What's your favorite series of books?

[mreilly]

I'm always on the lookout for new books, and I particularly like novelists who feature characters in recurring novels; Agatha Christie, Dirk Pitt, Jack Aubrey, etc. I'm running a bit low on my available reading so I'd like to pick up on a new series if anyone has suggestions. Doesn't have to be any particular category, but I like sci-fi, mystery, adventure, and especially historical novels. What do you guys think - any recommendations?

[Ptah]

1. I recommend Peter Bowen's Gabriel Du Pre series.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Coyote-Wind-and-Specimen-Song/Peter-Bowen/e/9780312265144/?itm=8


"Featuring Montanan cattle-brand inspector and occasional sleuth Gabriel Du Pré,
Peter Bowen's spare and lyrical mysteries have always received the critics'
highest praise. Now, the first two mysteries in the series, Coyote Wind and Specimen Song,
are brought together in one volume.
Biography

Peter Bowen, a Montanan, writes of the West. Cowboy, hunting and fishing guide,
folksinger, poet, essayist, and novelist, he's written the picaresque Yellowstone Kelly
historical novels, humor columns and essays on blood sport as Coyote Jack,
and the Gabriel Du Pré mysteries."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. The Happy Hollisters

The Doubleday Book Club's answer to The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew / etc.

They were SMART, because they had a family with boys and girls with staggered ages (like the Brady Bunch, LONG before the Brady Bunch)...so pretty much ANY school kid could identify with at least one of the characters.

Doubleday shipped two of these per month, automatically. I devoured both, every month, within a couple of days.

[Mike03]

3. Mario Vargas Llosa's two-part detective series

"Who Killed Palomino Molera?" and "Death in the Andes."

Vargas Llosa in an amazing author who perfectly balance that sense of humor with somber reverence for his characters.

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. WEB Griffin's "Medal of Honor" books

I like most Griffin, except the police series and the new "Presidential" series.

[YankeyMCC]

5. Classic: Robot novels

I love the mystery sf mix and the character of Lije Bailey and R. Daneel

For something more contemporary but also SF: Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds - there are 4 novels and several short stories

[BeachBaby]

6. The Alex Cross series....

James Patterson, author.

PS - some of his books became movies, ie., Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, etc.

[Swede]

7. Midkemia by Ray Feist

[Reciprocity]

10. A good choice if you like fantasy. I have all his books as well as....

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series David Eddings The Belgariad series, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman Dragonlance series.

If you like mysteries / crime you may like Tony Hillerman Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels.

[Swede]

14. I wonder how WOT is gonna end?

I put a lot of effort into that series.

[Reciprocity]

19. So did I.

I can still remember the thrill of reading the first book. I hadn't felt like that since Lord of the Rings which I first read in my teens and then every year after. The first four books were great. Then for me, it bogged down, but was still good reading. I hope this new guy can can do as good as Jordan.

[applegrove]

8. I loved the collected short stories of Somerset Maugham as a teen.

[Fox Mulder]

9. The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

Song of Ice and Fire series
The Dresden Files
Sword of Truth

[WinkyDink]

11. Thomas Costain. Jonathan Gash. Ann Rule.

Costain:
The Plantagenet series.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/thomas-b-costain/

Gash:
The Lovejoy series.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/jonathan-gash/

[Withywindle]

12. Discworld!

Though I don't know if that's a series so much as a wild chaotic amalgamation. :D

Absolutely brilliant page-turny satirical fantasy. Terry Pratchett makes fun of every fantasy cliche that'll sit still long enough, and makes very biting points about politics and customs and human nature as well. There are a whole slew of fascinating recurring characters and places.

[vixengrl]

22. I recommend this, too.

Pratchett has a way with language, and even little observations he makes seem so right and funny.

[TZ]

31. Reading that series right now!

Love it!

[fizzgig]

13. the chronicles of amber

it's kind of a sci fi/fantasy series by roger zelazny and it is absolutely amazing. i'm just sad that he passed before he could finish it.

