Does anybody here have a favorite fiction novel? [Archive]

Magic_Salad0892

01-19-11, 23:34

Post yours. :)

Brief summary too if you want.

Mine:

Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer, and the sequel Johannes Cabal: The Detective. by Jonathan H. Howard.

Brief plot. First book.

Johannes Cabal (a young scientist) sells his soul to Satan in order to learn about Necromancy. Or magic involving the dead. His goal is to defeat death. In The Necromancer he needs his soul back to continue his studies.

So him and Satan strike a wager.

Cabal must replace his soul, with 100 others. Not by means of death, but by voluntary contract. And he is loaned a travelling carnival in order to do it.

(Honourable mention: Survivor by Chuck Palahnuik. Author of Fight Club)

So...

Post yours!

jaxman7

01-20-11, 00:13

pilotguyo540

01-20-11, 00:19

Magic_Salad0892

01-20-11, 00:26

jaxman7

01-20-11, 00:35

Yeh exactly! I had heard that this was going to made into movie. Hopefully by a good director. Ridley Scott would be a good choice.

-Jax

Sounds like what would happen if the Punisher didn't suck.

jklaughrey

01-20-11, 00:42

Don't hate me but I am classic kind of guy.

The Catcher in the Rye. by J.D. Salinger

Magic_Salad0892

01-20-11, 00:47

Has anybody here read Let Me In?

They're making it into a movie called Let the Right One In.

lethal dose

01-20-11, 01:23

Not much of a novel guy. I love anything Orwell... especially Burmese Days.

sjc3081

01-20-11, 01:29

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
by John Ross

120mm

01-20-11, 05:25

Can't do just one novel, but series I love:

John Sanford/Camp - Anything with Lucas Davenport in it

David Weber - Honor Harrington series

David Drake - Shit, anything by him

da6dspanburg

01-20-11, 06:43

David Weber - Honor Harrington series
David Drake - Shit, anything by him
I agreewith both choices. I also like the David Weber's SafeHold Series (Book 1 is "Off Armageddon Reef")

kwelz

01-20-11, 08:57

The Honor Harrington Series.
Anything BOLO!
I really like the Monster Hunter series By Larry C. Good fun read and written by one of us.

Lumpy196

01-20-11, 08:59

Killing Rommel by Steven Pressfield.

austinN4

01-20-11, 09:19

James Lee Burke - Dave Robicheaux series
Lee Child - Jack Reacher series
Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series
Robert Crais - Elvis Cole series, Joe Pike series
Denis Lehane - Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro series
Ridley Pearson - Lou Boldt series
John Sandford - Lucas Davenport series, Virgil Flowers series
Martin Cruz Smith - Arkady Renko series
Stephen White - Alan Gregory series

LHS

01-20-11, 09:23

It's very hard to narrow it down to just one. But here goes:

Steven Pressfield, "Gates of Fire".

I must admit, "Without Remorse" is up there as well, along with James Clavell's "Shogun".

rubberneck

01-20-11, 10:00

This past fall I read Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes who was awarded the Navy Cross in Vietnam. If follows a fictional platoon of Marines in Vietnam and it was quite possibly the best piece of military fiction I have ever read. I plowed through it in a day and a half.

bulbvivid

01-20-11, 10:26

I've read a lot of stuff and like literature. I enjoy Bukowski, Updike, Vonnegut, and some others.

But The Three Musketeers is my favorite. I've read it a number of times and will likely read it again. Down with the Cardinal!

f.2

01-20-11, 10:31

The Road, Cormac McCarthy

sandman99and9

01-20-11, 11:09

Point of impact by stephan hunter is great.
Not the typical action type ending. Forget the lousy Mark wahlberg movie "shooter" The book is far and away a much better way to enjoy some entertainment. I had high hopes for that movie and was so pissed off when I went to see it.

I love the Shannara trilogy by terry brooks and have read them many times. Epic battles,great characters and some unexpected twists too. I personally think they are superior to the Lord of the rings books, Though I do enjoy them as well. I would love to see Peter Jackson do the movies for the Shannara trilogy.

I have hundreds of books since I am a voracious reader. Mostly military fiction,sci-fi, and mil/history esp. the WW2 and Vietnam eras.

S.M.

chadbag

01-20-11, 13:19

Early Clancy. "Without Remorse" is good. The other early ones are good too -- "Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", etc. I recently read all the Jack Ryan books in story-chronological order through (I had read them all before but wanted to do it in story chronological order).

Lord of the Rings. I read this through every 3-10 years. Have probably read it 10 times and am now reading it with my boy.

Shogun.

There are probably some others that I am missing at the moment but that I thought (and think) were really outstanding when I read them.

TriumphRat675

01-20-11, 13:32

Catch 22, by Joseph Heller. Hands down.

For sheer writing ability, it is hard to beat anything by Cormac McCarthy or Gene Wolfe, but other factors (like unresolved/unsatisfying plots, a problem with Wolfe especially) keep otherwise solid candidates from being the "favorite."

stifled

01-20-11, 14:38

I'm the kind of person whose favorites when it comes to movies and books tend to be something I watched recently...

