Favorite novels?

[N D Hill]

I thought this would be a good discussion to start. I'm sure I'm not the only one who occasionally experiences the freak spell of having either the time or will to read.

Here are a few books I read last year that I really got into.

'I am Legend' by Richard Matheson. I first read this in high school and wanted to re-read it before seeing the movie. A great spin on a horror genre cliche and everything about it still appears fresh despite it having been written in 1954. A lot of vampire and zombie fiction have sapped it for inspiration while the original remains on its own plateau. I wouldn't call it a true horror story as I believe the story is as much about coping with loneliness and isolation as it is about survival. Anyone who's read it was probably just as disappointed with the recent movie as I was. Especially concerning the ending.

'The Road' by Cormack McCarthy. My absolute favorite book from last year. It's more of McCarthy's brand of individualism/moralism set in a post apocalyptic wasteland. McCarthy has a thing for bleak settings populated with base, nihilistic, exploitive, predatory people while his protagonists seem to be the only ones left with any sense right, wrong and dignity. It's about a father and a son trying to survive a post-cataclysmic world where the other few survivors horde every scrap of non-perishable food for themselves or resort to cannibalism.

'Blood Meridian' by Cormack McCarthy. A very candid and brutal western epic that follows a character known throughout the book only as "the kid" through the very real genocide of native americans and scalp trade.

Dune by Frank Herbert. My all time favorite piece of fiction. And there's very little in the straight up science fiction genre that I can can stomach, so that's saying something. Dune is an incredibly rich universe that comments quite a bit on relevant contemporary issues of religion, politics, ecology and exploitation by industrial powers.

[tomwaits4noman]

American Pyscho by Bret Easton Ellis

A story of morality where the main character is devoid of morality, we are thrown into the world and the mind of Patrick Bateman, stock broker and night time psycho.... a book that is a times hilarious, shocking... boring and riveting, the same attention is sent on describing torture, sex, and the music of Huey Lewis and the news.

1984 by George Orwell

more relevant than ever before, Wilson Smith is the everyman who dares to think outside the box and pays the ultimate price

The book thief by Markus Zusak

A book narrated by Death about a girl who steals books in world war 2 Germany... it could have been self indulgent waffle but Zusak crafts characters that you care for and a story that is dark and heart warming at the same time.

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

The story of Frank, who killed three children and he is the nice one in the family. A brilliant black comedy.

Watchmen By Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

ok so its a graphic novel but still the only graphic novel to make the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award and to appear on Time Magazine's 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.

it turns the mythology of superheroes on its head, weaving one of the most complex and gripping comic book stories ever...

[squidmonk3j]

Steppenwolf, by Herman Hesse.

It really is the most perfect novel i have ever read.

[REGNIRUTH]

American Pyscho by Bret Easton Ellis

A story of morality where the main character is devoid of morality, we are thrown into the world and the mind of Patrick Bateman, stock broker and night time psycho.... a book that is a times hilarious, shocking... boring and riveting, the same attention is sent on describing torture, sex, and the music of Huey Lewis and the news.

1984 by George Orwell



Been reading 1984, I'll say it's more interesting than brave new world.
it's actually somewhat easier to follow in some parts. But I gotta admit what happens to winston totally sucks.
funny thing is, how people interpret this book as a warning for the future of our government. it's probably already turning out that way.

[Hive_minD]

Well. It isn't really my favourite. -I have trouble picking a favourite. But Mark of Heresy of James Wallis. It was actually my first Warhammer novel. First, but not last.
If it is action and evergrowing tension you want, then you should read books from BL!
Anyways. The book is actually a sequel. Didn't really find that out till I started reading. But non-the-less, brilliant. My favourite part is the character and how he is portrayed. You really get to know him.

Read a sample extract for free, here (http://www.blacklibrary.com/pdf/markofheresy.pdf)!

I read the first book not too long ago. Good but nothin compared to its sequel. I really suggest you read it.

