Book Recommendations?! Please, help.

[ccowie]

I think you should give the Ender's Game series a try.

[Gazella]

Looking at the books you've read and enjoyed, I highly recommend:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

Heroes of Olympus series

Kane Chronicles trilogy

All by Rick Riordan.

[DuaneAA]

Originally Posted by Ziverion

I appreciate the reply. I tried to read the Harry Potter books, but I couldn't get past the first couple of chapters. For some reason, I just couldn't get interested.

I second the suggestion for Harry Potter. However, I suggest you start with the third book, Prisoners of Azkaban. The books each cover a single year while Harry and his friends are in school. In the first two books, they are just little kids and it is hard to relate to them. By the third book, they feel more like young adults and that makes it feel more interesting. And I don't think you will miss any vital information by skipping the first two.

And these are excellent audiobooks. I have only heard the American version narrated by Jim Dale, but he is great with distinct voices for the many, many characters which he is able to keep consistent through the entire series.

Duane

[NickyWithNook]

I agree that you should try the Matched series by Allie Condie. You could also try Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Station Eleven by Hillary St. James Mandel, the Miss Peregrine series by Ransom Riggs, and (last but not least) The Giver and the rest of the series by Lois Lowry. Oh, and edited to add the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman.

[pegasi&prefects]

Thirding the Matched books.

Also, if you liked The Hunger Games, I would strongly recommend its forerunner Battle Royal by Koushun Takami (with the equally strong warning that the violence is much more gory and confronting, at least in the original novel -- I haven't tried the Audible version).

I'm currently halfway through and really enjoying Gamers by Thomas L. Carpenter, for a lighter dystopian novel with a strong female protagonist, and that's on Audible too.

[Lin2412]

I second The Martian by Andy Weir. So far, I haven't met a person who doesn't like it yet, so I recommend you give it a shot. I recently recommended it to my friends and co-workers and it got their seal of approval. The great thing about it is it's not solely for science fiction genre lovers. Also, the great extrusion of the author's humor among the characters is refreshing.

I haven't read Battle Royal by Koushun Takami, but it was recommended to me by a former colleague and said it was better than Hunger Games. I can't say for sure since I haven't purchased it yet.

[FatDog]

Magic eh...

You might like the The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon. A young girl runs away from home after being engaged by her father to a goat header and joins a mercenary company. (The author is an ex Marine). She becomes a warrior, but eventually has to fight some evil magic & becomes somewhat of a magical Paladin herself.

I STRONGLY recommed Lois Mcmaster Bujold. If you buy her hard-back novel Cryoburn - you get almost all her Miles novels as ebooks on the CD that is included. (you can also find a download as well)

Any books by Lawrence Watt-Evans are usually good. There is a magic system, but the magic is like technology - it causes more problems than it solves. Example: a mirror is enchanted so humans & demons can cross into each others world. When a mischievous / evil demon is chased back through the mirror, then the mirror is smashed - dozens of tiny versions spring up from the shards of the mirror.

PODCAST

Look up the .mp3 episodes of "The Sword & Laser" podcast. The authors focus on SciFi & Fantasy. They discuss magic systems, etc. If you listen during your commute - your big problem might be wanting to pull over and write down authors/titles to check out. (This is where an Android phone with "Ok Google..." can be used to make notes hands-free).

[oguzonat]

You can try Ender's game it is delicious one

Edit: ups someone else recommended before me, my bad