Recommend a book please
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Anonymous
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I'm looking for a novel for my DS for a holiday gift. He is 21 and doesn't have a lot of free time so doesn't read for pleasure very often. This year he read Hail Mary Project on my recommendation. He liked the easily accessible main character and the slightly (but not crazy out there) sci fi component.
Most important qualities of new book are good solid plot, easy reading/accessible characters and an engaging topic - he is smart and likes to be challenged, at least on the topic, though perhaps not on reading level given he is in college as he has a lot of other stuff he "has" to read. He likes Truman Show, Good Place, and historical fiction, he also likes music and sports. Any recommendations? |
Anonymous
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GoodReads has lists for different genres and some get super specific. That might be a way to see a lot of options quickly.
You could just give a gift card for BookShop.org or a local bookstore. |
Anonymous
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Older, but Mary Renault's historical fiction tends to be enjoyable and an easy read. I'm not at all sure what you mean by an "accessible" main character, though. Mary Renault's books are mostly set in ancient Greece so the character's personalities and motivations aren't an exact match for modern sensibilities.
For slightly denser spec fic, I recommend Five Parts Dead (although again, not sure what an accessible character is). For fast-paced, fun sci fi, I recommend The Warrior's Apprentice. |
Anonymous
| Flowers for Algernon |
Anonymous
| Murderbot is a series of sci fi novellas— very quick easy reads, fun with a little bit to think about. |
Anonymous
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Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Billy Summers by Stephen King John Marrs writes great books with a light sci-fi or speculative fiction element without being too much. I highly recommend The One. |
Anonymous
| Might like Kaizu Preservation Society-- easy sci fi read |
Anonymous
| For historical fiction with a military focus: Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield. It's the story of "300" -- Leonidas and 300 Spartans vs. the Persians at Thermopylae. It's told from the perspective of a Spartan warrior, recalling his upbringing in the Sparta military system and going to battle. Every guy I've recommended this book to (DH, both my brothers, my dad...) has loved it. |
Anonymous
| What about The Martian? |
Anonymous
| Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller and the later prequel, How To Find Your Way In the Dark. |
Anonymous
| Long trip to a small angry planet |
Anonymous
| Second the gift card idea. But if you want something specific, How to be perfect: the correct answer to every moral question written by the creator of the Good Place. Definitely consider the audiobook, with guest appearances by members of the cast. Given that he is in college and has to read a ton already, an audiobook can be a nice change of pace. |
Anonymous
+1 I was going to post this |
Anonymous
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Remarkably Bright Creatures
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Anonymous
| Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow |