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What to read ?

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  • 08-09-2004 2:50am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 17,056 ✭✭✭✭


    Am just about to finish reading 'American pycho' which I am really enjoying and I dont have anything else lined up to read. So what should I read next ? Heres a list of some of my favourite books to give you an idea of what I like.

    Filth - Irvine Welsh
    I am Legend - Richard Matheson
    The Lord Of The Rings - J.R.R
    A song of ice and fire (series ) - George R.R Martin
    The Beach - Alex Garland

    looking for something that I wont be able to put down :) sure arent we all... !


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 15,258 ✭✭✭✭Rabies


    I'm currently in on a bit of a Dan Brown craze. After reading his amazing book The Da Vinci Code a couple of weeks ago i went out and bought Deception Point a few days ago. Its a great book so far. Nearly have Deception Point finished so I bought Angels and Demons yesterday, can't wait to start it on the plane home tomorrow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,647 ✭✭✭impr0v


    I recommend:

    The Secret History - Donna Tartt

    Guaranteed to be unable to put down, I'll stake my reputation on it!


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,056 ✭✭✭✭Tusky


    The Da Vinci Code has been reccomended to me by loads of people , I think I'll give it a look see.

    thanks for the replies !


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,286 ✭✭✭SprostonGreen


    You cant go wrong with Complicity by Iain Banks or He Kills Coppers by Jake Arnott.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    impr0v wrote:
    I recommend:

    The Secret History - Donna Tartt

    Guaranteed to be unable to put down, I'll stake my reputation on it!


    An uttery fantastic book. One of the very few I'd say to people that they HAVE to read.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,056 ✭✭✭✭Tusky


    Interesting..from reading up on 'the secret history' it doesnt seem like my type of book but because of the great reviews ive read I may give it a go.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 467 ✭✭Cheez


    That Iain Banks fella's good, get his book "The Bridge" or if ya like sci fi most of the Iain M. Banks stuff is savage(see the way he added the M for the science fiction so ye don't get confused if ye don't like stuff about space and futuristicy stuffs. WOW!)


  • Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭gnu


    yeah, l read 1 Iain M Banks, the Player of Games, I think it was called, it was great. I'm just starting Dune by Frank Herbert, I loved the film. Just hope the book isn't a letdown after that. I'd also recommend Anna Karenina, it was one of those books that left me thinking for ages after I'd finished it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,286 ✭✭✭SprostonGreen


    Cheez wrote:
    That Iain Banks fella's good, get his book "The Bridge" or if ya like sci fi most of the Iain M. Banks stuff is savage(see the way he added the M for the science fiction so ye don't get confused if ye don't like stuff about space and futuristicy stuffs. WOW!)

    yeah, l read 1 Iain M Banks, the Player of Games, I think it was called, it was great

    I keep meaning to get an Iain M Banks book, "the Bridge" and "the Player of Games" you reckon is good?

    I had a Sci-fi book as a kid, but never since, but when I watch films like Alien Ressurection and Birdy, I often think it would be good to read a book like those films are presented.


  • Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭gnu


    Yeah, I really liked it, it's the only Iain M Banks book I've read but it made me want to read more. Took me about a chapter to get really into it then I was just sucked in. The Bridge was recommended to me by loads of hardcore sci-fi fans, I'd say either book is a good intro to the author/genre


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 574 ✭✭✭Silent Grape


    if you like Irvine Welsh read 'Porno' its class


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Trixiebelle


    I'm reading "The Plague" by Albert Camus, and enjoying it. It shows how different kinds of people would act and react in the throes of a citywide plague.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,089 ✭✭✭D!ve^Bomb!


    i'm reading the da vinci code at the moment.. its absolutely brilliant..highly recommended!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,035 ✭✭✭Bri


    I'd say try Da Vinci code first before any other Dan Brown. I'm in the process of the reading his earlier stuff (mostly because the girlfriend has 'em all) but they're nowhere near as intriguing. In fact they're becoming a bit repetitive for me. Everyone else seems to think he's the best. I think he's grand :)

    Another angle: I read the book of Black Hawk Down - if it's your cup of tea - then you might really like it. It's so much more than just the film. I literally read every page of background info at the start and end which is not my ususual style!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,309 ✭✭✭OfflerCrocGod


    The Da Vinci Code is the best book Dan Brown has ever written....the rest are not really that good :confused: DVC though is a must read for anyone who likes stories full of historical intrigue or good thrillers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    I'm reading "The Plague" by Albert Camus, and enjoying it. It shows how different kinds of people would act and react in the throes of a citywide plague.

    Good book that


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 242 ✭✭Keano_sli


    Try "perfume" by Patrick Suskind, it is a trully excellent and slightly distrurbing book.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3 seanboy


    "At swim two birds" - Flann O'Brien


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    tad williams - the otherland series, 4-5 books. Long as ****, mix of sci-fi and fantasy. (although it's really a fantasy story told through science fiction..)

    kurt vonnegut - slaughterhouse 5, i loved this book when i read it.. damn genius.

    dalton trumbo - johnny got his gun, . anti war book, metallice took scenes from the film for their video "one"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,161 ✭✭✭steve-hosting36


    Have read Dan Browns four books now, the DaVinci Code is by far the best, but you could do a lot worse than the other three (Angels and Demons - my no.2 preference), Deception Point and Digital Fortress.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,838 ✭✭✭DapperGent


    I don't get this whole Dan Brown fandom.

