Please give a writer harder to put down than Dan Brown

[奔跑的香肠]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Do you know what is worse than the awful writing, the cardboard characters, the ridiculous and ill-researched factoids, what's worse than all of that? He's boring. His fiction is dull, it's not thrilling at all. Sure, I'm turning the pages fast enough, but I'd been turning them just as fast if I was reading a Dick and Jane book for pre-schoolers.

Here's some recommendations off the top of my head: Len Deighton, Alistair MacLean, Dean Koontz (pre hair-implants, when he still had a moustache), Jim Butcher, Dan Abnett, Christopher Golden, Robert Ludlum, Robert Harris.

Yeah, Rushdie also wrote it was, "a novel so bad it gives bad novels a bad name"

BTW, I thought you might also have a low opinion of Robert Ludlum or Ian Fleming, etc, since they seem all fashioned in the same way.

Anyway, thanks for your recommendations!

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by 奔跑的香肠

Yeah, Rushdie also wrote it was, "a novel so bad it gives bad novels a bad name"

BTW, I thought you might also have a low opinion of Robert Ludlum or Ian Fleming, etc, since they seem all fashioned in the same way.

Anyway, thanks for your recommendations!

I love thrillers, I love Ludlum (even though he's not the best writer in the world), I write thrillers myself from time to time. It's Dan Brown's thrillers that annoy me, or maybe it's just Dan Brown with that smug grin on his face and the floppy hair and the....*needs to go and lie down before his blood boils*

[mrmikel]

Author of Counterfeit Traitor a very riveting movie and if an online review I read is to be believed, the book is even better.

[ErwinOtten]

Originally Posted by frui

I used to like vintage writers, but now I am seeking a new pace. Fast and furious, like roll coaster.

If you still can find it, I'd recommend The Ark by Boyd Morrison. The first few chapters (until the helicopter... (no spoilers here)...........) are amazing. A true rollercoaster-ride.

Oh and I second Allan Folsom's The Day After Tomorrow completely (although it made me think ' Ludlum revisited' more than once )

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by frui

Yes, ahi. I got your point. So I guess Da Vinci Code must be more a international best seller than a domestic one.
Now to put aside "historical facts", I still think Dan Brown has very strong (I should say the strongest) talent to tell a story: the twist and turns, the supprise, the cliff hangers. Other writers use these techniques, too, but none can handle them in such an intelligent (now we have that word, again!) and fresh way as Dan. That's why I am seeking writers who are as competent as Dan in this aspect.

I will agree with you that he is an entertaining writer. But that is as much as I can agree with. What bothers me so much is that he wrote a book that was fiction, but when it was taken as gospel truth, he never denied it. It confused a lot of people.

Originally Posted by SHOECHICK

hangs head in shame...plans on buying new Dan Brown when it comes out....

Good for you! Don't be ashamed -- luckily, no one on the bus can see what you are reading on your liseuse!

As for can't put down authors, I've always loved Ken Follet even before pillars and love Daniel Silva. Clive Cussler and James Patterson drive me nuts although both can tell a decent tale.

I LOVE Follet also, but his stuff is brainier, not necessarily easily understood by the general masses. He is a writer for writers, in my opinion, by demonstrating how to tell a good story.

Originally Posted by mrmikel

Author of Counterfeit Traitor a very riveting movie and if an online review I read is to be believed, the book is even better.

THANKS! I've never heard of it, and am today looking to reload my TBR list. Is it available in ePub?

[BearMountainBooks]

See if you can find Katherine Kurtz, "The Adept" series. (Co-author is Deborah Turner Hariss.) Methinks you'd like them. They are an older series so I have no idea if they are in ebook form anywhere.

Luck!
Maria

[BearMountainBooks]

You might also like "The List" by J.A. Konrath. I know that is on Kindle. It may be on smashwords (he has some books out there under Jack Kilborn.)

[mrmikel]

If it doesn't have to be a contemporary author, consider John Buchan, the Scottish novelist. The 39 Steps was made into a famous movie and it's a short book. Greenmantle is probably the best of his works. Both deal with Europe about the time of World War I, so it may or not be of interest.

Others of his works are good as well and they have one large virtue...they are out of copyright in many countries and available here on mobileread and feedbooks.

