What book(s) have you read recently?

[Anime_Manga_Freak]

It's a book my friend wrote that's really good.
And i forgot the title

[jedinat]

I really need a good book to read and I can't find any.

I just spend a good 2 and a half hours in Borders looking through the sci-fi/fantasy section and couldn't find anything. Then I went to the library and spent a good 4 hours looking through their sci-fi/fantasy section and couldn't find anything.
(we shall ignore the fact that I should have probably been looking for a job and not wasting time trying to have fun wasting time)
In the past I have always been able to find something that has at least looked interesting before I bought it, brought it home, and been devastated. But not this time.

Everything involves sex and girls getting raped, and I'm sick of it. Where is the innocence? Why do 1/3 of all female characters have a history of sexual abuse? Why do another 1/3 get raped during the course of the novel? Why are the only books with interesting plots I come across fatally flawed in some way? Why can't people write a GOOD STORY? Have I just read them all already?

Here are some things that would interest me:
-main char is an alien/another species (not animal)
-main char was raised in a unique environ/among different people
-romance involving mismatched pair (like the woman is over 100 and the guy is 18 or something (like in The Moon's Shadow)
-lesbians (nonrealistic)
-main char suddenly thrust unprepared into a position of political power (and in enemy territory would be cool, once again like in The Moon's Shadow)
-main char transformed/turned into another species/race
-heroic/sword-and-sorcery fantasy with innocent romance
-tsundere romance
-something like Luthiel's Song would be nice

I prefer girl protagonists. Ones that don't get raped and don't have dirty thoughts.

[Areguzanda]

Haven't read any real books lately
but I have read some manga.
Volume 4 of Air Gear and Vol 4 of Suzuka
(English versions)

I wish they could release the Volumes a bit faster then with 3 months from one Volume to another

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Originally Posted by jedinat

I really need a good book to read and I can't find any.

I just spend a good 2 and a half hours in Borders looking through the sci-fi/fantasy section and couldn't find anything. Then I went to the library and spent a good 4 hours looking through their sci-fi/fantasy section and couldn't find anything.
(we shall ignore the fact that I should have probably been looking for a job and not wasting time trying to have fun wasting time)
In the past I have always been able to find something that has at least looked interesting before I bought it, brought it home, and been devastated. But not this time.

Everything involves sex and girls getting raped, and I'm sick of it. Where is the innocence? Why do 1/3 of all female characters have a history of sexual abuse? Why do another 1/3 get raped during the course of the novel? Why are the only books with interesting plots I come across fatally flawed in some way? Why can't people write a GOOD STORY? Have I just read them all already?

Here are some things that would interest me:
-main char is an alien/another species (not animal)
-main char was raised in a unique environ/among different people
-romance involving mismatched pair (like the woman is over 100 and the guy is 18 or something (like in The Moon's Shadow)
-lesbians (nonrealistic)
-main char suddenly thrust unprepared into a position of political power (and in enemy territory would be cool, once again like in The Moon's Shadow)
-main char transformed/turned into another species/race
-heroic/sword-and-sorcery fantasy with innocent romance
-tsundere romance
-something like Luthiel's Song would be nice

I prefer girl protagonists. Ones that don't get raped and don't have dirty thoughts.

That's a pretty tall order. It's difficult to find that kind of innocence in any novel, at least one that's not for little kids. You are being extremely specific.

These are ones that I've read and enjoyed:
Winds of the Forelands - A series. Definitely not "innocent" or G-rated. Has some sex and lots of violence in it, but contains a lot of political intrigue, and has magic, fantasy, and two different races of humans (one is magical but weak, thte other nonmagical of physically strong). Has a lot of "main" characters.

Wheel of Time - Another series that has very little sex, but is full of innuendo and continuous sexist remarks (though these go both ways and end up being extrememly funny--- its kind of like a running gag). Fatastic series overall, but some parts can be boring, and the books are very lengthly (though if you like them, they are finished very quickly). Has a ridiculous number of characters as well, even more than WotF. Just be careful, because Rand can get a little too angsty at times. But who wouldn't in his situation?

Children of Amarid - The first book in a great series by David B. Coe. The main character is male, but I still think its a great book that you would enjoy. It has a lot of magic, some political intrigue, and likeable main characters. It also contains some good twists. In later books there is an indroduction of technology to the magic users that I find fascinating. The Children of Amarid's power is derived from psychic connection with birds of prey, such as falcons, hawks, and owls.

