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Recommended Reading - Rechan's Favorite Books
12 years ago
I make the effort to write reviews of furry books when I read them, to guide you to the good furry stuff. However, I also read a ton of non-furry material, and I want to share my favorite books and other recommendations with you, in case you may be looking for something to read.
Five Star Fuck Yeahs!
These are by far my favorite books/series. When finished they've left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside, hungry for more, and quite frankly wanting to smoke a cigarette because it was almost like good sex. Just thinking about these books make my toes wiggle in glee.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
This is my favorite series, and Jim Butcher is perhaps my favorite author. A private detective wizard blowing shit up and being snarky? Fuck Yes. The plots are complex and keep you guessing, they're wittily written, the monsters, magic and other supernaturals are cool, and they always end with a serious bang. IMO the first three books are OK, books 4-5-6 are Getting Good, and starting with Book 7 the series is like a like a robot dinosaur fueled by cocaine and heavy metal. (I started with Book 7, so I knew the series was icecream-and-cake in word form).
The Grimnoir Chronciles by Larry Correria
Hard Magic - Spellbound - Warbound
Take Indiana Jones, combine it with the X-Men, add in a crazy immortal Japanese emperor with a crazy army of wizards and ninja, put a dash of airships and sprinkle in the barest hint of Lovecraftian implication, and voila. Look what I said about The Dresden Files and pack it into 3 books. Book 4 is only 4 stars, it's more a building for the third, and the third is a pressure cooker that ends with the most epic of epic battles - it is the new high bar for EPIC BADASS OMGERY.
The Riyria Revelations by Michael Sullivan
Theft of Swords - Rise of Empire - Heir of Novron
Normally I do not like low-fantasy. This series has only two wizards in it, one or two great magical beasts, and only a few monstrous humanoids. The first half of the first book beats on a classic trope. However, the series builds on itself, and I really enjoy the characters and the prose. Every piece falls together expertly and as it builds I feel for the characters, I feel the tension, I am surprised by every turn. In the end I don't want it to end because it's been a journey with these people. It. Is. Good.
It should be noted that each Book is actaully made of 2 novels. They act like episodes, each with their own conflicts with resolutions, but they build upon the next, creating a wonderful tale.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Some complain this book is slow in the beginning, and it is. But it gets awesome and stays that way. This is a fantasy caper centering around a pair of thieves, a vicious crime boss, and a plot to destroy it all. I love thieves, I love clever characters and this does not disappoint at all.
Altered Carbon by Richard K Morgan
Sci fi is not my genre. This book was actually one of the first sci fi books I've read, and at its heart it's noir with action, set in the future. But the futuristic gimmicks are just cool. The most important idea that the series puts down is that human consciousness are on USB drives that are implanted in brain stem, so a person can be slotted into new bodies. The prose is razor sharp and intriguing.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Surreal, sometimes bizarre, and exquisit urban fantasy. A mystery tale wrapped in a journey through mythologies and religion. There's not a lot you can say about Gaiman that hasn't been said, but this is by far my favorite book of his.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Unsurprisingly another Gaiman book. Urban Fantasy is my favorite series, and this one is a little more quaint, but provides a compelling tale all the same. I wanted to know more about the world, see more of the bizarre characters, but the ending made me nod. Plus the villains are just great.
Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill
This book is what happens when Neil Gaiman tries to write The Dresden Files after watching Pan's Labyrinth on loop. It's modern world with faeries, djinn and wizards, and finds itself bittersweet and dark tale of naive choices and cursed friends. I'm keeping my eye on this author.
Honorable Mention Hell Yeahs
These are four star books. Not my favorite, but good enough that I feel like they are worth a recommendation.
Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series (WITH LARGE Warning Label) by Laural K Hamilton
Perhaps my first true Urban Fantasy series, I started out really enjoying this. It had The badass chick with leather pants killing monsters, solving crimes and getting into a truly interesting world. Then the series started getting bogged down with pointless drama, sex, and moving away from the action and the mystery. Finally it turned into absolute garbage. These were because of some really IMO awful decisions by the author which I won't go into in this summary.
Suffice to say, I love this series for the action, for the way the various monsters work, and quite frankly because of the worldbuilding done. However, around Narcissus in Chains it began a nosedive in quality.
Eddie Lacross series by Alex Bledsoe
The Sword Edged Blonde - Burn me Deadly - Dark Jenny - Wake of the Bloody Angel
This is not your father's fantasy. These are, to begin with, noir mystery novels merely set in a medieval world of swords and kings. Everyone has fairly modern names like Jennifer, Angelita, Lizz and so forth. However, each book is a complete and compelling mystery, and each revolves around a possible supernatural element. I anticipate each one of these books, because of the prose and the mystery that follows.
