BOOKS: What are you reading?

[gradjock]

Gay books, novels, fiction, literature

Hey guys - I am interested in gay fiction, novels, books, reading ect. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions and or use the post to talk about there favorite gay books and readings.

Currently have Sebastian by Rigby Taylor on the nook but am looking for some more good ideas!

 

[bluedragon4]

Re: Gay books, novels, fiction, literature

I have read a lot of gay fiction including a shit load of gay horror novels. But still Anne Rice's books are still the best. Her Witching Books and all her Vampire books have heavy gay themes. Cry to Heaven is another gay book she did. Really fascinating reading. I also have read every gay comic book trade. The Rawhide Kid from Marvel is hilarious. Worth the read even if you don't read comics.

 

[HorniLad89]

Currently reading The Player of Games the second of the Culture books by Iain M Banks.

 

[Drugstore Cowboy]

the black hole.

its actually a graphic novel by Charles burns about a sexually transmitted disease that turns it's victims into gross mutations.

its actually a cool fun read imo.

 

[braex27]

 

[unloadonme]

Today I've been reading Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. It's a quick read and very funny.

Thank you Braex for the recommendation.

 

[MJEH89]

"Most Talkative" by Andy Cohen...half way thru...interesting...i like AC...

 

[Tiloman]

I'm reading DAYS OF DESTRUCTION DAYS OF REVOLT a non fiction , tour de force political manifesto by Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco. I strongly recommend it.
I'm also reading THE SEVEN WONDERS by Steven Saylor the latest in an engrossing series about Gordianus the Finder a detective in ancient Rome. The historical detail, character development and plot are fantastic. It's a treat to read.

 

[Anders123]

I took these two home from work after a friend suggested them:

I'll see you all in a few days.

 

[HorniLad89]

Just read Stephen King's novella The Mist as I really love the film.

Now on Use of Weapons, book three of the Culture. I'm starting to space out my ravenous consumption by reading a classic or a horror/ghostly type novel in between.

 

[theworldwithout]

Neutron Star by Larry Niven.

It's an older short story collection set in his Known Universe stories.

 

[HorniLad89]

Have you read the first two yet? I loved Consider Phlebas.

Yes. Consider Phlebas was great. I actually read the 4th book, Excession first, many years ago and found it a tad confusing but can't wait to reread it, now knowing the Culture universe a little better.

- - - Updated - - -

Neutron Star by Larry Niven.

It's an older short story collection set in his Known Universe stories.

I'm going to read through Niven's Known Universe books after I'm done with Iain Banks.

 

[hanzosword]

I just read Anne Rice's Vittorio and Pandora vampire books. I'm reading The Gods of Mars right now, the second Barsoom series book and it is good. The John Carter movie was based on the first book.

 

[MJEH89]

"Not Taco Bell Material" by Adam Carolla

I think AC is funny, and this book is interesting if you enjoy reading how people became famous...

 

[Saybrooke]

 

[Woody52]

Gather Blue by Lois Lowry and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

 

[shaychboi88]

I prefer my sci-fi hard

Not sure what to read now

are you familiar with Greg Egan? One of his most recent "Incandescence" is so hard that I think a physics degree is required.

But his earlier book "Distress" is ABSOLUTELY perfect. Unbelievable how good it is. He's also well known for his short stories and novellas and I'd recommend those as well. (There's a gay themed one that is excellent but I can't remember the title. Almost all of his short fiction gets shortlisted for the Hugo and Nebula and he's won those multiple times.)

Another personal favorite, very deep, if not hard sci-fi is Jack McDevitt's "The Hercules Text."

Not really "hard" sci-fi but one of the best writers today is Robert J. Sawyer: Flashforward (forget about the short-lived TV series, the book is incredible), Calculating God, The Hominids/Hybrids series, Rollback. He's so good and so fast that I'm behind by about five books already.

And not hard sci-fi at all but so good that when I think of it I forget that it's not by Ursula le Guin--it's THAT good: "Dark Water's Embrace" by Stephen Leigh. What's good is that although it's out of print for a while Leigh now has the rights and you can get ebook versions. The sequel "Speaking Stones" is real good as well.

