So read any good books recently

[Onus]

The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Dr. Julian Jaynes might be suitable if you are looking for something more intellectual but still very interesting.
How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne is very relevant to today's "pay the parasites" world, but the mostly off-grid lifestyle he discusses probably would not appeal to many technophiles.
The somewhat older "Psychology of ..." books by Nathaniel Branden may not teach you anything, but will give you the words to go with the thoughts you already have; you'll find yourself thinking "Ah ha, no wonder I feel that way when..."

 

[Deleted member 217926]

First I have to say I am one of those rare people who actually read. Also I hate that technology is trying to take my paper books away from me. If I want to read a book I want it on paper not on the LCD screen of a mobile device.

If you liked "The Stand" ( one of my all time favorites BTW ) try "The Passage" by Justin Cronin.

Pretty much all Stephen King before the mid 90s is awesome as is some after that but it is not quite as good as the older stuff IMO.
If you can still find his books Robert R. McCammon is amazing with a book called "Swan Song" on a level with "The Stand".

If you like techno thrillers then all of Tom Clancy's books are still great with "Red Storm Rising" being another of my all time favorites. Harold Coyle and Larry Bond are also good.

If you like high fantasy then the "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series by George R.R. Martin is god tier.
Also Terry Goodkind's books although they get a bit preachy and Robert Jordan's and ( after he died) Brandan Sanderson's "Wheel Of Time" are all great.
Refugeesus mentioned Raymond E. Feist but you really have to read them in order to really get the most from his books. He has long been a favorite.

 

[chedderslam1976]

I enjoyed Dean Koontz's "A Big Little Life". You can read my mom's review.

 

[badge]

I'm a published author too. For my next book, I'm thinking of a Zane Gray type spaghetti western with a Pam Anderson-like heroine posing as a cleverly implanted hat-held-high-aganist-her-chest former dance hall bouncer forced to go back to her centerfold days where she brought about law and order by causing even the most hardened cowboys to take up an interest in reading.

 

[Shadow703793]

If you are into natural disaster type novels, I just read "The Rift" by Walter Williams. It is a novel about a massive 8.9 earthquake that hits the American midwest and the resulting anarchy, racism, and other societal oddities that occur in its wake. It is incredibly well researched scientific wise and even though it is roughly 930 pages, it is a fast, exhilarating read.

If you liked that, consider reading "Richter 10" by A. C. Clerk.

 

[fazers_on_stun]

I enjoyed Dean Koontz's "A Big Little Life". You can read my mom's review.

Hmm, I liked his The Bad Place and a few other stories, but he seems pretty formulaic nowadays, with good plot ideas few and far-between. Guess success spoiled him. but I haven't read anything new by him in a few years now - he seems to pump 'em out quickly.

 

[fazers_on_stun]

I'm a published author too. For my next book, I'm thinking of a Zane Gray type spaghetti western with a Pam Anderson-like heroine posing as a cleverly implanted hat-held-high-aganist-her-chest former dance hall bouncer forced to go back to her centerfold days where she brought about law and order by causing even the most hardened cowboys to take up an interest in reading.

LOL - just don't put her in any gunfights - she has a couple large impediments to a quick draw 😛.

Or maybe write her with a couple of bra-machineguns, like in the old Redneck Rampage games 😀.

 

[badge]

LOL. I was just thinking about this thread and my mail box got your 'hit'. There some useful entry's so far. But, I wanted to suggest 'today's literary best selection'.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867196041?ie=UTF8&tag=reddit2-20

 

[4745454b]

LOL - just don't put her in any gunfights - she has a couple large impediments to a quick draw

Didn't stop Laura Croft.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

LOL. I was just thinking about this thread and my mail box got your 'hit'. There some useful entry's so far. But, I wanted to suggest 'today's literary best selection'.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867196041?ie=UTF8&tag=reddit2-20

LOL I am not sure if I should laugh or cry on this one.
Even better is here: What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Coloring-Book-Vaginas/dp/B000R0HU92/ref=pd_cp_b_1 I sure didn't have this one as a kid!

