What to read after Harry Potter?

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05/12/2008 11:13:42 PM · #51

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Starship Troopers (pretend the movie doesn't exist!) by Robert A. Heinlein.

Keeping on the theme of movies ruining a good story because they watered it down to cater to the masses, "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson is a decent read as is "What Dreams May Come" by the same author. At least that one wasn't turned into a horrible movie.

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 23:14:09.

one2one

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05/12/2008 11:44:14 PM · #52

Originally posted by levyj413:

Originally posted by BeeCee:

Originally posted by Jac:
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever - trilogy

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - trilogy

The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - tetralogy, but only two books have been released so far

Authored by Stephen R. Donaldson

Read these years ago and loved them all. I think there's a movie planed for these books too. I hope they make three movies like LoTR.

Omg, I'd forgotten about those, read them when they came out, more than 25 years ago.
I really enjoyed the first two, but by the end of the third I was about ready to slap him upside the head and tell him to quit his bloody whining! :)

Heh. I felt the same way halfway through the second book. I was also tired of slogging through what felt like paragraph after paragraph of detailed descriptions when I just wanted to get on to the next bit of plot. Could've been related to my teenage years; I wonder if I'd enjoy them more now, 25 years later. I'm glad Jac brought them up!

lol Same here. I remember saying to myself; when is he finally going to realize he's the one, WAKE UP, slap! But after that it gets interesting again. 25 years, holy crap! Already.

citymars

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05/13/2008 12:09:42 AM · #53

Originally posted by GeneralE:

See, and I hated the movie, even though I just bought it so my son could compare for himself (he read the book last year). :-)

Yes, the language is a bit "vintage" in its style, though the free version I linked to at Project Gutenberg is a never-before-reprinted translation which looks more like the 1909 edition I first read ...

It's full of politics and moralizing and practical engineering knowledge (devising a global positioning system using a stick and a watch, how to make nitroglycerine, etc.). I put it in there with other adventuresome "classics" such as Moby Dick, Don Quixote, A Tale of Two Cities, and so on, which "everyone wants to have read, but no one wants to read."

It was all that detailed science that left me cold. It would be useful to have the book for reference if stranded on an island, but those sections dragged (for me). I can appreciate someone else getting into it!

I generally like vintage literature. Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are my favorite authors, but I wouldn't recommend them to people who aren't avid readers.

By the way, for those fantasy fans who *do* like a literary challenge, I recommend "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" -- but try to get your hands on the hardback, you'll go blind reading the pages of entertaining footnootes in the paperback version.

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 00:10:14.

Katmystiry

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05/13/2008 12:20:56 AM · #54

I was a huge Sidney Sheldon fan and he died last year leaving me lost for a good read. I picked up Duma Key by Stephen King and have to say it's an awesome book so far (I'm 1/2 way through). I've also read the whole Left Behind series and really enjoyed them. Good luck in your reading search!

joynim

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05/13/2008 01:04:43 AM · #55

I echo Terry Pratchett and Bill Bryson as very engaging but reasonably light reads. I would also thoroghly reccommend Bryce Courtney as a brilliant author I cannot say how much I have enjoyed every single one of his books he has a very special talent as a storyteller

Ecce_Signum

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05/13/2008 02:48:13 PM · #56

WOW! sooo many replies!

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. Am sure I'll never get through that lot (and the top 100 is a good link too).

Just ordered a copy of Ender's Game from Ebay (Â£2:99) and will be sure to let you know how it reads.

Thanks again peeps :)

Bear_Music

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05/13/2008 03:31:59 PM · #57

Arthur Clarke's "Rama" books, especially the first (Rendezvous with Rama), Larry Niven's "Ringworld" books, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye", and the excruciatingly funny/acerbic "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "Job: A Comedy of Justice" by the late, great Robert A. Heinlein...

R.

levyj413

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05/13/2008 04:13:27 PM · #58

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Oh, yes, to Clarke and Heinlein! All will get you thinking about various religious and cultural questions. Haven't read the others.

Louis

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05/13/2008 04:50:10 PM · #59

If you like sci-fi and you wind up enjoying the "ethical dilemma" scenario of the Ender books, try anything by Adam Roberts. Salt, Splinter, Land of the Headless are good. Roberts writes "hard sf" and "high-concept sf".