Sheri Tepper's work is incredible but not hard sci-fi.

A book that now is a series that I've fallen so far behind on I may as well admit that I'll need to start over is Allen Steele's "Coyote."

So. I hope all this isn't irrelevant since the summer's over.

Oh, and the best gay coming of age novel that no one seems to know about is John Fox's "The Boys on the Rock."

Oh, and for "dark fantasy" or gothic fantasy or whatever, one of the best writers period is Elizabeth Hand. Her short story "Justice" wow! Her book "Waking the Moon." Flawless. Her first novel "Winterlong" so many ideas in the first couple of pages.

I know this is a lot to throw at you. PM if you want more info and where you might want to start. I'd say the short answer is Egan's "Distress." Then, "Dark Water's Embrace," and then "Waking the Moon."

 

[beetle]

Stadt der goldenen Schatten. I've read it in English a dozen times or more. Now I'm trying it in German.

a english book translated into german to learn german? really ?

german literature has so much to offer...

may i recommend kafka to you?

i'm pretty sure you've heard about him.

kafka is the very best german literature has to offer.

i highly recommend reading it, e.g. the penal colony (In der strafkolonie), with this as the english translation and this as the german original.

believe me, it's REALLY worth reading; AND kafka "only" made 3 whole romans (while only one of them is really "complete", the other ones are called "fragments", though they are practically finished and doesn't have a open ending or so; that means most of his work are kinda short-stories (that are sometimes just as long as a piece of paper and sometimes halfway books).

his most popular work (also in the english speaking countries) might be "Metamorphosis", in german "Metamorphose" or "Die Verwandlung", you can find the german original here and the english translation there

An English mother-languages person will understand the term "Angst" after and ONLY after reading Kafka

- my old english teacher

 

[HorniLad89]

are you familiar with Greg Egan? One of his most recent "Incandescence" is so hard that I think a physics degree is required.

But his earlier book "Distress" is ABSOLUTELY perfect. Unbelievable how good it is. He's also well known for his short stories and novellas and I'd recommend those as well. (There's a gay themed one that is excellent but I can't remember the title. Almost all of his short fiction gets shortlisted for the Hugo and Nebula and he's won those multiple times.)

Another personal favorite, very deep, if not hard sci-fi is Jack McDevitt's "The Hercules Text."

Not really "hard" sci-fi but one of the best writers today is Robert J. Sawyer: Flashforward (forget about the short-lived TV series, the book is incredible), Calculating God, The Hominids/Hybrids series, Rollback. He's so good and so fast that I'm behind by about five books already.

And not hard sci-fi at all but so good that when I think of it I forget that it's not by Ursula le Guin--it's THAT good: "Dark Water's Embrace" by Stephen Leigh. What's good is that although it's out of print for a while Leigh now has the rights and you can get ebook versions. The sequel "Speaking Stones" is real good as well.

Sheri Tepper's work is incredible but not hard sci-fi.

A book that now is a series that I've fallen so far behind on I may as well admit that I'll need to start over is Allen Steele's "Coyote."

So. I hope all this isn't irrelevant since the summer's over.

Oh, and the best gay coming of age novel that no one seems to know about is John Fox's "The Boys on the Rock."

Oh, and for "dark fantasy" or gothic fantasy or whatever, one of the best writers period is Elizabeth Hand. Her short story "Justice" wow! Her book "Waking the Moon." Flawless. Her first novel "Winterlong" so many ideas in the first couple of pages.

I know this is a lot to throw at you. PM if you want more info and where you might want to start. I'd say the short answer is Egan's "Distress." Then, "Dark Water's Embrace," and then "Waking the Moon."

Thanks for the recommendation. I haven't actually heard of Greg Egan before. I'll be sure to check him out when I munch my way through the Culture books. I've taken a little break from reading as my ereader seems to be having emotional issues at the moment.

 

[Ragemonger]

At the moment I'm reading through the Xaos Saga: violent sci-fi/fantasy. Author obviously didn't have an editor, but The Four Swords had a truly spectacular finish. Check them out on Smashwords.com, they're absolutely free!