Reddit mentions: The best crime & adventure books

First, please consider the exact words she wrote, then. the situation I am in. Imagine this as a blurb on the back cover of your debut novel:
"In spite of the novel's commitment to naturalism's ambiance, its tone is not despairing but deeply sentimental; it reads, quickly and pleasurably, like a salty revision of Angels with Dirty Faces."
* * *
"This novel evokes the early Stephen Crane: it is feverishly committed to naturalism-vernacular, sex and drugs, etc. – but it is finally inspired by a sad, soft humanism. It caters in equal parts to prurience and to a non-taxing liberalism. It was easy to read and unexpectedly absorbing."


That's part of what Virginia Heffernan, previously senior editor at Harper's, and staff writer at the NYT, etc., had to say. about my novel - words that any writer would love to get from any critic! Such glowing remarks from a top flight critic would almost certainly guarantee a few thousand sales!

So here's the deal: Virginia read the manuscript years ago when she was a graduate student in journalism at Harvard and was working as a fact-checker for The New Yorker. She wrote a short review of Scream to give to New Yorker columnist Mark Singer, who, when he went to Crete, Greece, to interview me about a book he was writing, had volunteered to read and comment on the novel but instead forwarded her summary and review to me. a very gracious act. And remember now, Virginia Heffernan is a real smart lady and highly regarded writer herself. Her assessments in the literary world are respected. (Check the wiki entry on her.) She loved my novel! And her words carry weight. Hence this effort to draw attention to them.

Some backstory to all this: After three spurts of trying to get an agent, I recently published my novel independently on Amazon at this address: https://www.amazon.com/Try-Hard-Scream-Terry-Gantry/dp/1093700386/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Try+Hard+Not+to+Scream&qid=1572168297&s=books&sr=1-1

Fun Facts: Hard copies of the manuscript (which I subsequently carefully updated, and edited out a couple of sex scenes) went back and forth between Mike Misenheimer in an Indiana prison and me on a Greek island over a period of years. A long-term prisoner, Mike was the creative spark and a critical co-author of Try Hard Not to Scream. Earlier, Mike had been the main co-author of the minor nonfiction prison classic An Eye for an Eye and the novel Framed, which was translated into several languages and which Paramount made into a feature film starring Joe Don Baker, who had starred in "Walking Tall" two years earlier. I got Mike out of prison shortly before "Framed" came out on the big screen and went to see it with him.

For this thriller, I used the nom de plume Terry Gantry and think Mike and I co-created a damned good book. One that "evokes the early Stephen Crane"? !

I don't mean to hijack your promo and wish you all the best. However, I think it is worth pointing out to those unaware, that your account can only use this method to accept a free book once per account.

So if you accept this title from the author via the share/onebook program, you won't ever be able to use this program to get a free book again.

Likewise, if you already have redeemed a title through this program, the link the author sends won't give it you for free.

Which is fine. I mean, you've got to get A free book, might as well be this one as it looks awesome. Is a good length, and narrated by the awesome Simon Vance.


Just thought people should know this limitation however.

Here is a link to the title on Audible. (Wrong book, same author, see edit.)

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Exodus-Towers-Audiobook/B00EF5NFTY/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1465331565&sr=1-1

It is also Whispersync enabled. You can grab the Kindle version first and get the Audible title for a combined $14. (Wrong book, same author, see edit.)

https://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Towers-Dire-Earth-Cycle-ebook/dp/B00BO4GQYU

Good luck mate! I may pick it up on my own since I've already used the share feature to get a book.

Edit: Also, I don't think you need to a member.

Edit 2: I linked to the wrong books, :(.

Here is Zero World, the book the author is promoting on Kindle. The total Whispersync combo is $6!

https://www.amazon.com/Zero-World-Jason-M-Hough-ebook/dp/B00RKO3UEW?ie=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_kin_swatch_0&sr=

Here it is on Audible.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Zero-World-Audiobook/B012HQ76TW/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1465333936&sr=1-1

While I do enjoy crime procedurals (Coben, Connelly, Child,etc.), they kind of all seem the same to me after a while and are rather unmemorable. Some books that I did find memorable that seem like they might fit his tastes include:

1. Absolute Power, by David Baldacci. I've read and listened to a few of his things, but this was by far the best. Way better than the Eastwood movie.
   
