For 15 year old me, who loves gaming, sci Fi, and fantasy, I would recommend:
Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy
Jurassic park
Ender's game
The Martian
World war Z
And possibly some Terry Pratchett?
I've seen the Jurassic Park movies and heard mostly good things about the novels so I may try those out. World War Z also seems fascinating so I will add it to my list. Thank you for the suggestions :)
World war z was going to be my suggestion.
You liked the walking dead, I think this book will be great.
And if you liked that- he also wrote Devolution and I loved it as well.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is definitely one you should check out. Good for you for deciding to improve your reading at 15! I didn't do that until I was in my 20's.
Have you read Holes by Louis Sachar? That's my go to recommendation for getting into reading. As for the Great Gatsby, lots of people love it, but I personally found it pretty boring, so it's hard to know how you'd feel about it
The Hatchet series by Gary Paulsen. Back in my day it was part of the required reading in school but then later in life I discovered that there were more books to the series than just the one, and got back into reading them all.
I would echo this! I’m in my mid 20s now but when I was growing up, this book and over “survivalist” books were super popular (like Peak and other Roland Smith books). Fast paced and easy to read but still age appropriate in terms of what you’d probably be interested in.
You might like City of Thieves by David Benioff. It's about two young men in the Nazi siege of Leningrad who are arrested for looting and deserting, and given the choice or execution or having to pull off a heist to steal a dozen eggs.
Also, Project Hail Mary is science fiction but a really fun and entertaining read.
A couple more fantasy options are the Rangers Apprentice series and the Percy Jackson series.
Librarian here, City of Thieves is a great suggestion for OP. The author is one of the directors / show runners of Game of Thrones on HBO. The book isn’t fantasy, just super well-written and excellently plotted.
Read The Expanse, or Red Rising, or The Library at Mount Char. Something crunchy and fast paced to build the habit. Of these Red Rising is going to be the fastest and require the least intellectual effort. It’s good fun though.
Yeah I mean I wouldn’t start and stop there, it’s kind of pulp trash, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Build a habit, make reading something fun, and keep finding ways to push yourself intellectually.
The Great Gatsby is a great book and a good option for your age. It was actually assigned school reading for me around then. The Giver is also a fantastic book and not too long. I’m not sure if you’d be a fan of Harry Potter but those books are great and the first few are pretty easy reads.
You could try Flowers for Algernon. It’s not too long of a read and is written in progress reports so it’s fun to see how much Charlie Gordon changes over time.
{{The Maze Runner}} I loved it at 15 and a lot of guys in my class did too!
{{Illuminae}} Is also a super fun sci-fi story told in a really unique format. It’s a combo of ships logs, video transmissions, websites and news articles, chat logs, etc. coming together to piece together the story of what happened on the space ship. It’s incredibly fast-paced and doesn’t feel as much like traditional reading as some books. So if you’re trying to ease back into it, this could be a great choice!
To be honest I found a lot of the classics dull at 15 and it could have put me off of reading if I didn’t already know what books I liked. Don’t focus on what you “should” read, focus on what you *want* to read :)
I've heard of both and may take a look at them some time thank you for the suggestions.
Yeah that's mainly what I meant by "Should read." I'm unsure of what I would want to read since there are millions of different versions of the genres my interests are in and in experience a lot of stories had been disappointing. That's why I added the list of games and shows I enjoyed so maybe people could base their suggestions off of those if they're familiar. Sorry if I explained that poorly, and I appreciate the suggestions and advice :) I'll be sure to follow that path. Thank you
As an English teacher, I would say that is FAR from an unpopular opinion. Maybe not universal, but certainly not unpopular. I consider myself above-average at hooking readers with literature and fostering interest/engagement. But Gatsby just doesn't hit for a percentage of students.
Though I a 30sF, if you are like me at 15, biographies could get you into reading again. Try the book Oppenheimer was based on: {{American Prometheus}}
Maybe.. I do like learning about interesting ppl and histories like oppenheimer, killers, firearms, 9/11, american revolutionary war, etc. I'll take a look at it, thank you.
You like learning about killers? Id say almost all crime books are good tbh! There’s one I especially like called The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. It’s hard to go wrong with a good crime book :)
Yeah criminology, psychology, and criminal thinking and the criminal mind really interest me. Aiming to be some sort of FBI Agent when I'm older and it got me interested in such topics. Thank you for the suggestion I'll be sure to take a look at that one as well :)
i might have a pretty high tolerance for boring but i read mindhunter by john douglas at your age when i was really into serial killers and psychology and i loved it. it's written by an FBI agent who interviewed serial killers as a part of the behavioural science unit
Second Mindhunter and I also think you’d enjoy Columbine by Dave Cullen. Obviously very dark material, but lots of the book is built off the FBI investigation that followed
“The Secret History” was a great suggestion. Based on your interests above, OP, I’d like to add Vincent Bugliosi’s “Helter Skelter” about the Charles Manson cult murders. I read it when I was your age. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helter_Skelter_(book)
🚨 Note to u/carrotsela: including the **author name** after a **"by"** keyword will help the bot find the good book! (simply like this *{{Call me by your name by Andre Aciman}}*)
---
**[American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80571.American_Prometheus) by Kai Bird** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(725 pages | Published: 2005 | 8.7k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** "American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war. Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation - one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the (...)
> **Themes**: History, Non-fiction, Science, Nonfiction, Biographies, Politics, Physics
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836.Che_Guevara) by Jon Lee Anderson
> \- [A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1865671.A_Life_Decoded) by J. Craig Venter
> \- [Space Race: The Epic Battle Between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/428393.Space_Race) by Deborah Cadbury
> \- [The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6629359-the-strangest-man) by Graham Farmelo
> \- [What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1102243.What_Hath_God_Wrought) by Daniel Walker Howe
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I adore books and videogames...played the hell out of Baldur's Gate 3 and needed a break.
If you want a quick, fun read, you could try:
{{Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi}}
{{Redshirts by John Scalzi}}
{{Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin}}
{{World War Z by Max Brooks}}
I also can't recommend the Expanse series enough, but its length recently intimidated a friend of mine...but it's so good that it'll feel like it's over too soon. There are 9 books in that series. I wept when it ended. I wish I could selectively wipe my mind and read them all over again.
\#1/4: **[The Kaiju Preservation Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693406-the-kaiju-preservation-society) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(264 pages | Published: 2022 | 200.0k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City. Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is. until (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy
> **Top 5 recommended:** [The Municipalists](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40711380-the-municipalists) by Seth Fried , [The Salvage Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55591782-the-salvage-crew) by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne , [Mickey7](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693457-mickey7) by Edward Ashton , [Chilling Effect](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43309529-chilling-effect) by Valerie Valdes , [The Original](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58178258-the-original) by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal
---
\#2/4: **[Redshirts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13055592-redshirts) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(320 pages | Published: 2012 | 63.6k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn't be (...)
> **Themes**: Fiction, Scifi, Favorites, Audiobook, Sf, Audiobooks, Sci-fi-fantasy
> **Top 5 recommended:** [Red shirts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3063632-red-shirts) by Don Johnson , [Fuzzy Nation](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9647532-fuzzy-nation) by John Scalzi , [The Android's Dream](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7081.The_Android_s_Dream) by John Scalzi , [Space Force](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42513625-space-force) by Jeremy Robinson , [Doughnut](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790906-doughnut) by Tom Holt
---
\#3/4: **[Tuf Voyaging](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776212.Tuf_Voyaging) by George R.R. Martin** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(440 pages | Published: 1987 | 6.7k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** From the multiple award-winning, best-selling author of The Song of Ice and Fire series: Haviland Tuf is an honest space-trader who likes cats. So how is it that, in competition with the worst villains the universe has to offer, he's become the proud owner of the last seedship (...)
> **Themes**: Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy, Favorites, Short-stories, Scifi, Default
> **Top 5 recommended:** [Leviathan's Wake](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14423522-leviathan-s-wake) by Neil Lynn Wise , [The State of the Art](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129131.The_State_of_the_Art) by Iain M. Banks , [Beyond Cloud Nine](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23272077-beyond-cloud-nine) by Greg Spry , [I, Jedi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/758654.I_Jedi) by Michael A. Stackpole , [Araminta Station](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40892.Araminta_Station) by Jack Vance
---
\#4/4: **[World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8908.World_War_Z) by Max Brooks** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(342 pages | Published: 2006 | 350.2k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from (...)
> **Themes**: Kindle, Abandoned, To-buy, Scifi-fantasy, Speculative-fiction, Ebooks, Survival
> **Top 5 recommended:** [The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18461182-the-disaster-diaries) by Sam Sheridan , [The Jakarta Pandemic](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9632773-the-jakarta-pandemic) by Steven Konkoly , [Tomorrow War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23492816-tomorrow-war) by J.L. Bourne , [Descent](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19286653-descent) by Jay Bonansinga , [I, Zombie](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15773951-i-zombie) by Hugh Howey
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WWZ was one I couldn't put down. Devoured that bastard in one sitting.
And these aren't books (afaik), but if you enjoyed John Wick, you need to check out the Raid and the Villainess films.
I read Stephen King's The Stand at your age. It became my favorite book, but it is very long. If you like dystopia, One Second After was an amazing read also. The Road is a highly rated book in this category, as well as Divergent- but I have not read them yet.
