Something to read with a few really good twists

Seventh Son · 09-16-2009, 07:30 AM

Can someone suggest something to read with a few really good twists: good is bad, white is black, etc.? Preferably if those twists would not be apparent halfway through.
Social sci-fi or contemporary fiction would be nice. I don't mind any other genre though

No Dan Brown please

Sparrow · 09-16-2009, 08:22 AM

"The Wasp Factory" by Iain Banks - brilliant book.

BlackVoid · 09-16-2009, 03:37 PM

Wasp Factory - careful, that book is really, really sick.

"good is bad, white is black" - I suggest the First Law fantasy trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Nothing as it seems at first. Starts with The Blade Itself.
Try the first chapter here, if you like it, you will like the rest of book as well.
http://www.joeabercrombie.com/the_blade_itself.htm

I am currently reading Marrow by Robert Reed. It is a nice sci-fi with quite a few unexpected turns / betrayals. The setting is very interesting too, a giant spaceship with billions of inhabitants crossing the galaxy.

ficbot · 09-16-2009, 04:42 PM

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn- excellent, well-written contemp literary fiction. About a woman who survives the murder of her mother and sisters, for which her brother, the sole other survivor, was imprisoned for committing. Events happen that have her doubting his guilt. Action jumps between her present-day investigations and flashbacks to That Fateful Day

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier- an early-ish 'gothic.' Woman marries mysterious man and finds herself living in the shadow of his dead first wife Rebecca. But all is not as it seems

I totally didn't see it coming when I read the book, and when the 'big reveal' happened, I was surprised.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell- while the UN debates how to handle first contact with an alien species, the Jesuits send a private ship. The sole survivor of the mission comes back crippled and traumatized. What went wrong? Great novel, goes back and forth between present day and flashbacks of what occured.

poohbear_nc · 09-16-2009, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn- excellent, well-written contemp literary fiction. About a woman who survives the murder of her mother and sisters, for which her brother, the sole other survivor, was imprisoned for committing. Events happen that have her doubting his guilt. Action jumps between her present-day investigations and flashbacks to That Fateful Day

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier- an early-ish 'gothic.' Woman marries mysterious man and finds herself living in the shadow of his dead first wife Rebecca. But all is not as it seems

I totally didn't see it coming when I read the book, and when the 'big reveal' happened, I was surprised.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell- while the UN debates how to handle first contact with an alien species, the Jesuits send a private ship. The sole survivor of the mission comes back crippled and traumatized. What went wrong? Great novel, goes back and forth between present day and flashbacks of what occured.

The Sparrow is a fantastic read - totally original plot plus truly lyrical writing that's a joy to read. Highly recommended.

PennyPie · 09-16-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

"The Wasp Factory" by Iain Banks - brilliant book.

Quote:

Wasp Factory - careful, that book is really, really sick.

I was quite curious after reading those two statements! Went to Wiki to see the plotline.

I'm intrigued! Wonder if it's available as an ebook...just what I need - yet another to add to the other 200 or so 'to be read'!!

Darn you all for all your recommendations!!!

JSWolf · 09-16-2009, 04:57 PM

The Presidential Agent series by W.E.B. Griffin is excellent.

pking36330 · 09-16-2009, 08:34 PM

Try Anathem by Neal Stephanson, and I'm not even going to tell you the genre because if you begin reading it without knowing, that will be one of the twists.

Another one that had several 'didn't see that coming' moments was "Rule of 4" by Ian Caldwell.

The biggest twist for me was the middle book "Lasher" in The Mayfair Witches series, but you have to read "The Witching Hour" for "Lasher" to make sense and then deliver a big twist. I thought The Mayfair Witches series, including all three books, were much better written than any of Anne Rice's vampire series. That might be because we all know what vamps can do, but we're never quite sure what's possible with the characters in The Mayfair Witches series.

In Sci-Fi, one of the better twists is in the second book of the Ender series, "Speaker for the Dead" and you get the joy of one of the best sci-fi books ever written as the first book "Ender's Game." "Ender's Game" is recommended reading in a Fortune 10 corporate executive training program that I attended, and one of the best fictional leadership books I've ever read.

MelC · 09-16-2009, 09:23 PM

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane.

Mel

ShortNCuddlyAm · 09-16-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PennyPie

I was quite curious after reading those two statements! Went to Wiki to see the plotline.

I'm intrigued! Wonder if it's available as an ebook...just what I need - yet another to add to the other 200 or so 'to be read'!!

