I need to read more books.

[semi-pro waster]

Care to name a few more thrillers/horrors?

Trying to make a list of them that I need to read!

I'll have a think and update when I get home tonight so I can take a look at my books. Most of the thrillers I read tend to be crime fiction of some description but I'll see what I've got to recommend.

 

[Tibbz2]

I'll have a think and update when I get home tonight so I can take a look at my books. Most of the thrillers I read tend to be crime fiction of some description but I'll see what I've got to recommend.

Thanks much appreciated

 

[Ekim]

An historical novel: Conn Iggulden's Wolf of the plains. The first in the Conqueror series telling the story of Genghis Khan and his heirs

+1 read the series last year and really enjoyed it.

 

[elmarko]

My fiction reading is pretty immature, consisting of mostly fantasy & science fiction - all in no particular order.

Fiction.

1. A Song of Ice and Fire - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire (The lovable old pervert)
2. The Horus Heresy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horus_Heresy_(novels) (Mixed)
3. The foundation series - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series (Asimov)

Non-fiction.

1. Carl Sagan (pretty much any of them)
2. Sam Harris - The moral landscape.
3. Thomas Gilovich - How We Know What Isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life
4. Chomsky - Manufacturing consent

 

[Ysmalari]

My contribution, I read way too much Science Fiction normally but occasionally dabble in other genres.

A 'classic' of any genre: War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
A fantasy novel: Mentioned previously but the Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb
A thriller: The Firm - John Grisham
An historical novel: Pompeii - Robert Harris
A horror: The Dark Half - Stephen King
A wild card of your choice: A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick (weird but very good!)

 

[isonomicjedi]

I usually read crime fiction but books I loved that could be classed as wild card are :

Anything by Marina Lewycka (History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Two Caravans, We Are All Made of Glue, Various Pets: Alive and Dead)

or

Room by Emma Donahue

 

[semi-pro waster]

Thanks much appreciated

Fountain Society by Wes Craven
Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carre
Our Man In Havana - Graham Greene
In The Dark by Mark Billingham

Generally books by Stephen King, Clive Barker and perhaps to a lesser extent Anne Rice fit quite well into the horror or fantasy genres.
For crime thrillers then Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, John Grisham, Karin Slaughter and James Lee Burke are all decent enough to blast through but they're unlikely to challenge you if that's of interest. Christopher Brookmyre is probably one of my favourite authors although nothing of his is hugely challenging it's always lots of fun particularly if you appreciate the Scottishness of the novels. Frederick Forsythe has written some good thrillers such as the Day of the Jackal as well.

I'm missing a lot of books here as they're mostly back at my parents so it's not as long a list as I would have hoped. I would however recommend Neil Gaiman - American Gods as a fantasy novel of sorts and it's very good.

 

[Tibbz2]

Thanks a lot, I'll look into all those authors and books

 

[rhysduck]

Wildcard: Band of Brothers by Stephen E Ambrose - Brilliant book! If you like that kind of thing

 

[No1newts]

Fountain Society by Wes Craven
Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carre
Our Man In Havana - Graham Greene
In The Dark by Mark Billingham

Generally books by Stephen King, Clive Barker and perhaps to a lesser extent Anne Rice fit quite well into the horror or fantasy genres.
For crime thrillers then Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, John Grisham, Karin Slaughter and James Lee Burke are all decent enough to blast through but they're unlikely to challenge you if that's of interest. Christopher Brookmyre is probably one of my favourite authors although nothing of his is hugely challenging it's always lots of fun particularly if you appreciate the Scottishness of the novels. Frederick Forsythe has written some good thrillers such as the Day of the Jackal as well.

I'm missing a lot of books here as they're mostly back at my parents so it's not as long a list as I would have hoped. I would however recommend Neil Gaiman - American Gods as a fantasy novel of sorts and it's very good.

Day of the Jackal is a fantastic read.

I struggle to find good crime thrillers.

I tend to find they have a comedy edge, a fantasy edge or are a little pulpy/simple read.

John Le Carre is good but would kill for a real good, serious thriller series.

