The Book Recommendation Thread
 

This is a place for members to ask for book recommendations, whether it be by genre, author or something else.

I love alien Sci Fi books, can someone please suggest some decent novels that I should read? If there are ones not related to aliens please still recommend! I also want more novels on post apocalyptic settings or distopias.

OH YES! Because I don't know much about books or authors. This is perfect for me. :)

Well there's War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, which is a short but classic story about Martian invasion. About post-apocalyptic or dystopian settings, two of my favourites are 1984 by George Orwell and The Hamdmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I don't know if you've read those already though, sorry if you have!

I have to second War of the Worlds. I didn't think it could possibly live up to my expectations when I picked it up a few months back. It didn't just live up to my expectations, it blew them away. There's a reason it's the quintessential "alien invasion" novel!

I just finished The Forever War, and would highly recommend it. It's an antiwar scifi novel on a war between humans and an alien race known as Tuaruns that lasts thousands of years. Involves space travel-induced time travel, socio-political musings, and sex. It can get a bit heavy-handed at times, but it's very good.

And I'm sure you've read The Road if you're into apocalyptic future books. If not, do so. Now.

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If you like zombies or horror in general then this is essential.

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Words can't explain this book. You must read it. It'll change who you are.

damnation alley by roger zelazny & logan's run

If you want alien sci-fi books and you want classics you definitely need to check out H.P. Lovecraft, the most important horror author of the 20th century. While he is primarily known for psychological horror, he does do some alien novellas like The Shadow Out of Time which deals with the alien Yithians.

As far as post-apocalyptic you definitely need to check out World War Z by Max Brooks, seriously the greatest thing involving zombies to come out in the last decade.

You might also enjoy the novel Metro 2033 by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky. It was turned into a video game a few years ago which was pretty good, but it tells the story of a post-apocalyptic Russia where people survived a nuclear holocaust by feeling to the Moscow metro/ subway system. Years later people create their own cities around their station with their own customs and things. It's a pretty interesting book and heavily inspired by the Fallout series, which I know you're a big fan of.

For other people who have just read the Song of Fire and Ice series and don't feel like reading the Wheel of Time series just yet might want to try picking up Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist. It's a very "all-ages" approach to fantasy which forms a very nice juxtaposition if your favourite fantasy series is A Song of Fire & Ice. Can see a little corny at times, or generic, but it's well written and has some really nicely developed characters. It's also the first part to a saga trilogy.

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It's a relatively easy read but not dumb enough to be lumped in with trashy airport reads.

Mad Max with a nice dose of self deprecating humour.

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It's not Alien inspired but part of a four book series that links Atlantis fables with the whole mythos of King Arthur really well so you get the best of both worlds. This is the first in the series.

We'll go with two classics that also happen to be a couple of my favorites.

Shogun James Clavell

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

If you've ever read, or attempted to read Stephen King's The stand and thought to yourself, "I like this concept an it's an ambitious novel I just wish it was written better", then Rober McCammon's Swan Song is highly recommended. It's something like 900 pages and I read it in about 3 days.

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