Looking for new books to read as I am preparing to head out on a much needed vacation and want to dig into some good reading. Can be fiction or nonfiction, just so long as it hooked you and made you want to keep reading and reading until the end.

  • R. J. Gumby@midwest.social
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    1 year ago

    here are a few of my favorites

    Susanna Clark

    • Piranesi
    • The ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories

    Vonnegut

    • Cat’s cradle
    • Slaughterhouse Five

    Douglas Adams

    • literally anything he ever wrote

    Mark Haddon

    • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

    Margaret Atwood

    Oryx and Crake

    Ursula K. Le Guin

    The Lathe of Heaven

  • AccountMaker@slrpnk.net
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    1 year ago

    A Short History of Chinese Philosophy by Fung Yu-Lan. I spent pretty much all of my time off work reading it. I found it insanely interesting since I knew almost nothing about Chinese philosophy, and the book is written specifically for people like that. The way their schools of thought developed through the ages and were influenced by each other constantly as one became dominant was very fascinating.

  • Conman_Signor@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    The expanse. I’m on book 8 right now and it’s been going fast. The world building is so good. It makes you wish you were there with them. If you’re into hard scifi, then you’ll love this series

    • wccrawford@lemmyonline.com
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      1 year ago

      I tried watching the TV series and couldn’t get into it. I finally tried the first book and it is so much better.

      • Conman_Signor@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        Wait til you get further in. Things just keep building and it gets even better. The books I mean. I liked season one of the tv show and that was it. But the books. Only one book out of the series so far has been a struggle. The rest I’ve blinked and finished because of how good they were.

  • LoganNineFingers@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I read almost exclusively fantasy and sci fi. Here’s a few favourites.

    Sci fi: Red Rising Trilogy Bobiverse The Martian and Project Hail Mary

    Fantasy: The First Law Trilogy (my absolute favourite of everything I’ve read) Brandon Sanderson (literally any of his stuff. If you’re looking for a trilogy, start with Mistborn and if a stand alone, Warbreaker). Don’t be overwhelmed by his Cosmere world, if you only read mistborn era 1 it wraps up in a nice bow. Robin Hobbs first trilogy is a nice introduction to her series. If you don’t love it it wraps up nicely after the first trilogy.

    Dystopian: Unwound by Neal Schusterman Arc of the Scythe by Neal Schusterman

  • azimir@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I scrolled all the down the comments and didn’t see Discworld by Terry Pratchett. Don’t listen to anyone and just start reading it. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.

    • Ben@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Maybe the wrong way is to start with Book 1. I’d say try ‘Witches’ first, as I found the first book a bit offputting.

  • Deemo@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Not sure if your into light novels, recently I’ve been addicted to Acendence of A Bookworm.

  • simo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    End of the World running club. As someone the UK the concept of a massive apocalyptic event set in the uk was intriguing. I loved the book.

    Also Sphere by Michael Crichton. In my own head canon, I seem to recall reading this in one sitting over a single night I was doing an all nighter. It was just super gripping!

  • seatwiggy@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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    1 year ago

    The Kingkiller Chronicles is a series by Patrick Rothfuss. The first book is The Name of the Wind. Definitely one of my absolute favorites

    • 07Chess@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Be forewarned that the author has not released the third book and last I checked there’s no release date on the horizon

  • Independent_Node@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Here’s some I have even reread.

    • The chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. By Stephen R. Donaldson. 10 books
    • The Galactic Center Saga by Gregory Benford. 6 books
    • The Culture Series by Iain M. Banks 10 books
    • LOTR

    Love the Murderbot series too.

  • Concetta@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 year ago

    It’s probably been said, and is not exactly a hidden gem, but 1984 is something special. I read an excerpt of the first chapter and was hooked.

  • Fredselfish @lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Every time I buy the new Alex Delaware novel written by Jonathan Kellerman I read it straight through in one seating. I own the entire collection in hardback.

    • Evolone@lemmy.mlOP
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      1 year ago

      Hey I dig it. Some Grisham hits the spot for me.

      However, I’m a lawyer myself so sometimes it’s hard for me to read legal thrillers because I want to escape real life….

  • 07Chess@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    My two favorites so far this year are Babel by RF Kuang and The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

    • hamsalamibacon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Seconding Babel. Such a powerful read for me as I grew up in a former British colony. Some of the parallels to the real world colonial system and how it affects locals are so relatable, even today!

    • Evolone@lemmy.mlOP
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      1 year ago

      Babel has been on my list for a while! Need to give it a bump to the top soon.

      Have you read Yellowface? Or her other series, The Poppy War?

  • wccrawford@lemmyonline.com
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    1 year ago

    I feel like I have read quite a few books that I felt that way about, but it’s always hard to bring them to mind when someone asks. That said, the first few that popped into my head:

    • Cradle (series)
    • Wool (series)
    • The Martian (Audio book is especially well narrated!)
    • Murderbot Diaries (series)
    • The Bobiverse (series)
    • sudman@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      If you love The Martian, you are going to love Project Hail Mary. The audiobook is really good as well.

    • PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      The Bobiverse (series)

      4th book was such a disappointment.

      Overall message too, somehow went from “we are the avantgarde of transhumanism and the universe is our playground” straight up to something like “i wish 50’s back”. Every single Bob turned to either flat meme or boomer.