# Other Books You Like Besides Fantasy



## Philip Overby

I wonder if everyone here reads only fantasy?  Surely not.  I have to say, I almost exclusively read fantasy but I have the tendency to read history, horror, Japanese language books, or slipstream (is that still a word?) on occasion.  What are some other genres you like?  I figure most people would say sci-fi, although I've never got into sci-fi for some reason.  Although I bet there's lots of good stuff, I've just never given it a real shot.

Anyway, what are other books you read besides fantasy?


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## Ravana

Sci-fi. 

History, mythology, many sciences, reference material of nearly any nature, language, poetry, comics... uhm, I'm sure there are others, though it's getting near the time of day my brain shuts down (that is, the sun will rise soon...). 

In part, it depends on how narrowly you choose to define any given genre: I might say I like books on "art," but I'm considerably more interested in books with color photos of Renaissance paintings than I am on books explaining welding techniques for postmodern scrap-metal sculpture. At any rate, if I can think of anything that would meaningfully contribute to the foregoing, I'll tack it on later.


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## Kelise

I read utterly anything and everything. I really enjoy historical fiction, general literature, biographies... anything that's well written, really.

Specific recent books include The Help by Kathryn Stockett, That Woman by Anne Sebba (all about Wallis who broke up King Edward so his younger brother took the throne - for those who don't know much about the royal family, think of the movie The King's Speech) and Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Fantasy is my favourite to write though, so here I am  It's important to read a lot in your genre - a lot of authors say you should try to read at least 60-80 books a year in able to improve your writing style.


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## myrddin173

I mostly read fantasy but there are a couple books that I like.  With these it's specifically the book, not the author or the genre.  As I lay Dying by William Faulkner is hilarious, we read it in my English class and the teacher and I had a discussion about how the book was funny and the rest of the class was looking at us like "what are you two smoking?!?" they didn't get the humor.   Also the Book Thief by Markus Zusak which I just liked.  I guess if I had to choose a genre outside of Fantasy I liked it would be Mystery though I do not read it very often.


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## Shadoe

I read anything that gets too close to my face. Right now I'm reading a fantasy book, which is the first one I've read in a while, and an electronics textbook, and FrameMaker manuals. Those last two because I need to look intelligent when I start my job writing electronics procedures in FrameMaker. Lately, though, I've been reading paranormal romances. Not sure why.


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## Angharad

I love mysteries, Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie are a couple of my favorite authors.  Also literary fiction.  Some of my favorite books are The Poisonwood Bible,To Kill a Mockingbird, The Little Friend, there are lots of others but I can't think of them at the moment.


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## Misusscarlet

I read all books especially if the first couple of pages catch my interest. Never got into to much sci-fi, I think only books i read that had sci-fi were the Dragonriders of Pern and of course Ender's Game and the following stories from Orson Scott Card. I read really really fast so i typically go for longer books like some of the Harry Potter, Farsala trilogy, or the Diane Duane young wizards series. Not much into horror, read some King but they weren't very horrific more boring actually. I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird, Walk two moons and brave new world. I'm into paranormal romance right now and I mean the good paranormal romance, gotta have the crazy hot sex scenes! The authors I have been reading are Christine Feehan's Dark Series, Christine Warren's novels of the others, Kresley Cole's immortals after dark, Lynsay Sands Argenuea family. Historical Romance all the way, can't go wrong with Hannah Howell. I've also read some autobiographys. The life and times of Mary Rowlandson (as much fun as it was to read i hated the lady) my favorite was Harriet Jacobs fraught with suspense, thrills and dangers!


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## mythique890

I have a short attention span.  Or, I guess, I have a narrow range of things that can hold my interest for a long time.  I'll read some Sci fi.  Back in high school I read pretty much everything Anne McCaffery ever wrote: Dragonriders, The Rowan, Freedom's Landing, whatever.  After college I got really in to Orson Scott Card, though his books are so dense (thought-wise) that I can only read a few before I have to take a break and go to a different author for a while.  I also love a well-done historical fiction.  I read random chick-lit, but really, probably only two of those in my life.  I'll also pick up a romance once in a while.

I like a well-written non-fiction, but it's hard to stay interested in those unless the author has a _really_ engaging voice.  Hopefully all you serious readers won't laugh at me, but I get my learning fix from the specials on the Discovery/History Channel now that I can't attend college lectures... I absorb better that way.  Auditory learner.

