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Other Books You Like Besides Fantasy

Fnord

Troubadour
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. :(
 

DameiThiessen

Minstrel
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 

Klee Shay

Troubadour
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

Acolyte
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.
 
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.
 

Jess A

Archmage
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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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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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:
 
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.
 

Gav

Scribe
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.
 

urcool91

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

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