Along that vein, my favorite fiction book I've read recently is Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia.

Plot: The protagonist finds out monsters are real, the hard way: his boss is a werewolf and attacks him late at night in the office. He survives the encounter and is offered a job by MHI, the premiere private monster killing organization in the U.S.

One of the things I like most about the book is that the author, Larry Correia, is a 3 gun competitor. So all of the gun talk in the book is spot on which is great, because lately inaccurate gun details in books really screw with my suspension of disbelief.

I also enjoyed Geek Mafia which was a self published work about a group of con men and women, but would wait for a second or third edition because the editing was just awful. One chapter in the ebook was repeated in its entirety, even. It was an enjoyable, fast read though.

Watrdawg

01-20-11, 15:58

I love the Shannara trilogy by terry brooks and have read them many times. Epic battles,great characters and some unexpected twists too. I personally think they are superior to the Lord of the rings books, Though I do enjoy them as well. I would love to see Peter Jackson do the movies for the Shannara trilogy.
S.M.

I really enjoyed that series also.

I've read about all of the W.E.B. Griffin books. They all have been very good. I think I started reading them back around 1980.

I don't know If I can point out one piece of fiction as my favorite. I have favorite authors though.

W.E.B. Griffin, John Grisham, Steven King, Edgar Allen Poe, Louis L'Amour, Dale Brown, Mark Twain(Samuel Clemens), Tom Clancy and many others that don't come to mind right now.

RancidSumo

01-20-11, 16:05

Killing Rommel by Steven Pressfield.

This is a very good book along with everything else he has written.

Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead are both up there for me.

It is a tough choice but I think The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is probably my favorite followed closely by the two Rand books I mentioned.

ETA: Oh and the Dark Tower series by King. Damn there are too many books I like.

sandman99and9

01-20-11, 16:20

Lord of the Rings. I read this through every 3-10 years. Have probably read it 10 times and am now reading it with my boy.

There are probably some others that I am missing at the moment but that I thought (and think) were really outstanding when I read them.

Have you read the Shannara trilogy yet? They are fantastic !! Terry Brooks is not as long winded as Tolkien tends to be. I think you will love them. I have read them all many times and they are still great.

Sword of shannara
Elfstones of shannara ( my personal fav )
Wishsong of shannara

S.M.

chadbag

01-20-11, 16:21

I love the Shannara trilogy by terry brooks and have read them many times. Epic battles,great characters and some unexpected twists too. I personally think they are superior to the Lord of the rings books, Though I do enjoy them as well. I would love to see Peter Jackson do the movies for the Shannara trilogy.

I tried to read the first one, The Sword of Shannara when I was in High School. It was such a blatant Tolkein rip-off that I gave up in disgust. I am sure that Brooks got past that problem with the later ones and I have heard good things about them, but the first was so blatantly a rip off that I gave up on it.

--

"Inherit the Stars" by James P. Hogan is good. The whole series that this kicks off is ok-good but the this first one is the best imho. (My neighbor worked with Mr. Hogan in Sales Training at DEC when I was younger before Mr. Hogan decided to quit and write full time). "Two Faces of Tomorrow" by Hogan is also interesting.

Magic_Salad0892

01-20-11, 16:33

Charles Bukowski is pretty great.

I just read Post Office.

I'll probably try to find Matterhorn.

Redmanfms

01-20-11, 16:43

Has anybody here read Let Me In?

They're making it into a movie called Let the Right One In.

It was already made into a movie, a pretty good one actually.

Starship Troopers Robert Heinlein. I've read most of his work, including his essays, but this one I reread about every year.

J.R.R. Tolkien's works. I'm not a fantasy guy really (so don't ask if I've read this or that), but this guy is a master. His books are deeply allegorical, but not preachy and have a truly engrossing world and story.

Ray Bradbury. Everything.

austinN4

01-20-11, 17:07

It was already made into a movie, a pretty good one actually.
Two movies actually:

The original Norwegian version: Let The Right One In http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/

and now the US version, Let Me In http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228987/

DaBears_85

01-20-11, 18:41

Which one is fiction again? :D

Don't hate me but I am classic kind of guy.

The Catcher in the Rye. by J.D. Salinger

Great book, I'm a classic kind of guy myself.

My favorite book by far is Moby Dick. Other favorites include, but are not limited to, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath.

Oh, and who could forget The Little Engine That Could? Although I believe that book was based on actual events, so I'm not sure it counts as fiction.

LHS

01-20-11, 20:35

I was wondering about Pressfield's other stuff. "Gates of Fire" makes my top-ten list every time, but I was sorely disappointed with "The Last Amazon." Glad to hear "Killing Rommel" is worth a read.

I really really like Stephen King as well. He has some junk books (Dreamcatcher) and a few that you just have to shake your head at how he could screw up a perfectly good premise (Cell), but his best books are outstanding (It, Salem's Lot, Wizard and Glass).

