What is your favorite series, other than YW

[wizard2009]

i like Harry potter, Pendragon series, Wither series.

[bookworm438]

Vampire Chronicles -- Anne Rice
Inheritance Cycle -- Christopher Paolini
Twilight -- Stephenie Meyer(Sorta)
HP -- Not as much anymore.

[Kathy Li]

I am severely loving Charles Stross's "Merchant Princes" series.

He's four (soon to be five) books in:

• The Family Trade (2004, ISBN 0-7653-0929-7)
• The Hidden Family (2005, ISBN 0-7653-1347-2)
• The Clan Corporate (2006, ISBN 0-7653-0930-0)
• The Merchants' War (2007, ISBN 0-7653-1671-4)
• The Revolution Business (forthcoming April 2009[3])

It's the kind of SF I've missed reading. The kind with big sweeping ideas and thoughtful examination of cultural assumptions. It's about the effects of technology on economies and societies. On the power of knowledge and individuals to affect history. Big stuff.

The story is about a woman who's grown up here in our present day, who suddenly discovers that she's from a family that can walk between their world and ours. Their world is technologically medieval. Her family is part-Mafia/part-nobility with a lot of wealth and power from their ability to import goods from our world. And she's got to figure out a way to navigate the court intrigue and assassinations that descend upon her, because she's really high up the family tree she never knew she had.

That's just the starting point. It all gets much much more complicated. There's some sex, but it never reaches R-rated levels, in my estimation. There's violence, though, 'cause, assassins. But I'd say overall, it's PG-15. I heartily recommend it.

[bookworm438]

I am severely loving Charles Stross's "Merchant Princes" series. ...

oooo I gotta look into those books. They sound good. *writes down the titles*

[edited to trim quote down to just the needed bit. --kli.]

[Stormwind]

Kathy: THANK YOU! I'm going to see if the local Library has those titles, they sound totally facinating.

I've started reading The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B Dunkle. I don't know about it yet, but the descriptions sounding good... We'll just have to see...

[Kathy Li]

You guys are welcome. The sad thing is I'm severely Stross addicted, and I'm loving everything he's written. The Merchant Princes is his longest series, but i've also been enjoying the heck out of "the Laundry" stories (two novels, two novellas and one short story that I know of. This series is equal parts computer IT geekness, Cthulu old gods horror, and spy stories. Might be a bit more brutal horror than I should recommend here, though.

And the SF stuff is spinning my head as well: the Singularity books (Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise). Where one day, 90% of the Earth's population disappeared (transported across the galaxy to colonize thousands of worlds all over the place and throughout time) by a force that leaves a simple message with everyone.

I am the Eschaton. I am not your God.

I am descended from you, and exist in your future.

Thou shalt not violate causality within my historic light cone. Or else.

We're mostly following a UN weapons inspector who keeps hunting up the folks who are ignoring the or else.

[lightjedi6]

Hellooo!

seems to be nearly a dead thread but oh well, I have read alot of books but i wonder if i will have trouble remembering them all? I am intending to read quite a few different books and manga's to boot, but thats not what this thread is for, except i will use it to find some other good, series' to read

Most books by Mary Higgins Clark. (not sure on number and I am lazy on naming all the ones I remember the names to)

Alot of Louis L'Amour. (80+)

Quite a few Zane Grey. (perhaps 10-15)

One of my all time favorites, now understand that I dont normally reread books, I have read the complete collection of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia no less than 5 times straight through (though not all 5 times in a row) and some of the books more than that.

Christopher paolini's the inheritance cycle, Eagerly awaiting the 4th and final book.

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

Alot of Frank w. Dixon's The Hardy Boys series (in case some people dont know there is not a real person but a pen name, the most prominent most likely being Leslie Mcfarlane).

all but the latest Sue Grafton.

I could mention MANY Manga but I guess that doesnt really count.

I am probably missing quite a few but these are the main ones.

[Glede]

OMG! I READ THIS AWESOME NEW SERIES BY Alyson Noel! IT"S AWESOMEFRGGINTASTIC!

it's called the Immortal Series and the first one is Evermore. It made me cry but it was SOOOOOOO good!

[Stormwind]

Obviously I didn't post, even though I thought I had in this post (Other than to thank Kathy Li for the Stross books, I have them and will start reading them in the next couple of days)

Favorite series, hummm: Have to say Circle of Magic, Circle Opens, Melting Stones, All the Tortall books (all these by Tamora Pierce) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamora_Pierce

Harry Potter (obviously because it re-ignited a love of reading in a LOT of people)

Mercedes Lackey's: Arrows of the Queen (I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for teenagers or younger - there is some explicit detail in the second book - and the third book just gives me the shivers) Her newest book Foundations (LOVE IT!) The Mage Wars (Black, White, and Silver Gryphon books) By The Sword (another one I wouldn't recommend for teenagers) Oathbound, Oathbreakers, Oathblood (this last one is a group of short stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes_Lackey

Joseph Delaney's - The Spook's Apprentice (I know that's the US title for the series)
http://www.spooksbooks.com/ (I love this for its action and it's thought provoking)

John Flannagan - The Ranger's Apprentice (Again, I think that's the US title for the series)
http://www.rangersapprentice.com/ (Another thought provoking series, I'm axiously awaiting the next book, as the last ended in a cliff...)

DD's - Stealing the Elf King's Roses - I know, it's an only book - but I'd love to see more of Lee and Gelart...

