Godless by Pete Hautman
6/10
This is a book for kids in middle school.
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkein is probably the most well known fantasy writer of all time. And it is because of this book, The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. This book is something of a prequel to that series, but it is also an amazing stand alone. The tale of Bilbo Baggins, a modest hobbit enjoying his quiet peaceful life, who becomes caught up in a whirlwind quest as a "burglar," is one of the best told stories of epic fantasy that I have ever read. It is extremely accessible, the few characters are enjoyable, and the plot is straight-forward without being too simple. The book is not anything spectacular, but it is solid and very good the whole time. Tolkein does a marvelous job of writing a tale that all other fantasy must compare itself too. And this novel stands the test of time. 8.5/10Monday, May 23, 2011
The Diamond Age
Neal Stephenson's the Diamond Age was not what I expected. I had read his Snow Crash and loved it. I had seen this book on a Top 10 list for greatest distopian novels of all time. Distopia in the future is a concept I like a lot, and am really drawn to. And Stephenson has a wonderfully imagined view of how bizarre and amazing that future could be, while still being absolutely fucked up. There are not many writers out there that can capture the spirit and culture of a future like Stephenson can. His vision is remarkable.
The Diamond Age takes place some point in the future where nanotechnology is so ubiquitous that there is a stark dichotomy between the sophisticated who have mastered the technology or live beyond it and the general public who rely upon it. The book mostly takes palce around the Shanghai area where the populations are split into claves, broken up
between anything from political parties, wealth, and creed, to internal philosophies, ethnicity, or education. Matter compilers make anything from mattresses and synthetic rice, to office buildings and antibiotics. The world is dominated by overwhelming billboards, mediaglyphs not letters, and books speak out loud instead of being read. Nanotech robots protect the skies from pollutants and violence to an extent that the poverty shown in the book is ahrdly recognizable to what we know. I will not go directly into the plot, because it is vague, intricate, and pretty unique. I really do not know if I would reccommend this book to anyone but staunch science fiction readers.
The Diamond Age as a book is somewhat lacking for me. While its atmosphere and scope are amazing, the characters and situations did not really pique my interest. The plot itself is vague. There were several points where I just did not know what the point was. There was just very little drama. The stories were interesting but with no real direction. This was more like three interwoven stories that were interesting and connected, but without a point. And it is too bad too, because there seemed to be a theme coming together. There were some really interesting philosophies and undertones that just never got developed. Even the ending was abrupt. I would say the climax was the last sentence, and that kind of bothers me. It should not be there. When the reader gets up to that high of a level of caring for what is going on, the writer should utilize that time. It means more. The beginning gives you characterization, momentum, and a building tension. The ending is a time to reap what you have sewn. Just because the reader reachs the climax does not mean what comes after should not be interesting and compelling. Of course it is!I wanted to know more, basically all the time, but especially at the end when I am really hooked in. Still Stephenson is a great and imaginitive writer, and I was really only disappointed because there could have been so much more. 7.5/10
The Diamond Age takes place some point in the future where nanotechnology is so ubiquitous that there is a stark dichotomy between the sophisticated who have mastered the technology or live beyond it and the general public who rely upon it. The book mostly takes palce around the Shanghai area where the populations are split into claves, broken up
between anything from political parties, wealth, and creed, to internal philosophies, ethnicity, or education. Matter compilers make anything from mattresses and synthetic rice, to office buildings and antibiotics. The world is dominated by overwhelming billboards, mediaglyphs not letters, and books speak out loud instead of being read. Nanotech robots protect the skies from pollutants and violence to an extent that the poverty shown in the book is ahrdly recognizable to what we know. I will not go directly into the plot, because it is vague, intricate, and pretty unique. I really do not know if I would reccommend this book to anyone but staunch science fiction readers.The Diamond Age as a book is somewhat lacking for me. While its atmosphere and scope are amazing, the