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

Try reading Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and Anansi boys, both are incredibly good. They are both between fantasy/ fiction.

Good reading! Gaiman is Try American Gods as well.

Mgwithc, i am kinda new here, how do you change what appears in your login name on the posts?

On one side of your Space there is the option called preferences. You can change your online name there.

Welcome to hootoo. Good to have you aboard.

Don't forget your

Thank you very much, I read American Gods, but didn't enjoy so much. Maybe i just wasn't in the mood. There is a book by Ray Bradbury that has a similar tone to American Gods but I found it way more entertaining. It is called Death is a lonely business.

I love Ray Bradbury, I've never read that one though.

Just ordered it. You'd better be right (I'm sure you are )

Have you ever read 'The Unpleasent Profession of Johnathon Hoag'?

Am I the only person in the world who doesn't enjoy Gaiman's books?

I actually *enjoyed* the film of stardust more than the book, though I was glad I had read the book first.

I think there's a darkness to them that probably appeals to most but to me it's sort of like reading through a smog, I find it really hard work and I'm relieved to get to the end, which is really sad because he's not a bad writer. It upsets me when I find an author I dont enjoy reading!

You're not the only person who doesn't like Gaiman. However, you have in common with the others the characteristic that you're all WRONG.

thought those in here might like this - how to read at work and not be noticed:

http://www.readatwork.com/

Ironically, I cant read that at work...

trust you to find a flaw in the plan!

Sorry!!!

There's always one...

I'll keep an eye out for those books. Thanks

I haven't read all Pterry's books either. When I get back from jaunting around Europe I shall recommence my regular raids on the local library.

I recommend a book called Legends http://books-by-isbn.com/0312867875. It's a collection of short stories. Each story is by a well-known fantasy author with an established 'world', in which (s)he has set a number of novels. And each story is standalone, not requiring previous acquanitance with the author's world. As such, it serves as an excellent introduction to many modern fantasy writers.

The Stephen King short story, The Little Sisters of Eluria, is best avoided if you don't have a strong stomach. Terry Pratchett, I think, failed his remit to write a story which would be understood by people who weren't already familiar with Discworld, but if you're already a fan of Granny Weatherwax you cannot fail to love The Sea and Little Fished. George RR Martin's The Hedge Knight is also a fantastic read, and I think I'll start reading his novels sometime soon.

And try Rosemary Sutcliffe and Henry Treece for good-quality historical fiction. (Both wrote for younger children and for the 'young adult' market, which seems no longer to exist.)

TRiG.

A series I wouldn't have thought I would like (desperately needed something to read, my own books were packed away, and I had a fussy girl in an about-to-close library, and books 1-4 were available in order--something rare in this library, though there seem to be several sci-fi fan donators) is David Weber's Honor Harrington series. The series runs quite long, but I've read every one of them. It's basically well-written space opera, heavily influenced by naval battles.

The Island in the Sea of Time series by S. M. Stirling is good, too. The basic premise is that some mysterious Event in March of 1998 lifts the island of Nantucket and some of the surrounding sea and drops it into the same geological location--only in 1250BC. There's a companion series, about what happens in the world left behind--not only is a populated island missing, but the aftermath of the Event changes some physical laws, which change things a bit for the survivors (combustion's different--gunpowder and other explosives don't explode, internal combustion engines don't work, steam engines more powerful than the original ones meant to pump mines don't work).

I havent read Rosemary Sutcliffe in a long long time, but I love her books, I had three in one big volume and read and re-read them all the time.

One was about a gladiator, another was about a youth, a celt I believe who became a chieftain and got captured... Quite dark, very stark, stunning.

@ Post 94. I'd just like to support the endorsement of the 'Legends' books. Usually, collections of short stories have a fair few people you've never heard of, and often those will be a bit rubbish. With 'Legends', though, all the authors are well-known fantasy names at the top of their games. I am grateful to the books for introducing me to great writers like George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Robert Jordan as well as adding to my love for Anne McCaffrey, Tad Williams, Neil Gaiman and PTerry.