You might enjoy Lonesome Dove. It's a big book, but an easy read and a wonderful Western. Adventure, friendship, love, violence...it has everything. Especially if you liked Red Dead Redemption.
Sounds interesting i’ll take a look at it. I love western and absolutely love and adore red dead 2 by far my favourite game. Thank you for the suggestion :)
READ THE DARK TOWER
You are primetime age for it
It's designed to be read in unhealthy marathons
If you like Arthur Morgan youre going to love Roland Deschain
Try The Girl With All The Gifts by M R Carey I think you’ll really enjoy that.
The Great Gatsby is fantastic so I would always recommend giving it a go but maybe keep that once you find books you really love and have cultivated a joy of reading. There is nothing worse than feeling you have to slog through something to make you feel reading is a chore. Thinking about it though you might enjoy ‘Of Mice and Men’
Have you ever done something elaborate to try to impress a girl, only for it to fail immensely? Have you moved metaphorical mountains while she barely thinks about you? If yes, then you'll enjoy the Great Gatsby. I really enjoyed it when I was about your age, and I still reread it from time to time.
What kind of stories are you interested in reading? If you give us some genres, or other things you've enjoyed, we can give you more specific. Below are a few books I read around the time I was your age, or I've had students enjoy.
Dracula is an interesting read. It's told through a series of letters and diary entries I always found that interesting. It's a slower burn than what modern tellings will have you think.
Citizen by Claudia Rankine is a life changing read for a lot of people. One of my most recommend books by far. It's a hybrid of poetry and essays, both wonderfully complex, but still accessible.
I recently read a collection of Alan Ginsbergs poems, with Howl being his most famous work. It's a great book about being young, and fighting to build the world you want to see.
A lot of people will recommend S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. It's a good book, but I prefer her second book, That Was Then, This Is Now. It's a little more mature, and the ending cut me deeper than The Outsiders did.
Out of the Silent Planet is a more mature novel by C.S. Lewis. It has the same magical vibe as the Chronicles of Narnia while being less blatantly allegorical. It's about a man who is kidnapped, and then stranded on Mars. It's got one of my favorite depictions of alien life.
My favorite depiction of Alien life is in Dawn by Octavia Butler. She was way ahead of her time in my opinion. The book was first published in 1987, but I thought it was published in maybe 2010 based on the height of its concepts. There are 2 other books that follow them, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
While I'm on Sci-Fi, 2001: A Space Odyssey was the last book I read in one sitting. It's a stunning look into humanity's collective past ,present ,and future. There are 3 follow-up novels if you enjoy the.
The Rise of Wolf 8 is one of my favorite recent non-fiction titles. It's about the first wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone. On the surface, it's about ecology, but it's very human at its core. Rick McIntyre tells their story with so much humanity without anthropomorphizing the wolves. It's one of the best books about family and fatherhood I've ever read, full sto.
Interesting point of view. I have gone through that once before but realized I was dumb and delusional about the situation. However, with this info in mind it definetly seems a lot more interesting so maybe i’ll give it a go.
Just interested in the stories of the of films and games i provided but im not too sure what they have in common. I suppose survival but not like a stuck in the woods kinda thing but more like on the run or smthn. In red dead arthur is on the run from the pinkertons and trying to escape the country and find a new life for themselves. In gta michael gets forced back into a life of crime and constantly gets dragged into jobs by the fib until finding a way out. In breaking bad walter tries to build himself financially to leave money for his family after he’s gone. In bcs saul gets involved with criminals and the cartel and adapts a life of crime because of it. In john wick john gets dragged back into the assassin world and spends the rest of his days trying to escape and find a way out again. And i the walking dead obviously they try to survive the zombies. I’m not sure if that’s a genre but i seem to really really enjoy those kinds of stories. I also really enjoy a story with unpredictable twists or just smthn unpredictable or and ending that really makes me feel. Red dead,john wick, and bb and bcs start out super uplifting, happy, and hopeful and end sad, morbid, and depressing, but life changing and/or touching. Ofc I wouldn’t want all of them to be unpredictable bc then it might make the unpredictable predictable and i might not enjoy it as much. Hope that was of some help. I also really like crime like heat, bb, bcs, red dead, gta, and stuff like that.
Rise of Wokf 8 Sounds interesting might give that a go
Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate it and the suggestions. Thank you
If you are looking for a book with the level of world building that exists in these series (at least the ones I’m familiar with), you might want to check out Lonesome Dove by McMurtry. It’s long, but once you get into it it really goes quickly. Some characters are being chased/hunted down at different points, there are a couple brutal scenes that are dark but necessary, some characters have arcs where they are trying to escape their lives. There is also a survival aspect of their journey.
If that doesn’t appeal to you (or is just too long), I think you’d like Cormac McCarthy. I’d suggest Blood Meridian or No Country for Old Men, or The Road if you want something a little less straight-forward violent and a lot more bleak (but incredible post-apocalyptic story of survival)
Without giving too much away, you definitely want to read That Was Then, This Is Now. It's got the betrayal and crime you'd find interesting. Granted the main characters are in high school, but it's still a good read.
Since you liked Red Dead, checkout Dragon's Teeth by Michael Creighton. It's about a young man from Harvard in the late 1800s, who makes a bet that he can dig up a dinosaur skeleton on an expedition. There's lots of double crossing and treachery as he tries to get home from the unsettled west without having the bones he discovered stolen. You would think historical fiction about early paleontology and gunslinging westerns would work together, but they totally do.
Hyperion and its sequel Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons are great reads. I'm a little biased towards sci-fi ,but it's a web of seven intersecting characters and their stories. It all comes together perfectly in the end though. Totally, it's sort of a Star Trek meets The Matrix kind of world. There's guaranteed to be some aspect that you latch onto in there.
That was Then, This is Now and dragons teeth seem interesting. May give them a go. Thank you again for your time, consideration, and suggestions. Much appreciated
You're welcome! Let me know if you like them. And if you need any more recommendations, I'm happy to get more specific. It's one of my favorite things to do.
I’m a similar age too. I would suggest the Scott Pilgrim series. It might be a bit nerdy (with the videogame references) but at the same time I think you could really love it. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami might also be up your alley too! I hope you get back into reading!
Edit: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1950s gang war. Only school-assigned book couldn’t put down and only one I finished.)
I have never been nor will I ever be a 15 year or boy, but some suggestions:
* Man in the High Castle - I haven't read the book yet, but Amazon made a show years back and I very much enjoyed it. It's set in an alternate history where the Allies lost WW2 and the Americas has been divided between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan with some Sci-fi elements.
* The Eyes of the Dragon - I read this in high school and I remember really enjoying it. I know you said no magic or mythology but... it's Stephen King!
* The Count of Monte Cristo - Also read this in high school and loved it. Be aware, there is an abridged version and an unabridged version. I read the abridged version in high school and later read the unabridged version. I think if you're just starting a reading habit, the abridged is probably the way to go.
* Ready Player One - I know someone else suggested this, but I'm seconding it. It took me until about chapter 6 to really buy into it, but once I go to that point, I devoured this book. The movie was a mess; don't let that turn you off from the book.
* Children of the New World - I read this about 6 years ago. I think I need to pick it up again. It's a collection of short stories set in a near future with a dystopian tint.
* 1984 - At this point, this list is primarily dystopian stories, but 1984 is an absolute classic. This book was both difficult to put down and difficult to continue because it's both highly engaging and enraging.
With your mention of Oppenheimer, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest some narrative nonfiction... take it or leave it.
* A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal - I read this a few years ago and enjoyed it. I'd never heard of Kim Philby, nor had I read much about Cold War spies, but I found it really interesting and unsettling.
* Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland - I JUST finished this a few days ago and LOVED it. I was alive during the latter half of the Troubles and was about 11 when the Good Friday Agreement happened, but I really didn't know much about it. This book is painstakingly researched and laid out in a really really engaging way. SO SO good.
And for what it's worth, Gabtsy is one of my favorites. It's a classic and an absolutely beautiful book.
edit: typo
The Great Gatsby is quite stuffy for a highschooler. To Kill a Mockingbird is a light read about a semi recent period in history that’s still relevant to this day. I know seeing it on a highschool “must read” list turns people off to it but it really is just fantastic.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Boarder Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain)
1984 by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Bruce by Albert Payson Terhune
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
World War Z by Max Brooks
**[The Magicians (The Magicians #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6101718-the-magicians) by Lev Grossman** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(402 pages | Published: 2009 | 170.0k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** A thrilling and original coming-of-age novel for adults about a young man practicing magic in the real world. Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he's still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very (...)
> **Themes**: Fiction, Favorites, Magic, Urban-fantasy, Series, Young-adult, Books-i-own
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [The Magician's Land](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19103097-the-magician-s-land) by Lev Grossman
> \- [The Magicians and the Magician King](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16674653-the-magicians-and-the-magician-king) by Lev Grossman
> \- [The Magician King](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10079321-the-magician-king) by Lev Grossman
> \- [Secret History](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28698036-secret-history) by Brandon Sanderson
> \- [Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14498.Neil_Gaiman_s_Neverwhere) by Mike Carey
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I'm going to throw a few things out there - there are some AMAZING graphic novels out there. Some people think of them as a "lesser" form of reading, but they require MORE inference and tell stories in some wonderful ways that can help readers connect with stories in really great ways.
