Good books - GoFuckYourself.com

LoveAsianChicks · 05-02-2002, 04:08 AM

I'll admit I don't read novels very often, but I finished reading the "Hobbit" and the 'lord of the rings' series a few months ago. Simply fantastic.

I'm now half way through a series of books called "Dune". Excellent as well.
In a crazy world where everyone is trained to max to be as smart & strong as possible.
To bring their "house" to glory.
And collect a special spice that prolongs life, but is only found a dangerious world.
If you've never read those Sci-fi books I recommend them.
Just skip the movie cause it sucks ASS!!!

Anyway what are some real books people have read and enjoyed?
I'm not counting Playboy and the like, as serious reading - but those are fun as well

Ted · 05-02-2002, 04:50 AM

There's an aussie guy called Mathew Riley who has written 4 action packed books. They aren't high brow literature but are a great read, very hard to put down. I think all of them have reached the best seller list

Look for
Ice Station
Area 7
Temple
and still good, but not quite as good is contest

FADE19 · 05-02-2002, 04:55 AM

Dune huh....look for a character called FADE or feyd

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 04:57 AM

the dune movie was cool! catching up on the classics huh?

After tolkien all that other tripe like david eddings, robert jordan et al just seemed lame.. but i read LOTR and the hobbit in the late eighties.. before the 90's fantasy glut. it just annoys me when people get exposed to lesser writers first and when they get around to reading the original and best (well 20th century anyway) they find it a little less special.. cause all the tolkien copycats have stolen the thunder when you go backwards......
ok, ok.. they're not that bad.. but so much of the fantasy novels have become pulp fiction..
i've finished ranting..Ursula LeGuin is good.
stuff like terry brooks' isn't too bad..

anyways.. for sci-fi fantasy stuff i started to migrate towards terry pratchett's discworld series.. none of the posturing of try hard elve-botherers.. just silly fun..

if you want you can try "good omens" (with neil gaiman) or "pyramids"

other classics will include anything by douglas adams..

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ted
There's an aussie guy called Mathew Riley who has written 4 action packed books. They aren't high brow literature but are a great read, very hard to put down. I think all of them have reached the best seller list

Look for
Ice Station
Area 7
Temple
and still good, but not quite as good is contest

hey you should try "rush" by daniel mason it's fairly new, got the book of the month at dymocks.. (talking about "action packed" aussie authors).. it's pretty cool.. hard to put down.. fizzles a little when it puts a little fightclubby type elements in..but worth it..

Ted · 05-02-2002, 05:05 AM

I'll keep an eye out for it, I dont have a TV in my room here so I need something to read before I sleep, I'm getting bored rereading old computer mags.

Cirrus · 05-02-2002, 05:10 AM

The Prince by Machiavelli

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ted
I'll keep an eye out for it, I dont have a TV in my room here so I need something to read before I sleep, I'm getting bored rereading old computer mags.

heheh know the feeling.. had a bit of a desire for books lately... got a lot to catch up on... haven't read any good political or science books lately either..

chodadog · 05-02-2002, 05:16 AM

Great books. I especially liked a few of the scense that were humerous. Tolkien does a great job with subtle humour.

But if you want a completely hilarious in your face fantasy novel. Get any of the Terry Pratchet books. They're great!

Currently reading the Truckers Trilogy

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cirrus
The Prince by Machiavelli

oo.. *adds another to his must buy list*

one of the books you mean to read but for some reason never get around to...

Cirrus · 05-02-2002, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bhutocracy

oo.. *adds another to his must buy list*

right decision

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cirrus

right decision

yeah i've read a fair amount about him.. just never actually got around to his book..

Cirrus · 05-02-2002, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bhutocracy

yeah i've read a fair amount about him.. just never actually got around to his book..

