Patrick O'Brian's twenty book Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin is a series I adore. The books detail such a vibrant and lively world and O'Brian captures the world at the beginning of the 19th century near-perfectly. The friendship that grows between the two main characters over the course of twenty books is also amazing. Master and Commander is the only place to start, but personal favourites include: Desolation Island, Far Side of the World, and Nutmeg of Consolation.

James Herriot's work on being a vet in rural England is also fantastic. The latter books aren't quite on the same level as the first ones, but there remain some truly touching and hilarious stories throughout all eight.

I just remembered this site:

http://www.classicreader.com/



You can read tons of classics there(including Lovecraft) for free, without having to download them. Excellent site, I recommend it.

Can't remember if I've mentioned this one before, but I loved "Lamb", by Christopher Moore: http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343361095&sr=8-1

It's a highly irreverent yet somehow respectful speculative story of the 'between years' of Jesus' life. Any of Moore's stuff is fun to read but I really loved this one in particular.

I'm not much of a reader, but there's a well-known Japanese author (all of his stuff has been translated into English) called Haruki Murakami, I like his work, especially Kafka on the Shore.

Some other favorites of mine would be Neuromancer and House of Leaves. Also Children of Hurin.

Love his stuff. I've read everything he's written (in English anyway :). and agree, Kafka on the Shore is excellent. I also recommend The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.

If you haven't read Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, they're incredible. There are about 40 out and all are superbly written and very funny. I'm currently in the middle of Small Gods.

If you like realistic detective fiction, I recommend British authors Ian Rankin, Reginald Hill and Peter Robinson -- they all have huge numbers of books out. Recommend everything.

My favorite American author is Richard Russo (although I didn't enjoy his last one as much). My favorite book ever of his is Straight Man about an American university professor going thru his mid-life crisis. I've read it four times. Very funny and with such beautifully written characters.

Another American author, Tad Williams, writes wonderful fantasy fiction - The Dragonbone Chair series is his best, and, of course, George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series.

Thanks for the recommendations, I've actually had 1Q84 (both parts) on my shelf for a while now, just never got round to reading them due to preoccupation with games.

I do like how Murakami managed to put "supernatural" type themes in Kafka without it seeming strange at all, it's done so subtly it seems real.

I have Terry Pratchett's Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic as a graphic novel as well as a novel. Really beautifully illutrated and funny. Also like the Witchblade series.

I don't buy many graphic novels though. They're just too expensive in Thailand as they're all imported. If I buy a Thai graphic novel they're 40 baht ($1.30) if I buy an American or British graphic novel they're 600-800 baht ($20-$30). Even the Japanese graphic novels translated into English are at least 15 bucks.

I pick them up occasionally when I'm in Malaysia, but even there they're not cheap.
I find his work strangely calming as many of his characters are actually quite dull people with odd. quirky little lives :) A wonderful insight into the Japanese culture though.

I am really enjoying "The Stand: Complete Uncut Edition". I read the original version 15 years ago, and I forgot how mindblowingly amazing it is.

Also, I just finished Chris Jericho's second autobiography, highly, highly, highly recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in pro wrestling.

Haven't read it but i know people who consider it The Absolute Read.

But again, I also know people who claim this of Rabelais' Gargantua's chapter 13.

I can also recommend the Otherland series by Tad Williams. A great tale of immersion in virtual landscapes and worlds.

I don't know whether it is indeed the absolute read, as I don't consider any book being that, but it is an astounding book.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Kind of military fantasy one could call Glen Cook's The Black Company made bigger and better.

Every time I write something here, I have that terrible feeling that I've just invented new language... ;-)

I didn't like that series at all, which I was surprised about as I've really enjoyed all his other books. In fact, I actually ripped up the first book in the Otherland series recently when I ran out of litter box padding for my rabbits, and used it for them to pee on :)

(I really don't let my rabbits pee on books normally, I'm one of those 'protect your books at all costs' type of people but, unfortunately, they'd already gotten to it and chewed the end of it off and, if you ever saw my books, you'd know they are all perfect. I cannot have a non-perfect book in my house - so, unfortunately, book one of the Otherland series became rabbit litter :)

I was going to post this one... and forgot. Kind of a cyber-fantasy mix. Can't recommend it enough.