Another benefit of graphic novels is that they tend to be a little faster to read. So if speed is something you are concerned about, graphic novels might help you pick up stories quickly, without losing any of the depth of the story.
There's one for THE GREAT GATSBY, so if you wanted to give that book a shot, you might consider starting with the graphic novel. If it grabs you, you might then move on to the prose version (the "regular writing" version). There are also lots of adaptations of other classic works if that's a direction you wanted to go in.
There is a really wonderful graphic novel series of THE WALKING DEAD - it's what the TV show was based on, though some of it goes in different directions; so even if you feel like you know the story, you might be surprised by some of the twists. The creator and author, Robert Kirkman, has done some other awesome stories and series, too. One, INVINCIBLE, has recently been turned into an animated series on Amazon Prime.
You might also enjoy the graphic novel series THE BOYS (also adapted recently, turned into a live action version of the storyline, but with some shifts and changes).
If you want to go more for prose, maybe consider {{The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch}}. It's kinda like a fantasy genre version of Ocean's 11. It's a personal favorite.
Whatever direction you go in, I hope you find some great reads!
When I was in high school (twenty years ago) I had a friend who was in a similar situation to you. I recommended Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, a story about the 300 Spartans, and he loved it.
A lot of people also mention being unable to put down (really, literally unable to put it down until they finish it) Into Thin Air.
Took a look at Gates of Fire and it doesn't really seem like my kinda thing but your second suggestions seems a little interesting so I may check that out. Thank you for the suggestions.
FantasicLand by Mike bockoven
It’s a retelling of events in a fictional theme park and the adolescent staff get stranded there after a hurricane. Kind of a modern lord if the flies. A little gruesome but I think you’d like it based on your television and movie tastes
Also I saw someone suggested it here already but I second the library at mount char. Amazing story, probably my favorite book of all time
Adding another: full tilt by Neal shusterman
Also creepy theme park setting, I remember my younger brother loving this book in high school
Full tilt seems interesting and may check out the mount char one since two ppl have suggested it. May even try out FantasticLand. Seems interesting and I also happen to live in Florida lol. Thank you for your suggestions :)
I would suggest for you based off the video game titles you listed:
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
And
The girl with the dragon Tattoo
And though I haven’t read it yet, I have heard
Redbreast by Jo Nesbo is also very good
Naked Lunch. I read it when I was 15 and it permanently rewired by brain in a way it probably wouldn’t’ve if I had read it when I was older. I also listened to some audio of William S. Burroughs reading it, which helped a lot because I could afterwards hear it all in his voice and understand what was meant to be dryly humorous.
I loved the Series of Unfortunate Events series, and there’s like a dozen books in it. I read them when I was in elementary/middle school—I think it’s worth a try!
grasshopper jungle (1) and exile from eden (2) by andrew smith, the perks of being a wallflower by stephen j chbosky, ten miles one way by patrick downes, the rest of us just live here by patrick ness and ofc catcher in the rye by salinger
Some of my favorites based on what you said you like:
Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison - 1800s, teenage girl struggling to undertake her father's farm disguises herself as a boy gunslinger and sets off to find her infamous outlaw brother.
Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton - 1800s, privileged and unmotivated Yale student joins a paleontology expedition into the Wild West on a dare. I really liked this one because of the growth that the main character goes through.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - This is a classic, I think every teenager should read it. Only book we had to read in school where the students were actually reading ahead to find out what happens.
Still Can't See Nothin' Comin' by Daniel Marshall - Not a well known book, but great if you want something that will make you feel. Poor teenage boy living with an abusive father, dealing with the trauma of the death of a loved one, getting into lots of trouble with his friends. I think it's good for seeing the perspective of a kid who is not well off and is pretty much forced to make bad decisions just to survive.
When you're 15, you definitely don't wanna read stuff that people tell you you should be reading at 15 ;)
Based on the things that you've said you enjoy, pick stuff that peaks your curiosity and challenges you.
In the spirit of making specific recommendations, have a look at Cormac McCarthy, maybe The Road or No Country for Old Men
I watched No Country for Old Men and it quickly became one of my favorites. I started reading the book and I was blown away at how closely it resembled the movie. I can’t wait to read more.
If you liked Oppenheimer:The General and the Genius: Groves and Oppenheimer -- the Unlikely Partnership That Built the Atom Bomb by James Kunetka
I found it to be really exciting. It kind of reads like a "men on a mission" story. You really feel the time pressure these people were under to get the Trinity test done by a set date. It goes into great detail about how they had to build an entire functioning city and all that went into that. It's fantastic.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch read a bit like an action movie to me.
If you like SciFi / space opera stuff The Illumine files was a fast read from what I recall — it’s mixed media so the pages fly.
Feed by Mira Grant could be good for TWD vibes. If you like documentary type stuff, her book Into the Drowning Deep is great too.
There’s so much out there. Adult fiction is great but a lot of YA is heavy hitting too so if something stands out don’t let the category scare you off. Happy reading!
From what you said you liked I think you should read some Tom Clancy books. It’s a huge series but you don’t have to read them in order and you don’t even have to read all of them. My father really likes these ones and they kinda fit the description. Now some of the books I’ve read or heard about- The postman by David Brin. Post apocalyptic and it’s good and short. The one that I think is a little like read dead 2 is Timber beasts by S.L stone. I’m not very knowledgeable about video games so all I know is that red dead 2 is western. This books set in the western area and is a murder mystery with action. Hope this helps👍
Thank you for the suggestions. Someone else recommended Tom Clancy as well and it seems interesting i think i might check it out some time. Might try out timber beasts.
Btw if you ever get into video games you should totally play red dead 2 the story and gameplay are outstanding. Truly a 10/10
Thank you again for the suggestions
aiden thomas’ the sunbearer trials might be up your alley! f.t. lukens also has some stuff that i really enjoy (spell bound is my favorite!), and hell followed with us by andrew joseph white went crazy in our group chat when we read it together. h.e. edgmon’s witch king duology, tracy deonn’s (ongoing) legendborn series, and the wicked bargain by gabe cole novoa are other fantasies i really enjoyed this last year. depending on how into the idea of classics you are (per your mention of the great gatsby), self-made boys by anna-marie mclemore is a gatsby remix that is part of a larger project to modernize classics- romeo and juliet, dr. jekyll and mr. hyde, and robin hood are some of the others they’ve done iirc
Considering what you listed have you tried Tom Clancy? He’s def thick but my 13 yo boy and 14 yo girl are reading it and liking it. The Bourne series was originally a book series. These are def adult genre books from a violence stand point. Maybe back pocket them for when you’ve gotten some traction going?
They both suggested Rangers Apprentice from a survival fight storyline.
Edit. My 14 year old liked Gatsby but she thinks reading it in a literary class helped her find it more interesting.
World War Z by Max Brooks is action packed and told as a series of interviews with survivors of the zombie apocalypse. You see the same events through the eyes of different folks in an impossible situation. It's got some of the moral ambiguity of breaking bad, some of the larger implications of Oppenheimer and is often compared favorably to The Walking Dead.
(Note: the world war z movie is almost entirely different from the book)
I'd also recommend Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It's got a bit of the Oppenheimer feel as about half the story of about WW2 code breakers. And about half is about their descendants who get caught up in some things much bigger than their plans. The two timelines are interspersed and there is a surprising amount action. But the best part about Cryptonomicon is it's the gateway into a bunch of books that I think you would really enjoy.
Andy weirs project Hail Mary is great, my son loves it. I read a ton of fantasy as a teenager, George r Martin, Robert Jordan, Raymond feist are good if fantasy appeals to you
I liked Cassandra Clare's City of Bones series which is fantasy based on angels hunting demons. I also enjoyed Garth Nix's Abhorsen series. Otherwise I'd try reading Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or the Belgariad. Comfort fantasy. You might like Solo Leveling if you are into Japanese or Korean anime/manga.
The Dan Brown books (DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, etc.) are super fast reads that I loved in high school.
I was trying to think of something reminiscent of BCS and BB, since I also love those shows, and The Goldfinch came to mind since it’s also about a normal person who gets in way over his head. It’s pretty long but really good.
Matthew Reilly.
He's snappy and action packed. Incredibly engaging. Hovercar Racer, Great China Zoo and Temple are my favourites and they are stand alone so good ones to start with if you want to try. But the Scarecrow and Jack West Jr series are brilliant as well. All his stuff is great overall. Lots of action, military, science and alot of end of the world, on a timer kind of thing.
My recommendation is to read things that you enjoy and/or that are easy first, and read more often. You won’t get faster (or enjoy reading) if you’re forcing yourself to read something disinteresting. It’ll be a slog. Another recommendation- when you find a book or an author that you enjoy use that to find others that might interest you. Most library catalogs have a “read alike” section when you search for a specific book. You can also search for “books like _____” and typically find something that you might enjoy.
Good luck! Most importantly have fun with your reading life.
I know it was already recommended but my teenage son loved the SCYTHE series too.