Remarkable book.... but I have to admit that without proper historical knowledge (renaissance) you can miss some important points :-/

bhutocracy · 05-02-2002, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cirrus

Remarkable book.... but I have to admit that without proper historical knowledge (renaissance) you can miss some important points :-/

my knowledge isn't too bad.. im a big fan of history.. but im no scholar.. i must say i probably know more about the middle ages than the renaissance period other than the art and writing, but not too much about the actual events..should probably brush up..

NetRodent · 05-02-2002, 07:24 AM

Here's a list of a some of my favorite authors:

1. Douglas Adams - Any of the 5 books of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (yes, I know 5 doesn't make a trilogy) . Humor/sci-fi.

2. Isaac Asimov - The Robot or Foundandation series.

3. Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers (much better than the movie), Stranger in a Strange Land, Glory Road.

4. Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged, We the Living

5. H.P. Lovecraft - Any of his short stories, especially "The Rats in the Walls", "Shadow over Innsmouth", "Pickman's Model".

6. Edward Rutherford - Sarum, The Forest, London, and Russka (the last two aren't as good).

7. C.S. Forrester - The Horratio Hornblower series.

mule · 05-02-2002, 08:38 AM

Well, to add to Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert and Tolkien, some of my all-time favourites:
Perfume by Patrick Susskind
Grendl by John Gardner
The Magus by John Fowles
The Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake
and absolutely anything by William Gibson, although Neuromancer is still by far the best.

Tipsy · 05-02-2002, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chodadog
Great books. I especially liked a few of the scense that were humerous. Tolkien does a great job with subtle humour.

But if you want a completely hilarious in your face fantasy novel. Get any of the Terry Pratchet books. They're great!

Currently reading the Truckers Trilogy

I'll 2nd and 3rd that. I got them all and am currently in the process of replacing all the paperbacks with hardbacks.

Beastiepoo · 05-02-2002, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NetRodent
3. Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers (much better than the movie), Stranger in a Strange Land, Glory Road.

I am a Heinlein FREAK! I read them over and over and never get sick of them!

Also love Douglas Adams but don't feel comfortable calling them 'classic' yet. Maybe in a couple of decades.

Just finished re-reading Catch-22 as well. Really good if you can wrap your brain around the time/setting shifts.

BTW, I also am good friends with Tolkein's great-niece. I know it doesn't mean anything but it makes me feel special.

TopCashQ · 05-02-2002, 04:57 PM

None of these are exactly in the fantasy/sci fi vein, but they are all very good reads:
A Confederency Of Dunces - John Kennedy O' Toole (never even got to see his masterpiece in print - his mom discovered the manuscript in his bedroom after he committed suicide)

Rabbit Run - John Updike

The Floating Opera/The End of the Road - Barth

Fight Club - the book is waaaaay better than the movie (which wasn't that shabby, really)

Survivor - same author as Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk (I think - not sure of spelling on last name)

New York Stories - Paul Auster (not 100% sure on that book title)

The Ice at the Bottom of the World - short stories by Mark
Richards (check out "Strays" in particular)

TheEnforcer · 05-02-2002, 06:24 PM

If you liked those books I have a whole mess of books you'll be interested in.

The Shannara Series

by Terry Brooks

It's a 3 book series that has been around forever and I generally read again once a year. Each book takes place years apart but build upon the previous book with a different group led by the same main character from all three book the Druid Allanon.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

The Heritage of Shanarra

by Terry Brooks

4 book series that unlike the first series takes place all in one time period with a different group but Allanon is involved here but not as much.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Series

by Terry Brooks

Takes place MUCH later but is built around a new Druid. But stiull tied to the first two series.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

The Sword of Truth Series

by Terry Goodkind

A VERY interesting series of books which is is much more dark and adult than Brooks or Tolkien. Just to goive you an example in the first book there are bondage and torture scenes that are quite interesting. This only lists the first 5 but I believe it's up to seven now.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

The Incarnations of Immortality Series

by Piers Anthony

The PERFECT blend of fantasy and sci-fi. Looks at in order Death, Time, Fate, War, Nature, Evil (Satan), and Good (God). They are all controlled by mortals who assume the "office" that is in charge of those aspects of life and must make sure they run smoothly. All tied together quite nicely and while they make you think about life it's done in a very fun and entertaining way.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

The Apprentice Adept Series

by Piers Anthony

Another perfect blend of fantasy and sci-fi. Two mirror worlds where one is ruled by magic and the other by science and you have ruling and serf type classes in each. The crossover has to be done a certain way and people are trying to hold and gain power.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247

I could go on but... that's enough to get ya by!!

