Non-fiction
From Richard Dawkins
The God Delusion
The Blind Watchmaker
The Ancestor's Tale
All well worth the read - Dawkin's delightful, insightful prose makes a highly complex field of study highly accessible for the layman while still remaining useful for the enthusiast.
God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens.
I don't know how the print book fairs, but the audio-book, read by the author, is a joy.
The Demon Haunted World - Carl Sagan.
Read it. Period.
Fiction
I will cautiously second the Honour Harrington series - though I have found that the later books far more a slog than a pleasure - the technology creep has put the author in a difficult position to continue. The early books are a joy.
Likewise, Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series - Enjoy the early ones; avoid the later ones.
Bernard Cornwell - From Sharpe to Arthur and beyond You can pretty much guarantee the Cornwell will keep you turning pages with enjoyment. One of the few authors I will pick up and read with no reservation.
Simon Green's Nightside books: Another love hate relationship - the world is fascinating; the execution is so-so; but the high fantasy film noir feeling is worth it.
David Wishart's Corvinus Mysteries: Combining Phillip Marlowe and Pontinus Pilate's Gweat Fwiend Biggus Dickus of Wome seems like an odd combination at first glance. It isn't. These are hard-core hard-boiled detective stories, with a hero every bit as smart and tough as anything Chandler ever wrote. Well worth reading.
Shayne
From Richard Dawkins
The God Delusion
The Blind Watchmaker
The Ancestor's Tale
All well worth the read - Dawkin's delightful, insightful prose makes a highly complex field of study highly accessible for the layman while still remaining useful for the enthusiast.
God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens.
I don't know how the print book fairs, but the audio-book, read by the author, is a joy.
The Demon Haunted World - Carl Sagan.
Read it. Period.
Fiction
I will cautiously second the Honour Harrington series - though I have found that the later books far more a slog than a pleasure - the technology creep has put the author in a difficult position to continue. The early books are a joy.
Likewise, Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series - Enjoy the early ones; avoid the later ones.
Bernard Cornwell - From Sharpe to Arthur and beyond You can pretty much guarantee the Cornwell will keep you turning pages with enjoyment. One of the few authors I will pick up and read with no reservation.
Simon Green's Nightside books: Another love hate relationship - the world is fascinating; the execution is so-so; but the high fantasy film noir feeling is worth it.
David Wishart's Corvinus Mysteries: Combining Phillip Marlowe and Pontinus Pilate's Gweat Fwiend Biggus Dickus of Wome seems like an odd combination at first glance. It isn't. These are hard-core hard-boiled detective stories, with a hero every bit as smart and tough as anything Chandler ever wrote. Well worth reading.
Shayne