I have been reading some modern sci-fi lately, and found several by some combination of Eric Flint, David Weber and John Ringo. Flint and Weber both write excellent alternate-history books, and Ringo tends to liven up anything on which he collaborates. Stay away from Ringo's solo stuff, though. "Ghost" was a 300-page rape fantasy, and "Watch on the Rhine" was basically a blowjob for the Waffen SS. The "Belisarius" series that Eric Flint did with David Drake is excellent alternate-history sci-fi.

For pure fantasy, the only thing I've found that can compare to Tolkien is George R. R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series. Now if the old fat bastard will just finish book 5 before he dies of a coronary event...

SkiDevil

01-20-11, 21:41

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse

In short a former Vietnam era Navy SEAL (John Clark) has his family killed by a drug cartel and he goes crazy on them. That's the short version but of course it being a Clancy novel it has alot of detail to it.

-Jax

That is a great book. I have read it at least 4 or 5 times. Tom Clancy is an excellent author.

Two other authors that I have enjoyed reading are Stephen Hunter and David Morrell.

Ditto on the Shooter movie with Markymark, stupid. The actual book was much better.

Link: http://www.stephenhunter.net/books/

My favorite Hunter books are: Blacklight, Pale Horse Coming, Dirty White Boys, and Point of Impact.

Hunter has an entire series on the Bob Lee Swagger character and his son. Good stuff, if you like action and reading about guns from someone who knows of what he speaks.

David Morrel
http://www.davidmorrell.net/books/index.cfm

My all time favorite Morrell book is the Fifth Profession. A work regarding a bodyguard and the profession in general. A classic for sure.

Morrell's other novels are excellent too. I have read 3/4 of the list on the webpage (link) I posted. My other two favorites of his are Botherhood of the Rose and Fraternity of the Stone. Good stuff.

SkiDevil

khc3

01-20-11, 23:46

I'm rereading the Sword of Honour trilogy by Evelyn Waugh.

It's about an inconsequential man confronting the end of his epoch.

sl4mdaddy

01-21-11, 06:46

Ray Bradbury. Everything.

Bingo! "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl"

sandman99and9

01-21-11, 08:28

I tried to read the first one, The Sword of Shannara when I was in High School. It was such a blatant Tolkein rip-off that I gave up in disgust. I am sure that Brooks got past that problem with the later ones and I have heard good things about them, but the first was so blatantly a rip off that I gave up on it.

--

"Inherit the Stars" by James P. Hogan is good. The whole series that this kicks off is ok-good but the this first one is the best imho. (My neighbor worked with Mr. Hogan in Sales Training at DEC when I was younger before Mr. Hogan decided to quit and write full time). "Two Faces of Tomorrow" by Hogan is also interesting.

I got that too from the sword of shannara Chad. The elfstones of shannara is a great read. Epic story with huge battles and individual stories as well. Have read it so many times my book is falling apart.

S.M.

panzerr

01-21-11, 08:45

It is a tough choice but I think The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is probably my favorite followed closely by the two Rand books I mentioned.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a great book! It is unfortunate that so few people I know have actually read it.

A few of my other favorites:

Armour - John Steakley
A Game of Thrones - George RR Martin
The Engines of God - Jack McDevitt
The Eternity Artifact - L.E. Modesitt

And of course Starship Troopers and Gates of Fire.

Cagemonkey

01-21-11, 08:56

The Casca series by Barry Sadler.

THCDDM4

01-21-11, 09:03

Too hard to just pick one, so I have to add the ones I read 3-4 times a year. I love reading, listening to music and reading is the best, made even better with a nice brew and my beautiful wife.

-1984
-Brave New World
-Animal Farm
-Atlas Shrugged
-Ulysses
-Lord of the Flies
-The Secret Agent
-A Clock Work Orange
-Heart of Darkness

DTHN2LGS

01-21-11, 13:08

I have everything by Robert A. Heinlein, but "Time Enough for Love" is my favorite.

I also love the "Bio of a Space Tyrant" series by Piers Anthony.

citizensoldier16

01-21-11, 13:24

"The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

BrianS

01-21-11, 13:51

I can't decide between The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein or Blood Meridian by McCarthy as my favorite fiction.

sandman99and9

01-21-11, 16:10

I just picked up "shooter" no, not the movie. by Jack Coughlin
and Casey Kuhlman. It is an autobiography of marine sniper jack coughlin.

An excelent book about his trip to downtown Bagdad and other places as well. He was there when they pulled down that statue of Saddam.

I love his unconventional thinking and how hard it is to introduce a new way of doing things in the military. "mobile sniper teams" who would have thought?

Oops, Just realized this thread is about fiction !!

S.M.

tracker722

01-21-11, 18:11

************************

pilotguyo540

01-21-11, 20:00

All-time favorite: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Jon LeCarre.

Followed by Lie Down With Lions by Ken Follett.

Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy was good too, but all in all, John LeCarre is an american hating piece of crap.

andy t

01-22-11, 00:07

Starship Troopers - you can't compare the book to the movie. They are completely different.
Gates of Fire and Killing Rommel are great as well.
Stephen Hunter books with Bob Lee Swagger - some of the best mystery with technically accurate firearm descriptions/use.

