any suggestions for a new book to read

[Metal Brother]

A Game of Thrones

Although this is at the top of my list too, I don't know if I can recommend it here. Making a new reader get through the first four books and then sit on his ass with the rest of us while waiting for the next one... it just seems cruel and unusual.

 

[Sikachu]

I'm not much of a sci-fi aficionado but I really enjoyed Ringworld and sequels by Larry Niven, and they definitely get the sort of theme you're after so give them a go.

 

[Templar9]

The 'Sten chronicles' just awesome, that or starship troopers.

 

[feralbischon]

Definately HG2G

The Chronicles of Amber is a great series

Lord of light

The Stars my Destination


Non SciFi/Fantasy, I always recommend The Unbearable Lightness of Being or Master & Margarita

 

[Metal Brother]

Neil Gaiman: http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/
* Interworld
* American Gods
* Neverwhere

Also, just about anything by Glen Cook is great. He's a very underrated author, although not everything meets your "save the planet/galaxy feel" criteria. If you start with the original Black Company trilogy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Cook#The_Black_Company ) you'll see what I mean. And if you can get your hands on them, the Starfishers trilogy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Cook#Starfishers ) is also excellent, but these books have been out of print for years.

 

[Metal Brother]

Oh yeah - the Ender's Game books ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Game_%28series%29 ) should meet your filter criteria pretty well too.

 

[kidigus]

Infected; when you're done with that read Contagious.

Both by Scott Sigler.

 

[Claptrap]

Well you could read the mass effect or dragon age prelude books if you liked the games, I dont really know much about books.

 

[BringBackBuck]

Fantasy you might try Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks or Farseer trilogy and Tawny man trilogy by Robin Hobb.

Iain M Banks has already been mentioned so you might try some Peter F Hamilton. (Has a variety of books, some world/galaxy altering, some not. For me he can be a bit hit and miss although I prefer his series more than his 'one-offs')

Peter F Hamilton - that's good nerdy sci-fi and the man has some original ideas. Night's dawn trilogy and Void trilogy are both good.

My recommendation: 1984. I just picked up a copy at a 2nd hand bookstore the other day - I hadn't read it for years.

 

[hyperhammy]

The hitchikers guide to the galaxy. You will not regret it.

Don't forget to have a towel within reach while reading. Do not ask why, it will become clear later on.

You should also have 52 of somethings. (For example 52 cents)
Set up mice traps before reading.
Never listen to poetry!!!
Put on some decent clothes, incase the world ends and you have to go hitch hiking.
Make sure you know everything about the earth. =) Nothing of it is true.

 

[MortyMnemonic]

Fantasy:
The Demon War books by Peter V. Brett. starting with "the painted man"

Sci-Fi:
The Avery Cates books by Jeff Somers:
The electric church
the digital plague
the eternal prison

Superduper!

 

[Colonel Alzheimer's]

Play Mass Effect, and read all the dialogue that's given throughout the game. According to their reviews and/or boasts, that should be enough sci-fi book for you to last quite awhile.

If you tried to find all the dialogue in that game, it would probably take you upwards of 60 hours. Also, Mass Effect is the best sci-fi book I ever played.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

The hitchikers guide to the galaxy. You will not regret it.

Oh yes. Definetly Hitchikers. I got a complete set for $30-or-so dollars.

Also, try 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is a book for it, and it is expertly written and a really enjoyable read. Not exactly a fast paced book, however.

 

[Sigel]

Pick up anything by Neil Gaiman for fantasy/horror, Terry Pratchett's DiscWorld series for satire/fantasy, Brandon Sanderson(Mistborn series and Elantris) for fantasy, George R.R.Martin's Song of Ice and Fire for an epic complex fantasy/adventure, and Patrick Rothfuss for The Name of the Wind, a new series of great potential.

Patricia Briggs also writes a couple of series of fantasy/horror. I like her Mercy Thompson series but jury is still out on her other series. Charlaine Harris, who is probably most famous for her Sookie Stackhouse series, also writes several different mystery/horror series some of which are quite good.

 

[SmartIdiot]

These books by R.A Salvatore (in this order)

The Dark Elf Trilogy
The Icewind Dale Trilogy
The Legacy of The Drow Series
Paths of Darkness

After those you can choose to progress onto...

The Sellswords Trilogy
The Hunters Blades Trilogy

Then I believe it's the Transitions series...

In any case, the first 4 are guaranteed to keep you occupied reading-wise for a while.

 

[swolf]

Check the search bar for "Book Recommendations". Though I will say what I said there. "Medic!" by Ben Sherman was a crazy read made even crazier with the thought that it was real. "Inside Delta Force" by Eric L. Haney is also true and crazy, gives you an inside look at what it's like to be in the toughest Special Forces-esque unit in America. Also, "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz.

 

[Mechsoap]

Mogworld

its worth waiting for, else some gameing related books are okay, the warlord i think it was is about thrall from warcraft, its well written atleast

 

[Elle-Jai]

Tamora Pierce is incredibly well-written, although always has strong female lead characters.

A good Australian series currently being made into a movie is by author John Marsden, called Tommorrow When The War Began (name of both the first book and the series). Definitely "save the country" stuff, less so on the "world" lol.

David Eddings, Traci Harding, Chris Bunch, Anna McCaffrey all do wonderful jobs too (just to rattle off a few names I'm seeing on my bookshelves atm).

 

[GloatingSwine]

The Atrocity Archive and The Jennifer Morgue, by Charles Stross. They're like Neal Stephenson meets Len Deighton and they team up to take on Cthulhu.

 

[Mr Thin]

A Game of Thrones

This,

Farseer trilogy and Tawny man trilogy by Robin Hobb.

or this. A million ****ing times, this.

Or the 'Dragonriders of Pern' series.
Or the 'Wheel of Time' series.
Or the 'Sword of Truth' series.
Or anything, ANYTHING, by Stephen R Donaldson.

It's impossible to predict what will or will not appeal to someone without knowing them, but I'm a fan of Raymond E Feist myself, and I can safely say all those books are - in my opinion - at least as good as his work, in some cases better.