   
2. Defending Jacob, by William Landay.
   
   
3. 11/22/63, by Stephen King. This is possibly the best audiobook I have EVER listened to. Part crime fiction, rich in history, outstanding character development, hint of sci-fi, and even a bit of romance. It might not be his cup of tea, but if you think there's a chance he might like it, I'd recommend this one the most. Note the my link goes to an MP3 CD. I think most CD players made in the last 8 years of so could play it, but you might want to check.

Happiness is required in life... so here are some things that make me happy, like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens (for those that love The Sound of Music).

I'll start with the recently tried: sandboarding. Like snowboarding, but on sand dunes. Terrifying and awesome at the same time. And really hard to get to the top of a sand dune.

On to things that make me happy:

• Regex - it saves my life at work sometimes
  
• Seeing my friends for home cooked meals and board game nights
  
• My puppy-who-is-no-longer-a-puppy (cuddles are the best)
  
• That first sip of caffeine in the morning that wakes me up and gets me ready to conquer the day
  
  And one more for good measure, mock at your leisure:
  
  
• Pretending I'm a badass, like Daenerys, and nothing can stop me...
  
  I feel like my life is incomplete without one of these, but I'm also always in need of a new book to read.
  
  Happy Monday to all!

For a quick read: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Great story, hilarious, lots of layers, if you want to go looking for them. Fun read even if not.

Two excellent novels that you might identify with. Both long, but fantastic:

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. Novel about a young officer in the Vietnam war (around your age), based on the author's experiences. Great book, long, but very engaging and entertaining read.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: Just go to the amazon page, can't do it justice here, fantastic book.

A cool part about these is that each could be considered a "Roman a clef" (should be some accents there), at least loosely, as both are based to some degree on actual events in the author's lives. Though liberties are certainly taken, still neat to remember.

Here's a few that won't get mentioned since it seems like people are only putting down books they had to read for school.

Shantaram - Fictional but based off author being an escaped Australian convict who joins the Bombay mafia.

Catch Me If You Can - Read this years ago. It's supposed to be true but apparently a lot of it is just tale tales. Don't care, most fun I've had reading a book.

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter - Finally, a smart book about video games that won't insult your intelligence. All gamers who care about the games they play should read this. It also does a great job on showing where the industry is failing creatively. God I loved this book.

Anything by Chuck Klosterman - He's funny, smart and writes on deep philosophical/sociological ideas by talking about Saved By The Bell and other pop culture ideas.

I would add this: You really have to be interested in the history he talks about to bother with the series. I enjoyed it enough to put in the effort, but I can only give it a half-hearted thumbs up.

If you find the history of science and economics interesting, go for it. If not, I'd say that even the good parts aren't enough to make it worthwhile.

And fwiw, you might want to check out Reamde. It gets relatively poor reviews compared to his other books, but I thought it was great. It's less about big ideas and more about just telling a great story. It has the same humor and brilliant writing as his others, just in a very accessible thriller format.

Ream.de by Neal Stephenson. My favorite living sci fi author. It’s not his best ( I preferred Snow crash, cryptonomicon, anathem, seven eves and the baroque cycle, and put this on par with Diamond Age and Rise and Fll of Dodo (which he co-authored)), but it is very very good, and one of the few with no true “sci-fi” elements (as in, it takes place today and there is nothing supernatural and all technology in the book exists and is in use). It’s a crazy story involving a crypto virus, the Russian mob, and terrorists - I won’t say more because that would be giving it away. If you like techno thrillers, I recommend it highly. Even though it is among my “least favorite” of his works, we are talking about literally my number 1 favorite living writer. Ream.de is better than all Tom Clancy novels combined - and I’ve read a ton of those - he basically slam dunked the entire genre in a single book and then moved on. For any other author it could easily be a fitting magnum opus, but so much of the stuff Stephenson has written is so insanely creative, compelling, mind blowing and expertlt crafted - I mean how many people can keep you on the edge of your seat for 900 pages of a story about a cryptolocker virus? That’s ream.de, and like I said, it’s among his less compelling works. His first major novel, Snow Crash, is on par with neuromancer as an all time sci-fi greatest hit. It’s “cheesy” but it is so much fun and alarmingly - alarmingly - prescient.

Anyway, yeah. He is good.

There are many classics that you should definitely check out, but I'm going to recommend two different things:

I would highly recommend Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It is a long read about an escaped Australian convict that begins when he touches down in Bombay, India. There are really interesting characters, and the story is great.

