Anybody reading fiction??

[MJ DeMarco]

I read a ton of fiction because I'd like to venture into it someday. In fact, Unscripted (Book 2) has a little touch of fiction in it.

I tend to read mysteries and thrillers; Patterson, Balducci, Jance, etc.

 

[MTEE1985]

A thought came to mind as I typically read 2 books at once. Non fiction in the morning and fiction before bed. I figured a separate thread may be needed as other book threads seem to be 100% business/mindset/non-fiction books. Plus I know we have some fiction authors in here.

What fictional books are you folks reading/or what are your favorites?

I’m halfway through Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills newest book Red War. By far my favorite fiction author and Mills did a terrific job taking the series over.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501190598/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

 

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[Sheens]

Though I am not a gamer, nor a teenager, I found myself enjoying READY PLAYER ONE by Ernst Cline this past weekend. Action, fast, and something in it for most that read for pleasure.

If I had kids, I'd read it to them!

It's been years since I've read Vince Flynn. Thank you for the recommendation @MTEE1985!

 

[rjrobbins2]

I am usually reading about 4 to 6 books at once between my Kindle, Scribd, hard copy books, and audiobooks. It depends on my mood.

I read a lot of fiction. I am currently reading Fire and Blood by George RR Martin which is part of Game of Thrones although outside the main series.

I read a lot of fantasy, especially urban fantasy and thrillers.

 

[jesseissorude]

I typically read 2 books at once. Non fiction in the morning and fiction before bed.

I do the same thing.

My favorite fiction book is Neuromancer by William Gibson. That's the book that coined the terms cyberspace, the matrix, microsoft, and a bunch of others. It's credited as the first cyberpunk novel (which is like saying The Ramones were the first punk band... it's not technically true, but it's true enough).

Mostly, though, I read classics. Ernest Hemingway is really great for pre-bed adventure-but-cozy feels. I'm trying to get into more modern fiction, though, so I'm definitely open to recommendations!

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9505784-jesse

 

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[Isaac Oh]

Brave New World is AMAZING! Discover the power of social scripting

 

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[JAJT]

Some random favorites:

- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: Such a great read. Philosophical, entertaining and thought provoking. It's centered around a father and his son travelling on motorcycle with some friends cross country while being "haunted" by a "ghost" of the father's former self. It dives deeply into the difference of perspective regarding values, quality, and a number of other topics. One of the few books I just love coming back to.

- The Brother's Karamazov: I've never in my entire life read a book that developed characters so perfectly. The author really has a knack for writing in a way that makes you believe that every single character is real and unique. By comparison, most other books have characters that sound/feel like they are all the same character with different talking roles, while Dostoevsky's characters are so wildly different and unique that it's like a different author wrote each character. Fair warning - even with the translation, Russian literature is wildly different from what you're probably used to. It took me a while to get the "knack" of reading it.

- Catch 22: One of the few books I can open up to literally any page and laugh at what I'm reading immediately. If you like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but want something written far better and more down to earth, this scratches that same kind of 'silly' itch.

Brave New World is AMAZING!

I've never been more disappointed in a book in my life. I was looking forward to reading this for years and when I finally got around to it I was totally let down.

While 1984 and BNW get compared to each other a lot, I think they are so dissimilar that it's an insulting comparison. 1984 was a masterpiece of literature, while BNW felt like a pretty passable high school short story with just one or two good ideas.

Don't get me wrong - I loved the idea of a world controlled by pleasure rather than pain, but if it wasn't such a famous book that I really wanted to get through I'd have put it down after 2 chapters.

 

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[The Abundant Man]

Reading Frank Herbert's Dune before the movie comes out next year

 

[MTEE1985]

Speaking of Vince Flynn... Have you read Term Limits?

Autographed copy brother. I actually got it at a goodwill type store in CA where I’d buy books for $1, read them and then donate them back. The Flynn books I would keep though.

Probably best not to discuss it’s merits on an open forum but damn good book. One of my all time favorites.

 

[G-Man]

I used to read probably 20-30 fiction books a year, but there are only 2 I've ever read more than once.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce
The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde

 

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[GPM]

I liken the original artists (authors) who created and paved the way as fine examples, and what we have today would not be there if not for them.

However, to say that Jimi Hendrix is as good a guitarist or musical creator as what we have today IMO is just crazy. Yes he was amazing, yes he changed everything for the better. However, due to that we literally have thousands of kids doing nothing but playing instruments at home and becoming the best they can at writing and playing, and then releasing that through whatever means necessary when they can. I am also not talking about most of the BS on the radio (or on best seller lists for that matter), the real gold is found elsewhere.

I think that we live in an artistic golden age right now. It is not just the select few who can make it, but anyone who really strives and puts their soul into something. The internet has made nearly anything possible for those who don't give up.

I know that this is about writing and authors, but I find music to be just as applicable.

