I Need Something To Read

[Seil]

Like the title says - I'm looking for some reading material. Now, bear in mind, I'm picky about everything. Everything includes books, foods, clothing, whatever. The point is made.

I stopped reading Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises because i felt that the dialogue was too stiff (I'm a fan of Tarantino (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9wVGb38) dialogue and Smith (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6lzEhoXads) dialogue - ie. casual stuff) but I flat out loved Milan Kunderas' The Lighter Side Of Being. Right now, I'm reading stories from the Vinyl Cafe - which, if you aren't Canadian, you might not have heard of. (But it's f*king great.)

Now, someone recommended me A Fine Balance. (http://www.all-about-india.com/images/A-Fine-Balance.jpg) So that's prob'ly gonna go first. Anyone have something for the second?

[Kim]

Kafka on the Shore. Everything's a metaphor, half of it doesn't make sense, and it is fantastic.

[Gregness]

If you're not snobby about only reading "classics" or whatever, John Dies at the End is pretty fantastic. It's this weird blend of horror and comedy that I've never quite seen anywhere else. While I first read it, I laughed outloud every other page or so, and I had to sleep with the lights on for two weeks. I was 20.

If you're not above Fanfic, Shinji and Warhammer 40k (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3886999/1/Shinji_and_Warhammer40k) is pretty awesome if you're able to just turn off your brain and enjoy the insanity.

For more mainstream authors (well, for certain values of "mainstream") The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein is also pretty kickass. Then, uh, pretty much anything by michael chrichton, especially Timeline and Prey.

[Seil]

Horror? Sign me up.

That being said, I've been meaning to read John Dies At The End since whoever wrote it started writing articles on Cracked.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Dead Iraqis: Short stories of Ellis Sharp- best book ever. You'll probably hate it but that would just ben a case of you being wrong

[Seil]

but that would just ben a case of you being wrong

I'm wong all the time anyway, why would I fight it now? I'm sure I can track down some story that'd interest me.

[McTahr]

Seconding John Dies at the End. David Wong manages to blend the genres fairly well. Definitely better than you would expect from someone who writes articles on a comedy website.

[EVILNess]

War and Peace.

Do it.

[Seil]

War and Peace.

Do it.

Isnt't "War and Peace" like...
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This big? That'll take me a solid week to get through! Longer still if the PSN is up before then.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

The Dresden (http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden) books by Jim Butcher are all pretty good, admittedly they really get good by the 4-5th book (depending on your opinion, but don't worry,the books are written so you could jump in at this point & not be completely lost). I really like the audiobooks, all read by James Marsters.

Anyway, the series is about a Detective/Wizard, the mechanics for magic and monsters make the books seem plausible & there are a number of good jokes - quips.

"An errand is getting a tank of gas or picking up a carton of milk or something. It is not getting chased by flying purple pyromaniac gorillas hurling incendiary poo."

You can find the short stories Restoration of Faith & Viginette here:
http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/side-jobs

There are 13 books so far (12 case books, & a collection of most of the released short stories). However, the intention is to release 23 in total (or 25, counting the current short story collection & the one that will eventually follow).


You might be interested in the first 4 books in the Seafort saga by David Feintuch. Sort of a British navy of the 1800s, except in space. (Which works better than you'd think.). I suggest the first 4, because that story is self contained. There are additional books, but the author died before they reach a satisfactory conclusion.

[Specterbane]

SWB didn't really mention that Dresden files are written to have a kind of "film noir" feel to them with Dresden's cynical and sarcastic narration telling the story. It works really well, and it's wizards in modern day Chicago so I'd back up that recommendation whole heartedly.

That being said, if you're into classics and haven't tried Three Musketeers (the whole series) or The Count of Monte Cristo you should give those a shot.

Also if you're into the general 'High Fantasy' type books you might check out Jim Butcher's other series Codex of Alera. It's a fantasy world where everyone can use magic via Furies (elemental Spirits) except the main character. Being the odd one out, the kids got to get by with as many of his wits as he can use at any given point to avoid being pushed around and stepped all over by those who are more 'normal'.

I'm not sure if any of those are quite up your ally from what you've put up, but generally I recommend all of those to anyone. Try them out, page through a few chapters before you buy maybe. Good luck.

[The Wandering God]

Check out "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky.

It's a modern day tale of a young lad who is a bit of a social awkward duck trying to figure himself out. Pretty good read and the dialogue and setting seem natural.

[Magus]

If you dislike Hemingway, read John Steinbeck. He's a little better with the actual writing quality, and the stories are just as compelling.

You should try to narrow what you want a bit, do you want to read classics? Or modern stuff? Realistic stuff or fantastical stuff?

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Is Watership Down considered a classic? Published in the 70's, I think.

Its a story about rabbits, doing rabbit things, but from the rabbit point of view, that makes it a far more interesting. Might be something a bit more in line with what you're looking for.

SWB

[Magus]

Oh, dude, if you are going to read Richard Adams? Shardik is where it's at. Shardik is like the best fantasy novel ever that nobody ever recommends people read.

Watership Down is pretty great, too, but it's a young adult book (uh, to the extent that it had rabbits...obviously the violence and so on was pretty realistic and it was actually about as realistic a look at the life of a rabbit you could get while still having them talk). Shardik on the other hand is an adult novel. It is one of the best novels deconstructing the creation of myth and role of religion and politics in people's lives. Also it's a pretty cool story too.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

If you're into comic books, you have to read Preacher. It's blasphemous, irreverent, and the most fun you'll have reading something that isn't John Dies at the End. I also have to suggest all of The Ultimates written by Mark Millar. It's a really good idea that's well executed. Just don't touch anything written by Loeb in the Ultimate Universe.

And if you're in for a real long read, I have to suggest Grant Morrison's run on Batman. All of it. I spent a good 47 hours reading it and it was a blast. Grant Morrison is a completely different writer than Geoff Johns but it feels like he's channeling him to an extent when it comes to how he weaves back and forth through old continuity. The guy made all the Silver Age batman stories canon again. All of it.

Avoid anything written by Frank Miller that isn't Batman: Year One. Everything else is garbage.

[Magus]

Didn't Frank Miller write the Sin City comic books?

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Didn't Frank Miller write the Sin City comic books?

Yes.

[Magus]

Aren't those okay or was it just that the movie wasn't as terrible as it could have been?

[The Sevenshot Kid]

It's definitely the latter. The material is just gritty too the point that it swings back around to camp but without the intended irony.