08-31-2013, 02:47 PM | #1 |
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Challenge my comfort zone! Books other than historical romance!
Hi there,
I'm looking to challenge my reading comfort zone! I read to relax and for escapism. My ideal book is one that's well written with believable characters and an absorbing plot. My go to genre is historical romance, but I recently read 'the Dead Virgins' - which is more of a thriller, and loved it. Can you lovely people recommend some properly absorbing reads in genres other than historical romance - so that I can broaden my reading horizons. I await your suggestions eagerly... |
08-31-2013, 03:43 PM | #2 |
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How about Lois McMaster Mujold's "Curse of Chalion?"
Fantasy book with great characters and a strong romance theme as well. |
08-31-2013, 03:56 PM | #3 |
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I recently read Travel Auction by Mark Thomas - current freebie on Amazon uk and Kobo it was fab
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08-31-2013, 06:57 PM | #4 |
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A couple of time travel books that straddle a few genres and include a romance element that I'd recommend are The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and 22/11/63 by Stephen King.
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08-31-2013, 07:33 PM | #5 | ||
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I'll recommend a couple of Science Fiction series that also often have romantic elements.
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold This is actually two books, Shards of Honor and Barrayar, and if you liked it would get you started on the path of the Miles Vorkosigan series. Quote:
The Dragon Variation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller This is actually three books and if you liked it would get you started on the Liaden Universe. Quote:
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09-01-2013, 12:36 AM | #6 |
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Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance is the train wreck of tragedy that I couldn't stop reading.
John Steinbeck's Cannery Row is just a great little read. Catherynne M. Valente's The Orphan's Tales is thick with imagery, allusion, fable, myth, and folklore. Just a lush read to savour. James Dickey's Deliverance was my best read so far this year. |
09-01-2013, 01:32 AM | #7 |
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Great suggestions by HomeInMyShoes! I'd like to add:
Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth The Lions of Al-Rassan, Tigana, A Song for Arbonne and The Sarantine Mosaic by Guy Gavriel Kay Helliconia by Brian Aldiss (the link is to an omnibus edition of what are otherwise three volumes: Spring, Summer and Winter) Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock (and if you like it, the remainder of the Mythago Cycle: Lavondyss, The Hollowing and Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn) |
09-01-2013, 02:00 AM | #8 | ||
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Quote:
If you think you will like Raymond E. Feist, might I recommend his various Riftwar series which I got into with the second series, beginning with Magician: Apprentice. There is a Magician series, the Apprentice series, and riftwar saga and more. I still remember that first one I read fondly. Quote:
Or, you could try going more towards science fiction. An all-time favorite author of mine is Robert A. Heinlein. All of his books skew strange with the romantic elements but that strangeness can be thought provoking and mighty interesting. A good example of this would be one of his standalone novels, Friday Or, going for classics (also free at projectgutenberg.org and elsewhere) are Jane Austen's novels, all of which are good but my 3 recs for where to start if you haven't read her books yet are, in my preference order: 1. Pride & Prejudice 2. Emma 3. Sense & Sensibility They have of course been adapted to tv and film a million bajillion times, but none of these can replace the reading of Austen's own words. Last edited by Merischino; 09-01-2013 at 02:10 AM. Reason: added classics |
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09-01-2013, 05:29 AM | #9 |
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Ha! Before I scrolled down, I thought "Ooh! I'll rec Shards of Honour/Barrayar (Cordelia's Honour)! So there it is. I'll also rec:
* Code Name Verity (historical - WWII - but the core is an amazing friendship between two young women) * Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories series (Is this still technically historical romance? Oh well) * Fairytales for Wilde Girls (fairytalish/gothic/some romance) * Dark Horse (thriller) * The Midnight Dress (just beautiful. Queensland temperate rainforest setting, a touch fairytalish but contemporary/realistic for the most part) * Rebecca if you haven't read it yet but you probably have * Paper Chains (contemporary "women's fiction", I suppose, a great read) * The Book of Rachael (historical, but not a romance). In a similar vein, The Red Tent * Year of Wonders (see Rebecca) * Graceling/Fire/Bitterblue (fantasy, romantic elements) * Sea Hearts aka The Brides of Rollrock Island (if you only get one book as well as Cordelia's Honour, this should be the one) * Persepolis, Fun Home, and Blankets (graphic novels) * Wings of Fear aka Border Watch/Shattered Sky/Burning Lies (romantic suspense) Enjoy! |
09-01-2013, 01:55 PM | #10 |
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09-01-2013, 06:38 PM | #11 |
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Thirding the recommendation for Bujold! Both "The Curse of Chalion" and "Cordelia's Honor" ("Shards of Honor"/"Barrayar") are wonderful.
Ooh, how about some Anne McCaffrey? I'd recommend "To Ride Pegasus" or "Dragonflight". |
09-01-2013, 07:51 PM | #12 |
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I'm going to go off in another direction and suggest historical mysteries--Anne Perry's William Monk series and Thomas Pitt series, Victoria Thompson's Gaslight series, Rhys Bowen's Molly Murphy series.
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09-01-2013, 08:07 PM | #13 |
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You can't go wrong with the previous suggestions. How can broadening ones horizons be wrong.
I would like to suggest Bryant and May series. Mystery with a more than a tinge of history. Harlen Coben - Myron Bolitar series, thriller/mystery with more than a splash of romance. Nancy Springer - Enola Holmes (Sherlock's younger sister) charming and easy reading set in Victorian times. In a way reminiscent of Georgette Heyer IMO but more mystery. Then there are the incomparable mystery books by Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham and Rex Stout. History, Romance and Mystery I could go on for days. So many wonderful books in the world. Helen |
09-02-2013, 05:36 AM | #14 |
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How about joining the bookclub? My tastes have broadened significantly since joining.
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09-02-2013, 01:00 PM | #15 |
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How far afield do you wish to go?
Earlier this year I read Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley and enjoyed it very much. I wrote about it here on MobileRead so my review should be archived somewhere. It has elements of romance and mystery, and involves time travel too, set in modern times and also in the 1700s. The characters act very believably. If you are not averse to time travel as a plot device, this would be very easy to get into but perhaps not far removed from your normal reads. Last edited by LovesMacs; 09-02-2013 at 01:02 PM. Reason: Broken HTML tag |
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