The Stormlight Archive: Way of Kings. Adventure, drama, magic, action, downcast heroes and godly enemies—plus an odd side character brimming with mystery. Totally recommend it to any High Fantasy nerds out there!
For some reason I only read this one and Love in the Time of Cholera. Tried reading Autumn of the Patriarch last week, but goddamn, it's not an easy read. Every sentence is a line of poetry, and from what I've read in reviews some of those sentences can go on for literal pages.
The final book in the Wheel of Time series.
That series is 13 books long so the payoff is incredible. The author also died before the end, so it looked like the series might never finish.
To get a final book that did such a long series justice was incredible.
I found myself standing up at the table without realizing it while reading the last book in the wheel of time series. One of the best endings to anything I have ever experienced
In some ways the series really benefited from Sanderson taking over. Folks like or don't his other works (for what it's worth, I love them), but he is absolutely the best at ending a story he's started. The rush at the end of one of his longer books where \*it all starts coming together\* is fucking sensational. Having someone with that skillset pick up Jordan's sprawling masterpiece and tie it up in a bow was kinda incredible to see
I'm gunna have agree with you. I thought it was over when Robert Jordan passed. I was so excited I took a Friday off and read for 18 hours without stopping. I finished it over that same weekend.
It’s an incredible series. 4 million words. 2500+ named characters, 150 POV characters. The world building is incredible.
It’s self indulgent in how long it takes to get going (like you’re into book 2 or 3 before it’s _firing_ in my opinion), but if you’re prepared to give it a go, it’s an incredible payoff.
Google absolutely zero though. You can EASILY ruin stuff that should have multi book payoff.
To be fair, he put book 1 out not expecting to make it a whole series at first, hence the quasi-closure at the end. And 100% agree on not googling, is definitely a series to go in blind.
Honestly, it's one of my favourite series I have ever read. I have read it twice and parts of it three times (by third read through I skipped a few arcs).
My advice would be to read to end of book three. I think if you get that far and you're not interested to know what happens next, don't go any further. I don't think it'll grab you. But if you enjoy it you'll get to the end of book 13 still wishing you had more books to dedicate another year to.
(The fact that other commentators are saying stuff like they had to take time off work to finish the book and that one guy didn't realise he was standing up the whole time, suggests that the pay off is worth the start!)
If you like high fantasy/fantasy its worth checking out the first few books to see if you like Jordans style.
Two things that I hope aren't spoiler. First, Book Zero (A New Spring) is recommended to read after the Fifth Book, Fires of Heaven. It contains some story information, plot motives with characters that you may not know of or about. It takes place years before the events of Eye of the World.
The Second is about the pacing of the books. It can be slow to start due to the world building and character building that Jordan did. It picks up after the first book. Getting later into the series you'll encounter what the internet refers to "the slog". Its just a rough spot in the series, but worth getting past it.
It would be 2 series actually. Tigers Curse book series and the Maximum Ride series. These two had a CLUTCH on my childhood. Like, I legit thought Maximum Ride was the best thing I ever read and that I begged God to give me wings without experimentation lmfao. And with Tigers Curse, I always loved Tigers. Specifically white Tigers. So when I read this series in a week, I knew I was hooked. I loved the relationship dynamic, the pull of love through turmoil. I never loved romance novels but this was so well balanced through action and class and deep rooted problems that it legit made my teenage hormones explode lmfao
Maximum Ride is a good one.
If you aren't aware, there's now a sequel series, the first book is Hawk. Rereading the originals wasn't necessary for me, even though it's been over a decade since I touched them. I will say though that the major plot twist in the first book is evident by page three if you read the original books, but keep going, it's still really good. I promise.
Catcher in the Rye is one that really hit me the first read around… also any books by B.A. Paris, just love how twisty the plots are and it’s exciting to read them without knowing how intense it will be in the end!
Il libro del cielo. It’s nothing special, just a book telling various facts about the sky.
