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Anything good to read?

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Hi there now I like a good read, maybe more than the next person, but at least as much as a lot of other people on here. I love being able to suggest a good read to another person and them to find a little enjoyment in it as well. As such I thought we might want to start a free for all book suggestion post. If you come across something so cool everyone really should read it, put it up here.

Now I only ask that you put in a little about the book, the Author and title. No spoilers please it's not fair. And if you disagree about a book why not write in that too!!

So here's to a long thread of awesome reads, hope we all find something great to read in here.

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Ok first book off and it's an Australian 'Autobiography' more fact than fictoin of a guy that escapes from a pretty nasty prision over here and hides in the slums in India, where he really finds himself.

Part social commentary, part love story and part crime novel.

An awesome read with some really moving moments

Title: Shantaram

Authour: Gregory David Roberts

ISBN 13: ISBN 10:

(In case you want it)

If you read it tell me what you think
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The End of Mr Y

Author: Scarlett Thomas

A great mixture of 19th Centuary philosophy, modern science thoughts, a bit of fantasy, men in grey suits of dubious nature, a missing University professor and did I mention the book is cursed?

Takes the premise of "If a cursed book came your way would you read it?" and makes a strong small read out of it, only 398 pages so able to be knocked down in 2 or 3 days of escapisim. Nicely written, amusing sub polts and a little romance too.

Worth a read if you like any or all of the above ideas.
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OK sorry, was meant to write some more reviews but life happened.

Anyway back to what this is for getting lost in a good book!

Damned by Chuck Phalainuk:



Ok this is the guy that wrote Fight Club, a great read not for the faint of heart, this too delves deep into the world of Hell, researched while his Mother was terminally ill, this is the end result as he says of his longing to find her again.

We follow a Madision, 13 year old, glasses wearing, overweight girl through Hell, meet some demons, make some new friends and pretty much live "life" better than she did while alive. All the while writing at the start of each chapter a "Dear Satan" letter as she tries to get his attention and find out why she is there. Over the course of the book we learn all about her life hidden behind the height of the media hungry sucsessful hollywood parents, and the fractured life they made her lead. Is this what caused her to be damned or was it her first and only love?

This is meant to be the 1st in a trilogy finding our little heroine travelling through Hell to Purgatory and finally up to Heaven.
Filled with a lot of sick humour, clever abs at western society and a backlog of really interesting facts on religion this is a great read. I would suggest it to most of you if for no other reason than it brings the left field in the front door and makes you wonder what little thing is going to make you damned too.
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Dragon Flight - Anne McCaffrey

Ok so one of the reasaons I haven't been writing these as much as I should is I have been caught with my eyes glued to my e-reader, lost in a series called 'Dragon Riders of Pern' by Anne McCaffrey, part fantasy and part sci-fi set in the future a group of colonists tired of the wars and endless technology of there days sets down on a new planet Pern to make a Agricultural based society where they can leave well, Unfortunatly for their decendents it didn't work out that way. We join the decendents about 2500 years later having to fight Thread an organisim that rains down from the sky when the Red Star arrives in the east and eats anything organis it touches. Coming in a cycle approximently every 200 years. The only thing that stops it is dragon fire, dragons are a creature of Pern that has evolved to fight the Thread, bonded with humans they live to fight Thread when it falls. As the Thread hasn't fallen in so long many of those they would protect think they are no longer needed and the Dragondriders fall to the bottom of the Society. This story follows the climb back to the heights and the salvation of the world.

This is a great read, love the whole series, some great characters that you will grow with as you read them.

Worth a rainy Sunday afternoon spot on the bookshelf. This is the first in a LONG series of books worth the time to read.
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Another day another book,

This one is a old fav of mine, but not reallly well known.



Out of the silent planet - C.S. Lewis

Yes the Narnia guy, where Narnia is filled with cute fuzzy creatures, this one isn't.

A man Ransom, is taken hostage by two others and transported with them to another planet, Mars, where he is to be their gift to the locals.

His captors are there for greed, while he once he escapes is facinated to learn of Earths real place amoungt the stars and how we are seen by the rest of the cosmos.

A great book, the start of a trilogy that look at what it means to be human, our relationship with god and where we truly sit in this amazing Universe.