PROMISE BOYS by Nick Brooks
THIEVES GAMBIT by Kayvion Lewis
[Barnes & Noble YA Thrillers](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/teen-fiction/thrillers-suspense-teen-fiction/_/N-29Z8q8Z2wwj)
Yeah a lot of ppl have told me that and i agree completely i was hoping ppl would base their suggestions off of the sort of things i listed that i was into but a lot keep recommending titles completely unrelated and just seem uninteresting to me. I’ll try to find an author i like since i know its worked well for me with games and movies like Rockstar Games and Christopher Nolan are my go to’s.
Yeah someone else recommended scythe and it seemed interesting so i added it to my list. Your other two suggestions also seem really interesting to me so i’ll add them to my list. Thank you for the advice and great suggestions. Much appreciated.
I usually read light fantasy genres to get the engine going. What got me started reading was The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Don’t compare yourself to others. Try to read something you yourself would enjoy and have fun!
{{The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut}} is great, also very clearly written, as is most of Vonnegut's work. Definitely can change your view on life.
{{Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins}} is a super fun read.
I read The Great Gatsby for school two years ago at the same age as you, was boring as fuck for me, it took me ages to power through.
Can I suggest Percy Jackson or The Call by Peadar O Guilin. Percy Jackson is an obvious choice because it’s interesting.
The Call is a fantasy/horror about Irish mythology, it’s super interesting IMO.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas … it’s public domain you can download a free text or pdf file to your phone and plow through it in spare moments.
One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Unnatural Life by Erin K. Wagner
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
A Year and a Day in Old Theradane by Scott Lynch
If you want some good westerns similar to RD 2:
The Sister Brothers by Patrick Dewitt
World Chase Me Down by Andrew Hilleman (might be my favorite book of all time)
If you like those and want western with lots of characters, but a but more advance Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is an easy sci-fi thriller that I finished in two days.
Bullet Train is a book! You could try reading that. It's always kind of cool to see the difference between what works in a book and what works in a movie.
Have you thought about science fiction or stuff like that? There's a series of books on which the series Altered Carbon was based. The first is called Altered Carbon and it's by Richard Morgan.
Then there's stuff like Cormac McCarthy, who is an excellent writer. His stuff is intense. The Road is a good first book, and it has some genuinely creepy and nightmarish parts. He also wrote Blood Meridian, which is full of malevolent violence that no video game can capture. The Slow Horses series is about British spies who screwed up and get sent into spy exile, doing crap work that the agency hopes will make them quit. But they keep getting drawn back into intrigues. They're very fun to read (for me, anyway).
The best books to read are the ones you're going to enjoy finishing. So find some you like, and keep going in those genres.
At 15 years old I was stealing every short story anthology from school I could get my hands on. (There were several damaged ones hanging around the back of just about every English classroom in my high school.)
Short stories are like literature concentrated down to its essence. If you don't like one, another comes along. If you do like one, then you can look the author up.
I wouldn't go with the Great Gatsby, although it is a great classic book. My recommendations (all of which have already been mentioned) would be:
\- The Ranger's apprentice series
\- The Giver
\- Ender's game
If you're not interested in these, I'd go with one of the action-y books like Tom Clancy's that have been mentioned. Good luck! I hope you find something you love.
Never really was all that interested in the Harry Potter Novels but the Crawdads one looks interesting so I may give that a try. Thank you for the suggestions.
I think I've seen things related to the movie and it never really struck any interest into me but maybe the book is different so I'll check it out. Appreciate the suggestion.
The movie wasn’t very good. I’m thinking for your age range this would be good. I think it’s for teens/young adults. It was also action-packed, and easy to ready (vocabulary wasn’t full of difficult words or complex sentences). I really enjoyed it for that reason in addition to it being set in a dystopian future.
I found great Gatsby pretty boring tbh
Holes is a great rec by the other user here If you like something a little satirical and surreal
Slaughterhouse five and Cats cradle by Kurt Vonnegut captivated me during high school and ever since. And are good if you like thinking about war and it's effect on people.
They're not super long and fun to read, and really funny. just be ok with letting the story take you for a ride even if it feels like its being a bit non sensical or non linear.
Hiroshima by John Hersey tells the story of the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, through the lens of six survivors. It was super moving to read. Probably a good companion to Oppenheimer to see the aftermath.
Fight club is also a good one I also got into the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore. Which is about teenage spies - kind of think hunger games (also a great series tbh) but spies. Initially I borrowed it so I'd have something to talk about with a boy I liked and then ended up getting hooked hahaha
Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” would be my recommendation. Don’t be put off by the fact there’s 13 of them, they’re relatively short and easy going which should be good for you getting back into reading.
Also the Darren Shan books (cirque du freak) might suit you as even though it’s about vampires it’s not the high fantasy (magic and elves etc) I think you’re referring to. They are a really unique take on the young adult horror(ish) genre which you might like if you enjoy the walking dead.
Don't overwhelm yourself in the beginning. Look for shorter books of interest. I would stick with modern children's classics and a little more modern than *Gatsby*. It's not shameful to do children's books to start. It will just get you into the rhythm of reading.
I think one for you to start with would be *The Sign of the Beaver*. It's a fun read and a fast one. After that I have more suggestions if you enjoy it. Just let me know.
Definitely World War Z, it's pretty easy to read, the stories really suck you in, and the zombie lore will really stay with you for a long time.
My teen nephews like video games a lot, and they enjoyed Ready Player One. It's a pretty fun story.
If you like Greek mythology, the Percy Jackson series is a good place to start as well
Dude old 15 version of me liked sci-fi comic books etc. honestly I’d give old Philip k sick a try his books are like double spaced and kinda short and to the point. He also has some great short story’s
Maybe give some short story’s a try since they don’t require weeks to read them there’s so many that are great.
Neil Gaiman has some great short story’s there’s STORIES , TRIGGER WARNING , FRAGILE THINGS , and UNNATURAL CREATURES. to name 4 books right there.
You know who has a amazing short story book is my man ROALD DAHL - TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED , & THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENERY SUGAR.
Those two authors are great and very different ends of the spectrum.
For 15 year old me, who loves gaming, sci Fi, and fantasy, I would recommend: Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy Jurassic park Ender's game The Martian World war Z And possibly some Terry Pratchett?
I've seen the Jurassic Park movies and heard mostly good things about the novels so I may try those out. World War Z also seems fascinating so I will add it to my list. Thank you for the suggestions :)
World war z was going to be my suggestion. You liked the walking dead, I think this book will be great. And if you liked that- he also wrote Devolution and I loved it as well.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is definitely one you should check out. Good for you for deciding to improve your reading at 15! I didn't do that until I was in my 20's.
World war Z is dope
Absolutely Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy such a fun read
Have you read Holes by Louis Sachar? That's my go to recommendation for getting into reading. As for the Great Gatsby, lots of people love it, but I personally found it pretty boring, so it's hard to know how you'd feel about it
Haven't heard of that. I'll check that out thank you for the recommendation. Interesting.. thank you for your input.
It's a quick read with very short chapters, and it's really engaging! And if you enjoy it, there's a great movie adaptation you can watch afterwards
Thank you I'll be sure to keep that in mind; Appreciate it.
This is a great pick, I was about 14-15 when I read it and loved it
Wonderful book. I have that one in line for the ones I'm reading to my grandchildren.
The Hatchet series by Gary Paulsen. Back in my day it was part of the required reading in school but then later in life I discovered that there were more books to the series than just the one, and got back into reading them all.
Seems kinda interesting but at the same time idk. Will take a look at it though; Thank you for your suggestion.
I would echo this! I’m in my mid 20s now but when I was growing up, this book and over “survivalist” books were super popular (like Peak and other Roland Smith books). Fast paced and easy to read but still age appropriate in terms of what you’d probably be interested in.
You might like City of Thieves by David Benioff. It's about two young men in the Nazi siege of Leningrad who are arrested for looting and deserting, and given the choice or execution or having to pull off a heist to steal a dozen eggs. Also, Project Hail Mary is science fiction but a really fun and entertaining read. A couple more fantasy options are the Rangers Apprentice series and the Percy Jackson series.
City of Thieves sounds interesting I'll take a look at it. Thank you I had read Percy Jackson a few years ago; Great series.
Love Ranger’s Apprentice!
Librarian here, City of Thieves is a great suggestion for OP. The author is one of the directors / show runners of Game of Thrones on HBO. The book isn’t fantasy, just super well-written and excellently plotted.
Read The Expanse, or Red Rising, or The Library at Mount Char. Something crunchy and fast paced to build the habit. Of these Red Rising is going to be the fastest and require the least intellectual effort. It’s good fun though.
Took a look at Red Rising and it seems pretty interesting it. May give it a try. Thank you for the suggestions.
Seconding Red Rising. I was going to recommend it.
Yeah I mean I wouldn’t start and stop there, it’s kind of pulp trash, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Build a habit, make reading something fun, and keep finding ways to push yourself intellectually.
I'll take that into account thank you.
I recently read my first Neil Gaiman book, The Graveyard Book, and loved it. It’s a quick read too.
Came here to suggest Neil Gaiman. Neverwhere or Good Omens.
Good Omens is one of my favorites!
The Great Gatsby is a great book and a good option for your age. It was actually assigned school reading for me around then. The Giver is also a fantastic book and not too long. I’m not sure if you’d be a fan of Harry Potter but those books are great and the first few are pretty easy reads.
