Favourite book and why?

Cadiva wrote:What's your favourite book?

Why is it your favourite book?

Why would you recommend other people read it?

I'll start.

My favourite book is one called Magician by fantasy writer Raymond E Feist.

It's my favourite book because each time I read it (and that must be around 20 times now) I always find something new in the story, or a new interpretation of one of the character's actions. It's a fantasy story but it's also a story of friendship, love, power and how to use it correctly, the price of having such power and the beginning of my favourite trilogy of novels.

Why should others read it? Because it's wonderfully written, it describes two completely contrasting worlds which are as believable as our own reality I think. It touches on the importance of friendship, of hope, of love, of the power of positive self belief, plus it's got magic and dragons and stuffs!

I LOVE Magician! What a fabulous novel.

Wow.

My favourite book? I really couldn't tell you...

I think it's a toss up between Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey and Mort by Terry Pratchett. Dragonflight because it was the first fantasy novel I read, it was sitting on my mum's shelf and I picked it up when I was about 13 or 14, and I didn't think that adults were allowed to read fairy stories, then I read this book and was edumacated! Mort because I think it's the novel that started my obsession. I read Equal Rites first then The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic and was slightly put off by those two but Mort had just come out in paperback, so I bought it and nothing was the same afterwards!

Hehe, I read Colour of Magic and the Light Fantastic and wasn't swayed but then read Equal Rites and just absolutely loved it! I think Granny Weatherwax, along with Sam Vimes and DEATH, are my favourite characters out of all Pratchett's books.

I also love Dragonflight and have all Anne McCaffrey's books too. Think my favourite of all hers is All The Weyrs of Pern, even though it's quite sad.

I always cry when Robinton dies...

Sam Vimes rocks my world! As does Granny Weatherwax, though I think I'm much more like Nanny Ogg... I really hope he has it in him to write the last Tiffany Aching novel.

Hmm.. I don't like Fantasy.. so have heard of none of the above! lol

My favourite book is "A Covenant with Death.." sounds cheery and it really is, lol. It's about a group of young men who formed a "pals regiment" in WW1. Goes from their working days, through training, how they took two years to properly form as a Unit..and how it took 2 minutes to destroy them all as they went "over" at the Somme.

I like depressing books! I've read it over and over.

Will think more about other ones..

Both of those sound interesting, will go and get them ordered from the library!

I hate this question. I find it impossible to narrow down the entire world of literature to a single book.

Maybe my "most read" would go to David Edding's "Pawn of Prophecy", book one of the Belgariad, which precedes the Mallorean... there, 10 books in one. Or "Dragonflight", which is then followed by the entire Pern Series. Or "A Spell for Chameleon", followed by all Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series. (I rather like long multi book sagas lol).

I adore fantasy fiction, which quite literally takes you out of this world and lands you in a time of chivalry and dragons and magic and royalty.

You should all read them since - as has been said - you should never grow too old for fairy stories.

Talking of which - Louise, I went to amazon and it says Magician is part of the Riftwar saga - is it book one?

phoenix wrote:Talking of which - Louise, I went to amazon and it says Magician is part of the Riftwar saga - is it book one?

Yup! Make sure you get it in the complete extended version if you can. They did publish it in two halves at one point for some goodness knows why reason. It's followed by Silverthorn and then A Darkness at Sethanon. It is, however, just the first in a huge long line of books all set in Midkemia, some better than others. The characters are extremely well drawn out though and if you like Eddings, I think you'll like Feist as Eddings is another of my must read authors (well until the latest load of books, can't get on with them at all).

I also agree, picking a single book is an almost impossible task, but Magician would be my book I'd take to a Desert Island or into solitary confinement because I can just read it over and over again. Other books on the list would be Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy and the follow up Fool's Series, anything by Pratchett but probably my favourite of all his books is Night Watch, followed by Carpe Jugulum. To that I'd add Robert Asprin's Myth-Inc comedy fantasy books, JR Rowling's Harry Potter series, Tolkien's Silmarillion, the DragonLance saga (of which I have everything ever published minus the latest few that have only just come out in the US) and Trudy Canavan's Black Magician series.

I couldn't possibly choose one! There are loads and loads that I love - right from What Katy Did to George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm a sucker for a happy ending, so Austen is always a winner (Emma is of course my favourite).

Louise - I have Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice on my to read pile. Can't wait to start it! Am off to look up Magician, as it sounds like something I'd like.

Moomin76 wrote:Louise - I have Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice on my to read pile. Can't wait to start it! Am off to look up Magician, as it sounds like something I'd like.

Oooh I love it when people first read Robin Hobb, specially the Farseer Trilogy, it's just so incredibly good and her characters are so well developed.

I'm finding it too hard to pinpoint my all time favourite but my favourite from my youth was The secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett i must have read that book at least 30 times when i was a kid.

I must admit i havn't been 'into' reading since doing my degree but i'm hoping to finally start enjoying books again after June lol.

Cadiva wrote:Oooh I love it when people first read Robin Hobb, specially the Farseer Trilogy, it's just so incredibly good and her characters are so well developed.

