Please give a writer harder to put down than Dan Brown

[frui]

Hi mikelvdb,

By "Dan Brown clone" I mean more Dan Brown style than Dan Brown matter.
Actually I am not particularly interested in those religious conpiracies: Freemason, Priory of Sion, Holy grail, etc. There are too many of them. In the end we do not even know which copies which.
I like Dan Brown not particularly because his description of Vatican or other religious matters. Yes they are "big", but there are other "big" stuffs. For example, I think the matter in Frederick Forsyth's "Devil's Alternative" is big: the ultimate confrontation of the USA and USSR. There is a scene about the members of the Poliburo voting on the Third World War............ah how I love it!

Originally Posted by mikelvdb

Hi Frui,

You can start with the Kit Fielding series: Break In, Bolt. But in eBook format try To the Hilt.

But to have something closer to Dan Brown you may give a try to Map Of Bones from James Rollins (7.99 $ in eBook format).

[frui]

Or, can I put it this way: By "big" I mean the seriousness of the matter: the fate of humanity, or a country, or a group of people.

The scope does matter for me. My ideal thriller can start from a personal perspective, or a small angle. But in the end it should have a much broader vision and greater significance.

In his "On Sublime" Edmond Burke distinguishes two kinds of aesthetics: the sublime and the beautiful. I think I am leaning towards the sublime.

I wish I were not confusing or misleading.............

[Dave Berk]

I'm so glad to see other Dick Francis fans...

Originally Posted by kacir

Actually, this part used to be done by his wife. After she died, Mr. Francis said he will not write anymore.

He resumed writing again with the help of his son, Felix. Unfortunately I don't think the books are as good as the ones he wrote with his late wife.

OT:
I really really like his books! Can you recommend me any similar writers?

[krapo]

Hi frui !

The first one to pop in mind when I read your initial question was Michael Crichton, but I see he was already mentioned like others like Thomas Harris, J.K. Rowlings and Robert J. Sawyer.

I haven't read the entire thread so I'm not sure exactly about your taste, however if you're not against SF, I would recommend in no specific order and with very different styles :

• Connie Willis : To say nothing of the dog
• Connie Willis : Doomsday book
• Ken Follett : The pillars of earth (Right, not SF)
• Jack Vance : Planet of Adventure
• Vernor Vinge : Rainbows End
• Douglas Adams : The Hitchhicker's guide to the galaxy
• Orson Scott Card : Ender's Saga (Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon)
• Robin Hobb: Farseer: Assassin's apprentice
• Robert Charles Wilson : Spin
• Ben Bova : Moonrise (then moonwar)

I might not be as picky as some on the style as I'm French so as far as I can read seamlessly without having to open the dictionary every page, I'm happy .
See, would I write 5 times the word "as" in a sentence if I was picky !

Cheers,
Vincent.

[frui]

Hi krapo, thank you for the list. I am an ardent SF fan. My favourite writer is Frank Herbert. I'd whole heartedly recommend the Dune series to everyone here. No words can express my admiration towards this monument.

Yet I'd think SF might be a little hard to be included in the category I am persuing in this thread. Great SF must deal with a lot of matters: culture, technology, religion, philosophy, etc. While plot is stll very important in SF, it is not of utmost concern, and its speed has to be sacrificed now and then for the building of the world. For example, even if Dune does have one of the most complicated and most satisfying stories I have ever read in any genre of fictions, it is slow. Slow in its best sense. Many of the passages have to be devoted to the history of the known universe, the ecology of Dune, and the religion of Freman. Make no mistake, fans of Dune, including me, will never think of this world building as boring.

Michael Crichton might look like an exception. He is fast indeed. But this is not without a price. His world is floppy. He is more a thriller writer than a SF writer. And somehow he can't blend the human factor with technology well. The plot is fast, but weak.

Frankly I think Dan Brown is a better writer than Michael Crichton. This is not a comparison of orange and appple. They do have something in common. We can't tell if Tolstoy or Shakespear is better, but thriller writers are comparable. They use more or less the same tricks, cliche, rules, and conventions. Only some play the game better.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by frui

...
Michael Crichton might look like an exception. He is fast indeed. But this is not without a price. His world is floppy.
...

I don't think I've ever seen the word "floppy" used to describe an aspect of literature. I think I'm going to be using it some from now on though.

Characterisations: floppy
Plot: floppy
World-building: floppy

Yeah, I like that.

Cheers,
Marc

[amjbrown]

Very interesting views here! Personally I'll read anything from Dan Brown to Dante. The great thing about eBook readers, is no one knows whether you are reading Dan Brown or Dante! Around about the end of next week, I reckon it might just be the new Dan Brown on mine! Although I pretty much agree with all the (polite) comments on his style (or lack of it), man does he tell a gripping yarn!

Enjoy all

amjb

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SHOECHICK

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

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.

For Ken Follet, Eye of the Needle is very good. The movie is quite good too.

[SHOECHICK]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

For Ken Follet, Eye of the Needle is very good. The movie is quite good too.

That's the book that always stands out in my mind for Ken Follet (before Pillars of course) I have to buy some more of his, I think he's a great writer.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

No Luck With the K's!

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

The problem we have these days is the tower of eBable is getting worse and not better. Not all eBooks are in all formats and that's part of the problem. At BooksOnBoard, some of Kurtz's books are ePub only and some not ePub at all. So what we have to do to solve this issue is strip off the DRM and convert. Not just to ePub, but to whatever format we want.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

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.

I've read some of David Baldacci's work and I agree it's very good. My wife likes him too.

Also, my mother-in-law is reading some W.E.B. Griffin and finding him quite enjoyable. I find his work quite enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by wachuko

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...

Sail is pretty good. It's a light read and I read it in almost no time.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by phonygal

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

Pat O.

I've read the first three of the Presidential Agent series and I really enjoy the characters. They are fun and they don't seem to take themselves too seriously.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Hi frui,

Have you read any of Jeffrey Deaver's books? He's an author I find equally compelling, especially his "Lincoln Rhyme" series, the first one of which is "The Bone Collector".

I agree. But if you've seen the movie and nor read The Bone Collector, do so. You'll find that the books is so much better than the movie.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

If it doesn't appeal to you, so be it. But don't tell me I shouldn't like it.

I don't mind others saying why they dislike an author or a particular book. It means I have more information to go on if I have yet to read the author or work. But I agree. Don't say I'm wrong just because you dislike something I like. In fact, maybe it is you who dislikes what I like that is wrong. You never know.