GeneralE

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05/13/2008 04:59:01 PM · #60

How about The Print by Ansel Adams ...

Ecce_Signum

05/13/2008 05:01:21 PM · #61

Originally posted by GeneralE:

How about The Print by Ansel Adams ...

Now, a suggestion of a photography related book some time coming ;) Have been reading revies of the Enders series and reckon they will keep me busy till the end of the year lol.

jtf6agent

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05/13/2008 05:04:17 PM · #62

How about The Bible???

Louis

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05/13/2008 05:13:59 PM · #63

Or how about any of the excellent "new atheist" essays, if he's so inclined?

funkywizaard

05/13/2008 05:37:55 PM · #64

Some of my favorites:

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Atonement by Ian McEwen

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

Crooked River Burning by Mark Winegardner

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

idnic

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05/13/2008 05:46:55 PM · #65

If you love Harry Potter, you'll adore the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Epic stuff, now on book 7 I believe.

AndyMac24

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05/13/2008 05:48:42 PM · #66

Originally posted by idnic:

If you love Harry Potter, you'll adore the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Epic stuff, now on book 7 I believe.

OMG I didn't think anyone else read those. I love the sword of truth series. And yes 7.

idnic

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05/13/2008 05:52:35 PM · #67

Originally posted by AndyMac24:

Originally posted by idnic:
If you love Harry Potter, you'll adore the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Epic stuff, now on book 7 I believe.

OMG I didn't think anyone else read those. I love the sword of truth series. And yes 7.

:D Hiya, fellow fan of Richard. I started the series about 5 or 6 years ago, now I've read the series twice and both of my kids have read every book. Its one of those series you just can't get enough of. Every book is excellent on its own and the group as a series is about as good as it gets.

littlegett

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05/13/2008 05:56:12 PM · #68

Not sure if anyone else suggested it, but you may want to try the

Pendragon series, by D.J. MacHale thependragonadventure.com

I just finished book Four and I guess from the website (I just found it while writing this post) book Nine was recently released. It is a fantastic series.

The cool part about these books, at least for me, is when I was a kid I was addicted to a series of books called 'Encyclopedia Brown'. Come find out that it is the same author who wrote both series. So that was really cool.

One you should really check out.

Edit to add, I looked again and book nine is released in less than a week L()L

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 17:58:34.

levyj413

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05/13/2008 07:39:09 PM · #69

Originally posted by littlegett:

The cool part about these books, at least for me, is when I was a kid I was addicted to a series of books called 'Encyclopedia Brown'. Come find out that it is the same author who wrote both series.

Me, too. And I've enjoyed sharing them with my daughter. But I think Encyc. Brown is by Donald Sobol.

jtf6agent

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05/13/2008 07:48:30 PM · #70

Enders Game was a fantastic book. Anything by Terry Goodkind. The Magicians Apprentice, Cronicles of Amber, Sword of Truth (AMAZING) Battlefield Earth ( I read it 3 times) There is a book called The Big Picture and I recommend ANY photographer to read it. It's about a guy who murders his wifes lover and runs away to become a photographer. Nutshell breakdown but, it's an ass kicking book. Not sure of the author but the name is right. The Sword of Shannarah is a great series also. Then again there is C L A N C Y Yep good ole Tom Clancy novel can't be beat to make you paranoid and terrified of your own shadow ( another word for Government)

jtf6agent

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05/13/2008 07:49:22 PM · #71

Oh yeah Magic Kingdom for Sale VERY cool book.

littlegett

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05/13/2008 08:25:36 PM · #72

Originally posted by levyj413:

Originally posted by littlegett:
The cool part about these books, at least for me, is when I was a kid I was addicted to a series of books called 'Encyclopedia Brown'. Come find out that it is the same author who wrote both series.

Me, too. And I've enjoyed sharing them with my daughter. But I think Encyc. Brown is by Donald Sobol.

Ok, I stand corrected I must have missread the dustjacket... However I did find this bit...

Originally posted by Website Bio:

Other notable writing credits include the classic ABC Afterschool Special titled Seasonal Differences; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series Ghostwriter; and the HBO series Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

So here lays the confusion, but still Wicked COOL!! L()L

Jib

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