characters and situations did not really pique my interest. The plot itself is vague. There were several points where I just did not know what the point was. There was just very little drama. The stories were interesting but with no real direction. This was more like three interwoven stories that were interesting and connected, but without a point. And it is too bad too, because there seemed to be a theme coming together. There were some really interesting philosophies and undertones that just never got developed. Even the ending was abrupt. I would say the climax was the last sentence, and that kind of bothers me. It should not be there. When the reader gets up to that high of a level of caring for what is going on, the writer should utilize that time. It means more. The beginning gives you characterization, momentum, and a building tension. The ending is a time to reap what you have sewn. Just because the reader reachs the climax does not mean what comes after should not be interesting and compelling. Of course it is!I wanted to know more, basically all the time, but especially at the end when I am really hooked in. Still Stephenson is a great and imaginitive writer, and I was really only disappointed because there could have been so much more. 7.5/10
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Stephen King's The Dark Tower: the Gunslinger held high expectations in my mind. I don't read too much horror but was looking forward to reading some good old scary stuff. I had heard that the Dark Tower series was Stephen King's best work. He even won some awards for the center section. However if this book was any indication, I think it was undeserved. I guess I came into it wrong because this is not a horror novel. I could hardly even call it a novel. Hardly anything happens. Sure, some stuff happens, but it's all totally disconnected, and barely relevant.The story opens on a man following another man. That's basically the whole book, and basically how it ends. It doesn't really explain why he's following him ever, what his ultimate goal of the dark tower is, or who many of the back story characters are. It does have some good imagery, and follows a lot of what I would like to write in a short story. However, this is not me. This is a world acclaimed writer. I realize this is only the first book, but I don't think I can continue. I don't think I would recommend this to anyone, and this book only had about two scenes with imagery that stuck with me. I am contemplating getting an actual Stephen King horror novel or the book that Shawshank Redemption was based off of. We will see. Right now I'm just fairly disappointed. 6.5/10
Saturday, March 12, 2011
the Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Most of Douglas Adams' the Restaurant at the End of the Universe follows his previous characters misadventures through the galaxy in the same way as Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. There is essentially no plot, and the book begins and ends with nothing resembling normal story structures. This book is something more of a stringing together of barely interconnected events. While that might have been a novel, and wholly interesting device in the previous book, its entertainment value wanes here. Perhaps I simply need to take a break, but it seems like I could pick almost any random chapter and read it as opposed to chronological order.Overall this book is still very enjoyable and very funny. We are introduced to slightly more characters in this book and some amazing and fantastical settings including the title restaurant. Adams' imagination still amazes me. 8/10
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I have read Douglas Adams' masterpiece The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy before, but it always astounds me. It is wildly imaginative, odd, and wonderful. It's also just a ton of fun.Though this book only has about five characters, which you really don't know very well at all, basically no plot, and only a stringing together of events, it doesn't matter at all because it's simply awesome.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy might be classified as science-fiction, but it is really just a wonderful little comedy. It's light humor and perspective give this book a style which is easy to digest especially since it has short chapters and under 150 pages. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the wacky side of life, or basically anyone. 9/10
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Gardens of the Moon
The Malazan Empire attempts to tighten its hold on the few remaining Free Cities. But soldiers, assassins, and mages each have their own unique perspective and agenda to play out. When gods and civilizations long past enter the fray the lives and souls of all are in peril. The varying characters battle for survival and domination in this epic fantasy where the reader is drawn into a world of deceit, intrigue, wonder, and war.
