Four Things - Day 5

So it has been awhile since I have done anything related to Four Things.  I'm not the avid blogger but I do visit a few of the more interesting ones I have found.  I just got done reading Ashley's summer reading list over at her blog "A Cup of Ash Tea"and thought it quite interesting that the next Four Things I had to do related to that subject.  I thank my wife, Robin, from "At Four O'Clock" for starting this.  Even though I don't do it by the day, I think it is an interesting experience and will stick with it to the finish.

Day 5: Four Book Recomendations

*Note: I would recommend Game of Thrones in this list as it is one of my all time favorite series, but I thought I would recommend other, not as popular books that I have read that were interesting as well.  Game of Thrones seems to be on everyone's list at the moment.

1. Hobgoblin by John Coyne - A bit of history behind this book.  When I was 14, I spent the summer with my uncle in South Carolina (I lived in Virginia at the time) and I saw this book on his shelf.  I was needing something to read and this book seemed right up my alley.  I was heavy into Dungeons and Dragons at the time and this book was about a boy that played a fantasy game much like it and was so enamored of the game that he actually began to believe it as real.  As I read it, I was drawn into it and enthralled by the story. It was nothing like what I thought it would be but it was so very good all the same.  It turns out to be more horror than fantasy and more psychological than you could imagine.  This book was, and still is, so good that even now, more than 20+ years later, I still pick it up and read it.  I have owned this book more times than I can count and I still look for it in used  bookstores when I go because it is so hard to find.  I don't want to buy it online as I like to see and feel the book in my hand. It is a rare book so if you luck upon one, grab it, read it and hold onto it.  I am a firm believer in "books are meant to be shared" but I refuse to let this one go anymore...I never seem to get it back.

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2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - In a nutshell, a coming of age story.  This book is very intense, very wordy and very good.  VERY.  I was confused at first by what the author was doing with his story but by the fourth or fifth chapter, I grew so engrossed in the book that I began to understand better and appreciated his approach so much more.  It is one of the better books I have read this year and am currently reading part 2 of the series now.  I can't really describe this book, but needless to say, if you are looking for a book that is epic in scope and style, pick this one up.  You won't regret it.

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3. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.  Imagine being a kid, being rich, being super intelligent and believing in fairies, elves and the fae folk and finding out they exist.  Now imagine being a ruthless villain too.  Artemis Fowl is actually a series but the first book is called Artemis Fowl and it is good for an easy read when you want something fun and exciting without being wordy and overbearing.  The first book introduces you to Artemis Fowl and gives you the basic background I told you above...rich kid with a brain and evil to boot.  He invests in trying to find the fae folk and succeeds only to try and get something from them through nefarious means.  If you want a good book that won't talk down to you and make you feel like a kid while still treating you as an adult, check this out.

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4. First Blood by David Morrell. Yes, we have probably all seen Rambo: First Blood and thought it was good, awesome, awful, or what ever...but did you know it was first a book?  A very good book with a much different story than the movie and a MUCH different ending.  Oh sure, the skeleton of the movie is in these pages, but Hollywood ran amok and put a totally different flesh on that skeleton for the movie. Let me put it this way...Morrell was not planning on another book for John Rambo.  I include this book for two reasons.  First and foremost, the difference from the movie makes it so much better and to me, would have made a much better movie than what Rambo ended up being.  Second, you really get a feel for the soldier (Rambo) and the hell he has been through and what his motivations are....and you get a true feel for the cop (Teasle) and how he is a good man with a load of responsibilities...not the ass displayed in the movie.  For a good, steady read, try out this book.  It isn't my favorite but it is still a good one.

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I have such a hard time choosing which books to recommend to people, I just love reading so much and there are very few books I don't finish once I start.  These are just a few of the ones I would recommend.  Who knows, I may do a post one day of nothing but book titles with links for those books I would definitely recommend to you.