[Katkev.]

HI,
I was just wondering what are some good books to recommend to me?? And I prefer fantasy and historical fiction books.


Thanks

This post has been edited by Katkev.: 13 February 2009 - 01:32 AM

[Ebonykrow]

I read mostly animal-based books, but here's a list anyway. They're very good, even if you don't like reading from an animals POV, the stories are incredibly interesting and just... really... interesting.

(No particular order, just listing them as they come to me.)

- The Last Unicorn, Peter Beagle

Quote

The unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world, and sets off to find the others. She meets Schmendrick the Magician--whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended--when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions. They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men. Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land.

- Watership Down, Richard Adams

Quote

The story follows a warren of Berkshire rabbits fleeing the destruction of their home by a land developer. As they search for a safe haven, skirting danger at every turn, we become acquainted with the band and its compelling culture and mythos. Adams has crafted a touching, involving world in the dirt and scrub of the English countryside, complete with its own folk history and language (the book comes with a "lapine" glossary, a guide to rabbitese). As much about freedom, ethics, and human nature as it is about a bunch of bunnies looking for a warm hidey-hole and some mates, Watership Down will continue to make the transition from classroom desk to bedside table for many generations to come.

- The Plague Dogs, Richard Adams

Quote

A lyrical, engrossing tale, by the author of WATERSHIP DOWN, Richard Adams creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, Snitter and Rowf, fugitives from the horrors of an animal research center who escape into the isolation--and terror--of the wilderness.

- Traveller, Richard Adams

Quote

The Civil War has been viewed from almost every possible perspective, but Adams breaks new ground: a first-person narrative, in dialect, by Robert E. Lee's horse. Traveller's equine memoirs are told to a cat in the stable of the retired general. There is a twist to this central event in American history: Traveller is unaware that Lee lost. Although Adams's five previous novels were well received, the mythic clarity and enchantment of Watership Down or Shardik are missing here. Still, interest in the previous novels should create demand.

Tailchaser's Song, Tad Williams

Quote

Fritti Tailchaser a young ginger tom not yet a full grown hunter, is the main catamong a host of appropriately named feline peersin this extravagantly detailed fantasy. When his best friend, Hushpad, vanishes, Fritti embarks on a quest to find her, and so enters the list of jousters against the evils of the world. His many trials and adventures bring him into contact with a veritable galaxy of cats, who speak a language for which a glossary is provided. This feline epic culminates in a decisive battle with an evil cat god. Creating as fully realized a habitat as that of Watership Down and other imaginative animal communities, California radio personality Williams's first novel should engage the fancy of cat lovers.

- Even if you aren't a cat person, read this. It's epic fantasy, and at times very grotesque (Tailchaser meets zombies, dog-cats, and a giant monster of a cat cat who eats other cats, whole, and alive), with an ending that is so incredibly unforeseen it's just, WHOA. I love it, absolutely love it. And of course, the fantasy elements are sometimes taken to an extreme (there's a gray cat with green stripes, a miniature "lion" cat, among other oddities that you're not going to encounter in a reality based story). It's perfect, absolutely perfect.

The Wild Road + The Golden Cat

When a runaway kitten named Tag meets a mysterious black cat named Majicou in his dreams, he learns he is destined for bigger things. Called by Majicou, Tag enters the Wild Road, a magical highway known only to the animals, and learns that he is needed to find the King and Queen of cats and bring them safely to Tintagel. When Tag accepts the quest, he has no idea of the long and dangerous road he's begun. Prophecy says this Queen of cats, latest in a long line of feline royalty bred by a dastardly human scientist called the Alchemist, will give birth to the Golden Cat, the key to riches and power. As if the threat of capture by the Alchemist weren't enough, Tag has his paws full just finding the Queen and protecting her from the dangers of the outside world. Fortunately, he has the help of allies like the Maine Coon cat Seaklink and scarred old veteran Mousebreath, as well as a fox named Loves A Dustbin and a crafty magpie called One For Sorrow. King's parade of animal characters is presented with a keen eye for the details of animal behavior. The cast may prove a bit too precious for general fantasy readers, but cat lovers and fans of anthropomorphic fantasies such as Tailchaser's Song are guaranteed to enjoy this London-based author's enchanting debut.

Plus, you got your Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.

Ummm... that's all I can think of right now.

This post has been edited by Ebonykrow: 13 February 2009 - 02:35 AM

[Repoman]

For historical fiction, I can't think of a better author than James Michener. I've read over a dozen of his novels and I am never disappointed. I don't know if you've read Michener before, but he has a style that was original to me when I first read him. What he does is write a mixed historical/fictional account of the history of a geographical area. Like Alaska, The Caribbean, Poland, Texas, etc.

The people are fictional (except for actual historical people mentioned), but the events are historical (usually). The novels typically begin at the beginning of the recorded history for the geological area he is writing about. He creates characters whose descendants appear all through the novel as history unfolds. The novels end at modern day.

It is fascinating to watch the lineages of his fictional characters experience historic events. His books usually include family tree diagrams and maps.

His novels are very educational but are also fantastic reads.