[DixieGal]

No Luck With the K's!

Klein, Kurtz, and Konrath - None of the recommended books seem to be available in ePub. RATS!

[Penforhire]

It seems one of the reasons the OP likes Dan Brown is his simple English, even if sometimes incorrect. Many of our favorite gripping authors use more sophisticated English and may not be as un-put-down-able as DB to a foreign reader.

I liked the E.R. Burroughs suggestion. When I think of simple prose and gripping together I think of those books that I enjoyed when I was younger, like his Pellucidar or Tarzan series. Or Johann Wyss's Swiss Family Robinson. Or Doc Savage (various authors). Yes, these are all older and the pacing doesn't match modern sensibilities.

You already said no to Patterson and Koontz, two current authors with some gripping novels. Maybe try Harlen Coben, Brad Thor, David Baldacci, or Lee Child.

[emellaich]

I find the Dan Brown comments interesting, but let me see if I can recast them ...

frui, liked Dan Brown. Your comments to the contrary, you are not frui. You can not tell frui that he/she did not like Dan Brown, because they did. So your hate on Dan Brown comes out as an insult to frui.

It implies that frui lacks taste or that he/she is uneducated, or ...

Whatever, happened to the no hitting rule?

It's not that I am against discussion and critique on books and authors. However, that discussion would seem to fit better in a thread like this: "Why is Dan Brown So Popular" or "What I don't like about Dan Brown".

Let's pretend that frui had walked up and said, see this shirt I am wearing? It is the nicest shirt I have ever owned, but I can't find any more like it in the stores. Can you suggest where I can go to buy it? In response, some of you have replied, "Whoever designed that shirt had no taste. It's a shirt no one in their right mind would wear. You only like it because you're not a native (English speaker)."

MLH

[wachuko]

Or just search here for threads like this... I can't seem to put down this thread!

I learned about Daniel Silva by pure chance... an inexpensive book at Barnes & Noble just before I went on vacation (The Messenger). That was in July, since then I bought two more paper books (Moscow Rules, The Defector), and since getting my Sony PRS-505, four more (The English Assassin, The Kill Artist, The Confessor, The Secret Servant)... I am down to the last book I have from him and have switched to James Patterson. Just trying to make the last book I have from DS last a bit longer.

James Patterson is a mixed bag... I like several of his books, but you have to read the reviews before picking one of his books... I like the fact that from time to time he would bring out something completely out of his normal style (Sundays at Tiffany's). Currently reading a collection of thrillers (Thriller) and have two more from him waiting (Sail, Run for your life) in the 505...

Also like John Grisham, but have not liked his most recent books...

Dan Brown, I have read all his books and found them to be a good entertaining read.

I am just happy I found this site for learning of better/more writers that I can enjoy. The list of books I now have pending to read has increased dramatically... Michael Connelly, William P. Young, Yann Martel, and now, Allan Folsom....

Keep those suggestions coming!

[jbjb]

On the other hand, my understanding is that he was wrong about rather many fairly elementary things... making people wonder whether it is perhaps because of shoddy research or altogether lack thereof.

That is very true. (See, Ahi - we *can* agree :-) ) The academic rigour of his research is very poor in all his books. His coverage of computing in general and specifically encryption in "Digital Fortress", for example, is utterly laughable (which is a serious flaw, as it's a novel essentially *about* encryption).

His language and style are also dismal.

However, I've read them all, and I plan to buy the next one when it's available. There is something addictive about them - despise them as much as I do I can't help but want to read them, so that must say something about them (or me) (or both).

To be constructive, if not entirely on-topic - if you want a very good novel in which encryption plays a significant part, try Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon". Wonderful stuff.

/JB

[Eddie]

Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir trilogy were my latest "read in one sitting" books. It's a set of mystery/thriller stories set up in Nazi Germany.

[phonygal]

I agree with the advice to read The Day After Tomorrow, I read it years ago and still remember what a pageturner it was!

I also enjoy W.E.B. Griffin, years ago I read the Corp series and I am now reading the President's Agent series.

My most recent new loves are Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels and David Baldacci's Camel Club series. I had both on my "to Read" list forever and when I finally took the time to read these two I have not been able to put them down!

Pat O.