You simply must read this…I insist
19 August 2014 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and Bookish where every week a whole bunch of bloggers bring together their magical lists of 10 (10 is a magic number as far as lists are concerned – right?).
This week the topic is one that we all know only too well about:
‘Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read (whether because they think it’s a “you” book or it’s just been generally recommended so often)’
This was surprisingly more difficult than I thought. I’ve come up with a mix of authors and books/series.
- The Dark Towers by Stephen King – so many people have told me to read this series that I really should just get on with it – I even have The Gunslinger already! What am I waiting for – plus no five to six year wait between books! Bonus.
- The Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal, starting with Shades of Milk and Honey. A combination of Regency England with a touch of fantasy and magic. Sounds excellent.
- The rest of the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. I’ve read the first but not picked up the following books in the series.
- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer – fairytale reworking of Cinderella set in the future. Sounds definitely up my street and I’ve had the first book for ages.
- The urban fantasy Fever series by Karen Marie Moning – starting with Dark Fever – own the first book of this but not got to it and can’t decide if the urge has now passed by!
- Seanan McGuire – not read any by this author but constantly hearing that I should do so – any recommendations???
- Ian Banks – I realise I should probably be ashamed but there it is!
- Ilona Andrews – I’m sure that I read Magic Bites a long while ago but I can’t find it and so now I’m not sure if I’m just imagining it! I feel like I should give this series a try.
- David Gemmell – can’t believe I’ve not read any of his books – I do own three and they’re on my classic list!
- The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. I can’t believe I haven’t read these books!!! Literally, I could break out the pitchforks and torches and chase myself out of town!
What’s at the top of your recommendations list?
Books and travelling with Lynn 
I will add my “you have to read this” urging to the Rivers of London series..
The Karen Marie Moening series — I tried the first one and felt it was too close to a romance novel for me to fully enjoy it as a fantasy book.
I will definitely continue with the Rivers of London series (at some point!)
Yeah, I don’t usually read anything with romance but maybe I will give it a shot – it might be a change of pace!
Lynn 😀
I can’t believe I have not read Gemmell either. I have read the one and only book his wife put out, but nothing by the legend himself.
I know – and I have three Gemmell – I think one of them is called Legend – yes it is!!
Lynn 😀
I’m same!
Cinder Cinder Cinder.
That is all.
Haha
😀
I agree, there are a lot of these you should read! The rest of the books after Rivers of London for sure, and The First Law. I wasn’t crazy about The Dark Tower though. And yes, people have been telling me I should read Gemmell and Banks too…I’ll get to it!
Too many books and not enough time! I will read the Aaronovitch – I suppose I won’t have any excessive wait for books at least as I have a few to catch up!
Lynn 😀
I just read my first Seanan McGuire last week and it was SO much fun! I read “Discount Armageddon” which is a hilarious UF set in Manhattan. There’s this magical colony of mice that follow the protagonist and worship her as their deity, celebrating such illustrious holidays as the feast of I Swear Daddy, I’ll Kiss the Next Man Who Walks Through the Front Door. If you like bizarre and ridiculous humor, you will adore it. 😀
Okay – that’s the one. Discount Armageddon. it goes on the list.
Thanks
Lynn 😀
I wasn’t that impressed by Gunslinger, although that was one that had been recommended to me repeatedly before I read it. A lot of people really seem to like it, but I just wasn’t that into it.
I’ve had such mixed reactions to the Dark Tower series. Some people say I have to read it – but maybe not the first. Some say don’t read it – except just maybe the first!!
I have heard that the ending was a little bit disappointing and so given the number of books and page count I think that’s what puts me off.
Lynn 😀
Oh, my, you have so many series here I adore I don’t even know where to start.
The Rivers of London books are very good, with some fascinating world building.
The Lunar Chronicles are a lovely steampunk twist on a bunch of fairy tales, and the adaptations fit together flawlessly.
Seanan McGuire and Ilona Andrews are three of my favorite authors (Ilona is a pen name for a husband and wife team.)
McGuire’s InCryptid series is very good–funny, with lots of interesting non-humans and yes, the mice… 😀 Her October Daye series is a bit more serious Urban Fantasy, with faeries, changelings, and some serious enchantment. It’s beautifully written, complex, and the character development is amazing.
Andrews has an UF series, Kate Daniels, set in Atlanta, Georgia, in a world where magic and technology sweep over the world in waves–when one works, the other doesn’t. Humanity has adapted, but the world has gotten pretty strange. Kate is seriously kick@ss, with a demented but hilarious sense of humor.
Ohh, thanks for that – I’ll take a look at your suggestions. I think I’ve heard about the McGuire series – with the mice – somebody else highly recommended it and said it was very good and humourous. Plus serious UF with faeries, changelings – sounds really good.
Kate sounds very good too!
Thanks again
Lynn 😀
I really want to read Dark Tower! Somehow, someday, I will find the time. Some day.
Yeah, keep repeating!!!
Lynn 😀
Hey I’ve only read #1 and #4 on your list so I’m guilty of all those having not read them as well. We should totally buddy read the first Mary Robinette Kowal book together someday soon! I’m trying to keep my entire Nov – December free for non review book just fun read whatever the hell I want of books I already own.
That sounds like an ace plan – I’ve been wanting to read MRK for a while – plus keeping some time free to read my own books – I’m totally stealing that idea! I seem to have been reading mainly review books to catch up but it would be nice to check out some of the books I’ve purchased this year!
Lynn 😀
OH yes and those Lunar chronicles books – amazing – I love them!!
Really? I really should read them soon!
Ta
Lynn 😀
Well I hate to keep banging on to you if other people have been doing it too…but I loved Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series 😛
I will add you to the list – thanks 😀
Lynn
I suspect that once you dig into Banks, you’ll kick yourself for not starting sooner. Player of Games is generally considered the easiest place to start, but Inversions is a bit more fantasy-like, if that’s your comfort zone. Excession has the funny spaceships. Everyone likes funny spaceships!
Oddly enough, I have Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself on hold at the library this very moment. I’m behind there too.