TheEnforcer · 05-02-2002, 06:25 PM

BTW- I've read each of those series numerous times!!

mule · 05-03-2002, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TopCashQ
Rabbit Run - John Updike

Wow, this is so weird. That's a book that I must've read at least 5 times, about 20 years ago, and recently have been thinking about buying again. Haven't given it another thought for ages

UnseenWorld · 05-03-2002, 12:27 AM

Read *The Alexandria Quartet* by Lawrence Durell, one of the great masters of the English language in the 20th Century. Four books tell the same story through four different eyes, using different naratorial voices (first person, second person, third person, omniscient narrator). One of the great literary accomplishments of the 20th Century, and if you finish all four books, you'll probably learn about 2000 new words along the way. Be sure to have a dictionary by your side as you read it.

CDSmith · 05-03-2002, 12:33 AM

I can't believe no one has mentioned the EC series of books by Jean M. Auel....

- The Clan of the Cave Bear (book 1)
- The Valley of Horses (book 2)
- The Mammoth Hunters (3)
- Plains of Passage (4)
- and just now out, book 5 titled "Shelters of Stone"

this is one of THE most well-researched sets of historic-fantasy books in existance today. The movie based on book 1 sucked (The Clan of the Cave Bear, starring Darryl Hannah) but the books are incredible. I've read the series through at least 5 times over the years, and I know others that have read it more like 10 or 20 times.

Sci-fi ---
Available at any book store, the 2-book series titled "The Moat in God's Eye" by Niven & Pournelle, what a cool story, very well written IMO.

Obviously pretty much anything by Steven King. Some of my alltime favs are "Nightmares & dreamscapes"..... a short story collection,
and.....
The Tommyknockers,
Thinner (as Richard Bachman)
The Green Mile (amazing)

King is the master. No arguing about it, he just is.

Kuntz has some pretty impressive novels out ther as well. I remember reading one of his called "Strangers" that was pretty cool, and I know I've read a few others of his that were well put together.
___________
CD
* <a href="http://www.cdsmodels.com/" TARGET="_blank">CD's Models on the Web</a> Centerfolds ~ Amateurs ~ Teens, <a href="http://www.cdsmodels.com/webmasters.html" TARGET="_blank">new trades</a> welcome.
* <a href="http://clickthrutraffic.com/scripts/signup.php?referer=cdsmith" TARGET="_blank"> Click-thrutraffic.com</a> 5 cents up to 20 cents per click!
* <a href="http://www.erasercash.com/wm.html?ID=1380291" TARGET="_blank">ERASERCASH!</a> Earn $45 per sale + webmaster referrals 4 LEVELS DEEP

Hypo · 05-03-2002, 01:58 AM

My favourite authors are -

Tolkien - he made my childhood come alive! The movie took away the magic the books had, how could the mystical be changed into something so gorily detailed?

Asimov - This man was a genius! The foundation series is awe-inspiring. Robots are great. And his short stories are nothing short of brilliant. He has such variety and quantity and ingenuity in his works that he is simply uncomparable.

Terry Pratchett - His work is the most fantastic thing I have ever come across. His writing is incredibly witty, Discworld is a beautifully fresh twist on fantasy, and there is also satirical depth in his novels that go far beyond silly humor.

L. Ron Hubbard - Battlefield Earth which I read when I was 11 is a masterpiece!

Carl Hiaasen - This guy was brilliant right from his very first solo book - Tourist Season! He's hillarious, and tho his work is not fantasy, you just have to read him! The ending of Tourist Season brought tears to my eyes.