 

[robgmun]

I'm so glad 1984 gets mentioned so many times, it's my favorite book of all time (i admittedly haven't read that many since my teenage years)

 

[isonomicjedi]

Day of the Jackal is a fantastic read.

I struggle to find good crime thrillers.

I tend to find they have a comedy edge, a fantasy edge or are a little pulpy/simple read.

John Le Carre is good but would kill for a real good, serious thriller series.

Try the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. By far my favourite crime series and I've read loads of crime.

 

[ExRayTed]

Only going to recommend 2. Both stupidly well written and completely engaging from the first page.

The Gargoyle

Confessions of a Fallen Angel

 

[Pighardia]

A 'classic' of any genre: 1984....has to be read, it really is incredible, but as everyone else has said that, I would go for Catch 22
A fantasy novel: ASOIAF
A thriller: The Magus by John Fowles, or The Secret History by Donna Tartt
An historical novel: Not my cup of tea, but I suppose The Long Voyage by Jorge Semprun could count as a historical novel?...maybe the Flashman books?
A horror:Again, not really my thing, but I am Legend by Richard Matheson is excellent
A wild card of your choice: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, or Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

Also +1 to whoever mentioned War of the Worlds

 

[semi-pro waster]

Thanks a lot, I'll look into all those authors and books

A couple more thrillers that I've remembered which are worth a read - Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd and Fatherland by Robert Harris.

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

Fantasy

Michael Scott Rohan
The Winter of the World trilogy
The Anvil of Ice (1986)
The Forge in the Forest (1987)
The Hammer of the Sun (1988)
Brilliant original mythos. Not your usual sword and sorcery but well worth a read.


Raymond Feist
The Rift War Saga
Magician (1982)
Silverthorn (1985)
A Darkness at Sethanon (1986)
More traditional sword and sorcery. His later stuff for me messes up the universe he created But much of his work is very enjoyable.


Trudi Canavan
Black Magician Trilogy
The Magicians' Guild (2001)
The Novice (2002)
The High Lord (2003)
A much darker feel for the genre and again a great read.



Like any genre there are various different types of fantasy novels. You may like some and not others but the 3 above cover a descent range to start with.

 

[manic111]

A 'classic' of any genre: 1984....has to be read, it really is incredible, but as everyone else has said that, I would go for Catch 22

I didn't like either, but realise that I'm very much in the minority!

1984 was interesting, but didn't have the same grab for me as Brave New World. Catch 22 I simply didn't "get".

 

[semi-pro waster]

I didn't like either, but realise that I'm very much in the minority!

1984 was interesting, but didn't have the same grab for me as Brave New World. Catch 22 I simply didn't "get".

There's a fair argument that Brave New World is the more prescient novel but I think as a story 1984 is better, it's also contributed more to the lexicon than Huxley's book.

You're not alone if you think that Catch 22 is overrated. In fact I started a thread on precisely that premise a few years back, I wouldn't say you shouldn't read it but it takes an awfully long time to articulate a fairly straightforward point. Some people love it for the very reason I don't rate it though.

 

[Lartyconshayo]

I also didn't get Catch 22. Got through it. But never again. If you want you can also check out 'amusing ourselves to death' by Neil Postman. Compares 1984 and BNW to today's society to see which one is more correct.

 

[Pumpkinstew]

A 'classic' of any genre: I would go for Day of the Triffids but it's been adapted to death for film and TV so instead have John Wyndham's equally excellent The Kraken Wakes
A fantasy novel: Voyage of the Dawn Treader Go on, remind yourself how good the Narnia books are.
A thriller: The Prestige by Christopher Priest. Don't worry if you've seen the film. There's plenty more in the book to enjoy.
An historical novel:Bernard Cornwell's Warlord trilogy (Arthurian legend, begins with The Winter King) is brilliant but is almost fantasy.
A horror: Domain by James Herbert - starts with a nuclear strike on London ... then the rats come out.
A wild card of your choice:Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (it's loads better than Cloud Atlas) and Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks.

Any particular reason science fiction didn't make your list?