LHS

01-22-11, 00:15

The Casca series by Barry Sadler.

I enjoyed the first few books, but they went downhill fast. By "Casca: the Cursed" they were utter rubbish.

David Thomas

01-22-11, 07:20

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
The Brass verdict by Michael Connelly
The Reversal by Michael Connelly

I am very much looking forward to the 4th book of this series, The Fifth Witness coming in early April.

For the Harry Bosh fans he make an appearance in the Brass Verdict and is a big part of The Reversal.

The books are about a criminal defense attorney in L.A. named Mickey Haller.

The books are a series and need to be read in order.

Gutshot John

01-22-11, 09:35

I hadn't read a fiction book in the better part of a decade until I got one this past Christmas.

A Game of Thrones is excellent.

stifled

01-22-11, 12:32

I hadn't read a fiction book in the better part of a decade until I got one this past Christmas.

A Game of Thrones is excellent.

Oh yes! I love that series! It's going to be a show soon.

The_War_Wagon

01-22-11, 21:16

ALWAYS liked Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" novels. The TV show came out when I started college - it got me to reading the books.

Spiffums

01-23-11, 20:31

Newerish book: Lights Out

Old book: The Dark Tower series.

jaydoc1

01-24-11, 00:36

The Road, Cormac McCarthy

C'mon, Dude. Seriously? Your favorite novel?

:suicide:

My choice(s): Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. Right up to the last page!

Magic_Salad0892

01-24-11, 07:08

Glad to have some readers here.

Should I open this thread up to non-fiction as well?

The_War_Wagon

01-24-11, 07:24

Glad to have some readers here.

Should I open this thread up to non-fiction as well?

I might go 'seperate thread' on that - I think that might be a wilder list! :eek:

JSantoro

01-24-11, 09:46

A Game of Thrones is excellent.

It WOULD be, if the fat bastard ever finishes it instead of Robert Jordan-ing everybody!

Sour grapes, on my part; I actually DO know that George R.R. Martin isn't beholden to me....but, damn.....

Gutshot John

01-24-11, 10:09

It WOULD be, if the fat bastard ever finishes it instead of Robert Jordan-ing everybody!

Sour grapes, on my part; I actually DO know that George R.R. Martin isn't beholden to me....but, damn.....

Ive only read the first book so I cant really comment. The problem is that everything these days tries to emulate Harry freakin Potter.

jaydoc1

01-24-11, 11:47

An HBO miniseries based on A Game of Thrones starts April 11.

Redmanfms

01-24-11, 14:45

Followed by Lie Down With Lions by Ken Follett.

Pillars of the Earth is my favorite of his. I got really emotionally invested in the characters.

BrianS

01-24-11, 16:01

An HBO miniseries based on A Game of Thrones starts April 11.

It will probably never get finished either.

I think I got like 4 books into that series and then stopped waiting for him to finish the freaking series FIVE YEARS AGO. It really is ludicrous.

One of the other fantasy/scifi authors I like, David Weber, pumps out 2-3 books a year in multiple series.

George RR Martin must be a lazy bastard. At this point if he decided to finally finish the next book I would need to read all the previous books again just to remember basic plot points.

ShortytheFirefighter

01-24-11, 16:17

A number of my favorites have already been posted (Without Remorse, Starship Troopers, etc) but another great one is The Sea Wolf by Jack London and also The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

stifled

01-24-11, 16:20

It will probably never get finished either.

I think I got like 4 books into that series and then stopped waiting for him to finish the freaking series FIVE YEARS AGO. It really is ludicrous.

One of the other fantasy/scifi authors I like, David Weber, pumps out 2-3 books a year in multiple series.

George RR Martin must be a lazy bastard. At this point if he decided to finally finish the next book I would need to read all the previous books again just to remember basic plot points.

Yea, I think it's just that some authors can write and write like Stephen King and some just aren't as lucky. Maybe he got paralyzed by the success of the series finally. Who knows, but I'm in the same position. I usually try to only read complete series because I like reading the entire things at once and made an exception for A Game of Thrones because at the time (3 years ago) the 5th book was imminent! Well, here I am 3 years later, and I'll need character introductions and a few chapters to get me up to date on what's going on. I hate re-reading books, just because I want to read so many...

theblackknight

01-24-11, 16:51

Atlas Shrugged used to be fiction.

jaydoc1

01-24-11, 17:14

Someone mentioned Robert Jordan earlier. I was 9 or so books into The Wheel of Time when my wife asked, "What happens if he dies before that series is finished?"

Prophetic.

Luckily the guy they got to wrap it up for him had voluminous notes on the final book plus Jordan's wife who was his editor to help him so the last couple books (just started the first of them) should at least finish the way Jordan intended.