Mostly, though, if I'm not reading fantasy these days I'm reading Dr. Suess.  Who was brilliant, by the way.


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## Map the Dragon

The various volumes on the tree of wisdom (not an official title..just a summation) by Mr. Paulo Coehlo. 

There is not better.

I dare you to read.


Some of my favorites in no particular order:

Brida
The Alchemist
Eleven Minutes
I Sat Down by the River Piedra and Wept
The Fifth Mountain

etc.


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## pskelding

I love me my thrillers. I read a thriller about every 3rd or 4th book just to mix things up.  I have also been studying them to try and improve my fantasy writing and throw some different elements into the mix. I also like me my historical fiction like Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe Series and Simon Scarrow's Cato Series.  I've read some of Coehlo's stuff which I liked quite a bit.  I also delve into Chinese fiction like Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, Heroes of the Marsh, Judge Di, and any wuxia (swordsman) novels I can get in English.  

Somethings I've read recently include -

Judge Di and the Gold Bell Murders
Under the Eagle - Simon Scarrow
Rogue Angel - Destiny - Alex Archer (a guilty pleasure pulp action novel)
American Conspiracies - Jesse Ventura 
Grim Reaper End of Days - Steve Alten
Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly
Lies the Government Told You - Andrew Napolitano
Pendergast Series - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child


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## Author-Vic

does it have words? That is the way I describe my reading habits else where. In order of preference: (after fantasy) Sci-Fi, Thrillers, Romance, Westerns, Historicals (especially Bernard Cornwell or WEB Griffen), Tech manuals, erotica.... anything else!


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## Leuco

I only recently started reading fantasy again, but now, it's mostly ebooks from fellow amateur writers like myself. Now that I'm older, I find myself reading more nonfiction. However, my favorite all-time books include:

The Cheese Monkeys by Chip Kidd
The Beach by Alex Garland
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Choke by Chuck Palahnuik
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
Gilgamesh

I like a lot of Russian lit, Chicano lit, and comic books. I don't read too many new books because it seems like they're made into movies before I even hear about them, e.g. _Eragon, Twilight, Lovely Bones, The Girl Who Does Dangerous Things_. I usually rent the movie and skip the book. Besides, $25 for a book is way too much.


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## iskavele

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- Hunter S. Thompson
Homage to Catalonia- George Orwell
I am America and so can You!- Stephen Colbert
Common Sense- Thomas Paine 
and pretty much any history book i can get my hands on.


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## Dreamer

I am a lover of books so I am not too picky.  My other favorites away from fantasy would have to be mysteries.  I enjoy trying to 
figure out the answer before the book ends, and I love the thrill of the surprises.  I also enjoy to read some historical fiction or 
cultural fiction.  I am always fascinated by the truths of how others in society live.


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## RedRidingHood

I love short stories. Things like Kelly Link or George Saunders are amazing. And they are a bit hyperreal and fantastical which is great. I also love reading World War II biographies. For all the time I spend in the fantasy world, sometimes it's nice to spend time with people who have done something extraordinary.


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## Garren Jacobsen

East of Eden by Steinbeck
The Inferno
Macbeth
Hamlet
Locke's Second Treatise on Government
The Leviathan by Hobbes
The Spirit of the Laws by Monesquie
The Art of War

To name a few.


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## Ophiucha

Lots of classics - pretty international, there, I like French, English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese. Vladimir Nabokov is one of my favourite authors. Bunch of Latin American authors, particularly magic realism and whatnot. Borges, Cortazar, Marquez. Horror and sci-fi, unsurprisingly. Westerns - particularly Cormac McCarthy. I also am rather fond of poetry. Arthur Rimbaud, Robert Frost, Algernon Swinburne, Alexander Pushkin. I own a few reference books on odd topics (near all related to my fantasy writing endeavors; I have a book on ancient warfare and weaponry, a book on pestilence, a book on mythology), but I wouldn't say I really read them. I just look things up in them if I need to know something in particular.


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## BeenCreatedToCreate

I'm a hypocrite, yes. To tell you all the truth, I really don't read fantasy. *Turn away in shame.* To me, the pace of many fantasy books pales compared to my normal reads. Most typically, I read thriller. I'm a sucker for action. (Not as much as I am for alternate worlds, but what's a world without intense action?) And pretty well always fiction. Although a well written nonfiction could catch my attention for a few pages.


