The XN book worms

[Macland]

Post up with whatever books you're reading or have read and would recommend.


IF you are going to post a spoiler please give advance warning such as a *SPOILER* notification and possibly even hiding your text by changing the text coloring to a shade of white such as *highlight to read below*

The book I am reading is kick ass and spoilers given out too early totally ruin books and movies for people. Don't F things up for everyone else.

If you can, give a brief description of the type of book you're recommending.
For example: Genre, vulgar, explicit, long winded, foreign language, prequels, sequels, and so on.


I've been reading the Hunger Games trilogy and have really enjoyed it. So far I just finished the second book and will be moving on to the third shortly.

 

[kat_black181]

I really want to read the Hunger Games books as well. The movie looks like it will be good! Chuck Palahniuk and Charles Bukowski are by far my favorite authors. I absolutely LOVED Haunted and Invisible Monsters by Chuck, and Women by Charles Bukowski is a must-read, too. Be forewarned, though, he has some pretty vulgar language...

 

[Macland]

They were an easy read. I was able to stay glued to the kindle for hours at a time. You could easily read the first book by the time the movie came out if you just allotted an hour or two here and there. It's hard not to put it down. Almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger and the books definitely leave you wanting to start the next one immediately.

I'm glad I read the books before the movie because a lot of times having a character portray a figure in a book ruins the character for me. I like to create the character in my mind and then judge whether or not they did the best they could given the parameters of "real life" in a movie. Frankly, I'd like to finish the last book in time for the movie release so I know just exactly how everything plays out so I can watch for subtle hints within the film.

 

[kat_black181]

They were an easy read. I was able to stay glued to the kindle for hours at a time. You could easily read the first book by the time the movie came out if you just allotted an hour or two here and there. It's hard not to put it down. Almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger and the books definitely leave you wanting to start the next one immediately.

I'm glad I read the books before the movie because a lot of times having a character portray a figure in a book ruins the character for me. I like to create the character in my mind and then judge whether or not they did the best they could given the parameters of "real life" in a movie. Frankly, I'd like to finish the last book in time for the movie release so I know just exactly how everything plays out so I can watch for subtle hints within the film.

That whole creating the character in your mind, I'm the EXACT same way lol. And, if I get into a book, I'm one of those people who will sit there with the book in my hand until I finish it. In a lot of ways, they're better than movies because you have the freedom to create everything that happens along the story line in your own personal way, so it's like making your own movie in your head (if you're that imaginative). I'm a speed reader, too, so finishing it before the movie shouldn't be a problem! I'll try and pick it up this week!

 

[Muadeeb]

It's a good thing my wife isn't on this board; she's a reading FIEND! Always has two books with her, and can finish a large novel in a day if given the chance.

 

[J Everett]

I'm about to read The Hunger Games myself. Right now I'm in the middle of A Dance With Dragons, which is the 5th book in the Song of Ice and Fire series that HBO's "Game of Thrones" is based on. I'm not usually a fan of fantasy literature, but this series is amazing. I'm really enjoying it, and I recommend it to everyone.

Some other favorites:
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (Everyone should read this! It was written 20+ years ago, but has a startling depiction of the internet as a drug of the future)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long, Dark Tea Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (Everything Adams wrote was hilarious as well as well thought out and well written. He is my absolute favorite author.)

Everything by Tom Clancy. They were written out of order, so if you're interested in a proper timeline, let me know. Start with Without Remorse.

The Dirk Pitt Adventures by Clive Cussler. If you like adventure movies, you'll love these stories. Start with Sahara, Flood Tide, or Vixen 03

W.E.B Griffin's Presidential Agent series, The Corps series, Men at War series, and Honor bound series are all excellent. Honor Bound is my favorite.


Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling is a post apocalyptic novel that chronicles life after "The Change", an event that causes all modern technology to cease functioning. It's the first in the Emberverse series which details mankind's struggle to survive after being plunged into the Bronze Age again. It's a good read if you're into that sort of thing.




After I get through Hunger Games, I'm finally going to get started on Ender's Game and its sequels. Been meaning to read it since a friend told me about it in college, and never got around to it. Now that I have a Kindle, it's on!

