If you like HP then you would like...

I was wondering, what other books do you think Harry Potter fans would like? I'm trying to come up with a list. So far I have a few suggestions like Pendragon and Artemis Fowl

Does anyone have any more suggestions?

Anything by Diana Wynne Jones, but Charmed Life is a good place to start, or maybe The lives of Christopher Chant.

I think Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Definitely Diana Wynne Jones. I'd recommend Dogsbody in addition to the books tardis mentioned.

Other suggestions:
-Diane Duane's Young Wizards books (starting with So You Want To Be A Wizard).
-Mistress Masham's Repose, by T. H. White (especially if the hypothetical fan likes the Dursley scenes).
-Stardust and possibly Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman (not that Gaiman's other work isn't also good, but those two are the ones that would correlate most strongly with liking Harry Potter, I think.)

I just finished reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and I think it's perfect for adult readers of HP.

Another work that HP earned a lot of comparisons to (and not too little criticism, considering their similarities) is Neil Gaiman's Books of Magic. That's a particular favorite graphic novel of mine, published in the early 90's. While I've only seen the movie (and I know there stark differences), Howl's Moving Castle seems like it would also be a good match.

I would recommend two of John Christopher's trilogys: The Tripods Trilogy (The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire) and the Sword of the Spirits Trilogy (Prince In Waiting, Beyond the Burning Lands and The Sword of the Spirits. While the stories might not be "wizards and magic", I enjoyed them for the same sorts of reasons I enjoyed the Harry Potter books... Their ongoing, epic nature and the fact that they had darker, more mature storylines (for YA novels.) The worlds they take place in might be a little different than Potterverse but I think the level of fantasy involved in visiting them is equivalent. If I recall, I the Sword of the Spirits series was more on the fantasy side of the fence and Tripods Trilogy was straight-out science fiction.

I haven't read them, but I hear the Charlie Bone books are supposed to be very good for fans of Harry Potter. I plan on finding them ... at some point :-)

I liked the Charlie Bone books but I think they're aimed at a slightly younger audience. The author, Jenny Nimmo, also wrote the Snow Spider trilogy which is very good.

John Christopher's books are a great recommendation. They're very well-written. John Wyndham has some great books too - The Chrysalids is my favourite.

Perhaps the Phillip Pullman His Dark Materials trilogy? They are just wonderful books.

Breaking the trend of fantasy recs here, I would highly recommend any and all books (including her letters) by Jane Austen. Rowling herself has stated that she is influenced by her and it is visible in the way she treats her characters; sometime she has very "comedy of manners" type of scenes in her HP books.

For the uninitiated into Austen try:

1) Persuasion - Anne Elliott was once persuaded to refuse the proposal of the man she loved and, 8i years later, is still unmarried and stuck with a family that cares nothing for her. She is no longer as pretty as she once was, but chance happens to stick her and her former beau together...

2) Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet is the second oldest of five daughters of a respectable, but not very well-off family. Due to heireditary entanglements on their father's land, Lizzy and her sisters must marry well if they are to be provided for beyond the merest pittance when her father dies. Chance, it seems, favors Lizzy for a very wealthy man soon falls into their company. Too bad they can't stand each other.

This book is the standard to the the romantic comedies where the hero and heroine bicker before falling into each other's arms. Definately a favorite book.

There's always The Bartimaeus Trilogy too, I've found them quite delightful - the hero isn't too heroic, actually one wonders if he's likeable all the time.

I recommend the Bartimaeus Trilogy. There is also a really good author who does all kinds of magic stuff. His name is T. A. Barron, and he wrote a 5-set series all about the lost childhood of Merlin. It tells about what happened to Merlin in the time when he was a teenager, when no one kows what happened to him. He also wrote a trilogy about Avalon, a world that all came from a seed Merlin planted. I love those books!

I've also heard that Cornelia Funke is good for Harry Potter fans, although I haven't read her yet (I'm waiting to get the books in German).

I would second the Phillip Pullman recommendation and HIGHLY recommend The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea. It explores Celtic mythology through the story of two children getting pulled into an alternate world to help prevent the horrible Morrigan (3 goddess of war, destruction, etc.) from regaining the power she had in days of yore. Magic, mythology and humor. It was my favorite book as a child, and I've often read it as an adult as well - just as good now!

Jasper Fforde's books might be of interest to some; I just finished all four Thursday Next books and quite enjoyed them.

jbd1, so far I have only read the first one, but I am ready for the next three!

