I would recommend Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I'm reading it now and it's really good. I also like Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. If you're looking for any funny sci-fi then The Hitchiker's Guide is a very good read if a little short. ( I finished it in a day)

 

Any Terry Pratchett book will do. I especially like Night Watch - its awesome, with just a hint of magic. Want proper magic, go for the Discworld Wizard books (Rincewind kicks ass!).
I'm reading a good Sci-Fi book called Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion (Its all in one book - don't be put off by the size of it though). Bloody awesome they are. No magic but its all technological and very suspensful. I'd recommend it if you have a few days (and I mean days) free.

 

I'd recommend Robin Hobb's books(especially The Farseer and The Tawny Man trilogies) and George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire books.

 

A really good book, I have just finished reading is The Fixer by Bernard Malamud. Its a really old book, but its really good. Set in early 1900's Russia, the main character is Jew, falsly accused of a crime, who has to fight racism and racist laws to even get a trial and not spend his entire life in solitary.

Im actually doing my english specialist study on it, which is basically just writing a critical essay with little input from the teacher. I have to create the question for the essay and everything.

 

I'd recommend anything non-prequel starwars and the rithwar saga. The Riftwar Saga is any of the books set in the same world as Raymond E. Feist's Magician Apprentice, Magician Master. Feist and Timothy Zahn are my favorite authors. Starwars is obviously Sci-fi but the magician series takes place in a fantasy middle earth type land.

 

The Time Travelers wife
The Collector by John Fowles
Anything from Douglas Adams
Jennifer Government

all of the about are good and most are amusing.

 

Feist is probably my favorite author - his latest series of books just got better and better - the ending just made me crazy with anticipation.

I'm reading an interesting book now called The Cuckoo's Egg - a fascinating tale of an astronomer turned hacker spy in the late 80's. I'd definitely recommend that one.

Of course, there's always Way of the Peaceful Warrior, a book that can truly change the way you look at your life. There's a movie coming out based on it that I'm sure will not do justice to it.

-J

 

Mmm. I hated the Riftwar Saga, the way it was written just didn't have that typical 'Feist' feel to it, tell the truth, I hated any books which Feist teamed up to do it with another author. My favorite book for all of Feist's would still be 'Magician' though.

By the way; what's the newest book of his called? I'm a lil behind because I've forgotten about him till now.

 

One good sci-fi book series is Bio of a Space Tyrant by Piers Anthony, if you can find it that is, this series is one of his earlier works.
Another recommended author would be Stephen Baxter. His books are long, and have a good, though frequently slightly depressing tone. I would advise you, however, if you do not like science or complex theoretical mathematics, this author is not for you. While it does not go into long, drawn out explainations, it is still quite complex.

 

I've just read I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan.

A very amusing story about a deal the devil makes, to live as human for a month, doing all the things he'd normally do as the devil.

Really amusing look at over indulgence.

Litha

 

I've just finished a cracking book, called The Fall of Lucifer, by Wendy Alec. It's the first of the Chronicles of the Brothers, and it's very, very good. It makes religion and science tie in together well, the characterisations are well done. Big, big thumbs up.

 

The Xanth series of books by Piers Anthony was good i thought. Theres currently 28 or 29 of them so far...

Other then that, my favourties were Anne Rice's Vamp Chronicles and Fiests stuff.

 

Another book I thought you'd enjoy.

Sorceress by Bridget Wood.
A beautifully intricate world and an interesting look at Dark magic. Be aware this a a very disturbing story, and alot of the creatures included are taken from Irish mythology. Probably suited for a more adult audience but well worth reading.

Enjoy,

Litha

 

Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko. It's the book that the film was based on, but better.

 

If you are into Philosophy and are willing to stick it out for a quite long book, I would also recommend Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder.

Gaarder has alot of shorter books as well (Through a Glass, Darkly; The Solitaire Mystery) but my favorite by far is Sophie's World.

 

Red Thunder by John Varley.

A pretty good book about these four 19 year kids, an alcoholic ex-astronaut and a savant that go to Mars. It's a pretty good read, but he finished the book off poorly, IMO.

 

Anything by Robin Hobb and Robert Graves.

 

I dunno much about books that fit all the criteria but I'll give it a go and then some.

Eragon and Eldest are pretty good. Then there's also Green Rider by Kristen Britain and the sequel's named First Rider's Call. I liked the first one better but that's just me. I also enjoy the Protector of the Small series as well as the series in the Emelan universe (The Circle Opens...) by Tamora Pierce. In addition to that, I also enjoyed the Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan, which is basically horror. Other books are anything by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. The last two are basically full of vampires and such.

Sirhin

 

The Darren Shan saga is amazing, but its downplay is that its aimed at a slightly younger audience, but it has a solid world built round it, and action all the way through. Its a really interesting series if you are into Vamps and magic (tho magic doesnt rly come into it till later)

But Darren Shans new Saga (his main character is also the authors name in the first series) is called The Demonata. Its even better in my opinion, focused around Demons and how they enter the world and a group called the disiples plan to stop the Demons from breaking through to the human world

Demonata is better, but only has three books out so far

 

id recomend the Pendragon series, A Song of Fire and Ice, but i know thats been recomended. I have a few more that ill add later b/c im 2 lazy to go look at books name