Personally I have read all the Bernard Cornwall books. Every one has taken off straight from the start. Great read, great stories. All based on fact or as much is available. Generally he puts fictional characters in fictional situations based around historically known facts. English civil war, Napoleonic wars, American civil war. King Arther 500 AD during the Saxon invasions. King Alfred 800 AD during the Danish invasions.
Terry Pratchett writes a good story, a bit mad but fun. Read most of those.
John Grisham, read all of those apart from the last two.
Fredrick Forsyth writes a good spy story.
And a load more I can’t be arsed to mention.
Your a bit too much of a nice guy to whined anyone up ROG and yes I have read the highway code. Not much fun and I must admit, I’m not too happy with the latest version but I do comply. It is after all the “rule book” that keeps us all safe.
David Gemmell (Legends, Waylander etc etc.)
David Eddings (Belgariad, Mallorean, Elinium or Tamuli)
Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next series - funny antics in Swindon and the Book World)
Terry Pratchett (any of the Discworld)
To name but a few that I read, and considering I read a lot that isnt bad.
EDITED 13:41 4/4/09
One author I forgot to mention…
Anne McCaffrey and the Pern series, now taken over in authorship by her son Todd.
If you like mystery novels or crime fiction, then Michael Connolly had a serial of novels about a Homicide Detective in LA. Also, John Sandfords 'Prey" novels are good, and have continuity in them so you can follow characters throughout.
Patricia Cornwells books are a decent enough read.
But if war novels are your thing, then you gotta read Covenant with Death by John Harris and War of the Rats by David L Robbins. Both extraordinary books.
If you have an interest in history based fiction try Michael Crichton. Love him or hate him, Jeffrey Archer writes a good story. Alexander Cordell - Hosts of Rebecca, Song of the Earth and Firepeople are a good trilogy. That lot should keep you busy Sunday morning anyway!!
If you like historical stories I can recommend “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett. It is about a medieval stonemason and his dream of builing a cathedral - I know it sounds dull, but it is anything but. It made the top ten list of the best books recently. The follow up "World Without End " is good too.
I also echo the sentiment about Lee Child and Michael Connelly.
Thomas Harris’ 4 Hannibal Lecter stories starting with Red Dragon I found briliant and made the movies look rubbish by conparison.
Tai-Pan and Shogun by James Clavell were also briliant reads I couldn’t put down.
Lee Child seems to be getting a good following. Is there a beginning to his books and I’m not refuring to page one either? I’m particularly looking for a series of books based around the same character or characters if possible.
berewic:
Lee Child seems to be getting a good following. Is there a beginning to his books and I’m not refuring to page one either? I’m particularly looking for a series of books based around the same character or characters if possible.
Killing Floor was the first in the Jack Reacher series,see my link above for Lee Childs webpage. The books are listed there.
All the books are based around ex Military Policeman Jack Reacher.
If you are looking for one character then most of Michael Connellys books are based around a detective called Harry Bosch in LA. The other ones he’s written are not based on Bosch but link back to him in some shape or form.
I’m particularly looking for a series of books based around the same character or characters if possible.