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## Helbrecht

Apart from the obvious (SF/horror), lots and lots of history and political philosophy. I also have a certain fondness for well-written detective stories.


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## Cheryl

I read anything really, I love Jodi Picoult books especially those that deal with law, like Nineteen Minutes, The Pact, Salem Falls, My Sister's Keeper. I also enjoy reading Paulo Coelho like Brida, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, Veronika Decides to Die. Now I've started to read John Green. I'm currently reading Looking for Alaska and I just bought An Abundance of Katherines  Pretty good!


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## Fnord

In the realm of fiction I've largely kept to the classics--_Moby Dick_ is my favorite book of all time along with Steinbeck, Hemingway, Orwell, and the like.  I like a lot of the semi-fiction stuff like Henry Miller (_Black Spring, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn,_ etc), Charles Bukowski, Philip Roth, Henry Rollins and some of that "off the beaten path" sort of stuff.  

In the realm of nonfiction I tend to read a lot of stuff that pertains to my field--economics, finance, business, and other stuff most people find boring.  I like to pick up the occasional science-oriented book too.  I've read most of Hawking's stuff, _Three Roads to Quantum Gravity_ was a cool book, as was _A Shortcut Through Time_ about quantum computers.  

Right now I'm trying to find time to finish the Song of Ice and Fire books.  I'm falling behind though because I've been reading a lot of other stuff lately and by the time I go to lay down with a pleasure book, my brain can no longer focus.


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## DameiThiessen

The Casteel series by V.C. Andrews. Blew my mind right out of my skull, then loaded it back up with inspiration on how to plot out a series.


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## BeenCreatedToCreate

Wait. I lied. (Not purposefully.) Aside from fiction I also read history books (yes, for fun), and worldview books.


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## Elder the Dwarf

Mainly fantasy (Tolkien, Salvatore, and Gemmel are the favorites, though Dragonlance is great) but also historical fiction (Cornwell is great, so are Gemmel and Iggulden), some sports both fiction and nonfiction, and occasionally I enjoy a book by Grisham or Patterson.  Don't read them that often though.

I hate literary fiction, probably because I'm 17.  I can't enjoy anything I'm forced to read, mostly for school.  Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Catcher in the Rye are probably the worst things I've ever have to read.  I shudder thinking about the paragraph in 1984 that says only: "Rain.  Book.  Wife.  Train." for ten lines.  I know that's not what it says but it has been 3 years and the paragraph (there were actually two like that I believe) is not any better.


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## Benjamin Clayborne

Elder the Dwarf said:


> I hate literary fiction, probably because I'm 17.  I can't enjoy anything I'm forced to read, mostly for school.  Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Catcher in the Rye are probably the worst things I've ever have to read.



It gets better when you get older.

Just kidding! I'm in my early 30s and I still hate _Catcher in the Rye_. Not because they made us read it, but because it was frakking boring.

Try reading _Catch-22_.


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## myrddin173

Actually I thought Catcher in the Rye wasn't that bad.  The Sun also Rises, now that is a book that I hated.


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## Elder the Dwarf

Benjamin I can't tell if you're saying it's good or bad haha.  And myrrdin I couldn't stand it because literally nothing happened the whole book


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## Benjamin Clayborne

Heh, sorry; _Catch-22_ is one of my favorite books. I was actually recommending it. ;-)


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## Raven's Quill

I'll try a little bit of everything. I love 19th century British authors, so anything by Austen, or the Brontes; mysteries by Deborah Crombie and Val McDermid; and I'm a bit obsessed with Tudor history, so will gladly read any non-fiction books on the subject - David Starkey is particularly good.


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## Klee Shay

A little late on this thread but,

I like science fiction, some of my favorites being James P. Hogan - Voyage from Yesteryear, David Brin's Uplift series, Larry niven's Ringworld series and The Mote in God's Eye.

Also mysteries such as Greg McDonald's Fletch and Flynn books and any historical fiction by Mischner or Clavelle (both dead, sadly)


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## Queen Medb

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth and it's sequel, World Without End (World without End was a more entertaining read overall, though it was ridiculous and more unrealistic, almost soap opera like in some parts). I also like all those Philippa Gregory novels about the Tudors.