Also, if you happen to like the epic fantasy genre, you should check out The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan. This is a link to the first book in the 14 book series. The series' final book is due to come out fairly soon, and it has become my favorite epic fantasy story.

I actually found that reading the pertinent sections of the Ulysses guide before each chapter helped.

I liked the Molly section of the book. But otherwise Ulysses really seemed to me to be essentially a written collage or mix tape, in that Joyce strung together so much of what he'd studied and called it a book. Which I don't mean as a slur against mix tapes or collages.

Did reading Ulysses give me insights into existence, as any great work of art should? Hard to say, though that last section was pretty good--not because of what all Joyce did, but because of the sheer disconnect between Bloom and Molly.

Probably I'd recommend reading at least half a dozen other books instead. Heck, Shantaram was more important to me than Ulysses.

The combination of Shantaram, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and A Fan's Notes taught me a lot more than did Ulysses, and they were far more fun, interesting, and quick to read.

I'm midway though The Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton (in audiobook form). It's pretty great so far. He's a masterful worldbuilder and of of my favorite Sci Fi writers.

I've also been enjoying the Monster Hunter series by Larry Correia. Its quite the guilty pleasure of a modern fantasy.

Check out Drood by Dan Simmons. I picked it up on a whim, and couldn't be happier that I gave it a chance. It's a total trip, and suspenseful in a laid-back / behind-the-scenes sort of way.

Also, I find anything by Michael Chrichton to be utterly "un-put-downable". I'd recommend starting with Congo or Prey, but definitely give Sphere a shot before you move on.

Edit: Sorry I meant Micro instead of Prey. Prey was "meh" but Micro is great. Also definitely check out Timeline! (Sorry, I'm basically obsessed with Chrichton)

Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, is another favorite of mine. But, it's been so long since I last read it that I can't really remember why. I'm going to be rereading that one again soon.

I think Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts might be what you're looking for. I usually read fantasy also but I've never been sucked into a novel like Shantaram... truly a special book.

If that doesn't sound like your thing, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho gets suggested in the sub a lot, its also very good.

happy birthday man, time to end boredom

for me it was playing music. My friend randomly told me one day I should get a bass because he played guitar and my other friend played drums. fast forward 10 years and it's essentially my profession.

as for the wishlist item, how about this

it's a book that's been on my to-read list for over a year now, just haven't had the chance to get to it because of so many other awesome books.

I agree, everyone seems to suggest the same series of books by the same authors. But that's the echo chamber effect.

My favorite series that I never see represented is by Peter F. Hamiltion. The Commonwealth saga of books:

• Pandora's Star
  
• Set a few hundred years in the future, humanity has traveled the galaxy via wormholes, but some astronomers led by a far reaching conspiracy unlock a star that ancient aliens walled up to protect the universe from the narrowminded aliens that inhabit it. Naturally, humans open it and unleash MorningLightMountain onto the greater Commonwealth and cause billions of deaths.
  
• Judas Unchained
  
• The 2nd part of humanity's battle with MorningLightMountain, picks up right where things left off and ties everything together.
  
• The Dreaming Void
  
• Set in the same universe, but over 1,000 years later, humanity has traveled around the galaxy now and opened up a few more mysteries, but one remains - what is inside the black hole at the center of the galaxy? One human dreamed of paradise in there, and now trillions of humans want to go in.
  
• The Tempral Void
  
• Continues the tale of people trying to get into The Void, and the issues it's causing
  
• The Evolutionary Void
  
• The final chapter of The Void trilogy, does everything work out?
  
• The Abyss Beyond Dreams
  
• Set between Judas & The Void Trilogy, this is about another set of humans trying to get into the black hole at the center of the universe
  
• A Night Without Stars
  
• Not released yet, but finishes up the story of the humans who tried to get into the void.
  
  The entire series of books is very fast paced, but it's a space opera. He often spends 50 or so pages introducing a character not to be seen again until the next book. It's worth it though, Hamilton is great at tying up all those loose ends in ways you wouldn't think possible.
  
  Hamilton is often recommended for his other trilogy - Night's Dawn. Personally, I felt that was very poorly done. For instance, the 2nd book has no outcome on the end events whatsoever. Plus, it's very much more typical for a space opera zombie book series. Not my cup of tea, so to speak.