The only book I could think of that fits your bill almost exactly is The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, the first of a trilogy of fantastic and fantastical adventures through time and space. If you haven't already, it's kind of like Wrinkle in Time in that it's a MUST READ. It has a great love story, too, and the characters, especially Lyra (she's the main character for a goodly portion) are quite innocent. It was one of the stories that really got me interested in fantasy. The Subtle Knife a the sequel to The Golden Compass, and switches perspective to a boy character named Will Parry until a little ways into the book, when Will meets Lyra. The Amber Spyglass is the sequel to The Subtle Knife. This is the series I most highly suggest you reading, based on your interests.

That's all I can think of that I've read, at any rate. I hope that I've helped you, at least a little bit, in finding new stuff to read.

Overall, given what you said you like, the last two series would be the best for you. Happy reading!

[jedinat]

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

That's a pretty tall order. It's difficult to find that kind of innocence in any novel, at least one that's not for little kids. You are being extremely specific.

Indeed, I realize it's really a personal problem of mine. I have just become too picky. Strangely, as I get older the more I want innocence in what I read. I remember in high school reading books containing sexual deviance, heroines getting abused, and a wide range of extremely depressing scenarios while still enjoying the novel. But now the slightest thing can totally ruin a book for me.

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

These are ones that I've read and enjoyed:
Winds of the Forelands - A series. Definitely not "innocent" or G-rated. Has some sex and lots of violence in it, but contains a lot of political intrigue, and has magic, fantasy, and two different races of humans (one is magical but weak, thte other nonmagical of physically strong). Has a lot of "main" characters.

Wheel of Time - Another series that has very little sex, but is full of innuendo and continuous sexist remarks (though these go both ways and end up being extrememly funny--- its kind of like a running gag). Fatastic series overall, but some parts can be boring, and the books are very lengthly (though if you like them, they are finished very quickly). Has a ridiculous number of characters as well, even more than WotF. Just be careful, because Rand can get a little too angsty at times. But who wouldn't in his situation?

Children of Amarid - The first book in a great series by David B. Coe. The main character is male, but I still think its a great book that you would enjoy. It has a lot of magic, some political intrigue, and likeable main characters. It also contains some good twists. In later books there is an indroduction of technology to the magic users that I find fascinating. The Children of Amarid's power is derived from psychic connection with birds of prey, such as falcons, hawks, and owls.

The only book I could think of that fits your bill almost exactly is The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, the first of a trilogy of fantastic and fantastical adventures through time and space. If you haven't already, it's kind of like Wrinkle in Time in that it's a MUST READ. It has a great love story, too, and the characters, especially Lyra (she's the main character for a goodly portion) are quite innocent. It was one of the stories that really got me interested in fantasy. The Subtle Knife a the sequel to The Golden Compass, and switches perspective to a boy character named Will Parry until a little ways into the book, when Will meets Lyra. The Amber Spyglass is the sequel to The Subtle Knife. This is the series I most highly suggest you reading, based on your interests.

That's all I can think of that I've read, at any rate. I hope that I've helped you, at least a little bit, in finding new stuff to read.

Overall, given what you said you like, the last two series would be the best for you. Happy reading!

I read The Wheel of Time series and the His Dark Materials trilogy a few years ago. Gotta love how the guy had a harem in The Wheel of Time. I remember really enjoying that series, even though nothing happened in the last few books. (I think it was one of my first fantasy series)

Children of Amarid looks familiar, I'll have to check whether I've read it.
hmm... the cover of the first book Winds of the Forelands also looks really familiar... I have a feeling I've read it.

But yeah, thanks for the nice reply. Very appreciated.

[DarkT]

Last book I've read was over 1-2 months ago, I told myself "no" untill the exams pass - because it's WAY to easy to kill a day or two or a week reading a good book... And atm I have the next volume of wheel of tme waiting to be read, the latest of Dune, and some 54 books I bought at a "books festival"(for 150euro) - and Anita Blake's newest came out like 1-2 days ago, and Harry potter latest comes out soon... I'm just saying no to myself (no! you will NOT start reading this book! NO!).

Anyway, before all that, the latest I've read was one of the "crown of stars" - prolly book 5... I still have 2 left to read... Kekekkee... 's a decent fantasy.

[krysinello]

The lates things I have read are the fan translated Full metal panic Novels. I have read DVMC, COMO and what is translated of BOMF, come on next chapter.