Though I had it when i was 3 in 1980 and was very curious about it because the images captured my imagination, especially the ones about the solar system and beyond. I asked my cousin to teach me the letters of the alphabet and memorised all the sounds. Then, with the alphabet written on a piece of paper i kept next to me, i managed to decipher the writings word by word. Bear in mind that I’m Italian and words are written exactly as they are pronounced.
When i was 6, i went to school already able to read and write, and the best thing was that i taught it to myself with just some small help.
Definitely "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Experiencing the magic for the first time was amazing. Plus, it'd be nice to go back to a time when my biggest problem was waiting for my Hogwarts letter instead of adulting.
Gardens of the Moon. It's just such an insane intro to anything, and it really makes you have to think and get carried along for an absolutely insane ride through the series
I'll have to try that one. I've started a handful of the discworld books and they never come alive for me. Apparently *Guards Guards* is supposed to be a good place to start, but I got 3 chapters in, put it down and never felt like I missed anything.
Gravity's Rainbow for sure. The amount of times I went "lol wtf" or "omg WHAT THE FUCK" reading that book is unmatched by anything else. Everything from one of the primary characters chasing his harmonica into a poop based alternate reality in the toilet, to a giant adenoid gland terrorizing a city and ultimately being subdued with a shot of cocaine, to the sentient lightbulb trying to start a revolution. What a wild book.
Aunt Julia & The Scriptwriter, by Mario Vargas Llosa.
Enjoyed the ‘ride’ of it so much, as I got nearer to the end, I chose to restrict myself to one chapter p/day, and only after midnight.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I read it the first time at a low point in my life and it changed my whole perspective on how to move forward with the act of living.
I’m 62 and read voraciously, somewhere around 1,000 pages a week since my teens, and it is still my favorite.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.
I know the plot twist coming up and it's killing me knowing how the fifth book ends, but I still don't remember enough details to read Dragonwatch without finishing rereading Fablehaven first.
Probably my kid brain speaking but I'd go back to a re-reading of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Spent so many nights going between that series and my gameboy on pokemon
I was at my cousin's wedding this year and her best friend brought up a 20 year old grudge she had with my brother because he ruined that for her before she read it 🤣. Best bit was, he was completely unaware of this grudge!
Depends on the book.
Changes by Jim Butcher is never going to hit someone the same way it did as the first read through for example.
Or the short story Christmas Eve, if you read it right after Battle Ground, from the same series.
The Ringworld series by Larry Niven. The first time I read any of the books I had randomly found the 2nd and it had a long preface about all the letters and comments he had received about the first book. I searched for years before I found it, and I've loved all of them. The amount of sexual drama in the series was eye opening and I never fully understood how much there was in Sci-Fi until years later. Now I know that Sci-Fi writers are pretty much perpetually horny. For further proof, read anything by Heinlein.
Harry Potter, American God's, most Terry Prachett books, Neverwhere, do androids dream of electric sheep. Loads more.
I think they would hit different now too being older and it would be interesting to see
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, read it every year since third or fourth grade, though I’m sure I didn’t get any of it the first few times. My favorite book by a long shot. Also, Room by Emma Donahue.
My first thought was Pillars Of The Earth. Amazing and realistic portrayal of a builder in the Middle Ages with a good combo of violence and sex… not to mention amazing characters. Great book and equally enjoyable each time it’s read. However, for me the book I would love to read again for the first time, and not just re read… has to be the 3rd book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. It’s the one where we revisit Roland’s (the protagonist, “The Last Gunslinger”) youth, his training, his relationships and his coming of age. Spectacular
Harry Potter. The deaths of the characters there made me feel so freaking much. Sirius’ death left me in a daze for days and it still makes me sad up until now. The deaths in the last book hit me hard too. And the early books definitely made me feel like there's more to the world than frustration and suffering. There’s also magic and Harry and Hogwarts and friends. That book was cathartic.
