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Book recommendation thread

Centurion

Dark Council Elite
Title: Halo: The Cole Protocol
Author: Tobias S Buckell
Genre: sci fi
Length of book: mid length novel
Series of books or Individual book: there are others, but I have only read a few.
Detailed description ( No spoilers ): In the first, desperate days of the Human-Covenant war, the UNSC enacted the Cole Protocol to safeguard Earth and the inner colonies from discovery by the merciless alien foe. Many are called upon to rid the universe of lingering navigation data that would reveal the location of Earth. Among them is Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. Thrust back in to action after being sidelined, Keyes is saddled with a top secret mission by ONI. One that will take him deep behind enemy lines, to a corner of the universe where nothing is as it seems.

Out beyond the Outer Colonies lies the planet Hesiod, a gas giant surrounded by a vast asteroid belt. As the covenant continues to glass the Human occupied planets near Hesiod, many of the survivors, helped by a stronghold of human insurrectionists, are fleeing to the asteroid belt for refuge. They have transformed the tumbling into a tenuous, yet ingenious, settlement known as the Rubble - and have come face to face with a covenant settlement of Kig-Yar... yet somehow survived.

News of this unlikely treaty has spread to the warring sides. Luckily for the UNSC, this uneasy alliance is in the path of the Spartan Grey Team, a three-man renegade squad whose simple task is to wreak havoc behind enemy lines in any way they see fit. But the prophets have also sent their best - an ambitious and ruthless Elite, whose quest for nobility and rank is matched only by his brutality... and who will do anything to secure his Ascendancy and walk the Path.
Extra details : is good.
 

PitaChipBoi

Lord of Altera
Nut_Jooce
Nut_Jooce
And while I'm here:

Title : The Andromeda Strain
Author : Michael Crichton
Genre : Science Fiction
Length of book : 350
Series of books or Individual book : Individual Book
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : The Andromeda Strain is a science fiction novel documenting the efforts of a team of scientists investigating the outbreak of a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism in Arizona that rapidly and fatally clots the blood in most humans, while inducing insanity in a small handful of others.
Extra details : From the same author that wrote Jurassic Park and Sphere. For those that like science fiction, this is a must. Some of Michael Crichton's best work, though I would recommend anything this author wrote; It's all good.
I had a character named Andromeda...
and I played the song Andromeda Overture in a concert.
 
Last edited:

Mryosi

Lord of Altera
Title : The Name of the Wind
Author : Patrick Roothfuss
Genre : Fantasy
Length of book : 720 pages
Series of books or Individual book : Series of three books, two are already out. Series is Kingkiller Chronicle
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : The book tells the story of Kvothe, a remarkable kid who grows up to become a legend. The now-older Kvothe tells his story to a chronicler in retrospective of his youth. His story is so long that it takes him three days to tell it, each book covers one day.
In this world there are a few types of magic, all written brilliantly and believably , there is Sympathy, the power to bind objects and energy (Like binding a candle's flame to another candle- thus lighting it). There is Naming, the power to to control something by knowing its name (Like knowing the name of the wind allows you to call the wind and blow away your enemies and such) and there is Sygaldry which uses to runes to create effects similar to Sympathy. The magic is probably the most believable magic I've even read. It is very Physics-friendly, for example, you can bind two stones together, and if you move one, the other will also move, however the one stone now weights like two stones. Energy is not created, only transformed! The magic just makes sense in a way and it is very detailed.
The only place to learn all those subjects, and some more is the University. The plot is mostly around the University, how he gets there, his challenges to get admitted to the university, paying his tuition, his friends, loved ones and enemies. Even though I like focusing on the magic the book is definitely not only about the magic, the magic is only a tool, and not always so effective, in some situations he would be better of running away of using a sword.
The book is thrilling, interesting and believable. The story for itself is amazing, Kvothe is a very talented person who sets himself a very difficult set of goals, we get to follow him as he does that and I just can't get enough of this book and Kvothe. And the Sophisticated magic system is what made me believe that this book is one of the bests. I'm a big fan of many fantasy books and I just loved how in this nook the magic is so good, but yet, not the main focus of the book.

Extra details : Magic was so believable that I tried to do it myself (for more times that I care to admit).
 

Firegirl

Lord of Altera
Title : Warriors

Author : Erin Hunter

Genre : Sci-Fi/Fantsy

Length of book : 3 Series, each with 6 books.

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : The first series is all about this cat named Rusty and how he finds Thunderclan. There are four differiant clans, Thunderclan, Shadowclan, Windclan, and Riverclan. Each clan as it's own strength and weakness. Rusty progress from a housecat into a warrior, meeting his best friends, Ravenpaw and Graypaw, and his worse ememy, Tigerclaw.

The second series is all about a group of cats, Bumbleclaw, Feathertail, Squirrelflight, and a few others to go to the Tribe of Rushing Water for a new home.

