Book Recommendations Thread

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

So, a couple weeks ago I tried to read American Gods. The premise was fascinating but after two hundred pages of nothing of consequence really happening, I decided to give up and went to read Pratchett instead. Should I try it again at some point in the nearish future?

[Davidizer13]

So, a couple weeks ago I tried to read American Gods. The premise but after two hundred pages of nothing of consequence really happening, I decided to give up and went to read Pratchett instead. Should I try it again at some point in the nearish future?

I wasn't horribly impressed by American Gods - there were some really great ideas in the world, and I loved the characters, but it never really came together into a cohesive whole. Since my only other exposure to Gaiman before that had been Good Omens, I was expecting a whole lot more.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

While I'm in here, can anyone recommend me some fantasy series that are >3 books (or at least there is supposed to be that many eventually) that are still ongoing? Trilogies are acceptable, I suppose, but I'd rather they were longer. Something like what Sanderson is doing with Mistborn, or just something like A Song of Ice and Fire in terms of length. Thanks!

[LastLfan]

While it may be beneath you hatnclogs, the warriors series is excellent. The only reason i say it might be beneath you is i read them in fifth grade. There are 24+ books each one a pretty decent length. The premise is strange(clans of cats) but executed quite well. I've read the first 18 and some of the specials. Not sure if its still going but 24 books should keep you busy. The septimus heap books are good. I though they ended with six but just saw a book seven so not sure if its over.

[Sammy Boy]

I've just finished "The Wonder of the Universe: Hints of God in Our Fine-Tuned World" by Karl W. Giberson.

Really interesting and eye opening book in some aspects. Doesn't have a comprehensive list of "fine-tuned settings" that the universe has, but very readable, and provides good background information on some parts of the history of science.

[Lynna]

While it may be beneath you hatnclogs, the warriors series is excellent. The only reason i say it might be beneath you is i read them in fifth grade. There are 24+ books each one a pretty decent length. The premise is strange(clans of cats) but executed quite well. I've read the first 18 and some of the specials. Not sure if its still going but 24 books should keep you busy. The septimus heap books are good. I though they ended with six but just saw a book seven so not sure if its over.

Just saying, I found personally that while the first series was decent, I lost interest in the second series because I found that after that silver cat died I didn't care about the characters very much anymore, especially since the old ones weren't the focus, and the whole thing was becoming an overdramatic soap opera (with cats!)

[ClaecElric4God]

While it may be beneath you hatnclogs, the warriors series is excellent. The only reason i say it might be beneath you is i read them in fifth grade. There are 24+ books each one a pretty decent length. The premise is strange(clans of cats) but executed quite well. I've read the first 18 and some of the specials. Not sure if its still going but 24 books should keep you busy. The septimus heap books are good. I though they ended with six but just saw a book seven so not sure if its over.

Just saying, I found personally that while the first series was decent, I lost interest in the second series because I found that after that silver cat died I didn't care about the characters very much anymore, especially since the old ones weren't the focus, and the whole thing was becoming an overdramatic soap opera (with cats!)

^This. I thoroughly enjoyed the first series, but the second one got progressively more strained with each book (albeit with an intriguing plot), and the third series was even worse. Although some of the newer characters are fun SPOILER: Highlight text to read: *cough*Jayfeather*cough*, overall, it just got sad. Have to agree whole-heartedly with the soap opera part. When it goes from "adventure and danger and awesomeness" to "Is so-and-so going to fall in love with so-and-so; and what will so-and-so think?", you know the author's getting desperate. I mean, Romeo and Juliet only works so many times in the same exact storyline, in the same exact way. She (they) had a great idea from the start, but should have quit after series one, I think. The first characters were more dynamic and fun and enjoyable, and it was just sad, boring, and depressing having to move on to the later ones and the ridiculous drama.
That said, I'd still highly recommend the first Warriors series to anyone and everyone. It was awesome, in my humble opinion. Loved the plot, loved the characters. Just not so much after that.

[emmatheveritas]

""Just saying, I found personally that while the first series was decent, I lost interest in the second series because I found that after that silver cat died I didn't care about the characters very much anymore, especially since the old ones weren't the focus, and the whole thing was becoming an overdramatic soap opera (with cats!)[/quote]
^This. I thoroughly enjoyed the first series, but the second one got progressively more strained with each book (albeit with an intriguing plot), and the third series was even worse. Although some of the newer characters are fun SPOILER: Highlight text to read: *cough*Jayfeather*cough*, overall, it just got sad. Have to agree whole-heartedly with the soap opera part. When it goes from "adventure and danger and awesomeness" to "Is so-and-so going to fall in love with so-and-so; and what will so-and-so think?", you know the author's getting desperate. I mean, Romeo and Juliet only works so many times in the same exact storyline, in the same exact way. She (they) had a great idea from the start, but should have quit after series one, I think. The first characters were more dynamic and fun and enjoyable, and it was just sad, boring, and depressing having to move on to the later ones and the ridiculous drama.
That said, I'd still highly recommend the first Warriors series to anyone and everyone. It was awesome, in my humble opinion. Loved the plot, loved the characters. Just not so much after that.""

Claec, I really see what you mean. I've read every Warriors book released and they got a bit sappy. And Jayfeather was such a baby, and he never quit being like that. Got that you're blind and cats don't respect you so much, and I don't want to be rude or offensive, but that cat needed to GET A LIFE! And in Omen of the Stars things get VERY dark. Mind you, I enjoy dark villians, since my manga has a lot more of those than I've mentioned. But that got too intense.

I have really great books that are easy for high schoolers or anyone who wants great fantasy!
Dragons in Our Midst by Bryan Davis
Holy pickles, I can't say enough about the touching writing and deep Christian values all wrapped into an amazing fantasy series. These are amazing for literally any age, and the second series, Oracles of Fire, is almost doubly more amazing! I highly recommend them!

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
Now that's great adventure fantasy! The book and it's following, Sunwing and Firewing, are great and centered around a runt bat named Shade who must find his family after being deprecated in a violent storm in a migration! The characters are deep and the villain is so stinking scary! I read this when I was younger, but I still remember it really well and I loved it.

The Ingo series by Helen Dunmore
This series is great for grade schoolers through high school who love enticing merpeople fantasy. The first book, Ingo, is of a girl in Cornwall name Sapphy who's father disappears one night, claiming he heard a voice from the sea, and never came home. Soon, the waters of the world beneath the surface, called Ingo, is calling Sapphy and her older brother, Conor. The series is written as though real and has an all-new mysterious and believable take on all we thought we knew about merpeople from childhood. These are my second favorite series ever read and I wish they had more popularity!
Hope you all liked the recommendations and get to reading!
Veritas out!

[LastLfan]

I would say outside of the first series the slyclan specials are worth a read.

Dragons in our midst is also pretty good, his new series starlighter as well. I've read 1-4 of spetimus heap and those were really good. The gregor chronicles are good, written by Suzzane Colins, definetely aimed a little younger but still solid work. Pendragon is one of my all time favorites. Finally the gone series by Micheal Grant...holy cow are these books dark, not a lot of good Christian values but feels like how teenagers would actually react. If you can put up with the sexual content in the later books these are really worth the read(and anyone who has read the series i would love to discuss it with you, so many good plots)