Rate The Dude's Fiction Bookshelf (+diablo and others too!)

[The Dude]

So, here it is. As you can see, I have books stacked behind books on my shelf. This is because I don't have enough shelf space for all my books. The books you see are either ones I haven't read but like having visible (The Iliad, for example) or are among my favorites of the books I have read.

Books that got pushed behind other books are either not as high on my favorite list or are the later books in a series that didn't all make the front of my shelf. The more I enjoy a particular series, the more books I tend to put up front. (For example, I only mildly enjoyed the Hitchhiker's Guide series, so only the first book made it, but there are 3 of the Ender's series up front.)

Mainly I'm looking for recommendations based on what you see, but all comments are welcome.

[Dynasty]

There is a book missing here. Are you (re)reading it right now?

[gumpzilla]

You like science fiction and fantasy, it would seem. Read any Gene Wolfe? He tends to write stuff that's sort of hybrid SF/fantasy, leaning a little more towards the fantasy side usually. It's pretty literary and full of interesting images, even if it's hard to figure out what's going on sometimes. The Book of the New Sun and the Book of the Long Sun, both tetralogies, are strong reads.

EDIT: You would also probably enjoy the first few books in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, though I don't know if I can recommend that in good faith because the quality declines drastically somewhere around book 6 (of 11 so far, each between 700-1000 paperback pages.) I haven't read the last two in the series because I've just given up.

[somapopper]

That system of moving books to the front based on their relative value to you seems like a pain, but I admire the crazy obssesive nature of it.

That classics block you've got going from Austen to Homer seems pretty obvious. I think you should just embrace your low-brow taste and move to the back the ones you don't actually like.

Conversly, wouldn't be a bad little project to read the classics on your bookshelf you haven't gotten to and add a few more to your collection. You seem like a smart guy, I'm sure you'd like some of what the old dead boys are offering.

If you want advice on the "literary" front (meant here as a distinction between koontz and Austen, even if such a distinction is a tad on the silly side), post some of the literary works you've read and liked.

*Didn't see any Vonnegut. He might be a good crossover.

[LeapFrog]

Pretty cool shelf though I was never a huge Heinlein fan. If your looking for sci-fi recommendations, I would of course check out some of the 'classics' by Gibson, Bear, and Sterling. Also a strong vote for Verner Vinge. A Deepness in the Sky and A Fire Upon the Deep are simply excellent.

Fantasy wise, I'm sure you will hear recommendations for George R. R. Martin.

If you read Koontz, you might as well check out some of Robbert R. McCammons stuff -- Stinger and The Wolf's Hour are fairly solid. Might as well toss in The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson for good measure.

[El Diablo]

Dude,

I was really big into science fiction in elementary school and junior high. Read tons of Heinlein, Asimov, etc. Never was much into fantasy, am familar with but haven't read most of the books on your first two shelves.

The bottom shelf is pretty disappointing. I used to read a lot of Grisham/Crichton/etc. when I was flying a lot and wanted super quick and easy to read stuff, but it's really just not very good fiction. You should read some of the book rec threads here for much better written fiction. You're missing out.

I like this idea, though. I'll post a bookshelf pic too.

[JaredL]

I think you are missing a lot of classics. You really should have some Hemingway for example. His books are excellent to read and also look nice on the shelf. Go with Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Sun also Rises.

I really enjoy short stories. You should get the complete short stories of Hemingway and Poe, and also some short stories of Jonathan Swift, Voltaire, and Mark Twain. There are tons of collections of Swift and Mark Twain. For Voltaire this collection is good, not sure about others. Short stories are great to read when you only have a chance to read in spurts (say traveling) because you can get through a whole story quickly. While I'm no expert in literature, they also have a different dynamic that and are a nice change of pace. It can be frustrating to have to stop halfway through a long book and then not have time to read it for a while. All of the above would look great on your shelf as well.

I don't read much fantasy, but you also might like Eddings' series The Belgariad and The Malloreon.

[econophile]

here is one of my bookshelves. not strictly fiction. have read most of the books, but not all of them.

[The Dude]

[ QUOTE ]
There is a book missing here. Are you (re)reading it right now?

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, The Sorcerer's Stone is out on loan. I am rereading the series, though. Right now I'm about half-way through The Goblet of Fire - I just put it back on the bookshelf before I snapped the pic.

[The Dude]

[ QUOTE ]
You like science fiction and fantasy, it would seem. Read any Gene Wolfe?... You would also probably enjoy the first few books in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series

[/ QUOTE ]
Gene Wolfe sounds familiar, as though he's been recommended to me in the past. I'll definitely check it out. I've got some gift cards I've been wanting to use for awhile now. Is The Book of the New Sun what you'd recommend to get into Wolfe?

I've also heard of the Wheel of Time series. Is it satisfying enough to just read the first ones that are good and let it drop, or does it feel pretty disappointing to not get to follow it to its conclusion?