John Grisham - Pure delight! How he manages such a variety of engrossing stories from court situations is marvellous.

Eric Segal - Beautiful love stories - Love Story, The Class, all of them actually.

Harry Potters - very badly written, but I still had to read each one, if only for the hype.

Eoin Colfer - Artemis Fowl, a much better written version of Harry Potter. You have to read this one if you like Terry Pratchett! Yet another new twist in the fairy universe mixing sci-fi and fantasy. I just cant wait for the second book and the movie!

Actually there are a lot more, but if you've just got into reading, all these is a must. Of course, my preferred genres are fantasy, sci-fi and comedy.

05-02-2002, 04:08 AM	#1
LoveAsianChicks Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: -CANADA- Posts: 1,464	Good books I'll admit I don't read novels very often, but I finished reading the "Hobbit" and the 'lord of the rings' series a few months ago. Simply fantastic. I'm now half way through a series of books called "Dune". Excellent as well. In a crazy world where everyone is trained to max to be as smart & strong as possible. To bring their "house" to glory. And collect a special spice that prolongs life, but is only found a dangerious world. If you've never read those Sci-fi books I recommend them. Just skip the movie cause it sucks ASS!!! Anyway what are some real books people have read and enjoyed? I'm not counting Playboy and the like, as serious reading - but those are fun as well

05-02-2002, 08:38 AM	#16
mule Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: hamsterdam Posts: 6,085	Well, to add to Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert and Tolkien, some of my all-time favourites: Perfume by Patrick Susskind Grendl by John Gardner The Magus by John Fowles The Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake and absolutely anything by William Gibson, although Neuromancer is still by far the best. __________________ Converting like a mofo

05-02-2002, 04:57 PM	#19
TopCashQ Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 141	None of these are exactly in the fantasy/sci fi vein, but they are all very good reads: A Confederency Of Dunces - John Kennedy O' Toole (never even got to see his masterpiece in print - his mom discovered the manuscript in his bedroom after he committed suicide) Rabbit Run - John Updike The Floating Opera/The End of the Road - Barth Fight Club - the book is waaaaay better than the movie (which wasn't that shabby, really) Survivor - same author as Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk (I think - not sure of spelling on last name) New York Stories - Paul Auster (not 100% sure on that book title) The Ice at the Bottom of the World - short stories by Mark Richards (check out "Strays" in particular) __________________ <a href="http://www.topcash.com/">TopCash</a> - paying 6 cents per click - no conversion ratio requirements! <a href="http://www.topbucks.com/">TopBucks</a> $35 - $40 per signup or 80% partnership <a href="http://www.oneverify.com/webmasters/_webmastersinfo.htm">OneVerify.com</a> new AVS paying $20 per TRULY free signup

05-02-2002, 06:24 PM	#20
TheEnforcer Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 2,855	If you liked those books I have a whole mess of books you'll be interested in. The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks It's a 3 book series that has been around forever and I generally read again once a year. Each book takes place years apart but build upon the previous book with a different group led by the same main character from all three book the Druid Allanon. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 The Heritage of Shanarra by Terry Brooks 4 book series that unlike the first series takes place all in one time period with a different group but Allanon is involved here but not as much. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Series by Terry Brooks Takes place MUCH later but is built around a new Druid. But stiull tied to the first two series. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind A VERY interesting series of books which is is much more dark and adult than Brooks or Tolkien. Just to goive you an example in the first book there are bondage and torture scenes that are quite interesting. This only lists the first 5 but I believe it's up to seven now. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 The Incarnations of Immortality Series by Piers Anthony The PERFECT blend of fantasy and sci-fi. Looks at in order Death, Time, Fate, War, Nature, Evil (Satan), and Good (God). They are all controlled by mortals who assume the "office" that is in charge of those aspects of life and must make sure they run smoothly. All tied together quite nicely and while they make you think about life it's done in a very fun and entertaining way. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 The Apprentice Adept Series by Piers Anthony Another perfect blend of fantasy and sci-fi. Two mirror worlds where one is ruled by magic and the other by science and you have ruling and serf type classes in each. The crossover has to be done a certain way and people are trying to hold and gain power. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...191054-7482247 I could go on but... that's enough to get ya by!! __________________ Hit me up below for all your advertising needs!

