Favorite Books

So I have been reading a LOT of applications lately and it seems we have many avid readers. I thought I would start this thread with the intent of sharing quality reading material with fellow guildies. The intent of course is not to determine the best book(s) but to share influential volumes with fellow friends in order that they might have the same opportunity to be enlightened further when not standing shoulder to shoulder with you mercilessly slaying Order.

Please share your favorite 3 books and a brief reason why.

In order to get this thing going...

1) Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut (there is no short answer as to why
I love this book other than... Brutally truthful satire on the human
condition in western civilization)

2) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig (I consider this requisite reading for any philosophy 101 class)

3) 1984 - George Orwell (Just read it. If any of his narrative has not yet happened in our culture, odds are it will. Don't believe me? Comcast is seriously discussing putting video cameras in their PVRs in order to recommend programs based on who is in the room. Like that is not ripe for abuse...)

This is tough, partly because I've read so many books in the past and partly because I don't remember all of them.

1) Watership Down and Tales from Watership Down - Richard Adams: Strangely enough I actually didn't read these in school. I thought they might be a little too childish but when I was given the books as a gift I decided, what the hell I might as well read them. The author of these books came up with this story about these rabbits as a story for hiw children. He eventually put them into book form. There is so much description and the characters of each rabbit and other animal in the books that pull you in to what is happening in their world. You can't help but be pulled into the story and cheer on the "good guys" and feel sad when something tragic happens. They're a light read, but still a good one.

2) Anything by Elaine Cunningham: She has written a number of series for the Forgotten Realms title. Dark elves, half elves, berserkers, and casters. What's not to love?

3) Siddartha - Hermann Hesse: I read this one as a requirement in my 2nd year German class, if you can believe that. This books follows an Indian prince during his spiritual journey during the time the Buddha was alive. Again, not a book I thought I would enjoy but I really got into this one and the journeys and realizations of the main character draw you in.

Absolutely anything Forgotten Realms. Salvadore, Cunningham, Byres, Greenwood....the list goes on.

Also gotten into Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake and Merry Gentry) cause of my GF. That stuff is vampire/werewolf/fairy smut. Shes as much a perv as I am.

I agree on the anything by salvatore comment. I also thought 1984 was awesome. Ive been reading the gotrek and felix series of warhammer books and they are all very good. The next one comes out in september so while i'm waiting ive been reading world war z, so far its a great read. I also have recently re-read desperation and the regulators by king, they are my favorite king books.

oh goody, my favorites are...

1.) John Jakes - North and South Trilogy. Love history and especially civil war history.

2.) Sidney Sheldon - The Stars Shine Down. Just an amazing book about a woman entrepreneur that takes the world by the balls and comes out on the top.

3.) Probably a choice between Stephen King's - The Stand uncut and Dale Browns Digital Fortress or Deception Point(ironically haven't read his most popular ones ), and The Oath by Frank E. Peretti.

Not big in the fantasy medieval type books. Read the Lord of the Rings trilogy of course, wasn't really impressed. Suppose thats more of my personal taste though.

And I know what you mean Metaskie lol. My sister has a bunch of Christine Feehan vampire/romance novels and I seriously would open up to a random page, and every time I did it would be on a sex scene lol.

These Forgotten Realm books pretty good then eh? They fantasy/fiction I take it?

I have already posted my three favorites in my application thread, so I won't duplicate it here.

I just wanted say to Kravgard, I totally agree with you on George Martin's series. Especially about the magic. It's nice to read fantasy where magic doesn't solve everything. Let's hope he releases the fifth book soon!

So keep up the replies I am taking very good notes on all these fine books.

The Wizards First Rule (the entire series) by Terry Goodkind

The Wayfarer Redemption (entire series) by Sara Douglas

The Sword of Shannara (entire series) by Terry Brooks

The Dragon Prince & The Dragon Star Novels (entire series) by Melanie Rawn

Black Sun Rising, When True Night Falls, Crown of Shadows by C.S Friedman

So far in my life, I am going ot have to say my favourite book is...

Fitzpatrick's War by Theodore Judson

I highly reccomend it.