Top Ten Non King Books
Why not?
1.Shadow Man by Cody Mcfayden
2.Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire by JK Roling
3.Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4.Eragon by Christopher Paolini
5.The Face Of Death by Cody Mcfayden
6.The Awakend Mage by Karen Miller
7.The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
8.The Novice by Trudi Canavan
9.The High LOrd by Trudi Canavan
10.The Mages Guild by Trudi Canavan
If you love me, then love me-Susan of mejis
See the turtle, aint he keen? All things serve the fucking beam-Eddie of NewYork
You burn prettily-Corwin of Amber
Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle
The Poetics by Aristotle
The Republic by Plato
After Virtue by Alisdair MacIntyre
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
The Trial by Franz Kafka
Complete works of Mathew Arnold
Jude the Obscure- Thomas Hardy
Philosophical Investigations-Ludwig Wittgenstein
Summa Theologicae- St. Thomas Aquinas
obscure: can you post two separate lists now, ten fiction and ten non-fiction? the bear is interested
(love Kafka, too, but am not sure he will make my top ten)
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sure Jean, let me think of it some more.
subject to change of course
1. Einstein's Dreams-Alan Lightman
2. The Monk-Matthew Gregori Lewis
3. Infinite Jest-David Foster Wallace
4.A Confederacy Of Dunces-Jonathan Kennedy O'Toole
5.The Girl Next Door-Jack Ketchum
6.The complete works of H. P. Lovecraft (I can't pick just one)
7. Neverwhere-Neil Gaiman
8. Finnegan's Wake-James Joyce
9. House Of Leaves-Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Fatu Hiva-Thor Heyerdahl
11. A Clockwork Orange
Originally Posted by Brice
cheater!
I'll have the complete Dickens and Chesterton, then
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both are good selections. I can't blame you for claiming them all.
I'll have the complete Dickens and Chesterton, then
....and still I listed eleven even with counting that as one pick. Really it's incredibly hard making such a short list.
I'm taking all of Salinger.
Ubik by Philip K. Dick
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
VALIS by Philip K. Dick
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson.
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.
Last edited by Seymour_Glass; 10-10-2008 at 12:58 PM.
Have you read his diaries, which were published by Shocken? I know they were meant to be destroyed along with the rest of his unpublished works-before his literary executor, Max Brod, double-crossed him after he died-but I was still disappointed. I only got twenty to twenty five pages in before I put the book down. Most diarists aren't Samuel Pepys, but I was surprised by how repetitive his diary entries were, especially for someone who put so much thought and precision into every word he wrote, even when it was for a tedious workman's insurance report.
In no particular order:
The Bad Place, Dean Koontz
Anvil of Stars, Greg Bear
The Servants of Twilight, Dean Koontz
Black Trillium, Bradley, McCaffrey, and May
The Golden Torc, Julian May
Blood Trillium, Julian May
Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follet
Sharra's Exile, Marion Zimmerer Bradley
Juxtaposition (one of the Adept Series books), Piers Anthony
Magnificat, Julian May
The wind-up bird chronicle- Haruki Murakami
Diablo Guardian(Guardian Devil)-Xavier Velasco
Our laddy of the assasins-Fernando Vallejo
One hundred years of solitude-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A study in scarlet-Arthur Conan Doyle
Sputnik, sweetheart-Haruki Murakami
Norgewian Wood-Haruki Murakami
L.A. Confidential-James Elrroy
Farenheit 451-Ray Bradbury
Pedro Paramo-Juan Rulfo
Look at me thus. Thy glance is mad and rare.
Thine eyes show deep and wild and inner strife.
How they are more than Horror fair!
-Alexander Search
obscure: I normally avoid reading diaries or letters that were not meant for public - not, of course, because I am so scrupulous, but because I don't want to see an author I like shown to his disadvantage. The difference between what is written with and without the intent to be publicised is usually shocking (at least, until you get used to the idea that normally an author may be brilliant, or just plain intelligent, only when he is doing what his talent is directed at)
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a tricky one ... I could probably spend months making piles of books, restacking favourites sadly excluding ones ... so hard. I certainly can't do it in order!
Here is a top ten that I might disagree with tomorrow!
1) Quest of the Three Worlds by Cordwainer Smith. Really not a novel in its own right, but a series of 4 interconnected short stories pretending to be a novel. Its a cosmic Pilgrims Progress, a tale of revenge, redemption and spiritual growth. Wonderful, moving and clever with some of the most unique characters I have ever encountered in a book.
2) Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. The story of a distant planet were the settlers have previously tamed a savage new world by using science and psychic abilities to take on the persona's of Hindu Gods. The story starts after this has happened (its not shown in detail) and what happens when one of the original crew decides to buck the status quo. Thundering good adventure and a very clever concept that is used to its full potential.
3) Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury books are like poetry turned into prose. His writing is so rich and dense ... his stories full of mystery and magic. This one about the day the Dark Carnival comes to town is a slice of wonder. Turned into a film that was largely forgetable, the book is as close to the feeling you get on Christmas morning just before you start to open your presents.
4) The Santaorga Barrier by Frank Herbert. This slim little book is a total contrast to the rest of Frank Herbert's uber sci-fi output. Not set on a distant world, no sand, sandworms or spice. Its the tale of a psychologist who journeys to a small community to investigate a series of strange phenomenon. He discovers an unusual gestalt between all the inhabitants that arises from a local food product ... something he himself eats and begins to feel drawn into the gestalt. An interesting novel about what it means to be human, to be civilised and how we view each other ... all tied up in a fast paced little thriller that achieves so much in just 100 or so pages you will be amazed.
5) IMPAKTO by Richard Calder. I am not sure this can be put into words! Its a novel that takes you to another world. I read it originally on holiday and my partner asked me when I finished where I had been for two days. I had vanished completely ... at least thats how we both felt. Odd, surreal, magical, a journey to heaven and hell ... back again ... life death and Thailand. What more could you want ... except maybe your brain back!?
6) ILLUMINATUS By Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. However other books will appear and disappear in my personal top ten this trilogy will remain. One book cut into three really, now available as a single volume (as it should be, but makes it a pain to read in bed as you feel you are bench pressed a small child!) Conspiracy, cosmic joke, the true history of the world... who knows! Follow a bunch of the oddest heroes on a journey through a strange version of the 20th century. Discover the truth ... or just be lied to some more! Whichever it is you will be baffled and entertained in equal amounts.
7) Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. A rewrite of Dante's Inferno, but with a cynical Science Fiction Writer as Dante. Allan Carpenter dies and wakes up in the Vestibule of Hell. We follow him as he journeys down inot the famous Italian poet's version of the afterlife. This works as an adventure yarn, but also as a way to exploring Dante's inferno without trudging through all those stanzas of hard to read translated Italian. I later on braved the real thing and have to confess this incarnation of the tale works much better.
8) LEGEND by David Gemmell, written when the author thought he had a terminal illness ... and thought this would be the only book he would ever write. Its a last stand book. A small fort manned by a tiny army, up against the biggest horde of mad barbarians ever collected between book covers. Its suicide, nobody can survive, but if they can just hold out long enough the King might be able to get his butt into gear and mobilise enough of an army to save us all. Think 300 with magic and mystery ... feel yourself stand shoulder to shoulder with the defenders as they make the attackers pay for every foot of earth they take. And prepare to meet Druss the Axe. The most wonderful OAP hero of them all. Well past his sell by date, got a dodgy knee, knows he is going to die here, but is a force of nature bar none ... DRUSS, captain of the Axe. This book will grab you and force you to read it. If you try and fight, it gets medievil on your butt!
9) Franny and Zooey by J D Salinger. A little cheat (like Quest of the Three Worlds) its really not a novel but two tightly interlinked short stories. Most of JD Salinger's tiny, but beautiful output concerns the lives and trauma's of the Glass Family. From Seymour Class, whose suicide over shadows every story in the sequence, to Franny, who kicks off the proceedings here. Only the famous (and poorest of his works in my opinion) THE CATCHER IN THE RYE escapes having the Glass Family at its heart. Franny and Zooey is all about a clash between our regular life and our spiritual life. Sounds dull, but you just fall in love with both of these too bright for their own good characters. Wonderful stuff crammed into every page!
10) LESS THAN HUMAN by Charles Platt. The only funny ha ha ha ha book on the list. Whenever I am feeling down and need a good cheering up I usually wander over to one of my Charles Platt novels. FREE ZONE is another favourite, but this one just got into the Top Ten based on it being re-read more recently. Utterly cruel, savage, very funny ... takes a bunch of tired old Sci Fi cliches and romps home with a wonderful tale. The tale of human robot who wakes up in a future Manhatten Island that is close to melt down, falls in love, goes for a walk, saves a bunch of hippies, gets into your heart before you realise it.
[8] I utterly agree with - a great Book, from an Author who produced a few of them.
[7] Sounds interesting. I love Niven/Pournelle's 'Mote in Gods Eye' + 'Moat around Murchesons Eye' (or 'Gripping Hand' as ye have it Stateside.) Also love Niven/Pournelle/Barnes ' Legacy of Heorot' - great scifi.
If you liked Mote, then INFERNO is a must read. They tackle what could have been a fantasy novel with a hard science approach ... it shouldn't work, but it does. My copy is quite old, I bought it in the 80's ... and I haven't seen it republished since. It might be tricky to track down!
