Can you re-read a book you enjoyed 20 years ago?

[mark1529]

louis L'Amour last of the breed i probably read 5 times in my lifetime

[some call me tim]

I guess it's getting close to 20 years now, but I'm curious if I'd enjoy the Shannara books if I read them again. I read them in Jr. High or so, and loved them at the time. That was before I'd read Tolkien though, and subsequently realized how much Brooks had ripped him off. I do recall Brooks having a more readable style though, and none of the ****ing songs. :P

[wayrad]

Originally Posted by DuaneAA

At the other extreme, I still love James Schmitz's 'Witches of Karres'. Since I acquired a digital copy from Baen a few years ago, I seem to dig it out and reread it every time I get a new ereading device.

Same here! Which reminds me, I haven't reread The Demon Breed since getting my phone...

[HappyMartin]

I used to read Sometimes A Great Notion by Ken Kesey about every 18 months till it fell apart. Keep looking for it as an e book but no luck so far. If I ever find it I will buy it and try again.

I have just purchased Grapes Of Wrath and will try with that. Loved that book and read it many times.

[Kymmmm]

I reread Sherri Tepper all the time. I don't know how many times I have read True Game! Oh Barbara Hambly, Another fave I can and have read many many times. Maybe it is the fantasy that is easier than hard SF to reread?

[Mrgauth]

Originally Posted by some call me tim

I guess it's getting close to 20 years now, but I'm curious if I'd enjoy the Shannara books if I read them again. I read them in Jr. High or so, and loved them at the time. That was before I'd read Tolkien though, and subsequently realized how much Brooks had ripped him off. I do recall Brooks having a more readable style though, and none of the ****ing songs. :P

You'll find around here that most dis SoS, but I love the book and reread nearly every year. I am 51 and read it as a teen and still love it. Rip off or not, I don't care. I like the fact that it tells THAT tale in one easy to read volume and does it in a concise easier to read style.

In my top 10 favorites ever. Give it a go again and I bet you enjoy it.

[issybird]

I still read and reread books I loved as an adolescent; it's cosy/comfort reading when I'm exhausted or lazy, but that was well over 20 years ago. I find that books I've read as an adult mostly will not be reread, at least in part because of so many books, so little time. That doesn't mean that I'm willing to dispose of books I loved, however; just the having of them recalls them to me. However, I'm ready to start weeding out at the margins. I think.

[Marcy]

My reading tastes haven't changed much since I was a teen and I still reread a lot of stuff that I read then. Some of it has aged but I can still enjoy the story. I loved H. Beam Piper's Fuzzy series and can still enjoy the story, even though I have to get past some of the old stereotypes and everyone smoking and giving cigarettes to what are essentially minor children.

I have recently reread Mercedes Lackey's Arrows series, several Heinlein books, many Rex Stout books and H.M. Hoover's juvenile sci-fi books, all which I read for the first time in my teens. I enjoyed all of them, even if I see them from a different perspective than I did 25-30 years ago.

What has changed the most is the breadth of my reading. As a teen I read almost exclusively sci-fi with a smattering of mystery/thriller (Nero Wolfe and The Saint were favorites). Now I read a lot more non-fiction, biographies and other genres.

-Marcy

[defizr]

I re-read Fire from Heaven/The Persian Boy/Funeral games by Mary Renault every couple of years. They're still as fresh as ever.

[Care]

I find some books can stand the test of time and my changing tastes, while some cannot. I used to LOVE anything Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms. I did go out and re-buy the Dragonlance Chronicles to try and re-read, I could hardly get through the first one. I never tried with the Drizzt/Dark Elf series because I was scared the same would happen.

It hasn't been 20 years, but I read the first 6 Wheel of Time books 15 years ago and I still love them. The characters are now like old friends now.

Funny thing, I never read Young Adult fantasy or fiction when I was a teen and now I love it. The Maze Runner, The Mortal Instruments, Morganville Vampires, and The Hunger Games are some of my favourite series now as an adult.

[Reporter15]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Yes, i do.

Perry Rhodan....the complete series. Read as a teenage, now starting again and at book ~ 440.

