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

I have just come to the end of the latest, and sadly the last, Patrick O'Brian [does anyone else like him?] and was wondering what to read next. Any suggestions? It does not have to be like Patrick O'Brian, if indeed that were possible, or fiction.

[Anyone who suggests 'Changing your name to Mr. Slug' by Dee d'Pole is either following me around and needs to change their name before I bump into them again, or is psychic and I would like to meet them. (see also 'Silly Book Titles and Authors' and 'Today - September 13th. New Conversation' - sorry, I do not know how to do that blue/green writing that you click on and go there. Do I need another bracket yet ? )}]

Seriously, I would be interested in the reading suggestions ?

Go for the Duncton Chronicles, by the bloke who wrote Skallagrig (sp?).
There are about six of them I think, and they are great. A kind of Lord of the Rings with Moles (bear with me on this one), set in the British countryside. I really liked them, and they last ages.

- Adam

A Close Run Thing by Allan Mallinson is a cracking read similiar to Patrick O'Brien except that is about the light cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo.

My favourite book ever is Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson, which is about a Hurricane squadron in the first year of WWII. It ends up with the Battle of Britain. It is cracking read and you cannot help liking the characters, young, optimistic men with acid senses of humour who suddenly find themselves in heat of battle. You watch some survive and others go to pieces (literally in some cases).

The descriptions of the aerial battles are amazing. I have read it about 26 times over the last 14 years and love it more every time.

Starlight by Neil Gaimon is brilliant too.

I would agree, and at least read Duncton Wood (by William Horwood), the first one I have read it so much that it actually fell to pieces The others are good, but the first one is truely excellent First read it when I was nine or ten, and still read it now If you want different then try Robin Hobb's books, looks like your standard fantasy, it's not, trust me A recent release by Mary Gentle, called Ash : A Secret History is really good too, I am half way through it and it is another excellent book. Reminded me a bit of The Deed of Paksenarrion, by Elizabeth Moon (it is available in three paperback books) which is also really good Without giving stuff away it is hard to recommend books without repeating yerself But any of the above are well worth it or a selection from the following. The Princess Bride (William Golding - well I think it was him), any by Iain M Banks, and The Bridge by Iain Banks, Magician by Raymond Feist Hmmmm, you may notice a commen theme with these books, but they are all worth reading Until later...
BCNU - Crescent

For a very quick read, you could try 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

A great book, surprisingly moving, and good for both kids and adults.

Another real quicky, but a great story is 'The very hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle. OK I know it is aimed at 3 year olds, but it is still one of my favourite books ever.

Duncton Chronicles - William Horwood is a good choice - 6 books in total.

My personal choice would be Robert Jordans 'Wheel of Time' 8 books so far, and still counting.

http://www.geocities.com/area51/5278/main2.html

will tell you more (and possibly get you addicted!)

'G'

Any of the Harry Potter books, I was so cynical and then I read the first one and now am a complete addict.

Fred and George Weasley are my ideal men!

The last book I read was Catch 22 by Joseph Heller and brilliant account of the madness of war. Or if you want something completely different, try The Mabinogion for heroic prose from a much earlier time.

The new Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf is to be highly recommended.

I've got the Beowulf translation too, I'll second that recommendation.

I've read an older translation and the story is brilliant. A good poet like Heaney can only make this epic, well more epic!

One of the most incredibly absorbing and involving books I have read in the last year was "The Sparrow" by...*goes off to Amazon*...Mary Doria Russell. I'm in the midst of the sequel currently.

Plot revolves around a Jesuit mission to another planet (bear with me..!) but it isn't really science fiction, more speculative fiction. The characters are so well drawn that I miss a couple of them, even months after reading it. Full of humour and dark and harrowing as you like, I cried my eyes out a couple of times...

Also "Moonheart" by Charles de Lint for a mix of celtic, native american and modern Canadian influences (modern setting, but *magical*).

Skallagrig was great, too (following Dr Mungbean's Duncton recommendation) and sadly, yes, I was deeply cynical about Harry Potter, but soon became hooked.

Hope this helps

A

Oooh, oooh, and "The day the tiger came to tea"...

A

Charles de Lint was good But Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock was better
BCNU - Crescent

Mmm... checked out Mythago Wood on Amazon...looks great, I'll have to give it a go from next months spending money (this month's having run low on NLP books) and I'll let you know!

NB: Amazon says that people that bought Mythago Wood also bought the Heaney Beowulf...interesting, huh?

A

After Mythago Wood came several others all set in the same kind of mythic landscape. I can see why it would appeal to people interested in the ancient epics. I've still to read Seamus Heaney's Beowulf but as Phil already said, he can only make it read even better. And finally somebody else who's read the Sparrow, I keep recommending that one to people.
I've just finished reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and that's well worth a try too. All about code-breaking, linking WW2 secret missions and modern computer cryptography. Great stuff.