Has anyone heard of this oddball doorstopper tome Shantaram link to Amazon here? It's got a breathless cover blurb love note from Pat Conroy (who I love) but...a well meaning much older hippie dude pulled it out and was pressing it on me and I generally side eye books that people try to push on you (A Child Called It, The Shack, The Secret, Five People You Meet In Heaven, Heaven is For Real, etc). Any impressions?

Here's the back blurb/summary: (which is not encouraging, btw)

"So begins this epic, mesmerizing first novel by Gregory David Roberts, set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of a city where he can disappear.

Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay's hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere.

As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city's poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power.

Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas---this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart. Based on the life of the author, it is by any measure the debut of an extraordinary voice in literature"

Reamde by Neal Stephenson link



A young man steal credit card numbers for the mob. The middle-man in the deal got his computer hijacked by a virus relating to an insanely popular MMO that the yourn man's girlfirend's uncle owns and develops. They then have to track down the hacker to get the computer virus removed to save them from the mob.



It is a really interesting book and a great, fun read.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts has similar themes to many of Hesse's books -- if you liked Demian, Steppenwolf, and Siddhartha, you probably would like this. Be advised, however, that it is more than 900 pages long.

Also, I enthusiastically second everything in the other post (with the exception of Nausea which is a strong contender for my least favorite novel ever). :)

I would LOVE to visit India some day! Im really intrigued by the entire culture!

if you havent read Shantaram i highly recommend it.. im nearly done now and its amazing!

Agreed, I also wouldn't want to live in the past, unless your royalty, and even that is fraught with hassles. I want to live in the future on my own Dyson Sphere.

That's why the recent Interstellar movie was so interesting. An ultimately hopeful story written to advance a positive view in Sci-Fi movies, kind of like the Hieroglyph book, yet they still needed a dystopian element to even tell the story. And while there are glaring plot holes in the movie big enough to drive a black hole through, they were needed to advance the story. I still liked both the movie and the book.

Speaking of Star Trek, I wouldn't have my cell phone if some engineer didn't like it so much. Or even the Internet itself if DARPA hadn't been worried about nuclear bombs destroying the infrastructure. What's really interesting his how Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality will change society in the future. Like ReamDe or Ready Player One explore.

Reading this, I was reminded of a passage from one of my favorite books (Shantaram):

> Justice is a judgement that is both fair and forgiving. Justice is not done until everyone is satisfied, even those who offend us and must be punished by us. You can see, by what we have done with these two boys, that justice is not only the way we punish those who do wrong. It is also the way we try to save them.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
It's an investment of time (i.e 944 pages) but the first line is:
"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."

It's a (slightly fictionalized) account of an escaped convict who creates a new life in Bombay. One of the few books that I deeply regretted finishing.

Yeah Ready Player One is one of the biggest Sci - Fi novels written in the last decade. This is legit stuff but I'm usually more optimistic when I see a book is being made into a TV series or mini-series.

For another MMO related mainstream SCIFI novel, check out ReamDe by Neal Stephenson. You can probably find Ready Player One and ReamDe in your local library if you live in the USA.

Shantaram

I hate to sound like a salesman, but this book has everything. It's a fugitive tale, a love story, an insight into the author's mind, a philosophical treatise, a war novel, an ode to India, and more. I've never read a book that had so much to give and so much to say. Brilliant.

As funny as it is tragic, as sentimental as it is harshly realist.

*Former gunny

Does he like to read? These are two of my favorites, and I'm fairly certain most vets would enjoy them too:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367616641&sr=8-1&keywords=The+forever+war

http://www.amazon.com/Without-Remorse-Tom-Clancy/dp/0425143325/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367616649&sr=8-1&keywords=Without+Remorse

Title: Masterminds
Genre: Action, Crime, Family Sagas
Words: 115k

Released a few months ago but then stopped promoting to work on the blurb/back cover. My kindle format is currently FREE to anyone interested till tues (9/24), but otherwise want to know thoughts about the description in the link.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T27CR5B

I'm a bot, bleep, bloop. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:

• [/r/freeebooks] Free Today Only! The Travel Mate, an action-filled, fast-paced thriller Free Today Only! The Travel Mate, an action-filled, fast-paced thriller https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/travel-mate-International-Suspense-Thriller-ebook\/dp\/B01LK1XZ2C
  
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Yeah it can be a bit dense, particularly with the military jargon. I tackled it in high school, and if it weren't for the fact that I regarded it as this big, adult novel, I wouldn't have persevered. I hadn't yet read a book that seemed to tell so many stories simultaneously!

