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Have you ever read a book that completly envelopes you and takes over, never letting you put it down even for sleep? I have encountered this syndrome with the writings of Scott Turow (Presumed Innocent) Michael Crichton (Disclosure) and John Grisham (The Firm, The Client and The Chamber). What books have you read recently that were so good, you just could not lay them down?
31 responses total.
Unfortunately, Lord of the Rings did that to me during fall term finals my sophomore year in college.
The stories of Ferrol Sams.
On the strength of that comment, I went out and got _The Widow's Mite_. Katie is right, Dr. Sams is quite a storyteller.
Oh, Michael, make sure you read his series about Porter Osborne, Jr! Start with _Run With The Horsemen_. I laugh out loud when I read these!
Definitely will do. This guy is hilarious when he wants to be. The combination of tragedy and low comedy in some of his stories has me laughing out loud, too.
Bukowski. Have to say that for some folks an attitude and style are all that's needed.
Stephen King's Dark Tower series were just too good to put down. I read through all three of them in like three weeks.
Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo were also a obsession for me. Finished LD in about 2 weeks (900 pages) and Streets in about a week and a half. I will read both again.
Jusabout anyting by Annie, Neal Stephenso"Snow Crsh."
Whops linenoise was bad when I typed that should be "Just about
anything
by Annie Dillard, neal Stephonson Snow Crash."
No offense, but I'm still not sure what you meant... Call me a nerd if you must, but I'll start reading about something in the encyclopedia, and then see an interesting entry over here, and then another one, and another... Of course, for me, I usually have difficulty putting down ANYthing I'm reading, textbooks included (sometimes). But I also recently ran across a unique take on the Arthur legend; most of it is set in "the present", but two of the characters are reborn Arthur and Galahad, and Merlin awakes from his 1000-year sleep. If someone asks, I'll post the title (I returned it to the library).
OK, I'll ask. I usually enjoy Arthurian books.
Fareinheit 451, made me stay awake all night to finish it, especcially the notes from Ray Bradbury. by the way tried to find it at barnes and noble and borders, both were out. Sort of ironic.
Evidently, it's a hot book.
I keep coming back to stuff by Ken Kesey. Definite style, there, with scenery descriptions worthy of Mark Twain. And of course, if something by Hunter S. Thompson should come out...
re 14: Good one, chelsea. I'm into "the Rainmaker" by John (I'm a Lawyer, not a writer) Grisham. Strangly compelling, a little depressing but overall a good time-sink.
I often have trouble putting down the encyclopedia when I am looking up something... I have to say that I still will read "The last herald mage" trilogy in one sitting even though i have read them many times.
Right now I working my second time through Steven R. Donaldsons "Chronicle of Thomas Covenant: Unbeleiver" (the first and second) I finished the first 3 books in 4 days (thats about 1200 pages) and would already be done wiuth thew second 3, but I had to find book 2 of the xecond chronicles. really good...really really good
Okay, gotta mention Sherri S Tepper now... i am so amazed by her writing... although i have noticed a trend that seems to be getting tired in soem of her more recent books. She's getting kinda preachy...but each book taken individually is wonderful and very difficult to put down.
My too good to lay down is Homicide:A year on the killing streets by David Simon. It is an account of the Baltimore PD's Homicide unit from 1/88 to 12/88 and covering the 234 murders that happened there. Its an interesting look into how real police handle real homicides, and yes the TV series sometimes parllels it. I bought on special order from Little Professor. $5.99
Anything by Carl Hiaasen is "unputdownable" -- he makes me laugh so hard.
Anything by Robert Anton Wilson or Neal Stephenson causes a lot of sleepless nights. "Just 10 more pages and I'll sleep... OK, maybe just a few more... Hey is that the sunrise? Oops."
Re resp:12 - Sorry, I haven't checked this item in a LONG time. The name of it is "The Forever King". (I hope!) Re resp:17 - Hey, a kindred spirit! I find it hard to put down any of the Valdemar books, frankly. It took a great effort of will to go to sleep at 2am yesterday morning, rather than finish "OwlKnight".
Re #17&23: I had some long nights as well when I read Lackey's "Last Herald Mage Trilogy" and "The Fire Rose" Eventually, I'll read more of her works.
Have you read anything else by her?
Unfortunately, no. Eventually, I'll read more of Lackey's works, but I don't have an entire collection at my disposal like I used to.
That's understandable, as they're billed as young women's fiction.
Even though I am not a young woman, I will resist taking offense. :-) otaking: if you enjoyed the interactions of the heralds the most, I would recommend Queen's Own next (originally published as a trilogy: Arrow of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall). If the magic was what you liked, I would recommend Oathbound & Oathbreaker. They all take place in Velgarth (the 'world' of Valdemar) several hundred years later.
It shouldn't be offensive. I've books around here that go in the
"occult" section or the "young readers" section - it's what's in the book
that's important. Nonetheless, people do limit themselves to genres they could
be considered to fit in, so it's understandbale. :)
Thanks for the advice, lilmo.
Sure, thing. The "Oath" books take place mostly south of Valdemar. The Queen's Own trilogy starts a fairly lengthy series of books where eah picks up not too long after the previous one, and starts about as long after the "Oath" duology (er, well, trilogy, now) as it follows Vanyel's story.
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