The Next Best Book Club discussion

Hi all -- I'm counting on all of you to come up with some great recommendations for my almost-19-yr-old son. He likes books (not YA) with a lot of action. He just read Michael Crichton's last book Pirate Latitudes, which had tons of realistic action. He will read sci-fi or fantasy or regular fiction if there is an emphasis on battles. He has read many books about the various wars (Viet Nam and WWII mostly, loved Band of Brothers). Any suggestions for books with maybe lots of space battles or anything that sounds like it would fit his interests? Thanks!!

Gates of Fire, by Stephen Pressfield, perhaps?

Books by Stephen King and James Patterson, perhaps?

Susanna wrote: "Gates of Fire, by Stephen Pressfield, perhaps?"

Thanks Susanna -- that looks like a great recommendation! He loves the movie "300".

Kayla wrote: "Books by Stephen King and James Patterson, perhaps?"

Hi Kayla

Thanks! James Patterson might work -- any specific book you would recommend to start with?

I got him to start a Stephen King once, but King spends so much time building his characters, settings, and scenarios that my son gave up while waiting for the action to start ;)

Hi Judy!

I started reading Maximum Ride by James Patterson when I was 13 or so. I've recently moved on to his more mature works and since your son is 19, then I recommend Patterson's Alex Cross, Michael Bennett and Private series. I'm not sure what your son's stance is on female narrators but Patterson's Women's Murder Club series is good too.

Grisham's The Firm would be good
I also like the Harry Bosch series - number one is The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
My 14-year-old nephew recently read Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History and really liked it (surprising to me, because he is a reluctant reader).

If he likes interstellar war, then he might go for Old Man's War [believe me, he's only an old man for a few pages]. It's got a slew of positive notices on Amazon. And lots of humans kill and die, and lots of aliens kill and die, although the aliens killing us tends to be a little more interesting in terms of method.

The Eagle Has Landed Jack Higgins--Excellent WWII setting gripping novel with a plausible plot

The Key to Rebecca Ken Follett

The Day of the Jackal Frederick Forsyth


All older books, but absolutely page turners/can't put downers. And, most other books by these authors are wonderful; these are my favorites.

If he likes more classic, nonviolent but wonderful older science fiction, my all time favorites of that variety are Isaac Asimov's Foundation and I, Robot series; all connected and all fascinating. These would keep him busy for weeks.

F Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series...more fun to outwit the bad guys but fight them when you have to! Start with The Tomb. My 19 yr old son loves Jack!

I put Jack on my Want list too Joyce; thanks for the recommendation!!!

I wonder if he'd like The Peshawar Lancers?

Definitely have him read Divergent. My son read it and recommends to everyone. It is a series book. I loved Divergent and the second book Insurgent and the third book is supposed to come out next year I believe. Your son won't be able to put it down. Lots of action. Really surprised how it sucked me in.

The First Man in Rome

A historic series about the last years of the roman republic.
It has a great emphasize on historical correctness, but still manages to be very entertaining.

Rome fought quite a few wars those years, so the series most important characters are Generals, and a war buff should have plenty to work with..

I recommend this to everyone, really some of the best books i know, both in terms of substance and entertainment..

Some people might put him in the 'old man lit' category, but how about Tom Clancy? Really, any of them: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present danger are probably the most popular.

Tom Clancy

Karly wrote: "Some people might put him in the 'old man lit' category, but how about Tom Clancy? Really, any of them: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present danger are probably the most popu..."

The Hunt for Red October is one GREAT book!

If he likes realistic action and battles, I think Clancy's Red Storm Rising is a pretty good fit. The Black Echo, book #1 in the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly had some great action, twists and turns as well.

Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson?

River of Gods by Ian MacDonald?

The Culture series by Iain M. Banks, starting with Consider Phlebas

Hi Judy,

Has your son read anything by Tim O'Brien? I know you mentioned he enjoys Vietnam books. I absolutely love The Things They Carried... one of my favorite books of all time. I also enjoyed Going After Cacciato.

Hope he finds something he likes!

Here are three non-fiction books he might find interesting:

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge

We Were Soldiers Once… And Young by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and war journalist Joseph L. Galloway

Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam by Lt. Col. David Hackworth

These are personal accounts of war from the front lines, no fiction here. All three are very well written.

Sounds like he might like the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. If he likes the books, he might want to watch the HBO series, which follows the books very closely. If you decide to recommend this series, he should read them in order. They're not really stand-alone novels.

Great suggestion, Scout! My 19 year old son loves George RR Martin series also. He is less impressed with the tv show because of the necessity of streamlining to fit in the episode structure.

He's 19 already why can't he find something on his own? But anyway i would recommend The Tale of Despereaux, it's a great book, about a cute little rat dreaming to be a hero and stuff

Edit: well not actually a rat he's more like a mice

Scout wrote: "Sounds like he might like the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. If he likes the books, he might want to watch the HBO series, which follows the books very closely. If you decide t..."

I don't think that would work, Judy said her son got bored of Stephen King and trust me, game of thrones is much much worse

I've generally cut down on promoting my book, but if the kid likes action. Well that's one aspect where I know my book won't disappoint.

If he likes anything involving superheroes, guide him over to The Silver Ninja

Hi Judy,
There are several really good non-fiction books about the Civil War he might like:

In the Hands of Providence : Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the American Civil War by Alice Rains Trulock

Marching Through Georgia: The Story of Soldiers and Civilians During Sherman's Campaign
by Lee Kennett

And Shelby Foote's Civil War is very good, although immensely long.

This WWII book is also very good:

Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
by Chester Nez, Judith Schiess Avila

For fantasy, I would suggest either of these:

The Court of the Air, by Stephen Hunt

A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin

They both have a lot of fighting, not necessary all battles, but they're very exciting.

If he's interested in the American Civil War, he might also like The Killer Angels.

The Silver ninja

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

1984

Hyperion and its Fall

Dune

Have him try The Golden Medina. It is a coming of age story set in 1914 with lots of action and tough choices as Jewish and Italian immigrants seek their American Dream. www.TheGoldenMedinaBook.com

wow, really good recommendations! Some of these I have already previously tried, like John Scalzi, Grisham, & others, but he doesn't really want legal drama or sci-fi. I read tons of sci-fi. Could not even get him to try Ender's Game. Right now he seems to have hit on a few he really likes.

Judy...some great books with break-neck speed action....
Adrenaline - Jeff Abbot
Velocity - Dean Koontz
Deception Point -Dan Brown
and Cell by Stephen King has more action than character development.

Here is one on Free Kindle download The Pitcher. The Pitcher

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pitcher-ebo...