05-02-2002, 06:25 PM	#21
TheEnforcer Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 2,855	BTW- I've read each of those series numerous times!! __________________ Hit me up below for all your advertising needs!

05-02-2002, 04:50 AM	#2
Ted Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 830	There's an aussie guy called Mathew Riley who has written 4 action packed books. They aren't high brow literature but are a great read, very hard to put down. I think all of them have reached the best seller list Look for Ice Station Area 7 Temple and still good, but not quite as good is contest

05-02-2002, 04:55 AM	#3
FADE19 Snow's Parole Officer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: mud hut next to Bin Laden's Posts: 1,161	Dune huh....look for a character called FADE or feyd

05-02-2002, 04:57 AM	#4
bhutocracy Not making A Comeback Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 10,218	the dune movie was cool! catching up on the classics huh? After tolkien all that other tripe like david eddings, robert jordan et al just seemed lame.. but i read LOTR and the hobbit in the late eighties.. before the 90's fantasy glut. it just annoys me when people get exposed to lesser writers first and when they get around to reading the original and best (well 20th century anyway) they find it a little less special.. cause all the tolkien copycats have stolen the thunder when you go backwards...... ok, ok.. they're not that bad.. but so much of the fantasy novels have become pulp fiction.. i've finished ranting..Ursula LeGuin is good. stuff like terry brooks' isn't too bad.. anyways.. for sci-fi fantasy stuff i started to migrate towards terry pratchett's discworld series.. none of the posturing of try hard elve-botherers.. just silly fun.. if you want you can try "good omens" (with neil gaiman) or "pyramids" other classics will include anything by douglas adams..

05-02-2002, 05:05 AM	#6
Ted Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 830	I'll keep an eye out for it, I dont have a TV in my room here so I need something to read before I sleep, I'm getting bored rereading old computer mags.

05-02-2002, 05:10 AM	#7
Cirrus Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: www.Reyko.com Posts: 1,145	The Prince by Machiavelli

05-02-2002, 05:16 AM	#9
chodadog Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 9,736	Great books. I especially liked a few of the scense that were humerous. Tolkien does a great job with subtle humour. But if you want a completely hilarious in your face fantasy novel. Get any of the Terry Pratchet books. They're great! Currently reading the Truckers Trilogy

05-02-2002, 07:24 AM	#15
NetRodent Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: In the walls of your house. Posts: 3,985	Here's a list of a some of my favorite authors: 1. Douglas Adams - Any of the 5 books of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (yes, I know 5 doesn't make a trilogy) . Humor/sci-fi. 2. Isaac Asimov - The Robot or Foundandation series. 3. Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers (much better than the movie), Stranger in a Strange Land, Glory Road. 4. Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged, We the Living 5. H.P. Lovecraft - Any of his short stories, especially "The Rats in the Walls", "Shadow over Innsmouth", "Pickman's Model". 6. Edward Rutherford - Sarum, The Forest, London, and Russka (the last two aren't as good). 7. C.S. Forrester - The Horratio Hornblower series.

05-03-2002, 12:27 AM	#23
UnseenWorld Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Portland, OR, USA Posts: 5,279	Read The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durell, one of the great masters of the English language in the 20th Century. Four books tell the same story through four different eyes, using different naratorial voices (first person, second person, third person, omniscient narrator). One of the great literary accomplishments of the 20th Century, and if you finish all four books, you'll probably learn about 2000 new words along the way. Be sure to have a dictionary by your side as you read it. __________________ SIG TOO BIG! Maximum 120x60 button and no more than 3 text lines of DEFAULT SIZE and COLOR. Unless your sig is for a GFY top banner sponsor, then you may use a 624x80 instead of a 120x60.

