50 Cent wrote a book. Though I like his music, I honestly can't see a fascinating piece of literature coming from him. I opened it up in a book store once, saw something about n----'s and crackhouses, and put it back on the shelf.
But, I'm still curious. I've decided that I probrably will end up buying it, but I'll buy a real novel along with it. So, if 50's book really is crap, then I'll have something else to make up for it (a book by 50 Cent would look pretty cool on my shelf, anyway).
I like reading sci-fi and fantasy. I also enjoy reading books that deal with culture, religion, or psychology. Some recent titles I've read and loved are:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Please Stop Laughing At Me... by Jodee Blanco
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
I've also been read many of the sci-fi classics lately, either on my own or for school requirements.
I do not want to read anything that you'd see in the teen literature aisle that deals with high school girls trying to balance all their friends and boyfriends among other issues, and the cover is bright pink with the title in yellow cursive, or something.
Do you guys have any reccomandations? And, I'd perfer if you'd give me a title that's just a novel by itself, not a series.
You may also discuss what you have been reading lately, because I'm sure all of us have lives outside of the internet. 
Robin Hobb...
She's an American author, so she ought to be findable in the US, she certainly made it here in the UK.
Quite long books, but I seriously recomend finding the Farseer Trilogy, and it's follow up trilogies:
The liveship traders and the Tawny man trilogy (not sure about the name in the last one.)
But, seriously, it's compulsive first person stories that span an entire kingdom, gigantic world changing events all scaled down to the life and times of one person (it becomes two later on) with romantic themes, and although I dont want to spoil it Dragons get involved along the way, as do wizards and other various types of magic.
Here's her homepage:
and her books:
www.robinhobb.com/books-main.html
Trust me, you need to be able to stick with it, and a lot of first person books stumble but this is brilliant stuff.
Graham Edwards is one of my all time fav authors. He's done two trillogies that I've been reading recently, the STONE trillogy, including:
Stone and Sky
Stone and Sea
Stone and Sun
about another world running parralel to ours that is perched on the side of an anormous wall, and the horizon is near vertical! Just what is this world, known as Amara or Stone, and what does it have to do with Earth? When he accidentally gets pulled into this vertical world, Jonah. the hero, must answer these questions, along with a large and varied array of friends that he meets up with.
Also the DRAGONCHARM series, including:
Dragoncharm
Dragonstorm
Dragonflame
These I haven't had a chance to read yet, but I've read the teasers on the back cover and they look absolutely fantastic!
Both trilogies are awesome, and I'd recomment them to any Fantasy fans, and even people who aren't generally into Fantasy!
Another book that is one of my all-time favorites is Hunter's Moon, by Gary Kilworth. It tells the story of a family of foxes as theytry to survive in their dangerous world, filled with foxhunting, construction sites and diseases. A classic read, certainly recommended to anyone!
I'm also into Sci-Fi, but as yet haven't found any books in that genre that quite compare to the ones mentioned above.
Wraith
If you've never read Dune by Frank Herbert, I'd suggest giving it a try, it sounds it might just be what you're loooking for. I've just finfished reading it for school when I go back tomorrow.
Hm.... I'm not sure if this is the kind of thing you're looking for, but there's a book I read a few years ago that I recently picked up again called "Witch Child" by Celia Rees, about a girl who people have accused of being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. Excellent book with a pretty good sequel as well ("Sorceress")
As for books I've been reading lately, for school I'm required to read "Beowulf", which is quite interesting. The version we're reading has the Old English on one page and the translated version on the other page, continuing like that through the rest of the book. Very cool so far ^^
I'm still trying to get through "Red Star 2: Duty and Destiny", though I haven't picked it up in quite a long time. >>;; I think I'll pick it up again once I'm done with this post. Yeah, that sounds good.
~Shadowed Spirit Sage
Hey, Sage- is Beowulf the story about that king who had to kill the dragon?
Anyway, You could read You Don't Know Me by David Klass.
I would say Lemony Snicket, but you don't want series, so...
Yes it is, Abi ^^ I'm enjoying it so far.