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Originally Posted by DarkT

Last book I've read was over 1-2 months ago, I told myself "no" untill the exams pass - because it's WAY to easy to kill a day or two or a week reading a good book... And atm I have the next volume of wheel of tme waiting to be read, the latest of Dune, and some 54 books I bought at a "books festival"(for 150euro) - and Anita Blake's newest came out like 1-2 days ago, and Harry potter latest comes out soon... I'm just saying no to myself (no! you will NOT start reading this book! NO!).

Wow, I totally know that feeling. Somettime after christmas I went book shopping, and I found that I easily blew over 150 bucks on manga and fantasy/sci-fi. Dang....

[JiggleJiggle]

hahaha one summer i spent over 200 in borders on books that i read once and never read again. so i'm looking for a good book that'll make me want to reread it 500 times. i did that with lord of the rings because i was in love with legolas. :P also, any suggestions for good fantasy books besides harry potter? i also enjoy horror stuff about supernatural things like ghosts, or something along the lines of manga like ghost hunt.

[DarkT]

Fantasy books besides harry potter? Try the Anita Blake series, got magic, werevolwes, were-leopards, were-rats, vampires, and all sorts of other stuff - it's ALSO got some nice sex-scenes from book 3 and up or something (atm there's 15 books).

But I dunno... I don't really re-read books... Though I did re-read dune once... But Dune is Dune... IT's not really a book... It's more like a holy message or something... >.>

[EusebioKun]

I finished Screwtape Letters the other day by CS Lewis.

[Vanta]

I read Terry Pratchett's awesome books. Quite funny. I have some in english, but most in my motherlanguage, french.

[Oberon]

I recently finished the first six books of C.J.Cherryh's Foreigner Saga (Foreigner through Explorer) and loved all of them. Some called it anthropological science fiction, introducing and bringing alive an alien race called Atevi and their culture. Embedded in this is a story of political intrigue and exploration of the unknown, through the eyes of the human protagonist, Bran Cameron.

Here's a short synopsis of the setup that I just copy and pasted from somewhere else, no major spoilers:

Spoiler:

A great deal has changed in the five centuries since a lost colonial starship running desperately low on fuel fatefully found sanctuary on a nearby G5 star. After a small group of humans landed and learned that the world was already populated with an aggressive race of aliens known as atevi -- giant black-skinned, yellow-eyed warriors -- a short but fierce war ensued. Impossibly outnumbered, the technologically superior humans ended the bloodshed by agreeing to share their scientific advances in return for their own sovereign land. They are exiled to a large but remote island, and the only human who is allowed interaction with the atevi is known as the paidhi -- a moderator of sorts who must be a master diplomat as well as a dedicated student of the very complex atevi culture. As the paidhi, Bren Cameron must deal with a society that has 14 different words for betrayal and none for friendship. In a civilization where assassination is an "ordinary and legal social adjustment," Cameron learns quickly how to stay alive.

[nonfiction]

In the last week I've read: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (Tom Wolfe), The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry), Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky) and The Dharma Bums (Jack Kerouac). Yeah, I read wayyy to much.

I've got In Watermelon Sugar (Richard Brautigan) on hold at the library for me tomorrow. Then I'm looking to read a bunch of Haruki Murakami's novels (Wind-up Bird Chronical, Norweigan Wood, Kafka on the Shore, and After Dark, etc). Should last me about two weeks.

[anti-random]

I read David Zindell's Broken God. This is made by an excellent science-fiction author who has great and unique views on science and stuff but is not well known.

[BellaD]

I read Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud*didnt finish yet*, The Sea Wife and The Thief Taker....and I also read Alternate Beauty, The Poe Shadow and Memories of my Melancholy Whores. As for others I dont really remember right now but all of those that I mentioned are very nice books...well not all but they are all a good read.

[User65554]

Originally Posted by Vanta

I read Terry Pratchett's awesome books. Quite funny. I have some in english, but most in my motherlanguage, french.

Terry Pratchett is exellent. Very funny.

At the moment I am reading the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fford. They are a new shade of wierd.
I have also recently read a lot of Bill Bryson. They're quite good.

[Diaboso]

World War Z if you hvent heard of it guess what its about

[Marina]

I just started Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea series. I was initially interested when I saw the tv show/movie, then found out it stemmed from a book series. After reading up on it a bit, I found out that the author was really disappointed with the tv version, so then that really piqued my interest in seeing Earthsea the say she wanted people to see it. Starting the 3rd one! I highly recommend it!

[aolas]

right now i read math book about calculus & physic about electromagnetic wave
and some pc magazine in my country