Book Recommendations! (1 Viewer)

[yoshimanu]

As a dedicated english student out to improve myself, i was wondering if you guys know any good books in these genres:
1. Crime Fiction
2. Fantasy
3. Action
4. Sci Fi
and any others...

P.S. Ohh and if anyone actually knows of a prescribed text that is worth reading!

 

[jhakka]

As a dedicated english student out to improve myself, i was wondering if you guys know any good books in these genres:
1. Crime Fiction
2. Fantasy
3. Action
4. Sci Fi
and any others...

P.S. Ohh and if anyone actually knows of a prescribed text that is worth reading!

Sci-fi and fantasy usually go together.

Sci-fi/Fantasy:
-The Farseer Trilogy (Robin Hobb)
-The Liveship Traders (Robin Hobb)
-The Tawny Man (Robin Hobb)
-The Bitterbynde (Cecilia Dart-Thornton)
-The Death Gate Cycle (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)
-Dragonlance Chronicles (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)
-Dragonlance Legends (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)
-The Axis Trilogy (Sara Douglass)
-The Wayfarer Redemption (Sara Douglass)
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

Action:
-The Scarecrow books (Matthew Reilly)
-The Bourne books (Robert Ludlum)

Cri-Fi:
-The Hannibal Lecter books (Thomas Harris)


As you can see, sci-fi/fantasy is my area. Cri-fi isn't.

 

[Benny_]

Crime Fiction:

Raymond Chandler- The Big Sleep
Truman Capote- In Cold Blood

Fantasy:

Assassin's Trilogy - Robin Hobb
The Tawny Man Trilogy- Robin Hobb
The Deverry Cycle- Katherine Kerr (Not finished)

 

[yoshimanu]

cool thanks.. looks like i got alota readiong to do now! esp fantasy.. hoping to get into robin hobb soon. and how good was hitchhiker's movie version?!

 

[yoshimanu]

wow... just checked out a review on Banes&Noble... looks like a bit of a thriller as well! thanks for the tip

 

[Snark Lady]

I like the discworld series (By Terry Pratchett) very much. They are very funny but also can be thought-provoking at times.

Also, if you like Harry Potter (Or even hate) and like parodies-Barry Trotter is worth a go.

However, it may not be for everyone.

 

[paper cup]

I like the discworld series (By Terry Pratchett) very much. They are very funny but also can be thought-provoking at times.

Also, if you like Harry Potter (Or even hate) and like parodies-Barry Trotter is worth a go.

However, it may not be for everyone.

barry trotter lol
ummies I've been reading Miss Marple lately. no one laugh, Agatha Christie is cool if a little repetitive. I got really excited with I solved one before the usual scene where the doddering old lady comes and reveals all. see, I'm sad. :/

 

[paper cup]

As a dedicated english student out to improve myself, i was wondering if you guys know any good books in these genres:
1. Crime Fiction
2. Fantasy
3. Action
4. Sci Fi
and any others...

P.S. Ohh and if anyone actually knows of a prescribed text that is worth reading!

oh I didn't read the first post, silly me. ah I would steer clear of pulp fiction if I were trying to improve my engrish, look for more thought provoking stimulus....but yes jhakka has some good suggestions. if you like hitchhiker's guide try the dirk gently ones, they're similar. eerrr I don't remember been ages since I read anything decent. the curious incident of the dog in the night time...er. David Eddings is alright but primary school reading. Robert Jordan! Wheel of Time. fantasy. don't worry about me I ramble

 

[walrusbear]

oh I didn't read the first post, silly me. ah I would steer clear of pulp fiction if I were trying to improve my engrish, look for more thought provoking stimulus....but yes jhakka has some good suggestions. if you like hitchhiker's guide try the dirk gently ones, they're similar. eerrr I don't remember been ages since I read anything decent. the curious incident of the dog in the night time...er. David Eddings is alright but primary school reading. Robert Jordan! Wheel of Time. fantasy. don't worry about me I ramble

there's nothing wrong with being familiar with genre
though you should also definitely read things that play around more
within or outside of obvious genre fiction

 

[Soma]

The best crime books Ive ever read are those by James Ellroy author of L.A. Confidential for those that have seen the movie.

One of the best crime novels of all time from which many other books have since borrowed is Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. Wonderful book.

 

[yoshimanu]

Oh man.. there is a whole world of books out there!! how am i going to read them all?!

ahaha anyone can offer advice on fast but good reading techniques instead of more books?!

 

[Benny_]

If there is such a thing, I'd like to hear it too.

Seriously though, just keep reading and you'll read faster naturally. It's not a race anyway. You don't have to read all these books, just take your time to read and enjoy what you like.

 

[yoshimanu]

yeh i probably should just take my time... but with all these great book sugestions.. i want to read them all.... better start!

 

[walrusbear]

speed reading is pointless

no one reads as much as they want to
just absorb what you do get to

 

[paper cup]

there's nothing wrong with being familiar with genre
though you should also definitely read things that play around more
within or outside of obvious genre fiction

I didn't say there was anthing wrong with it, just that I wouldn't read pulp fiction if I were trying to up my english skills
esl maybe

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

I like the discworld series (By Terry Pratchett) very much. They are very funny but also can be thought-provoking at times.

Also, if you like Harry Potter (Or even hate) and like parodies-Barry Trotter is worth a go.

However, it may not be for everyone.

yeah discworld rocks. its so funny but in a way it kind of mirrors our world and beliefs and makes you actually think. i love Death, he's so cool. and lord vetinari and the wizards and nanny ogg. heck, i love em all

 

[walrusbear]

I didn't say there was anthing wrong with it, just that I wouldn't read pulp fiction if I were trying to up my english skills
esl maybe

fair enough

i've heard that reading widely and reading 'quality' literature improves writing skills

i've begun to wonder if that's actually true

 

[Benny_]

I don't think it improves writing skills as much as influence writing style, in the short and long term. I swear I was subconciously imitating Tolstoy for a while in my essays for around a month after reading War and Peace.

 

[crazyfrog]

yeah, as several people have already mentioned, Robin Hobb's books are great. And definitely one to look out for is George RR Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" siries, though i must warn you now that the next book is coming out around the time of our HSC... so yeah...