[EstimatedProphet]

15. Encyclopedia Brittanica

Man, EVERYTHING'S in there!

[momophile]

16. Nevada Barr's "Anna Pigeon" series

a spunky, short, alcoholic, bitter, Park Ranger who solves mysteries.

[Lex]

34. One of my favorite series!

:thumbsup:

[XemaSab]

46. "Firestorm"

hooked it up. :D

[Robeson]

17. Gore Vidal's historical novels....

...starting with Julian, and then Creation. After that, move over into his American history novels such as Burr, Lincoln, 1876, etc...

[LynneSin]

18. Flowers in the Attic series by V.C. Andrew

I love those books!

[jobycom]

20. Raymond Chandler's "Marlowe" series, and Gene Wolf's "Urth" books.

If you've never read Chandler, give him a try. Excellent writer, and the books have an historical element they didn't have when they were new. Old Hollywood, old LA. Good stuff.

Gene Wolf is a superlative writer, which means that his books are not as popular, thus are harder to get, but if you can, start with his "Shadow of the Torturer" series, then "Book of the New Urth" (I think it's called), then the "Long Sun Whorl" series, then his "Short Sun Whorl" series. Each series has different characters and settings, and vastly different times, but they are somewhat connected. By his Short Sun series, he has mastered his writing style, and parts of it are breathtaking. My only complaint about him is that he's a bit sexist in his treatment of female characters, but that's true of most male writers.

[IntravenousDemilo]

21. I still adore the Dr Dolittle books, and I'm 49.

Though written for (very smart) children, they're not childish, and it's nice to discover them even when you're an adult. There are about a dozen.

The Wilt books by Tom Sharpe are fun, as is the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.

[likesmountains 52]

23. The Raj Quartet..Paul Scott :the collapse of British rule in India

a series of four unforgettable books..

[Forkboy]

24. Any of the Spencer books by Robert Parker or the 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain.

[InvisibleTouch]

25. Jean Auel's "Earth's Children" series...

...if you have a good bit of time, because they're all quite lengthy. The first is here:

The Clan of the Cave Bear

And there are 4 sequels. The last was a bit of a disappointment, IMO, because it seriously needed a good editor, but it still furthered the story of the characters' lives. I read the initial trilogy as an undergrad over a long Christmas break, and I remember looking up from the book on numerous occasions and finding the present/modern world an entirely strange place.


In a more sci-fi realm but still combining ancient Earth history, I enjoyed William R. Forstchen's "Gamsters" series (and met the author once at a sci-fi convention, and we exchanged correspondence for a while), which starts with the especially excellent The Alexandrian Ring.


I'll second an upthread recommendation for Anne Rice's vampire books as well.


And if you like animal protagonists, I highly recommend Meredith Ann Pierce's "Firebringer" trilogy, about a unicorn and his society:

The Firebringer Trilogy (Birth of the Firebringer, Dark Moon, The Son of Summer Stars)

[XemaSab]

47. About Clan of the Cave Bear:

The first book was awesome, the second book was really good, the third book was merely good, the fourth book dragged, and I haven't read the fifth book because the fourth book was so slow. :shrug:

[pokerfan]

26. Foundation

Seven volumes written by the same author over a period of forty-four years.

Epic science fiction.

[4_Legs_Good]

27. Try Otherland by Tad Williams

I don't know what it was about that series, but it just struck me as uber cool. I liked his "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" fantasy trillogy, and had been planning on reading Otherland for years, but never got around to it, but then I did, and it was fantastic.

It's like one jillion pages, though.

David

[LynzM]

45. Hehe, I just rec'd that downthread

I missed your post up here, oops! You're right, I should have added a page warning... :rofl:

Worth every one, though. :hi:

[Spider Jerusalem]

28. George Macdonald Fraser's 'Flashman' novels.

The main character is a cowardly, lecherous British Army officer, and the novels are both extremely well-written and meticulously researched; they're the sort of historical novels you can learn things from. (Oh, and they're funny, too.)