Oh, and I love reading old books. The way they write is like stepping into the past. It really makes me curious as to what people will think of modern writing in 100 years. How language evolves is fascinating. Biographies written about the original titans are freaking amazing. For all the bitching that people like to do today, we sure do have it good.

 

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[MTEE1985]

Didn't know Vince Flynn, sounds interesting

If you dislike elected officials, you’ll love Term Limits. If you like them, it will offend you.

The rest of his books are a series about a counter-terroism assassin for the CIA. The kind of stuff we all know probably goes on behind the scenes in reality but we don’t actually want to know about it.

Flynn himself passed away in 2013 from cancer but Kyle Mills picked up where he left off and you would never notice it is a different writer.

 

[Raoul Duke]

OHMYGOODNESS.

I didn’t know there was going to be a movie!!

Oh man I hope they don’t screw it up.

Watch the documentary by Alejandro Jodorowsky. His storyboards with legend Jean Giraud aka Moebius. Inspired Aliens, Star Wars, etc....

The greatest movie never made.

Jodorowsky's Dune

 

[Raoul Duke]

Ray Bradbury - The Martian Chronicles. Just be cautious, of what print you buy.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I already own this one - what do you mean?

Censorship and The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury - National Coalition Against Censorship

 

[WJK]

I read a lot of fiction when I was young. I haven't read much fiction in the last many years... but, I read or listen to several non-fiction books per week. Taking care of my tenants is like living in a novel. Watching other people's bizarre lives is better than reading a fictional book. Many of the real-life storylines around here are unbelievable -- even as a story plot. I've been writing some of the events down as short stories. I think it would be a best seller if I wind them together into a novel. I own my own Peyton Place!

 

[JAJT]

The way they write is like stepping into the past.

This is largely what draws me into classical literature - the author's writing styles in those great works just seem so unique and engrossing in ways I don't normally experience. Sometimes the language is just older, sometimes it's a unique style, sometime's it's just something magically that I can't put my finger on. I just love it.

Not saying there aren't authors out today with similar styles that I'd love, I just have no exposure to them.

I liken the original artists (authors) who created and paved the way as fine examples, and what we have today would not be there if not for them.

I love this about the older stuff as well - when something was so "stand out" at the time that it literally spawned an entire genre, or inspired famous works years later - I find that fascinating.

I'm working my way through HP Lovecraft right now and I'm loving it - not that there aren't better or more interesting horror writers today (I'm sure there must be) but Lovecraft practically defined the "Cosmic Horror" genre. Hell, people still call it "Lovecraftian" almost 100 years later. I find this fascinating. It's like stepping into a time machine and being able to re-live the beginning of a historic moment through these works.

 

[Kak]

A thought came to mind as I typically read 2 books at once. Non fiction in the morning and fiction before bed. I figured a separate thread may be needed as other book threads seem to be 100% business/mindset/non-fiction books. Plus I know we have some fiction authors in here.

What fictional books are you folks reading/or what are your favorites?

I’m halfway through Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills newest book Red War. By far my favorite fiction author and Mills did a terrific job taking the series over.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501190598/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

Speaking of Vince Flynn... Have you read Term Limits?

 

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[redshift]

My favorite fiction book is Neuromancer by William Gibson. That's the book that coined the terms cyberspace, the matrix, microsoft, and a bunch of others. It's credited as the first cyberpunk novel (which is like saying The Ramones were the first punk band... it's not technically true, but it's true enough).

Neuromancer is my all time favorite as well.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson is another good one.

I used to read fiction before bed as well but have switched to non fiction and biographies now. Some of them have some great stories in them and are a fun / light read. Depends on the book though.

 

[rjrobbins2]

I do the same thing.

My favorite fiction book is Neuromancer by William Gibson. That's the book that coined the terms cyberspace, the matrix, microsoft, and a bunch of others. It's credited as the first cyberpunk novel (which is like saying The Ramones were the first punk band... it's not technically true, but it's true enough).

Mostly, though, I read classics. Ernest Hemingway is really great for pre-bed adventure-but-cozy feels. I'm trying to get into more modern fiction, though, so I'm definitely open to recommendations!

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9505784-jesse

I recommend the Dresden Files which is an urban fiction series. There are currently 15 books with 24 planned. Jim Butcher has built one of the best fictional worlds meshing every mythology and supernatural element into modern day Chicago. It is the best series I have ever read and I mainly read series. It gets off a little slow but by the 3rd book, you will be hooked.

 

[GPM]

Brave New World is AMAZING! Discover the power of social scripting

While I did not think that the writing on BNW was all that fantastic, I would slot this book as a must read for everyone. This is a book that should be mandatory reading for all school kids, along with 1984 and Atlas Shrugged.

I am a big fan of high fantasy books, the ones that sprawl entire universes over like 10+ books. However, I rarely read them these days as I feel like I am eating the candy the whole time.