I started it last night and am hooked already

I'm finding this a really difficult question, I have so mnay books I don't tire of....They are

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History is more of an 'easy read' where you don't need much of your brain, but it is a powerful novel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_History
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I'm sure you all know To Kill A mockingbird so I won't insult you by going into that one-those who don't know if-read it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_kill_a_mockingbird
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
Enduring Love is my favourite Ian McEwan book, it's a gripping psychological thriller and beautifully written.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enduring_Love
The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart
Finally Dice Man, it's intriuging and outrageous
at the same time. I believe there's a massive cult following but I just
read it without thinking it will change my life and really enjoy
i!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dice_Man


I think they are all must reads and would recommend them to anyone, I have supplied links to the synopsis' for those who want more info!

Moomin76 wrote:

Cadiva wrote:Oooh I love it when people first read Robin Hobb, specially the Farseer Trilogy, it's just so incredibly good and her characters are so well developed.

I started it last night and am hooked already

I'm so glad you like it. Her characters are unconventional and her plots don't follow the usual standard "fantasy" set up which is why I love her Farseer Trilogy so much. In fact, I might have to drag it off the bookshelf and read it all again!

Jekyll and Hyde. I really really wish I hadn't already known the ending when I read it. Oryx and Crake, because it's just fantastic. Being Dead by Jim Crace was really interesting and managed to have a quite compelling little story even when both the main characters were decomposing corpses. Hotel World - Ali Smith, because it's just weird and fabulous. Nice Work - David Lodge, because it's really really funny. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I resisted reading it because it was on Richard and Judy until my parents forced me and it was so so fantastic.

Um.. i'll stop now... But only because my daughter appears to be demanding my services ad i have to leave the computer.

[quote="Cadiva"]Magician would be my book I'd take to a Desert Island or into solitary confinement because I can just read it over and over again. Other books on the list would be Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy quote]

I just got bought both of these for my birthday!! After reading your posts I was wanting to read them, so am over the moon lol. I shall let you know what I think once I've read them.

I may be away for some time... lol

[quote="phoenix"]

Cadiva wrote:Magician would be my book I'd take to a Desert Island or into solitary confinement because I can just read it over and over again. Other books on the list would be Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy quote]

I just got bought both of these for my birthday!! After reading your posts I was wanting to read them, so am over the moon lol. I shall let you know what I think once I've read them.

I may be away for some time... lol

Oooh lucky you. I have a weird envy of people coming to read them for the first time because I remember how blown away I was when I first finally picked up Magician and read it after looking at the cover in the bookshop for weeks! The Farseer Trilogy, well, when you've read it, hopefully you'll know exactly what I mean when I say I think it's one of the finest trilogies in any genre.

Louise - have you read any of George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series? I absolutely loved it and spent most of my Christmas holidays reading it Similar to Hobbs (which I haven't quite finished yet, but it's fab). I took delivery of a copy of Magician today too, which I'll probably start after I've finished Assassin's Apprentice...... or maybe I'll move on to Royal Assassin (which is on order but hasn't arrived yet). I love having book dilemmas!!!

Phoenix - I insist that you start with the Hobbs so that we can discuss it while it's fresh in my mind

Moomin76 wrote:Louise - have you read any of George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series? I absolutely loved it and spent most of my Christmas holidays reading it Similar to Hobbs (which I haven't quite finished yet, but it's fab). I took delivery of a copy of Magician today too, which I'll probably start after I've finished Assassin's Apprentice...... or maybe I'll move on to Royal Assassin (which is on order but hasn't arrived yet). I love having book dilemmas!!!

Phoenix - I insist that you start with the Hobbs so that we can discuss it while it's fresh in my mind

I haven't but I keep getting them recommended so I really must buy them. Most of my fantasy book loving friends keep saying they're some of the best novels out there so I really should get round to getting them ordered!

Cadiva wrote:I haven't but I keep getting them recommended so I really must buy them. Most of my fantasy book loving friends keep saying they're some of the best novels out there so I really should get round to getting them ordered!

Oh yes you must try them. They're definitely up there with the Hobbs (and dare I say it, a little better imo.......) I finished the Hobbs and thought it was great - particularly the last 1/3 once the action really got going. I've started Magician now and am loving it so far. I prefer the style to Hobbs - a bit 'softer' and beautifully written. Also helps that I'm warming to Pug more than Fitz.

Have you read any of Paolini's Eragon series? Phoenix got me into that and I shall be forever grateful The first, in particular, was delightful.

Moomin76 wrote:

Cadiva wrote:I haven't but I keep getting them recommended so I really must buy them. Most of my fantasy book loving friends keep saying they're some of the best novels out there so I really should get round to getting them ordered!

Oh yes you must try them. They're definitely up there with the Hobbs (and dare I say it, a little better imo.......) I finished the Hobbs and thought it was great - particularly the last 1/3 once the action really got going. I've started Magician now and am loving it so far. I prefer the style to Hobbs - a bit 'softer' and beautifully written. Also helps that I'm warming to Pug more than Fitz.

Have you read any of Paolini's Eragon series? Phoenix got me into that and I shall be forever grateful The first, in particular, was delightful.

I read Eragon yep, wasn't a mad fan of it to be honest but I think that's me just being a fantasy snob rather than that there is anything fundamentally wrong with the book

Pug is a lot more likable than Fitz it's true, I love Feist, he's top of my tree, but I have to say I love the way Robin Hobb creates these "anti-heroes" who are deeply flawed and yet still makes you love them. You must read the other two Farseer books!
Pug and Tomas have to be two of my favourite book characters ever.