And "You Don't Know Me" owns. Period. I loved that book ^^
~Shadowed Spirit Sage
Listen to Abi and Tricia. "You Don't Know Me" rocked. Don't be put off by the emo-looking cover and title.
"They Cage the Animals at Night" by Jennings Michael Burch is also a pretty good book. I'd recommend that one as well.
Well right now I'm reading books on Ethics, one written by this Rachels guy and I'm also reading poetry...all for school mind you. I found an interesting poem where the guy talked on about school and then, he went on a very very interesting tangent...
I always read books on history and modern warfare.
"Red Army" - Ralph Peters
"War of the Rats" - David L. Robbins
"Cyclops One" - James DeFelice
"Six Armies In Normandy" - John Keegan
"The Man Who Invented Hitler: The Making of the Fuhrer" - David Lewis
Yes, you can basically see where this is going. Plenty of history and war books. =D
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Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Been meaning to read that one.
Anyway, I have many, many books. I'm currently reading Jonathon Strange & Mr Norrell, which is superb and probably some of the best fantasy I've read. Highly recommended...
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I always read books on history and modern warfare.
Ever read Paul Knnedy's Rise and Fall of the Great Powers? Excellent piece of work...
I've been reading an awful lot of Yaoi fanfiction lately.
I'm also a fan of Terry Pratchett.
I liked Catch 22 by Joseph Heller and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel by Robert Heinlein. Highly recommend both.
Right now I'm into the Halo tgrilogy, The "Darkness"... Quintilogy? o.o
And Inuyasha, Yuyu Hakisho, Ruroni Kensin, and Fullmetal Alchemist.
I second OTB on Dune. I read it a couple months ago and I loved it. It is the first in a series, but most people consider it to be a stand-alone masterpiece anyway.
In any case, I just read a book called The Diagnosis by Alan Lightman. Very good.
And, of course, that most remarkable book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.
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And, of course, that most remarkable book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.
Read it. 😛
Well, thank you guys for replying nicely.
I was at a bookstore the other day. I thumbed through 50 Cent's book, and once again did not work up the nerve to buy it.
I wrote down some of your titles on a notecard, and I couldn't find ANY of them. 
It really pissed me off, because at the previous store I couldn't find the DVD's I wanted, either.
So, I yoinked a book off of my brother's bookshelf.
Jurassic Park.
That should be a good read.
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But, seriously, it's compulsive first person stories that span an entire kingdom, gigantic world changing events all scaled down to the life and times of one person (it becomes two later on) with romantic themes, and although I dont want to spoil it Dragons get involved along the way, as do wizards and other various types of magic.
I second Robin Hobb. She's one of the best fantasy writers on shelves now. Forget the wizards and dragons and magic, kingdom and worlds... most fantasy novels now have that, though Hobb's are superbly done. What stands out about Hobb is the thoughtfulness she puts into her people; the depth of the characters is unparalleled. Tolkien did worlds and languages, sure, but he can't touch Hobb for characters. Her Farseer trilogy is very mature.. and not mature in an "OMG Blood and Boobies!!!" kind of way, but mature in its view of human nature and thought.
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I'm also a fan of Terry Pratchett.
Also seconded. Terry Pratchett is a British author who writes fantasy satire. He's kind of like Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide) except for fantasy instead of sci-fi. He's got some very smart social commentary, quirky, likeable characters, completely bizrre and deranged ideas, puns galore, and a gripping pace. They books are short but satisfying, so don't worry about having to pick up a tome. Also, while Discworld is a series, it's only a series in that "all the books take place on the same world," so you can start with just abut any book in the series.
--
I also recommend Dune, like a gazillion people have already. It is a tome though. It's space opera and humongously epic, more myth than science and more legend than novel. Unlike other sci-fi novels, where everything is uber-modernized, Dune is feudal with high technology- warlords, swordsmen and desert nomads fight each other with laser cannons and genetic engineering. That sort of thing is an acquired taste, just warning you.
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I also recommend Dune, like a gazillion people have already. It is a tome though. It's space opera and humongously epic, more myth than science and more legend than novel. Unlike other sci-fi novels, where everything is uber-modernized, Dune is feudal with high technology- warlords, swordsmen and desert nomads fight each other with laser cannons and genetic engineering. That sort of thing is an acquired taste, just warning you.