Hard to be pissed off at a dead guy but, jeez, I invested several years of my life reading that damn series. Then he goes and dies before he finishes it?! :blink:

Preferred User

01-24-11, 19:16

I am a huge techno-thriller fan. The closer to reality the better. Clancey, Ludlum, etc. are always on my list. Just read Early Warning by Michael Walsh (http://www.amazon.com/Early-Warning-Michael-Walsh/dp/0786020431). Makes one think. . .

LHS

01-24-11, 22:09

Yea, I think it's just that some authors can write and write like Stephen King and some just aren't as lucky. Maybe he got paralyzed by the success of the series finally. Who knows, but I'm in the same position. I usually try to only read complete series because I like reading the entire things at once and made an exception for A Game of Thrones because at the time (3 years ago) the 5th book was imminent! Well, here I am 3 years later, and I'll need character introductions and a few chapters to get me up to date on what's going on. I hate re-reading books, just because I want to read so many...

I read "A Game of Thrones" in 1996 or so, and was spellbound. I have patiently waited for each new novel to come out. It's been what, almost 6 years since the 4th book came out? HURRY IT UP ALREADY DUDE!

Magic_Salad0892

01-24-11, 23:37

So is actually reading A Game of Thrones actually worth it? or should I just wait until he writes the last one then read them all?

stifled

01-25-11, 11:12

So is actually reading A Game of Thrones actually worth it? or should I just wait until he writes the last one then read them all?

The last finished book leaves a whole pile of unanswered questions. I'd wait. It was extremely frustrating reading everything that was out, and it's now been 3 years for me waiting for the last book to come out. What's out though is amazing.

Gutshot John

01-25-11, 12:22

I thought Game of Thrones was a good read and since I've been back at school I haven't been tempted to start book 2.

If you obsessively move from book to book needing to have every answer to every plot twist, than maybe wait. If you can enjoy a book on its own merits and slowly take the time to enjoy every nuance in a richly detailed fictional world...pick it up and decide.

Littlelebowski

02-17-11, 12:29

JSantoro

02-17-11, 13:18

Y'know, that reminds me that we need a "flipping LL off" emoticon....:mad:

Jaydoc, the guy they shoehorned into ghost-writing Jordan's last books is actually carrying the weight pretty well

Littlelebowski

02-17-11, 13:57

Y'know, that reminds me that we need a "flipping LL off" emoticon....:mad:

I believe the site owner and a couple of mods are already at work on that :D

I read the first 3 books of Martin's. The 4th book lost me. Way, way too many families and feuds to follow.

I strongly recommend "Thirteen" by Richard K Morgan (http://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Richard-K-Morgan/dp/0345485254). It's not my favorite fiction novel (that's a 3 way tie between Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny (http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Light-Roger-Zelazny/dp/B0009309M2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972712&sr=1-1), Use of Weapons by Iain Banks (http://www.amazon.com/Use-Weapons-Iain-M-Banks/dp/0316030570/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972751&sr=1-1), and Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Hall-Novel-Hilary-Mantel/dp/0312429983/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972788&sr=1-1)) but's it's damned close and would be enjoyed by most in this thread.

It's set 100 years or so in the future. Due to obvious trends in genetic selection, several nation-states have deliberately bred back some human males to 20K years ago and found the "alpha male" set of genes and are using said "thirteens" as assassins and soldiers. Very well written and involving. You will have to think to enjoy this one.

jaydoc1

02-17-11, 19:59

Jaydoc, the guy they shoehorned into ghost-writing Jordan's last books is actually carrying the weight pretty well

I agree. While I was sort of surprised how quickly he tied up some long running storylines, I actually think that he has a very Jordan-like writing style. Also, I think that, interesting as they were, Jordan had spun off far too many substories and plots so cutting away some of the chaff was actually fairly welcome (and in most cases done in a very gratifying manner).

Just happy I won't be left dangling in the wind or wondering if these last couple books are really how Jordan had planned to end the series. I think his wife will see to it the story is Jordan's to the end.

CaptainDooley

06-02-12, 16:10

A bit of a necropost, but I was looking for a recommendation on something new to pick up and thought I'd add my .02. Every year I read Douglas Adams' Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's scifi that is so funny I still laugh out loud while reading it. I've read it probably close to 20 times.

In addition to that, I'm a huge fan Tolkein's work and King's Dark Tower series. I've read quite a bit of King's horror works, assorted Conan, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, John Carter, most of the work of CS Lewis and John Grisham, and a smattering of Star Wars novels. I recently read Point of Impact by Hunter (my first by him) and thoroughly enjoyed. Glad to know there's more Swagger novels to check out.

By the way, grabbed Without Remorse based on the positive comments here, it'll be my first Clancy novel. Anyone recommend any other modern combat based fiction?

MistWolf

06-02-12, 17:17

I really enjoy The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It's fun, light-hearted, clever and moves along smartly. I can read this one over and over.

I like the the Lord of the Rings series, but as the movies, not the books. Every time I've read LoR it's work. I also hate the fact that after Tolkien ended the story, he ended a dozen times afterwards!

