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.
personally i like Patricia Cornwell very good details and good plots.
i also like Andy McNabb even though they are a bit far fetched they are hard to put down once you get into them.
Jeremy Clarkson has a few books which are collection of his rants in the papers and are quite funny i agree with pretty much all his gripes in life
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.
Anything by Raymond Feist or Terry Brooks…
I suppose Terry Brooks would have to be the Shannara series, though the latest ones seem to have me a bit miffed as to where they actually fit.
jessicas dad:
whats jack reacher books about then cos he seems to be popuar. im quite into horror and torture books.
Torture? Did someone mention torture? How much torture can you handle?
THE ICE MAN Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo
The explanation reads yawn so I won’t bother. And even the word Mafia I found off-putting. But it turned out to be the best torture book I have ever read and nothing has beaten it yet. I’m very into reading suchlike and 99% of the books I read are true crime.
Here’s another good one at random, with a bit of an explanation
THE DEVIL by Graham Johnson
Drug dealers beware - the devil is coming to get you…Gangster Stephen French invented the perfect crime: robbing drug barons of their huge fortunes. In SAS-style swoops, Frech raided their fortified mansions and tortured them with horrifying violence until they paid up. Through ‘taxing’ the richest and most powerful crimelords in the UK, he netted over 20 million.
jessica’s dad:
whats jack reacher books about then cos he seems to be popular. I’m quite into horror and torture books.
Torture? Did someone mention torture? How much torture can you handle?
THE ICE MAN Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo
The explanation reads yawn so I won’t bother. And even the word Mafia I found off-putting. But it turned out to be the best torture book I have ever read and nothing has beaten it yet. I’m very into reading suchlike and 99% of the books I read are true crime.
Here’s another good one at random, with a bit of an explanation
THE DEVIL by Graham Johnson
Drug dealers beware - the devil is coming to get you…Gangster Stephen French invented the perfect crime: robbing drug barons of their huge fortunes. In SAS-style swoops, French raided their fortified mansions and tortured them with horrifying violence until they paid up. Through ‘taxing’ the richest and most powerful crime lords in the UK, he netted over 20 million.
i got both of these books just on your recommendations…
the devil was OK but not graphic enough.
but richard kuklinski the " ice man " was the best book ive ever read, right up my street, what a fella but very worrying.
his books are about a regiment in the German Army and the places they were sent and the missions that they had to fight in
graphic in places, funny in others
if you do start to read them, read “Legion of the Damned” last, it is more of an overview of the whole war, whereas, the other books are more “specific battle” orientated
I’m halfway through a series of Simon Scarrow books. Everyone has been a great read so far. If your into serial books the first one is “Under The Eagle”. It’s about the Roman legions. This one starts off in Germany 42ad.
Craig Russell, in particular Blood Eagle, Carnival Master and Brother Grimm which are all set in Germany, Hamburg and Koln.
I’ve just read two books by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire and thought they were brilliant, both set in Sweden.
Am currently half way through the last “Rebus” book “exit music” by Ian Rankin. I have really enjoyed all the others and would recommend them to anyone. There are 17 in total.
in this last few weeks ive started reading again, out of boredom cos the teles crap, and have f=just finished 50 dead men walking by martin mcgartland, about a bloke who is recruited by special branch to infiltrate the IRA, a very good read
and also a fair cop by michael bunting - about a copper who gets a good beating during an arrest leaving him witha broken tooth concussion and he is off work for 5 weeks and then gets done for common assault, his attacker gets 120 hours community service and he gets 4 months jail, starting in armley jail in leeds. quite a good read.
and have just ordered the ice man on the recommendations on here
Wilbur Smith writes a good book, i’ve read most of his and would really recommend them.
Clive Cussler is up there as well.
Yes Man, by Danny Wallace is reeaally funny, defo worth reading.
Try the Flashman novels by George Macdonald Fraser. Flashy is a brilliant character and Fraser is the best writer ever to pick up a pen in my opinion. The Pyrates by GMF is my favourite book of all time.
Also agree about Rebus and Bosch and Jack Reacher. Frederick Forsythe is good too if you like your espionage.
Torture? Did someone mention torture? 
yawn 
so I won’t bother. And even the word Mafia I found off-putting. But it turned out to be the best torture book I have ever read and nothing has beaten it yet. I’m very into reading suchlike and 99% of the books I read are true crime.