I absolutely hate people who call Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell "Harry Potter for adults," but I think people in general who enjoy Harry Potter would enjoy the book if they're not annoyed by its length.

Sykil, I agree with you. I heard it myself and loathe it!
The book is excellent, in fact one of my favourites.

May I wholeheartedly second the offering of The Hounds of the Morrigan? That is a fantastic book! Cornelia Funke's work is great as well, though I think Inkheart is her best, along with the sequel, Inkspell. Great awareness of the world she's created and the nature of storytelling.

HP fans might also dig Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky, the former of which was so incredibly funny I almost fell out of bed laughing. Appeals to those who enjoy Rowling's one-liners and classic humor.

Finally, there's a new book out, part of what I believe will be a trilogy (but don't quote me on that). It's called Fly By Night, by Frances Hardinge. I don't enjoy the unfortunate US cover (the UK one is so much better, despite the lack of Helquist artwork), but the story is magnificent and very well-written.

All of these are YA books and can be found in the children's section, though Pratchett might be in teen.

I also like Cornelia Funke and Terry Pratchett! I would also say that most people (though it also is aimed at a slightly younger audience) should try The Phantom Tollbooth, which is an excellent novel!

I think some wonderful books along the lines of Harry Potter are The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper and the Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander.

My 15 y.o. son's choices are the Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale, Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan and Eragon/Eldest by Christopher Paolini.

I'd also have to second the mention of Diane Duane -- the Young Wizards series, which starts with So You Want to Be A Wizard has been a favorite since I was a teenager.

I love Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen, as well as the Arrows trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. I think both of those share similar aspects to the Potter books. Oh, and pretty much any of Tamora Pierce's books.

Authors I've started reading because of Harry Potter include Dorothy Sayers (mysteries) and Antonia Forest (boarding school and holiday adventures of one family).

I'd ditto the Diana Wynne Jones and Susan Cooper recommendations and add Alan Garner and Margaret Mahy - The Haunting, Tricksters and The Changeover. Maybe Victor Kelleher too - The Hunting of Shadroth, Taronga, Parkland.

Much maligned, but nonetheless enjoyed, Chris Paolini's Eragon and Eldest. For adults who have done a lot of Fantasy reading it might seem derivative, but for soeone new to fantasy, its pretty fun.

Bartimaeus Trilogy Jonathan Stroud is also a very very good. Much better than Paolini, but a lot darker too.

In non fantasy Carl Hiaasen has written some pretty good Young Adult things, hoot and flush

what about Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke?

I second Eragon and Eldest - I thought they were pretty good, especially given the age of the author, although derivative, but my youngest son (now 14) LOVES them and is impatient for the third book and the movie.

I also recommend Airborn and Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel. They're set in an alternate universe where air travel is by huge dirigibles. In Airborn the hero is Matt Cruse, a 15 year old cabin boy on the giant luxury airship Aurora. There are pirates and weird flying creatures and shipwreck and an intrepid girl co-adventurer named Kate de Vries. In Skybreaker Matt is a year older and attending the Paris Airship Academy, from which he takes off with Kate on an dangerous aerial treasure hunt.

my dad read that book (jonathan strange and mr norrell)

I know that Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has been touted as the "adult" Harry Potter, but I think that's a bad description. Two totally different systems of magic and styles of writing.

However, the book was very good, so I recommend it.

Yes, waiting4morning, I heard that too and think it is absolute nonsense. The book is excellent, though.

I'll third the Susan Cooper recommendation and add that Peter Dickinson was probably the most imaginative and challenging writer for chidren throughout the seventies and eighties - does any Brit here remember the telly series 'The Changes' where all machinery stopped and the heroine tracks it all back to a certain groggy wizard? He is very wide ranging and I think still writing, and has covered everything from Merlin to child soldiers to Ancient Egypt via a girl waking in a chimps body to the first humans... you name it, he writes about it engagingly and intelligently.

Is that the same Peter Dickinson who is married to Robin McKinley? They put together a great collection of short fantasy stories called Water Tales of Elemental Spirits. I highly recommend McKinley's The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown to fans of HP, especially those who are interested in finding strong heroines in fantasy fiction. I've enjoyed all of McKinley's novels--she does some wonderful fairy tale retellings, including Rose Daughter, which isn't necessarily for kids, but is a wonderful read for anyone interested in the story of Beauty and the Beast.