I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic stories. I blame it on seeing Planet of the Apes on the big screen as a kid. One of the best was written by Donald McQuinn in three books

Warrior starts off with our heroes awakening from cryogenic freeze in a failing creche in Pacific Northwest, hundreds of years after the fall of civilization. The world they find themselves in is savage and primitive, but very human and believable. The other two books continue with the characters figuring out how they fit into the new world and the intrigue and struggle for power they find themselves swept up in. The other two titles are Wanderer and Witch.

Another well written book in this genre is Wolf and Iron by Gordon R. Dickson. It's about a man who survives the end of the world, is befriended by a wolf, builds a homestead and grows from a lucky survivor into an experienced woodsman.

Scifi is another genre I enjoy. One of my favorite authors is Isaac Asimov and one of my favorite of his books is Caves of Steel. It's a very interesting study of what society would be like in a crowded urban environment and is eerily prophetic.

William C. Deitz is another favorite author, especially his Imperial Bounty series, Drifter's Run series and most of his French Foreign Legion In SPACE!!! series. Good stories, great characters, fast pacing. Well worth the read

...just to name a few

WillBrink

06-02-12, 18:23

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse

In short a former Vietnam era Navy SEAL (John Clark) has his family killed by a drug cartel and he goes crazy on them. That's the short version but of course it being a Clancy novel it has alot of detail to it.

-Jax

Way too many for me to list. Would at least need to be narrowed to a genre. As far as action, nothing beats the first 4-5 Steven Hunter books starting with Point Of Impact. Last few in the series of Bob Lee Swagger, not up to snuff to classics like Pale Horse Coming, etc.

Most books from Vince Flynn a close second.

Rogue Warrior series up 'till Weisman left are great fun I thought.

GeorgiaBoy

06-02-12, 19:12

The Dummy Line by Bobby Cole

Spiffums

06-02-12, 19:16

Dune is probably my all time favorite but there are just soo many good fiction books out there.

jmp45

06-02-12, 19:42

+1 Dune, Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle, Player Piano, Sirens of Titan.. For a few.

QuickStrike

06-02-12, 19:46

Just finished Starship Troopers. Can't believe it was written in the 50's!

Pretty good IMO, kinda drags on about the training.

RancidSumo

06-02-12, 21:02

There is a lot of talk in this website about Pressfield's Gates of Fire and Killing Rommel but I haven't seem anyone mention The Profession. I finished it a couple if days ago and it was an excellent read. I like all of Pressfield's books and this one was no exception.

LHS

06-02-12, 22:49

There is a lot of talk in this website about Pressfield's 300 and Killing Rommel but I haven't seem anyone mention The Profession. I finished it a couple if days ago and it was an excellent read. I like all of Pressfield's books and this one was no exception.

I read Gates of Fire and loved it. It's got to be on my top 5 list. I read Last of the Amazons and was disappointed. It just didn't mesh for me. I read Killing Rommel and it was pretty good, but again, nowhere near as good as GoF.

SMETNA

06-02-12, 23:19

Atlas Shrugged used to be fiction.

Hah Nice.

I would have to say One Second After. Followed by 1984.

SeriousStudent

06-02-12, 23:36

LHS - If you enjoyed Pressfield's Gates of Fire (which I did as well) may I recommend The Ten Thousand, by Michael Curtis Ford? It's the story of Xenophon's famous march to the sea, from Babylon back to Lydia. It is done in a similiar narrative style as Gates of Fire.

Also, Tides of War is good. It's by Pressfield and is about Alcibiades, the Athenian general. The Warrior Ethos is also a very good contemporary read, my daughter is reading it now. From what I listened him say, Pressfield interviewed a large number of our Special Operations service members for that book.

I liked The Profession a lot. I kept wondering in the back of my mind. What if Jim Mattis had political ambitions?

Note: That is not any kind of affront or attack upon General Mattis. I have enormous respect for him as a warior and thinker. But the book just made me wonder, which is what good books are supposed to do.

Two tomes that I finished recently were The Quest by Daniel Yergin, and Lee, by Douglas Southall Freeman. Yergin wrote a book called The Prize, which chronicles the role oil has played in our society and history. The Quest is about energy.

Lee is probably the authoritative biography on a fascinating general. If you can obtain the original printing that is not abridged, it's quite good. Even the abridged paperback (over 800 pages) is still an excellent read. Freeman died long ago, and his books can be difficult to find. I have an original 3-volume set of Lee's Lieutenants that took me some time to read, but was quite worth it. I gained more knowledge of the Civil war than by reading Burns, Foote or Shaara.

That took two boxes of cigars and several bottles of single malt to do. ;)

Jellybean

06-02-12, 23:43

Well, I guess I'm a lot simpler minded than everyone else here, but so far some of my favorite fiction has been by Matthew Reilly- some of his new stuff is getting a little redundant, but the first time I read Temple my mind was blown. :laugh:
And the Scarecrow series was awesome too.

If you like really over the top action-movie style writing, his stuff is not to be missed- seriously, it puts many other so-called "thrillers" to shame.