 

[Macland]

I read Ender's Game back in Jr. High and still remember how amazing that book was. I never read the sequels but had friends that did. I may have to go re-read it someyday.

Thanks for all the recommendations I'm gonna have to check some of them out. The Dies by Fire book kinda peaks my interest.

 

[J Everett]

Oh, how could I forget?! The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its two sequels (together known as the Millennium Trilogy, by Stieg Larsson) is one of the best stories I've read in years. There are a couple of harshly graphic scenes of rape that are a little difficult to get through (if you saw the movies, you know what I'm talking about), but it's such an excellent read.

 

[Mirage]

Currently reading the entire Sherlock Holmes collection, I honestly can't believe I never picked it up before, its very good reading. Other than that, I'm a fan of everything Tom Clancy, James Bond (picked up every one as they were released a few years ago just for the retro girl cover art), and Jason Bourne (The Bourne Identity and so on). I also read a lot of books by returning servicemen from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as books written by journalists and writers about the events that went on over there, mainly snipers and special forces types. Apache by Ed Macy, who was the pilot of one of the British Apaches that went in on the ground with Royal Marines strapped to the wings to attempt a rescue was another good read, covers the entire deployment, with some absolutely hilarious events in it, as well as covering the dramatic and sad rescue.

 

[J Everett]

Thanks Mirage, I forgot to mention the Bourne Series. Very different from the films, in both time setting and plot, but very, very good.

I don't usually get into non-fiction (I usually find it's not very well written), but I'm gonna have to read Apache; that sounds really good.

This is quickly becoming my new favorite thread.

 

[J Everett]

I read Ender's Game back in Jr. High and still remember how amazing that book was. I never read the sequels but had friends that did. I may have to go re-read it someyday.

Thanks for all the recommendations I'm gonna have to check some of them out. The Dies by Fire book kinda peaks my interest.

Dies The Fire is awesome. I read the first 3 books in the series, but never got to the 4th one. Library didn't have it and I didn't have my Kindle at the time. Gonna have to finish that series.

 

[dhyde79]

if you like fantasy stuff, check out the Dark Elf Series from R.A. Salvatore....last I checked there are 20 or so books total, but it's made up of multiple small sets...each of the smaller "sets" has been released in a "collection" book as far as I know, so, instead of having to pick up 20 separate small softbacks you can get the bigger "clusters" with one book being a whole trilogy (or more)

(Listed in chronological order in the book, not release date)

• Homeland (Dark Elf Trilogy)
• Sojourn (Dark Elf Trilogy)
• Exile (Dark Elf Trilogy)
• The Crystal Shard (Icewind Dale Trilogy)
• Streams of Silver (Icewind Dale Trilogy)
• The Halfling's Gem (Icewind Dale Trilogy)
• The Legacy (Legacy of the Drow)
• Starless Night (Legacy of the Drow)
• Seige Of Darkness (Legacy of the Drow)
• Passage To Dawn (Legacy of the Drow)
• The Silent Blade (Paths of Darkness Trilogy)
• Spine of the World (Paths of Darkness Trilogy)
• Servant of the Shard (The Sellswords Trilogy)
• Sea of Swords (Paths of Darkness Trilogy)
• Promise of the Witch King (The Sellswords Trilogy)
• Road of the Patriarch (The Sellswords Trilogy)
• The Thousand Orcs (The Hunter's Blades Trilogy)
• The Lone Drow (The Hunter's Blades Trilogy)
• The Two Swords (The Hunter's Blades Trilogy)
• The Orc King (Transitions Trilogy)
• The Pirate King (Transitions Trilogy)
• The Ghost King (Transitions Trilogy)
• Gauntlgrym (Neverwinter Trilogy)
• Neverwinter (Neverwinter Trilogy)
• Charon's Claw (Neverwinter Trilogy)

in addition you can pick up "The Collected Stories: The Legend of Drizzt" and apparently it's a collection of all of the shorts that Salvatore wrote in other publications that tie back to the story and it fills in some gaps...

personal note on the series, I first read the original 10 books in Jr High/High School, and if you like these type of books, he's a great author and does a good job of pulling you in, but, from the standpoint of growing up with each new book coming out and grabbing and reading it, I quit after spine of the world. I've since picked them back up in the last 4 or 5 years, and have made it all the way up to the thousand orcs I think....and will finish them once I have the time.

