Word on Non-SW books

I'd have to agree that Card, Jordan, and Tolkien are good reads.

I've been reading the Dune series for a couple months now. I thought Dune, Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune were excellent. I've been reading other books in between so it's taking me awhile though. God Emperor's a little confusing and all the chapters are relatively short, but it's pretty cool. I'm still undecided as to whether I'll read KJA and little Herbert's Dune prequel trilogy though. Anybody else envision God Emperor Leto as a Hutt?

Sadly, I have to take English 11 starting in two weeks, which means that some of my precious reading time will be wasted reading "classics" where as far as I can tell, the only criteria is that the good guy dies at the end. Thank the maker for spark notes.

 

I'm reading In the Company of Others right now. Its a pretty good book.

 

I'd like to recommend the Redemption of Althalus. It wasn't terribly sophisticated but it was incredibly engaging as a reading experience.
I'm giving Edding's Belgariad series a go now, I hope I like it, I could use another champion in my pantheon of writers (My big bookshelf with their books on it).

Some of the other most honored champions in my Pantheon (bookshelf).
1. Robert Jordan-Those that say it has some flaws are correct, but I deem them negligent since he has a way of wrapping you up in that world he's created, the mark of a true master methinks.
2. Terry Goodkind-Kinda sags later on but the first in second books in his Sword of Truth saga are very much well worth the read.
3. Orson Scott Card-Ender's game is pretty much the epitome of excellent writing IMO. It's the only non-SW book I can reread again and again.
4. Some of the stuff by Robert Heinlein. Starship Troopers in particular. So much the better than the movie.
5. Ganwold's Child by Elizabeth Thornley a little known author but I loved her book. Now if I can just find the second in her trilogy.
6. J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Ring. He's pretty much is the godfather of the Epic Fantasy genre.
I could go on, but i think I'll stop at six.

 

There are also good books that AREN'T sci-fi or fantasy! There are also good books like:
~Anything by Ayn Rand
~Grapes of Wrath
~Wuthering Heights
~Count of Monte Cristo (you should read the book, not the movie)
those are just a little of my favorites

and then the ones that are sci-fi and fantasy:
~The Missing Persons League
~A Wrinkle in Time
~Harry Potter!!!
~LOTR
~The Once and Future King (would that be considered fantasy?)

 

For the fantasy buffs I must recommend both Neverwhere (a modern Alice in wonderland story) and Stardust by Neil Gaiman. The boys a treasurehouse of story. And if your willing to delve into the comics medium, Sandman is of course his masterpiece.

 

Orson Scott Card is really good. His next book is Shadow Puppets