looking for good books to read?

Question

i've always had problems finding good books to read, could someone suggust some good books. i like books like:
a) good horror books (the type of horror that makes you think)
b) books like "The Big Sleep" by raymond chandler
c)any books that are like the books "The giver" and "Anthem"
d)and i like really good fantasy books (like the epic adventure ones)

Answer 1

OK, an avid reader here, lemme see what I would suggest:
A: Dean Koontz stuff, even the Odd Thomas books are good
Stephen King of course, Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston,
Dan Simmons, Clive Barker
B: I don't go for gritty PI novels, but I'd suggest Clive Cussler as
an adventurous alternative
C: I liked the giver (and gathering blue by the same author), you
might like a similar set of novels bye Jeanne Duprau, starting
with "The City of Ember" and "The People of Sparks"
D: Now, Fantasy is my passion, and I love George R.R. Martin's series (now up to book 4 published) "A Song of Ice and Fire" They're great! Also, of course is Robert Jordan's twelve or so volumes of the Wheel of Time Series, which is great fun reading, just exhausting (once you start, you MUST keep going!). For a twist, a modern kinda fantasy, I'm reading S.M. Stirling's series (which begins with Dies the Fire) about a "Post-Change World" where no electricity or combustion works...so we're back to sword work and gettin' in our own crops. Anyhow, good luck!

Answer 2

a. Hmm...maybe The Green Mile or The Stand; those are a couple of Stephen Kings better books. Turn of the Screw, most of Edgar Allen Poe's stories, and some of Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories may interest you as well.

c. If you liked Anthem and The Giver, try some other futuristic dystopia type books: The Time Machine, 1984, Brave New World, and Farenheit 451 are all good.
d. Lord of the Rings, A Game of Thrones, The Heritage of Shannara series (the first book is The Scions of Shannara), and perhaps The Wheel of Time series.

Answer 3

My favorite books would have to be:
Tithe by Holly Black
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
and of course...
the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

TITHE---Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

UGLIES---Tally Youngblood has been brought up in a world where people are considered ugly after age 12, when they are sent to live in Uglyville. Everyone is given an operation to become pretty at age 16. Tally is almost 16 and can hardly wait to get her operation, but she makes a new friend who feels differently. While it seems a minor problem, it evolves into something much bigger. Suddenly Tally questions everything she has ever believed in. And now the only thing that seems important to her is the horrible truth she has learned about becoming pretty.

***The summaries of the books may sound boring, but they are really both great! The Tithe book has a sequel comming out soon, the name is Ironside. And In the Uglies Trilogy, there is also Pretties and Specials.***

The Uglies Trilogy is different, life the Giver. I would look into that book.

I really hope you will read these books.
~Jesse T.

Answer 4

Rather than the first person who suggested a bunch of kids' books, I thought you might appreciate something a little more mature:

a) I really like "The Long Walk" by Stephen King. It's about a group of 100 boys who are forced to continue walking until the other 99 drop dead. The book is a powerful metaphor for life and struggle, and it's my favorite of any of his books. I'd stay away from the "The Cell" if you like classic zombie movies at all. It was a terrible book.

b) You might enjoy the James Patteron "Alex Cross" novels. Check out "Along Came a Spider" and see if it agrees with you.

c) Try "The Fountainhead" or "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. They deal with a similar type of dystopia presented in "The Giver."

d) I quite like the "Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind. It's very raw, though, so be careful if that's not your thing. I've also heard very good things about the "Dark Tower" series by Stephen King. I'm in the middle of the first one, and it doesn't seem too bad.

Hopefully you'll enjoy one of those books. Happy reading!

Answer 5

I have some suggestions for you. If you like fantasy, I would suggest Neil Gaiman. You can try his Sandman Graphic novels or his novel, Neverwhere. You might also like Coraline which is sort of a scarier twisted version of Alice in Wonderland.

I can definitely tell you what I think are good horror books that make me think. What I consider horror are Ann Rule's *true crime*--obviously it's non-fiction murder/mayhem but that's what makes me think and that's what makes it so horrifying. Also, Ann Rule is an exceptional writer and she gives you a lot of background information that leads up to true crime story.

A fiction story that has some very interesting characters is a book called, All The Little Children, by Tom Perotta. They've actually made this into a movie and Kate Winslet plays one of the main characters.

Answer 6

I always answer book suggestion questions by gazing at my bookshelf, trying to find things that fit the descriptions given. Either I need to broaden my horizons or everyone else needs to narrow their likes to the contents of my shelves (:
A. Thinking horror first reminded me of 1984 or Animal Farm, both by George Orwell. Not sure if that's the sort of horror, but I didn't think The Night Trilogy, by Elie Wiesel, would fit into that category, either...
B. I've never read The Big Sleep, so...
C. I did read Anthem! So I'd suggest We the Living.
D. Hm.. Like Lord of the Rings? (:
Ah, my bookshelf has failed me on this question!

Answer 7

you're getting quite some sturdy innovations. i admire your question nevertheless, so i visit throw out some greater. A Canticle for Leibowitz ~ Walter M. Miller The Handmaid's tale (and others) ~ Margaret Atwood the celebrities My holiday spot ~ Alfred Bester each and all the Kings adult adult males ~ Robert Penn Warren the united statesA. Trilogy ~ John Dos Passos Babbitt ~ Sinclair Lewis at some point in the existence of Ivan Denisovich ~ Alexander Solzhenitzyn Atlas Shrugged ~ Ayn Rand A Bonfire of the Vanities ~ Tom Wolfe unfortunately Babylon ~ Pat Frank Triumph ~ John Kenneth Galbraith The Mouse That Roared ~ Leonard Wibberley yet another Roadside attraction ~ Tom Robbins For Whom the Bell Tolls ~ Ernest Hemingway In chilly Blood ~ Truman Capote Bury My heart at Wounded Knee ~ Dee Brown this could look like an exceptionally random record inspite of the incontrovertible fact that it fairly isn't. i think of you will locate lots right here to activity you. sturdy success inclusive of your seek.

Answer 8

If you like "The Big Sleep," and have read Chandler's other novels, try Dashiell Hammett. Start with "The Maltese Falcon." Also, check out the Black Lizard/Vintage Crime web site to find similar authors within the same publisher.

Elmore Leonard is a great novelist you might like.

"The Professional" by W.C. Heinz is one of the best reads ever. If you read the edition with the Leonard intro, skip it because he gives away the ending.

Answer 9

Well my favorite book of all time is "The Outsiders".witch is about socs and greasers but also love horror that makes u think as u do read Egar Allen Poe stuff , Stephen King and Alfred Hitchcock for the horror stuff

Answer 10

A good epic fantasy i can help you out with.
Any of the books by Sara Douglass, are pretty good,..............but I would recommend the books by Russell Kirkpatrick. He only has four books out at the moment but his books are really good. His Fire of Heaven Trilogy, is a must read for any who love fantasy works.

http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/