Earthling Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 No one suggested Stephen King's Dark Tower series? The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Wasted Lands etc. Edit:Oopsie, It's The Waste Lands, not The Wasted Lands.
teejay Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Anyway...the new Neil Asher Owner Trilogy books are quite good, not to everyones taste, but the second book is much better than the first.
sonofsanta Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) No one suggested Stephen King's Dark Tower series? The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Wasted Lands etc. Edit:Oopsie, It's The Waste Lands, not The Wasted Lands. Just read them (well, listened, car audiobooks) and they're cracking books, but they're much closer to fantasy than sci-fi. Not your standard fantasy, but still, everything is vaguely hand-waved and mystical. China Miéville? Not really sci-fi either (similar genre to Neil Gaiman, slipstream or the new weird or w/e), and not to everyone's tastes, but I do love 'im. Kraken is perhaps the least pretentious place to start. Edited November 28, 2012 by sonofsanta to sound less grumpy
aerospacemango Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 I don't know if anyone has suggested these.... The Many Coloured Land by Julian May. This starts a series of 4 books (I think) that are pretty good. They are quite old, so your OH may have read them already!
LeMarchand Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 China Miéville? Not really sci-fi either (similar genre to Neil Gaiman, slipstream or the new weird or w/e), and not to everyone's tastes, but I do love 'im. Kraken is perhaps the least pretentious place to start. I'd suggest Un Lun Dun (or The Scar or possibly Perdido Street Station). Thought Kraken was a bit disappointing.
north-ict Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Not a graphic novel but a novelisation of the comics by Greg Rucka. Batman No mans land I throughly enjoyed reading that.
Earthling Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Just read them (well, listened, car audiobooks) and they're cracking books, but they're much closer to fantasy than sci-fi. Not your standard fantasy, but still, everything is vaguely hand-waved and mystical. . Did both, read them all, then listened on audio book. Two absolutely top rate readers, George Guidall and Frank Muller. Wolves of The Calla came alive when I listened to it. I've listened to a lot of audio books, but that one stopped me in my tracks. Since I read those, I haven't wanted to read anything else. The whole series sort of fulfilled everything I'd been looking for in Fantasy and Sci-Fi, but, as you say, can't be strictly classified as either. 'Go then, there are other worlds than these'.
Bromcom_John Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Someone mentioned Neil Gaiman.. So American Gods needs to get a mention. Again a tad old so he may have already read it.
TechMonkey Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 The Boing Boing gift guide is normally quite good for new stuff, books and other fun.
witch Posted November 28, 2012 Author Posted November 28, 2012 It is likely that he has either read or dismissed older stuff - I know we have both read all the Stephen Kings and the Neil Gaimans sound very familiar. Will look at Peter Hamilton, Philip Reeve and Neil Asher. Just for info, on the shelf next to me we have: Frank Herbert Richard Morgan, Allen Steele, Michael Cobley,Iain M Banks, Ian Banks, Tolkein, Heinlein, most older scifi writers - Asimov, Le Guin Harrison etc Its hard though as we go to the library every week so he doesnt actually buy many books - which doesnt help when it comes to working out what he has and hasnt read!.
Dos_Box Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Seeing as graphic novels have been mentioned, may I suggest The Ballad of Halo Jones: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Ballad-Halo-Jones-2000/dp/1905437188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354124796&sr=8-1 It's a modern classic by Alan Moore. I say Modern, but it's 30 years old now!
SpuffMonkey Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 Thought you said "50 Shades of Grey" for a minute there! The steampunk sounds good - do you think he is old enough at 53? The Mortal Engines set is fab - I see Mr Witch is the same age as me - so I should think he'll enjoy them. Has he done Charlie Higson's "The Enemy" set? If he's not offended by teen fiction, they're worth a go as are the Skulduggery Pleasants, HIVE and CHERUB books - the joys of having a teenage son...