The third series is all about these kits named Jaykit, Lionkit, and Holykit, each have their own "super-power" and they have a choise to use it for good or for evil.

Title : Pendragon

Author : D.J.MacHale

Genre : Sci-Fi/Fantesy

Length of book : 10 books.

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Bobby Pendragon is told by his uncle that he must help some people that are in danger. What he doesn't know is that he'll be wisked away to stop an evil madman, Saint Dane, from taking over the different realites of different planes of demenion.

Title : Witch and Wizard

Author : James Patterson

Genre : Fantesy

Length of book : 5 books.

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Wisty Allgood and Wit Allgood live perfectly normal lives until an evil ruler takes over all of the United States, over throws the old government, and takes rulership. His name is the "The One", and one night will forever change Wisty's and Wit's lives.

Title : Chasing Vermeer

Author : Blue Balliett

Genre : Fiction

Length of book : 3 books

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Petra and Clader are drawn to find a missing painting, where puzzles, and danger, lurk around every alleyway.

Title : The Red Pyramind

Author : Rick Riordan

Genre : Fiction

Length of book : 3 books

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Two kids have separted since they were young, they don't know why, but one kid lives in Englad with her grandparents, and the other kid travels a lot with his dad. One night, the dad brings both the kids to the Rosetta Stone. . .and a night that will change their lives forever.

Title :The Name of This Book is Secret

Author : Pseudonymous Bosch

Genre : Fiction

Length of book : 5 books.

Series of books or Individual book : Series

Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Cass and Max-Ernest discover a box full of smells, they stumble on a dead magician's hidden diary, and the terrible curse of immortality.
 

Somnastra

Puppycat Herder
Events Staff
Lore Staff
Good
Staff
Retired Owner
Somnastra
Somnastra
Good
Title : The Name of the Wind
Author : Patrick Roothfuss
Genre : Fantasy
Length of book : 720 pages
Series of books or Individual book : Series of three books, two are already out. Series is Kingkiller Chronicle
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : The book tells the story of Kvothe, a remarkable kid who grows up to become a legend. The now-older Kvothe tells his story to a chronicler in retrospective of his youth. His story is so long that it takes him three days to tell it, each book covers one day.
In this world there are a few types of magic, all written brilliantly and believably , there is Sympathy, the power to bind objects and energy (Like binding a candle's flame to another candle- thus lighting it). There is Naming, the power to to control something by knowing its name (Like knowing the name of the wind allows you to call the wind and blow away your enemies and such) and there is Sygaldry which uses to runes to create effects similar to Sympathy. The magic is probably the most believable magic I've even read. It is very Physics-friendly, for example, you can bind two stones together, and if you move one, the other will also move, however the one stone now weights like two stones. Energy is not created, only transformed! The magic just makes sense in a way and it is very detailed.
The only place to learn all those subjects, and some more is the University. The plot is mostly around the University, how he gets there, his challenges to get admitted to the university, paying his tuition, his friends, loved ones and enemies. Even though I like focusing on the magic the book is definitely not only about the magic, the magic is only a tool, and not always so effective, in some situations he would be better of running away of using a sword.
The book is thrilling, interesting and believable. The story for itself is amazing, Kvothe is a very talented person who sets himself a very difficult set of goals, we get to follow him as he does that and I just can't get enough of this book and Kvothe. And the Sophisticated magic system is what made me believe that this book is one of the bests. I'm a big fan of many fantasy books and I just loved how in this nook the magic is so good, but yet, not the main focus of the book.

Extra details : Magic was so believable that I tried to do it myself (for more times that I care to admit).
.....I recommend reading Wheel of Time instead. Felt very fanfic to me.
 

