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  1 0 What sorts of things do you like to read? Are you looking for fiction, nonfiction, any particular genre? Just any good book? I recently finished Dan Simmons' Black Hills, and enjoyed it quite a lot, although I think The Terror is superior. But anything by Simmons is worth reading. Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants impressed the hell out of me; I wasn't expecting the story to go where it did. Ken Bruen's Once Were Cops is the most cinematic novel I've read in years - quite the thrill ride, although you have to be aware there are NO sympathetic characters in the story. Arturo Perez-Reverte's Alatriste books are wonderful, and his contemporary fiction (Queen of the South and The Painter of Battles especially) is even better. I love pretty much everything of Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, and George Pelecanos that I've read. Geni answered in Books & Writing about 1 year ago | Report 3 comments by protosaurus, Geni, and protosaurus… 0 0 Hey! Fellow Simmons fan! Did you read Drood? I've loved Simmons's sci-fi since I was a teenager, but I've always gotten the impression sci-fi was just a phase for him and he's really more of a mystery/thriller writer. I'm halfway done with Drood and, while I'm not ready to say I love it, I can't put it down, so that's a good sign. If you read it, how does it compare to The Terror? And is The Terror required Simmons reading? It seems much better reviewed than Drood. protosaurus commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 I enjoyed Drood, but because the style is consciously so close to Wilkie Collins' own (very Victorian), I found it a bit of a slog to read. I have a particular love of The Terror, as I'm a polar exploration history buff, and up to the point where the story diverges from historical fact and delves into speculative fiction, Simmons clearly did his homework. I think Simmons is one of those types of writers who is good at whatever genre takes his fancy. He's written outstanding horror, some of the best SF ever printed, great historical novels, and fantastic mystery-suspense. I imagine he could probably write a killer romance if he chose to give it a try. ;-) Geni commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Cool! I think I will check The Terror out sooner than later. protosaurus commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 Here's a small list of well-written but light novels, what many people would consider "summer reading books:" 1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen 2. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips 3. Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim 4. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel 6. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold I have read all those books, not necessarily during the summer, and enjoyed all of them. Dan Williams answered in Books & Writing about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 I concur w/ Geni: more information would be nice, pls. "Good Books" really only exist in some relation to readers' tastes, and in my experience, the whole "Summer reading" thing - similar I suppose to the "Fall reading" and "Winter reading" things (not sure what we're up to in the Spring) - is really just giving yourself permission in the long days to enjoy those kinds of books you enjoy most. Which begs the question: what have you enjoyed in the past, and what sort of thing are you in the mood for now? Drop by the Fiction department at Seattle Public Library's Central branch, and I can guarantee we'll send you away w/ a nice stack of choices; or tell us here about a few things you've enjoyed in the past, and maybe something you haven't liked, and we'll give you some ideas. David Wright answered in Books & Writing about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 May I suggest you dig up a copy of "The Other" by Thomas Tryon. It's worth it. Great period piece horror and mystery set in about 1932 on a New England family farm. "Cagey" answered in Books & Writing about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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