Flatpackhamster Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 Has he read Alastair Reynolds' books?
witch Posted November 29, 2012 Author Posted November 29, 2012 The Mortal Engines set is fab - I see Mr Witch is the same age as me - so I should think he'll enjoy them. Has he done Charlie Higson's "The Enemy" set? If he's not offended by teen fiction, they're worth a go as are the Skulduggery Pleasants, HIVE and CHERUB books - the joys of having a teenage son... Well we have two sons who were teenagers fairly recently - one loved the artemis fowl books and the other was either reading things like "The Road" or Hitchhikers Guide I will have a look at your suggestions @Flatpackhamster - yes, he has read Alastair Reynolds I was trying to think what he might say were his favourite books - not known for rabid enthusiasm about anything, my mrwITch isn't...but I think the Dune books come close. I know he has bought every one and all the spinoffs and follow ups.
Vegas Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 Another vote for the Mortal Engines series, there are also the 3 prequels that are superb: Fever Crumb A Web of Air Scriveners Moon
Vegas Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 Also have a look at 3 books by Ben Aaronovitch: Rivers of London Moon Over Soho Whispers Underground
sonofsanta Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) I was trying to think what he might say were his favourite books - not known for rabid enthusiasm about anything, my mrwITch isn't...but I think the Dune books come close. I know he has bought every one and all the spinoffs and follow ups. Based on that, and the fact it hasn't been mentioned yet, maybe Dan Simmons' Hyperion series? Not necessarily new, though, so there's a fair chance he has read him. If it was fantasy I could throw a good few new authors at you, but I'm not as up to speed on my modern sci-fi I fear. John Scalzi is about as modern as I'm aware of for SF (Old Man War etc., but that was on @JJonas' graphic earlier so may have been read). I'd suggest Un Lun Dun (or The Scar or possibly Perdido Street Station). Thought Kraken was a bit disappointing. Just getting into Perdido Street Station now (and now I think about it, Un Lun Dun is 4 chapters or so in on my Kindle). The link between Miéville's appearance and his literary obsession with strange-things-happening-to-bodies is becoming increasingly clear! Love him though, The City & The City was just magnificent. Edited November 29, 2012 by sonofsanta
witch Posted November 29, 2012 Author Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) He does read some fantasy. Will have a look at your suggestion ta China Miéville looks interesting Edited November 29, 2012 by witch
Flatpackhamster Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 Well we have two sons who were teenagers fairly recently - one loved the artemis fowl books and the other was either reading things like "The Road" or Hitchhikers Guide I will have a look at your suggestions @Flatpackhamster - yes, he has read Alastair Reynolds I was trying to think what he might say were his favourite books - not known for rabid enthusiasm about anything, my mrwITch isn't...but I think the Dune books come close. I know he has bought every one and all the spinoffs and follow ups. You said he likes factual non-fiction stuff. What sort of stuff do you have in mind? History or science or art or wut?
witch Posted November 29, 2012 Author Posted November 29, 2012 Non-fiction books about science or tech - space exploration, discovery of stuff, evolution of computing, that sort of stuff
Flatpackhamster Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) Non-fiction books about science or tech - space exploration, discovery of stuff, evolution of computing, that sort of stuff How about stuff like this? Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History: Amazon.co.uk: Giles Milton: Books White Rajah: Amazon.co.uk: Nigel Barley: Books http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cochrane-Dauntless-Adventures-Admiral-1775-1860/dp/0747585458 Edited November 29, 2012 by Flatpackhamster Extra book! 1
witch Posted November 29, 2012 Author Posted November 29, 2012 Will look at those later -filtered here He has two Raspberry Pis - why?
north-ict Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) @witch I know this might be completely out of the way but is he a Knight Rider fan? ..:: Knight Rider Companion ::.. Or Knight Rider Legacy: The Unofficial Guide to the Knight Rider Universe: Amazon.co.uk: Joe Huth, Richie F. Levine: Books and there is a recent new book been made Knight Rider: 30 Years of a Lone Crusader and His Talking Car: Amazon.co.uk: Joe Huth IV, David Bronstein, Rebecca Holden: Books Edited November 29, 2012 by north-ict 1
LosOjos Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 He has two Raspberry Pis - why? I found the Raspberry Pi user guide to actually be quite interesting: Raspberry Pi User Guide: Amazon.co.uk: Eben Upton, Gareth Halfacree: Books 1
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