Book Advice - need answer moderately fast

Cafe Society
1

Ok. Sheer desperation strikes. I need a book for a cross Canada flight next Sunday- the second biggest country in the world, and I’m going from one end to the other. I have nothing to read, and no ideas, and I’m a fast reader. I’ve read all of everything from the authors that I know will be good. I don’t want to be stuck on a flight with a dud. If I could magically make a new book by one of these authors, I would:

Terry Pratchett
Ian M. Banks (Not quite so excited about his evil twin Ian Banks)
Carl Hiaason
JK Rowling
Patrick O’Brien
Neal Stephenson

Whom else ought I be reading?
Help. Otherwise, I’m stuck with a work related book for 5000 km.

2

Have you read any George R.R. Martin? The Song of Ice and Fire series is amazing, and there’s no way you’ll finish them on your flight.

Plus, the new one comes out (supposedly) in October!! You’ll be hooked just in time.

3

Pick up The Stand by Stephen King.

4

If you like Carl Hiaasen, you might like *Foul Matter * by Martha Grimes. It’s a standalone book, not one of her regular mysteries. One of the few books that’s ever made me laugh out loud and actually made me go around looking for people to tell about it.

5

Since you like Rowling, I highly, highly recommend Jonathan Stroud’s The Bartimaeus Trilogy. I love GRR Martin, but the books are a bit heavier (in content, though they’re also fat tomes) than I would suggest for a flight.

6

Thanks for the suggestions. Think of me on Sunday, up (up and away) 'til about 6pm eastern.

7

Based on your inclusion of Carl Hiaasen, I would recommend Joe R. Lansdale. His Hap and Leonard books are mysteries set in Texas. Hilarious and graphic.

8

Check out The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss.

Beautifully written, fast-paced but long, quite absorbing. I really enjoyed it, and you and I seem to have similar tastes.

9

How about Infinite Jest? (It’s a bit of a flier, but since you list Neal Stephenson maybe it’ll be a go.)

Stranger

10

If you like Patrick O’Brian, you might also like C.M. Forester’s Hornblower series, or the Mutiny on the Bounty books.

If you liked Stephenson’s Snow Crash and Diamond Age, you might like John C. Wright’s Golden Age series.

11

I’ll go out on a limb and mention one I liked recently: The Tenderness of Wolves. It’s a novel, not sci fi/fantasy but it’s set in the frozen wasteland of Canada so it may be just right. It’s not too deep but it’s an engaging story.

12

The authors I listed at the top are just the ones I’d like to squeeze a quick novel out of, knowing they’d be readable. I read a lot of other stuff as well as science fiction and fantasy. I appreciate your suggestion very much as well. Murder in the snow is always a good start. Thanks.

Especially since I’m leaving the snowy part on Sunday.

13

Get thee to a bookstore and purchase His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman (the Golden Compass trilogy). It was a truly marvelous read that I completed mere days ago.

14

That looks good too. My distant relative T. Slothrop (we have the same mother and the same father) is a big Pynchon and Stephenson fan. I’ll have to pass on this recommendation on to him. Or just let him read it here.

15

The Company by Robert Littell is a good fat read. And pretty well written into the bargain.

I wouldn’t describe it as your typical spy novel.

16

I just finished “Duma Key” by Stephen King, and I absolutely loved it - I’ve been a Stephen King fan for decades, and I think this is one of his best books. It felt like he poured his heart and soul into the book. (Plus, it’s only about $12 at Wal*Mart! No getting hosed for Canadian prices!)

17

I recently discovered Canadian mystery writer Giles Blunt. His three novels, set in a small Ontario city are **Black Fly Season, Forty Words for Sorrow ** and The Delicate Storm. Highly rfecommended.

18

Off to the bookstore with the list - Thanks again

19

Are you sure you have read everything by them? A lesser-known book by Pratchett (if all you know him for is Discworld) is Good Omens, co-written with Neil Gaiman.

20

I don’t really have a suggestion, but I do have a cross-country flight related anecdote…

I have tried to read The Fountainhead about 4 or 5 times, and could never get past about midway. I would always get to about the same point, put the book down for some reason or other, and just never be able to get back into it. So a few months ago I flew from Sacramento to Boston (via Houston), and back again. I managed to read about 500 pages during the various flights…

I still haven’t finished (having only read about 12 pages since I got home), but dammit, I’m going to do it this time!!!