RancidSumo

06-03-12, 00:24

J-Dub

06-03-12, 07:30

Anything by Louis Lamour. Ya thats right, western fiction.

Specifically the "Daybreakers".

austinN4

06-03-12, 08:33

Anything by Louis Lamour. Ya thats right, western fiction. Specifically the "Daybreakers".
Have you read any of the Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch Series by Robert B. Parker? I read all four and thought they were good:
http://robertbparker.net/robert-parker-books.php#westerns

Littlelebowski

06-03-12, 08:57

Anything by Louis Lamour. Ya thats right, western fiction.

Specifically the "Daybreakers".

Ok, we could hang out.

crusader377

06-03-12, 09:41

The Flashman Papers by George Fraser McDonald

There are 12 books in the series and I just finished my 8th book in the series. Although they are fiction, the history behind them is superb and you end up learning alot about the Victorian era British Empire as you laugh about cowardly Flashman's various adventures and misdeeds.

J-Dub

06-03-12, 12:51

Ok, we could hang out.

Of course we could, The Big Lebowski is one of my favorite movies.

The dude abides...

Gutshot John

06-03-12, 13:19

SeriousStudent

06-03-12, 14:45

Anything by Louis Lamour. Ya thats right, western fiction.

Specifically the "Daybreakers".

Thanks for the tip, I have not read his stuff in years.

There were a couple of guys in my platoon, but in a different squad, that were big fans of his. So the books got passed around on deployments. I read a couple of his books, and really liked "Last of the Breed" the best.

SeriousStudent

06-03-12, 14:46

I'll have to check out The Ten Thousand if its anything like Pressfield's work. His books have played a big role in making me seriously consider the military after college.

I think you will enjoy it. Good luck to you with college, and your plans for serving your country.

Kfgk14

06-03-12, 19:58

Song of Ice and Fire because I'm a total nerd. Atlas Shrugged because Ayn Rand is a prophet. 1984 and Animal Farm though ironically Orwell was a democratic socialist (his anti-totalitarian leanings are far more interesting to me).

Sensei

06-03-12, 22:21

Dreams from My Father

uwe1

06-03-12, 23:35

All time favorite..."Dune" by Frank Herbert

"Red Branch" or "Bard" by Morgan Llewelyn.

"The Brotherhood of the Rose" by David Morrell

"The Alienist" by Caleb Carr

"Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry

Pretty much anything by Cormac McCarthy, Ray Bradbury or Robert Heinlein.

Red Branch is a great book. It's been awhile since I read that one.

The same person who recommended Red Branch to me, recommended Tigana, which I also enjoyed.

http://www.amazon.com/Tigana-Guy-Gavriel-Kay/dp/0451457765

LHS

06-03-12, 23:48

I read "The Alienist" a few years ago, pretty decent if memory serves.

"A Song of Ice and Fire" is probably my favorite fiction at this point. Martin just writes tremendously well, and his plots are incredible.

I'll have to check out The Ten Thousand, thanks for the tip!

It's not exactly fiction, but I grew up reading Peter Capstick's books about African hunting. I'm finally starting to get my stuff together for an African hunt of my own, and I find myself re-reading Capstick's older stuff again and again.

Rider79

06-04-12, 08:16

Dreams from My Father

What you did there? I see it.

Rider79

06-04-12, 08:37

Sounds like what would happen if the Punisher didn't suck.

You should read the recent Punisher MAX series, the ones written by Garth Ennis. Born, about the Punisher's origin in Vietnam, is one of the best story arcs I've ever read. It chronicles Frank Castle's last tour, his lone survival of an end of the movie Platoon-style firefight at Firebase Valley Forge, and the deal he makes so he can have his "war without end".

Valley Forge, Valley Forge, about an attempt by Delta to apprehend the Punisher and also related to his time in Vietnam, will bring a tear to your eye if you are, or know, a Vietnam veteran.

Brotherhood is another good story arc written by Ennis, from the older MarvelKnights Punisher series. It's about his involvement with 2 NYPD detectives, one a wife beater, and the other with a gambling problem that leaves him beholden to the wrong people, and how they redeem themselves.

All of these story arcs are available in trade paperback (graphic novel) form on Amazon.

Sensei

06-04-12, 12:13

What you did there? I see it.

Doing what I can with what I got...;)

ra2bach

06-04-12, 14:03

Ender's Game and the companion/parallel novel Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.

uwe1

06-04-12, 19:58

I believe the site owner and a couple of mods are already at work on that :D

I read the first 3 books of Martin's. The 4th book lost me. Way, way too many families and feuds to follow.

I strongly recommend "Thirteen" by Richard K Morgan (http://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Richard-K-Morgan/dp/0345485254). It's not my favorite fiction novel (that's a 3 way tie between Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny (http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Light-Roger-Zelazny/dp/B0009309M2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972712&sr=1-1), Use of Weapons by Iain Banks (http://www.amazon.com/Use-Weapons-Iain-M-Banks/dp/0316030570/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972751&sr=1-1), and Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Hall-Novel-Hilary-Mantel/dp/0312429983/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297972788&sr=1-1)) but's it's damned close and would be enjoyed by most in this thread.