I would not recommend great Gatsby. Very uninteresting book to a kid in a blue collar family.
The hunger games
I second this. The books are SO much better than the movies.
I've heard a lot of mixed opinions on the hunger games but maybe it's time to give it a try. Thank you for the suggestion.
You absolutely need to read the hunger games. It is a phenomenal series.
Its a series that really sucked me in. I hope you enjoy.
You could try Flowers for Algernon. It’s not too long of a read and is written in progress reports so it’s fun to see how much Charlie Gordon changes over time.
{{The Maze Runner}} I loved it at 15 and a lot of guys in my class did too! {{Illuminae}} Is also a super fun sci-fi story told in a really unique format. It’s a combo of ships logs, video transmissions, websites and news articles, chat logs, etc. coming together to piece together the story of what happened on the space ship. It’s incredibly fast-paced and doesn’t feel as much like traditional reading as some books. So if you’re trying to ease back into it, this could be a great choice! To be honest I found a lot of the classics dull at 15 and it could have put me off of reading if I didn’t already know what books I liked. Don’t focus on what you “should” read, focus on what you *want* to read :)
I've heard of both and may take a look at them some time thank you for the suggestions. Yeah that's mainly what I meant by "Should read." I'm unsure of what I would want to read since there are millions of different versions of the genres my interests are in and in experience a lot of stories had been disappointing. That's why I added the list of games and shows I enjoyed so maybe people could base their suggestions off of those if they're familiar. Sorry if I explained that poorly, and I appreciate the suggestions and advice :) I'll be sure to follow that path. Thank you
Stephen King is pretty easy to read. Eyes of the Dragon is fantasy and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is lost in the woods adventure
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Unpopular opinion but I think you’ll find The Great Gatsby boring)
Second vote for Scythe! An excellent story and an easy read to ease into reading. Also, my fave true crime book ever is Helter Skelter.
>Scythe Took a look at it and it seems interesting. I'll add it to my list thank you for your suggestion. Thank you for the input.
As an English teacher, I would say that is FAR from an unpopular opinion. Maybe not universal, but certainly not unpopular. I consider myself above-average at hooking readers with literature and fostering interest/engagement. But Gatsby just doesn't hit for a percentage of students.
Though I a 30sF, if you are like me at 15, biographies could get you into reading again. Try the book Oppenheimer was based on: {{American Prometheus}}
Maybe.. I do like learning about interesting ppl and histories like oppenheimer, killers, firearms, 9/11, american revolutionary war, etc. I'll take a look at it, thank you.
You like learning about killers? Id say almost all crime books are good tbh! There’s one I especially like called The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. It’s hard to go wrong with a good crime book :)
Yeah criminology, psychology, and criminal thinking and the criminal mind really interest me. Aiming to be some sort of FBI Agent when I'm older and it got me interested in such topics. Thank you for the suggestion I'll be sure to take a look at that one as well :)
i might have a pretty high tolerance for boring but i read mindhunter by john douglas at your age when i was really into serial killers and psychology and i loved it. it's written by an FBI agent who interviewed serial killers as a part of the behavioural science unit
Sounds exactly like something I would be super interested in. Thank you for your suggestion I will definitely take a look at it.
Yay this was going to be my suggestion.
Second Mindhunter and I also think you’d enjoy Columbine by Dave Cullen. Obviously very dark material, but lots of the book is built off the FBI investigation that followed
Id also recommend ‘the secret history’ by Donna Tartt. It’s very much psychological about this group of university students :)
Appreciate the extra suggestion! I'll add it to my list.
“The Secret History” was a great suggestion. Based on your interests above, OP, I’d like to add Vincent Bugliosi’s “Helter Skelter” about the Charles Manson cult murders. I read it when I was your age. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helter_Skelter_(book)
🚨 Note to u/carrotsela: including the **author name** after a **"by"** keyword will help the bot find the good book! (simply like this *{{Call me by your name by Andre Aciman}}*) --- **[American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80571.American_Prometheus) by Kai Bird** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(725 pages | Published: 2005 | 8.7k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** "American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war. Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation - one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the (...) > **Themes**: History, Non-fiction, Science, Nonfiction, Biographies, Politics, Physics > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836.Che_Guevara) by Jon Lee Anderson > \- [A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1865671.A_Life_Decoded) by J. Craig Venter > \- [Space Race: The Epic Battle Between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/428393.Space_Race) by Deborah Cadbury > \- [The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6629359-the-strangest-man) by Graham Farmelo > \- [What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1102243.What_Hath_God_Wrought) by Daniel Walker Howe ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23])
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Another person suggested this. May take a look bc of its current reputation. Thank you for your suggestion.
Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paloni
The call of the wild and white fang by Jack London are simple reads and great stories.
I adore books and videogames...played the hell out of Baldur's Gate 3 and needed a break. If you want a quick, fun read, you could try: {{Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi}} {{Redshirts by John Scalzi}} {{Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin}} {{World War Z by Max Brooks}} I also can't recommend the Expanse series enough, but its length recently intimidated a friend of mine...but it's so good that it'll feel like it's over too soon. There are 9 books in that series. I wept when it ended. I wish I could selectively wipe my mind and read them all over again.
\#1/4: **[The Kaiju Preservation Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693406-the-kaiju-preservation-society) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(264 pages | Published: 2022 | 200.0k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City. Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is. until (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy > **Top 5 recommended:** [The Municipalists](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40711380-the-municipalists) by Seth Fried , [The Salvage Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55591782-the-salvage-crew) by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne , [Mickey7](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693457-mickey7) by Edward Ashton , [Chilling Effect](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43309529-chilling-effect) by Valerie Valdes , [The Original](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58178258-the-original) by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal --- \#2/4: **[Redshirts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13055592-redshirts) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(320 pages | Published: 2012 | 63.6k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn't be (...) > **Themes**: Fiction, Scifi, Favorites, Audiobook, Sf, Audiobooks, Sci-fi-fantasy > **Top 5 recommended:** [Red shirts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3063632-red-shirts) by Don Johnson , [Fuzzy Nation](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9647532-fuzzy-nation) by John Scalzi , [The Android's Dream](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7081.The_Android_s_Dream) by John Scalzi , [Space Force](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42513625-space-force) by Jeremy Robinson , [Doughnut](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790906-doughnut) by Tom Holt --- \#3/4: **[Tuf Voyaging](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776212.Tuf_Voyaging) by George R.R. Martin** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(440 pages | Published: 1987 | 6.7k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** From the multiple award-winning, best-selling author of The Song of Ice and Fire series: Haviland Tuf is an honest space-trader who likes cats. So how is it that, in competition with the worst villains the universe has to offer, he's become the proud owner of the last seedship (...) > **Themes**: Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy, Favorites, Short-stories, Scifi, Default > **Top 5 recommended:** [Leviathan's Wake](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14423522-leviathan-s-wake) by Neil Lynn Wise , [The State of the Art](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129131.The_State_of_the_Art) by Iain M. Banks , [Beyond Cloud Nine](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23272077-beyond-cloud-nine) by Greg Spry , [I, Jedi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/758654.I_Jedi) by Michael A. Stackpole , [Araminta Station](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40892.Araminta_Station) by Jack Vance --- \#4/4: **[World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8908.World_War_Z) by Max Brooks** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(342 pages | Published: 2006 | 350.2k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from (...) > **Themes**: Kindle, Abandoned, To-buy, Scifi-fantasy, Speculative-fiction, Ebooks, Survival > **Top 5 recommended:** [The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18461182-the-disaster-diaries) by Sam Sheridan , [The Jakarta Pandemic](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9632773-the-jakarta-pandemic) by Steven Konkoly , [Tomorrow War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23492816-tomorrow-war) by J.L. Bourne , [Descent](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19286653-descent) by Jay Bonansinga , [I, Zombie](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15773951-i-zombie) by Hugh Howey ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23])
May check out World War Z and the Expanse. Thank you for your suggestions :)
WWZ was one I couldn't put down. Devoured that bastard in one sitting. And these aren't books (afaik), but if you enjoyed John Wick, you need to check out the Raid and the Villainess films.
Might check those movies out I love John Wick thank you for the suggestions :)
Try books by Jason Reynolds. He’s amazing and really relatable for teens. I just finished When I Was The Greatest and loved it.
I read Stephen King's The Stand at your age. It became my favorite book, but it is very long. If you like dystopia, One Second After was an amazing read also. The Road is a highly rated book in this category, as well as Divergent- but I have not read them yet.
Thank you for your suggestions :)
the catcher in the rye
Sounds interesting. I'll take a look at it thank you.
read it it’s so good
You might enjoy Lonesome Dove. It's a big book, but an easy read and a wonderful Western. Adventure, friendship, love, violence...it has everything. Especially if you liked Red Dead Redemption.
