FKAGobucks877 said:
You people need to pick up Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. Every time this thread starts, I mention this series, and nobody ever reads it. Of course, you'll only like it if you like complete fiction, as it is a "fantasy" series, but the writing, plot, and development of the characters in the book is awe-inspiring. I only read for fun, and don't enjoy much non-fiction, so this series is right up my alley.
I've actually read most of those. The first 6 or 7 or so anyway. I'm not much of a fan of the fantasy genre myself, but I enjoyed the first 3 (maybe 4, it's been some time) in that line quite a bit. I did hit a point where I felt like I couldn't keep going. I don't remember if he's up to 10 or 11 at this point, but it's something like that and I lost my will to continue in the late middle ranges. Which may not be commentary on the series so much as my willingness to stick with one thing for too long. But to reiterate, I really enjoyed the beginning of the series.
I have moods with books. I'll get done reading something like
On the Road by Kerouac, and will need something different, so I'll read
25 to Life by Manhattan Justice Leslie Snyder. That will leave me wanting something lighter, so it's off to Uncle Wiggily (literally, but as an example). From there I need something darker, so I can go to
The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker. But there's nothing enriching with any of the above, so I'd pick up the
Origin of Species. That's a bit dry, so it might lead to
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (another I'd happily recommend to all), to
The Tao of Poker, to
Voltaire's Bastards, to
Gerald's Game, to
Flags of our Fathers, to
Last of the Mohicans, to -- well you get the point. Like now. I've got a number of books open that I'm actively reading, because it lets me pick and choose more of whatever I feel like at that moment.
A.M. Homes can be a little twisted, but she's smart, and her 'twist' makes you think. I do recommend her to anyone who will listen, but I do so with the caveat that you have to go in knowing that you're going to find yourself uncomfortable at times. But that's part of her brilliance I think. If you want creative, fun, but more visceral 'twist', I'd recommend Chuck Palahniuk or Bret Easton Ellis. I enjoyed and have recommended both before. If you want gross meaningless twist, then maybe the
Cows slop -- but I haven't yet been able to force myself to read that, which is saying something. Lighter might be Edward Lee or Poppy Z. Brite, but neither are authors I'd recommend, despite having read some of their work.
Were it possible, I would probably read everything. In most ways, being chronically sick is a curse. In a few ways it affords real freedom in terms of being able to read and view a lot more than I'd otherwise have time for. For example, I've now seen nearly every film that's won a major Oscar (best pic, best director, lead actor and actress). Not so that I can say I have, but just because almost all of them are really worth seeing on a number of different levels. Particularly at a time when network television is so debased. Threads like this only add to my stack of books though. I've added another 7 titles to an already unwieldy Amazon list because of mentions herein.
