You might like Elaine Cunningham's Songs & Swords quintet ...i found it to be a very good read with iteresting and well thought out characters and a very good story line.

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"The beginning of eternity.
The end of time and space.
The start of every end,
And the end of every place."

Thanks Sneeki Two. Aaah now there's a spelling mistake if you ever sought one!
Another add: the sf short stories by Isaac Asimov. His novels are interesting but did not grip me really. Go for his short stories i say, for Asimov's the master of sf short stories and there are many good ones around. Some are even really famous like The last question.
Just look out for any Asimov sf short story compilation, there are many different around.

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reality is for those not smart enough to see the truth!!!!!

<font color=orange>I agree with most of the books mentioned here. Not all mind you, but most. As for new stuff, no one has yet mentioned George R. R. Martin. I think he is the best writer out there, today(IMO). Pick up A GAME OF THRONES. I couldn't put his book down! Great read!!! The second in the series is A CLASH OF KINGS (just as good). Try him out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.</font>

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Sir Taliesin

http://www.dabros.com/images/sigs/giant.gif

If they take my gun can I still use my Axe?

George R.R. Martin was mentioned and I agree that his books are some of best of the new stuff out there. I found it while surfing thru amazon.com and tore thru all three books in no time.

Now I think I'm reading Jordan and Goodkind while waiting for Martins new stuff instead of vice versa.

ray bradbury short storys number among the best, while IMHO asimovs short storeys arnt as good as they are made out to be, he shoulda stuck to writing science books. Robin Hobb's books(farseer & Liveship Traders) are very good,perhaps the best of modern fantasy.

And for non-fiction jared diamond's books are very interesting.

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God bless Atheism!

Well, aside from the obvious: Lord of the Ring and the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind, you could probably read Harry Potter... it's light but surprisingly enjoyable.

Can't believe I forgot him http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif. An all time classic: Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy. If you want to have anything to say when talking to a group of socially incompatible nerds (or programmers http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif) you have to have read these books http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif.
However you should read them regardless of your social background, they're really good and definitely standing apart from anything else in fictional literature.


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reality is for those not smart enough to see the truth!!!!!

Read all the Feist. Be sure you get the serpentwar saga and the empire trilogy.

Terry Goodkind is a must. I loved his books.

Robert Jordan was pretty good. Kinda similar to Goodkind

Tolkein- no more needs to be said

Dragonlance - heroes 1 and 2 series.

Finally, you gotta read the Belgariad by (I forgot the authors name)

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"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
-General George Patton (1885-1945)
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Member of CLAN HADB

I am really into Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series at the moment.
I will disagree with others though - I have been rivetted to the entire series, and felt it kept the pace up right the way through (I started book 1 at the end of May and have just finished book 8 - currently waiting for book 9 in Paperback).

Also, someone mentioned Watership Down by Richard Adams - this is a fantastic book! "But it's about a bunch of cuddly bunnies!!" I hear you say!
NO! This is one of the darkest, most sinister and saddest books I have ever read and it says a lot about human societies. The rabbits are some of the most believable characters I've ever come across. Absolutely brilliant - and don't be put off by the film if you've seen it.

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Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

Hi Epona!

You're mostly right about The Wheel of Time series although the last book didn't live up to my expectations ....
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WARNING! - SPOILER BELOW (WHEEL OF TIME)
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... mainly to do with the way Jordan handled the cleansing of the Taint from Sadin - It was just, well, unspectacular. The Forsaken should have put up much more of a fight than they did. Oh well.

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END OF SPOILER
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You're damn right about Watership Down, though. Because the book features rabbits as the characters, people beleive this book's for kids. It isn't. The book is about how a group of rabbits perceive the world, their history, and how they deal with danger. A great adventure and very serious in places.
It's a very good read.

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