I'm looking for something to read...

[Brendan]

So, I'm about to start my re-read of WoT to get ready for the 8th of Jan, however I want to break it up by including some nice lighter reads in between books. I was hoping that someone would be able to suggest some books for me, I'm keen for something easy to read but also easy to put down, 200-400 pages long and preferably standalone. I generally read epic fanasy, military sci fi and dystopian fiction however I will give pretty much anything considered speculative fiction a go.

Please let me know anything you think would be enjoyable to read, the only restriction is I need to be able to get it in print in Australia as I do not have an E-Reader.

As a little bit more info, I've read all of Brandon's stuff, what I'm looking for is something that I can easily read that is vastly different to Jordan's work. I already will also be reading the second book by Brent Weeks in the 'Lightbringer' series as well as the fourth book in Heitz's 'The Dwarves' series as they come out, so I'm really after shorter books, as 16 ~thousand or so page books in six months is pushing the limits of what I'll be able to get through with my limited spare time!

Thanks for the help guys!

[Aethling he/him]

Your page length requirement fits in the YA genre pretty snuggly, but even lots of those are 5-600 pages in hardcover. I usually don't read stand alone books all that much unless I really like the author.

If you don't mind a series or two, Riordan's first 5 Percy Jackson books tend to cap out around 400 pages. You could probably read them in one extended session each.

Mull's Fablehaven books are really quick reads, but perhaps outside of your page limit requirement.

You can buy versions of Sullivan's Riyria Revelations that have multiple books in each volume. I think each original book is less than 300 pages.

It is probably possible for you to read any of the individual books in the Elenium or Tamuli in an extended session.

I know for a fact that you can read Goodkind's The Law of Nines in a few hours, but you would be greatly benefited by reading his epic series first.

Have you ever read Dante? A good translation of the Divine Comedy is a quick, easy read.

[Jack the Halls he/him]

I just read Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey. That was a good, quick page turner (and blood curdler).

Have you read Pratchett? He's always the safest bet for me when I want an in-between book. Really, it's almost like every other book is just an in-between book since I always come back to Pratchett.

I'm also really getting into the classic SF. I'm reading Venus Plus X by Sturgeon (what I'm told is "literary" SF) and I got done with Gateway by Pohl. And, of course, you can never go wrong with some Bradbury. Good stuff.

Edited June 26, 2012 by Jack the Halls

[Lady_Yasha she/her]

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn has been an enjoyable read. Albeit the pacing is a little out-of-step and the author could have used more pages to expand on certain scenes. But overall, the book is a great read and only ~300 pages long.

It has some fantasy elements to it, like super-hearing, invisibility, and bilocation.

If you haven't already you should read Dune (Frank Herbert). It's perhaps one of the greatest sci-fi novels out there. Garth Nix also did the Abhorsen trilogy - dealing with necromancy in a unique way and has many subsets of magic.

Anything by Neil Gaiman, especially Neverwhere.

His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman.

And if you don't mind cyberpunk you could pick up Neuromancer by William Gibson. If you prefer steampunk then try The Difference Engine. Neuromancer more so for the dystopian fiction.

Edited July 2, 2012 by Lyrebon

[Brendan]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I have already read most of them, but there are a few there I will hav a look at!