This is really what C.S. Lewis was getting at with the Narnia series, much more refined and a real pleasure to read.
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By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: A Novel of Forgiveness - Paulo Coelho


Ok so this is a little different from the last couple. I first read this about or 7 years ago now, and yes I cried at the end of it as I found it so beautiful. It was also a little amusing as I was sitting in a pub waiting for a friend at the time. Explaining that one to the workmen around me caused a few laughs....

Anyway this is a love story, that follows childhood sweet hearts, mixes in a little religon and the place of God in love. Time seems to change many things about the main characters, but have they changed to much for love?

I found it to be a really almost dream like book where the passages flowed through each other like a dream so you don't know that it's ending until it does.

I really don't want to give too much away with this one as I want you to be able to make your own decisions on it, It to me is a beautfully written, thoughtful book. A type that rarely comes along and should be enjoyed when you want to get lost in a little reality all of its own.
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Ok so how many people would love to look into the mind of a comic genius??

Well since we don't have brain scanners yet capable, looking into the diary of one would have to be the next best thing! I admit to being a little bit of a fan of Monty Python, and reading this was a great way for me to learn all about the trials and tribulations that lead to such flawless comedy.

A really interesting insight into the life of a man, whose work has spanned decade, influenced many generations and will forever be immortalised dressed in drag.

A great autobiography that is engaging to read, not pretentious and really well written.

A good read for fans of the biography, comedy or like me of a well written piece.
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Hmm seems I need an extra book.....




Tad Williams Otherland Volume 1: - City of Golden Shadow

Ok thisa is part Sci-Fi part Fantasy. We follow a number of leads as they all search for the reason that people are getting sick. Into comas which they can't wake from. All related to a hyped up version of the internet, totally imersed into it with better virtual interfaces. Ok how about it involves a global conspiracy that will eventually lead to the most powerful and rich people on earth.

Got you interested yet??

This is 'The Matrix' meets "Lord of the Rings', really cleverly written with characters that seem more than the pixels they are representing. You are left in awe at the scope of the world Williams can create with his imagination and the possabilities it brings.

Yes I have purposly left this very vauge as I want you to find the joy of it for yourself.

Definatly a great read for anyone that wants to really lose themselves in a well written story.
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The Windup Girl

by Paolo Bacigalupi

Ok set in the near future where gene design has played havoc with the world unleashing diseases and problems unexpected. We have lost the technologies we have taken for granted as the enviroment has gone down hill due to our activities and live in a much more picarious way. This is Sci-Fi which is more of a almost look into a not that distant future. Greed still rules the hearts of many, corporations still run and ruin lives, money still talks louder than morals.

In this we are off to the setting of Thailand, where we met our male lead, an unethicial company man that wants to make a quick buck out of a bad position, he's bribing his way to that end, when he falls for the title character Emiko, a wind up, held lowest in society below even the illegal refuges, she comes of age through the book and helps us think of what it means to be human. We follow their relationship and its costs on themselves and those around them to a painful conclusion.

This is Sci-Fi at its best. making us think what if, looking inside of ourselves to see those dark corners we don't want to admit.

It follows some obvious plot turns and a couple of twists that aren't expected.

Worth a read.
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Dragon Flight - Anne McCaffrey

Ok so one of the reasaons I haven't been writing these as much as I should is I have been caught with my eyes glued to my e-reader, lost in a series called 'Dragon Riders of Pern' by Anne McCaffrey, part fantasy and part sci-fi set in the future a group of colonists tired of the wars and endless technology of there days sets down on a new planet Pern to make a Agricultural based society where they can leave well, Unfortunatly for their decendents it didn't work out that way. We join the decendents about 2500 years later having to fight Thread an organisim that rains down from the sky when the Red Star arrives in the east and eats anything organis it touches. Coming in a cycle approximently every 200 years. The only thing that stops it is dragon fire, dragons are a creature of Pern that has evolved to fight the Thread, bonded with humans they live to fight Thread when it falls. As the Thread hasn't fallen in so long many of those they would protect think they are no longer needed and the Dragondriders fall to the bottom of the Society. This story follows the climb back to the heights and the salvation of the world.

This is a great read, love the whole series, some great characters that you will grow with as you read them.

Worth a rainy Sunday afternoon spot on the bookshelf. This is the first in a LONG series of books worth the time to read.