I haven't read any epic fantasy in a while. I often look at other people's book reviews and lists for fantasy to read however. This is one that pops up on contemporary fantasy as highly regarded. Overall I found Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon did not live up to the hype. And I think it has to do with the hype. There are so many fantasy readers that get so caught up in the details and scope of the story. Yes, Gardens of the Moon was complex and intricate. Yes, the scope of the story and it's interwoven characters was mesmerizing. I just don't think that makes it into a great book automatically. Overall I would say it deterred from it. Erikson is an amazing writer. Some of my favorite ideas on characters were realized in this book. But j
ust because the story is epic doesn't mean you need to have twenty characters that you hardly know at all. I need characters that I know. Half the time someone was mentioned and I forgot who it was, and I read this consistently. I couldn't remember who was on which side, and how people knew each other. I like complexity, and I realize this is the first book in the series, but it just seemed all the culmination led to nothing. My biggest problem would be the fact that though there might be three or four antagonists, the major one in this book wasn't revealed, destroyed or even mentioned until the second half of the book. And they were around for only a few pages, with little description. There's plenty of alluding to more sinister people coming, but will they also have very little description? I want to keep reading the series because there is so much tension and turmoil building. Erikson is fairly good at that. But I can't read ten more books like this to finally get to that conclusion. The players discussed in great length at the beginning weren't mentioned in the end, and I had a hard time not reading with great haste towards the end. I probably won't read any more of these books unless I'm feeling like I need a ten book saga into this world.
I would reward Erikson on an amazingly unique and epic book. The magic, and deep themes running through the universe all seem completely worked out and thought through, which is a complaint about many other fantasy writers. Erikson is definitely for a mature audience, in complexity and intricacy, if not for content. I would recommend this book only to the devoted epic fantasy enthusiast. 7.5/10
I haven't read any epic fantasy in a while. I often look at other people's book reviews and lists for fantasy to read however. This is one that pops up on contemporary fantasy as highly regarded. Overall I found Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon did not live up to the hype. And I think it has to do with the hype. There are so many fantasy readers that get so caught up in the details and scope of the story. Yes, Gardens of the Moon was complex and intricate. Yes, the scope of the story and it's interwoven characters was mesmerizing. I just don't think that makes it into a great book automatically. Overall I would say it deterred from it. Erikson is an amazing writer. Some of my favorite ideas on characters were realized in this book. But j
ust because the story is epic doesn't mean you need to have twenty characters that you hardly know at all. I need characters that I know. Half the time someone was mentioned and I forgot who it was, and I read this consistently. I couldn't remember who was on which side, and how people knew each other. I like complexity, and I realize this is the first book in the series, but it just seemed all the culmination led to nothing. My biggest problem would be the fact that though there might be three or four antagonists, the major one in this book wasn't revealed, destroyed or even mentioned until the second half of the book. And they were around for only a few pages, with little description. There's plenty of alluding to more sinister people coming, but will they also have very little description? I want to keep reading the series because there is so much tension and turmoil building. Erikson is fairly good at that. But I can't read ten more books like this to finally get to that conclusion. The players discussed in great length at the beginning weren't mentioned in the end, and I had a hard time not reading with great haste towards the end. I probably won't read any more of these books unless I'm feeling like I need a ten book saga into this world.I would reward Erikson on an amazingly unique and epic book. The magic, and deep themes running through the universe all seem completely worked out and thought through, which is a complaint about many other fantasy writers. Erikson is definitely for a mature audience, in complexity and intricacy, if not for content. I would recommend this book only to the devoted epic fantasy enthusiast. 7.5/10
Monday, January 3, 2011
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451 is a vision. It tells of a future so devoted to censorship and keeping things inside, that suicides and betrayals are commonplace.Bradbury is an intricate and fascinating writer. I was most drawn in by his dramatic monologues. The interplay between the few characters in Fahrenheit 451 was an insight into the desolation of our own lives. 7/10
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Snow Crash