The Ex-Heroes series by Peter Clines
Ex-Heroes - Ex-Patriots - Ex-Communication
Zombies are not my thing. However, this series is about the superheroes left over after the zombie apocalypse and the events that transpire. It's very much a set of superhero books, with all the right tropes. They scratch the itches that they are meant to, with good characters, cool superpowers, and really cool origins for the zombie plague and a lot of fun surprises along the way.
Nathaniel Cade series by Chris Fransworth
Blood Oath - The President's Vampire - Red White and Blood
The premise here is that the President of the United States bound a vampire to serve the office and all its agents. Cole is a vampire that protects the US from supernatural threats. The writing is sharp and the world that is created is cool - in addition, you get to see various historical events and horror elements worked in together.
My favorite of the thre is the third, which involves a serial killer demon setting his crosshairs on the President during an election season.
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
I have a soft spot for Arabian fantasy. This book was the finalist for a Huga, Nebula and Campbell awards. It's got a lively setting, good prose, and really has made an impression on me as I write my own Arabian fantasy novel.
The Old Man's War series by John Scalzi
Old Man's War - The Ghost Brigade - The Last Colony - Zoey's Tale - The Human Division
Scalzi is a great writer. He's funny and can tell a really good story, letting it creep up on you. I really enjoy the military elements of these books, as well as the humor. He doesn't really describe his aliens much, but he definitely gets into the action. My favorites of the series are Ghost Brigade and Human Division; the latter is just so hilarious and compelling, I can't wait for the next installment.
The Harvest Cycle by David Dunwoody
This story combines the Post Apocalypse, Cthuluic horror, and surprisingly, science fictional elements. Even a bit of a homage to The Joker. All of these elements combine into not a damn good book, but at least a good one, a satisfying one.
The Demon Cycle series by Peter V Brett
The Warded Man - The Desert Spear - The Daylight War
This one's a little iffy. The story itself is good, the action is great, the world is interesting. But it's dirt in an unpleasant sense. The first two books have a rape scene and boy did I not like that. Also, everyone is so vulgar, talking about sex rather openly. Never seen that before. Definitely not kid friendly.
John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders by David Wong
Bizarre, surreal, gorey and goofy and off the wall. These books are hard to explain, but one thing they are is hilarious.
Five Star Fuck Yeahs!
These are by far my favorite books/series. When finished they've left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside, hungry for more, and quite frankly wanting to smoke a cigarette because it was almost like good sex. Just thinking about these books make my toes wiggle in glee.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
This is my favorite series, and Jim Butcher is perhaps my favorite author. A private detective wizard blowing shit up and being snarky? Fuck Yes. The plots are complex and keep you guessing, they're wittily written, the monsters, magic and other supernaturals are cool, and they always end with a serious bang. IMO the first three books are OK, books 4-5-6 are Getting Good, and starting with Book 7 the series is like a like a robot dinosaur fueled by cocaine and heavy metal. (I started with Book 7, so I knew the series was icecream-and-cake in word form).
The Grimnoir Chronciles by Larry Correria
Hard Magic - Spellbound - Warbound
Take Indiana Jones, combine it with the X-Men, add in a crazy immortal Japanese emperor with a crazy army of wizards and ninja, put a dash of airships and sprinkle in the barest hint of Lovecraftian implication, and voila. Look what I said about The Dresden Files and pack it into 3 books. Book 4 is only 4 stars, it's more a building for the third, and the third is a pressure cooker that ends with the most epic of epic battles - it is the new high bar for EPIC BADASS OMGERY.
The Riyria Revelations by Michael Sullivan
Theft of Swords - Rise of Empire - Heir of Novron
Normally I do not like low-fantasy. This series has only two wizards in it, one or two great magical beasts, and only a few monstrous humanoids. The first half of the first book beats on a classic trope. However, the series builds on itself, and I really enjoy the characters and the prose. Every piece falls together expertly and as it builds I feel for the characters, I feel the tension, I am surprised by every turn. In the end I don't want it to end because it's been a journey with these people. It. Is. Good.
It should be noted that each Book is actaully made of 2 novels. They act like episodes, each with their own conflicts with resolutions, but they build upon the next, creating a wonderful tale.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Some complain this book is slow in the beginning, and it is. But it gets awesome and stays that way. This is a fantasy caper centering around a pair of thieves, a vicious crime boss, and a plot to destroy it all. I love thieves, I love clever characters and this does not disappoint at all.