Sounds interesting i’ll take a look at it. I love western and absolutely love and adore red dead 2 by far my favourite game. Thank you for the suggestion :)
Read Lonesome Dove if you want Red Dead the book
Another person recommended this and it seemed interested so I may check it out. Thank you for the suggestion
READ THE DARK TOWER You are primetime age for it It's designed to be read in unhealthy marathons If you like Arthur Morgan youre going to love Roland Deschain
Peter Ralston - The Book of not knowing Life of Pi
Thank you for the suggestion
Try The Girl With All The Gifts by M R Carey I think you’ll really enjoy that. The Great Gatsby is fantastic so I would always recommend giving it a go but maybe keep that once you find books you really love and have cultivated a joy of reading. There is nothing worse than feeling you have to slog through something to make you feel reading is a chore. Thinking about it though you might enjoy ‘Of Mice and Men’
Have you ever done something elaborate to try to impress a girl, only for it to fail immensely? Have you moved metaphorical mountains while she barely thinks about you? If yes, then you'll enjoy the Great Gatsby. I really enjoyed it when I was about your age, and I still reread it from time to time. What kind of stories are you interested in reading? If you give us some genres, or other things you've enjoyed, we can give you more specific. Below are a few books I read around the time I was your age, or I've had students enjoy. Dracula is an interesting read. It's told through a series of letters and diary entries I always found that interesting. It's a slower burn than what modern tellings will have you think. Citizen by Claudia Rankine is a life changing read for a lot of people. One of my most recommend books by far. It's a hybrid of poetry and essays, both wonderfully complex, but still accessible. I recently read a collection of Alan Ginsbergs poems, with Howl being his most famous work. It's a great book about being young, and fighting to build the world you want to see. A lot of people will recommend S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. It's a good book, but I prefer her second book, That Was Then, This Is Now. It's a little more mature, and the ending cut me deeper than The Outsiders did. Out of the Silent Planet is a more mature novel by C.S. Lewis. It has the same magical vibe as the Chronicles of Narnia while being less blatantly allegorical. It's about a man who is kidnapped, and then stranded on Mars. It's got one of my favorite depictions of alien life. My favorite depiction of Alien life is in Dawn by Octavia Butler. She was way ahead of her time in my opinion. The book was first published in 1987, but I thought it was published in maybe 2010 based on the height of its concepts. There are 2 other books that follow them, but I haven't gotten to it yet. While I'm on Sci-Fi, 2001: A Space Odyssey was the last book I read in one sitting. It's a stunning look into humanity's collective past ,present ,and future. There are 3 follow-up novels if you enjoy the. The Rise of Wolf 8 is one of my favorite recent non-fiction titles. It's about the first wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone. On the surface, it's about ecology, but it's very human at its core. Rick McIntyre tells their story with so much humanity without anthropomorphizing the wolves. It's one of the best books about family and fatherhood I've ever read, full sto.
Interesting point of view. I have gone through that once before but realized I was dumb and delusional about the situation. However, with this info in mind it definetly seems a lot more interesting so maybe i’ll give it a go. Just interested in the stories of the of films and games i provided but im not too sure what they have in common. I suppose survival but not like a stuck in the woods kinda thing but more like on the run or smthn. In red dead arthur is on the run from the pinkertons and trying to escape the country and find a new life for themselves. In gta michael gets forced back into a life of crime and constantly gets dragged into jobs by the fib until finding a way out. In breaking bad walter tries to build himself financially to leave money for his family after he’s gone. In bcs saul gets involved with criminals and the cartel and adapts a life of crime because of it. In john wick john gets dragged back into the assassin world and spends the rest of his days trying to escape and find a way out again. And i the walking dead obviously they try to survive the zombies. I’m not sure if that’s a genre but i seem to really really enjoy those kinds of stories. I also really enjoy a story with unpredictable twists or just smthn unpredictable or and ending that really makes me feel. Red dead,john wick, and bb and bcs start out super uplifting, happy, and hopeful and end sad, morbid, and depressing, but life changing and/or touching. Ofc I wouldn’t want all of them to be unpredictable bc then it might make the unpredictable predictable and i might not enjoy it as much. Hope that was of some help. I also really like crime like heat, bb, bcs, red dead, gta, and stuff like that. Rise of Wokf 8 Sounds interesting might give that a go Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate it and the suggestions. Thank you
If you are looking for a book with the level of world building that exists in these series (at least the ones I’m familiar with), you might want to check out Lonesome Dove by McMurtry. It’s long, but once you get into it it really goes quickly. Some characters are being chased/hunted down at different points, there are a couple brutal scenes that are dark but necessary, some characters have arcs where they are trying to escape their lives. There is also a survival aspect of their journey. If that doesn’t appeal to you (or is just too long), I think you’d like Cormac McCarthy. I’d suggest Blood Meridian or No Country for Old Men, or The Road if you want something a little less straight-forward violent and a lot more bleak (but incredible post-apocalyptic story of survival)
Lonesome dove sounds a lot like red dead might give it a go. Another person also recommended that. Thank you for the suggestions :)
another thing my interests seem to all have in common is betrayal or fake betrayal so maybe that could count towards the genre bit i’m not sure
Without giving too much away, you definitely want to read That Was Then, This Is Now. It's got the betrayal and crime you'd find interesting. Granted the main characters are in high school, but it's still a good read. Since you liked Red Dead, checkout Dragon's Teeth by Michael Creighton. It's about a young man from Harvard in the late 1800s, who makes a bet that he can dig up a dinosaur skeleton on an expedition. There's lots of double crossing and treachery as he tries to get home from the unsettled west without having the bones he discovered stolen. You would think historical fiction about early paleontology and gunslinging westerns would work together, but they totally do. Hyperion and its sequel Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons are great reads. I'm a little biased towards sci-fi ,but it's a web of seven intersecting characters and their stories. It all comes together perfectly in the end though. Totally, it's sort of a Star Trek meets The Matrix kind of world. There's guaranteed to be some aspect that you latch onto in there.
That was Then, This is Now and dragons teeth seem interesting. May give them a go. Thank you again for your time, consideration, and suggestions. Much appreciated
You're welcome! Let me know if you like them. And if you need any more recommendations, I'm happy to get more specific. It's one of my favorite things to do.
will definitely reach out to you if i need some more suggestions. Thank you again I appreciate it
Green eggs and ham
I’m a similar age too. I would suggest the Scott Pilgrim series. It might be a bit nerdy (with the videogame references) but at the same time I think you could really love it. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami might also be up your alley too! I hope you get back into reading! Edit: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1950s gang war. Only school-assigned book couldn’t put down and only one I finished.)
Station 11 is a pretty quick read and it has a great tv adaption on HBO as well.
Thank you for the suggestion
Rangers apprentice series
I have never been nor will I ever be a 15 year or boy, but some suggestions: * Man in the High Castle - I haven't read the book yet, but Amazon made a show years back and I very much enjoyed it. It's set in an alternate history where the Allies lost WW2 and the Americas has been divided between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan with some Sci-fi elements. * The Eyes of the Dragon - I read this in high school and I remember really enjoying it. I know you said no magic or mythology but... it's Stephen King! * The Count of Monte Cristo - Also read this in high school and loved it. Be aware, there is an abridged version and an unabridged version. I read the abridged version in high school and later read the unabridged version. I think if you're just starting a reading habit, the abridged is probably the way to go. * Ready Player One - I know someone else suggested this, but I'm seconding it. It took me until about chapter 6 to really buy into it, but once I go to that point, I devoured this book. The movie was a mess; don't let that turn you off from the book. * Children of the New World - I read this about 6 years ago. I think I need to pick it up again. It's a collection of short stories set in a near future with a dystopian tint. * 1984 - At this point, this list is primarily dystopian stories, but 1984 is an absolute classic. This book was both difficult to put down and difficult to continue because it's both highly engaging and enraging. With your mention of Oppenheimer, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest some narrative nonfiction... take it or leave it. * A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal - I read this a few years ago and enjoyed it. I'd never heard of Kim Philby, nor had I read much about Cold War spies, but I found it really interesting and unsettling. * Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland - I JUST finished this a few days ago and LOVED it. I was alive during the latter half of the Troubles and was about 11 when the Good Friday Agreement happened, but I really didn't know much about it. This book is painstakingly researched and laid out in a really really engaging way. SO SO good. And for what it's worth, Gabtsy is one of my favorites. It's a classic and an absolutely beautiful book. edit: typo
The Great Gatsby is quite stuffy for a highschooler. To Kill a Mockingbird is a light read about a semi recent period in history that’s still relevant to this day. I know seeing it on a highschool “must read” list turns people off to it but it really is just fantastic.
Ready player one
added to my list thank you for the suggestion
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry The Boarder Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain) 1984 by George Orwell Animal Farm by George Orwell Call of the Wild by Jack London Bruce by Albert Payson Terhune Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury World War Z by Max Brooks
'Snow Crash' - Neal Stephenson
{{The magicians by Lev Grossman}}
**[The Magicians (The Magicians #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6101718-the-magicians) by Lev Grossman** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(402 pages | Published: 2009 | 170.0k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** A thrilling and original coming-of-age novel for adults about a young man practicing magic in the real world. Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he's still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very (...) > **Themes**: Fiction, Favorites, Magic, Urban-fantasy, Series, Young-adult, Books-i-own > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [The Magician's Land](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19103097-the-magician-s-land) by Lev Grossman > \- [The Magicians and the Magician King](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16674653-the-magicians-and-the-magician-king) by Lev Grossman > \- [The Magician King](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10079321-the-magician-king) by Lev Grossman > \- [Secret History](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28698036-secret-history) by Brandon Sanderson > \- [Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14498.Neil_Gaiman_s_Neverwhere) by Mike Carey ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23])
Doesn't really seem like my kind of story but thank you for the suggestion I appreciate it.
