[Airess3]

I'm interested in reading more history/war-based books which have a great storyline. Any suggestions?

I have read:

Most of Michael Morpurgo books (mainly when I was younger, but I think the literature is getting too easy now!)

Noughts and Crosses series by Malorie Blackman

Hitler's Angel by William Osborne

Soul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot by Bruce Leininger (but I think it's more of a spiritual book than history/war!)

The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah


Any other recommendations would be great! Thanks !

[Devonisonfire]

I've just finished reading The Street Philosopher by Matthew Plampin. I really liked it. It's set in the Crimea in the mid-1800s

[SirMasterKey]

The Eagle Series by Simon Scarrow is great if you fancy taking a spin back into the Roman Empire.

[dumdumdumdidum]

If you liked Chinese Cinderella then you may like Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots. It's by the same author, but goes beyond just her childhood.

First Light by Geoffrey Wellum is a fantastic book on the experiences of a WWII spitfire pilot - just don't watch the DVD.

Apache by Ed Macy is a book about an Apache pilot in the current Afghanistan war, and I thought that was also a great read.

Regeneration by Pat Barker is a book about Craiglockhart and the psychological effects of war.

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

The First Casualty - Ben Elton

Apart from Falling Leaves... the others are all War from WWI - Afghanistan. If you are up for a (much) longer read then War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy provides both an insight into life at that time in Russia and war.

[brendonbackflip]

What's the difference between 'General' and 'High' fantasy?

[Endless Blue]

(Original post by brendonbackflip)
What's the difference between 'General' and 'High' fantasy?

I think it's just the degree of the fantasy (someone correct me if I'm wrong). So, for example, Harry Potter is in general fantasy and A Song Of Ice and Fire in High fantasy. Although HP is a fantasy, it is not on the same level as the latter. It's set alongside the 'human' world so to speak, whereas A Song Of Ice and Fire and The Lord of The Rings are entirely in their own respective worlds.

Hope that helps, at least that's the difference I inferred

[mrs_bellamy]

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
The Reader - Bernard Sclink

[katetaylor]

(Original post by Aj12)
Anyone know any good books about virus outbreaks that kind of thing?

Cell by Stephen King is awesome, 'cept the ending. You'll see.

[Endless Blue]

Got about 5 books from the list in the OP, so hoping to work through those during summer. Game of Thrones is shaping up well, although it's very long and I wasn't expecting so many different P.O.V's

[DannyW94]

Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak

All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Remarque

Fatherland - Robert Harris

Cold Mountain - Charles Fraizer

Birdsong - Seb Faulks

The Eagle of the Ninth - Rosemary Sutcliff

If you fancy something more modern I would recommend anything by Chris Ryan, Andy McNab or Tom Clancy

[samanthaaaa]

Favourite book has to be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Recommendations: The Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larssson.

[Publius]

You should pick novels that touch on subject matter that interests you.

I'd say read Milan Kundera's The Joke and 1984 by Orwell - two really good books to start with if you're a late reader imo.

[PoGo HoPz]

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel.

Hilary Mantel writes really good historical fiction, particularly surrounding warfare. This one in particular is centred around the French Revolution. I only discovered her quite recently, I'd really recommend checking her out.

[AdamCbeckett]

some of my favourite books are Slammerkin, Before I Go To Sleep, One Day, What Was Lost, The Understudy, Room

also some classics are good, tale of two cities, some jane austen (bit cheesey but i like them) - best ones are pride and prejudiced, sense and sensibility and my favourite is probably Emma.

I also like some horrors, you said you didn't like horrors but have you tried some oldies? the Rats is good, and Dracula

[gagaslilmonsteruk]

The curious incident of the dog in the night time!

[jackf1337]

1984 - George Orwell

[CraneofNiles]

51 Shades of Grey

[Theafricanlegend]

(Original post by dunneemagoo)
What books should I read?

I have never really read any in my life, not because I can't or I'm uneducated, but because I've never had much of a passion for imagination through reading. I'm going to University in september, and I think this is really a chance for me to excell myself. I honestly can remember only a handful of books I have read through school: Of mice and men, Blood brothers, and A mid summer nights dream; other than that no "story" books come to mind, just educational texts relating to specific topics for revision.

I spent 5 years after high school with no direction or motivation to forfill the potential I know I have, now I have matured I realise the benefits I have missed out on. I don't want to arrive at University with any disadvantages, I have plenty of time to improve my: vocabulary, communication, reading, writing, and overall intelligance; through reading.

As I have read so little in the form of books I don't really have any ideas as to what I would like, albeit I did like the three fictional books I read at school.

Can you please recommend me some good books to read, with a little opinion maybe or even a description as to what the book is about.

Ps. I don't like Harry Potter, and most Fantasy/Sci-fi style stories bore me; horror is a no go, complete bore.

Thank you x

You'll definitely like the hunger games trilogy.

[So Instinct]

Biff and Chip.

[MrHappy_J]

hm i would suggest reading the Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes but it's a bit of a difficult read (not implying that you're stupid, I find it difficult myself, the language being in line with the time it was written).


you're mad not to like Harry Potter though im guessing you never tried to actually read the books but you so should.