Darn you all for all your recommendations!!!

It's certainly available as an ebook at Waterstones - along with 20 other of his books

And it is brilliant. Twisted, but brilliant.

Amalthia · 09-16-2009, 09:55 PM

The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank Robinson was really good and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

lilac_jive · 09-16-2009, 10:05 PM

Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. That's all I'll say.

BenG · 09-17-2009, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. That's all I'll say.

That's a good one. Also try Christie's Ten Little Indians (aka And Then There Were None).

BlackVoid · 09-17-2009, 11:09 AM

It is amazing how people keep ignoring what the topic starter asked for.

JSWolf · 09-17-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackVoid

It is amazing how people keep ignoring what the topic starter asked for.

Trust me, my recommendation should fit in well with what the OP wants.

09-16-2009, 07:30 AM	#1
Seventh Son lurker Posts: 123 Karma: 356 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: EU Device: I should probably stop	Something to read with a few really good twists Can someone suggest something to read with a few really good twists: good is bad, white is black, etc.? Preferably if those twists would not be apparent halfway through. Social sci-fi or contemporary fiction would be nice. I don't mind any other genre though No Dan Brown please

09-16-2009, 08:34 PM	#8
pking36330 FT Parent PT Reader Posts: 322 Karma: 187838 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Alabama Device: Shocked by how much I've read on an iPod Touch received as a gift!	Try Anathem by Neal Stephanson, and I'm not even going to tell you the genre because if you begin reading it without knowing, that will be one of the twists. Another one that had several 'didn't see that coming' moments was "Rule of 4" by Ian Caldwell. The biggest twist for me was the middle book "Lasher" in The Mayfair Witches series, but you have to read "The Witching Hour" for "Lasher" to make sense and then deliver a big twist. I thought The Mayfair Witches series, including all three books, were much better written than any of Anne Rice's vampire series. That might be because we all know what vamps can do, but we're never quite sure what's possible with the characters in The Mayfair Witches series. In Sci-Fi, one of the better twists is in the second book of the Ender series, "Speaker for the Dead" and you get the joy of one of the best sci-fi books ever written as the first book "Ender's Game." "Ender's Game" is recommended reading in a Fortune 10 corporate executive training program that I attended, and one of the best fictional leadership books I've ever read. Last edited by pking36330; 09-16-2009 at 08:37 PM.

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09-16-2009, 08:22 AM	#2
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	"The Wasp Factory" by Iain Banks - brilliant book.

09-16-2009, 03:37 PM	#3
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	Wasp Factory - careful, that book is really, really sick. "good is bad, white is black" - I suggest the First Law fantasy trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Nothing as it seems at first. Starts with The Blade Itself. Try the first chapter here, if you like it, you will like the rest of book as well. http://www.joeabercrombie.com/the_blade_itself.htm I am currently reading Marrow by Robert Reed. It is a nice sci-fi with quite a few unexpected turns / betrayals. The setting is very interesting too, a giant spaceship with billions of inhabitants crossing the galaxy.

09-16-2009, 04:42 PM	#4
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Dark Places by Gillian Flynn- excellent, well-written contemp literary fiction. About a woman who survives the murder of her mother and sisters, for which her brother, the sole other survivor, was imprisoned for committing. Events happen that have her doubting his guilt. Action jumps between her present-day investigations and flashbacks to That Fateful Day Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier- an early-ish 'gothic.' Woman marries mysterious man and finds herself living in the shadow of his dead first wife Rebecca. But all is not as it seems I totally didn't see it coming when I read the book, and when the 'big reveal' happened, I was surprised. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell- while the UN debates how to handle first contact with an alien species, the Jesuits send a private ship. The sole survivor of the mission comes back crippled and traumatized. What went wrong? Great novel, goes back and forth between present day and flashbacks of what occured.

09-16-2009, 04:57 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The Presidential Agent series by W.E.B. Griffin is excellent.

09-16-2009, 09:23 PM	#9
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. Mel

09-16-2009, 09:55 PM	#11
Amalthia Wizard Posts: 1,190 Karma: 32370 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Anchorage, AK Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, PRS-650, PRS-T3, Pocketbook HD2	The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank Robinson was really good and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

09-16-2009, 10:05 PM	#12
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. That's all I'll say.

09-17-2009, 11:09 AM	#14
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	It is amazing how people keep ignoring what the topic starter asked for.