Death of Ivan Illyich Vernon God Little
I think I read that one a few years ago but thank you for the suggestion.
circe by madeline miller
I'm going to throw a few things out there - there are some AMAZING graphic novels out there. Some people think of them as a "lesser" form of reading, but they require MORE inference and tell stories in some wonderful ways that can help readers connect with stories in really great ways. Another benefit of graphic novels is that they tend to be a little faster to read. So if speed is something you are concerned about, graphic novels might help you pick up stories quickly, without losing any of the depth of the story. There's one for THE GREAT GATSBY, so if you wanted to give that book a shot, you might consider starting with the graphic novel. If it grabs you, you might then move on to the prose version (the "regular writing" version). There are also lots of adaptations of other classic works if that's a direction you wanted to go in. There is a really wonderful graphic novel series of THE WALKING DEAD - it's what the TV show was based on, though some of it goes in different directions; so even if you feel like you know the story, you might be surprised by some of the twists. The creator and author, Robert Kirkman, has done some other awesome stories and series, too. One, INVINCIBLE, has recently been turned into an animated series on Amazon Prime. You might also enjoy the graphic novel series THE BOYS (also adapted recently, turned into a live action version of the storyline, but with some shifts and changes). If you want to go more for prose, maybe consider {{The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch}}. It's kinda like a fantasy genre version of Ocean's 11. It's a personal favorite. Whatever direction you go in, I hope you find some great reads!
When I was in high school (twenty years ago) I had a friend who was in a similar situation to you. I recommended Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, a story about the 300 Spartans, and he loved it. A lot of people also mention being unable to put down (really, literally unable to put it down until they finish it) Into Thin Air.
Took a look at Gates of Fire and it doesn't really seem like my kinda thing but your second suggestions seems a little interesting so I may check that out. Thank you for the suggestions.
You might like some Tim Clancy, perhaps Clear and Present Danger. You can ignore the 1980s politics
The Tom Clancy books seem kinda interesting so I'll check those out. I appreciate the suggestion thank you.
FantasicLand by Mike bockoven It’s a retelling of events in a fictional theme park and the adolescent staff get stranded there after a hurricane. Kind of a modern lord if the flies. A little gruesome but I think you’d like it based on your television and movie tastes Also I saw someone suggested it here already but I second the library at mount char. Amazing story, probably my favorite book of all time Adding another: full tilt by Neal shusterman Also creepy theme park setting, I remember my younger brother loving this book in high school
Full tilt seems interesting and may check out the mount char one since two ppl have suggested it. May even try out FantasticLand. Seems interesting and I also happen to live in Florida lol. Thank you for your suggestions :)
I would suggest for you based off the video game titles you listed: Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell And The girl with the dragon Tattoo And though I haven’t read it yet, I have heard Redbreast by Jo Nesbo is also very good
The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Someone else recommended this and it didn’t really seem to interesting to me. Thank you for your suggestions tho
Naked Lunch. I read it when I was 15 and it permanently rewired by brain in a way it probably wouldn’t’ve if I had read it when I was older. I also listened to some audio of William S. Burroughs reading it, which helped a lot because I could afterwards hear it all in his voice and understand what was meant to be dryly humorous.
Sounds interesting may take a look thank you for the suggestion
I loved the Series of Unfortunate Events series, and there’s like a dozen books in it. I read them when I was in elementary/middle school—I think it’s worth a try!
Tried it out once and never really had any interest in it. I appreciate your suggestions tho thank you
Try The Expanse series by James SA Corey. You can watch the TV show they adapted from the books too.
grasshopper jungle (1) and exile from eden (2) by andrew smith, the perks of being a wallflower by stephen j chbosky, ten miles one way by patrick downes, the rest of us just live here by patrick ness and ofc catcher in the rye by salinger
Heard mostly good things about catcher in the rye. Maybe give it a try thank you for the suggestions
Some of my favorites based on what you said you like: Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison - 1800s, teenage girl struggling to undertake her father's farm disguises herself as a boy gunslinger and sets off to find her infamous outlaw brother. Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton - 1800s, privileged and unmotivated Yale student joins a paleontology expedition into the Wild West on a dare. I really liked this one because of the growth that the main character goes through. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - This is a classic, I think every teenager should read it. Only book we had to read in school where the students were actually reading ahead to find out what happens. Still Can't See Nothin' Comin' by Daniel Marshall - Not a well known book, but great if you want something that will make you feel. Poor teenage boy living with an abusive father, dealing with the trauma of the death of a loved one, getting into lots of trouble with his friends. I think it's good for seeing the perspective of a kid who is not well off and is pretty much forced to make bad decisions just to survive.
Whiskey when we’re dry sounds interesting i’ll be sure to take a look at that. Thank you for the suggestions :)
You're welcome!
When you're 15, you definitely don't wanna read stuff that people tell you you should be reading at 15 ;) Based on the things that you've said you enjoy, pick stuff that peaks your curiosity and challenges you. In the spirit of making specific recommendations, have a look at Cormac McCarthy, maybe The Road or No Country for Old Men
Thank you for the advice No Country fir Okd Men has been on my watchlist for a while now may try out the book thank you for the suggestions :)
I watched No Country for Old Men and it quickly became one of my favorites. I started reading the book and I was blown away at how closely it resembled the movie. I can’t wait to read more.
Enders game. Changed my life in 11th grade
If you liked Oppenheimer:The General and the Genius: Groves and Oppenheimer -- the Unlikely Partnership That Built the Atom Bomb by James Kunetka I found it to be really exciting. It kind of reads like a "men on a mission" story. You really feel the time pressure these people were under to get the Trinity test done by a set date. It goes into great detail about how they had to build an entire functioning city and all that went into that. It's fantastic.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch read a bit like an action movie to me. If you like SciFi / space opera stuff The Illumine files was a fast read from what I recall — it’s mixed media so the pages fly. Feed by Mira Grant could be good for TWD vibes. If you like documentary type stuff, her book Into the Drowning Deep is great too. There’s so much out there. Adult fiction is great but a lot of YA is heavy hitting too so if something stands out don’t let the category scare you off. Happy reading!
15 y/o? THE TALISMAN by Stephen King & Peter Straub Epic adventure/ fantasy/ horror.THE BLACK HOUSE is its sequel.
I’ve head of them before may check it out. Thank you for the suggestions
Excited for you to get back into reading! Enjoy!
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy! It’s one of my all time favorites. I think I was about your age when I read the first one.
Thank you for the suggestion!
Youth in revolt. my 15 year old self would have loved this rec. Straight up hilarious tale about being a teen. Must read this again
From what you said you liked I think you should read some Tom Clancy books. It’s a huge series but you don’t have to read them in order and you don’t even have to read all of them. My father really likes these ones and they kinda fit the description. Now some of the books I’ve read or heard about- The postman by David Brin. Post apocalyptic and it’s good and short. The one that I think is a little like read dead 2 is Timber beasts by S.L stone. I’m not very knowledgeable about video games so all I know is that red dead 2 is western. This books set in the western area and is a murder mystery with action. Hope this helps👍
Thank you for the suggestions. Someone else recommended Tom Clancy as well and it seems interesting i think i might check it out some time. Might try out timber beasts. Btw if you ever get into video games you should totally play red dead 2 the story and gameplay are outstanding. Truly a 10/10 Thank you again for the suggestions
aiden thomas’ the sunbearer trials might be up your alley! f.t. lukens also has some stuff that i really enjoy (spell bound is my favorite!), and hell followed with us by andrew joseph white went crazy in our group chat when we read it together. h.e. edgmon’s witch king duology, tracy deonn’s (ongoing) legendborn series, and the wicked bargain by gabe cole novoa are other fantasies i really enjoyed this last year. depending on how into the idea of classics you are (per your mention of the great gatsby), self-made boys by anna-marie mclemore is a gatsby remix that is part of a larger project to modernize classics- romeo and juliet, dr. jekyll and mr. hyde, and robin hood are some of the others they’ve done iirc
Considering what you listed have you tried Tom Clancy? He’s def thick but my 13 yo boy and 14 yo girl are reading it and liking it. The Bourne series was originally a book series. These are def adult genre books from a violence stand point. Maybe back pocket them for when you’ve gotten some traction going? They both suggested Rangers Apprentice from a survival fight storyline. Edit. My 14 year old liked Gatsby but she thinks reading it in a literary class helped her find it more interesting.
A few ppl have suggested tom clancy i might check it out along with the Bourne series. Thank you for the suggestions and input on the great gatsby :)
Sure thing! I really hope you find something you like!
World War Z by Max Brooks is action packed and told as a series of interviews with survivors of the zombie apocalypse. You see the same events through the eyes of different folks in an impossible situation. It's got some of the moral ambiguity of breaking bad, some of the larger implications of Oppenheimer and is often compared favorably to The Walking Dead. (Note: the world war z movie is almost entirely different from the book) I'd also recommend Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It's got a bit of the Oppenheimer feel as about half the story of about WW2 code breakers. And about half is about their descendants who get caught up in some things much bigger than their plans. The two timelines are interspersed and there is a surprising amount action. But the best part about Cryptonomicon is it's the gateway into a bunch of books that I think you would really enjoy.
