Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mcb1180]

I'm a total book addict and would read non stop if I didn't have to work. Lately though, I've found that all my favorite and regular authors are unable to keep up with me. Any one have any good authors the can recommend, especially if they have a series, the longer the better?

Personally I'm into romance, paranormal fiction, sci-fi and the occasional mystery or thriller.

[Ruthdes]

This may be a little bit mainstream, but you haven't been specific in what you like or have read already, but I recommend the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. It's romance, epic and time-slip (so I guess paranormal), and so far has 7 volumes, with at least one more on the way. I've read them all as books, but also listened to them as audiobooks. I have to say that it can get a little bit cliched (If a character "feels rather than hears/sees" something one more time, I may put a sharp object though my iPod -just kidding, but it does get annoying), but in general, the story is very compelling. It's set between the end of WWII and 1980, and between before Culloden in the Scottish highlands and France, and the War of Independence in the Colonies of America. Good stuff, seems to be well researched, and keeps you going for ages.

You didn't mention historical fiction at all, but the "Masters of Rome" series, that goes from before the rise of Gaius Marius, to the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra, will also keep you entertained for a very long time.

[Cedar]

Marion Zimmer Bradley.
CJ Cherryh
Ursula K Leguin
Robin McKillip
Robert Jordan
Alfred Bestor
Edgar Rice Burroughs (Mars)
Greg Bear
Anne McCaffrey

Haven't had time to read fiction in years... so sad

[Hyeon Een]

When I'm stuck for something to read, I choose a genre I'm interested in, then google : "best necrophilia but without romance novels ever written" or "Best 10 AIDS novels with happy endings", or "Top Fantasy Books Of More than 10 volumes Without Elves or Swords". And so on..

There are thousands of lists of good books on the internet. No matter how obscure your tastes. I'm sure if you Googled "Diana Gabaldon style books" you'd get a list as long as your arm.

Also, she's a horrible writer =)

[mcb1180]

[Koveras]

The 'Otherland' tetralogy by Tad Williams takes a long time to read. Here's wikipedia:

[McGenghis]

One of the darkest new fantasy writers is China Mieville. He has a handful of books that don�t make up a series per se but are based in the same world. Raw, unadulterated and endlessly creative.

I�m a bit of a literary glutton and given to easy praise but this man deserves it.

Frank Hubert�s �Dune� is the first in a long series but I doubt many folks will disagree that the first installment was the best.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Since you mentioned thrillers/mysteries:

Give Dennis Lehane a look. He wrote Mystic River (filmed by Eastwood) and Shutter Island (filmed by Scorsese). That's a fairly hefty endorsement right there.

Before those two novels he wrote a series with characters Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. These are two smart-mouth private detectives in Boston. Fast paced, lots of plot twists, snappy dialog, plenty of violence with a bit of sex and rock and roll thrown in...and sometimes moral dilemas to think about. Very good examples of the genre. (Read them in order--the principle characters have an independent story line that would be confusing if read out of order.)

1. A Drink Before the War
2. Darkness, Take My Hand (my favorite)
3. Sacred
4. Gone Baby Gone
5. Prayers For Rain (the one I'm on now)
6. Moonlight Mile

[Underwaterbob]

Not one of your mentioned genres but, the final Malazan book by Steven Erikson just came out. I'm a little over halfway through and can't put it down. There are ten books in the series, each one a thousand pages or more, and three others not quite as big by his friend Ian Esslemont. You will not catch everything going on the first time through. I've read the first three three times, the fourth through seventh twice and the eighth to ninth once and I'm still having a bit of trouble with parts of the tenth. So, a serious time investment.

Be wary: he plods sometimes, but when he is on, is he ever on! I've read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy and this guy world builds, characterizes and delivers punch like no one else. I say it's easily the best epic-fantasy out there, though there are a legion of R.R. Martin fanatics who probably disagree with me.

[pangaea]

I recommend Barbara Michaels if you want something in the paranormal/romance genre. She is one of my favorites, though I finished reading everything she published under Barbara Michaels a long time ago. I think she has also written under the name Barbara Mertz and is now writing a series about a family of Egyptologists under the name Elizabeth Peters.

Also in the same genre, if you can find them - Susanna Kearsley and Barbara Erskine.

For mysteries I enjoy Michael Crichton, James Rollins, and Patricia Cornwell.

If you like reading non-fiction, Mary Roach is a very interesting and entertaining author who writes on unusual subjects. Her book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is about the many different ways the human body is taken care of after death. I am currently reading Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife which I have found fascinating. It covers the subjects of reincarnation, Spiritualism, and experiments to weigh the human soul, among many others. Both books are surprisingly funny and entertaining, given the subject matter.

[InDaGu]

In the mystery/thriller genre, I really enjoy Greg Iles. He isn't as well known, but I've read all of his books. Most of them feature just a few different main characters. One of his books, 24 Hours, was made into a film, but I didn't really like the adaptation.

[Ruthdes]

[Blackthorne]

One of my favorite writers is Michael Connelly. He writes mysteries/detective fiction. They're well written, easy to read, and he's very prolific. I've been reading his stuff for years.

[ajuma]

Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle ap for your PC. Then go on the Kindle FB page. If you "like" the page, you can post and ask for suggestions. Then you can download a sample to see if you like the book well enough to buy it.

Ain't technology amazing??


(Oh...and have you read any David Eddings? )

[murmanjake]

Romance--Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Sci Fi--The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Paranormal Fiction--From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury

Mystery and Thriller, I dunno...