What book would you recommend, and why?

**Donachiel** · 09-05-2007, 10:50

Let's get our favourite novels out there.

What books do you like the best? Would you recommend them to a friend? And did they change your life?

One of my Favourites is The Princess Bride the "good parts" version abridged by William Goldman. Now, some of you may be familiar with the movie - with Peter Falk, Mandy Patinkinson, Chris Sarandon, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and Fred Savage, which is a great movie. And it was because of the movie I found the book.

I read this for the first time on my first trip to Egypt, and couldn't put it down. The story itself is very much like the film, except the main story is about Goldman himself and his childhood memory of his father reading the Princess Bride "S Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure" to him when he was sick. (used in the film with Peter Falk and Fred Savage)

Goldman starts out by stating at the start "This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it". In later life, he decides to buy the book for his own son, and goes to great lengths to get it. Only to find his son finds the book boring and too difficult to read. Amazed (as this was his favourite as a child) he sits down to read it for the first time, and is suddenly struck with the reality that his father had skipped parts, and only read the "good parts" to him, to keep him entertained.

And so the "Good Parts" version is born, with Goldman doing his father's take on the book.

The Book is a story within a story, with The 'character' of Goldman narrating his omissions, summaries of chapters and just nostalgic banter. And that's just the build up! The story itself is filled with "fencing, fighting, torture, poison, true love, hate, revenge, giants, hunters, bad men, god men, beautifulest ladies, snakes, spiders, beasts, chases, escapes, lies, truth, passion and miracles."

The story is filled with wit and good fun, and I recommend this to any age of reader. You'll love it.

**Zombie Mastermind** · 09-05-2007, 13:35

Weaveworld by Clive Barker and Jaws.

Anything by Hunter S Thompson, though his diaries are a bit laborious.

**sixaparrat** · 09-05-2007, 13:57

"The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman

It's 'Starship Troopers' with the laws of physics i.e relativity & time dilation applied.

**Alpha** · 09-05-2007, 15:33

Any of Stephen King's novels. or the local crime fiction writer, Sheila Quigley.

**Earl** · 09-05-2007, 15:53

And the Ass Saw the Angel.

It's the second greatest story ever told.

**Donachiel** · 09-05-2007, 16:06

Originally Posted by Zombie Mastermind

Weaveworld by Clive Barker and Jaws.

Anything by Hunter S Thompson, though his diaries are a bit laborious.

You know what, I knew you were going to post Weaveworld, and very good to that man. I also loved 'The Great and Secret Show', although the second book 'Everville' was a little creepy. And I don't mean that in a good way.

**Earl** · 09-05-2007, 16:31

Bit puffy?

**Donachiel** · 09-05-2007, 16:50

Everville was. That's why it's a bit creepy. Not that I'm homophobic, or anything. I'm just not sure at the age of 16 or 17 I was quite ready for a homosexual sex scene in a book. It was a little 'too' descriptive for my comfort zone.

**Earl** · 09-05-2007, 16:56

Homophobic's a made up word.

Ck · 09-05-2007, 17:54

I like Martina Cole but I don't think it's a male read. She's not soppy and no way are they love stories but the main character/s are usually gritty women. She writes about Londons underworld, a life of prostitution, gangs, guns, money, power and murders. You get a mixture of the character that have the power and the cash and the lifestyle that goes with it, and then the downtrodden and the used and abused. I usually end up thinking there but for the grace of god go I..