h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, I don't have a favourite book as such, more a collection of Authors and series. I know this will (probably) be said by others, but "The Lord of the Rings" is possibly my favourite book, because it brought me into the world of Fantasy. However, I have to look back further into my past, and realise that it was infact "The Hobbit" which did this, way back in the 3rd grade.

Then we have those books written by David Eddings. The first of his books I read was "Belgarath the Sorceror." I read it from cover to cover many times... it just captivated me. And with that I began purchasing all of his books. I think I am missing only 3 books which he wrote... they are brilliant.

Recently I read the "Assassin's Trilogy" by Robin Hobb. I had seen this book in the bookstores for many years and always dismissed it, then one day I decided, what the hell, and bought it. I loved this book also, yet I am not in a great hurry to read it again... I just don't like some parts of the story. I cannot explain...

Naturally this being the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and all, they also rank very highly on my list of favourite books... however they are outranked by Douglas Adams' "Last Chance to See"

im reading 'what dreams may come' at mo..... it's lovely!!!!

Robin Hobbs. I had the same thing. I read the first three and couldn't let go as I read them. But, ... , the hero is so anti. It made me so depressed so I gave them all to a charity shop. But then when the next series came out I got them too. Hopeless, me.

There is a series by Stephen Lawhead called "The Pendragon Cycle", and is a series of five books, about King Arthur et al. as Lawhead sees it. God, they were a joy to read, and when I get chance, I'll read the whole shabang again. They were wonderful, exhilarating, sensational, magical, and had me hooked from cover to cover. His writing style is graceful, and swoops like a bird, and with the same effortless grace. The first book bean at the very very very beginning of the Lawhead's take on the legend, and I could hardly put it down. If you love Artherian legend, or fantasy in any form, give it a try. And, while you're at it, also take a look at Bernard Cornwell's "Warlord Chronicles". I've just finished the first book in the trilogy. Cornwell's version of the story is different in both incident (Naturally) and style. His portrayal is less romantic- more of a warts-and-all look at the legend, but again, a fantastic book.

Speaking of retellings of Arthur, I would say T.H. White's Once and Future King has been a favorite book. Lots to think about and the writing is of the highest quality. The first book in the novel is "The Sword in the Stone" which is the only one that is probably appropriate/entertaining for young readers.

I heartily agree with your assessment of Cornwell's series, although I've only read "Enemy of God." It gave me such a feel for pagan England and the realities of battle as well as getting inside the viewpoint of someone living in that era. But I recommended it to someone else and he told me it put him to sleep.

I really enjoyed the Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Mists of Avalon"...the Arthurian legends from the point of view of the women in the story, predominately Morgan LeFey and Gwynhefar. I also liked her "Firebrand", the Helen of Troy story. And I love Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series, the fifth of which will be out next month. Of course the "Hitchhikers'", and my favorite books when I was a small girl were "A Little Princess" and "The Princess and the Goblin".
RavenLuna

I've just started "Enemy of God", and it looks like it's going to be just as good as the first book. If you like Cornwell, "Stonehenge" is very good, too. The Hitch Hikers series is good, but the third book lost me a little bit. "Mists of Avalon" sounds really good. Gid, so many books I want to read at the moment!! Life's too short!

Enjoyed both the Arthurian series you mentioned, but to me the best Arthurian books remain the classic "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White, "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmerman Bradley, and "Down the Long Wind" by Gillian Bradshaw.

I don't know if it is my favourite book, but the one that made the most impact on me was Dangerous Parking by Stuart Browne. It is a first book, and because it is all about the author's experience of dying, it is inevitably his only book.

The sheer honesty, gritty realism and wonderful fatalistic sense of humour make this a book you can't forget.

And I love the title. The author tels a story how he was driving with a friend whilst totally stoned, and neither of them noticed when the car ran out of petrol. When the cops found them stopped in the fast lane they couldn't think what to book them for - and ended up with Dangerous Parking. A truly wonderful concept!

gnight blackberry

Celia Rees is a good writer, too. "Witch Child" And "Sourceress" were two great books- very powerful to read.

Yeah, I loved "Witch Child", that was a good one. I haven't read "Sorceress" yet, I'll have to attempt to fit it in between school reading and the first 4 Dark Tower books, which I now have to read all over again, because it's been 5 years between the last one and the next one (coming out next month).
The "Mists of Avalon" books really drew me in, there was a whole new view of a familiar world there, which I love in books lately. I also read one by Gregory McGuire called "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West"...really interesting, well written, focuses kind of on the politics of Oz, and how she was misunderstood. (He also wrote "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister", also good, made into a t.v. movie in the States).
RavenLuna

Speaking of T.H. White, I should mention that he wrote "Mistress Masham's Repose" which is a very funny and well-written book about a girl who discovers a group of Lilliputians. Very wacky and excellent writing.