Legend, oh yes. This should be a must read on any fantasy reader's bookshelf. Probably not his most well written book ... and he would shudder at some of the dialogue in particular I would suspect. But it has an energy that can't be denied!
WHATS YOUR TOP 3 RECOMENDED BOOKS
I always wonder what other SK fans read and what thier top 3 none
SK titles are.Heres mine
1. lord of the rings
2. assassins apprentice (ROBIN HOBB)
3. vellum (HAL DUNCAN)
this thread is going to be merged with that thread tomorrow morning (Moscow time)
EDITED: merge complete
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm gonna count book series as one book or it's just to hard.
1. The prince of nothing/Aspect Emperor trilogies- R Scott Bakker
2. The night Angel tril- Brent Weeks
3. Lord of the rings- Tolkein
4. Of mice and Men- John Steinbeck
5. Harry potter books- J K rowling
6. Rune Lords books- David Farland
7. Angels and demons/Da vinci code- dan brown
8. ascendants of estoria books- James Barclay
9. Diskworld books- Terry pratchett
10. English Dictionary- various (would be in yours if you could spell like me, just used it to spell ascendants)
Special mention to the other Dan Brown books which i couldn't add as they are not part of the Langdon series. Also to The Painted Man- Peter V Brent which was a close 11.
"God pisses down your neck everyday, but only drowns you once.*
"When the shooting starts, we kill what moves. " - Roland Deschain
In no particular order:
1. Dracula - Bram Stoker
2. Frankenstein - Mary Shelly
3. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey
5. Something Wicked this Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
6. War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
7. Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
8. Edgar Allen Poe - complete works
9. Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne
10. The Godfather - Mario Puzo
Sloth Love Chunk
Ah thanks, Bango, for digging up this thread!
In no particular order:
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Simply because it saved my childhood - when I was ten, I was sent to a boarding school, where everyone else was at least thirteen, thus despising a wee girl following them. I spent my evenings there dreaming of Undying Lands and elves. LotR gave me strength through those times.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Do I need say more?
The complete works of Cordwainer Smith
In Finland, they were published in one book, titled 'A Planet Named Shayol', which is a title of one of his short stories. I read it when I was very young, and it really had a very deep effect on me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Smith
The complete works of Alastair Reynolds
I just love him, I really do. A brilliant sci-fi writer.
A Fire Upon the Deep & A Deepness in the Sky by Vernon Vinge
Yes, two books there. Another great sci-fi writer.
The Song of Troy by Colleen McCullough
Not very easy to read due of the amount of main characters, each of which have their own separate chapters through the book, but as I love Greek legends, this was a great read for me.
The complete works of Jules Verne
When I was little, I took his books to our summer cottage and read them in the sunshine, wondering what it would be like to journey to the center of the Earth. And I absolutely, absolutely loved 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea'! I still do. Captain Nemo is my hero.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
I also read this one when I was very young, and it really shocked me. How I wept for poor Boxer. Now I understand better what the book was really about, but I still weep for Boxer.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
In fact, I should include all his books here, but this was the first book by him I read, and it has a special place in my heart.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
I only discovered Steinbeck quite recently, and I can't believe what I've been missing out! Sheer brilliance. Next book I'm going to read by him will be 'Of Mice and Men'.
"...neither the stupid jokes nor the easy surface emotions were the truth of Cuthbert Allgood."
God, has that list changed. I guess it's good I've been reading so much stuff, but I feel so detatched from this list. A lot of them I haven't thought about in a long time. Maybe I'll put up a new list sometime, but that would probably change as well.
Big town's got its losers, small town's got its vices...
Amen. Salinger is staying on my list.
Big town's got its losers, small town's got its vices...
All right. No "the complete works" stuff with this list. This is a listing of my top ten Non-King Books: Fiction. In order.
1. DUNE by Frank Herbert
2. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
3. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
4. Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
5. God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert
6. Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
7. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
8. The Odyssey by Homer
9. Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting (a juvenile novel but very powerful)
10. Little Fox Goes to the End of the World by Ann Tompert (my favorite book as a child, I read it until it fell apart even though I was six when it was published)
Can you tell I like the works of Frank Herbert? Trust me, none of the film versions have gotten the stories right yet.
Margaret Emmie Mackey Catoe, you are, have been, and always will be my soulmate, and I love you.
Con todo mi corazon, por todo de mis dias. And I always will, in this life and into the next.
August 2, 1947 - September 24, 2010
I have always been interested in the Dune series, but I have never gotten around to it. So many books, so little time.
Sloth Love Chunk
I read the first three Dunes and liked them, I just never got around to God Emperor.
Big town's got its losers, small town's got its vices...
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