Chris

[NemesisOnline]

Some of my favorites: Lolita and Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov, 1984 by George Orwell, The Trial by Franz Kafka, A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

[daveneale]

Some of my favorites: Lolita and Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov, 1984 by George Orwell, The Trial by Franz Kafka, A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

I loved lolita, great dark humor. Also Don Quixote, Blindness (José Saramago)...which I see they're now making a film of, The Picture of Dorian Gray

[Jabo]

Dan Simmons: Hyperion
Dan Simmons: The Fall of Hyperion
Dan Simmons: Endymion
Dan Simmons: The Rise Of Endymion

Damn, I read too little.

[Farvus]

Stanislaw Lem "Solaris" - The whole story centers around mysterious planet covered all with ocean that is considered to be intelligent life form. I love the dreamy mood of this sci-fi story and also how it generates more questions than answers. They made two movies based on it they but both tackle only small percent of plots that are in the book.

Mikhail Bulgakov "Master and Margaret" - I loved it since the first pages. It's hard to explain what the book is about beacause it's a bit of satire, a bit of fairy tale, a bit of crime story.

Roland Topor "Quatre roses pour Lucienne" (eng. "Four roses for Lucienne") - very thin book with collection of short stories (some are even one page short). It's mostly specific Topor style black comedy.

There are also tons of other books that I love but these above are the ones I would read many times and never get bored :).

[NemesisOnline]

I loved lolita, great dark humor. Also Don Quixote, Blindness (José Saramago)...which I see they're now making a film of,

If you like the dark humour in Lolita, you have to read Pale Fire and Despair, if you haven't already.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Yes, Oscar Wilde is great.

[Renegade89]

"Cien años de soledad" or "hundred years of solitude"(i think) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez : I though this book was amazing in every aspect, the most enjoyable read i ever had, at the same time is a complex narrative and a story were tons of stuff happens, you cant get your hands out of it until the end. If anyone havent read it... go read it :).

"Don Quixote" Miguel de Cervantes: Is not considered one of the biggest novels is spanish language for nothing, great book with great characters. Don Quixote must be my favorite character in literature.

"Dracula" by Bram Stocker: Vampires= kewl
Not the first vampire story ever, but still my favorite, i like it more than Le Fanu´s "Carmilla", is more developed.

The 3 lord of the rings: elfs= very kewl too.
But seriously, i love Tolkien´s universe and his inmersive narrative.

[Kamikazebob]

Dune For most, if not all of the aforementioned reasons.

Road Side Picnic/Tales of the Troika This book could be my second favorite book, mainly because it isn't Dune. I cant really describe it other than telling you that its two short stories, one Serious and the other comedic. Its also what the Movie STALKER was based on and the game aswell.

[Dorkthrone]

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[daveneale]

If you like the dark humour in Lolita, you have to read Pale Fire and Despair, if you haven't already.

Yes, Oscar Wilde is great.

Cool, yeah I haven't read them...will have to pick them up:), yeah anything by Wilde is awsome

[AlexC]

American Psycho is the most fucked up thing ever


my fav books
On the Road By Jack Kerouac is great

Also, the Catcher in the Rye,
One flew over the Cuckoo Nest
and my favourite sci-fi novel of all time, Dune

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Robin Cook - Toxin
Awesome medical horror novel. Go check it out if you like books that fuck with your mind with things that can actually happen. Some people ive met that read this wont eat at fast food ever again.

[Kamikazebob]

Why, i do believe I've forgotten:

The Dark Tower Series

I dunno how you guys feel about it but it comes in number three (through - 10) on my list of awesome books.

[TheComicFilmBoy]

The Cather In The Rye
Speak
The Girls by Amy Goldman Koss (it's short and written for preteens, but it's brilliantly written)
Timetripper series
Bone (Graphic Novel)
Doomstone (from Paul Zindel)
Journey To The Center of the Earth
The Halo novels
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Wonderboys
A Clockwork Orange


yea..... there's alot I like

[Moai]

Dan Simmons: Hyperion
Dan Simmons: The Fall of Hyperion
Dan Simmons: Endymion
Dan Simmons: The Rise Of Endymion

Damn, I read too little.