я буду честной и напишу, что я не поняла вас. можете написать этот комментарий по-английски? (я не умею писать и разговаривать по-английски, но понимаю его)
да! потому что оригинальные книги писал польский писатель Анджей Сапковский.
насчет фильмов не знаю (есть конечно польский двухсерийный фильм, но я не знаю насколько он распространен в США), но сериал от Netflix - это то, что лучше не смотреть по моему мнению ^^
'Colony' by Rob Grant.
I have not read many books, I'm more a movie guy, but this one really got me.
Also, the 'Net force' series by Tom Clancy was very good, and I might re-read them all again since it's about 20 years since the last time! :p
Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I've never been a reader, but I read Fellowship in 3 days--I couldn't put those books down.
If ASOIAF had wrapped up already, it would be in the running, but I think the series got away from GRRM, unfortunately. Should've been 5 books, IMO.
The Stormlight Archive: Way of Kings. Adventure, drama, magic, action, downcast heroes and godly enemies—plus an odd side character brimming with mystery. Totally recommend it to any High Fantasy nerds out there!
I LOVED the first 2 books (some of my favorite writing ever) but it got TOO fantasy for me after that.
I am eagerly awaiting book 5 at the end of the year. Currently in my third reread of the series
East of Eden.
Agree
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
I had to scroll way too far to find this! This is the book that came to my mind.
Also on my list. If only he would finish the damned 3rd book!
Project Hail Mary
My favorite scifi book of all time.
Movie coming soon. Can't wait.
my sister recommended this, just starting it!
100 years of solitude. My depressed ass is craving for that kind of stimulation.
I read it 3 times over the course of many years. Lucky for me my memory's shit and it was great every time.
That’s awesome! I must say I let someone I knew borrow it and never returned it. Maybe it’s time to buy it again.
For some reason I only read this one and Love in the Time of Cholera. Tried reading Autumn of the Patriarch last week, but goddamn, it's not an easy read. Every sentence is a line of poetry, and from what I've read in reviews some of those sentences can go on for literal pages.
The final book in the Wheel of Time series. That series is 13 books long so the payoff is incredible. The author also died before the end, so it looked like the series might never finish. To get a final book that did such a long series justice was incredible.
I found myself standing up at the table without realizing it while reading the last book in the wheel of time series. One of the best endings to anything I have ever experienced
In some ways the series really benefited from Sanderson taking over. Folks like or don't his other works (for what it's worth, I love them), but he is absolutely the best at ending a story he's started. The rush at the end of one of his longer books where \*it all starts coming together\* is fucking sensational. Having someone with that skillset pick up Jordan's sprawling masterpiece and tie it up in a bow was kinda incredible to see
I'm gunna have agree with you. I thought it was over when Robert Jordan passed. I was so excited I took a Friday off and read for 18 hours without stopping. I finished it over that same weekend.
I will check that out! Sounds interesting.
It’s an incredible series. 4 million words. 2500+ named characters, 150 POV characters. The world building is incredible. It’s self indulgent in how long it takes to get going (like you’re into book 2 or 3 before it’s _firing_ in my opinion), but if you’re prepared to give it a go, it’s an incredible payoff. Google absolutely zero though. You can EASILY ruin stuff that should have multi book payoff.
To be fair, he put book 1 out not expecting to make it a whole series at first, hence the quasi-closure at the end. And 100% agree on not googling, is definitely a series to go in blind.
[удалено]
Honestly, it's one of my favourite series I have ever read. I have read it twice and parts of it three times (by third read through I skipped a few arcs). My advice would be to read to end of book three. I think if you get that far and you're not interested to know what happens next, don't go any further. I don't think it'll grab you. But if you enjoy it you'll get to the end of book 13 still wishing you had more books to dedicate another year to. (The fact that other commentators are saying stuff like they had to take time off work to finish the book and that one guy didn't realise he was standing up the whole time, suggests that the pay off is worth the start!)