Altered Carbon by Richard K Morgan
Sci fi is not my genre. This book was actually one of the first sci fi books I've read, and at its heart it's noir with action, set in the future. But the futuristic gimmicks are just cool. The most important idea that the series puts down is that human consciousness are on USB drives that are implanted in brain stem, so a person can be slotted into new bodies. The prose is razor sharp and intriguing.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Surreal, sometimes bizarre, and exquisit urban fantasy. A mystery tale wrapped in a journey through mythologies and religion. There's not a lot you can say about Gaiman that hasn't been said, but this is by far my favorite book of his.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Unsurprisingly another Gaiman book. Urban Fantasy is my favorite series, and this one is a little more quaint, but provides a compelling tale all the same. I wanted to know more about the world, see more of the bizarre characters, but the ending made me nod. Plus the villains are just great.
Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill
This book is what happens when Neil Gaiman tries to write The Dresden Files after watching Pan's Labyrinth on loop. It's modern world with faeries, djinn and wizards, and finds itself bittersweet and dark tale of naive choices and cursed friends. I'm keeping my eye on this author.
Honorable Mention Hell Yeahs
These are four star books. Not my favorite, but good enough that I feel like they are worth a recommendation.
Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series (WITH LARGE Warning Label) by Laural K Hamilton
Perhaps my first true Urban Fantasy series, I started out really enjoying this. It had The badass chick with leather pants killing monsters, solving crimes and getting into a truly interesting world. Then the series started getting bogged down with pointless drama, sex, and moving away from the action and the mystery. Finally it turned into absolute garbage. These were because of some really IMO awful decisions by the author which I won't go into in this summary.
Suffice to say, I love this series for the action, for the way the various monsters work, and quite frankly because of the worldbuilding done. However, around Narcissus in Chains it began a nosedive in quality.
Eddie Lacross series by Alex Bledsoe
The Sword Edged Blonde - Burn me Deadly - Dark Jenny - Wake of the Bloody Angel
This is not your father's fantasy. These are, to begin with, noir mystery novels merely set in a medieval world of swords and kings. Everyone has fairly modern names like Jennifer, Angelita, Lizz and so forth. However, each book is a complete and compelling mystery, and each revolves around a possible supernatural element. I anticipate each one of these books, because of the prose and the mystery that follows.
The Ex-Heroes series by Peter Clines
Ex-Heroes - Ex-Patriots - Ex-Communication
Zombies are not my thing. However, this series is about the superheroes left over after the zombie apocalypse and the events that transpire. It's very much a set of superhero books, with all the right tropes. They scratch the itches that they are meant to, with good characters, cool superpowers, and really cool origins for the zombie plague and a lot of fun surprises along the way.
Nathaniel Cade series by Chris Fransworth
Blood Oath - The President's Vampire - Red White and Blood
The premise here is that the President of the United States bound a vampire to serve the office and all its agents. Cole is a vampire that protects the US from supernatural threats. The writing is sharp and the world that is created is cool - in addition, you get to see various historical events and horror elements worked in together.
My favorite of the thre is the third, which involves a serial killer demon setting his crosshairs on the President during an election season.
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
I have a soft spot for Arabian fantasy. This book was the finalist for a Huga, Nebula and Campbell awards. It's got a lively setting, good prose, and really has made an impression on me as I write my own Arabian fantasy novel.
The Old Man's War series by John Scalzi
Old Man's War - The Ghost Brigade - The Last Colony - Zoey's Tale - The Human Division
Scalzi is a great writer. He's funny and can tell a really good story, letting it creep up on you. I really enjoy the military elements of these books, as well as the humor. He doesn't really describe his aliens much, but he definitely gets into the action. My favorites of the series are Ghost Brigade and Human Division; the latter is just so hilarious and compelling, I can't wait for the next installment.
The Harvest Cycle by David Dunwoody
This story combines the Post Apocalypse, Cthuluic horror, and surprisingly, science fictional elements. Even a bit of a homage to The Joker. All of these elements combine into not a damn good book, but at least a good one, a satisfying one.
The Demon Cycle series by Peter V Brett
The Warded Man - The Desert Spear - The Daylight War
This one's a little iffy. The story itself is good, the action is great, the world is interesting. But it's dirt in an unpleasant sense. The first two books have a rape scene and boy did I not like that. Also, everyone is so vulgar, talking about sex rather openly. Never seen that before. Definitely not kid friendly.
John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders by David Wong
Bizarre, surreal, gorey and goofy and off the wall. These books are hard to explain, but one thing they are is hilarious.
I've only read the first three Dresden Files books, I'll have to find the others. It is rare to find a book series which gets better as it progresses, I look forward with anticipation after I purchase my copy of By Sword and Star.