Need something to read...

[haycheng]

I have not read for a long time. Recently, my life has been slow down a bit and I would like to start reading again. The problem I do not know where to start. I am mostly a sc-fi/fantasy guy though I do enjoy romantic novel such as Emma. I am wondering would anyone has good suggest. I am looking for something similiar to firefly, Star Trek:TNG, Lord of the Ring, etc. Thanks.

 

[appophylite]

Looking at you as a sci-fi fan, if you haven't already, give any of the following a shot:

Dune Series - Frank Herbert
Enders Game Series - Orson Scot Card
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (and subsequent sequels) - Douglas Adams

A Bit more on the fantasy side:

Enchanted - Orson Scott Card

 

[Uncle Erik]

Try Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon."

If you want to wander outside your comfort zone a little, try Heller's "Catch-22," Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces," Portis' "Norwood," Waugh's "The Loved One," Barth's "The Sot-Weed Factor," or Amis' "Lucky Jim." Not only do they have literary merit, they're hysterical.

 

[majid]

Steven Erikson's "The Malazan Book of the Fallen", starting with "Gardens of the Moon" or Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time", starting with "The Eye of the World".

 

[devin_mm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon." If you want to wander outside your comfort zone a little, try Heller's "Catch-22," Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces," Portis' "Norwood," Waugh's "The Loved One," Barth's "The Sot-Weed Factor," or Amis' "Lucky Jim." Not only do they have literary merit, they're hysterical.

I've been told to read Cryptonomicon over and over, I'll get to it one of these days. I do recommend Neal Steaphenson's "Diamond Age" and "Snow Crash" though the protagonist in that book has the laziest name ever (Hiro Protagonist). I'm starting to read "The Horus Heresy" Warhammer 40K series and so far it's pretty good, I have a friend who has read all of the currently released books and keeps raving about it.

As far as the 'wheel of time' series goes I think it was just too long Jordan just went into minutiae of everything and that became a little tiring after a while; admittedly I stopped after the fourth book so I'm not familiar with the rest of the series but based on their lengths it doesn't look like things changed.

Have you thought about audiobooks? Personally I love them and you can get a tonne of titles from audible.com, I really like their versions of Hitchhikers and Enders Game.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Oh, forgot to mention H.P. Lovecraft. I suppose he is in the horror genre, but he meshes nicely with sci-fi. Lovecraft can be a little ponderous, but his stories are genuinely creepy and will stick with you. There's good reason for his cult following.

Same with Philip K. Dick. I love his short stories, but any of his popular books are mind-bending fun.

 

[ArmednInsane]

Wow....I am not sure if my suggestion is out of place since it is considered reading for adolescence, but I enjoyed "Golden Compass" Trilogy.

 

[appophylite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArmednInsane /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow....I am not sure if my suggestion is out of place since it is considered reading for adolescence, but I enjoyed "Golden Compass" Trilogy.

The 'His Dark Materials' trilogy makes for perfectly fine adult reading!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh, forgot to mention H.P. Lovecraft. I suppose he is in the horror genre, but he meshes nicely with sci-fi. Lovecraft can be a little ponderous, but his stories are genuinely creepy and will stick with you. There's good reason for his cult following.

+1 for the Lovecraft recommendation.

 

[SiriuslyCold]

Absolutely love Snow Crash.

Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files. Harry Dresden is a wizard, who lives and works in present day Chicago. Very engaging characters, and made a short lived but much loved TV series as well.

F Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack Jack is a under the radar repairman - if there's something you can't 'fix' via legal means, call Jack and he'll help you out. He does the right thing, but unfortunately he gets embroiled - or used as a warrior - in a fight between apathetic good beings and evil beings who want to take over the world. If you remember The Tomb movie it's an introduction to Jack's world.

Iain M Bank's The Culture novels. Culture Ships have Minds some with a sense of humor. If you like hard sci-fi with humor, try Excession first. Love the whole series though.

Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. Science has advanced to a point where people are 'hooked' into their habitat AIs on a large scale. One day someone punches a hole into purgatory, and all the naughty souls waiting for Judgment Day escape into current space time and start taking over bodies. All the bad guys make an appearance - Al Capone etc. How do the scientists handle the souls? This is one series I picked up in the middle purely because the title The Neutronium Alchemist just strikes a chord.

If you don't mind a smdgen of chick-lit with humor, Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries is a lot of fun. You'll fall in love with Sookie Stackhouse. The TV series is getting off the ground, I think.

 

[DanielCox]

Neuromancer for some real confusing cyberpunk ****.
I liked the Day of the Triffids.

 

[Maeglas]

I'd suggest to try David Gemmel and George R.R. Martin. Those are just awesome writers.

 

[Moontan13]

Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series. The Belinda ones are pretty good too.

 

[vcoheda]

dune books, esp first trilogy are great. and the stories by philip k. dick are another to look at.

 

[vcoheda]

another good one.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley