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Book Recommendations & Reviews

Herodite

Herodite

Forum mod extraordinaire
Elvenar Team
My Fiends!

I'm a Reader! Have been since I was young! From memory I think the first books I read alone (and thoroughly enjoyed) was The Worst Witch series, went onto Enid Blyton, dabbled with Point Horrors, and had a love affair with the Shannara Series!

I'm a huge Fantasy Buff but i'm not fussy when i'm at a loss to read, but would love to hear your recommendations! Lets give each other some inspiration and (without spoilers of course) throw up a personal review and a star rating out of 5!

I look forward to hearing your recommendations!!

Herodite :)
 
Silmaril

Silmaril

Community Manager
Elvenar Team
I would highly recommend Tolkien, ideally read the Hobbit, followed by the Lord of the Rings, then Silmarillion....for starters :D This will spoil the films for you if you have never read them as they are vastly superior in detail and stories.
 
Silmaril

Silmaril

Community Manager
Elvenar Team
If you are already Tolkiened out I would head towards Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time series, begin with the New Spring which is the prequel to the rest and then head into the whole 14 books. Be though aware that the author passed away before he could complete the series with Brandon Sanderson finishing off book 13 and writing book 14 from the notes left.
This is imo equally as broad a tale than the world Tolkien constructed, with the same richness of layering of characters and lore.
It took me almost a year to read all 15 books, and it was a year well spent :)
 
Silmaril

Silmaril

Community Manager
Elvenar Team
My third and final thoughts are Melissa Marr, best known for her Wicked Lovely series:
  • Wicked Lovely (2007)
  • Ink Exchange (2008)
  • Fragile Eternity (2009)
  • Radiant Shadows (2010)
  • Stopping Time (2010)
  • Darkest Mercy (2011)
  • Old Habits (2011)
If you are into Faerie, this is a must!
 
OldHag

OldHag

Necromancer
I would highly recommend 'The Thursday Murder Club' series by Richard Osman.
There are 4 books in the series
1. The Thursday Murder Club
2. The Man Who Died Twice.
3. The Bullet That Missed
4. The Last Devil to Die.

These reminded me of Enid Blytons' 'Famous Five' but for older people. I'll say no more. :)

5 Stars for each of the above. :)
-------
And if you sometimes like to 'Laugh out Loud' when you least expect it, then it has to be Jerome K. Jeromes 'Three men in a boat'. A brilliantly funny read.

Easy 5 stars, my sides are still splitting, years later. :)
 
SkyRider99

SkyRider99

Immortal
Authors:

Arthur C. Clarke, John Wyndham, C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley, Isaac Asimov, George Orwell, Anne McCaffery, Oliver Bowden, George R.R. Martin, Homer, Thucydides, Kate Forsyth, Douglas Adams, Ben Elton, Patrick Tilley, Frank Herbert, Stephen R. Donaldson, (and Tolkien).


Books, Trilogies, and Series:
  • Rendezvous with Rama; Arthur C. Clarke
  • Day of the Triffids; John Wyndham
  • Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength; C.S. Lewis
  • Foundation trilogy; Isaac Asimov
  • Dragon Riders of Pern, series; Anne McCaffery
  • Assassins Creed, series; Oliver Bowden
  • Game of Thrones, et al.; George R.R. Martin
  • 1984; George Orwell
  • Brave New World; Aldous Huxley
  • The Odyssey; Homer
  • The Peloponnesian Wars; Thucydides

  • The Witches of Eileanan series; Kate Forsyth​

    • Dragonclaw (1997) - released as The Witches of Eileanan in the US.
    • The Pool of Two Moons (1998)
    • The Cursed Towers (1999)
  • Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, series; Douglas Adams
  • Stark (1989); Ben Elton
  • Dead Famous (2001); Ben Elton
  • Amtrak Wars; Patrick Tilley
  • Dune, series; Frank Herbert
  • The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant; Stephen R. Donaldson
  • LOTR, et al.; JRR Tolkien (incl. Silmarillion, edited and published posthumously by Christopher Tolkien)

Samples and highlights only listed. :)
 
Mahariel

Mahariel

Seeker
I second the recommendations already made, and add my own:
- The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (series, urban fantasy, 17 books so far, most of them 5/5 reads)
- The Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett ( 41 main novel, divided in sub-series - The City Watch novels are a personal favorite)
- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett (stand alone, hilarious, and 5/5)
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman (5/5)
- Metro series by Dmitry Glukhovsky ( post-apocalyptic, 3.5/5 average)
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (fantasy, maybe YA, 3/5 - very interesting premise, kind of disappointing execution, but worth a try)
 
Feridya

Feridya

Senior Game Moderator
Elvenar Team
Yay, book recommends!!!!
I agree wholeheartedly with everything listed above!!!
I won't make repeat recommends (although it's hard not to mention some of those classics, *coughs* LotR, GoT, etc.)
Here are several from my own obsessive library. Most are long series so buckle up and enjoy!!! :D :D :D

In no order:
  1. Sarah J Mass: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, Crescent City
  2. Michael G. Manning: Mageborn, Art of the Adept, The Riven Gates
  3. Nora Roberts: Chronicles of The One, The Dragon Heart Legacy
  4. Genevieve Gornichec: The Witch's Heart (for Loki fans!!! ;))
  5. Diana Gabaldon: Outlander
  6. Leigh Bardugo: Six of Crows, The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
  7. Michael J. Sullivan: The Riyria Chronicles
  8. Naomi Novik: Uprooted, Spinning Silver
  9. Juliet Marillier: Seven Waters, Wildwood, Blackthorn and Grim, Shadowfell
  10. C. Greenwood: Legends of Dimmingwood
  11. Casey Odell: Cursed Magic
  12. Terry Goodkind: Sword of Truth
  13. Ransom Riggs: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children
  14. Jane Austen everything
  15. Margaret Weis: The Death Gate Chronicles
 
Herodite

Herodite

Forum mod extraordinaire
Elvenar Team
With regards to GoT.... I haven't read it but I have my reasons!! I was introduced to it via the Television Show so my viewpoint was massively skewed as to the characters. I tried about 4yrs ago to begin the books but found myself struggling with the ages in the books in comparison to the actors in the show!

I'm HOPING that my brain has forgot a lot of the Television Show to allow me to get back into the books! I'll have to let you all know :D
 
Hekata

Hekata

Artisan
Lots of interesting recommendations here (@SkyRider99 's list is particularly up my alley with all those classical SF book :) ) .
I'll just add one entry for now.

The Warlord Chronicals (or Wralord Triology) by Bernard Cromwell.
It's a series of 3 books about King Arthur:
The Winter King (1995)
Enemy of God (1996)
Excalibur (1997)

It's not the usual tale/legend full of magic and mythological creatures, but rather a story more grounded into reality. Let's say a plausible story of Arthur, told from the perspective of one of his closest friends. The magic is not completely absent but it's also closer to reality – druidic religion and practices and it says vague keeps the reader always guessing is it actual magic or just coincidence / predictable cause and effects….

It's very well written, gripping (I read it twice and both times I couldn't put the books down), moving and I think it's also base on a lot of actual historical facts. Some characters are different than what you'd expect them to be based on the legends (Lancelot for instance) but it all adds to the story feeling more real.

IMHO in the books are also great because it's not just the story of Arthur. It's also about how power works, how difficult it's sometimes to do "good" even with the best intentions in mind, about religious intolerance and human nature in general.

I really recommend the trilogy wholeheartedly :)

Edit: @Herodite Could my make it so that the post from the Lounge appear in the waht's new section? I know that they did that on Beta. People often neglect the lounge simply because the messages don't appear in the what's new part and with the forum's activity being lower than what it used to be it would be good to boost some activity that way.
Also there is no possibility to give likes in the lounge.... I'd like to like people's suggestions here :)
 
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Hekata

Hekata

Artisan
SkyRider99 said:
You're scaring me @Hekata. :oops::p
Click to expand...
Lol, why?
In the book there is a constant and ever growing conflict between the druids and old religion(s) on one side and the then new christian religion on the other. And it's my belief that every good book is, at its core, about human nature; that's what makes them truly good..
I guess it might be an unfortunate choice to place religious intolerance and human nature side by side in the same sentence but I was trying to shorten my "review" as much as possible as other wise I might have made it a few posts long. I love reviewing book :)
 
MinervaOz

MinervaOz

Enchanter
For another 'realist' take on the Arthurian legend, try Mary Stewart's trilogy, narrated by Merlin: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and The Last Enchantment. And the sequel, about Mordred: The Wicked Day.

Deborah Harkness: A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life

So-called teen fiction (but easily enjoyed by older adults and much better than the Twilight series):
Veronica Roth - the Divergent Series
Suzanne Collins - the Hunger Games trilogy
Marissa Meyer - the Lunar Chronicles
 
Solanix

Solanix

Forum Moderator
Elvenar Team
My all-time favorite is a funny, heartwarming book from Deric Longden: The Cat Who Came In from the Cold. I bought this book more than 20 times and gave it as a present to my friends. They all loved it.
 
Herodite

Herodite

Forum mod extraordinaire
Elvenar Team
Hekata said:
Lots of interesting recommendations here (@SkyRider99 's list is particularly up my alley with all those classical SF book :) ) .
I'll just add one entry for now.

The Warlord Chronicals (or Wralord Triology) by Bernard Cromwell.
It's a series of 3 books about King Arthur:
The Winter King (1995)
Enemy of God (1996)
Excalibur (1997)

It's not the usual tale/legend full of magic and mythological creatures, but rather a story more grounded into reality. Let's say a plausible story of Arthur, told from the perspective of one of his closest friends. The magic is not completely absent but it's also closer to reality – druidic religion and practices and it says vague keeps the reader always guessing is it actual magic or just coincidence / predictable cause and effects….

It's very well written, gripping (I read it twice and both times I couldn't put the books down), moving and I think it's also base on a lot of actual historical facts. Some characters are different than what you'd expect them to be based on the legends (Lancelot for instance) but it all adds to the story feeling more real.

IMHO in the books are also great because it's not just the story of Arthur. It's also about how power works, how difficult it's sometimes to do "good" even with the best intentions in mind, about religious intolerance and human nature in general.

I really recommend the trilogy wholeheartedly :)

Edit: @Herodite Could my make it so that the post from the Lounge appear in the waht's new section? I know that they did that on Beta. People often neglect the lounge simply because the messages don't appear in the what's new part and with the forum's activity being lower than what it used to be it would be good to boost some activity that way.
Also there is no possibility to give likes in the lounge.... I'd like to like people's suggestions here :)
Click to expand...

I've just realised, this is the Author who penned The Last Kingdom is it not? I'm currently binge watching it at the moment. Will circle back to your recommendation once I'm done me thinks!
 
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