I really loved the Pendragon Cycle and I read that over every few years. I love old Sci Fi such as Heinlein, Wyndham, Clarke etc. Anything from the fifties on. The Darwarth series by Barbara Hanley was great too.

I'm just reading the Hitchhikers books again at the moment and I must say I'm enjoying them more than ever. I know the tv series backwards, so I thought I'd re-acquaint myself with the books as well.

I read a lot of Doctor Who novels and the Eighth Doctor series is keeping me busy at the moment. They dropped off for a while, but they're getting very good again.

I read history books, my main interests are Egyptology and ancient Britain, so the Marion Zimmer Bradley books hold my attention as well.

Really, when it comes down to it, I'll read anything, but anything by Douglas Adams, I'll eat for breakfast...er...well...not literally,

Alicia <"fish"/>

Has anyone read The Secret HIstory by Donna Tartt? That is one that it was actually not physically possible to put down. The plot was ordinary, the characters were good, but the writing had something about it, that compelled the reader to go on.
I had a crack at Robin Hobb a few months back, reading the first 2 books of his Farseer trilogy. Well, I didn't quite finish the 2nd book. The writing didn't appeal to me. There were some graet parts, but the most of it was a dull, bleak, slog through unnessecary plot lines.
As for a book I would reccomend to anyone, I have to go with High Society by Ben Elton. Not only is it heartbrakingly funny, but it also gets people thinking about the possibilities of Drug legalisation, somehing which the people of countries like England, America, Australia, etc, have done their very best to ignore.

But still, the graetest book in the history of the entire world (my opinion, obviously; I just wanted to give it a spiffy title) is Animal Farm by George Orwell. It is such a famous book I don't think I would have to say anything about it, but still: it is the story of the Soviet Revolution told in an English Farm. The Animals join together and throw off their human oppressors led by ( you guessed it ) 3 pigs. I also reccomend this to anyone and everyone.

I am probably going to immediately ostracize myself here, however; I have enjoyed the Harry Potter series. Having not had the privilege of an English public school education, it&#8217;s an interesting glimpse. I have just finished Good-bye Mr. Chips and it, I feel, managed to fill in some gaps in understanding that system. As far as series are concerned, The Illuminati is excellent; you just need a brain like a ping-pong ball to read it because it bounces so frequently. Just picked up first Discworld book&#8230; the jury is still out on that one. Of course Tom Clancy&#8217;s &#8220;Jack Ryan&#8221; books are all repeat reads.

I like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan books as well. I also liked the Cadfael series, the books are so well written. And yes, I really like the Harry Potter series also. I wish we had beeok like that when I was a kid, instead of the ones that talk down to you,

Alicia

I'm currently reading 'Fellowship of the Ring' as i haven't read it since i was a teenager (and that was a long times ago!!!).

But i would recommend any book by David Eddings (for fantasy fans), Tom Clancy or Craig Thomas (for esponage type thrillers).

I would also reccommend the 'Gardian Cycle'series by Julia Grey. I read them awhile ago and found them very gripping, they would probably be a really good read for older children as well as adults. The thing that made them unusual was that the hero of the series is a disabled boy, which was good to see.

I would also recommend a series of fantasy books called the 'Magic of Recluse', but unfortunatly I can't remember who they are by.

I red the first Cadfael book when I was in year 7 and, as you can imagine, didn't understand a word of it. I might try it again sometime (Mum and Dad have the whole series), but just not right now. The Harry Potter books are great- really gripping and absorbing. Another book I really enjoyed was "Truth or Dare" by Celia Rees. It's about a boy who has to spend the holiday with his motherin the house of his ill grandmother, and begins to uncover the story of his uncle, who died when he was thirteen years old. It's a very powerful, gripping book.

I enjoy the Potter books as well, they are really well written. Another "children's" series which i am in love with is "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket....they really don't pander to kids at all, though I don't know if real young kids should read them...I gave the first three as a birthday gift to my friend's 10-year-old daughter, and she had some nightmares. (Though I think she's actually just prone to nightmares, her mother is.) The books are so smartly written though!
"Animal Farm" was one of those books that I loved even though I was forced to read it in high school, as ws "To Kill A Mockingbird"...Orwell's "1984" is also good, and kind of interesting from a post-1984 perspective. Ray Bradbury is an excellent writer also, I loved "Farenheit 451" and "Dandelion Wine" especially, as well as lots of his short stories.
And maybe it's because I'm a girl, but I love the Brontes & Austen; and if you're drawn to tragedy, there's Edith Wharton (I actually cried reading "House of Mirth"), and the Russians...they do love the tragic love stories. ("Anna Karenina")
Well, I have to go read now....
RavenLuna