 

[MississippiGal]

I'm an avid reader and always have my nook nearby. I'm currently reading a freebie from them, Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich and will most likely move on to Angel Time by Anne Rice after that.

I concur with everyone's recommendations on The Hunger Games; that series was awesome!

Some of my favorite authors include Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Jack DuBrul, Matthew Reilly, Cherie Priest (awesome Steampunk stuff!), Anne Rice, Clive Cussler, Elizabeth Peters and Karen Marie Moning, just to name a few.

I can't wait to follow this thread to see what everyone is reading!

 

[Macland]

Doodle, you better get to reading! Hunger Games comes out tomorrow!

 

[SnickerDoodle]

hahah I'm on chapter 21! This work day is DRAGGGGGGING! I just wanna go home, change into some comfy clothes (rather than these adult work clothes they make me wear) grab a mug of tea and curl up on the back deck and finish the book and then start on the next. As i have been told i won't be able to wait to start reading the next of the series. Thankfully my coworker lent me all 3 at one time! Woot!

I love all the book suggestions. As soon as i get my Nook at the end of the month i will be sure to purchase away at the list! lol

 

[NMTerras]

I have to be careful about my reading, as books are like drugs to me and I end up not sleeping or getting work done because I can't stop.

My all time favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which I read years and years ago, and have re-read a number of times since.

I am also partial to Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett (turned into a less-than-stellar miniseries) and the sequel, World Without End. His latest book, Fall of Giants, was also darn good. I love history-based fiction.

The Stieg Larsson books are good, I like the second and third better than Dragon Tattoo

Sped through Hunger Games and then started Catching Fire, but it's sitting neglected on my bed stand. Think I'll wait to watch the movie before I pick the sequel back up.

More faves:

Milagro Beanfield War Trilogy. John Nichols is a great writer, as well as famed local eccentric and fly fisherman
Everything by Grisham, especially the non-legal ones like An Unpainted House
Tolkein, my precious
Dan Jenkins. Best sportswriter of his or any other generation, funnier than sh*t. The golf books - Dead Solid Perfect, etc., are the best. (Rick Reilly should be sued and possibly laptop-whipped for building a whole career on imitating/copying Jenkins
Tom Robbins - Absolute genuis. Still Life with Woodpecker and Jitterbug Perfume especially
so many more...so little time...

 

[J Everett]

Knocked out The Hunger Games and Catching Fire in the past week. Waiting for my wife to finish Mockingjay so I can complete the series. Then onto A Dance With Dragons.

 

[SnickerDoodle]

knocked out Hunger Games in less than 24 hours. with sleeping and working totally 16 hours so in less than 8 hours. now on to catching fire!

 

[Macland]

I just finished Mockingjay and my feelings on the book will be spoilerified below... I'm not going to actually give any plot scenes away but if you're like me any kind of hints can ruin something for you.

I actually liked the way the book ended. It was very fitting for the society in which the books portray. The final few sentences of the book sum up everything completely. When you read them you'll know what I mean. Katniss ends up with who she needs to be with although it doesn't always feel like it. The epilogue is also very satisfying. It makes me hopeful for the future and I was beginning to fear this book would leave me feeling spiteful.

All in all it was a great series and after reading it all on my mom's Kindle I decided I wanted one for myself. My wife ordered me one for my birthday a few days ago. We may have to find out how to do an XN Kindle book sharing as well.

 

[NismoFire]

I'm a HUGE Steve Berry and Lee Child fan, although I have no intention of seeing the movie rendition of Lee Child's book One Shot simply because they chose Tom Cruise to play Jack Reacher. Eugh. Also a big fan of Brad Meltzer.

As far as the Hunger Games goes...I wasn't interested in it at all until I saw the movie. Karen read all 3 books and pre-ordered tickets the day they came out, and I went because I didn't want her going by herself. I'm glad I did. I have now completed Hunger Games, and I'm about a third of the way through Catching Fire. I'll probably have it done tomorrow. I'm a bigger fan of the political parts than I am the romance parts, but it's whatever. I'll share my opinions after I finish Catching Fire.