But I recall -- during my second attempt, I believe -- that I was suddenly aware of all the different threads and who everyone was. And I was utterly, irretrievably, hooked. Now I think of Clancy as an author who writes for those of us with short attention spans, despite the intimidating length of his novels.

But as a first Clancy book, I would really recommend Without Remorse. It's a page turner without all the military-speak of Red October.

As an aside, I'm reading Red Storm Rising right now, and while my Kindle doesn't have page numbers, per se, it tells me that, at my current reading rate, I have 28 hours left in the book. Lol.

I always stick to 3 books at a time.

Main:

Jurassic Park by Michael Critchon. I love this book. I have about 9% left and will finish it during bedtime tonight. Crazy thing is everyone tells me The Lost World is the superior novel. Will start on it after I'm done with this.

Secondary:

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway. Gustavo is just getting his fish to bite. It's okay. I don't have a ton of time to read it, but once it's my main book, I'm sure I'll put a lot more time into it.

Just Starting:

Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling by Jim Ross**.** I'm a huge wrestling fan, and this is the autobiography of Jim Ross, a man that has been in the business for many decades. I am only a few pages in, but I know I will kill this book in a few days once this is my main book.

Next Books to Start:

The Lost World by Michael Crichton

Without Remorse by Tom Clancy

Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama (Suggested by a Reddit User's post)

Note: I DO NOT have an Amazon Associates account so I do not get any income if you click on the link or not. I just wanted to make things easier for anyone who may wish to purchase or get more info without copying and pasting into google and whatnot. :-)

What about Sphere by Michael Crichton?

Or The Legacy of Heorot?

Hope that helps! If not, let me know and I can keep searching. :)

Much of Trevanian's novel Shibumi is set in the Basque country of Spain. One of my favorite spy thrillers.

http://www.amazon.com/Shibumi-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B000FCK4HC/ref=tmm_kin_title_0/184-5152417-2469968?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

The great thing about Trevanian is you never know exactly if he's putting you on.

Trenutno citam:

• Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
  
• Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy (Josef Steiff)
  
  Planiram i citati:
  
  
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)
  
• Het Achterhuis (Anne Frank)
  
• Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
  
• Pyongyang (Guy Delisle)
  
• I bilo njesta od Alan Watts
  
  Evo moj 'library' :P
  http://i.imgur.com/Xpe7Vk5.jpg
  
  Moj tip za vas je Shantaram. //switch to English now, because it's a lot easier. It's about a guy who escapes from a prison and goes to Bombay. He starts off low and grows both spiritually and materialistically in the streets of Bombay. It's like GTA: Bombay but with more places (Indian countryside, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Africa). I've already been interested in India because of films like Darjeeling Limited, but this book sealed the deal: I want to visit that country.

There's a decent novel based on this idea that's got some treasure-hunting-supernatural-ness to it--I haven't read it in years, but I remember it being pretty entertaining.

Shibumi was written as a send up of the Bond genre. The author,'Trevanian' was much, much better than all of his peers thus this work is unforgettable.

"A westerner raised in Japan, he survived the destruction of Hiroshima to emerge as the world's most artful lover and its most accomplished assassin. His greatest desire is to attain a state of effortless perfection . . . shibumi. But he is about to face his most sinister and corrupt enemy -- a supermonolith of espionage and monopoly bent on destroying him."

Without Remorse is probably the best story and character plot line. This book was actually fantastically interesting to read instead of Clancy's usual war stories (which are also great for a quick read.) Of all Clancy's books, Without Remorse is the only one that I have gone back and read a second, and third time.

http://www.amazon.com/Without-Remorse-Tom-Clancy/dp/0425143325

Sleeping Giants was amazing. Its about these women scientists (They just happen to be women) that are racing around the world to assemble an alien artifact. Each chapter kind of ends on a mini cliffhanger and I could not put it down. The movie rights have already sold and it will be amazing. http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Giants-Themis-Sylvain-Neuvel/dp/1101886692

Douglas Preston wrote a fiction book based on this called [Riptide.]
(http://www.amazon.com/Riptide-Douglas-Preston/dp/0446607177) Its low on historical accuracy, but a pretty good read if you are into that sort of thing.

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

YES YES YES....

I'm actually rereading the whole series as we speak in preparation for the newest book, The Abyss Beyond Dreams.