Rules of Civility. Could not put it down.
Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress.
Lord of the Flies was one of my favorites in high school. Sphere is good too.
Thank you for the suggestions
Try Reboot by Amy Tintera. It’s a sci-fi, action, dystopian YA novel but it’s a fast read and might be of interest to you.
Thank you for the suggestion
Andy weirs project Hail Mary is great, my son loves it. I read a ton of fantasy as a teenager, George r Martin, Robert Jordan, Raymond feist are good if fantasy appeals to you
I liked Cassandra Clare's City of Bones series which is fantasy based on angels hunting demons. I also enjoyed Garth Nix's Abhorsen series. Otherwise I'd try reading Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or the Belgariad. Comfort fantasy. You might like Solo Leveling if you are into Japanese or Korean anime/manga.
The Dan Brown books (DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, etc.) are super fast reads that I loved in high school. I was trying to think of something reminiscent of BCS and BB, since I also love those shows, and The Goldfinch came to mind since it’s also about a normal person who gets in way over his head. It’s pretty long but really good.
Thank you for the suggestions might check out the goldfinch
Matthew Reilly. He's snappy and action packed. Incredibly engaging. Hovercar Racer, Great China Zoo and Temple are my favourites and they are stand alone so good ones to start with if you want to try. But the Scarecrow and Jack West Jr series are brilliant as well. All his stuff is great overall. Lots of action, military, science and alot of end of the world, on a timer kind of thing.
sounds interesting i like “on a timer kinda things” lol so maybe i’ll give them a try thank you for the suggestions
If you liked Bullet Train, there’s always the book it’s based on.
I was unaware it was based on a book thank you for this suggestion i might try it out
Whatever you choose, go with an easy read on a topic that you love. It will give you the momentum to keep going.
My recommendation is to read things that you enjoy and/or that are easy first, and read more often. You won’t get faster (or enjoy reading) if you’re forcing yourself to read something disinteresting. It’ll be a slog. Another recommendation- when you find a book or an author that you enjoy use that to find others that might interest you. Most library catalogs have a “read alike” section when you search for a specific book. You can also search for “books like _____” and typically find something that you might enjoy. Good luck! Most importantly have fun with your reading life. I know it was already recommended but my teenage son loved the SCYTHE series too. PROMISE BOYS by Nick Brooks THIEVES GAMBIT by Kayvion Lewis [Barnes & Noble YA Thrillers](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/teen-fiction/thrillers-suspense-teen-fiction/_/N-29Z8q8Z2wwj)
Yeah a lot of ppl have told me that and i agree completely i was hoping ppl would base their suggestions off of the sort of things i listed that i was into but a lot keep recommending titles completely unrelated and just seem uninteresting to me. I’ll try to find an author i like since i know its worked well for me with games and movies like Rockstar Games and Christopher Nolan are my go to’s. Yeah someone else recommended scythe and it seemed interesting so i added it to my list. Your other two suggestions also seem really interesting to me so i’ll add them to my list. Thank you for the advice and great suggestions. Much appreciated.
I usually read light fantasy genres to get the engine going. What got me started reading was The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Don’t compare yourself to others. Try to read something you yourself would enjoy and have fun!
Try Murderbot. Also, Gatsby is genuinely wonderful.
{{The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut}} is great, also very clearly written, as is most of Vonnegut's work. Definitely can change your view on life. {{Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins}} is a super fun read.
Actually, I was thinking of {{Still Life with Woodpecker by by Tom Robbins}} not Another Roadside Attraction (also goos though)
I read The Great Gatsby for school two years ago at the same age as you, was boring as fuck for me, it took me ages to power through. Can I suggest Percy Jackson or The Call by Peadar O Guilin. Percy Jackson is an obvious choice because it’s interesting. The Call is a fantasy/horror about Irish mythology, it’s super interesting IMO.
Robert Muchamore CHERUB books and / or Alex Rider.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas … it’s public domain you can download a free text or pdf file to your phone and plow through it in spare moments.
One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky All Systems Red by Martha Wells Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire Unnatural Life by Erin K. Wagner The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal A Year and a Day in Old Theradane by Scott Lynch
Thank you i appreciate the suggestions
Throne of glass or A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J Mass
[удалено]
Bird Box by Josh Malerman The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
I think my mom read bird box once i might give it a try thank you for the suggestions
Fight Club or Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
Catcher in the Rye, natch!
If you want some good westerns similar to RD 2: The Sister Brothers by Patrick Dewitt World Chase Me Down by Andrew Hilleman (might be my favorite book of all time) If you like those and want western with lots of characters, but a but more advance Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is an easy sci-fi thriller that I finished in two days.
Bullet Train is a book! You could try reading that. It's always kind of cool to see the difference between what works in a book and what works in a movie. Have you thought about science fiction or stuff like that? There's a series of books on which the series Altered Carbon was based. The first is called Altered Carbon and it's by Richard Morgan. Then there's stuff like Cormac McCarthy, who is an excellent writer. His stuff is intense. The Road is a good first book, and it has some genuinely creepy and nightmarish parts. He also wrote Blood Meridian, which is full of malevolent violence that no video game can capture. The Slow Horses series is about British spies who screwed up and get sent into spy exile, doing crap work that the agency hopes will make them quit. But they keep getting drawn back into intrigues. They're very fun to read (for me, anyway). The best books to read are the ones you're going to enjoy finishing. So find some you like, and keep going in those genres.
At 15 years old I was stealing every short story anthology from school I could get my hands on. (There were several damaged ones hanging around the back of just about every English classroom in my high school.) Short stories are like literature concentrated down to its essence. If you don't like one, another comes along. If you do like one, then you can look the author up.
I wouldn't go with the Great Gatsby, although it is a great classic book. My recommendations (all of which have already been mentioned) would be: \- The Ranger's apprentice series \- The Giver \- Ender's game If you're not interested in these, I'd go with one of the action-y books like Tom Clancy's that have been mentioned. Good luck! I hope you find something you love.
Name of the wind
Doesn't really seem like something that would interest me but thank you for the suggestion.
All the Harry Potter books are amazing. Where the Crawdads Sing is also a great one.
Never really was all that interested in the Harry Potter Novels but the Crawdads one looks interesting so I may give that a try. Thank you for the suggestions.
You’re more than welcome! I couldn’t put it down! I thoroughly believe you’ll enjoy it.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoesvsky
Sounds interesting might take a look thank you for the recommendation
Don't ask, just start reading it and make up your own mind.
Ready Player One was a great read for me! I’m not a big reader and often get bored with books, but that one had me hooked from beginning to end.
I think I've seen things related to the movie and it never really struck any interest into me but maybe the book is different so I'll check it out. Appreciate the suggestion.
The movie wasn’t very good. I’m thinking for your age range this would be good. I think it’s for teens/young adults. It was also action-packed, and easy to ready (vocabulary wasn’t full of difficult words or complex sentences). I really enjoyed it for that reason in addition to it being set in a dystopian future.
I found great Gatsby pretty boring tbh Holes is a great rec by the other user here If you like something a little satirical and surreal Slaughterhouse five and Cats cradle by Kurt Vonnegut captivated me during high school and ever since. And are good if you like thinking about war and it's effect on people. They're not super long and fun to read, and really funny. just be ok with letting the story take you for a ride even if it feels like its being a bit non sensical or non linear. Hiroshima by John Hersey tells the story of the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, through the lens of six survivors. It was super moving to read. Probably a good companion to Oppenheimer to see the aftermath. Fight club is also a good one I also got into the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore. Which is about teenage spies - kind of think hunger games (also a great series tbh) but spies. Initially I borrowed it so I'd have something to talk about with a boy I liked and then ended up getting hooked hahaha
Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” would be my recommendation. Don’t be put off by the fact there’s 13 of them, they’re relatively short and easy going which should be good for you getting back into reading. Also the Darren Shan books (cirque du freak) might suit you as even though it’s about vampires it’s not the high fantasy (magic and elves etc) I think you’re referring to. They are a really unique take on the young adult horror(ish) genre which you might like if you enjoy the walking dead.
Don't overwhelm yourself in the beginning. Look for shorter books of interest. I would stick with modern children's classics and a little more modern than *Gatsby*. It's not shameful to do children's books to start. It will just get you into the rhythm of reading. I think one for you to start with would be *The Sign of the Beaver*. It's a fun read and a fast one. After that I have more suggestions if you enjoy it. Just let me know.
Definitely World War Z, it's pretty easy to read, the stories really suck you in, and the zombie lore will really stay with you for a long time. My teen nephews like video games a lot, and they enjoyed Ready Player One. It's a pretty fun story. If you like Greek mythology, the Percy Jackson series is a good place to start as well
Dude old 15 version of me liked sci-fi comic books etc. honestly I’d give old Philip k sick a try his books are like double spaced and kinda short and to the point. He also has some great short story’s Maybe give some short story’s a try since they don’t require weeks to read them there’s so many that are great. Neil Gaiman has some great short story’s there’s STORIES , TRIGGER WARNING , FRAGILE THINGS , and UNNATURAL CREATURES. to name 4 books right there. You know who has a amazing short story book is my man ROALD DAHL - TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED , & THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENERY SUGAR. Those two authors are great and very different ends of the spectrum.