Good taste, man. Good taste.
Let me add Ilium. Another incredibly entertaining and creative Dan Simmons adventure. It's sequel Olympos was disappointing, though.:[
Also, Imajica by Clive Barker. It's a 1200 page horror fantasy epic with a hugely engaging, surprising, and sometimes horrifying plot. The plot twists in this novel are some of the most surprising I've ever encountered in fiction.
Downward to Earth by Robert Silverberg. Short, entertaining read, but what I love about Silverberg's science fiction is how he gives his alien worlds such rich ecosystems, full of neat little critters that spark my imagination.
Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evens. Even though it's standard swords-and-sorcery fantasy in subject matter, it has this quality of realism and believability that sets it above most other fantasy.

[thirdeye]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman - it's just magical. It's probably the one - my one favourite book.

Others include - among many, in no particular order...

The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski.

The Shining by Stephen King

Lord Of The Rings by JRR Tolkien

I can actully think of 10 more titles from polish literature but I don't think anyone would know these books :)

[Lone Wolf]

thirdeye- can you recommend some good Polish books. I have not read enough polish literature, and my dad has been pushing Stanislaw Lem on me for years. Solaris is next on my reading list.

All Quiet on the Western Front- Erich Maria Remarque- The best war novel ever.

Armor-John Steakley- Great sci-fi.

A Song of Ice and Fire- George.R.R. Martin- The best fantasy series ever.

Gaunt's Ghosts- Dan Abnett- War novels in the Warhammer 40k universe.

The RAMA Series- Arthur C. Clarke- The most eye opening sci-fi series i have ever read. Anything by Clarke is worth picking up.

Childhood's End-Arthur C. Clarke

[Kamikazebob]

The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski.

I'm still dying to read the Witcher series. only recently has it been translated to English, thanks to the release of the game.

Cryptonomicon by Neil Stephenson - all about hacking, code breaking and an amazing multifaceted storyline.

Neuromancer I cant say enough about this book.

Snow Crash Comedy + hacking + hacking and slashing + Babylonian Gods, angry Aleutians and the Italian Mafia running the biggest pizza chain in the world. And Samurai.

[Jabo]

Good taste, man. Good taste.
Let me add Ilium. Another incredibly entertaining and creative Dan Simmons adventure. It's sequel Olympos was disappointing, though.:[
Hehe, thanks and I'd like to give that back :D

I never completely understood the point of Ilium/Olympos. Actually, I didn't even understand the scientific part behind it. All those dimensions and stuff, most of the time completely separated from each other and in the end it's all meant to be one universe? I don't get it. Maybe it's because I haven't read Prouce and Shakespeare and Homer, who knows... Also, the novels felt empty and unemotively compared to the four Hyperion ones. I loved reading the Harman/Daeman passages (especially the ones in Paris Crater, very inspirational), found the moravec chapters quite funny, but I perfervidly hated reading the Hockenberry chapters with all the greek shit, perverse gods and generally 300ness.

But makes for some nice inspiration and it's the most extraordinary universe of Simmons'.

[mazouko]

I haven't read much these days but here are some books I read over the years and enjoyed.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle- I love this book and the movie based on it too. I even bought the dvd from Conlan Press (doing this ensures the author actually gets money for it and also he'll autograph it!) I think the characters are a lot more believable that the ones in other fantasy novels I've read. I liked that they weren't perfect. The wizard Schmendrick wasn't all great and powerful, in fact he screwed up alot. Molly Grue wasn't this beautiful young maiden that everyone was in love with.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess-Very interesting read. I almost felt sorry for Alex when he goes home after being in prison and his parents have rented his room out and aren't at all glad he's back. Then I remembered the stuff he did earlier in the book and figured the little snot deserved it all. My version of the book included the 21st chapter that's usually ommitted. I can't imagine that being left out. It seems a good way to wind things down after everying that happens.