 

[Onus]

Lol, some people have too much time on their hands.

 

[nativeson8803]

PC Gamer!

 

[steadfast1984]

I got an Author for you to try. Lee Child. read the, "a Reacher novel" by him there are a few. they are great. check out books by the co-authers, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. you will LOVE there stuff, all the books are stand alone story's but they do sutly relate. you can read them in any order, Try starting with the book called, Brimstone.
have a good night
Steadfast1984

 

[refugeesus]

Also Terry Goodkind's books although they get a bit preachy...

I whole heartedly agree, they are a good read, however avoid "The rule of nines", because...

Spoiler

it does mix with the Sword Of Truth series, but in a lame Richard meets Kahlan kind of way.

I still thoroughly endorse Christopher Brookmyre and his American counterpart, Carl Hiassen (remember that crap movie with Demi Moore, Striptease? Well he wrote the book and it was funny, unlike the movie).

 

[buzznut]

So I was just wondering if any of you had read anything you found immensely interesting recently...

For instance, today I finished reading The Stand by Stephen King.
Long book+Good book= 5 days of entertainment. 😀

boobs? Oh boods. No I haven't read any boobs lately, but I've been using my wife's for a pillow.

The Stand remains one of my all time favorites. I haven't read it in about 10 years or so, maybe I'll pick it up again as I can't remember all the details but I do remember that was one amazing book.

 

[nativeson8803]

The Stand is good. I also liked Swan Song.

Those books were the first books I ever read on that scale. Also, Battlefield Earth- and don't be put off by the Scientology connection.

 

[jsc]

A book for our times: Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

 

[4745454b]

Never read. Got done with Atlas Shrugged and said never again will I read one of her books. Powerful point, but needs to learn how to edit herself...

 

[EnderWiggin]

Would have been awesome if you wrote "boobs"...

Check out "Let The Right One In". Amazing book and movie.

 

[reconviperone1]

I just finished nemesis, by isaac asimov, love that man's write, read the first 5 foundation books about 7 times each.

 

[Onus]

I liked Nemesis too.
"Alternaties" was also interesting.

 

[jsc]

Isaac Asimov, like George Herbert and his Dune books, should have stopped at three.

 

[jonpaul37]

The Count of Monte Cristo. It's a classic and if you have not read it, please do so, also, it's one of the best movies i have seen! (with Jim Caviezel & Guy Pierce and that insanely hot French chick)

 

[fazers_on_stun]

Isaac Asimov, like George Herbert and his Dune books, should have stopped at three.

Yeah, I tend to agree. While Foundation, Foundation & Empire, and Second Foundation were pretty good (still waiting for those atomic ashtrays that distintegrate stuff dropped in them down to their atoms), the pre-prequels & se-sequels left something to be desired, esp. when he tried to harmonize the I, Robot universe with the Foundation universe. IIRC Daneel Olivaw (original robot) turned out to be the 2nd Foundation mastermind, steering humanity on its ultimate course based on the zeroth law. If he had included any hint of that in either of the original series, it would have come off much better.

He was my second favorite classic sci-fi author, after Arthur C. Clarke. While Asimov told his stories mainly through character interactions & dialog, Clarke could paint you a picture and immerse you headfirst into his alien worlds through sheer imagery.

However Asimov's Nightfall, End of Eternity, The Gods Themselves and I forget the title of what I believe is one of the shortest sci-fi short stories ever (where as the last star in the universe burns out, the final human programs the ultimate computer to reverse entropy, the computer computes for endless millenia and then finally outputs "Let there be light!"), arguably place him as #1.

And Robert Heinlein (before he started writing about sex with his mother) was excellent too, particularly the time-travel story where the protagonist meets himself about half a dozen times, beating himself up several times, etc..

On a more recent note, I can recommend the Gaea trilogy by John Varley - Titan, Wizard & Demon.

 

[nativeson8803]

I like the Helliconia Trilogy, but some of it's boring. Still, something about the story just blew my mind. Sci Fi FTW!