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash is an excellent read. Stephenson's total immersion into a frighteningly near world of mob owned franchulates, samurai hackers, and hydrogen- bomb strapped baddies gears you up for some awesome action and surprising revelations in Snow Crash. 8/10I was drawn easily into Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson's ability to adapt his style to a world's rhythm so well. I loved the language mythology and reference to neural encoding and deep conditioning. My criticism would be, I would have liked to have seen more emphasis on the emotional finish. Still a great novel for an adventure into a parallel world of great scope and accuracy.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Children of Dune
In the end of the first trilogoy Frank Herbert really brings back the things that made Dune great. I was skeptical about the whole series and his writing in general from Dune Messiah, but Children of Dune truly was great and made me want to read on again. However, I think three books from one author is enough for a time. I need to get back to reading a non-fiction anyway.Children of Dune follows Paul's children as they fufill their destiny in this twisting tale of deceit and intrigue. This book had all the mysticism and mystery that I have come to expect from the Dune novels, with none of the petty relationships from the second book. I do not have much to say about it besides that since it is a fairly niche book only for those who really like sci-fi and have plunged three books into this series. Perhaps someday I will go back and read the last few. 8/10
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Dune Messiah
Frank Herbert's sequel to Dune was fairly good. Dune Messiah was a little disconnected and sporadic. However it was still good enough where I will read the third book of the series now. I imagine that will be the end of the line though. 7/10
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dune
From the beginning Frank Herbert's Dune resonated with me. Within the first ten pages I thought it was one of the best books I had ever read. Filled with insight, philosophy, and mysticism Dune has much to offer the contemplative science-fiction reader. Though the book might be more aptly named "Arrakis Awakening," the title Dune shows all of Herbert's cunning in the bare necessity of a word to encapsulate the total essence of an idea. His style is direct and I was often caught by the penetrating truth of his profound simplicity within understanding. The story of Dune follows many perspectives, but centers around the son of a duke, the youth Paul Atreides. His life changes abruptly when his family moves to the desert planet Arrakis, sometimes called Dune. Here Paul is met with treachery and hardship among the harsh lives of the Fremen, the native people of the planet. He learns discipline, fear, and truth on his way to ascension in becoming Muad'Dib, the savior to a people.
Dune held everything I have been looking for from dealing with fear and death, to insights about time, self, the difficulties of learning, community, and the relationships that bind. Even the appendixes were funny and filled with wisdom and insight. I would recommend this book to any reader who has a sense of searching within themselves. The only thing I have found "wrong" about Dune so far is that it has increased my book buying to book reading ratio because now I have to get all of the sequels. 9.5/10
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Rendezvous with Rama
I started reading, Rendezvous with Rama, on Monday night on a whim. I read 70 pages that night. It is now Wednesday and I am finished. Obviously this one is a page turner. It was on my list with Neuromancer as one of the few science-fiction novels ever to win multiple awards in the genre. It's from the 70's and another classic. Arthur C. Clarke's work is drastically different in almost every respect 
to William Gibson's though.
Rendezvous with Rama concerns a huge asteroid that makes its way into our galaxy some hundreds of years in the future. By this point man has colonized the Moon as well as Mars and even Mercury. The scientific world is shaken up when this would be asteroid turns out to be a perfectly smooth cylinder some 50 kilometers long traversing our solar system. A team is sent out to examine and explore this alien construction sent from the depths of the Universe. But what will it contain? Will we finally discover an alien civilization far ahead of our own? And what is the purpose of its passing?
Mostly I found Rendezvous with Rama very interesting and compelling. The book is very plot driven and character development is not stressed as much as the fascinating plot. The chapters are usually 2-5 pages and the book itself is just over 250 pages. It was a fun and exciting read, and a nice break from some of the more intellectual books I have been reading. I would not count it as science-fiction fluff, but it is fairly straight-forward and simple. It would be difficult to get much out of this anti-climatic thriller besides stunning visuals and fast paced wonder. It is however the first book in a series, so perhaps it should not be judged until conclusion. I probably would not recommend it to others unless they wanted a fairly light, adventurous science-fiction read. It would have made a good movie. 7.5/10
to William Gibson's though.Rendezvous with Rama concerns a huge asteroid that makes its way into our galaxy some hundreds of years in the future. By this point man has colonized the Moon as well as Mars and even Mercury. The scientific world is shaken up when this would be asteroid turns out to be a perfectly smooth cylinder some 50 kilometers long traversing our solar system. A team is sent out to examine and explore this alien construction sent from the depths of the Universe. But what will it contain? Will we finally discover an alien civilization far ahead of our own? And what is the purpose of its passing?