Precisely my thoughts. Definitely worth a read or four.
Also, have you ever read any of the Cthulhu Mythos books from H.P. Lovecraft? I loved them when I was around 13 and I'm rereading Call of Cthulhu for no particular reason.
I highly recommend you pick it up.
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I second Robin Hobb. She's one of the best fantasy writers on shelves now. Forget the wizards and dragons and magic, kingdom and worlds... most fantasy novels now have that, though Hobb's are superbly done. What stands out about Hobb is the thoughtfulness she puts into her people; the depth of the characters is unparalleled. Tolkien did worlds and languages, sure, but he can't touch Hobb for characters. Her Farseer trilogy is very mature.. and not mature in an "OMG Blood and Boobies!!!" kind of way, but mature in its view of human nature and thought.
I'd agree... but only for the first trilogy. I really wasn't impressed by the Liveship trilogy, which seemed to lose most of the strengths you've just cited.
But her first 3 books, the Farseer trilogy... among the better fantasy I've read (though probably not the absolute best)
Speaking of Dune as people were, I actually think the sequals are worth a look too... provided they're the ones by the orginal author. The "farm the name out to other writers"-type sequals just annoy me.
Two books you need to read:
1. the curious incident of the dog at the night-time
2. the old man and the sea (hemingway)
I know thier both quite boring sounding,but thier good books!
That title sounds very familiar.... Gamecuberules, is that first book the one that the autistic person wrote?
If it is, you are my favorite person ever. I had been trying to remember the name of that book for the longest time 'cause I wanted to read it. ^^
~Shadowed Spirit Sage
Is it just me, or has no one mentioned Michael Crighton?
Sphere and Timeline both RULE. Sci-Fi, with theories to back 'em up.
They're a bit easy for older readers, but Monica Hughes' books are great sci-fi. I read "Invitation to the Game" at age eight, loved it, and had worked my way through her entire catalogue a year later. "The Keeper of the Isis Light", "Devil On My Back" and "Sandwriter" are probably her best works.
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1. the curious incident of the dog at the night-time?
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That title sounds very familiar.... Gamecuberules, is that first book the one that the autistic person wrote?
Third-ed! While the author, Mark Haddon, is not actually autistic, the main character is. The book is written from the perspective of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome, who is trying to solve the mystery of why there's a dead dog randomly on his yard. It's a very short novel and an easy read, but very moving nonetheless. It's odd.. he manages to depict so much emotion even though the "voice" lacks almost any emotion. The thing that stands out is that the main character, while he's the one who has a social disability, really sheds more light on human nature than the "normal" characters do. In many ways, while he supposedly is incapable of understanding people, he understands people better than people do themselves. In many ways, even though other characters dislike him for being "stupid" and "antisocial," he's actually the bravest and kindest person in the book.
It's late and I'm not making any sense. But those of you who've read the book know what I'm talking about.
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Third-ed! While the author, Mark Haddon, is not actually autistic, the main character is. The book is written from the perspective of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome, who is trying to solve the mystery of why there's a dead dog randomly on his yard. It's a very short novel and an easy read, but very moving nonetheless. It's odd.. he manages to depict so much emotion even though the "voice" lacks almost any emotion. The thing that stands out is that the main character, while he's the one who has a social disability, really sheds more light on human nature than the "normal" characters do. In many ways, while he supposedly is incapable of understanding people, he understands people better than people do themselves. In many ways, even though other characters dislike him for being "stupid" and "antisocial," he's actually the bravest and kindest person in the book.
It's late and I'm not making any sense. But those of you who've read the book know what I'm talking about.
First, small note: he has the more severe form of Asperger's syndrome. I've known people with much milder forms, and I myself have syuch a mild case it almost no longer exists. It is, after all, a label for certain personality traits, and no more... it's only when they're carried to the more extreme level of people such as the guy in the book that they become noticeable. A lot more people have it very mildly (like me) than they probably realise...
But yes, part of it is that you see the world in a much more logical fashion. Hence, clearer in some ways than the way many people see it...