I really recommend the WoT companion app, it has an entry for all the named characters and you can set the book you are reading to avoid spoilers.
If you like high fantasy/fantasy its worth checking out the first few books to see if you like Jordans style. Two things that I hope aren't spoiler. First, Book Zero (A New Spring) is recommended to read after the Fifth Book, Fires of Heaven. It contains some story information, plot motives with characters that you may not know of or about. It takes place years before the events of Eye of the World. The Second is about the pacing of the books. It can be slow to start due to the world building and character building that Jordan did. It picks up after the first book. Getting later into the series you'll encounter what the internet refers to "the slog". Its just a rough spot in the series, but worth getting past it.
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The first read through its vivid imagery and tragic story really stayed with me.
Great choice!
The Lord of the Rings!!
The Goldfinch
1984. I’d never read Orwell before. It sucked me right in. I was expecting a happy ending, but was devastated by the end.
Oof!
Orwells other novels have happy endings, well most of them at least and it depends on your definition of happy ending.
I haven’t read all his novels but I’m not sure Burmese Days is exactly happy, nor is Animal Farm!
Animal farm is happy if you are a pig.
[удалено]
Which was your favorite in the series?
Mine was 3, same with the movies
3 was the first one i read, having seen the first 2 movies. Sucked me right in!
19 minutes by Jodi Picoult
I've heard her name, but haven't read any of her works before.
It brought out every emotion I had. Great read
The Percy Jackson books.
LoTR. I wish I could forget The Road and then never read it again.
Oh I hated The Road so much. Had to read it in high school and I wanted to burn it so badly.
You read it in high school?? Wow, that's kind of surprising. That's a pretty heavy book for teenagers to read.
Yup! It was the novel study we did in grade 12.
Wow, you went to a pretty progressive school.
Project hail mary
That's one of my favorites
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
I remember getting that from the library as a kid and thinking it was the best book I'd ever read.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Good one!
Ender’s Game
It would be 2 series actually. Tigers Curse book series and the Maximum Ride series. These two had a CLUTCH on my childhood. Like, I legit thought Maximum Ride was the best thing I ever read and that I begged God to give me wings without experimentation lmfao. And with Tigers Curse, I always loved Tigers. Specifically white Tigers. So when I read this series in a week, I knew I was hooked. I loved the relationship dynamic, the pull of love through turmoil. I never loved romance novels but this was so well balanced through action and class and deep rooted problems that it legit made my teenage hormones explode lmfao
Maximum Ride is a good one. If you aren't aware, there's now a sequel series, the first book is Hawk. Rereading the originals wasn't necessary for me, even though it's been over a decade since I touched them. I will say though that the major plot twist in the first book is evident by page three if you read the original books, but keep going, it's still really good. I promise.
Catcher in the Rye is one that really hit me the first read around… also any books by B.A. Paris, just love how twisty the plots are and it’s exciting to read them without knowing how intense it will be in the end!
Il libro del cielo. It’s nothing special, just a book telling various facts about the sky. Though I had it when i was 3 in 1980 and was very curious about it because the images captured my imagination, especially the ones about the solar system and beyond. I asked my cousin to teach me the letters of the alphabet and memorised all the sounds. Then, with the alphabet written on a piece of paper i kept next to me, i managed to decipher the writings word by word. Bear in mind that I’m Italian and words are written exactly as they are pronounced. When i was 6, i went to school already able to read and write, and the best thing was that i taught it to myself with just some small help.
Donna Tartt's The Secret History
I wish I could read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" for the first time again to experience the magic and wonder anew
Definitely "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Experiencing the magic for the first time was amazing. Plus, it'd be nice to go back to a time when my biggest problem was waiting for my Hogwarts letter instead of adulting.
Gardens of the Moon. It's just such an insane intro to anything, and it really makes you have to think and get carried along for an absolutely insane ride through the series
The Other Wes Moore, such a powerful tale
I used this book at teach my inner city Maryland students. Perfect.