Mostly I found Rendezvous with Rama very interesting and compelling. The book is very plot driven and character development is not stressed as much as the fascinating plot. The chapters are usually 2-5 pages and the book itself is just over 250 pages. It was a fun and exciting read, and a nice break from some of the more intellectual books I have been reading. I would not count it as science-fiction fluff, but it is fairly straight-forward and simple. It would be difficult to get much out of this anti-climatic thriller besides stunning visuals and fast paced wonder. It is however the first book in a series, so perhaps it should not be judged until conclusion. I probably would not recommend it to others unless they wanted a fairly light, adventurous science-fiction read. It would have made a good movie. 7.5/10
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Lolita
I just finished Lolita by Vladamir Nabokov. Overall I would say I enjoyed and relished the book. Nabokov is an exquisite writer of human emotion and cognition.Lolita is a manuscript written by Humbert Humbert concerning his love of nymphets, and more particularly his one burning desire, his Lolita. It is a story of cunning insanity and passionate love. Humbert is a detached, wholly rational and thoughtfully, complex character. The reader must empathize with him as he travels the roads of despair and melancholy where he is forbidden to possess the only thing he truly loves.
I love Lolita as a talking point for discussion on what love can mean. It is a true love story in the most possessive and selfish sense. I really enjoy talking about this book with others and some of the controversial and pushing topics it enlightens within us concerning age, maturity, love, personal responsibility, obsession, insanity, and ownership.
The plot itself dragged at times for me, and with any journal reached points more pressing to the author than the reader. I found myself hoping the tale would end well before the final resolution. I, however, would argue that the dramatic climax happened much before this. Though I did enjoy almost all of the writing, it simply may have been too rich for me at points. Recommended for those who want a contemplative read on love and the bizarre and insane forms it can take. 8/10.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Neuromancer
Neuromancer by William Gibson has been on the top of my reading pile for a while. I have been delving into quite a few "best of" lists, and Neuromancer is almost always near the top for science-fiction. Several prominent ones actually have it as #1. It is one of four books to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Campbell Awards for outstanding science-fiction. It has also won the Phillip K. Dick award. Besides that, it's been extremely influential in the cyber-punk genre, and has created tons of cultural influence on the future of science-fiction in print and movies.
Neuromancer follows Case, a burnt-out, computer hacker addict
living in a futuristic black market Japan. He's been crippled from interfacing with computers after stealing from his employers. Hackers in this future actually jack into the virtual 'matrix' of computer programs and realities to exploit walls of information there. Case is recruited by Artimage, an ex-militant, and Molly, a genetically-modified street samurai, for a complex heist involving viruses, conspiracy, drugs, cryogenic families, clones, and artificial intelligences.
