books The Book Thread

[WarGrowlmon1990 94]

I can't pick just one favorite. I love all the Harry Potter books and the following Stephen King books:

 

~Carrie

~The Shining

~The Dead Zone

~Firestarter

~It

~Misery

~The Green Mile

~Gerald's Game

~Dreamcatcher

~Cell

[Joy 60]

Well, before, it used to be a series titled The Homelanders, by Andrew Klavan, a Christian action series.

Don't be turned off by that. This is one of the few good Christian fiction books. It doesn't force Christianity upon you, nor is every single sentence on every single page about God. I would recommend reading it, even if you're not Christian.

Buuuut, I just read the first book in the Maximum Ride series...

and squeeee!

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  I think it's the most perfect piece of entetainment I've ever found.  Much of my mindset and morals can be found in it.  I think it's a great story everyone should read.  When I went back to it in high school, it was just as good as ever and I felt enough at peace to forgive a friend I had been upset with.

[DND 2,355]

Hm, the Warriors series, The Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series, and my favorite childhood book of all time, 

 

The Club of Mysteries Series. It was so cute, sad, and well written. Nostalgia ensues with this series:

 

 

Oh, and I love cats to death. ^^ 

[TheFabulousPony 102]

I cant really pick a favorite... but some of my favorites would be:
1. The Hobbit
2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
3. Heart of Darkness
4. The Sookie Stackhouse novels.
5. Perfume: Story of a Murderer

Also anything by Stephen Fry, Stephen King and Matthew Reilly 

[Jack Baker 698]

I loved reading the Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. The characters, the environments, the story itself was amazing to me, and I really enjoyed the movie as well when it came out.

[Guest]

I don't read a lot of books, I'm more of an internet guy, but when Yahtzee released his first book "Mogworld", it easily became my favorite book.

[Urkelbot 63]

Like others say, it's hard to pick a favorite.so here are a few...

 

- Cat's Cradle, SlapStick, The Sirens of Titan, Player Piano, - all by Kurt Vonnegut (Intelligent, Sci Fi, Dark Humor)

 

- The Damnation Game, The Hellbound Heart (hellraiser) - Clive Barker (Supernatural Horror)

 

- Carrie, Cell, (Supernatural Horror) The Running Man (Futuristic Action), Thinner (Supernatural suspense) - Stephen King ( and pseudonym Richard Bachman)

 

- Beast (It's Jaws but with a Giant Squid) - Peter Benchley

 

- Fahrenheit 451 (futuristic suspense) - Ray Bradbury

 

- We can Build You (Futuristic Fiction) -  Phillip K. Dick 

 

That's all for now. I also really like the short stories of Ray Bradbury, King, And Harlan Ellison.

[fimdash 1,196]

I love so many books, so it's hard to choose a favorite. Perhaps it's Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (it was the first book that came to mind). It's about the lives of all these people living in New York City being intertwined by a tight-rope walker's performance on the twin towers. It's an amazing book that's nonpareil in writing style, and it leaves you breathless over and over again.

 

EDIT: minor changes

 

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by fimdash

[Captain Gobblez 55]

 

Hmmmmm...... favorite book... it would be game of thrones it's actually book series so.. more books.. but personally i hate books and i would prefer the tv series myself...

 

 

Book:Game of thrones

author: George R.R Martin

I personally LOVE the books, I've read them multiple times and I would even say they are my favorite... BUT...The Inheritance cycle is still better. Written by Christopher Paolini it's my favorite fantasy series 

[Thrashy 2,800]

I don't know that I could single out one specific book, but my all time favorite series are The Belgariad / Malloreon and The Elenium / Tamuli sagas by David and Leigh Eddings. I can say that these are the best fantasy books I've ever read, hooves-down.

 

Edited April 26, 2013 by Lowline

[Doc Ginger 86]

, 

One of my favorite books to read ever, though you have to read the unabridged for it to be any good: granted that makes the English harder to understand in your first read through but the tale and depth of characters is well worth it as well as knowing your reading the earliest novel recorded (it was written in the 11th Century)

[jw5587 182]

I've read far too many to have a favourite. I love Harry Potter (My older brother read the first two to me in first grade, I began independently reading them in second.) The Hobbit and LOTR (I read The Hobbit in second grade as well. LOTR I didn't read until middle school), A Song of Ice and Fire (specifically A Storm of Swords. At one point I literally through the book across the room and cried for a solid 15 minutes because I was so upset. That is when you know you've got some quality reading material. George R.R. Martin is nearly as adept as Joss Whedon at ripping my heart out and smashing it to pieces) and I am currently reading this:

 

 

It is a terrifying and very confusing novel that requires your full attention to even come close to understanding what is going on. This one really messes with your head and is AMAZING, if you have the patience for it. 