I have read every book in this series, I truely did love them all.
It has been scientifically proven that any woman can be satisfied with only 3 1/2 inches --- and it doesn't matter if it is Visa or Mastercard
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The Secret Life of Plants by
Peter Tompkins & Christopher Bird


Ok now for a piece of Non-Fiction that might as well be a sci-fi novel. This book is amazing!! It goes through the understanding of how a plant works it's ability to cope with its enviroment and how it reacts to it. With explinations of experiments done and theories behind them. This book will give you a facinating insight into these amazing creatures which are all around us and taken for granted daily.

Now there will be some out there that don't agree with all that is in this book. But as a start into this amazing world of biology and the metaphysical/spirital connection plants have with us and each other I highly recommend it.

I have tried some of the experiments in here myself and yes they do work.

So before I talk your ear of corn off I will just say that this is amazing and a great read for the curious of mind.
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Just finised the girl with the dragontattoo and the girl who played with fire and now startinght third on in the triolgy. like thought the books were excellent
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Millennium series - The Girl ........

by Stieg Larsson

Can't believe besides the movies they are also making a Graphic novel of this series as well.

It is a good read and the main characters are great to follow through their journey, especially Lisbeth, I found her a great compelling character and fun to follow through a very very warped story line.

Don't get me wrong there are some seriously f***ed up aspects to this series, and it can offend with the heavy handed use of sexual violence. But given the history of the Author it is not hard to see how this came about.

Look I've read them all and while there were aspects I was not comfortable with in this series, it was written overall really well by an author we will sadly not be able to see anymore work from.

I guess that behind all the hype there is a good story that it has been based on and worth a read. Steig Larrson is also in my opinion worth reading about more so as his life was one that does fascinate.
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Stephen King

It


Well it is Halloween and that means all things that go bump in the night are out to bite. I decided to choose the story that scared me the most wile reading it for the first time. I actually stayed up all night and read the last 350 pages in one session.

It is a flashback story, following a group of kids/adults as the confront "It" a demented monster that lives in the sewers of a small town, living off murder and meyhem it comes in cycles to take the towns citizens for its own purposes.

Of course as kids they try to defeat him, learning about the past times he has come to plauge their home town, but of course it was only a flesh wound and he's back when they are all adults, they have to come home and do it all again.

Great characters, awesome story telling, and a really bad 1990s movie made of this book. I don't think I was able to look at a hellium balloon or walk over a sewer drain for about 6 months after reading this. I don't want to give much away but it is a great one to read, just make sure your not alone when you do!
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Stephen King

It


Well it is Halloween and that means all things that go bump in the night are out to bite. I decided to choose the story that scared me the most wile reading it for the first time. I actually stayed up all night and read the last 350 pages in one session.

It is a flashback story, following a group of kids/adults as the confront "It" a demented monster that lives in the sewers of a small town, living off murder and meyhem it comes in cycles to take the towns citizens for its own purposes.

Of course as kids they try to defeat him, learning about the past times he has come to plauge their home town, but of course it was only a flesh wound and he's back when they are all adults, they have to come home and do it all again.

Great characters, awesome story telling, and a really bad 1990s movie made of this book. I don't think I was able to look at a hellium balloon or walk over a sewer drain for about 6 months after reading this. I don't want to give much away but it is a great one to read, just make sure your not alone when you do!


I went through a Stephen King stage and I found the book scarier than the movie.(Grins) I had the same thing with the sewer drains. I preferred Misery though.
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Morgaine's Saga - Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, and Fires of Azeroth

By C.J. Cherryh

Ok this series rocks, it is really well written, filled with greed, back stabbing, lusts for power, redemption, love untold and great story telling.

It follows the trail and trials of Morgaine, deemed a witch by those she meets, due to the powerful technology she weilds and the lacking in understanding of those around her. Morgaine is trying to set right the disaster of a race called the Qual, using this technology to extend their rule across space and time while leaving their human subjects mostly in a state of medievil war below them.

In the first book she is "Rescued" by Vayne, in exile himself, he pledges himself to her for his honour, this leads him to become linked to her and her quest.

Lots of celtic referencing through the series, a great mixture action, sci-fi and fantasy. This is a great series and to be honest one of my all time favourites that I feel can be enjoyed by anyone.

If I had enough money I'd honestly send you all a copy to read!!!


Don't want to give to much of the story away so I'll leave it there, but do try this one as I found it a series I can read again, and again, and again, and again..........
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrrel

by Susanna Clarke

First off have to admit this was suggested to me by another Lushie, but had already read it.

This is an alternate history, we ate in the 1800's yet magic is still in England. Rich with amusing tales of a Magician and his Apprentice. They take on Napoleon, help Nelson win, learn more of the Raven King and list more.

Jonathan is a man of means that decides to learn magic as a pastime, he in fact is brilliant at it, and lives to help where he can. Mr Norrrel on the other hand is a miser only out for his.own gain and wants to keep it all for himself. They diary together in partnership and from there.....

A gentle amusing story, with list of magic facts blended in.

A great read.
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Alone In Berlin

By Hans Fallada

During the Second World War, Otto and his wife receive news that their only son has been killed fighting in France. They decide to embark upon a small campaign of rebellion against the Nazi state, writing small anti-party postcards and leaving them in public areas...

Eventually, this tiny act of rebellion comes to the notice of the Gestapo, who are not pleased.

That's the plot, but the real joy of this book is how the Author manages to show that even people living in a police state still cling on to a semblance of humanity. It becomes clear that in surrendering to a totalitarian state every tiny aspect of human life is compromised and belittled. The characters, even the informers and the Gestapo cops, are brilliantly drawn and we slowly discover that the blind surrender to ANY political ethos leads to a reduction in everything that makes life worthwhile...

(There are no dragons in this book, but be warned, it DOES contain monsters...)

The Author, who spent most of his time imprisoned by the Nazis during the war, based the story on a real case.

xx SF
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The Windup Girl

by Paolo Bacigalupi

Ok set in the near future where gene design has played havoc with the world unleashing diseases and problems unexpected. We have lost the technologies we have taken for granted as the enviroment has gone down hill due to our activities and live in a much more picarious way. This is Sci-Fi which is more of a almost look into a not that distant future. Greed still rules the hearts of many, corporations still run and ruin lives, money still talks louder than morals.

In this we are off to the setting of Thailand, where we met our male lead, an unethicial company man that wants to make a quick buck out of a bad position, he's bribing his way to that end, when he falls for the title character Emiko, a wind up, held lowest in society below even the illegal refuges, she comes of age through the book and helps us think of what it means to be human. We follow their relationship and its costs on themselves and those around them to a painful conclusion.

This is Sci-Fi at its best. making us think what if, looking inside of ourselves to see those dark corners we don't want to admit.

It follows some obvious plot turns and a couple of twists that aren't expected.

Worth a read.



I found it really hard to get into this one, and still haven´t finished it.
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My ex is now a published author and I would be interested in any comments regarding her work. The novel is a supernatural detective story called The Serpent and the Peacock by Anne Selby. If you do read it please send me a message.
Danand
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I'm re-reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Two heroes of fantasy writing from opposite sides of The Pond. This is the new, second edition (My First Edition fell apart from over use about 4 years ago)

Brilliant swings are taken at religion, Armageddon and the pitfalls of using magick in everyday life. Central to the story is the chase for a great book of Prophecies. the only accurate book of prophecies ever written. In 1642 by an eccentric named Agnes Nutter, Witch.

There's a devil's minion, an archangel, an order of Satanic nuns, a hound from hell and of course, the devil incarnate has to make a showing...but not in the way that had been planned.

They're geniuses, both of those writers. Together they are sublime. The new introduction is so side splittingly funny that I advise you not to read it on public transport, unless you can cope easily with like looking like a total nutter, guffawing away to yourself in the bus shelter.
“No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.”
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Quote by Danand
I'm re-reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Two heroes of fantasy writing from opposite sides of The Pond. This is the new, second edition (My First Edition fell apart from over use about 4 years ago)

Brilliant swings are taken at religion, Armageddon and the pitfalls of using magick in everyday life. Central to the story is the chase for a great book of Prophecies. the only accurate book of prophecies ever written. In 1642 by an eccentric named Agnes Nutter, Witch.

There's a devil's minion, an archangel, an order of Satanic nuns, a hound from hell and of course, the devil incarnate has to make a showing...but not in the way that had been planned.

They're geniuses, both of those writers. Together they are sublime. The new introduction is so side splittingly funny that I advise you not to read it on public transport, unless you can cope easily with like looking like a total nutter, guffawing away to yourself in the bus shelter.



