Book Recommendations

[Nearraba]

Adored The Giver. ^.^ As for Forgotten Realms Lore, from the small collection I have read, my favorites would have to include both the Counselors & Kings Trilogy and The Avatar Series.

[Benorf]

I just finished reading another book by Brandon Sanderson called the Rithmatist.

The magic system in the books is done through drawing with chalk. And fighting chalk monsters. It sounds just ridiculous in theory, but in practice, it was delightful and a quick read. As a caution, it was geared as a young adult novel, sooo... yeah.

[Rhangalas]

Hey everyone, I'm actually seeking a couple book recommendations. Firstly what would you recommend for the Forgotten realms books? I've read the drizzt tales up, taking mithril hall is hazy in my mind, and I've also read Servant of the shard! As for the second set of recommendations, things along the lines of 1984 and The giver?

For the Forgotten Realms books, I would suggest:

Ed Greenwood's Elminster series (Mystra transgenders the guy and everything... it's a good bit of weirdness going on.)

You could get all priesty and go with The Cleric Quintet by R.A. Salvatore. (There's blueprints for a flashlight.... good ole Cadderly Bonaduce)

Or, if you're into the Underdark and the Drow and such, there's the Starlight & Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. (It explains the origin of the Windwalker amulet.)

For the hilarious escapades of Artemis and Jarlaxle, there is The Sellswords trilogy. (This crosses over from Paths of Darkness at some point.)

There's hundreds of them though, I have 300+ Forgotten Realms books and I still do not have all of them.

As for 1984 and similar stuff... I've got nothing.

[Harroghty]

I have found Realms books to often be disappointing, but I was pretty pleased with the Sembia Series and its immediate follow up (the Erevis Cale Trilogy). The third set, another Erevis Cale trilogy, was not great IMHO because it got into the Money.. ahem.. SHADOW plague that befell WoTC ...I mean, the Realms.

The original Cormyr book, of course, is one that I enjoy. The latter two are okay, but they tend to get a little bit silly in parts.

I think that City of Splendors was okay, but my memory of it is fuzzy.

The 1984 lover might enjoy reading Aldous Huxley or Robert Heinlein for a dose of dystopia.

[Lirith]

Ooh, I love a bit of Aldous Huxley. I can't believe I haven't posted in here before, I must not have been paying attention. I am an unashamed classic sci-fi nerd but I will reign in the giant list of books that must be read. Here are some of my favourites:

Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (really everything I have read by him is great)
Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham
A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller

A newer one that I'm surprised nobody has mentioned is the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist (first book is Magician). I say newer, it's from 1982. I am currently re-reading these and they are still as enjoyable as I remember.

[Panaver]

Any audio book/narrator suggestions?

I have an hour commute each way and I have come to love listening to books on the drive. One book away from finally finishing The Wheel of Time and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Canticle for Leibowitz was also really well done and loved the narrator.

Specifically would like to know Forgotten Realms audio books that are good, but certainly welcome any suggestions at all.

I've read much of the Drizzt saga and the Cadderly trilogy (I forget the name, it has been so long), but other than that I mostly read Dragonlance when I was younger. So, I have lots to catch up on!

[Gwain]

The song of ice and fire audio series is excellent though a bit unsettling since all the voices and narrative are done by one man...

[Hrosskell]

No voices, but on the sci-fi track I'd recommend just about anything by Philip K. Dick--from cheesy/pulpy stuff like Maze of Death all the way up to his critical acclaims. Don't think about the fact that most of them were made into subpar movies, it helps.

[Harroghty]

The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott is a great book about chivalry and the Crusades. It reprises many of the characters from Ivanhoe, too.

[Yemin]

The song of ice and fire audio series is excellent though a bit unsettling since all the voices and narrative are done by one man...

One... very much on the brink of death sounding man who changes Sir dwarf lannister from Welsh to scottish to cornish at the drop of a hat. I still ended up reading most of the books but it was definitely a ride.

As for Fr books I do have a love for the Drizzt series ever since Victor took over narration. So much so that I listened to this purely because Vic narrated it and enjoyed it thoroughly.

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/History/The ... 885&sr=1-1

Honestly, the only other FR books I've listened to and enjoyed for the reader is Godborn, spell storm and the herald.

The first is part of the twilight war series I believe and the latter two are the last two books in the Elminster series so far.

I'll take a listen to Sembia when I'm in the mood to get back into dnd reading.

Its not FR, but I really want to tempt people into Eberron books. Eberron being one of the discontinued dnd settings from 2004. The world is a bit better put together in my opinion and the first series, "The dreaming dark" is excellent.

As for non dnd related material, I've recently read The lies of Locke Lamora, which I can recommend as having one of the most comedic beginnings in medieval pseudo italian fantasy.

Here's a sample:
http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fant ... 095&sr=1-1

[Terageld]

Not really a d&d or FR related book, but I am currently reading Confessions by Kanae Minato on the road. It's quite good and delves into the fun topics of insanity and murder.

[Gwain]

The song of ice and fire audio series is excellent though a bit unsettling since all the voices and narrative are done by one man...

One... very much on the brink of death sounding man who changes Sir dwarf lannister from Welsh to scottish to cornish at the drop of a hat. I still ended up reading most of the books but it was definitely a ride.

Its when he does the female voices that it gets weird...

[Yemin]

By weird, you mean hilarious. His female voices is what got me through the books.