My favorite series so far is probably Malazan Book of the Fallen written by Steven Erikson. These are 1000+ page books with 0 filler. You head to the next book and they literally don't give you one word of backstory. My #1 complain about most large books in a series is that the next book spends 300 pages talking about what happened in the last book. To me that is just lazy writing. If a reader wants to know what happened in the last book then F*cking pick it up and read it, or grab some notes online.

 

[kristkaa]

I reccommend The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. While its mostly categorized as bussiness / leadership book, its also a fascinating fiction.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

Watch the documentary by Alejandro Jodorowsky. His storyboards with legend Jean Giraud aka Moebius. Inspired Aliens, Star Wars, etc....

The greatest movie never made.

Jodorowsky's Dune

Dude!! I know how I’m going to procrastinate from business stuff tonight!!

Hahaha... no but really this looks freaking awesome. Pink Floyd soundtrack?!? And Salvador Dali?? Whhaaat?? So cool!

I loved Dune. *happy sigh

Until that possessed sister character. She ruined it. Lol.

 

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[FreakyThomas]

Amazing topic

Love reading fiction too.

One of my favorite book of those last years is from a francophone author, Joel Dicker : The Baltimore Boys

Even in fiction you can learn a lot and develop your abality to think with an active responsability

I read a lot of fiction when I was young and have gotten back into them in the last few years, my favourite fiction book;

I Am Pilgrim

Highly recommend it!

I also like to read historical fiction, currently reading "Mutiny on the Bounty" the captain on that ship is Captain Bligh, he served under Captain Cook.

Thank you for the recommandation, you should try the historical biographies by Stephan Zweig, they are incredible. I really loved the one about Magellan !

 

[jesseissorude]

I recommend the Dresden Files which is an urban fiction series.

Thank you! I'll check it out. Sounds like it'll keep me pretty busy, ha!
I really like worldbuilding type series (like Stranger in a Strange Land kinda stuff)

 

[rjrobbins2]

Thank you! I'll check it out. Sounds like it'll keep me pretty busy, ha!
I really like worldbuilding type series (like Stranger in a Strange Land kinda stuff)

If you like world building, you will absolutely love it. Butcher started writing it while getting his MFA at Oklahoma. So, the first couple of books are a bit rough. But, they are vital to getting the story rolling. He sketched out the entire series or the basics in advance so it isnt a series where a writer starts and isnt sure where he is going to take it. He knows exactly where it is going and it shows. It has a cult following.

 

[AniM]

I read like 98% nonfiction lately.

I have a fantasy novel series I've been slowly working through called The First Law by Joe Abercrombie. I'm on the second book but I rarely pick it up these days.

Just grinding away with marketing, sales, biz books...

Maybe I'll take some recommendations from this thread as I would like to use fiction or biographies at night to help my mind relax before bed.

 

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[paulyh]

Hello all,

I don't participate in this forum very much and instead tend to sit back and observe the amazing content you all share. For that I apologise; but I am an avid reader of both fiction and non fiction books and I believe I can add some value here. I average about a book a week year round of some sort.

As pointed out by "advantagecp" Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson is also one of my all time favorites. Snowcrash and The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson are both incredible books as well. ( both have cult followings )

In all time best catagory would also have to be Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, an epic true story too unbelievable to not include in the fiction catagory. Be warned, it is a soul sucking monster of a book.

Anything by James Clavell, the asian saga. Tai-Pan, Shogun, Nobel House, Whirlwind etc. They are all historical fiction but timeless and enduring.

I recently started to read more sci fi books as well but tend to prefer the hard science genre. Top choices here would be The Martian by Andy Weir ( many here have probably seen the movie, but as usual the book exceeds in spades ). Nexus by Ramez Naam is a very thought provoking book about a nano drug that connects human brains together and enables an operating system to access the internet. The thought police were not impressed! Another very thought provoking book about how society might react to the changes of an enhanced human mind is Amped by Daniel H. Wilson.

That's it for now, enjoy.

More to come!

Cheers

 

[Fassina]

You guys seem to read mostly old well known stuff that was important but not really that good compared to what we have today..

You can ask most writers, books today are better than they were in the past, standards are higher, writers are better, writing technology is better, editing is better etc..

We are in the golden age of fantasy. Brandon Sanderson is going to be more important than Tolkien and everybody since in a couple decades..

 

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[AniM]

You guys seem to read mostly old well known stuff that was important but not really that good compared to what we have today..

You can ask most writers, books today are better than they were in the past, standards are higher, writers are better, writing technology is better, editing is better etc..

We are in the golden age of fantasy. Brandon Sanderson is going to be more important than Tolkien and everybody since in a couple decades..

That's a very subjective opinion.

Sure technology is better but I don't see how that makes a tremendous difference, the skill of a writer comes from his mind not his tools.

There is something to be said for things that have stood the test of time.

Do you have any specific recommendations?