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## dragonangel517

I like just about any genre except true crime and westerns. Science Fiction, then mystery, then historical romance. Right now I am reading the first book in the Rizzoli and Isles series. Loved the show first and the book is just as good.


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## Jess A

Nelson DeMille is another favourite author of mine. He writes espionage/action/adventure. His character, John Corey, is a smartarse. 

I also like a bit of non-fiction. War journalists, military history and the autobiography of Nancy Wake have been on my reading agenda lately. I don't get a lot of time to read anymore, but I certainly read a lot of University textbooks. I also read bits and pieces out of non-fiction books (history, science etc). A little historical fiction definitely doesn't go astray if it's well-written; any period, really. 10,000BC or WWII (for example).

Not a fan of romance if it's full-on. However, Diana Gabaldon's '_Cross Stitch_' (_Outlander_ for you Americans) is quite good. It is about a wartime nurse who goes to Scotland with her husband - and falls into 1750's Scotland through the standing stones. She meets a fiery Scottish warrior. 

I don't mind the odd werewolf horror. Horror! Not romance!


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## Dark Huntress

I use to love Stephen King until one day when I was reading his latest novel, I saw a pattern...almost a formula. I then  realized that all of his books had similar results. The settings changed, the characters were different but they all seemed similar. Everytime i read one of his books it was like deju vu.

I haven't read him since although I still collect his books.

I enjoy non-fiction especially Ann Rule. I read historic novels but not a lot of mystery novels. I can never resist going to the end of the book to see if I guessed who the villan was correctly. I also read anything I can find on technical gadgets. Of course fantasy is my number one love. The classics are a close second.

Throw in a little poetry and I am as happy as pigs in mud. In my opinion, no one can work words the way a good poet can.


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## Graham Irwin

I like to read non-fiction, for the most part. Biographies, histories, textbooks. They inform my imagination. However, whenever I go on vacation I read fiction, as the occasion is for escape and change and different states of mind. 

That may sound terrifically boring, but if I say that I turn reading about nuclear bombs into stories where wizards use nuclear technology, is that any better? :frown2:


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## Benjamin Clayborne

Graham Irwin said:


> That may sound terrifically boring, but if I say that I turn reading about nuclear bombs into stories where wizards use nuclear technology, is that any better? :frown2:



I love stories where medieval-level societies encounter advanced technology. Also, Nuclear Wizards would be a great name for a band.


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## Gav

a book i have not lonng finished reading was "John dies at the end" by David Wong. i guess it would be classed as Horror, although its a very humerous in its random nature and content. its hard to describe, but its definately worth reading.

the author actually works on the Website cracked.com as one of the main editors, so you could go there to see what kind of writing to expect i guess. 

but its highly reccomended, and i had a hard time putting it down.


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## urcool91

Ender's Game is my favorite book of all time.

I also read random nonfiction and realistic fiction. Michael Crinchon is da bomb! :bomb:


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## charleshudgen

Well, aside from reading fantasy books which I love to do with, Mythology book is my counter part in reading. I love to read the great Gods and Goddesses of century and how they live on that era.


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## J.P. Reedman

I read myths, legends, folklore, historical fiction (Rosemary Sutcliff, Henry Treece and others) and a lot of non-fiction,especially archaeology and anthropology (the British prehistoric period in particular.). My personal interest and part of my work, as well as a help in writing my current novels.


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## Thaumicist

Being seventeen, I mostly read A-Level textbooks. Atomic physics, yay!  That and War and Peace. Which is even more epic, in both senses of the word.

But my submission for all time best book ever! would have to be Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. Retro soft sci fi tearjerker. Which does not do it justice. Brought it to school once to present to my English class and was sad just carrying it around.


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## Shockley

I actually don't read a lot of fantasy, so here's what I've been reading lately.

 - The last three books of the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
 - I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
 - A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
 - This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
 - Chamber Music by James Joyce
 - Incendiary by Chris Cleave
 - Summer Things by Joseph Connolly

 I've also been reading a number religious works, primarily going over the Bhagavad Gita and the Selected Writings of Baha'u'llah. 

 This is not mentioning the stuff I'm reading to prepare for this coming semester. Let's just say it's very dry and very European.