If I had not seen movies such as the Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic (written by Gibson), and read books like Hyperion and their ilk, Neuromancer would have had a much more profound impact on me. But Neuromancer actually came before all of those! It was a book far ahead of its time, shown through its major influence on the genre. I think a ton of reason it gets so much praise is because of this; it is the Bible of science-fiction in a lot of regards. However, reading it now, it simply does not have that effect on me. There are a lot better books out there. Many of the characters are fairly flat. While the story is compelling, challenging, and fast paced, the final outcome was just fine. I finished it and wanted to keep reading; but I don't really know what I'd be looking for. There are a few loose ends I wanted cleared up, though I did not care too much. Gibson's book fell into that zone of writing where I enjoyed it, and it moved well, but I could have used a little more description and fullness, something that I probably would have loathed at a younger age. 7/10
Neuromancer follows Case, a burnt-out, computer hacker addict
living in a futuristic black market Japan. He's been crippled from interfacing with computers after stealing from his employers. Hackers in this future actually jack into the virtual 'matrix' of computer programs and realities to exploit walls of information there. Case is recruited by Artimage, an ex-militant, and Molly, a genetically-modified street samurai, for a complex heist involving viruses, conspiracy, drugs, cryogenic families, clones, and artificial intelligences.If I had not seen movies such as the Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic (written by Gibson), and read books like Hyperion and their ilk, Neuromancer would have had a much more profound impact on me. But Neuromancer actually came before all of those! It was a book far ahead of its time, shown through its major influence on the genre. I think a ton of reason it gets so much praise is because of this; it is the Bible of science-fiction in a lot of regards. However, reading it now, it simply does not have that effect on me. There are a lot better books out there. Many of the characters are fairly flat. While the story is compelling, challenging, and fast paced, the final outcome was just fine. I finished it and wanted to keep reading; but I don't really know what I'd be looking for. There are a few loose ends I wanted cleared up, though I did not care too much. Gibson's book fell into that zone of writing where I enjoyed it, and it moved well, but I could have used a little more description and fullness, something that I probably would have loathed at a younger age. 7/10
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Daniel's Top 5 Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book Recommendations
In this post I'll talk about some of the Fantasy and Science Fiction books I would recommend to people. These are not necessarily my favorite books (though many are), but books I would recommend to people looking for great works in the genre. I will describe why I like each book, who I would recommend it to, and why I might suggest it over some alternatives.
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
Epic fantasy at it's finest. Raymond E. Feist's Magician was recommended to me by my friend Coleman Shelton when I was looking for new fantasy books to read. Though I had been reading fantasy for a while, this stands out as the book that really got me hooked into epic fantasy for a lifetime.
It was the book that brought me from young adult reading for pleasure and wonder, to books of substance and meaning. Though Magician is not the greatest in those qualities, it showed me what a book could be involving well written cultural descriptions, dynamic characters, and a diverse and interwoven plot.
The story of Magician involves two boys, Pug and Tomas, who live mundane lives in an outlying duchy of a wondrous kingdom. Their potential is unleashed when both boys become separated and embark on transforming journeys of magic and fantasy that span the ages. It is a wonderful, compelling story of boyhood friendship and maturing into roles of power and responsibility. I highly recommend Magician to anyone looking to break into epic fantasy, or those simply looking for an escape into another world, distant but yet remarkably similar to our own.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
This has quickly become the most well known fantasy series ever, possibly even eclipsing J.R.R Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. As far as accessible fantasy books, J.K. Rowling's original masterpiece Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is hard to beat. Though many people would not include this book in their best of list, the pure joy and ease of reading these books is amazingly encompassing. Retirees to middle-school children love the story of the orphaned boy living in
an imprisoned life becoming the most magically gifted boy of his generation. And I certainly would not shun it because of its popular appeal.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, similar to Magician, is not my favorite book from the author. However, like Magician it is the first book of the series and thus must be recommended. This does little to deter the magnificence of either book. This book is a wonderfully written page turning mystery full of suspense and unending joy. Though it might not have the most profound effect, J.K. Rowling amazingly writes an intricate series involving memorable characters, learning experiences, and fast-pulsing plot. Several of her books in the series are very long, but it only adds to the depth and intrigue of the characters and ever-evolving story. I highly recommend this book to any young adult looking for a great reading experience, or anyone ever.
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
If I read Magician just as I was ready to move into reading fantasy for good, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein hit me just as I was really starting to think and form myself into who I am. And it made a pretty profound effect. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to challenge them self with new insights and wisdom.
Though I'm sure there are more powerful books out there, few have timed their effect on me as strongly as this.