 

[dhyde79]

apparently hunger games crack in written form, cause I started the first book around 11:30 yesterday morning, and stopped around 3am, and am on page 63 of the THIRD book...while at work, reading between customers....

 

[NMTerras]

Finished catching fire and mockingjay last week. Just ok, IMHO. Now on cold mountain, which I've been intending to read forever. So far it's very good.

 

[gorillamel]

I keep track of all the books I read with this website: Goodreads.com. OMG I love it. I tend to forget what I have read and it's nice to see what your friends are reading and how they rate the books, too.

I second the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Also a fan of Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea trilogy (not a fan of the last 4th book tho). I'm on the 3rd book in the George R.R. Martin Game of Thrones series, but am having a hellacious time getting through it. Great books, just have to have an awesome memory for all the dang characters in it and what they are all doing *sigh*.

I tend to like almost anything by Neil Gaiman, he's such a creative writer. Esp American gobbles. Other books I love include: Watership Down by Richard Adams, The Count of Monte Cristo by Andre Dumas, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, anything by Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air is the best IMO). Ummm, yeah just a brief list, I could go on and on...

 

[RATTFINK]

I'm not big into books. I don't have the patients and I applaud you all.

 

[ahefner]

Read the Hunger Games and the other two books. Took me a couple months because I got them from the Kindle lending library for free and your only allowed one freebie per month.

Have been working on Tad Williams Dragon Bone Chair series. Currently on Part 3 Book 1. If your into the hole adventure type novels similar to the Lord of Rings series you may find the Dragon Bone chairs a good read. Lots of interesting tales and travels. Author paints a good imagine of the characters and really pulls you in. However the books are a little on the thick side. Its suppose the be a three book set but the third book was too large to hold onto so its actually two books.

 

[NMTerras]

Watership down. GREAT book mel...id forgotten. Thats going to have to be a reread for sure


Sent from my brain using technology

 

[Deltaphi216]

the dirk pitt books by Clive Cussler are fun, easy reads.

for fantasy I always revert back to Terry Brooks "Shannara" series. the original one, "the sword of shannara" is huge, but really good.

 

[J Everett]

Currently reading Jason Ellis's autobiography I'm Awesome.

http://imawesomebook.com/

 

[SnickerDoodle]

I think we should start a book swap!

What do you guys think of that? Say you have a book and suggest it to someone else you can ship it out and when that person is done reading it they can ship it back to the owner.

Just an idea.

 

[J Everett]

That would be awesome if I weren't buying all my books on Kindle these days. I can loan to other Kindle users...

 

[SnickerDoodle]

see that's an idea as well! nationwide book swap!

 

[xterror04]

I think I have some old goosebumps book I can send lol,

I haven't read a book in years, I went wi my wife to the hungar games movie, then she said how the book was better, and well now I'm hooked again, really forgot how much fun a good book is, I'm just started mocking jay, will most likely be done this weekend, then may read Abraham Lincoln the vampire hunter

 

[SnickerDoodle]

Note to self: Do not watch Shooter and then read 50 Shades of Grey before bed. I had some of the craziest dreams EVER last night. A sniper movie and a book that is basically all about s&m create the craziest combination for the subconscious.

 

[SnickerDoodle]

guess who gets a Book Tablet this weekend!! sqeeeeeee!

 

[Macland]

I just bought The Hobbit, I'd never read any of that series and figured I've been missing out on some awesome details. And it doesn't hurt the movie is coming out this winter.

 

[AZhiAZiAM]

i don't know if anyone posted it. but tucker max wrote a book called "i hope they serve beer in hell" its one of my favorite books because he reminds me of myself. also all the game of thrones books are good. they also started a tv series on it which is pretty good also.

 

[SnickerDoodle]

I just put that up on my book shelf while unpacking, such a good book. I also am proud to say i got my nook tablet! Woot!

 

[AZhiAZiAM]

what is this women talking about ^

 

[SnickerDoodle]

Hope they serve beer in hell... Sorry i guess all the posts didn't load. lol

 

[TKDx00]

Just found this thread. I'll have to look into Hunger Games, seems like a popular read, what type of book is it?. Currently re-reading The 4 Agreements By Miguel Ruiz.