How about The Hobbit? Or The Lord of the Rings, although some HP fans might find it a bit rough going. And a totally different series that I have just loved is the Artemis Fowl series by Eion Colfer. His book The Supernaturalist is good too, but not as much fun as Artemis Fowl.

A much older series that I enjoyed was the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. The first book is The Book of Three, I think. They made a terrible Disney movie out of The Black Cauldron, but don't be fooled, it's a great book. This series is great for young kids, but I admit, I still like it. And for girls, my kids enjoy the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. It has a very unconventional princess as the heroine. The first in the series is Dealing With Dragons. And I loved The Chronicles of Narnia.

And finally, another vote for Diana Wynne Jones. I just bought The Dark Lord of Derkholm; great for older readers of Harry Potter. Some wonderful stuff about families and about war, which fits right into the later HP books.

CMB

The Charlie Bone books are definitely derivative of Harry Potter - and I don't mean that as an insult because I really like them and wish she would write more. They're kind of like Harry Potter meets the X-Men - I love that all the kids have different "talents".

Also, I don't know if anyone has mentioned Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Fans of Harry Potter will probably like those as well - The first is The Lightning Thief, in which Percy learns that he is the child of a Greek god and is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt (hence the title) and the second book - The Sea of Monsters - just came out and I haven't had a chance to read that one yet.

I recommend The Imagicators by Brad Marshland. In it, magic isn’t about wands and spells. It’s about the power of using one’s own imagination.

I'll second The Imagicators. It just came out, and it's wonderfully creative, with a whole new take on magic.

I'll also second Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials series. And also the Garth Nix series that starts with Sabriel.

I haven't heard of the Olympian series. I'll have to look for it.

CMB

How about the Septimus Heap - Trilogy by Angie Sage?

I've only read the first book so far....

Artemis Fowl?! Couldn't stand it back when i read the first one before it was a series, just didn't seem that engaging to me. Pendragon however, might just be worth a try.

Um, I think I broke something.

Anyway, as I was saying: I hear good things about the Septimus Heap books and have been thinking about trying them myself.

Another series which I don't believe has been mentioned is Neil Gaiman's Books of Magic graphic novels. They precede Harry Potter and come highly recommended.

I like the Septimus Heap books as well. I especially like Cornela Funk's Inkspot and Inkspell.

Le Guin's Earthsea series? Timeless classic though it doesn't have the "real world" connection that many HP readers might like.

Neil Gaiman only wrote the first Books of Magic volume, which is by far the best. The others were penned by John Ney Rieber. There were another 50 issues of the comic book written by someone else that haven't been collected yet. Then there's a mid-teens book called The Names of Magic, followed by the late teens Hunter: Age of Magic (uncollected as of yet) and the adult-themed Books of Magick: Life During Wartime series, which just came out last year.

Thanks for clearing that up. I was referring to the volumes Gaiman actually wrote--I stopped paying attention when he stopped being associated with it. :)

Has anyone read the Edge Chronicles? I have Beyond the Deepwoods, Stormchaser, and Midnight over Sanctaphrax on my shelf but haven't yet read them. The series is something like seven books long, and I want to read it, but I haven't heard enough about them to shift the series to the top of my "to read' pile.

Like Harry Potter, The Imagicators is a fantasy that can be enjoyed equally by my 12 year old son, my 10 year old niece, and my 40-year old cousin. It's a rare book that appeals to that wide-ranging an audience.

I second Wrede and Pierce, especially for girls. I dimly remember liking Wizard's Hall.

I of course second The Lord of the Rings and associated materials, and all things Terry Pratchett, for all slightly more mature readers who like British things.

The younger Harry Potter reading set might like stuff by Bruce Coville? I haven't read his stuff in years but I loved it when I was younger, especially Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (which I don't own but, at nearly 20, am considering going out and buying).

Just came across a sugesstion after looking at Susan Cooper's brilliant though slightly dated dark is rising and that I really enjoyed as a child Alan Garner particularly Owl Service and weirdstone.

For Older Harry Potter fans, you might want to check out Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. Its a series about a wizard named Harry Dresden that works as a private eye. The best way I can think of to describe it is Harry Potter crossed with old detective noir sort of stuff. However, the series isn't really for kids, its dark (emotionally), violent (some of the crimes are pretty gruesome), and there are sexual undertones to some of the stories (there's a kind of vampire that sucks the life out of its prey during sex). That said, its an amasing series and highly recommended.

