Need a new book... suggestions?

[Danoz]

Just finished:

• Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow
• All of the DS9 Relaunch (preordered new book this August!)
• The First three "Dune books"
• Snow Crash (1/3 finished)

As soon as I finish Snow crash (pretty fun) I'm going to need a new book. I have some Star Trek books I could read (a time to' series)... but I'm looking to read some really fun, innovative and entertaining books.

 

[RoJoHen]

Have you read any of the other Ender books? If not, you definitely need to pick up "Speaker for the Dead." It's just as good, if not better, than "Ender's Game."

 

[Danoz]

Have you read any of the other Ender books? If not, you definitely need to pick up "Speaker for the Dead." It's just as good, if not better, than "Ender's Game."

Probably a good move. I'm looking for something character driven. I'm taking a short break from "Dune" (I need to take some time off from Frank Herbert's incessant philosophizing, as much as I've loved the series so far). I actually went from Ender's Game straight into Ender's Shadow, which probably was a bad idea. "Speaker for the Dead" is definitely on my reading list. From what I understand Ender's Game was just a prequel to the novel Scott-card wanted to write...

 

[pookha]

reading shadow bridge by gregory frost .

 

[RoJoHen]

Have you read any of the other Ender books? If not, you definitely need to pick up "Speaker for the Dead." It's just as good, if not better, than "Ender's Game."

Probably a good move. I'm looking for something character driven. I'm taking a short break from "Dune" (I need to take some time off from Frank Herbert's incessant philosophizing, as much as I've loved the series so far). I actually went from Ender's Game straight into Ender's Shadow, which probably was a bad idea. "Speaker for the Dead" is definitely on my reading list. From what I understand Ender's Game was just a prequel to the novel Scott-card wanted to write...

In a way. Ender's Game started out as a short story and was later expanded into the novel.

Speaker for the Dead is a totally different kind of story, but it's definitely rooted in that same universe he created. I read Ender's Shadow (and the rest of the Bean books) after I read all of the Ender books. They were good, but the Ender books were better.

 

[Maestro]

The Tomb -- F. Paul Wilson
Child 44 -- Tom Rob Smith
Hood -- Stephen R. Lawhead
The Yiddish Policeman's Union -- Michael Chabon
American Gods -- Neil Gaiman
Byzantium -- Stephen R. Lawhead
Midnight Mass -- F. Paul Wilson
Old Man's War -- John Scalzi
The Outback Stars -- Sandra McDonald
The Stand -- Stephen King

 

[sidious618]

Character driven? I'd go with these:

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Duma Key by Stephen King
The Guards by Ken Bruen

 

[Australis]

if you like fantasy, the 'Discworld' series by Terry Pratchett. There are 30, but you don't have to read them all. Try 'Guards! Guards!' or 'Mort' first.

If you like historical fiction, the Flashman Papers by George MacDonald Fraser. 13 novels, set in the Victorian era, all over the world.

If you like action adventure, early Clive Cussler (NOTHING after 'Treasure', except maybe 'The Chase').

If you like short stories, Howard Waldrop (hard to find but worth it. Some of his are still up on the SciFi fiction archive). Also, some of those Year's Best SF collections are damn good.

As for out and out SF, I had to think for a while, but the Culture novels by Iain Banks. Put it this way, if someone said "You can live in any universe you can think of, including the so-called fictitious ones", I'd choose the Culture over the Federation every time. TBH, I didn't like the last Culture novel, 'Matter', but personal favourites are the first one, 'Consider Phlebas', 'Use of Weapons', 'Excession', and 'Look To Windward'. For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture

 

[Kestra]

I liked The Alchemist ... Emh had recommended it to me and it was an easy, but unique and thought-provoking read.

 

[thestrangequark]

Have you posted a book suggestion thread before? It's just that I remember someone posting one and I remember recommending Snow Crash. I'd just love to be able to take the credit for someone discovering that book!

