Easy Bookshelf

[Yca]

OK, so last night I got into a nice discussion with our lovely members that are in the healing channel about books. I know that I asked for some books recommendations in my own thread, but this place will be a place to discuss books, not only recommend

I thought we should have a place where people:
* could share their experiences while reading certain books;
* recommend an awesome series/book they are currently reading
* ask opinions about a certain book before buying it (chances are, some of us have already read it and can provide an opinion)
* yeah...anything book related in general

SO, let the discussions flow!

P.S: Too bad I didn't screenshot Erian admitting to being more of a Hermione person I can totally get that tho, she's awesome!

[Nihil]

So... Mayble you'll start, Yca?

[Mehetabel]

Ooooh best thread ever Yca!

I'll definately post a few of my favourites here when I get a moment.

[Firik]

jim butcher and his Dresden files series, was also a shortlived tv series but the books are awesome.
kevin hearne and his iron druid series


Firik

[Mehetabel]

I keep meaning to read the Dresden Files books. I loved the TV series but I never knew it was based on a book series until it was mentioned here in another thread (by Lith I think).

[Mehetabel]

Ok, little bit of a repeat of what I wrote in Yca's class thread but I thought it deserved a place here too

The books are the "Gone" series by Michael Grant. They are actually aimed at teenagers (much like Harry Potter originally was) so I bought them for Storm a while back and she got through them so fast and loved them so much I thought I'd give them a go. And I can certainly say that it's been a while since I've enjoyed a series this much!

Think cross between X-Men and Lord of the Flies and that sums up these books perfectly! Basic storyline is a whole town is cut off from the rest of the world by some kind of supernatural means. All adults vanish, leaving only kids aged 14 and under. Very quickly a large number of the kids start developing super powers. It all goes a bit crazy rather quickly. These books are quite disturbing and very graphically violent so I was vaguely surprised that it's marketed as a book for 12 and over as it's certainly equally, if not more, shocking than a lot of adult books I've read. We are currently waiting VERY impatiently for the last book to be released Also, keeping fingers and toes crossed as there has been a rumour or two that it might get optioned for a movie or TV series (especially now that Hunger Games did so well).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gone-Michael-Gr ... 758&sr=1-2

Gone
Hunger
Lies
Plague
Fear
Light (released first half of 2013)

[Gladion]

Well, I have my plan to spend time with Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin during my hospital visits.. Thought about actually reading those again, but seems that for first few weeks I need to rely on audiobooks.

[Yca]

So... Mayble you'll start, Yca?

Al right! Sure thing

As many of you might have already heard from me (did I pester you too much with this? ) I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire series. I had it in my bookshelf for like two years but just looking at it seemed like a daunting task. One thing is sure about these books: they're HUGE! It's an in incredibly long series, and it's not even finished (word is, the upcoming books might be even longer ). But then I started hearing all this good stuff about it, so I said, why not? I don't have a problem with longer series (I actually prefer longer series) even if the magnitude of this series has intimidated me at the beginning.

I am currently reading A Storm of Swords, which is progressing..well...not that fast (if only I could read day and night!!). I'm about 450 pages in. My favourite characters are Tyrion, Arya, Jon, and - surprisingly - as of recently, Jaime Lannister. I wasn't particularly interested in him up until A Storm of Swords, but in this book he has sky rocketed to my top favourite because he undergoes a pretty major transformation. I LOVE his duality. He's very much like Sawyer from Lost: a jerk, a seemingly uncaring person on the outside most of the time, but there are moments when he lets down his guard and you discover a completely different side of him (even if he doesn't really lose his cynical way - at least I haven't seen him let down his guard completely yet) I am eagerly awaiting his further development. If I'm to be honest, his chapters are the ones I await most in the book

[Caireann]

Oh! Nice that we will be able to continue with our little conversation on the healing channel here :) Maybe more people will benefit now… I will definitely look into Garth Nix’s stories as suggested by Erian, as well as that Iron Druid Chronicles sometime soon.

I will also repeat myself and suggest a very light read – The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch that I am currently reading – it’s a bit of a mix of a Ocean’s Eleven and a typical witty and cynical rogue-ish focus. Also, I recommend it to any English learner – it is packed with such sophisticated vocabulary at times it broadens your register ;) I love it when I have to pick up a dictionary. Most fantasy stories aren’t that demanding.

As for the Song of Ice and Fire.. good to know we have so many fans out here ;) It is a great read, and even more so now that it’s made into such a wonderful TV series. I don’t know if I should recommend it here, but I have to humbly admit I’m a sucker for fan-made stories and continuations to books I love. I simply can’t say goodbye to many characters and spend months after completing a series browsing through fanfictions before starting out with a new series. Well, so, there is one particularly good that takes place after A Dance with Dragons (clicky!) – with some really interesting theories and quite a nice writing style.

[Lithasola]

Goodness me where to start lol. There's so many awsome books out there I could type a short list here that springs to mind of authors and maybe a few individual books I've read and really enjoyed.

Authors and I'd be surprised if most of you haven't heard of at least one of these :

R.A.Salvatore -author of the cleric quintet and all the Drizzt and Drow series.
Anne Bishop - fantasy writer who is just awesome imo, pretty much a personal choice this one tho so might not be to everyone's taste. Black Jewels Trilogy, Ephemera series and the Tir Alainn Trilogy.
David Eddings -some books co written with his wife too, Belgariad, Elenium, Tamuli amd Mallorean series, the way this guy portrays his main characters just makes you fall in love with them and want to read the stories non stop.
Terry Pratchett -hugely witty and just plain funny if you haven't read any of his Disc World series then your missing a treat.
Phillip Pullman - His dark materials series, aimed at kids but still a great read.
Christopher Paolini - The Inheritance Cycle (eragon books) trust me the books are waaaay better than the debacle they made into a film. Also aimed at kids imo.
Naomi Novik - The Temaraire Series, loved this a whole new twist to stories about dragons set in the times of the napoleonic wars and dragons are the air corps.
Neil Gaiman - I've read Anasi Boy and American Gods I keep meaning to read more of his books cos they are great but I always seem to have another book on the go at the time.
Terry Brooks - Legacy of Shannara series.
Ursula K Le Guin - Many many moons ago I read the EarthSea Qunitet, I've never forgotten how much I enjoyed it.
Trudi Canavan - Age of the five series.
Micheal Moorcock - The jewel in the Skull
And just for the hell of it Robert E Howards - Complete Chronicles of Conan

Yeah that's right you can see a theme here huh, sword swinging fantasy with lots of magic and dragons and theres many more I just haven't remembered lol

If thats not your bag then try -
Margaret Atwoods - Oryx and Crake trilogy.
Richard Mathesons - I am Legend (yes the film with Will Smith was based on this).
Max Brooks - World War Z.
Yann Martel - Life of Pi.
Peter Benchley's - Jaws and The Deep.
Michael Crichton's - Jurrasic Park much better than the film.
Ian M Banks - Use of Weapons, I keep meaning to read more from this guy as well but haven't got round to it.
James Herbert - Fog, The Rats, The Lair.....

theres too many to list lol