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (Brilliant Tolkien, Brilliant... descriptions, action, drama, and for me better in ways than the movies...)

C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia (another escape from harsh reality series that makes me smile)

David Eddings - The Elenium; The Tamuli; Belgariad; Mallorean. (Descriptions - if you don't like wordy descriptions this set of series probably isn't for you. I need to go find copies of the books for me... I left my copies in Utah when I moved)

Patricia Wrede - Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Quartet) (Cute, Fluffy, Light reading that deals with a favorite topic - DRAGONS!)

Thanks Kathy Li! I appreciate the reminder that sharing a list doesn't tell why you love the books.....

[wizardsrreal]

Let's see how many on these I can remember off the top of my head...

hmm..

1. Guardians of Time Trilogy by Marianne Curley--this is about high school students who have to go back in time to keep things the way they are. Everyone has special abilities that makes them chosen to do that and be either a good guy or a bad guy. Although anyone can be a good guy if they decide to switch over. The bad guys also go back in time but they try to introduce things that havn't been invented yet, or just generally mess things up.
2. the 'Circle' books by Tamora Pierce--there is some info on this series in the 'Has anyone read anything by Tamora Pierce' thread
3. the Everworld series by K. A, Applegate--this is about a group of teenagers who get thrown into a weird and completley different world that incorporates many different things and figures from Greek and Roman mythology.
4. the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix--it's been a long time since I've read these so I don't want to mess anything up by trying to tell about it.
5. the Unicorns of Balinor series by Mary Stanton--and old favorite my mom and I would read together.
6. the Chronicals of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

That is all I can think of now but I will most likely add more later.

[Kathy Li]

Ok, guys, just a pause, here, but simply listing series you like, while it can be fun, isn't necessarily helpful to other board members. If you like a series, taking a little time to explain why you like it might be useful, so that other people can try and figure out if they might want to try the series. If you don't want to spend time describing the series, maybe linking to a website that describes the series or offers sample text (like, say, a publisher's site) might also be a great idea.

For example, my favoritest series of all time is Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles/ series. Or serieses, depending on how you look at it. I've said this half a dozen times before, so I'm just linking this time.

[Zirsta]

Ok, I just read this amazing book: Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr. It's about this girl who can see faeries, but they don't know she can see them. The faeries have varying amounts of compassion, so if they knew she could see them, there's a good chance they'd kill her.

The story is great, although there are some questionably appropriate bits... I'd probably give it a pg-13 rating, for language and such. Still, it's a great book. I just have to get my hands onto the sequel, Ink Exchange.

[SpacePen]

favorite authors

I quite enjoy Madeline L'Engle's "Time" books (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, Many Waters, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, An Acceptable Time).

And the, uh, "abridged" versions of George MacDonald's novel, originally called "Malcom" - I think - but now split into two books called "the fisherman's lady" and "the marqui's secret". (these are "realistic" as in "no magic")

If you know Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit you're off to a good start, but if you haven't tried his lighter fare (short stories like "Smith of Wooton Major" and "Farmer Giles of Ham") you're missing out on some fun. In fact, younger people who might not be quite up to the Lord of the Rings yet (but who can definitely enjoy the Hobbit) might go for these short stories.

C.S. Lewis is quite good in the Narnia Chronicles ("The Last Battle" is one of my favorites, though I love each one while I'm in the process of reading it) but I can't leave out his Space Trilogy on the list of favorites either. (Although I admit I enjoy the first two of this trilogy more than the last one).

As I was browsing through a bookstore this evening a nice hardback version of "Island of the Blue Dolphins" caught my attention and I remembered enjoying it when I last read it (a long time ago - I had almost forgotten about it!) [this would be under the historical fiction/adventure genre?]

Also, Robin McKinley caught my attention with "The Blue Sword" (and all her related stories about a desert country called Damar and the workings of an inner power that dwells in some of it's people), as well as with her retelling of certain "classic" fairy tales in novel form like "Beauty" (beauty and the beast) and "Spindle's End" (Sleeping Beauty).

Lloyd Alexander's "Prydain" chronicles (mythology retold) were fun to read.

[Kathy Li]

I love Lloyd Alexander's books, although I think the Westmark series is probably the last time I read anything new by him.

The writer today who reminds me the most of Robin McKinley back then is Sharon Shinn. Her Secret-Keeper/Truth-Teller/Dream-Maker trilogy reminds me a great deal of Beauty and The Door in the Hedge. I've been having problems enjoying McKinley's books over the last decade or so, though. Sunshine really didn't work for me, although I know a lot of folks who liked it. I've got Dragonhaven sitting on a shelf, though, and hope springs eternal.

I should probably go and hunt up the new Alexander McCall Smiths in the 44 Scotland Street and Isabel Dalhousie serieses. I think I'm all caught up on Mma Ramotswe and Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld.

[NoxLight]

Abarat by Clive Barker! The most underrated teen's fantasy series (besides YW of course) that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. One reviewer puts it perfectly: "..the Salvador Dali of the the fantasy set." Clive Barker is known for his horror and weirdness, but if you love fantasy and dreamlike settings, go pick it up. The horror is toned down for the most part excepting the villains, but weirdness is in no short supply. Its dreaminess is made possible by the hundreds of his own paintings that are in the book among the text. I should stop now or I'll start frothing at the mouth.
Anyway, I love the Abarat series, have waited for the 2,000 page third book for five years, and would recommend it to anyone who loves magic in their stories