[quote]MrZsasz wrote:
Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs - 24 books
Repairman Jack books - F Paul Wilson - 15 books + 3 that deal with his life before the series
Felix Castor books - Mike Carey - 5 books so far
Sandman Slim - Richard Kadrey - 7 books so far
Broken Empire(Prince of Thorns, etc) - Mark Lawrence - 3 books plus started a new series in the same world
[/quote]
I’m looking into Repairman Jack. Would you recommend reading The Keep before reading The Tomb? The way those two series intertwine is a little confusing.
I am a huge fan of James Lee Burke, but especially his Dave Robicheaux books. There are 20 books in the series. The last 2 or 3 have been a bit over the top, but the early books are fantastic. Dave is a (mostly) recovering alcoholic detective who lives in Southern Louisiana, where Burke is from. The books evoke the history and cultures of the many ethnicities who have settled that region. They’re complex, morally nuanced and poetically written. The man who performs the audio books is equally fantastic.
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
I am a huge fan of James Lee Burke, but especially his Dave Robicheaux books. There are 20 books in the series. The last 2 or 3 have been a bit over the top, but the early books are fantastic. Dave is a (mostly) recovering alcoholic detective who lives in Southern Louisiana, where Burke is from. The books evoke the history and cultures of the many ethnicities who have settled that region. They’re complex, morally nuanced and poetically written. The man who performs the audio books is equally fantastic.[/quote]
I love the Robicheaux series. Clete Purcell is one of my favorite literary characters.
This thread is already paying off for me. I bought the first book in the Repairman Jack series last night and I am loving it. I also bought the first book in the Sandman Slim series.
[quote]audiogarden1 wrote:
The entire Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore. Hands down my favorite novels and Drizzt is easily one of the most badass characters in any form of media.
[quote]T-Raven wrote:
This thread is already paying off for me. I bought the first book in the Repairman Jack series last night and I am loving it. I also bought the first book in the Sandman Slim series. [/quote]
Sorry, just saw your message. And no, you can get away with just reading the Repairman Jack books, or you can read the all the connected Adversary Cycle but I haven’t except for Nightworld that happens after the RJ series is done.
Glad you are enjoying them, Jack is an awesome character, laid back, fun, and scary all at once.
Read a couple Reacher novels just cause they were laying around…too unbelievable for me. A former military policeman who somehow has the skills of a super spy ninja…nope, sorry.
[quote]boatguy wrote:
Read a couple Reacher novels just cause they were laying around…too unbelievable for me. A former military policeman who somehow has the skills of a super spy ninja…nope, sorry.[/quote]
Pretty much this. I enjoy them the way I may enjoy popcorn but they’re unrealistic escapist fantasies with an invincible protagonist. Basically the male equivalent of paperback romance novels, which is why they sell so well.
Need to take a look at David Weber. Fantasy, alternate history, what is now called space opera, military sci-fi, and great collaborations.
His Honorverse has the Honor Herrington series, several sub-series, and even a young adult series.
War God series
Dahak series
Safehold series
collaborations: Bolo series with Keith Laumer, Starfire series with Steve White, Empire of Man series with John Ringo, 1632 series with Eric Flint, Multiverse series with Linda Evans.
Just go here to read his and several others free complete novels and the first 3-8 chapters of several others. From Brian Aldiss to Roger Zelazny
[quote]boatguy wrote:
Read a couple Reacher novels just cause they were laying around…too unbelievable for me. A former military policeman who somehow has the skills of a super spy ninja…nope, sorry.[/quote]
Pretty much this. I enjoy them the way I may enjoy popcorn but they’re unrealistic escapist fantasies with an invincible protagonist. Basically the male equivalent of paperback romance novels, which is why they sell so well.[/quote]
I really enjoy the Reacher series. I don’t feel like it is to unbelievable. Yeah, he is 6’6" 250lbs and grew up on military bases with his dad, then enlisted and went through his career before leaving because the downsizing of the Military and he saw the writing on the wall.
If Reacher took a slightly different approach to his military career he had a shot at being a General. Big, strong, very smart. Lives a spartan lifestyle, kicks ass, protects the truth, meets women, loves beauty. Great Series in my opinion.
I agree with whoever recommended Michael Connelley’s Bosch novels. Those are great. Lots of great recommendations here, and some I will definitely have to check out.
I think one person recommended the Patrick O’Brian novels with Aubrey/Maturin about early 19th century British naval warfare. A little different from most recommendations here, but hands down, one of the best series I have ever read.
if anyone is interested in high fantasy, Malazan Book of the Fallen series is one of the finest around (10 books and a bunch of side story novels). Thing is, it takes a while to get going because the author just jumps right into the action without building any of the plot or characters ahead of time, there are a million characters and a ton of storylines throughout the series. It’s a tough read in that sense but if you have patience and interest in adult high fantasy, it’s totally worth it.
actually, it’s a better version of A Song of Ice and Fire, with way better character and story development, a lot less misogyny and actual elements of fantasy besides dragons
If you like mysteries that are a little different try the Charlie Moon series by James D. Doss. Charlie is a rancher and sometime tribal investigator on the Southern Colorado Ute reservation. A lot of Native American customs and everyday life, good and bad, are integrated into these books. Well written and you’ll love his Aunt Daisy Perika, a tribal shaman.
When I was a kid, my favorite books were “Tom Swift, Jr.” books. (There was a much older series called “Tom Swift” – that’s the dad in the second generation of books.)
Basically, he was a boy-genius who invented things, got into trouble, and saved the day. The series was the inspiration for “Iron Man.” Steve Woziniack said the books inspired him to work on computers.
I was attracted to engineering in no small part because of childhood day dreams related to them.
They were pretty kitchy – about the same as a “Hardy Boys” book, but science fiction.
My daughters all read my old collection and remember them fondly.
If you like historical fiction and/or Asia, then James Clavell’s Asian Saga is worth a read. The first two are the best: Shogun and Tai Pan, set in feudal Japan and colonial Hong Kong respectively. They’re pretty thick books but real swashbuckling adventures, and although the series spans 400 years it does have one or two common threads.