    The Da Vinci Code was one of the worst fúcking books I've ever read. If it had been mine I would have chopped it up for kindling.

    Tusky I'd recommend Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, Chickenhawk, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Ender's Game. Off the top of my head.


  • Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭eske


    I loved reading this thread, as I was reminded of so many books that I really loved.
    'American psycho' - What a book, Brett Easton Ellis gets a lot of flack but I do enjoy his writing. I think I still like "Less than Zero" the best. The language is quite tight and sparse but I believe that was to reflect the whole theme of the book. And talking of very sparse language - you mentioned Alex Garland's "The Beech" - he has a new novel out "Coma" - more of a novella really... very short - you'll breeze through it. Excellent idea - guy gets beaten up - ends up in a coma - mind jumping all over the place.. wakes up and life goes on .. or does it? - Which really does bring me on nicely to Ian Banks - the Bridge. I don't think he's written a book I didn't like ( although I haven't read all the sci fi stuff), but I loved "Espadair Street", "The Wasp Factory" ( of course), "Complicity" - what a book. Then on to Irvine Welsh - I read "Trainspotting" and was just so blow away by it. That whole colloquial phonetic spelling thing - "hue cud undrstan t?" I though "Marabou Stork Nightmares" was even better but everything since then has been a bit of a let down. Having said that I didn't finish" Filth" and haven't read "Porno".
    The ubiquitous "Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown - I think everyone has read it by now. And I did like it. At least I liked the story behind it all. The story about the templars and the priory of Scion was really interesting but other than that it was really just a very standard thriller.
    Someone else mentioned "The Secret History" - Donna Tartt - If you're an Easton Ellis fan you'll love this. I believe there friends. Unfortunately here latest book "The Little Friend" (I think that's the title) 10 years in the writing but isn't really as anywhere as good. Beautifully written but I guess the plot didn't capture my imagination as much. But you'd read it for the anyway.
    "The Plague" by Albert Camus - I've never read but I fancy having a go at some existential heavyweights. Doesn't Sartre have a story about being locked in a room with strangers .. Hell being other people ... or maybe I'm confused. But it sounds like something I'd like.
    "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind - I've heard this is a wonderful read but haven't had the pleasure yet.
    Anyway that was more therapeutic for me than informational for the rest of you.
    And rereading it I'm realising 2 things...
    I sound like I'm stoned and more importantly there seems to be a particular type of story I like to read.
    Anyway .......


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,647 ✭✭✭impr0v


    heh @ eske

    Read 'Bunker 13', by Aniruddha Bahal recently, and it's well worth a look. It has its faults, but for a breathless adrenaline hit you can't get much better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,560 ✭✭✭Woden


    gnu wrote:
    Yeah, I really liked it, it's the only Iain M Banks book I've read but it made me want to read more. Took me about a chapter to get really into it then I was just sucked in. The Bridge was recommended to me by loads of hardcore sci-fi fans, I'd say either book is a good intro to the author/genre


    iirc the bridge is one of the Iain Banks books not Iain M Banks. With regards to the books by Iain M Banks i thought that he player of games was the best in the series really really enjoyable and the others are worth reading as well.

    of the books recommended by dappergent above i have read snow crash and enders game.

    snow crash is by neal stephenson and is worth a read, (so is Cryptonomicon) as is another one of his books called the diamond age.

    Enders game by orson scott card is one my favourite books, its the first of four in the ender saga and i enjoyed all of them, the spin off books are also very good know as the shadow saga and they follow the style of enders game more so then the actual books in the ender saga.

    Currently reading a song of fire and ice by martin myself and enjoying it very much. just finished the first book in peters hamilitons the nights dawn trilogy also which is worth a look. its called the reality dysfunction

    data


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,440 ✭✭✭✭Piste


    Life of Pi is a really good book, As is 1984, Go ask Alice is meant to be good, haven't got around to reading it though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,286 ✭✭✭SprostonGreen


    eske wrote:
    Then on to Irvine Welsh - I read "Trainspotting" and was just so blow away by it. That whole colloquial phonetic spelling thing - "hue cud undrstan t?" I though "Marabou Stork Nightmares" was even better but everything since then has been a bit of a let down. Having said that I didn't finish" Filth" and haven't read "Porno".
    .

    Porno is great, its like the follow-on from Trainspotting, 10 year or so later.

    Glue is sheer class, its a great book about mates and growing up in the 80's and 90's and then drifting apart.


  • Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭eske


    Porno is great,
    Glue is sheer class.

    I'll have to check them out. I think I bought "glue" but never got around to reading it.
    I found "Filth" a bit heavy going - not a hard read but (like most of his stuff) seriously depresssing.

    I see you're a whitnail fan - no flies on that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,286 ✭✭✭SprostonGreen


    Indeed a Withnail and a Ride fan.

    I never read American Psycho, but had someone read the part about the prostitute and brie to me, and I thought, no way thats too sick.

    But then I saw the movie and thought it was well tame, but that happens a lot.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭echomadman


    The Bridge is Iain Banks not Iain M banks, but it has some sci-fi ish themes
    full lists of fiction and sci fi.
    I've read them all bar the newest sci fi one, well worth a read imo.

    I picked up "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde recently, I loved it, reading the sequel "Lost in a good book" at the moment,(although i've paused to get Terry Pratchetts newest one read first).


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,560 ✭✭✭Woden


    didn't know he had a new sci fi one out, must look into it. from that link above i have to say i immediately don't like the fact that the cover has a different style to the others but ah well such is the way of things.

    data


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