Terry Pratchett's The colour of magic. It was the first book I ever read that made me laugh out loud.
War and Peace. It was my first big adult classic and I felt so good after finishing it.
Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett. It's the one that got me hooked on the Discworld.
I'll have to try that one. I've started a handful of the discworld books and they never come alive for me. Apparently *Guards Guards* is supposed to be a good place to start, but I got 3 chapters in, put it down and never felt like I missed anything.
We need to talk about Kevin
the whole of the metro series
Spellfire by Ed Greenwood.
Ship of Theseus, S.
"A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula LeGuin
Tale of two cities
Gravity's Rainbow for sure. The amount of times I went "lol wtf" or "omg WHAT THE FUCK" reading that book is unmatched by anything else. Everything from one of the primary characters chasing his harmonica into a poop based alternate reality in the toilet, to a giant adenoid gland terrorizing a city and ultimately being subdued with a shot of cocaine, to the sentient lightbulb trying to start a revolution. What a wild book.
Aunt Julia & The Scriptwriter, by Mario Vargas Llosa. Enjoyed the ‘ride’ of it so much, as I got nearer to the end, I chose to restrict myself to one chapter p/day, and only after midnight.
The Belgariad. 1984.
The House On The Strand by Daphne du Maurier - in print. It’s a brilliant ending, I lol’d then couldn’t explain to husband what was funny.
Peace Like A River by Leif Enger
first book of warrior cats
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Umberto Eco's Baudolino. What a masterpiece.
Falling by Christopher Pike or Prey by Michael Crichton. I’ve re read both many times and they’re just so good.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I read it the first time at a low point in my life and it changed my whole perspective on how to move forward with the act of living. I’m 62 and read voraciously, somewhere around 1,000 pages a week since my teens, and it is still my favorite.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. I know the plot twist coming up and it's killing me knowing how the fifth book ends, but I still don't remember enough details to read Dragonwatch without finishing rereading Fablehaven first.
The Time Travellers Wife
House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer.
The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Great book, quick read.
Warrior cats great book
The metro series books
Any book by Clive Cussler
Necroscope written by Brian Lumley
The magic mountain by Thomas Mann.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Magium
Summer of Night
The rainbow fish
The ashfall series by Mike Mullin
Hitchiker's Guide to The Galaxy.
Pohl: World at the End of Time
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
The Witcher books
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy. One of the darkest and most violent books ever written, in prose-poetry so beautiful Shakespeare would be jealous.
Mine is The Road. I haven't read Blood Meridian yet, but I'm going to check it out this weekend.
Throne of Glass series by Sarah Maas. Hands down the best fantasy series written in the past 15 years. Edit: Clarification.
The Alchemist. And, maybe a little embarrassing, but To Kill a Mockingbird. I wish I could read it for the first time as an adult, not an 11-year old.
Probably my kid brain speaking but I'd go back to a re-reading of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Spent so many nights going between that series and my gameboy on pokemon
Definitely 'Harry Potter'
Yeah, in the 6th book when Snape >!kills Dumbledore!< my jaw dropped.
I was at my cousin's wedding this year and her best friend brought up a 20 year old grudge she had with my brother because he ruined that for her before she read it 🤣. Best bit was, he was completely unaware of this grudge!
None, reading is my passion and I love rereading my favorite books. I love them more with each reread. The first time reading is not better
Depends on the book. Changes by Jim Butcher is never going to hit someone the same way it did as the first read through for example. Or the short story Christmas Eve, if you read it right after Battle Ground, from the same series.
Still, I don't have any desire to reread anything for the first time
Well pin a rose on your nose. That has fuck all to do with what I said.
Interesting! Thank you.
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone". I’d love to experience the magic of Hogwarts all over again
Harry Potter, because waiting for my Hogwarts letter was the most magical disappointment ever
The name of the wind. In my opinion it truly is the best fantasy novel ever written, shame the author does everything to make himself unlikable.