Stranger in a Strange Land focuses on Michael Valentine Smith, 'the Man from Mars.' He's a human who was born and raised on Mars by Martians. Now he must adapt to human culture and society. The most basic concepts he does not grok and he must learn the principles of our society from the ground up. It's a very insightful and challenging look at our culture, norms, and perspectives that make up our everyday lives. Though it's not the most compelling plot at times, the characters and interactions really drive the book along. Some of my favorite chapters are composed of tens of pages of dialogue between characters over a moral or philosophical issue. This is also the book that I have read the most recently, so my feelings may be a little strong right now.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Easily my most recommended book of all time; it is hard for someone not to find something they cherish from Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. I originally heard about this book from Bill Hinchcliffe in my Senior English class. I'm really glad he mentioned it because this, along with its sequel Speaker for the Dead, are among my favorite books ever. I have had several friends and
co-workers read these books, and everyone loves them. Orson Scott Card is simply an amazing writer of human thought, emotion, and the things that drive and compel us to be how we are.
Ender's Game is the story of the youngest child in a family of extremely intelligent children. When questions of his violence and temper are questioned, he is sent off to the legendary Battle School to test his mettle and strategic mind against other prodigiously intelligent children in preparation for a intergalactic war with the 'Buggers.' He must navigate through ambiguous friends and enemies, while pondering moral dilemmas and motivations all while keeping his own council in discovering what the world, and the Universe hold for him. I can hardly give Ender's Game enough praise as a book that everyone should read. It's not just for science-fiction readers, but for everyone. Like many others mentioned, it is the first book in a series, so you might get hooked. But it can stand alone just fine.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Fantasy is a genre where, by definition, anything is possible. It is amazing that some of the best works of fantasy are those that teach us about the world that we live in everyday. And this story does just that. Guy Gavriel Kay does a masterful job in Tigana of weaving an intricate story about real characters that have real motivations and thoughts that we can empathize and pain through with them. There are no villains and heroes (something of an anomaly in fantasy);
there are only people living their lives and trying to do what is right for them. That is why this book resonates so much with me; it is an episode in the human condition with an amazing story as the backdrop for such trying interactions, insights, and emotions.
Tigana is the name of a conquered province, which has been so utterly defeated that even its name has been magically removed from all those not native to the land. It is the story of the next generation of people trying to reclaim their history and proud heritage from a war torn land. Guy Gavriel Kay tells the story from the diverse perspectives of all those entangled in this struggle. Though the plot is great, the characters and the turmoil between each other and themselves is utterly astounding. I have only recommended this book to one other person, and they had a very similar reaction. I only hesitate to recommend this book to others because I think it is so good. To have someone not like it would tarnish something in me. Obviously that is just me being insecure, but though I read Tigana some time ago, and I cannot remember all the details or names, it still has that unnameable quality of power over me. I cannot name it as my favorite book, but for whatever reason, it does have a hold on me.
Honorable Mention:
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
Epic fantasy at it's finest. Raymond E. Feist's Magician was recommended to me by my friend Coleman Shelton when I was looking for new fantasy books to read. Though I had been reading fantasy for a while, this stands out as the book that really got me hooked into epic fantasy for a lifetime.
It was the book that brought me from young adult reading for pleasure and wonder, to books of substance and meaning. Though Magician is not the greatest in those qualities, it showed me what a book could be involving well written cultural descriptions, dynamic characters, and a diverse and interwoven plot.The story of Magician involves two boys, Pug and Tomas, who live mundane lives in an outlying duchy of a wondrous kingdom. Their potential is unleashed when both boys become separated and embark on transforming journeys of magic and fantasy that span the ages. It is a wonderful, compelling story of boyhood friendship and maturing into roles of power and responsibility. I highly recommend Magician to anyone looking to break into epic fantasy, or those simply looking for an escape into another world, distant but yet remarkably similar to our own.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
This has quickly become the most well known fantasy series ever, possibly even eclipsing J.R.R Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. As far as accessible fantasy books, J.K. Rowling's original masterpiece Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is hard to beat. Though many people would not include this book in their best of list, the pure joy and ease of reading these books is amazingly encompassing. Retirees to middle-school children love the story of the orphaned boy living in
an imprisoned life becoming the most magically gifted boy of his generation. And I certainly would not shun it because of its popular appeal.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, similar to Magician, is not my favorite book from the author. However, like Magician it is the first book of the series and thus must be recommended. This does little to deter the magnificence of either book. This book is a wonderfully written page turning mystery full of suspense and unending joy. Though it might not have the most profound effect, J.K. Rowling amazingly writes an intricate series involving memorable characters, learning experiences, and fast-pulsing plot. Several of her books in the series are very long, but it only adds to the depth and intrigue of the characters and ever-evolving story. I highly recommend this book to any young adult looking for a great reading experience, or anyone ever.
