Let me get something out of the way. I strongly dislike reading. Most books, to me, are paced poorly, take too long to get through, and are so bogged down in details (such as how something looks) that my eyes just gloss over.
However, I just finished The Hunger Games trilogy and I loved them. I thought they were paced extremely well and had an interesting premise. It’s also the first time I’ve finished a novel in 10 years (though Iv’e tried others, but I usually burn out about half way).
Are there any books similar in pacing/writing style that I might like?
For YA stuff, The Maze Runner might be interesting to you. I have read the first two, and am waiting for the third to be available in ebook form from the library.
There is, however, a LOT of “what the fuck are they DOING to those kids and WHY???” in it.
My son actually asked for the Hunger Games books for Christmas (this is a kid who does not voluntarily read anything). I’m going to have to try to swipe them from him long enough to read them :).
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! It just occurred to me that there is another book I finished in the past couple of years…**The Road **(which, now that I think of it, is like a darker Hunger Games I don’t know if that helps provide recommendations, but figured I’d throw it out there.
I started reading the sample of it on my phone last night…the writing style is really bugging me. A lot of run-on sentences and some annoying word choice. I’m guessing that’s the author’s way of trying to convey what it must be like to live in a world where there’s never silence?
I made it to chapter 2, but I don’t know if I can keep going…does it get substantially better? Thanks for the suggestion regardless.
If you can get a hold of the audiobook version (check your local library) I think you’d really get into the story - Todd’s dialog comes across much better in this format, IMHO and the “noise” is also more effective. Keep in mind that Todd is a poorly-educated country boy - Huck Finn of the stars, if you will
The action picks up once you find out what the hole in the noise is, and the implications of it. The story is pretty much non-stop thru the rest of the first novel. The second book The Ask and the Answer is slower, focusing more on world and character-building, but the last novel Monsters of Men is a total roller-coaster ride!
I couldn’t make my mind up about that one. It felt it was pushing the wish fulfillment, power fantasy angle a bit too strongly.
Everything kind of falls neatly into place for the protagonist, regardless of whether it made sense or not. Sorta Twilight for geeks. I enjoyed the first half, but by the end I was getting a bit sick of, “here’s a problem, but not really, cause I’m awesome and special”
It’s well written, and if you’re even slightly geeky you’ll enjoy all the references.
You also may like Before I Fall, which has a Groundhog Day sort of premise; or Never After, a twist on the story of Peter Pan. Both of these were very engrossing and had fast-moving plots.
I really disliked this series. Maybe I’d have liked it more if I had the audiobooks, but having read the print series, I disliked it enough that I won’t even consider them again.
Ready Player One was awesome. So was Divergent. *Ashes, Ashes * by Jo Treggiari is another one I read recently, along with *Legend * by Marie Lu and When She Woke by Hillary Jordan.
I don’t know if that helps provide recommendations, but figured I’d throw it out there.