His books can be a bit overwhelming, but it's absolutely worth it. I might suggest this list of characters in order to keep everyone straight. http://peterfhamilton.wikia.com/wiki/Characters_%28CS%29

Would be really interested in a game that plagiarizes the economic system in Reamde, which was otherwise a mediocre novel: http://www.amazon.com/Reamde-A-Novel-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0062191497

Basically all money and other resources need to be 'mined' in-game first, like Bitcoin, before it exists. There's a finite (but large) amount of resources in the world. There's no need to spawn players with money if they have some kind of capability that other players might find useful.

I'm going to go with Shantaram. Probably one of my all time favorite books, has some of the most beautiful prose ever committed to paper. I'm not really sure why it isn't more well known. Those who have read it seem to gush about it.

You should check out REAMDE! It nailed the whole ransomware phenomenon before it was on most folks' radars. Pretty incredible, and more fun and less technical than a lot of Stephenson's work.

Shantaram by Gregory Roberts.
I've been reading through this book for a few years, but it so beautifully depicts Bombay that I so desperately want to visit.

It's also a lovely book.

Here's a book for you, kiddo.

For the normal humans reading this, here is a funny video reading the book the epitomizes humans like this guy.

The Forever War - Haldeman

Flowers for Algernon - Keyes

The Prestige - Priest

LoTR - Tolkien

Sphere - Crichton (One of the first "real" books I read as a kid, and was my favorite for years. It isn't the best in the world, but it is an extremely fun page turner and means alot to me)


There are also three books I've read in the last couple of years that I want very badly to say are in my top five (to replace some of those listed above). But it has not been long enough for me to make a decision, and I probably need to re-read them. Those three are:

The Passage - Cronin

Cloud Atlas - Mitchell

Wolf Hall - Mantel

If you're into India and amazing stories from jail you should read Shantaram. I read it several times!

And I agree with 'On the Road' as least favorite!

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265074018&sr=8-1) - the best book i've ever read and more than likely will ever read.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. A great story too, but I'm amazed at his style and how effortless it is. He's one of the few authors that, as another writer, I'm envious of.

Based on your comment, I have determined you may be interested in REAMDE by Neal Stephenson.

Shantaram Such an amazing book that you won't notice how long it is.

My goal for the year is to read 50 page a day. I've been on or ahead of pace for every day except two so far this year. I go through books quite quickly and I'm itching to read a long book. May I offer Reamde? I read his Anathem this year already. It is one of the few long books I've read that held my interest. It has renewed my faith in reading longer novels. Sadly, it is not much cheaper used.

If I may, the next book I would like to read is the sequel in the Thursday Next series. Just finished the first and I can't wait to start the second. This is another rarity as I generally dislike series. This book can be purchased much cheaper used ;)

Don't get me wrong, he's talented and I've never failed to get through one of his books (I'm looking at you Stephenson - odd, I usually love his novels but that I could not get through). I do find myself thinking "Oh, get on with it. Let's have some more story already" quite often.

you may enjoy this book then:
http://www.amazon.com/Riptide-Douglas-Preston/dp/0446607177/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313256333&sr=1-1

You might get some inspiration from this recent sci-fi book, Sleeping Giants:

https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Giants-Themis-Sylvain-Neuvel/dp/1101886692

Try Shantaram - it is a fictionalized memoir about an escaped Australian convict that travels to (and through) India, mixing with peoples ranging from the destitute, the criminal, and the famous along with mixing with a varying cast of other ex-pats.

I have never read anything else quite like it and I feel like it really captures the essence of its location very well.

REAMDE is is an extremely enjoyable experience

Shantaram. Actually, I think it would be better as an HBO/Showtime series since I don't think they could condense the whole movie into 120 mins.

I wasn't too keen on White Tiger - it just came across as a bit pretentious - very makey-uppy. But I can see how it would shock and awe the non-Indian readers as a lot of stuff that Indians can gloss over could be positively disturbing to average Western reader.

I am currently reading (nearly finished) Shantaram by Greogry David Roberts. I don't know how much of that is fact, and how much fiction, but man, I am stunned by the international dimension of Mumbai underworld. I had heard of names like Chotta Rajan, Shakeel, Dawood Ibrahim etc, but I could have never guessed how diverse the activities of the Mafia are. Drugs and narcotics seems to be just the tip of the iceberg, if you read this book. I would seriously recommend this to other desi readers.