He has also written books that aren't quite as epic in scope but are just as interesting nonetheless. "Space" is one of his novels and covers man's journey from the Penemunde rocket sites of Nazi Germany to the Apollo missions.


Another great book that was written very much in the style of Michener is London by Edward Rutherfurd. It tells the entire history of London - beginning with the earliest human settlers on the River Thames. Again using fictional familial lineages to tie the various time periods together.

This post has been edited by Repoman: 13 February 2009 - 02:49 AM

[MissMelsWell]

I like historical fiction too... Big Mitchner of fan here (I've read Edward Rutherfurd too, I think I read The Forest? and the one I really liked was Salisbury).

But, I think some of the best Historical fiction out there is Sharon K. Pennman. She's wrote "The Sunne in Splendour" which is a chronical of the War of the Roses, as well as a trillogy about the last Kings of Wales. The trillogy was amazing. (Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow and the Reckoning). Another good one by her was "When Christ and His Saints Slept" that one chronicals Henry the I and Elenore of Aquitaine.

Repoman, if you liked Rutherfurd, you'd like Pennman too. Penman is extremely well educated, and I believe has an Oxford degree in medival history. She takes creative license with real historical people and their relationships, but rarely messes around with the actual history. And in the rare cases when she does diddle the history around, it's annotated. She's really good.

Another great historical fiction author I read (and have re-read) is Mary Renault. She wrote a series on Alexander the Great that is stunning (Fire From Heaven and The Persian Boy). But my favorite by her is "The King Must Die" which is a Greek oddessy type of novel that's part vague history and part mythology. It's basically the story of Theseus and the Minotaur with a more historical spin but with liberal doses of mythology. I've read that book so many times it's fallen apart. THere's a follow up to that one called The Bull from the Sea.

And you can't ever ignore I, Claudius by Robert Graves. He's as much a master of historical fiction as Mitchner is.

Additionally, if you can take a rollicking adventure/mystery novel, Lindsey Davis writes a series of ancient Roman mysteries that feature an "informer" named Marcus Didius Falco, who's basically a spy for Caesar Vespasian. Totally fun and enjoyable series.

This post has been edited by MissMelsWell: 13 February 2009 - 08:01 PM

[S♥ ♥ ♥]

There probably isn't a better historical writer IMO than Doris Goodwin Kearns.......her book 'Team of Rivals' about Abraham Lincoln is pure genius....

If you ever get a chance to read her or listen to her she is astounding...

[karl 12]

'The book of Lost things' by John Connely and 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes are wonderful books and if you're into historical fiction try 'A very English spy' by Julian Rathbone -its great (also anything by Thomas Pynchon).

This post has been edited by karl 12: 13 February 2009 - 06:42 PM

[MissMelsWell]

Tangerine Sheri on Feb 13 2009, 10:09 AM, said:

There probably isn't a better historical writer IMO than Doris Goodwin Kearns.......her book 'Team of Rivals' about Abraham Lincoln is pure genius....

If you ever get a chance to read her or listen to her she is astounding...

That's more of a history and politics book; not fiction. I've read it though, and it is good. Although, I have to admit that to a certain extent American History bores the crap out of me. haha. So, given that, and given that Team of Rivals did hold my attention, I'd give it a thumbs up. It's just not historical fiction as the OP requested.

[Katkev.]

Thanks you guys!!!!!

[Repoman]

MissMelsWell on Feb 13 2009, 12:30 PM, said:

Repoman, if you liked Rutherfurd, you'd like Pennman too. Penman is extremely well educated, and I believe has an Oxford degree in medival history. She takes creative license with real historical people and their relationships, but rarely messes around with the actual history. And in the rare cases when she does diddle the history around, it's annotated. She's really good.

That sounds right up my alley - thanks!

[Sweetpumper]

Nevermind.

This post has been edited by Sweetpumper: 19 February 2009 - 08:26 PM

[Finsup22]

try this

[GreyWeather]

First Law Triligy; Joe Abercrombie (Blade Itself, Before They're Hanged, Last Argument Of Kings.)

Quote

Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught up in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian, leaving nothing behind but some bad songs, a few dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.

Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends as cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.

Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a jar. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendships. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government... if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.

Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is fantasy with a real cutting edge.

---

Pretty much anything by Neil Gaiman.

Neverwhere;

Quote

Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but demanding fiancee. Then one night he stumbles across a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her--and the life he knows vanishes like smoke. Several hours later, the girl is gone too. And by the following morning Richard Mayhew has been erased from his world. His bank cards no longer work, taxi drivers won't stop for him, his hundred rents his apartment out to strangers. He has become invisible, and inexplicably consigned to a London of shadows and darkness a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations.

You've a world of David Gemmell; Wolf In Shadow is a good book.

Garth Nix - his Abhorsen triligy.

Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson

A World To Near - a kind of fantasy/sci-fi - by Kay Kenyon.

[fenris1011]

If you look fantasy I would suggest Lord of the Rings for obvious reasons.

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is awesome.

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is alright. I think he is obsessed with rape, though.

[Katkev.]

Thanks you guys!!!

[applegrove]

I loved Pillers of The Earth

and

World Without End By Ken Follet.

I am not sure if they are historical fiction exactly but I felt like I learned something.