Please recommend book (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

My Favs are:
The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
War and Peace - Tolstoi (funny, I discovered this because it was always next to Tolkien in the library)
The Count of Monte Cristo
It - Stephen King
and many others (the Stand, Shogun...)
As you have no doubt noticed, these are epics, with a huge cast of characters, on some kind of historical background. That is my favorite type of book I guess... I do not like introspective books (crime and punishment etc...) or biographies. I haven't read much Sci-Fi, I was very dissapointed by Dune, it seemed to be exactly my kind of book, but set in space. I midly liked Heinlein's Stranger in a Strangeland - didn't have much drama.
What I am looking for now is a big epic story set in occupied europe during WWII. I would think there are many such stories?
Any ideas? Of course feel free to suggest just about anything you think I might like based on the list above.
TIA
--
Holadem

 

[Scott Hayes]

I can't think of a WWII epic right of the top of my head, its been a while since I read one. But you did say suggest anything. If you want an epic story read the The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Talk about an epic story, i believe it is eight books long. Its a sword and sworcery type story, but not like any I have read before. I think you will enjoy it.

 

[JustinT]

Try the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Right now it is 9 books and counting. Lots of characters, lots of plotlines, lots of good magic and creatures. By far my favorite fantasy series. The first book is called "The Eye of the World."

 

[Jeff_A]

If you enjoyed The Stand by Stephen King. I think you would also enjoy Swan Song or Boys Life by Robert McCammon.
Lord of the Rings? You might also want to begin reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King (he certainly borrowed much from Tolkien).

 

[Dominik Droscher]

What I am looking for now is a big epic story set in occupied europe during WWII. I would think there are many such stories?

You have to read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. One of the greatest novels of the last years. It might help if you have some interest in cryptology but you will enjoy even if not. Partly staged in WW2, partly in the present it is a great story with many interesting characters.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...317768-7981748

 

[Joe D]

The Stand is a really great read by Stephen King.

For a great fantasy book that doesn't go by the formula method, read A Game of Thrones by George R. Martin.

 

[Dheiner]

Epics, huh?
How about "Time Enough for Love" by Heinlein , "Lucifers's Hammer" by Niven & Pournelle, or perhaps one of Chalker's multi-volume epics, such as "Four Lords of the Diamond", "River of the Dancing Gods", " Well World ", or "The Quintara Marathon"

 

[Ike]

The Castle by Franz Kafka is epic.

The books I like usually aren't epics, so that's all I'll offer.

 

[Darren Lewis]

Not sure if this is what you're after, but I saw "Band of Brothers" in my local bookshop today.

David Eddings writes some good stuff, if you like the fantasy genre.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series is excellent. It is extremely well-researched historical fiction, intended to cover the gradual rot of the Roman Republic and the birth of the Empire. (I would guess, but can't say for sure, that she'll end it somewhere in the principate of Augustus.)



The books are epic in scope, have a huge cast of interesting characters and it all has the advantage of being based on actual events. The volumes published so far (and I believe a new one is due this fall, they seem to come out every three years or so) are:



The First Man in Rome (set a generation before Gaius Julius Caesar the Dictator's birth)

The Grass Crown (Largely focused on Sulla)

Fortunes Favorites (Sulla, Pompey, Caesar's early life)

Caesar's Women (Caesar's political career)

Caesar[:I] (The Gallic Wars and The Civil War up to Pharsalus and the death of Pompey)



I believe that all are available in (large) paperback editions. I can't recommend them too highly.



Regards,



Joe

 

[Joe_C]

These have all have been mentioned so far, but I have to second:
Wheel of Time Series, Robert Jordan
A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin
Swan Song, Robert R. McCammon

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Any of the series by Harry Turtledove, who writes alternative history.

The Worldwar/Colonization saga, for example, is four books and four books (three written so far) of an alien invasion during World War 2. The catch is that the aliens investigated Earth around 1000 AD, and assumed that technology wouldn't progress *all that much* in a mere 800 years. Colonization picks up 20 years later.

 

[SteveGon]

You didn't specify fiction or non-fiction so I'll recommend The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. This was made into the film Gettysburg. His son Jeff has written a prequel, Gods and Generals, and a sequel, The Last Full Measure, making it a trilogy. Also, check out Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain - a most excellent book! It details the plight of a wounded Confederate soldier who decides to desert the army rather then go back to the fighting.

 

[Rob Lutter]

If you have any interest in the politics that go on behind the scenes of the major movie studio, I would like to suggest to you the book I just finished reading, The Battle of Brazil by Jack Mathews. It is the story of Terry Gilliam's struggle to get Brazil released in the US in his own 'final cut' version when the studio believes that it is 'unreleasable' without harsh editing. I would highly recommend it for any film lover.

 

[Thomas_Berg]

my favorite book also happens to be war-related. pick up Catch 22 AS SOON AS YOU CAN. within 100 pages you'll have been on the ground laughing at least twice, guaranteed!

 

[Will K]

Pick up John Irving's The World According To Garp. Wonderful book!

 

[Sean Conklin]

If you like Stephen King I would look into almost anything written by Dean Koontz or Clive Barker

 

[Josh_Hill]

Well, if ya wanna go for a little real-life I recommend: Thing of Beauty: The Tragedy of Supermodel Gia or Girl, Interrupted.

 

[Kenneth]

Some other Sci Fi/Fantasy series you might want to consider with large character casts:

The Saga of the Pliocene exile by Julian May (the first novel is The Many Colored Land). I really enjoyed this series about the future and the past. In the future we invent a time machine that can send people to the Pliocene. Initially we send our prisoners who are sentenced to "life" through, although later adventurers follow and a renegade group of psychic rebels. Turns out that a group of Aliens had crashed on our planet and was collecting our people as slaves. A deep four novel series with a follow on series about the psychic rebellion.

The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny - an excellent fantasy series where there are many worlds in many dimensions but all are a reflection of the one true world, Amber. Two series written about this universe.

Kenneth

 

[RussR]

For WWII and leading up to it, there's always Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. They're certainly epic, with lots of characters, set in a historical setting involving some interaction with many historical figures (FDR, etc.). They're a bit soap-operaish at times, but still a good read.

For fantasy, I enjoyed Tad William's Dragonbone Chair novels.