So, you're looking for something character driven? In that case I'd second Maestro's recommendation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Going on the books you've been reading I think you'd enjoy it. It's thoroughly engrossing and has strong, fun, well-crafted characters.

Another I'd recommend would be The Stolen Child. I'd also label it as character driven, but with a story that doesn't suffer for those characters. It is the tale of a mid-century changeling, as told from the perspective of both the changeling and the abducted child. A really compelling and fascinating read.

On the other hand, if you want something different (which it sounds like you might), another great character driven book would be Tipping the Velvet. It's a beautifully written novel, again, with well-crafted characters. Just be careful if you read it in public because it's full of steamy lesbian sex!

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin.

http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Tyranny-Conservative-Mark-Levin/dp/1416562850

 

[Angel Ruse]

I've started reading the Sword of Truth series, which is what the new show Legend of the Seeker is based off of. Let me tell you it's pretty darn good. And the show matches it well for characters. They picked the best Zedd ever. He's exactly like he is in the book.

It's a very interesting read. I'd get the first book, Wizard's First Rule, or you can get the first three in a boxed set off Amazon like I did.

 

[RoJoHen]

So, you're looking for something character driven? In that case I'd second Maestro's recommendation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Going on the books you've been reading I think you'd enjoy it. It's thoroughly engrossing and has strong, fun, well-crafted characters.

You recommended this to me several months ago, and I bought it, but I still haven't gotten around to reading it. It's been sitting on my end table for a really long time.

I really need to get a move on.

 

[Colonel Green]

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

This

 

[RJDiogenes]

Chindi by Jack McDevitt. Also any of his other Patricia Hutchins novels. She's a great character and therefore very likely one of my descendants.

 

[Omnius]

I'd recommend Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds, its a mix of crime noir, alternate history, hard sf thriller altogether. His other books are pretty good too.

 

[Kelso]

I just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Canadave]

So, you're looking for something character driven? In that case I'd second Maestro's recommendation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Going on the books you've been reading I think you'd enjoy it. It's thoroughly engrossing and has strong, fun, well-crafted characters.

You recommended this to me several months ago, and I bought it, but I still haven't gotten around to reading it. It's been sitting on my end table for a really long time.

I really need to get a move on.

Well, for what it's worth, I'll third the recommendation. It really is fantastic.

I will also add Robert J. Sawyer to the list. If you like character-driven SF (with almost inevitable Star Trek references, including one where a major plot point is advanced thanks to TWOK) then you'll like his books. My personal favourites are Rollback, Flash Forward, Calculating God and Factoring Humanity.

 

[Mistral]

Chindi by Jack McDevitt. Also any of his other Patricia Hutchins novels. She's a great character and therefore very likely one of my descendants.

So, you're looking for something character driven? In that case I'd second Maestro's recommendation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Going on the books you've been reading I think you'd enjoy it. It's thoroughly engrossing and has strong, fun, well-crafted characters.

You recommended this to me several months ago, and I bought it, but I still haven't gotten around to reading it. It's been sitting on my end table for a really long time.

I really need to get a move on.

Well, for what it's worth, I'll third the recommendation. It really is fantastic.

I will also add Robert J. Sawyer to the list. If you like character-driven SF (with almost inevitable Star Trek references, including one where a major plot point is advanced thanks to TWOK) then you'll like his books. My personal favourites are Rollback, Flash Forward, Calculating God and Factoring Humanity.

Sawyer, McDevitt both good. Try Forever by Peter Hamill. Amazing life story of a man who is blessed(?) with eternal life in the 1740's Manhattan-as long as he doesn't leave the island.

Also, Santiago-A legend of the far future by Mike Resnick. Some of the most unique and interesting characters ever written about in scifi, presented in a very unusual but easy to read format.

For a character you won't soon forget, there's Emergence by David Palmer. The 11 yr old girl protagonist will hold your attention, I guarantee. Not exactly the girl next door.

 

[sidious618]

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

This

We should be picking out China patterns.