Recommend me books like...

SixTwoSix

SixTwoSix

SixTwoSix

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It was a sad moment last night, I read the final chapter of Blood Canticle by Anne Rice and realised that i'd finally completed all the books of the Vampire Chronicles/Mayfair Witches.

This woman is simply an epic writer, the mythology she has set up in these books is incredible, the depth of the stories and sheer imagination...not to mention her deep enveloping writing style. I am genuinely sad I have nothing of hers left to read.

So...who would you guys recommend to move onto next. I'd prefer something vampire oriented but it doesn't have to be, I really enjoyed the Mayfair Witches books as well as Servant Of The Bones & Violin.

My only request is to find someone...well...basically as good a writing style as Anne Rice, I know this is a tall order but I have my hopes.

I've had recommendations for the Twilight novels, my girlfriend has them and after reading Anne Rice, it's like reading something an 8 year old would write.

Another recommendation i've had was Poppy Brite, but haven't read anything of hers yet.

As I already said, doesn't have to be vampire...but would like something otherworldy :D
 
I've never read any Anne Rice, might have to check them out.

I recommend the Watch books by Sergei Lukyanenko (Night Watch, Day Watch, Twilight Watch and Final Watch) Definitely the best 'otherworldly' books I've read.
 
Shamikebab said:
I've never read any Anne Rice, might have to check them out.
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I'd really give them a go mate, but start at the beginning, don't make the same mistake I did and read Body Thief first, lol!

Shamikebab said:
I recommend the Watch books by Sergei Lukyanenko (Night Watch, Day Watch, Twilight Watch and Final Watch) Definitely the best 'otherworldly' books I've read.
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I loved the Nightwatch movie but had to switch off Daywatch, a ludicrously bad movie...how are the books in comparison. I know that most of the time books that films are based on are always better, but like to ask all the same.

Also how is the translation, I understand they were written in russian?
 
SixTwoSix said:
I loved the Nightwatch movie but had to switch off Daywatch, a ludicrously bad movie...how are the books in comparison. I know that most of the time books that films are based on are always better, but like to ask all the same.

Also how is the translation, I understand they were written in russian?
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Very different and far better, the Nightwatch film was ok but like you I switched Daywatch off in disgust. The books are far, far better and concentrate more on the otherworldly stuff. Also the translations are just fine, if I hadn't known I wouldn't have guessed it had been translated.

Also the films only concentrate on a small portion of the books, each book is divided into 3 volumes and Night Watch the film is a combination of the first volume of Night Watch the book and Day Watch the book. Day Watch the film....I have no idea where they got that from, it contains a few bits from some of the books but it feels as if the screenplay was written by someone who only had the books vaguely described to them by a drunk monkey.
 
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Shamikebab said:
Also the films only concentrate on a small portion of the books, each book is divided into 3 volumes and Night Watch the film is a combination of the first volume of Night Watch the book and Day Watch the book. Day Watch the film....I have no idea where they got that from, it contains a few bits from some of the books but it feels as if the screenplay was written by someone who only had the books vaguely described to them by a drunk monkey.
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Sounds similar to what they did with the Queen Of The Damned movie, they squeezed two books (Vampire Lestat and QOTD) of around 800 pages into a 90 minute film.
 
Never read Ann Rice, but have read Twilight, and Twilight is a Love Story first and a Vampire story second.

It is good though, my sister read all 4 in a week and she has re-read them again, and she doesn't read normally (considering she is a Solicitor...its quite odd).
 
Raymond Lin said:
Never read Ann Rice, but have read Twilight, and Twilight is a Love Story first and a Vampire story second.

It is good though, my sister read all 4 in a week and she has re-read them again, and she doesn't read normally (considering she is a Solicitor...its quite odd).
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My problem isn't the fact that the vampire story isn't the focal point, it's that after the depth and style Anne Rice has, the way that Spephanie Meyer writes just seems...lacking.
 
SixTwoSix said:
My problem isn't the fact that the vampire story isn't the focal point, it's that after the depth and style Anne Rice has, the way that Spephanie Meyer writes just seems...lacking.
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I know its no excuse but Stephenie Meyer wrote that while being a full time mum, like with her new born on her lap or while the kids are taking a nap. Anyway, its an easy read, and it is a page turner even if the actual literature isn't as deep as you are used to. It is also quite satisfying as a story and I loved it from start to finish.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I know its no excuse but Stephenie Meyer wrote that while being a full time mum, like with her new born on her lap or while the kids are taking a nap. Anyway, its an easy read, and it is a page turner even if the actual literature isn't as deep as you are used to. It is also quite satisfying as a story and I loved it from start to finish.
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I've got no problem with people liking the stories as an 'easy read'...whatever makes people happy. I've read twilight and for me it's like a....how can I say, a "popcorn novel"...in the same way a film can be a "popcorn movie", her books are easy switch your brain off reading.

I don't mean that in a derogatory way, I in no way feel superior because I like a different writing style, Meyer's just not for me. I can sit down and waste 90 minutes on a popcorn movie because it's a bit of fun. However my reading time is limited and if i'm going to invest that time and effort I need something far more deep, rich and rewarding.
 
Clive Barker is quite good at otherworldly stuff - The Great And Secret Show for instance. Not all that much like Anne Rice though, I've read a few of her books and got a few more to read at some point but I'm not in any great rush to do so right now as I had started noticing some common writing traits throughout which tends to distract me - that's not a massive criticism of her alone though, it happens with most writers if you read enough of them, there is also a rather odd homoerotic tone to her novels.

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is also worth a read if you've never done so, completely different type of otherworldly but such biting satire.
 
semi-pro waster said:
...there is also a rather odd homoerotic tone to her novels.
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A lot of people comment on this, I used to think the same. However after having now read everything she has written, I wouldn't call it homeerotic, it's more that the vampires in her books love mortals equally, be they man or woman, it's the romanticism of a mortal life that the vampires love, it rarely comes down to sexuality.

I did read some Clive Barker stuff when I was around 10/11...a good 20 years back and although it was hard reading for that age, it was very good, it never even occured to me to go back and read some of his books.
 
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