Sir Saltington

Lord of Altera
Prepare yourselves, for your eyes will feast upon many book titles :D
Title : Reckless (No it is not a romance book, trust me I thought it was too before I read the back)
Author : Cornelia Funke
Genre : Fantasy
Length of book : 400 pages (Might be wrong, but I got my information from Amazon. They said that was how long it was on paperback)
Series of books or Individual book : First book in a series, there is only one other book but I will Say that later on. Mirrorworld Series.
Detailed description (This is the back of the book so if it is a slight spoiler blame the back of the book):
Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies--most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl--a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell--before it's too late.
Extra details : This book series is the only books I can call favorites, and for me I rarely pick favorites in anything.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title : Fearless
Author : Cornelia Funke
Genre : Fantasy
Length of book : 424 pages (Same as before, amazon and it is on paperback.)
Series of books or Individual book : Mirrorworld Series.
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) :
Extra details : I can't show you the back of the book, for it would spoil the one above by a good bit. The only thing I will say it is a great continuing on an adventure. While I would love to show you, I fear of spoiling the first book and that is something you should never do. P.S. I said fear, guess I'm not this book :D
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title : The Eye of Minds
Author : James Dasner
Genre : Sc-Fi/Fantasy (Mostly Sc-Fi)
Length of book : 320 pages
Series of books or Individual book : The Mortality Doctrine Series.
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) :
Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?
But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.
The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker. And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team. But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.
Extra details : This was also a good book, but it sure isn't my favorite.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title : The Rule of Thoughts
Author : James Dashner
Genre : Sc-Fi/Fantasy (Mostly Sc-Fi)
Length of book : 336 oages
Series of books or Individual book : The Mortality Doctrine Series.
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) :
Extra details : Like I said with the Fearless book, I can't tell you for that would spoil the first.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: The Alchemist
Author : Paulo Coelho
Genre : Fantasy (Not sure exactly)
Length of book : 213 pages
Series of books or Individual book :
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) :
Extra details :
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It seemed like this forum post was slightly dead, so I decided to do something to bring it back. I enjoy reading a lot and thought it was a shame that it is dead. P.S. I will edit and add more books.
 

Nemoy

Lord of Altera
Nemoy2001
Nemoy2001
Title : The Dresden Files (All of them, they're sort of a package deal)
Author : Jim Butcher
Genre : Urban Fantasy/Mystery (the latter mainly applies to the earlier books)
Length of book : A lot.
Series of books or Individual book : The Dresden Files
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Harry Dresden: Wizard, P.I. and professional wisecracker. Harry starts the series as a lowly P.I. in Chicago solving grisly murders, fighting monsters and generally flying by the seat of his pants. As time goes on, everything evolves - the cast of friends, foes, and somewhere-in-betweens he meets, the baddies he has to fight, and the depth of narrative far larger than he is.
Extra details : It's really hard to explain what makes this series great without spoiling it, but it's the greatest series I've ever read. The characters are a little cliched at first, but as the story goes on they really do evolve. I suggest that you listen to the amazing audiobook versions by James Marsters - text is great, but he just knocks it out of the park. Also, don't watch the TV show. It was terrible - they replaced the Blue Beetle with a Jeep. A frikkin Jeep.
 

SF_Joshua

Loyal Servant of Altera
Title : Dune
Author : Frank Herbert
Genre : Science Fiction
Length of book : 412 pg.
Series of books or Individual book : Dune
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : This Science Fiction Novel is an epic to the scale of Lord of the Rings, but it is not your average epic. While there is adventure involved, most of the major plot points are political matters. Don't worry, though, because at the core of it all, it is still a tale of tragedy, revenge, and betrayal. The story is about the Royal House Atreides undergoing a big move from the paradise planet, Caladan, to the dry desert planet, Arrakis, which was once home to their mortal enemy, the Harkonnens. (It's pretty much the Star Wars Prequels only it's good.)
Extra details : The book has been unsuccessfully adapted to both the big and small screen twice. Most of today's Science Fiction elements came from this one book.
 

Immerael

The Shadow Admín
Retired Staff
Title : Dune
Author : Frank Herbert
Genre : Science Fiction
Length of book : 412 pg.
Series of books or Individual book : Dune
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : This Science Fiction Novel is an epic to the scale of Lord of the Rings, but it is not your average epic. While there is adventure involved, most of the major plot points are political matters. Don't worry, though, because at the core of it all, it is still a tale of tragedy, revenge, and betrayal. The story is about the Royal House Atreides undergoing a big move from the paradise planet, Caladan, to the dry desert planet, Arrakis, which was once home to their mortal enemy, the Harkonnens. (It's pretty much the Star Wars Prequels only it's good.)
Extra details : The book has been unsuccessfully adapted to both the big and small screen twice. Most of today's Science Fiction elements came from this one book.
Dune's great also a part of a six book series if you really want to read up. Book one is by far the best it's a self contained epic.

Two and three are pretty good as well. However at book three I'd recommend folks stop.

Book 4 is 300 pages of boring that could have been wrapped up in ten pages of story in book five.

Books 5 and 6 if you come this far start to get better again.

Books 1-3 happen in the same generation. Book 4 happens like a few thousand years later. Book 5-6 happen in the same generation a few thousand years after Four. So you get to explore the same places over not just space but time. Which is pretty cool.
 

