Your favouite fiction books?

[Harrison]

Just wondered what everyone's favouite fiction novels and authors are?

Fantasy was my first real interest in reading. I was a bit late in getting a grasp of reading due to dyslexia, and my mum bought me the first couple of Fighting Fantasy books when they came out as she thought they would interest me, and she was so right. I soon got addicted to them, which led to Dungeons and Dragons etc

I then discovered Tolkien and started to read everything published by him.

I then discovered Terry Brooks by accident. I used to have to travel to London every few weeks with my mum by train to take and collect my sister from her boarding school for the blind. I would always go into the newsagents and buy a novel or computer magazine to read on the train. One day I noticed The Elfstones of Shannara and took a chance. It remains my favouite book by him, but it got me hooked on the whole series.

A very recent addition to some of my favourite authors and novels is Raymond E Feist and his Riftwar cycle. A friend suggested I try thy first book in the series called Magician and I've been reading some and listening to others in the series. In total it's 30 novels so it's a big undertaking if you wanted to read them all, but well worth it. I would say it's a far more complex series than many other fantasy novels. Politics play a big part alongside classic fantasy with elves, Dwarfs, dragons etc, mixed with a bit of scifi. He also touches on some profound phylisophical ideas about religion too.

One final author to mention to end for the moment is Timothy Zahn. I'm a big Star Wars fan as you all know and I read or listen to all of the novels. He creating the character Thrawn, with his original novels about him now deemed Legends and non canon, so he has single written a further 2 trilogies featuring the character. These again feature a lot of politics and tactics within the stories. The prequal trilogy isn't even set in or featuring the Empire or and Jedi.

[J T]

I haven't read and awful amount in many years. When I was a teen I really liked Stephen King, and as a young bloke commuting I read quite a few of Tim Powers books - he wrote On Stranger Tides which was the inspiration for Monkey Island and Pirated of the Carribbean.

[Kin Hell]

I'm in the same boat J T

I don't read anything these days.

[Harrison]

I listen to books on Audible to keep up with the latest novels. Especially Star Wars. I wouldn't have time to read them all and I have 2 hours a day commuting to work, so I can get through 1 in about a week.

[J T]

I used to use the commute for reading and stuff when I was in london but I just can't focus on Audiobooks and podcasts while I'm at work, and there's too much going on at home. My commute now is so short it'd take me forever to get through one!

[Harrison]

Yeah, I couldn't listen to them at work as too many interruptions. Dog walking is another good one to find the time, but only if you can do that solo obviously.