In addition to my need for more Audible.com audio books, I also need regular books. I am all out of new stuff and it makes me itch to not have a book in my hands.
So what are your favorite books? I prefer fiction but I’m pretty open as long as it’s good.
Hmm, well, looking at your title, I’d guess you’re already a Pratchett fan, so I won’t bother recommending him 
Aside from him (who rates as my fave author) here are some of my current favourites:
hmmm, I have a lot of favourite books… methinks I spend too much time reading… nah!
ooooH! I forgot:
Woohoo! Of the above I’ve only read the Weis & Hickman stuff and the Tom Clancy. :::jotting down stuff:::
There’s another thread on recommended fantasy series here. For non-fantasy, I’d suggest John Grisham. He has a lot of good books, particularly (IMO) The Rainmaker and A Time to Kill.
I don’t really care for John Grisham… the stories are good until the end… he doesn’t know how to end a book.
Definitely Harry Turtledove’s Great War series, an alternate history of World War I between the U.S. and the Confederacy:
How Few Remain (prequel)
American Front
Walk in Hell
Breakthroughs
American Empire: Blood & Iron
The Center Cannot Hold (coming June 25)
You didn’t mention him, but do you have any aversion to Stephen King? Don’t laugh out there! I recently rediscovered the Dark Tower series, and that led to a book called The Stephen King Universe, by Wiater et al. All of which makes me want to go back and read others by him. Since he’s so prolific, it’s easy to miss one (and doubly so because he chooses odd ways of distributing or marketing a book, such as Riding the Bullet, The Green Mile, and so forth).
I also recommend anything by James Patterson after Kiss the Girls. Don’t recommend the earlier stuff, because some of it’s just pure dreck.
The Stand by Stephen King is one of my all-time favourites
There are some very good novels by
Michael Crichton apart from the obvious Jurassic Park. Surprising how many have been made into movies. Disclosure,Congo,Rising Sun and more.
There is one Grisham book that is unlike all the rest, That is A Painted House. Not a lawyer in sight.
One of my favorite books is Dragon’s Egg by Robert L. Forward
Jurassic Park, my fave book. Far better than the movie, and I loved the movie.
Woohoo! Simul-post
How about… To Say Nothing of The Dog by Connie Willis?
Sorry, somebody had to say it. LOL
Another good Alternate History series is S.M Sterling’s Novels Island in the Sea of Time, Against the Tide of Years, and * On the Oceans of Eternity*
Let me point out that I’ve read all of the books by all of these authors, but I’m posting my favorites. It’s tough to pick just a few authors because I’m voracious and my library contains roughly 1500 books.
Favorite books on my shelf:
Niel Gaiman:
American Gods
Stardust
Sand Man: Book of Dreams (edited by)
Larry Niven:
Footfall
The Mote in God’s Eye
The Gripping Hand
The Legacy of Heorot
Beowulf’s Children
Greg Bear:
Eon
Blood Music
Michael Shaara:
The Killer Angels
For The Love of the Game
Jeff Shaara:
Gods and Generals
The Last Full Measure
Gone for Soldiers
Rise to Rebellion
Tom Clancy:
Without Remorse
The Sum of all Fears
Orson Scott Card:
Enders Game
Ender’s Shadow
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus
The Worthing Saga
The Tales of Alvin Maker
Gregory Benford:
In the Ocean of Night
Across the Sea of Suns
Tides of Light
Great Sky River
Furious Gulf
Sailing Bright Eternity
Damn, Epimetheus beat me to it. I susptect you would truly enjoy To Say Nothing of The Dog by Connie Willis, if you haven’t already read it. I would also recommend * The Doomsday Book* same author. Welby has some great suggestions, and to continue in the Civil War vein, Traveler is an interesting boook. I can’t remember the author’s name, same guy who wrote Watership Down. Oh yeah, in the fantasy thread, I forgot to mention Barry Hugart’s * Bridge of Birds*
David Brin and the books of his uplift series. Great reading.
I’ve read everything David Brin has written. He is one of my favorite authors.
I’ve read a lot of Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, John Grisham (even though I don’t like him), Larry Niven, Orson Scott Card…
I’m keeping a list of the new stuff that you guys are suggesting
I have so many favorites I’m always recommending, but I don’t think I’ve put these on any list threads like this:
The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer. You’d have to have a taste for this, but this is one of my all-time favorite books. It tells the story of Gary Gilmore, the man who challenged the ruling on executions and was put to death in Utah in the late '70s for killing two men. It looks at the crime and all the legal battles, protests, etc. as well as his personal story and the stories of his family. Also his relationship with Nicole, a real trashy slut who is also quite fascinating! His brother is Mikal Gilmore, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine. (Or was; I don’t read it any more.)
Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. You don’t have to have read Moby Dick to like it. It’s a long, engrossing tale peopled with real and fictional characters. It’s got one of the best opening lines I’ve read.
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. This is my favorite of her works, though The Poisonwood Bible is also good. An earthy, outdoorsy book with good characters and a definite message.
Ellen’s Perennial Favorites: Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt; The Journeyer (or anything else) by Gary Jennings; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee; The World According to Garp, John Irving; The Stand, Stephen King. All of these books have characters I have to go visit every once in a while. I miss them too much if I don’t.
I have so many favorites I’m always recommending, but I don’t think I’ve put these on any list threads like this:
The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer. You’d have to have a taste for this, but this is one of my all-time favorite books. It tells the story of Gary Gilmore, the man who challenged the ruling on executions and was put to death in Utah in the late '70s for killing two men. It looks at the crime and all the legal battles, protests, etc. as well as his personal story and the stories of his family. Also his relationship with Nicole, a real trashy slut who is also quite fascinating! His brother is Mikal Gilmore, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine. (Or was; I don’t read it any more.)
Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. You don’t have to have read Moby Dick to like it. It’s a long, engrossing tale peopled with real and fictional characters. It’s got one of the best opening lines I’ve read.
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. This is my favorite of her works, though The Poisonwood Bible is also good. An earthy, outdoorsy book with good characters and a definite message.
Ellen’s Perennial Favorites: Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt; The Journeyer (or anything else) by Gary Jennings; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee; The World According to Garp, John Irving; The Stand, Stephen King. All of these books have characters I have to go visit every once in a while. I miss them too much if I don’t.
Whose Song is Sung by Frank Schaefer is a enjoyable book. Written from the perspective of a Dwarf it tells the story of Beowolf and his fight against the Grendel. Beautiful prose and a moving story.