It's set 100 years or so in the future. Due to obvious trends in genetic selection, several nation-states have deliberately bred back some human males to 20K years ago and found the "alpha male" set of genes and are using said "thirteens" as assassins and soldiers. Very well written and involving. You will have to think to enjoy this one.

I read Iain Banks' Use of Weapons over 15 years ago and remembered liking it, a lot. But, at this point, I can't remember any details of it and probably need to dig it up and read it again.

Kfgk14

06-04-12, 20:50

Ender's Game and the companion/parallel novel Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.

They were an interesting read, I need to re-attempt that one.

And @lanesmith, I lol'd. It's almost like you recognized him as a legitimate author, or person of any legitimacy or integrity at all.

halo2304

12-05-12, 20:36

I just got done listening to the audio book of "1984" and what an awesome book despite the sad ending. I had to read a section for a class I'm currently taking but I decided it'd be better to read (listen to) the whole thing.

A few more of my favorites are:
"I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson
"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
"All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque

Moose-Knuckle

12-05-12, 20:53

I just got done listening to the audio book of "1984" and what an awesome book despite the sad ending. I had to read a section for a class I'm currently taking but I decided it'd be better to read (listen to) the whole thing.

Incredible read.

In no particular order . . .

1984 - George Orwell
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Fahrenenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Denali

12-05-12, 21:07

Does anybody here have a favorite fiction novel?

Several, Frank Herberts "Dune, Children of Dune, & Dune Messiah." Stephen R. Donaldsons "Lord Fouls Bane, The Illearth War, & The Power That Preserves." Tolkeins "Hobbit & The Lord Of the Rings." Herman Hesses "Siddartha & Steppenwolf." Bram Stokers "Dracula" is high up on the esteemed list! Hunter S. Thompsons "Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas." I could go on and on....

halo2304

12-05-12, 21:15

Incredible read.

Indeed! I listened to an upload of the audio book on Youtube. There were 14 parts and there was a section or two I didn't quite pay full attention to. Mainly the part where Winston was reading the first chapter of The Book. It's really interesting how there were themes in "1984" that have been used numerous times in movies such as Logan's Run, The Matrix, and Equilibrium as well as songs. Hearing about Winston's job made me remember the lyrics to Megadeth's song 'Hook in Mouth' which was written in protest of the PMRC that gave us the Parental Warning: Explicit Lyrics label. Before listening to the audio book I only had a vague knowledge of what the book was about. I only knew it was about the government Big Brother spying on everyone.

Another book, which I have but haven't read and only recently got my hands on the DVD, is "Johnny got his gun" by Dalton Trumbo. I only knew of it from Metallica's One video and for years looked for a copy of the movie. It only became available again a few years ago and was surprised to see Donald Sutherland in it. It's a great movie which is well worth watching. From what I've heard, the book is a bit tough to read but i think having watched the movie first, it might be a little easier.

Magic_Salad0892

12-05-12, 23:44

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

I love that book so much.

I just finished Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. It was amazing.

They're making a movie on it, and it looks ****in' retarded. It's like they're marketing it as a comedy. Which the book wasn't. At all.

And for non-fiction:

I just read No Easy Day by Mark Owen, and Endgame 1945 (forgot who the author was.), and both were very good. Especially Endgame 1945.

Hehuhates

12-06-12, 02:52

"Legend" by David Gemmell was one of my favorites. I also enjoyed "The Belgariad" and "The Malloreon" by David Eddings. I'm a sucker for a well written fantasy novel.

Koshinn

12-06-12, 02:53

Several, Frank Herberts "Dune, Children of Dune, & Dune Messiah." Stephen R. Donaldsons "Lord Fouls Bane, The Illearth War, & The Power That Preserves." Tolkeins "Hobbit & The Lord Of the Rings." Herman Hesses "Siddartha & Steppenwolf." Bram Stokers "Dracula" is high up on the esteemed list! Hunter S. Thompsons "Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas." I could go on and on....

Dune series is crazy. I'd follow Paul into battle. I can't say the same about pretty much any other fictional character.

Straight Shooter

12-06-12, 07:26

About 10 years or so ago I was into DEATHLANDS by James Axler.
James Axler was several writers, not a real dude, btw. Anyway... was set I think around 400 years after Earth was destroyed by nuclear war. All kind of "muties", mutants, "sec lords", ect.
Leader was a one eyed dude named Ryan Cawdor, a bad mo-fo fo sho. Was, and may still be, a paperback series.

TMS951

12-06-12, 09:58

I love Ian Flemings "James Bond" Novels. If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be "From russia with love", and "On her Majesties Secret Service" is also very good.

Honestly my suggestion is to read them all and do it in chronological order.

His writing is fantastic and is about as un PC as you can get, the books were written from 1956-1964, when heavy drinking, womanizing, and using stereotypes was still okay. The books have a very similar feel to the James Bond movies starring Sean Connery.

UDT

12-06-12, 17:05