Novels FReepers Love (discussion)

April 4, 2004 | me

[Long Cut]

Over at THIS THREAD, discussing Tom Clancy's movies, one FReeper lamented the lack of threads discussing books we all might like, like Clancy's, or those of Clive Cussler, Matt Reilly, Patrick Robinson...The list is almost endless, as writers with a conservative tilt have long produced works that appeal to a wide audience of Americans, not just conservatives.

So, ever willing to help out, herewith such a thread. I'm not totally motivated by altruism here, as I am working on my first book right now, and opinions matter to me. Also, I love discussing my favorite works. I started reading at the tender age of four, and kept most of the books I read starting with Treasure Island. I married an English Lit major, and even today I attempt to consume as many books as possible.

What say you , FReepers? Let's chew on some books, shall we?

[Tribune7]

My favorite is Midnight (which is about 15 years old and actually might be a tad dated due to its reliance on tech stuff).

[archy]

I'm currently reading two other books from the local library - one is "Exploring Church History" by Howard Vos, and the other is "Rumsfeld" by Midge Decter.

After you finish with Vos, give this one a go:

[Euro-American Scum]

My favorite is Midnight (which is about 15 years old and actually might be a tad dated due to its reliance on tech stuff).

I was always partial to Lightning. But then I was always a sucker for a good time travel story.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Well I'm a Sci-Fi reader.
But recently if I'm not on FR I'm busy reading Coast Guard Auxiliary material.
BUT my all time favorite author is Robert Heinlein
and my favorite novel novel of his is Stranger in a Strange land.
Follwed by the Lensmens Series by E.E. Doc Smith

[writer33]

"Dean Koontz is a conservative-libertarian writer who is about as pro-gun as you can get. Hippies, liberal writers and Ivy League academics/intellectuals ususally end up being the bad guys. In "One Door Away From Heaven" he rips Alec Baldwin and Gray Davis."


It varies as the writer goes. And there are always exceptions. And Koontz is a great writer, writing far better stuff than I can muster.

I title myself a first rate hack, upgraded from second rate by Rush Limbaugh. :) HA!

[archy]

If you liked The Da Vinci Code, you might find interesting the Baigent/Lincoln/Leigh works, such as Holy Blood, Holy Grail, and Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, both of which I'm re-reading right now.

Great minds think alike; see above. You might want to check this little gem out, however.

[Long Cut]

What's that one about? I've heard about it before.

[writer33]

If Michael Crichton's smart, he'll continue with this path. It's a larger market than even the people in publishing realize. I know they can't explain it, other than being a phenomenon, but why do you really think Rush Limbaugh's books sold so well.

Hey, Publishers. It's because American leans more right than left. I don't care what the polls say. Americans basically support the U.S. Constitution and those principles therein. The tide is starting to change in publishing now. So keep your fingers crossed for more conservative fiction ahead.

[Jeff Head]

I'm also about to begin reading the first volumne of Jeff Head's "Dragon's Fury" series.

Outstanding! I look forward to hearing what you think of it. Please let me know here on FR. There are now four volumes completed, each about 420-450 pages. The fifth volume, Eagle's Talons, is now in work and should be available in late June.

[Euro-American Scum]

Let me put in a mention for The Stand since nobody's brought it up so far. It's been a while since I read it, but what an awesome story this was.

I read a lot of Stephen King books. And yes, I'm currently addicted to The Gunslinger series and can't wait for the next one to come out.

Most of King's books are entertaining, if not predictable. But The Stand was a masterpiece. I read it day and night for three weeks. It was one of the few books I got lost in. So much so that as I got towards the end, I was sorry that it was soon going to be over.

It's the only King book where I actually wondered what became of all these characters and where and how they ended up.

[stands2reason]

George R.R. Martin's series Songs of Ice and Fire

I wonder if I can get my library to order that-- my local one sux.

[TexasCowboy]

I think I was up to number nine in that series.
How many is in the whole set?

[Xenalyte]

There are currently - hang on, let me count - three, with another due this summer: "A Game of Thrones," "A Clash of Kings," and "A Storm of Swords." They're each substantial books, almost a thousand pages a volume.

[Tribune7]

I was just looking at a list of Koontz titles and half of thim I can't remember the plots. Which one was Lightning? I know I read it.

[Long Cut]

Have you ever read anything by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child? Those two have put out a bunch of really engrossing novels, beginning with The Relic (which was made into a bad movie).

Of theirs, I highly recommend The Ice Limit, Riptide, Thunderhead, Reliquary, and The Cabinet Of Curiosities, but they're all quite good. GREAT page-turners, and all are entirely plausible, too.

[Jeff Head]

You'll love it. It's brilliant. And prophetic.

Well, I certainly can't make any claims to prophecy whatsoever...but thank you for the kind words and given history and the current circumstances its not too difficult to imagine a world where things go wrong with Red China and the confederate with our other enemies.

Volume V of the Series will be out in late June. The first excerpt from that volume is available on the site now, and also here on FR.

[Tribune7]

When ELECTIVE DECISONS pops up I'll check it out. Love your tagline BTW.

[yikes]

David Baldacci's best and most popular novel, Absolute Power, was made into a movie. Therefore, he doesn't have to hustle for Hollywood to call.

Two years ago I read Wish You Well, his memoir of life in Appalachia. It was an excellent read. Obviously, he wasn't under pressure to put out yet another book.

[AnAmericanMother]

I've read several of the Eternal Mercenary series. Well done . . . I was a history major with a specialty in military history . . . caught very few goofs.

On a lighter note in the same vein, check out George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman books. I had actually read Tom Brown's School Days so it was a stitch to find out what happened to that rascal Harry. However, I prefer Fraser's MacAuslan books, which are worth reading if you can find copies (MacAuslan in the Rough, The General Danced at Dawn, and The Sheik and the Dustbin.)

Obscure books - I am very fond of Donn Byrne's Irish novels. Destiny Bay and Hangman's House are very good. I also like Anthony Trollope's Barsetshire novels very much - Framley Parsonage being my favorite. Angela Thirkell has brought Barsetshire up to date and her novels are very entertaining though not as good as Trollope's. Best romances: Georgette Heyer. Best mysteries: Dorothy Sayers. If you read one mystery novel, read The Nine Tailors. There has never been a better mystery novel written (and I've read a bunch.)

[stands2reason]

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.

I've been recommended those before, but I hear they involve time-travel, is that true? I'm kind of a purist when it comes to that...