The Book Club

[Eyero]

I know, I know, it's a weird topic to find on an adult games forum, but humour me, please.

Title sums it up pretty well- talk about your favourite genres, best reads- hell, if a particular title inspired you to take up writing or influenced your style, by all means, share your story!

My favourite author is probably Terry Pratchett- the Discworld series was a lot of things to me- amazing, sometimes sad, sometimes endearing, and almost always good for a laugh or two. My favourite BOOK, though? Probably... Interesting Times. It's an entertaining skewering of ancient Oriental custom with a surprisingly good backbone to its story. A good reminder on why researching your story topics doesn't always have to result in dullness.

Currently reading through Stephen King's titles, about a quarter of the way through The Stand now. Loving it so far, although it does make me a little sad that England is so small next to America. Less reference material to draw from and whatnot.

 

[Number13]

For fiction, recently read one of Mathew Reilly's books, 'Scarecrow and the army of Thieves'. They're an interesting read for anyone who's interested in fast paced action.

Got an Assassin's creed novel recently, so will be reading that soon.

For non-fiction, really into history and currently reading Thucydides work. Planning to read a work on Babylon after that.

 

[MESeele]

I like fantasy and soft sci-fi. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is probably one of my faves. Too much purple prose and clothing hard-ons, but the world and magic system are very well developed. Every trial requires you to be naked for some reason though. Author preference I guess.

Right now I'm dual reading the Dresden Files series and The Divine Comedy. The former feels a bit like Columbo with magic. Which is awesome.

 

[ShySquare]

Favourite books of all times : Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes (seriously I reread them time and time again). I don't really have a favourite author though, as long as I like the story anything goes.

Recently I've been reading the Artemis Fowl series ; it's a really well done mix of fantasy and sci-fi, and totally awesome. I'm also curious about Thomas Harris's works with Hannibal Lecter, but I can't get my hands on an untranslated version.

Right now I'm dual reading the Dresden Files series and The Divine Comedy. The former feels a bit like Columbo with magic. Which is awesome.

I've been hearing a lot of good about the Dresden Files recently. What's it about ?

 

[Woider]

Favourite book? That's an easy question: All Quiet on the Western Front.

For what I'm currently reading: Metro 2033 (yes, the book that spawned the videogame.)

 

[Nonesuch]

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Marquez

Empire of the Sun - Ballard

Use of Weapons - Banks

Embassytown - Mieville

Catch 22 - Heller

Brave New World - Huxley

Cat's Eye - Atwood

The God of Small Things - Roy

Midnight's Children - Rushdie

War & Peace - Tolstoy

A Scanner Darkly - Dick

Are my favourite pieces of fiction.

I'm slightly wasted here, tbf.

 

[EmperorG]

Hmm, well I do know a few good choices, but I'll go with my favorites:

1) The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau (Never did get around to reading the next books in the set, but when I was a kid this book was my favorite)

         Where to find? Most local libraries should have it.

2) The Circle of Magic Series - Tamora Pierce (Absolutely loved this series, sadly only read the first 3 books and never got around to finishing the damn series)

         Where to find? Just google the series, there are free PDF's all over.

3) Rome AARisen - General_BT (Extensive 4 volume story of epic proportions, if you love intrigue/murder/politics/incest/debauchery and anything Roman, you'll love this. Damn thing is a door stopper for sure, sadly since the story is based heavily on such old school stuff you might need to google a lot of terms if you're not a history buff)

        Where to find? https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/rome-aarisen-a-byzantine-aar.319347/  (I don't think you need to log in to see this, I hope)

 

[MESeele]

I've been hearing a lot of good about the Dresden Files recently. What's it about ?

Protagonist Harry Dresden is a wizard PI that tries to make ends meet by assisting the police in cases that don't make sense; y'know magic and fairies aren't real right. Feels film noir, lots of monologuing. Like I said, Columbo with magic.

I've only read the first two books so far, but I hear the writing gets better as you go. For a wizard MC, the first book doesn't have much magic.

 

[ShySquare]

Protagonist Harry Dresden is a wizard PI that tries to make ends meet by assisting the police in cases that don't make sense; y'know magic and fairies aren't real right. Feels film noir, lots of monologuing. Like I said, Columbo with magic.

I've only read the first two books so far, but I hear the writing gets better as you go. For a wizard MC, the first book doesn't have much magic.

Thanks, it sounds really interesting   ! I'll go take a look at it (and hope they have an untranslated version where I live, translations can be... urgh, difficult , shall we say)

 

[Taboo-Sho]

The entire Animorphs series is pretty good. I read them all over a summer once.

Redwall books are good.

There Magic the Gathering Novel Thran I is really good I think.

ultimate Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a lot of fun to read.

 

[Nik_van_Rijn]

I always have a problem when it comes to compiling a list for anything 'all time favorite', so I'd just add the most interesting recent reads.

'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Dumas 

'Mephisto' by Klaus Mann

'Three Comrades' and 'Arch of Triumph' by Remarque

'Spartacus', 'Messalina' and 'Opimia' by Raffaello Giovagnoli. A staggering attention to details and historical facts; surprisingly little smut, considering the subject.

'Spanish Ballad' and 'Josephus' by Lion Feuchtwanger (still trying to find a decent translation for the rest of the Josephus trilogy)

'And Quiet Flows the Don' by Mikhail Sholokhov, along with a bunch of his short-stories. Eat your heart out, J. R. R., that's how you write a gritty dark epic.

All of Alexander Tvardovsky I could find, most notably ' A House by the Road'. Sadly, there aren't any translations around that do his works justice.

 

[Nonesuch]

Quiet Flows the Don is a brilliant book. You should try the follow-up, Don Flows Home to the Sea; just as good.

 

[Nik_van_Rijn]

Quiet Flows the Don is a brilliant book. You should try the follow-up, Don Flows Home to the Sea; just as good.

Since I'd read the original version included in a Russian anthology of Sholokhov's works, I wasn't even aware that English publications divide that novel into two with different titles. Being a native speaker has it's perks.

 

[Eyero]

Jesus Christ, way to make me feel inadequate for reading mainstream stuff like Stephen King, George Martin and so on xD

 

[Shido]

I have been reading The Forgotten realms books since 1994 and have read all the books from J.R.R Tolkien. I love fantasy books the most but I can read anything be it fiction or non-fiction. I would recommend a recent read I have found in Garth Nix, The Abhorsen trilogy and Shades Children for fantasy fans.

 

[vicskywalker]

I'm a huge fan of S.M. Stirling's Embervse and Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Song.