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## DaimenNightWalker

I like to read horror, fantasy, mythology and a mix of others.


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## Silver Willow

I like to read fantasy, romance, paranormal romance (Nina Bangs), & pagan based books.


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## Graylorne

I haven't much reading time (or actually I have, but somehow I lack the patience atm), but next to fantasy I read history, Ellis Peter's _Cadfael_ 18th century naval books like Hornbower, Aubrey etc.


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## CupofJoe

I like reading factual books. Those on the bedside table at the moment are on siege warfare, gunpowder, early artillery, horses and european & north american wild life.
and then there is "Tracks of the Cat" by Nevada Barr - wildlife crime fiction!
So not always factual...


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## Chime85

Fantasy isnt the only genre I enjoy reading, not by a long shot. Ok, I enjoy sci-fi too, although I do wish bookstores would seperate the two. 

I also enjoy crime novels, loved the Dexter series. If any of you have seen the show and are considering the books, I say go for it.
Horror would be another top dog for me, mostly stephen king and James Herbert.

Classics, I love the classics. Great expectations, Wuthering Heights, Alice in wonderland, can't get enough of them.

Finally, I read alot of factual books. Can never get enough facts. 

I'm not much of a romance reader, nor do I particularly enjoy biographical books. However, I do try to read pretty uch anything someone puts infront of me, even leaflets hehe

x


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## FatCat

Love science fiction and military non-fiction!


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## grimreaper

Mostly I read everything that comes to my notice , and I generally tend to finish it, no matter how poorly written it is.
However , I do prefer historical novels and horror . I also like humor(I love P.G.Wodehouse).


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## Aravelle

I love classics. Admittedly, my collection of classics is larger than my collection of fantasy stories. From Alice in Wonderland to Heart of Darkness to Phantom of the Opera.. you name it, I either have it or want it. Slowly I'm becoming a collector/librarian of sorts. xD

I enjoy the odd biography here and there. I also enjoy manga and teen literature [I'm picky with both of them, of course]. I've never had much of a taste for science fiction, I blame my lack of Star Trek and Star Wars as I grew up.


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## Aravelle

Chime85 said:


> Classics, I love the classics. Great expectations, Wuthering Heights, Alice in wonderland, can't get enough of them.
> 
> Finally, I read alot of factual books. Can never get enough facts.
> 
> x



I love facts, especially trivia. It's a literal addiction, to information.

I also love classics! Nice to meet someone who doesn't hate Wuthering Heights.


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## MereIllusion

My greatest non-fantasy literary obsession would have to be anything by Agatha Christie. My favorite Agatha Christie mysteries are _And Then There Were None _and a collection of short stories called "The Listerdale Mystery." Another collection of Christie short stories, "The Mysterious Mr. Quin," is great as well, but that's technically fantasy.

Also, I like to read nonfiction books on whatever I currently find interesting, like little-known or bizarre facts. And some cryptozoology.


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## M.A.N.

I too like to read crime novels and thrillers. I recently discovered Child and Preston's series about FBI agent Pendergast. Full of action and quirky characters. Brilliant.
I love Boris Akunin's books about Fandorin and the ones about the nun Pelagia.
Young adult books by Eoin Colfer, Herbie Brennan, J.K. Rowling and others are also books I enjoy. Perhaps because I want to write that kind of books.


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## Ophiucha

Ophiucha said:


> Lots of classics - pretty international, there, I like French, English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese. Vladimir Nabokov is one of my favourite authors. Bunch of Latin American authors, particularly magic realism and whatnot. Borges, Cortazar, Marquez. Horror and sci-fi, unsurprisingly. Westerns - particularly Cormac McCarthy. I also am rather fond of poetry. Arthur Rimbaud, Robert Frost, Algernon Swinburne, Alexander Pushkin. I own a few reference books on odd topics (near all related to my fantasy writing endeavors; I have a book on ancient warfare and weaponry, a book on pestilence, a book on mythology), but I wouldn't say I really read them. I just look things up in them if I need to know something in particular.



In the two years since I last replied to this thread, I've also started reading a lot of nonfiction, mostly political and biographical, as well as cheesy romance, some of which also is fantasy but only because werewolves are sexy.  I read a lot fewer Westerns than I used to, too, and I've become a bit obsessed with hard science fiction.


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