books
You could call me a reading geek. It's something I've loved to do since a young age (thanks mom and dad). There's nothing like curling up with a good book and a cup of tea. While my bookshelf includes a mix of fiction and non-fiction, my favorite genres have always been science fiction and fantasy. What's on your bookshelf? Send me an email.
His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is a trilogy consisting of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass written by Philip Pullman. The story takes place in a fantasy world of parallel universes, armored polar bears, and dust, but the books delve deeper into topics of physics, philosophy, and theology. The first book in the trilogy, The Golden Compass, was recently turned into a feature film.
As soon as it was announced, a boycott for the film and books was called for by Catholics and Protestants for two reasons: the two children that the books revolve around supposedly kill God, and because the author, Philip Pullman, is an atheist. What this really shows is how much bigotry still exists in religion. Unfortunately, by boycotting, they are missing out on one of the best written coming of age stories that is full of wonder, love, and mystery. Philip Pullman that has conceived a masterpiece that replaces The Lord of the Rings as my favorite series of books.
2001: A Space Odyssey
This is the first of a four book series by Arthur C. Clarke. The rest of the series includes 2010: Odyssey Two, 2061: Odyssey Three, 3001: The Final Odyssey. Of the four books 2001: A Space Odyssey is my favorite. It seems to be the one that is the most thought out and complete. That could be due to the fact it was written as a screen play for Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey. All together the series is one of Arthur C. Clarke's best. But if your looking for a real epic science fiction series check out Clarke's Rama series.
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is similar to George Orwell's 1984, but instead of the government forcefully controlling and watching every aspect of your life, the society in Brave New World takes drugs so that they don't every have to worry about anything. The only problem is that through this process humanity loses everything that makes it human: family, culture, art, literature, science, and philosophy. Would you sacrifice all of that to rid the world of warfare and poverty? Brave New World is one of literature's best known dystopias.
Fight Club
Like many, I saw the movie before reading the book. This book was my introduction to the sadistic, haunting, yet wonderful world of writing by Chuck Palahniuk. The book was like the movie except deeper, darker, and more beautiful. While Palahniuk clearly borrows from Vonnegut's counter-culture themes, he writes in a style that is more modern and violent. Fight Club is the story of your average man who is drowning in consumerism and is unsure of his place as a male in society. A fight club is born out his search for a release.
1984
This is one of those books that you read once, twice, and usually many more times. Each time you notice something different. Each time you learn something new; something new about the book, something new about yourself, or more than often both. If your not one for books, but your still interested in learning about the experience of living in a big brother society, then check out V for Vendetta for the closest thing to a visual version.
Choke
Chuck Palahniuk strikes again. Palahniuk is a master at writing stories that may at first disturb you, but that you'll soon learn to love and never forget. Choke revolves around the life of Victor Mancini as he tries to pay for medical school and his mom's nursing home. Victor's story is so gripping because of the tactics he employs to make a living, and the unusual kinds of relationships he has. To enjoy this book you must enjoy Palahniuk's style of writing.
The Lord of the Rings
Besides Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, The Lord of the Rings is my favorite fantasy trilogy. In order the trilogy is The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, and of those three my favorite is The Return of the King. I was introduced to Tolkien's work when I first read The Hobbit way back in elementary school. Since then I have read the series a few times, with the most recent being when the movies came out. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is an epic adventure that any fantasy or adventure fan would love. And if you enjoyed the movies the books are a hundred fold better.
Player Piano
I seem to have a thing for the dystopian society, because this is the third book of that genre on this page. Player Piano is Kurt Vonnegut's first novel, and it's my favorite of all of his novels. It's a story of the conflict that takes place in a fully mechanized society between the wealthy upper class that controls the machines and the lower class whose jobs were replaced by the machines.
Survivor
Another book by Chuck Palahniuk. Survivor is about the survivor of a death cult known as the Creedish Church. Members of this cult are raised as human servants to the few that hold power in the cult. They never experience any human pleasures and wait there whole life till God calls them to deliver themselves unto Him, that is, commit suicide. Tender Branson is the last living survivor of this death cult. In Survivor, Branson tells his life story to the black box of a 747 that he has hijacked. Palahniuk creates a fascinating story around Branson's life as he moves from the lowly position of a housekeeper to a public celebrity as the only living survivor of the Creedish death cult. This is one I'll read again and again.
Showdown
Ted Dekker is one of my favorite thriller authors. He is probably best known for his Black, Red, and White trilogy (which is also really good). Showdown is my favorite because at first glance it seems like a good mystery novel, but it's actually the ultimate story (or showdown) of good versus evil.
Haunted
Your probably starting to notice I'm a huge Chuck Palahniuk fan. Haunted is less a novel and more a framework for 23 short stories. The characters all sign up to attend a writer's retreat and find themselves locked in a building with no way out. The framework follows the character's lives as they slowly descend into chaos, but most of the book revolves around the short stories that these characters write. This book is not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomaches.
Slaughterhouse-Five
This is a true Vonnegut classic. Science fiction, time travel, World War II all combined in a way that only Vonnegut could possibly do. Slaughterhouse-Five explores themes of free will, destruction, and the nature of humans. Vonnegut's writing is the type that either you love it, or you despise it. I'm obviously with the first camp.
The Foundation
The Foundation series is Isaac Asimov epic science fiction masterpiece. Asimov wrote the seven books over a forty-four year period. From beginning to end the books are Prelude to Foundation, Forward the Foundation, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation's Edge, and Foundation and Earth. The series is about the mathematician Hari Seldon that develops a new science known as psychohistory that can predict the future on a widespread scale. Seldon forms two foundations that will use of psychohistory to prevent the galactic empire from descending into thirty thousand years of barbarism. The story covers the thousand year period between the fall of the first empire and the rise of the second. If your into science fiction, then this is a must read.
Harry Potter
While many consider J.K. Rowling's Potter series to be for children, I think it's a great read at any age. Anyone that enjoys a good fantasy adventure will likely enjoy Harry Potter. I got hooked on the series at a young age, so I grew up reading Harry Potter. Unlike many fans that run out and buy the book at 12am the night of release, I prefer to wait and then take my time reading the book. It's like a seven course meal; it's much better to take it slow and savor the story.
Have any thoughts on these books, or any books to recommend? Contact me.