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
If I read Magician just as I was ready to move into reading fantasy for good, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein hit me just as I was really starting to think and form myself into who I am. And it made a pretty profound effect. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to challenge them self with new insights and wisdom.
Though I'm sure there are more powerful books out there, few have timed their effect on me as strongly as this.Stranger in a Strange Land focuses on Michael Valentine Smith, 'the Man from Mars.' He's a human who was born and raised on Mars by Martians. Now he must adapt to human culture and society. The most basic concepts he does not grok and he must learn the principles of our society from the ground up. It's a very insightful and challenging look at our culture, norms, and perspectives that make up our everyday lives. Though it's not the most compelling plot at times, the characters and interactions really drive the book along. Some of my favorite chapters are composed of tens of pages of dialogue between characters over a moral or philosophical issue. This is also the book that I have read the most recently, so my feelings may be a little strong right now.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Easily my most recommended book of all time; it is hard for someone not to find something they cherish from Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. I originally heard about this book from Bill Hinchcliffe in my Senior English class. I'm really glad he mentioned it because this, along with its sequel Speaker for the Dead, are among my favorite books ever. I have had several friends and
co-workers read these books, and everyone loves them. Orson Scott Card is simply an amazing writer of human thought, emotion, and the things that drive and compel us to be how we are.Ender's Game is the story of the youngest child in a family of extremely intelligent children. When questions of his violence and temper are questioned, he is sent off to the legendary Battle School to test his mettle and strategic mind against other prodigiously intelligent children in preparation for a intergalactic war with the 'Buggers.' He must navigate through ambiguous friends and enemies, while pondering moral dilemmas and motivations all while keeping his own council in discovering what the world, and the Universe hold for him. I can hardly give Ender's Game enough praise as a book that everyone should read. It's not just for science-fiction readers, but for everyone. Like many others mentioned, it is the first book in a series, so you might get hooked. But it can stand alone just fine.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Fantasy is a genre where, by definition, anything is possible. It is amazing that some of the best works of fantasy are those that teach us about the world that we live in everyday. And this story does just that. Guy Gavriel Kay does a masterful job in Tigana of weaving an intricate story about real characters that have real motivations and thoughts that we can empathize and pain through with them. There are no villains and heroes (something of an anomaly in fantasy);
there are only people living their lives and trying to do what is right for them. That is why this book resonates so much with me; it is an episode in the human condition with an amazing story as the backdrop for such trying interactions, insights, and emotions.Tigana is the name of a conquered province, which has been so utterly defeated that even its name has been magically removed from all those not native to the land. It is the story of the next generation of people trying to reclaim their history and proud heritage from a war torn land. Guy Gavriel Kay tells the story from the diverse perspectives of all those entangled in this struggle. Though the plot is great, the characters and the turmoil between each other and themselves is utterly astounding. I have only recommended this book to one other person, and they had a very similar reaction. I only hesitate to recommend this book to others because I think it is so good. To have someone not like it would tarnish something in me. Obviously that is just me being insecure, but though I read Tigana some time ago, and I cannot remember all the details or names, it still has that unnameable quality of power over me. I cannot name it as my favorite book, but for whatever reason, it does have a hold on me.
Honorable Mention:
Hyperion by Dan Simmons