Looking for recs

[sasuran]

So, I'm planning to get back into reading in 2014, mostly because I find myself getting interested in writing again. Anyone out there have any books to suggest? New stuff, classics - anything you think is good would be much appreciated. :)

Comments

[quatch]

abhorsen trilogy by garth nix. YA fantasy, the positive roll of necromancers.

Not recommending enders game. On book three, and the authors fail at science only gets worse, and the prose is stolid.

Enjoyed the silmarillion actually, but as an audio book while driving.

Foundation septology turned out ok. Neat concept, ok execution.

Dirk gently books by douglas adams if you've missed those.

If you haven't listened to all of the writing excuses podcast, you ought to.

[sasuran]

I have actually read most of these! Eir is a big fan of the Abhorsen trilogy, so I picked that up awhile back. Have a good fanmix of it kicking around too.

Silmarillion I have not tried. I didn't like Tolkien as a kid, but he's really grown on me. Will give it a shot, thanks. :)

Foundation I found too far-fetched - that stats could be used the way they suggested. I was sad not to like it more - it's classic.

Dirk Gently rocks. BBC did a mini series of it, but I haven't seen it - have you?

What are writing excuses? (Er, in this sense, rather. I know what an excuse is. XD)

I enjoyed Enders Game, but Speaker of the Dead I practically tossed out the window in a huff. *LOL* I think the author felt pressured to follow it up with something brilliant and just tried too hard.

Thank you very much for the recs!!! :)

[uninformed]

The audiobook of Sabriel is read by Tim Curry.

[sasuran]

............!!

[uninformed]

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente - kids book, but still fabulous. Has 2 sequels so far, but the series isn't complete. I love pretty much everything I've read so far by this author (this is her only kids series). Labyrinth is probably actually my favourite (and can be downloaded for free from her website), but is definitely not for everyone O_o (I didn't think it was for me when I first started reading it!) Deathless was also cool and I really like Palimpsest, but it's kind of definitely porn

[uninformed]

Also: there's this if you need motivation.

[sasuran]

Dude, that is QUITE a list! Thank you so much!! I have not read most of these. :D

I went to the library to try and pick up a pile of them at once, and I think it is much to your credit that all but one had so many holds on them I can only hope to see them by spring. (I think the Book Thief has a 130, which I can't understand - supposedly it came out in 2006???)

I have acquired "Wild", but was a bit devastated to realize that the first, like, 30 pages are about her mother dying relatively suddenly of lung cancer. O_O. I like her style, though, so I am optimistic about the rest of the book. :) (But what a start!)

Also amused that you knew Frances was Ann-Marie MacDonald (or vice versa, I guess!) I read that ages ago, but still haven't had a chance to read any of her books.

... How does the Bingo Board work? I mean, I see that there are squares, but how do you win? Just by filling it in?

... The universe would be way cooler if there was some kind of combination "Dream Home Lottery" and "Book Bingo" game.

[uninformed]

Ehe, whoo. I read upwards 50 books in a year, I've realized since I started counting, not including graphic novels, short stories, or screenplays. So I guess I know of many things.

I think a movie adaptation of Book Thief is coming out this year? That's probably why. :)

Um yes. Sorry, didn't occur to me to warn for that. It's important for the plot/mood of the book!

That's because I wikipedia'd her as soon as I was done, haha. I've read Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), which is a play, and it was really good. I want to read the Way the Crow Flies!

I don't really know. I was thinking just try to fill in all the squares. It is too bad that there are not literal prizes...