Also worth reading if you don't know them: Partick O'Brian's Aubrey & Maturin novels.

[XemaSab]

38. I second the Flashman books

They're really funny, and really, really un-PC.

Did I mention they're really funny? :shrug:

[puerco-bellies]

29. The New Mexico Triology, by John Nichols

The Milagro Beanfield War
The Magic Journey.
The Nirvana Blues.

I've got to re-read these someday.

[Flaxbee]

30. I and my sisters loved the Southern Sisters mysteries, by

Anne George -- very, very funny (and kind and wise) mysteries set in Birmingham, Alabama, about two sisters (in their early-to-mid 60s).

The series books I usually read are mysteries, and I've also really enjoyed the Det. Brunetti mysteries by Donna Leon (set in Venice, Italy) and the Deborah Knott books by Margaret Maron set in North Carolina. I just started to read the Inspector Monk books by Anne Perry set in Victorian England; these are also really quite interesting.

[Lex]

32. Steven Saylor's "Sub Rosa" series.

You get your historical novel genre and your mystery genre too.

http://www.stevensaylor.com/CARomaSubRosa.html

Highly recommended.

[Rabrrrrrr]

33. S.J. Rosen's mystery novels are great, and I'm a huge fan of the "The Cat Who..." series.

[Xipe Totec]

35. The M.Y.T.H. Series

A total riot; not a serious series at all.

[dembotoz]

36. what--no harry potter???????????????????

still my fav

[XemaSab]

39. I don't know what's wrong with these people

Those are some of my most favorite books ever. :D

[peacefreak]

37. The Outlander Series

by Diana Gabaldon. Take a little bit of time travel, add an American woman & a red-haired Scotsman from the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie & you're off & running. When I recommend these books (6 & counting) I always say make sure your dishes & laundry are done, because all you'll want to do is read.

[yellowdogintexas]

40. I have many favorite book series to share:

Midnight Louie Murder Mysteries (Louie is a very large black cat)
Patrica Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series and the police series
Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books
Laura Joh Rowland's Samurai detective series..currently at 11 volumes, all excellent
Dorothy Dunnett's historical series (1) Lymond Crawford (2) Niccolo (these are the lead characters. The first book in the Crawford series is Game of Kings and the first book in the Niccolo series is Niccolo Rising)
George R R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Robin Hobb's triple trilogy: three sets of three books each: start with "Assassins' Apprentice"
The Anasazi Mysteries by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear(The Visitant, The Summoning God and Bone Walker)
Alex Delaware Mysteries by Jonathan Kellerman
Tom Clancy
Alexander McCall Smith..start with "The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency"

[khashka]

41. A good series if you like SciFi

and don't care much about plot.... is Vonda McIntyre's Starfarers.

A marriage of college Profs - two men one woman of various races - conspire to take over what was intended as a peaceful multination exploration ship and stop it becoming a military orbit platform.

But the plot is, well, a bit thin. It's mostly about the characters But unrelentingly liberal and hopeful.


Khash.

[Broken_Hero]

42. Annals of the Black Company by Glen Cook nt

[petronius]

43. Since you mentioned my favorite (O'Brian - Aubrey/Maturin), I'll add Rex Stout (Wolfe/Goodwin),

Walter Mosley (Easy Rawlins), Michael Connelly (H. Bosch), and Ellis Peters (Cadfael).

Along the same lines as O'Brian, I've really enjoyed Richard Woodman's Drinkwater series.

[LynzM]

44. the Otherland series by Tad Williams.

Excellent, excellent work. I really enjoyed this... it's kind of in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, but it crosses so many boundaries and forces so many new ideas into your head, forces you to reevaluate how you perceive the world sometimes, even. It's fascinating.

[argyl]

48. James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series deserves a mention.

[Hobarticus]

49. I second that, podner. eom