That's Trigger Warning written under William W. Johnstone's name. I've seen a couple youtube reviews that cover it in it's entirety and it's so baaaaad.

I personally like Jenny Nicholson's review.

Sounds like Reamde

Sounds a lot like Neal Stephenson's Reamde novel.

If you liked it check out the book Without Remorse by Tom Clancy. Everyone I've talked to agrees that Taken is based on the book.

Shantaram, just started but its great. About an australian guy that escapes prison and becomes a criminal in India (I think so far). I think about 50% or more is true: http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330529

when truth stranger than fiction

For anyone wondering what these books are actually about, here are their Amazon pages. I've read neither, so I can't speak for them myself.

Great North Road

Fallen Dragon

Read the book Shantaram, It's about a foreigner who discovers India and it's Good, Bad and ugly side!

I'm sure you'll enjoy it

Reamde by Neal Stephenson has significant portions of it in Seattle.

The author lives in Seattle.

1. Sphere and the book's better.
   
2. no clue.
   

This book about the Mumbai(Bombay) criminal world from a Westerners perspective/involvement. Great read. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330537

A suppressed .22 can have almost no report. Like seriously, all you hear is the mechanical action. That's gotta be a plus for an assassin if they get in close and aim well.

John Clark used one this way in the stellar Jack Ryan prequel, Without Remorse. (Back when Clancy's name on the cover meant he actually wrote it.)

I'm 63 years old, and I was involved in the Internet before Tim Berners-Lee invented the WWW. My son is currently a PhD candidate in Comp Sci, and will go to work for Google next spring. I have some familiarity with the Internet. Let me tell you a couple of things about it. First, it can't be "cleaned up". Second, it shouldn't be "cleaned up".

By all means learn security. Learn how to keep people's data safe. That is a skill that will be in great demand from here on out. Forget about this whole "justice" thing though. There is no justice. There are just people who don't want to get fucked over, and people who want to fuck them over.

Addendum: If you haven't already, you should read Reamde.

If you haven't already taken care of your Secret Santa, well here you go:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786040505/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_mhB.Bb0Y23N9H

If you have never read the R6 book, but want to, I highly suggest you start with Without Remorse first.

Reamde.

While it wasn't Seattle-centric, Neal Stephenson's Reamde had a scene or two in Seattle. Some of the other locations in the book are in British Columbia and the wilderness between BC and Seattle.

In case you don't get the reference...

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Sphere-Michael-Crichton/dp/0061990558

& the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120184/

Shantaram

http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322162176&sr=8-1

p.s. Reamde IS available in US on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/Reamde-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B004XVN0WW/ref=ntt_at_ep_edition_2_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

The guys who wrote "The Relic" also wrote a mediocre book (fiction) based on this thing.

Shantaram

and The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber

I'm going to throw in REAMDE by Neal Stephenson.

For something a little different but very absorbing check out Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

Shantaram

Shantaram by Gregory David

Check out this book http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330529

It is basically GTA Mumbai.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

Shantaram. Absolutely immersive.

Shantaram

Pappillion

It's been over a decade but how about Michael Crichton's Sphere http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0061990558/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1464396892&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=sphere+michael+crichton&dpPl=1&dpID=51uD6r8D1BL&ref=plSrch

Not my favorite book, but Michael Crichton's Sphere was an incredible page-turner

You're doing this wrong. If you approach books as a task for self-edification that you view as a duty, you're going to hate it. Read whatever you want, for entertainment. Read funnystuff. Read thrillers. Read fantasy. Read weird science fiction. Heck, read history, economics, and science.

TL;DR: Read whatever the hell you feel like, and I guarantee you you will feel better about yourself than you would have by forcing yourself through Ulysses or War and Peace.

Try Shantaram.

Guy escapes from an Australian prison to India. Story details the whole process of becoming familiar with a completely foreign culture.


Amazon

Mumbai/Bombay is a slightly intimidating place for even the most rugged travellers. It can seem more if this is your first trip to India.
However, it still is one of the most amazing cities I have been to. It comes close to bringing the vastness of indian culture to one place, so forgive it when the chaos and the asymmetry get to you. Shantaram will enhance your understanding of the place a bit.


What are your plans though? Where all? How long?

If she enjoys reading at all, get her a copy of this book. It's intimidatingly big for non-readers, but every line is poetry. It made me want to visit India- not the rich, luxurious parts, but the slums, the dirty parts with real people.