Series
http://www.hornblower.sundrymemes.com
Philip José Farmer - Riverworld Novels
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/disp ... ew=excerpt