[Jabo]

I just finished reading No Country For Old Men and it instantly jumped on 1st Place in my non-fantastic corner. This book is the most captivating I've ever read. In a way that I actually was a little bit angry with the author not revealing Chigurh's fate. It's sad and depressing, but boy can this old guy convey atmosphere.

Moai: Have you read Simmons' The Terror? I loved reading it, it was a blast. I'd love to read more of those kind of "semi-historical" novels from him.

[Moai]

Hehe, thanks and I'd like to give that back :D

I never completely understood the point of Ilium/Olympos. Actually, I didn't even understand the scientific part behind it. All those dimensions and stuff, most of the time completely separated from each other and in the end it's all meant to be one universe? I don't get it. Maybe it's because I haven't read Prouce and Shakespeare and Homer, who knows... Also, the novels felt empty and unemotively compared to the four Hyperion ones. I loved reading the Harman/Daeman passages (especially the ones in Paris Crater, very inspirational), found the moravec chapters quite funny, but I perfervidly hated reading the Hockenberry chapters with all the greek shit, perverse gods and generally 300ness.

But makes for some nice inspiration and it's the most extraordinary universe of Simmons'.

Moai: Have you read Simmons' The Terror? I loved reading it, it was a blast. I'd love to read more of those kind of "semi-historical" novels from him.

Spoilers about Ilium and Olympos follow!

Jabo: I agree with you somewhat about Ilium/Olympos. It's an incredibly imaginative universe that Simmons created in those novels, but they don't quite compare to Hyperion. My complaints about it differ from yours somewhat, though. I really enjoyed all three of the storylines (Troy/Mars, Earth, Moravec) in Ilium, and thought it was a very entertaining read. However, the Earth storyline never really connected satisfactorily with the other two, and Simmons went off on some really unnecessary tangents and non sequiters. For example, in Ilium, everything is going great and events are following each other logically (though strangely) and at a good pace. Then, all of the sudden, they get beamed up to the ring structure that orbits the Earth, Caliban tries to eat them, and the story took a really abrupt turn into the survival horror genre, which was rather jarring, in my opinion. But that's really my only qualm about Ilium.
Then comes Olympos. The universe that Simmons created for these books is incredibly creative, bizarre, and full of mysteries. How did the post-humans become the gods of Olympus and recreate Greek-era Earth? How the hell did Odysseus get to Earth? What's the deal with Prospero, Setebos, Sycorax, and the Little Green Men and all their giant statues? What's the meaning of it all???? Simmons kinda-sorta alludes to the answers to those questions in a half-assed kinda way, and in the meantime, keeps piling on more weird things that we don't quite understand and bogging down the plot with completely unnecessary subplots, like that submarine with the black hole bombs. Hockenberry, who was an active and important character in the first book, basically just quantum teleports around and does nothing. The little we learn about Sycorax/Circe and Odysseus only makes us more fucking confused. Setebos does some bizarre stuff on Earth, and then disappears. And then the Moravecs zoom down, kill off the Voynix, and Hockenberry and the Moravecs move into that town on Earth and open a bar (lame conclusion for those characters, in my opinion). The whole Achilles/Hephaestus/Zeus storyline was fairly uninteresting, and actually seemed rather rushed. All in all, a frustrating and inelegant way to conclude that story.
Anyway...:rendered:
Nope, haven't read The Terror. Besides the Hyperion and Ilium sagas, I've only read The Summer of Night, A Winter Haunting (or whatever the title to that was), and his collection of short stories (which incidentally includes a semi-sequel to Rise of Endymion and a prequel to Ilium). I'll have to add The Terror to my list of books to read when I don't have so much damn homework.:rendered:
And, of course, I'm dying to dig in to some McCarthy now that I've seen No Country for Old Men.:teeth: