Can anyone recommend a good book to read?

Question

I am heading to the library and I am looking for some kind of adventure or suspense story to read.

Answer 1

You need to be more specific. Personally, I like Science Fiction the best. Similar to shows like CSI you have to be smart to understand it.

Arthur C. Clarke is the master of description. Rama, filled me with a sense of awe and wonder. The Tales of the White Hart were very funny and first proposed the sound canceling technology that Bose uses in its latest headphones. Arthur C. Clarke also invented the telecommunication satellite. Earthlight tells of a war between Earth and her planetary colonies, fought on the moon. The description of the battle is amazing. Childhoods End describes the end of Mankind, that is actually his next step in evolution. It is a classic and was required reading when I was in school.

The works of Larry Niven are filled with scientific principles set against the Known Space Series. He has interesting aliens and amazing concepts. The Ringworld series is a masterpiece. Imagine a blue ribbon standing on end encircling a candle. Now imagine that candle is a star, and the ribbon is the ring world; a construct with so much space that 1,000’s of planets would be needed to match the surface area.

The new series Jericho is based on Alas Babylon by Pat Frank. A shocking tale of how life can go on after a nuclear war between Russia and the US.

Issac Asmiov is a good read, and next to Arthur C. Clarke he has written the most novels. The book I Robot was so much better than the movie. It is a collection of stories that explore each aspect of the 3 Laws of Robotics. E. E. Doc Smith wrote the best action/adventure series; the Lensman series is what all good space opera is based on, and (except for a few small parts) it is still relevant today. Anne McCaffery wrote the Dragon Riders of Pern. They have srtong characters, often female, who are fighting a world damaging threat. It is a fantasy-slightly SF series, and a modern classic. There is a lot of action, strange settings and the wonder of Dragons. The series traces the Thread Fighting Dragons of Pern, and the threat of the menacing Red Star.

For military Science Fiction David Drake’s Hammers Slammers series is an excellent series; full of HARD gritty action. It is not for the faint of heart. Works by Christopher Cole and Alan Bunch are also good, but softer in the violence. I especially enjoyed the Sten series.

Dune is the classic written by Frank Herbert, it is the best, and the only one worth reading, in the series. It paints the desert world of Arakis set with a Middle Age style government, nobles, princes and lords, and their conflicts. The worms of Arakis are huge animals larger than an aircraft carrier, but the freemen of the desert summon them and can ride them.

Roger Zelazny wrote the Nine Princes of Amber series. Imagine if every world is but, a shadow of the real world. The Princes and Princesses of Amber can shape the shadows to their own design discovering new realities. Now imagine a family conflict for the Throne of the true world Amber; with the ultimate conflict between Chaos and Order. His other works can be a little confusing, becasue he starts with an upublished background story and then takes the main story up from their, so it always feels like you are in the middle of the peice. He didn't do that with the Nine Princes in Amber series.

Robert A. Heinlein is a master of SF both adult and juvenile. Podkanie of Mars is the interesting story of a young woman and her super smart younger brother set against a conflict on Mars between the colonists and the Earth government. The book’s story is told in the first person from the young woman, and it has a surprise twist. Glory Road is the best fantasy novel I have every read. It is the story of a man pulled out of our time and thrown into a fantasy world. He is on the hunt for a cosmic egg with one beautiful woman. After a sword tipped argument with a great swordsman he gets the prize and the beautiful woman. Who turns out to be queen of many worlds and offers her new husband a chance to travel there. When he needs help understanding hyperspace mathematics an Einstein caliber tutor will help him. After having a difficulty with their computers a company like IBM sits down to build him a more helpful interface. Given all this power why does he have a problem with his marriage? The story of Friday and a few others have very adult and sexual themes. The Cat who Walked through Walls and the Nubmer of the Beast are not worth reading, and would be confusing to all, but a true fan. Tunnel in the Sky is the story of a High School class on a field trip to another planet, nothing new in their day, but suddenly the tunnel collapses and they are stranded there. I must have read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress over a dozen times. Imagine the problems that the prison colony of Botany Bay had when they wanted liberation from England. Now put this setting on the Moon and join the first true AI computer, who has a sense of humor, as they try to build and defend a new society.

Alistair McLean wrote some of the best murder mysteries I have every read. I read the Satan Bug at least 8 times. I didn’t find a book of his that I didn’t like.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the Lost World (origin of the TV series) and the Sherlock Holmes series, the epitome of every great detective. The stories were first serialized in British Magazines and then collected in a few books many times. Doyle was sick in his bed and killed off his character in the middle of the series. Find out how he brought him back.

Edgar Allen Poe is the most depressing and scary author I have every read. The Tell of the Tall Tell Heart is a haunting piece from the point of view of a madman. The Simpson’s Halloween Episode The Raven; is a very close match to the story “Quote the Raven Nevermore” (and yes the raven was as annoying as Bart is to Homer).

H. G. Wells is a pessimist, and I hated reading his books, but Jules Verne was the first to do Science Fiction and he did it well.

All these series and authors are 10-20 years old so they have a good chance of being in the library system. I suggest that you do an Internet Search using the authors’ names to find descriptions of their works. If you like something then you can learn a little about it at home and then search for it in the library.

Answer 2

I have not read fiction is many years but I liked Sidney Sheldon books. If Tomorrow Comes and Master of the Game were two good ones.

Tomorrow is about a female jewel thief and Master is about a 3 generations of one family in the diamond market in Africa.

Both were made into television mini series.

Answer 3

Go ask Alice - Anonymous
Beyond the Western Sea - Avi
Harry Potter - JK Rowling
The Husband - Dean Koontz
Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich
Agatha Christie books

All of those are mystery (actually, Go ask Alice is drama), but they are all awesome and will keep you on the edge of your seat!! (if you are a huuuuge mystery fan, then definitely get "The Husband" and the Agatha Christie ones)

Answer 4

the book that I would recommend is non-fiction it is a combination between a history book and a instructional information book. it is the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It is the bible, there is plenty of adventure

Answer 5

Dark Hills Divided (part one and two) is pretty good.

Harry Potter is ok.

My favorite book is my Lousianna Sky,but it is not suspensful.
It takes place in the 50's.It is very,very good.I recomend it,when you are not looking for a suspensful story.

Answer 6

The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, are the first two in a series by Phillip Pullman that's awesome!!
If you like stories about fantasy/sci-fi kinda stuff.
I highly recommend.

Answer 7

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Answer 8

Hey Short Guy!!!
Ok, some good books that I've read are 'A Series of unfortunate events' by Lemony Snicket and 'The DaVinci Code.' Have fun!!

Answer 9

Jurasic Park by Michael Crichton

Answer 10

Night is a pretty good suspense story but sad too.