CyberChaosV2

Lord of Altera
Title : The Dresden Files (All of them, they're sort of a package deal)
Author : Jim Butcher
Genre : Urban Fantasy/Mystery (the latter mainly applies to the earlier books)
Length of book : A lot.
Series of books or Individual book : The Dresden Files
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : Harry Dresden: Wizard, P.I. and professional wisecracker. Harry starts the series as a lowly P.I. in Chicago solving grisly murders, fighting monsters and generally flying by the seat of his pants. As time goes on, everything evolves - the cast of friends, foes, and somewhere-in-betweens he meets, the baddies he has to fight, and the depth of narrative far larger than he is.
Extra details : It's really hard to explain what makes this series great without spoiling it, but it's the greatest series I've ever read. The characters are a little cliched at first, but as the story goes on they really do evolve. I suggest that you listen to the amazing audiobook versions by James Marsters - text is great, but he just knocks it out of the park. Also, don't watch the TV show. It was terrible - they replaced the Blue Beetle with a Jeep. A frikkin Jeep.
Will +1 the book part, havent seen the tv show, probably will just to see what it was like. and for those of you with doubts about the series, read at your own risk:

Harry rides around chicago on a zombified t-rex while a friend of his plays polka music...and guess what...Jim Butcher makes it make SENSE
 

Nemoy

Lord of Altera
Nemoy2001
Nemoy2001
Will +1 the book part, havent seen the tv show, probably will just to see what it was like. and for those of you with doubts about the series, read at your own risk:

Harry rides around chicago on a zombified t-rex while a friend of his plays polka music...and guess what...Jim Butcher makes it make SENSE
POLKA WILL NEVER DIE
 

Paint

Lord of Altera
Frosty
Retired Staff
ShadowAdmin
ShadowAdmin
Frosty
I'm going to bump this thread because books.

I've just recently read Red Dragon and I'm working on Silence of the Lambs, both by Thomas Harris, I enjoy Hannibal Lecter's character. (I plan on watching the series after I finish SotL).

My List after: Misery by Stephen King, and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
 

Sir Saltington

Lord of Altera
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch is one of the best books I've ever read. Takes place in a fantasy city where there is a group of con artists who are robbing the nobles of this city blind and it follows these con artists.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is the first book in a series (The Stormlight Archive)that is supposed to span 10 books but so far only covers three. It is an Epic Fantasy book with amazing worldbuilding and great characters, but are a bit tough to get through considering each book is at least 1000 pages long.
 

Matty

Villager
Matticated
Matticated
Title : Name of the Wind
Author : Patrick Rothfus
Genre : Heroic Fantasy
Length of book : Around 700 pages
Series of books or Individual book : Kingkiller Chronicles (2/3 books are out, NotW is the first)
Detailed description ( No spoilers ) : The story starts off in an inn where an old man is telling some lore-friendly tale about some sort of arcanist/ namer who can use the power of the wind. Then after everybody leaves the inn the story focuses on the innkeeper, who is the protagonist. Eventually the innkeeper turns out to be more than he seems and starts narrating his life story in three days, one day with each books since there are 3 of them with one to hopefully come out soon. (I don't wanna say anything else cause that would be a spoiler, but the books is super awesome, the language is beatifully crafted and the characters are super likable and make you care about them. Since the first book the story seems promising and I'd recommend it to any fantasy readers)
Extra details : Similar to HollowWorld, the story is set in a Medieval Fantasy world
 

Bartooliinii

An Alteran Bard
Patron
Retired Staff
Pronouns
He/Him
Slimy_Froggy
Slimy_Froggy
Patron
Anything from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series if you like fantasy and an amazing sense of humor!
 

ToastySpam

Chairman of the Procrastination Committee
Legend
ToastySpam
ToastySpam
Legend
Monstress is an absolutely amazing graphic novel series. Someone described it perfectly as "drawn like a comic; paced like a novel". The art, however, is much more detailed than your average comic book and beautiful to look at.

I'm not great at synopsising things, so here's some stuff from wikipedia:

"The series is set in a matriarchal world inspired by early 20th century Asia, and tells the story of Maika Halfwolf, a teenage girl who shares a mysterious psychic link with a powerful monster. The background to the story is a war between the Arcanics, magical creatures who sometimes can pass for human, and the Cumaea, an order of sorceresses who consume Arcanics to fuel their power."

"The comic has been praised by the Los Angeles Review of Books as "ambitious as George R. R. Martin or J. R. R. Tolkien" for its high fantasy concepts and heavy world-building. It has even earned approval from notable fantasy writers such as Neil Gaiman. The series has also earned a myriad of awards, including five Eisner Awards and three Hugo Awards."

"According to [the writer], among the series's themes are the inner strength required to withstand constant dehumanization, as well as the power of friendship among women. Race also plays a large role in the series."

It's absolutely brilliant. I was not sold on it initially - it's lengthy and wordy; and can take a couple reads to fully understand what's going on because you're thrown right into the world without much exposition until later. I don't normally read a lot of comics. But it has become one of my favourite series. It's genuinely fantastic.

Online you can buy it as individual issues, as volumes, or as books (right now the series is only as far as Book 1. The book contains extra sketches and notes from the production process if you're interested in that).

I highly recommend picking up volume one; either at a store, online, or second-hand.
 
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