05-03-2002, 12:33 AM	#24
CDSmith Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: May 2001 Location: My network is hosted at TECHIEMEDIA.net ...Wait, you meant where am I located at? Oh... okay, I'm in Winnipeg, Canada. Oops. :) Posts: 51,460	I can't believe no one has mentioned the EC series of books by Jean M. Auel.... - The Clan of the Cave Bear (book 1) - The Valley of Horses (book 2) - The Mammoth Hunters (3) - Plains of Passage (4) - and just now out, book 5 titled "Shelters of Stone" this is one of THE most well-researched sets of historic-fantasy books in existance today. The movie based on book 1 sucked (The Clan of the Cave Bear, starring Darryl Hannah) but the books are incredible. I've read the series through at least 5 times over the years, and I know others that have read it more like 10 or 20 times. Sci-fi --- Available at any book store, the 2-book series titled "The Moat in God's Eye" by Niven & Pournelle, what a cool story, very well written IMO. Obviously pretty much anything by Steven King. Some of my alltime favs are "Nightmares & dreamscapes"..... a short story collection, and..... The Tommyknockers, Thinner (as Richard Bachman) The Green Mile (amazing) King is the master. No arguing about it, he just is. Kuntz has some pretty impressive novels out ther as well. I remember reading one of his called "Strangers" that was pretty cool, and I know I've read a few others of his that were well put together. <font face="Verdana"><b>___________</b> CD * <a href="http://www.cdsmodels.com/" TARGET="_blank"><font color="#FF0000">CD's Models on the Web</font></a> Centerfolds ~ Amateurs ~ Teens, <a href="http://www.cdsmodels.com/webmasters.html" TARGET="_blank">new trades</a> welcome. * <a href="http://clickthrutraffic.com/scripts/signup.php?referer=cdsmith" TARGET="_blank"><font color="#FFDDFF"> Click-thrutraffic.com</font></a> 5 cents up to 20 cents per click! * <a href="http://www.erasercash.com/wm.html?ID=1380291" TARGET="_blank"><font face="Verdana" color="#FFCCCC">ERASERCASH!</font></a> Earn $45 per sale + webmaster referrals <i>4 LEVELS DEEP</i></font>

05-03-2002, 01:58 AM	#25
Hypo So Fucking Banned Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,104	My favourite authors are - Tolkien - he made my childhood come alive! The movie took away the magic the books had, how could the mystical be changed into something so gorily detailed? Asimov - This man was a genius! The foundation series is awe-inspiring. Robots are great. And his short stories are nothing short of brilliant. He has such variety and quantity and ingenuity in his works that he is simply uncomparable. Terry Pratchett - His work is the most fantastic thing I have ever come across. His writing is incredibly witty, Discworld is a beautifully fresh twist on fantasy, and there is also satirical depth in his novels that go far beyond silly humor. L. Ron Hubbard - Battlefield Earth which I read when I was 11 is a masterpiece! Carl Hiaasen - This guy was brilliant right from his very first solo book - Tourist Season! He's hillarious, and tho his work is not fantasy, you just have to read him! The ending of Tourist Season brought tears to my eyes. John Grisham - Pure delight! How he manages such a variety of engrossing stories from court situations is marvellous. Eric Segal - Beautiful love stories - Love Story, The Class, all of them actually. Harry Potters - very badly written, but I still had to read each one, if only for the hype. Eoin Colfer - Artemis Fowl, a much better written version of Harry Potter. You have to read this one if you like Terry Pratchett! Yet another new twist in the fairy universe mixing sci-fi and fantasy. I just cant wait for the second book and the movie! Actually there are a lot more, but if you've just got into reading, all these is a must. Of course, my preferred genres are fantasy, sci-fi and comedy.