Redwall series (by Brian Jacques) - It's been years since I've read any of these books (I was in middle school at the time), but I remember enjoying them immensely. There are 22 books in the series, all taking place in the same world, at various points in time. It's a fantasy series (knights & all that stuff), and all the characters are animals of some sort (mice, rats, rabbits, ect).
Inheritance Cycle (by Christopher Paolini) - I haven't read the final book (I really want to, though), but I love the first 3 books in the series!
The Bear & the Dragon (by Tom Clancy) - this is the only Tom Clancy novel I've read, but I really enjoyed it. Great military/espionage story.
Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)
always thought I'd change to Gyarados after I turned 20 but hey, this is more fitting I guess. (also somebody registered under the original Magikarp name and I can't get back to it anymore orz)
The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. Can't go wrong with a classic that's getting yet another movie soon. :3
[16:08] LordJumpMad Hides his gut with a griddle
[16:08] Reala: what ljm does for cash is ljm's business
[16:08] LordJumpMad: Gotta look good my my next game u_u
I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of medieval fantasy novels by American novelist George R.R. Martin. The immensely popular HBO series Game of Thrones is based on this series. What I like about it is the absence of the typical battle between good and evil. What is good or evil is defined by the perspective of each character. Since the point of view changes each chapter, you get to know the motives, insecurities, strenghts and fallacies of each of them. Most of them are not really good or evil, but sort of in a gray area. Not only does this make the characters feel more believable, but it's also a way to make the reader constantly rethink his sympathies and moral judgments. This works so well, it keeps you hooked and completely unsure what will happen next. There's intrigue, sex, incest, war, family honour, jealous lords, kings, knights, peasants and everything in between. While the final two books are not out yet, I'm curious how everything will work out in the end. There is this ancient threat being ignored because of the petty confilct between rivaling kings and nations, which is likely to play a central role in the final novel. Even if you do not like fantasy, you will probably enjoy it. It is more about people and power than it is about magic, elves or goblins. Sure, there are zombies and dragons here and there, but magic is not a governing force that people are familiar with. It's a believable, realistic world, where mystical elements are only there to serve the plot rather than governing it.
Catch-22 is the best book ever. It's immensely funny yet poignant at the same time. There's actually quite a bit to learn from it. It does get kinda depressing towards the end, but I think the contrast works wonders.
Alice in Wonderland is quite an interesting read. The various adaptions have yet to truly do it justice.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is especially enjoyable from what I've read so far. Not quite a recommendation since I'm only 2 chapters in, but still, I think I'll like it if I could ever get myself to read again.
Redwall series (by Brian Jacques) - It's been years since I've read any of these books (I was in middle school at the time), but I remember enjoying them immensely. There are 22 books in the series, all taking place in the same world, at various points in time. It's a fantasy series (knights & all that stuff), and all the characters are animals of some sort (mice, rats, rabbits, ect).
I read the entire series from 5th grade through to 9th grade. They're good books, but kinda formulaic.
How Music Works by David Byrne has been one of my favorite books I've read in a while. You don't necessarily have to be a Talking Heads/David Byrne fan to understand or enjoy the book (though that certainly helps when he discusses various recording techniques for albums and collaborations), just someone who'd enjoy a perhaps different perspective from an industry veteran who has probably been there and done that before.
The Hunger Games Trilogy [The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay] by Suzanne Collins The Lord of the Rings Trilogy [The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King] by J.R.R. Tolkien The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A book topic! Wall of text incoming.
My favorite series are those written by Garth Nix. I can't help but wonder where he pulls his ideas from as I read the fantastical Keys to the Kingdom, Sabriel, and The Seventh Tower.
I also greatly enjoy Emily Rodda's fantasy works, though hers are usually targeted at a younger audience.
The greatest science fiction book I've ever read is The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester. It's about a man who is being hunted by the esper police for murder. It's an easy read and very unpredictable. It won the first ever Hugo Award.
Since this is a gaming website, I'm bringing up Epic, by Conor Kostick. The main characters lives on New Earth, whose civilization revolves around playing an MMORPG called "Epic."
I've also read Animal Farm, by George Orwell. It's an allegory about communism in the Soviet Union and it's easily the saddest thing I've ever read.
For you history buffs out there, I have two books. The first is Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goon An), by an unknown Chinese author. It follows Judge Dee as he solves three criminal cases during China's Tang dynasty. The second is Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. It it set in medieval Europe and is aimed at adults. At almost 1,000 pages, it is the longest story I've read.
I'm going to wait until George R. R. Martin finishes writing A Song of Ice and Fire before I start reading it. If I read the first five books now, I will quickly grow tired of waiting for the sixth. At the moment, the only adult fantasy I've read is the Sword of Truth series, by Terry Goodkind.
I can't tell you guys about all the books I love; that would be impossible. The ones here are all either my favorites or just books I felt like recommending.
Because I'm STILL not satisfied with my list, I'm going to recommend a last bit of fantasy. Author Diana Wynne Jones and series The Edge Chronicles. To be clear, Diana Wynne Jones did not write The Edge Chronicles.
Jurassic Park (by Michael Crichton) - After seeing the movie countless times, I finally read the book when I was in high school, and found it to be just as (if not more) thrilling, despite knowing the plot. Really great read.
A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity (by Bill O'reilly) - I got this for Christmas a few years ago from my father, and I think it's a great read for anyone, despite what your views on his politics may be. It's pretty much various stories from his life, & my personal favorite ones are his stories from childhood (which are pretty much non-political, whatsoever), but there's lots of stuff about him growing up, getting into the work force, being a teacher, getting into the media, and more (there's even a section about him interviewing various celebrities & political figures). If you already like him, you'll probably really like it, and if you don't like him (or don't know him), it'll at least give you a better view of him than what you'll see on TV (and overall, the book isn't very political from what I remember).
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