I'm currently really interested in autobiographies. I've read Frankie Boyle, John O'donoghue and have John Nash's waiting to be read. Can somebody recommend me a an autobiography they've really enjoyed?
I recommend anything by Tim Willocks. His Mattias Tannhauser trilogy (the third instalment hasn't been released yet) The Religion and Twelve Children of Paris are books that I judge all others by. The stories are epic, brutal and fascinating, really intelligent, the research is impeccable and the prose are some of the most beautiful I have ever read. Most of all, I have a lot of respect for the fact that he never censors himself and his books are definitely some of the most brutal that I have read. The main character is, in my mind, a highly intelligent version of R.E.Howard's Conan. Many attempt to kill him and many fail, brutally. One of the very, very rare instances where characters do what you wish they would do. I can't praise the books enough.
@Balcyboy Keith Richard's is a good read. Life, I believe it's called. Bob Dylan's Chronicles Vol. 1 also.
Some books off the top of my head: The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling I suppose you could call it a tragedy drama, although it has some comedy in it too. The basic premise is that a parish councillor in a small idyllic town dies, leaving a seat vacant on the council (hence the title). Several people gun for the vacancy as two opposing factions develop with one wanting to rid the town of its joined council estate and the other wanting to protect and help the estate like they have been doing for many years. The one thing I loved about this book more than anything is the development of the characters. I've always enjoyed Rowling's work but this one proves that when you strip away all the magic and wizards that has dominated her literature, she can still produce magnificent characters that you care about. The Pawns of Concilia by Christopher Felts Felts is a friend of mine and his fantasy book is unique in that it provides the story of the main character; but through the eyes of a secondary character. It's quite clever and the first in a series, he has since released the second book The Coiled Serpent although I am yet to pick it up. So if you like fantasy, and want something a little different, it's definitely worth a read.
I read The Cuckoo's Calling -- the detective novel Rowling wrote under a misnomer. I thought the ending was thrilling but most of the story bored me.
Her Cormoran Strike novels are pretty good, the sequel The Silkworm I think is a little better, but The Casual Vacancy is her best work outside of Harry Potter in my opinion.
Anyone who really wants a good, chilling anti-war novel, give Johnny Got His Gun a read. It's fantastic, trust me.
I've read blurbs about that work. Very chilling. OK, question. Can anyone recommend me a really good fantasy novel from the 2010s? The reason I ask is because I've been borrowing from the library fantasy books published in the early-2000s and I kind of want a book that came from this decade.
I've read blurbs about that work. Very chilling. OK, question. Can anyone recommend me a really good fantasy novel from the 2010s? The reason I ask is because I've been borrowing from the library fantasy books published in the early-2000s and I kind of want a book that came from this decade.
Has there been many fantasy novels from the 2010s? I can't think of many off the top of my head. Has anyone read Petrarch? What book of him would you recommend?
@Lemex have you ever read Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth? And if so, was it good? I'm thinking of picking it up.
I haven't, sadly, no - sorry. Weirdly, you aren't the first person to ask me this recently either. I think the universe is telling me to read it. :3
I had a peek at the first few pages on Amazon, and it looks like a really nice read. Though, I'm a sucker for adventure stories.
I would recommend the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. It's sort of urban fantasy, fast paced with a unique and interesting take on mythology/gods and such. Just google Kevin Hearne and you'll get his website, and get a more detailed description. His books are also available via audio, and the narrator (Luke Daniels) does a superb job. So reading and/or listening, they're a treat. As they're best sellers, they should be available via local libraries.
That sounds good, Terry, I'll check them out. I did also have your series in mind, but I know Link has already enjoyed those. It does. I keep seeing second hand copies of it for £1, and being really tempted. Or a big leatherbound copy of Julies Verne in Waterstones - but I'm more careful these days, unsure if spending £20 on a writer I don't know is not something that seems such a good idea anymore.
Lemex, Thanks for considering my series. If you choose Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles over the First Civilization's Legacy series...yeah, I can live with that
Does anyone know of any fantasy novels set in a more Ancient Greco-Roman world? I'm curious. Most of the stories of the kind I'm looking for in that respect were mostly written about 2,000 years ago.
There's this fantasy novel by Nalo Hopkinson called The Salt Roads. There are three "story threads" and one takes place in ancient Alexandria and Jerusalem - I thought that was the best one and I've read it several times, actually. Somehow it really brought the period to life: gritty, hot, kind of unforgiving. Not to the same degree as Gates of Fire which isn't fantasy, but it's another book that impressed me with its attention to detail.
This is for historical research purposes, but do any of you happen to know of any good non-fiction/fiction books set during the French and Indian War? If I remember right, there's The Last of the Mohicans, but I'm curious if there are more books set during that era.
Cloud Atlas. When I explain this to people I usually use my hands to show how the book is structured... let's see if I can do it... It is 6 stories in 6 voices from 6 different times written in 6 different genres. It is structured as russian dolls: Story 1 - stops mid sentence Story 2 - 100 years into the future Story 3 - another 100 years into the future Story 4 - more future Story 5 - more future Story 6 - wayyy into the future, ultra sci-fi style Story 5 - back into the past Story 4 - back into the past Story 3 - back into the past Story 2 - back into the past Story 1 - starts again where it left off MCs who are not really connected learn about other MCs across time and space, and all stories become interconnected. It is suggested that all MCs may be reincarnations of each other MC. Quotes like "our lives are not our own" stand out a lot, and were well used in the movie. This was the most impressively written novel I've ever read and I want everybody to read it!
I read a lot of autobiographies too! I just recently read Jerry Lewis' and Chuck Jones' autobiographies, both were really good. Although the ones that stick with me are Lewis Carroll's and Tolkien's biographies, theirs not being written by them but still damned good informative.
I know this is old. But haven't been on this thread yet. You may want to try Codex Alera by Jim Butcher (also wrote the Dresden Files). The author wrote it as a fusion between Ancient Rome and Pokemon (the legionares use spirit elementals in a Pokemon like way). The writing is more pulpy, to the point and fast paced but I found it had some pretty sharp well developed characters and a surprising amount of interesting politics. .