I did look like a nutter reading this the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th............ time reading it. You are right this is an absolutly brilliant piece and a great introduction to Neil Gaiman.
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American Gods by Neil Gaiman


This is a great book, filled with thoughts on what a god truly is and how we react to them in this modern day, but I get ahead of myself.....

We follow Shadow, given his freedom after 3 years in prision to find his life has hit rock bottom. And then he mets a new employer and things take a turn to the strange.

The basic premise is that we create the gods ourselves but what happens after we no longer think of them, or when we move to a new country, do we bring the old gods with us or do we create new ones with the same name.

A classic american road trip with a difference, part religious commentary and part black humour, this is a great piece of writing by a very intelligent and witty writer. I couldn't put it down to stop reading and had to finish it. Think I read the whole thing in about 3 days amoungst other responsabilities.

Highly recommend it to anyone that likes their comedy with a sharp edge of wit or their books with more thought than most.
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I have been a Terry Pratchett fan and ended up reading Gaiman because of Good Omens. Ill second that is a fabulous read!

A couple of other favorites:



This series is excellent, now eagerly waiting for the next book...



Another favorite. Actually I enjoy all of his books.



One of my favorite series
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One more series I forgot about: Ths sword of truth by Terry Goodkind
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One more series I forgot about: Ths sword of truth by Terry Goodkind





Great series starts with Wizards First Rule and has the second most amusing old Wizard in a series (Fizban/Zifnab from Weiss/Hickman series wins that)

A great series that takes us to a world of magic and fantasy, well written dialogue, smartly developed characters and plot lines through the whole series is great, there are about 14 books in it and the series doesn't lose that great feel from the first.

I don't want to write anything of the actual story line as even a small hint can give away so much of a tightly written, complex story.

It has been mentioned to me in the past that Goodkind can be a bit sadistic in his treatment of some of the female characters, there is a perverse level of pain through out the whole series. This taken into consideration it is still a great series for those that like the fantasy genre. In fact one of the better modern series to get into.
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Magician by Ramond E Fiest

Welcome to Midkemia, a land of many mythical creatures and humans. Magic is in and part of the land. We follow Pug and Thomas as they grow up into a land that is set to be taken into a war with a reach that spans the galexy.

This is one of the great "newer" generation of fantasy. this book has spawned a rich world of characters, each person I talk about this series with have their own favourites. This book has everything, political intriuge, love stories, magic, mythical creatures, not one but two boys journies to self discovery and even the odd elf and dwarf thrown in.

I will say this about the series as a whole, the good characters are not just in this one, The Riftwar Saga, but Fiest is able to introduce new characters at all points and keep the story fresh and an enjoyable read.

This is a book for those rainy days outside to curl up and read. Make some new "friends" as you read about their adventures or say hello again if you have met them before.

I have seen this book seperated into sections as it is rather large, but well worth it.
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Darkly Dreaming Dexter By Jeff Lindsay

Ok now this series of books is a little dark, a little wrong, but still amusing and darkly disturbing at how much we seem to like the main character, even if he is a psychopath.

This series has spawned a tv series, which I have never watched nor do I feel the need to. I prefer the creation of this one mind. I love the fact that from the start no appology is given for the darkly disturbed mind we travel with along this hunt for a serial killer by another serial killer hidden away inside the police force. Will he end up helping him escape or bring him to justice?

Dexters' struggle to keep a normal self image is really a good commentary on what we are today in western society, not that I am trying to make this look high brow, it is what it is a dark humour book into subjects most "normal" writers would never dare tread. Wity in the way it has been written and an addictive series for the perverse of mind.

Not everyones cup of tea, but if you want a left field series, one you might care to look at.
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The teachings of Don Juan

By Carlos Castenada


This book is cool, set in the backdrop of the late 60's. The author an anthropologist spends time with a Yaquai Sorcerer, learning of his belief system and how his magic is performed with the use of drugs. Over a five year period he studied with Don Juan and used this as the basis of his PHD thesis, this was later published as this book.

The book is split into two halves, the first half a first person description of his time spent learning. The second half is a scientific look at the experience and an attempt to explain all that happened. It has been argued that these are a work of fiction not fact. I believe that alot of it is true personally.
This book and the following texts that offer a deeply spirital view of the world that many people would benefit for trying to understand. II admit it is probably not for everyone but those of you out there that would like to learn a little more I suggest it as a great read.