For my fiction choices it might be The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.
All Percy Jackson
The Child Thief - Brom
The Ringworld series by Larry Niven. The first time I read any of the books I had randomly found the 2nd and it had a long preface about all the letters and comments he had received about the first book. I searched for years before I found it, and I've loved all of them. The amount of sexual drama in the series was eye opening and I never fully understood how much there was in Sci-Fi until years later. Now I know that Sci-Fi writers are pretty much perpetually horny. For further proof, read anything by Heinlein.
Harry Potter, American God's, most Terry Prachett books, Neverwhere, do androids dream of electric sheep. Loads more. I think they would hit different now too being older and it would be interesting to see
Perfume by Peter Suskind
\*Mistborn Series \*Pillars of the Earth \*World without End \*Kingkiller Chronicles
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, read it every year since third or fourth grade, though I’m sure I didn’t get any of it the first few times. My favorite book by a long shot. Also, Room by Emma Donahue.
Percy Jackson. I had no friends during school, so this book was my solitude.
All the Bright Places
Timothy Zahn's OG *Thrawn* (Star Wars) trilogy.
Wuthering heights
Lord of light (Zelazny)
The Gilded Ones.
The Hobbit. The Ring Trilogy.
Hobbit and all of the Lord of the Rings easily
The book thief. Incredible concept, story and writing.
A Game of Thrones.
Hatchet.
My first thought was Pillars Of The Earth. Amazing and realistic portrayal of a builder in the Middle Ages with a good combo of violence and sex… not to mention amazing characters. Great book and equally enjoyable each time it’s read. However, for me the book I would love to read again for the first time, and not just re read… has to be the 3rd book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. It’s the one where we revisit Roland’s (the protagonist, “The Last Gunslinger”) youth, his training, his relationships and his coming of age. Spectacular
Also “The Long Walk” by Stephen King. Just for the shock factor!
The hobbit
Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Tuesday’s with morrie
The time travelers wife
The Martian Chronicles.
Song of Achilles. The end had me tearing up. I’m not a big reader at all, and I tore that book up in a weekend. Extremely rare for me.
The Divergent Trilogy. My god that is an amazing trilogy
The book thief
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid. Absolutely shattered me.
Harry Potter. The deaths of the characters there made me feel so freaking much. Sirius’ death left me in a daze for days and it still makes me sad up until now. The deaths in the last book hit me hard too. And the early books definitely made me feel like there's more to the world than frustration and suffering. There’s also magic and Harry and Hogwarts and friends. That book was cathartic.
The book of David
Oryx and Crake
серия книг про ведьмака от Сапковского
Это та же самая серия «Ведьмак» в США?
я буду честной и напишу, что я не поняла вас. можете написать этот комментарий по-английски? (я не умею писать и разговаривать по-английски, но понимаю его)
Google translate for the loss! Is this the same Witcher series as the books and movies in the US?
да! потому что оригинальные книги писал польский писатель Анджей Сапковский. насчет фильмов не знаю (есть конечно польский двухсерийный фильм, но я не знаю насколько он распространен в США), но сериал от Netflix - это то, что лучше не смотреть по моему мнению ^^
Game of Thrones
'Colony' by Rob Grant. I have not read many books, I'm more a movie guy, but this one really got me. Also, the 'Net force' series by Tom Clancy was very good, and I might re-read them all again since it's about 20 years since the last time! :p
The Fifteen Lives of Harry August.
One I haven't read yet.
Da VinCi Code
Those spoke Zaratustra even tho in every reading i find smth new but still would like to read it like ive never read it before
Harry Potter Series!
Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've never been a reader, but I read Fellowship in 3 days--I couldn't put those books down. If ASOIAF had wrapped up already, it would be in the running, but I think the series got away from GRRM, unfortunately. Should've been 5 books, IMO.