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Mine is probably Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. Somehow it managed to appeal to me on countless levels. It was extremely dark at points, and yet was one of the funniest books I've ever read. I could empathize with Yossarian as he tried to fight through the utter absurdity of the world around him (though his was pretty exaggerated ). I also liked the disjointed style of narration.

[An Old Head 4,816]

Almost definitely 11/22/63, by Stephen King. (It was either that or 1984 by George Orwell). It's a story about a man travelling back in time to prevent the Kennedy assassination, and like all of Stephen King's books, it's endlessly thrilling. While also vividly recreating life between 1958 and 1963, I love how he entertains moments of humour equally as much as moments of panic or tension, and the most unforeseen yet somehow logical twists keep appearing. Also, Al Templeton as a character is really lovable! It almost never happens with book characters, but I feel for the guy. :c

[BeatrixBow 119]

My favourite book series would have to be Gone by Michael Grant. It's a brilliant book series and I highly reccomend it!

Pasted right from wikipedia:

GONE is a young-adult dystopian science fiction book series written by Michael Grant. The series is centered around the fictional American town of Perdido Beach, in which every human 15 and older vanishes. The town and surrounding areas become encased within an impenetrable energy barrier, with many of its inhabitants developing supernatural powers. The books follow the exploits of the protagonist, Sam Temple, as he battles antagonists Caine Soren and Drake Merwin, as well as a mysterious, malevolent creature.

*FANGIRL* I love love love love love the Gone series!!! I was literally gonna put that as my favorite!! Who's your favorite character? I personally like Diana. Second would be "The Breeze". I have read the whole series, and am waiting to get my hands on "Light", the current last book in the series. These books are so cool and interesting, I recommend them to anyone that likes to read sci-fi.   

[Almar ZeWizard 60]

My favorite book is the novel for Metal Gear Solid by Raymond Benson, It Totally makes the story for the games so much better.

 

 

[Golurk 468]

Contact, by Carl Sagan. Not really sure why, it just clicks with me. I like the concepts it puts on the table. It's the only true novel I've read more than once.

 

Also notable is Stephen Colbert's I am America (And So Can You!). I find Stephen hilarious, and this isn't sacrificed in the book.

 

 

 

My favorite book would have to be The Road by Cormack McCarthy. A man and his son try to survive as they walk through post apocalyptic America. Very dark book about the best and worst of mankind. Actually made me cry at the end. That's not something I usually do.

This is also a very good one. A bit annoying at times (doesn't use much standard punctuation, but makes sense in-context), but a very worthwhile read.  

 

 

 

Mine is probably Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. Somehow it managed to appeal to me on countless levels. It was extremely dark at points, and yet was one of the funniest books I've ever read. I could empathize with Yossarian as he tried to fight through the utter absurdity of the world around him (though his was pretty exaggerated ). I also liked the disjointed style of narration.

And this. This is also a good one. If you want a book that'll make you laugh, this one's for you. 

Edited April 28, 2013 by Yosef von Uzenvard

[Tenshinohana 264]

Hmm, I don't really know if I can pick a favorite book. I like Harry Potters and the Narnia books...

 

Harry Potters have a lovely world, and that's why I actually like them. I don't really like the plot, and I kinda despise Harry Potter as a character, but I do love the world J.K. Rowling has made. Oh, and the occasional lame jokes, like...

 

"Look, Harry got a Weasley jumper too! But he doesn't have a letter on it."
"As if we'd forget our names. We know that our names are Gred and Feorge!"

 

(it's not exactly as it was written in the book, but I think you catch my drift. I actually laughed at that one, and still smile at it.)

 

I like Narnia books also because of the way the world is built. I actually have read them chronologically, not in the order that they were published. I got a different angle in the whole story that way. Of course I read the Lion, the b-... Witch and the Wardrobe when I was little, but I didn't remember any of it. Then, when I was ~12 and the newest The Lion, the b-... Witch and the Wardrobe movie came out, there was a new edition of a complete Narnia collection - and it held them all in the chronological order.

 

I know that the Narnia books are a little childish in a way, but I still like it. Deal with it. 

Edited April 28, 2013 by Tenshinohana

[Vinyl Scratch (Filly)™ 936]

*FANGIRL* I love love love love love the Gone series!!! I was literally gonna put that as my favorite!! Who's your favorite character? I personally like Diana. Second would be "The Breeze". I have read the whole series, and am waiting to get my hands on "Light", the current last book in the series. These books are so cool and interesting, I recommend them to anyone that likes to read sci-fi.