Oooh.. My husband LOVES Perry Rhodan, but I haven't been able to find manyof the books. I was going to surprise him with some for Christmas but gave up

Do you know of anywhere to buy Perry Rhodan books (in English) these days?

Thank you!!!

Lynn

[GreenMonkey]

Originally Posted by Care

I find some books can stand the test of time and my changing tastes, while some cannot. I used to LOVE anything Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms. I did go out and re-buy the Dragonlance Chronicles to try and re-read, I could hardly get through the first one. I never tried with the Drizzt/Dark Elf series because I was scared the same would happen.

It hasn't been 20 years, but I read the first 6 Wheel of Time books 15 years ago and I still love them. The characters are now like old friends now.

I can only go by about 15-20 years for most of my books like this since I'm 31 and started reading stuff (starting with the Hobbit) in about 6th grade. I read very fast, so I end up re-reading favorite series every few years. The Dragonlance books by Weis and Hickman I've seen referenced. I still enjoy them. The first book and a half or so is a bit...generic... but the Twins trilogy is still great. I love Raistlin's character.

I still love the Dark Elf prequel trilogy - Homeland, etc - that came after the first 3 dark elf books. Those - Steams of Silver, etc...feel awfully weak. But the prequel trilogy I still love. Some of the ones in the middle are weak now but still a fun read - not deep, but fun action. It is hit and miss beyond that...his latest books haven't been too bad.

Shannara- Sword comes off even more LOTR-y now. But still decent. Elfstones and Wishsong are good, also. And the Scions 4-book is great. The latest books...Jerle shanarra, High Druid...ugh...mediocre.

But...most Forgotten Realms / Dragonlance books...can't really read them now like I did as a teen. Weis & Hickman and Salvatore are the exceptions for me. And I can't stand the Wheel of Time, I think it's terrible

Someone else mentioned Mercedes Lackey - I still like her books a lot, especially the Last Herald Mage trilogy which remains a favorite. Sometimes I get a little eye-rolling from the numbers of lifebonds and lovey dovey fantastic relationships, but I just blame that on the sappy nature of this particular female author I'm reading them again right now.

Who I have trouble reading now is Piers Anthony. I remember my dad calling him a "marshmallow head". I re-read his Phaze trilogy a while ago - they were still entertaining. But the 2nd Phaze trilogy just went downhill fast and I couldn't finish it. I read the first 2 Incarnations books again...still entertaining...I find a lot of his stuff feels a bit like "dirty old man" now, esp. the later Phaze books. I can do the first 1-2 Xanth books, and I still like Crewel Lye - but other than that...can't do it.

[alyxie]

The first book I ever bought with my savings at twelve was Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. It's been over 20 years, and the adventures of Lady Mara is still pretty much something I can get into. Of course, someone who knows the book will probably probably protest that the book should be labeled M or at least Parental Guidance - 15 with it's non-explicit but heavily led up to sex scenes and dubious morality shown by the characters.

Disclaimer: I am a re-reader so it's kind of hard to say when any of my books hasn't been read for the past 20 years. I can literally tell you the plots of most of the books I own barring anthologies (I can do the memorable stories game with some of those).

[Care]

Originally Posted by GreenMonkey

Shannara- Sword comes off even more LOTR-y now. But still decent. Elfstones and Wishsong are good, also. And the Scions 4-book is great. The latest books...Jerle shanarra, High Druid...ugh...mediocre.

I have been wanting to re-read the Shannara series since I really don't remember much of anything. I also never read the later books (which I think are prequels?). I wonder what I will think of them now...

[GreenMonkey]

Originally Posted by alyxie

The first book I ever bought with my savings at twelve was Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. It's been over 20 years, and the adventures of Lady Mara is still pretty much something I can get into. Of course, someone who knows the book will probably probably protest that the book should be labeled M or at least Parental Guidance - 15 with it's non-explicit but heavily led up to sex scenes and dubious morality shown by the characters.

Disclaimer: I am a re-reader so it's kind of hard to say when any of my books hasn't been read for the past 20 years. I can literally tell you the plots of most of the books I own barring anthologies (I can do the memorable stories game with some of those).

Feist & Wurst's Empire trilogy is still one of my top 10. There's something about the tangle of honor and politics and the kind of Japanese/Chinese -ish culture that makes it some good reading.