 

Omg! I'm waiting for light too ^^ I ordered it and am awaiting its arrival >w< I would say Drake is my favourite character >:3 why, you may ask? He's an evil psychopath and makes things... Interesting <;D

[WingMcCallister 368]

This is the horrible moment when I'm going to say the one I wrote Sad, but true... If I had to go to others' stuff, I really like amateur short stories from people who nopony here would know (writing contest entries and whatnot). Mainstream wise, I did really enjoy Game of Thrones.

[Gourgeist 262]

I was never really a book person but when I was hospitalized for 3 months I really got into Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. I never played the games but I can imagine they must be good since how good the books are 

[~Chaotic Fireball~ 499]

My favorite books of all time are the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, and the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series by Rick Riordan. I prefer to do the Wimpy Kid series for book reports (they're, like, 50% pictures/comics) and reading the Percy Jackson series for fun and enjoyment. I am a huge fanatic of the Percy Jackson series, since I'm obsessed with Greek mythology and taht kind of stuff. I have the whole entire series, and was very upset when I found out that there were only 5 books (which I finished each in a day) but luckily, the Wimpy Kid series continues to grow. I always make sure that I get the latest one.

Yeah, I'm a huge raeder, but you guys never would have guessed, would you?

[Doc Ginger 86]

Currently I am on an 'information book' sprint, most of the ones I have a bookmark in now are science or history related. Though for my favorite 'young adult' novels I must say.... Dan Abnett's "Guant's Ghosts" series. With Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series trailing not too far behind. 

 

But books for more mature/advanced readers it would have to be Murasaki Shikibu's "Tale of Genji" or James Fenimore Cooper's "Leatherstocking Tales" pentology, with "Last of the Mohicans" being the best.

 

Usually I read about  2000 standard type novel sizedpages a week so my current favorite understandably changes but I think the aforementioned above are the standard fallbacks for myself. 

[Dark Qiviut 22,444]

It was assigned to me for my Women in Literature college class, and I couldn't put it down ever since. Today, I still go back to read it to remind myself of how great this novel is.

This novel is a semi-retelling of the author's time prior to the Great Depression (and likely the main reason why Tillie Olsen became a communist), with a working class family trudging throughout the midwest U.S. to make a living. The family is tired, hungry, and poor; they lived decently in ne part of the book, but then had to live in a nasty slum in Omaha, Nebraska. They're working class, but didn't have the luxuries. With the Great Depression around the corner, their lives worsened.

Mazie Holbrook, a young daughter, is the main character. She quickly became aware of her suroundings during the book, and she often daydeamt to escape the harsh, violent realities of both society and her parents (notably her father, who in turn her mom got into violent rampages herself).

What's so great about this book is how relatable the characters are. Mazie is young, but quickly became wise beyond her years. She is a revolunary character that carries some of Olsen's political viewpoints. Jim, Mazie's dad who turned into drinks to escape the harshness of the Depression, often turned into violent stupors, but cared for his family. Anna, Mazie's mother, also lived through the brunt of the Depression and is psychologically scarred due to the hard work and abuse Jim put her through. But they all have qualities and flaws that make them all human and sympathetic.

It's a Depressed society that Olsen herself experienced (likely without the parental abuse), but there are a lot of symbols relating to her Jewish heritage, Communist political viewpoints, and feminism. It's one of the few published pieces from Olsen, and this book is unfinished (she wrote it in the 1930s and then abandoned it, only rediscovering it in the early-1970s). But despite the errors in the writing and spelling, it's a brilliant book that only highlights Olsen's genius.

 

 

 

To those who are fans of George Orwell's 1984, Zamyatin's We is the grandfather of dystopian novels.

 

Taken place in a "pure," glass-covered country called One State, the ship called Integral is built to expand the country. D-503, the main protagonist, helps contstruct the ship and is soon met by I-330, who doesn't conform to the Benefactor's authoritarian laws and worshipping.

 

This novel is an amazing piece of literary criticism of the U.S.S.R.'s communist policies, and was so damning that the country censored it, only to have it smuggled out of the country, translated, printed, and published in the U.S. But it wouldn't be as impactful if it wasn't so good. D-503 doesn't have the mind of a slave. Instead, he feels human with impulses, urges, and freedom, but bogged down by the authoritarian rule of the Benefactor.

 

Some of you might have read other dystopian novels in the past; this one started it all, and you wouldn't have seen the likes of books like Brave New World and 1984 without it. In fact, We inspired Orwell to write 1984.