#39 I agree, I read Artemis Fowl and was really turned off. If you want your magical protagonist to be Bart Simpson and the action to feel like a video game, enjoy. For me it was torture.

I recently listened to an audiobook of Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan. Some of the plot threads seem to veer off and never be resolved, but I found the story engaging and definitely plan to look more into the series!

Well I think that some of you would like The City of Ember Series

I think Inkheart, The Golden Compass, and A Series of Unfortunate Events were all good.

The Wolves Cronicles by Joan Aiken The Little Book Room Swallows and Amazons and the rest of the series by Arthur Ransome Taryn Wanderer and the rest of the series by Lloyd Alexander

I don't think any of those have been mentioned

And update to add that since I posted, I have read all three of the Percy Jackson books and I totally loved them. My 11 year old boy is hooked too and has told his friends about them, which is high praise in my opinion.

My teenage daughters are huge fans of the Twilight books, but that's one that wouldn't work for everyone. And thanks for the tip on the Faerie Wars. They have that one on audio at my library and I was wondering if my 13 year old would like it. It sounds good.

CMB

I recommend The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. Quite good read.

I tell everyone..if you liked HP then you will LOVE theRanger's Apprentice series. It's not as in depth as HP but the story is original and a great read. I loved it!

I didn't see anyone mention James Dashner's A Journal of Curious Letters or Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians

I hear that the Twilight series is really good

ya think?

;)

Hey...anyone who says Twilight's not good is speaking a different language. I think the language is called "Blasphemy".
*swoons* Edward...

It may already have been said,
but The Golden Compass is really good too, a little offensive, but HP can considered offensive to some people too.

OOOHH!!! I just noticed Un Lun Dun hasn't been mentioned on this thread!!!

It's a really cute YA fantasy with a lot of clever wordplay a la The Phantom Tollbooth. It's definitely in the category of YA book that adults could enjoy and I highly recommend it!! :)

i highly recommend......
The Lost Years of Merlin Series and The Great Tree of Avalon Trilogy, both by T.A.Barron

Ender's Game Series, by Orson Scott Card

DEFINATELY the Twilight series, by Stephenie Meyer

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

Pendragon, by D.J.MacHale

Inheritence Trilogy, by Christopher Paolini

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S.Lewis-DUH
I also warn people to stay away from anything written by Philip Pullman

>#64: why stay away from pullman?

well, at the risk of being highly offensive to anyone, pullman's books are about killing God. don't you see something wrong with that?? i mean, helloooo!!! killing God. That idea is, for lack of a better word, straight from the pit, if you know what i mean.

#66 -- There's a thread from, oh, a long time ago, about Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series -- I'll see if I can dredge it up. Opinion on the series is split, and not just for religious reasons, but for literary ones as well. I'd also note that there's nothing about killing God in Pullman's Sally Lockheart books. They're historical mysteries, rather than fantasy, though, so they don't really work in the context of this thread ;-)

uh, the books of his that i've read are not about killing god. But that topic is probably not a good discussion to get into in this group - no offense Harry. Let me know if you want to continue the discussion off-group - i'll leave you a message. Cheers ;)

Good suggestion, MrA! There's a thread on The Golden Compass here:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=25533

You can continue the discussion there, if you'd like, and then the rest of us can chime in.

His Dark Materials Spoiler

I enjoyed the His Dark Materials trilogy. I don't recommend it to others because I found some parts tedious reading. I just want to put it out there that The Authority, whom Lord Asriel wants to kill, is not God. He is only the first Angel, he made people and other angels believe he is god. I can see how religious people would find this offensive.

edited because I think that the phrase religious types is disgustingly condescending. That's not me. sorry.

>69 foggidawn:
ok, thanks foggidawn.
and no offense taken andrew.

#66 harry:
Welcome the HE. I worry that puts people on edge. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, but we are a group of friends not wishing religious argumentation because our belief systems strongly vary. Perhaps you ought to bring this up in one of the religious groups on LT. I think it's more suitable.
As for His Dark Materials, it all depends on your interpretation, really and truly. Everyone gets a different message out of it. I didn't see a single thing about god in that series and have adored Pullman's books since I first discovered them. In it I see bravery, loyalty, new friendships, and adventure.

#70 first angel, now that reminds me of something, what was it. oh, yeah, a religious narrative. something about the devil.

I have no opinion as that is on my TBR pile, but I do remember reading that Pullman was inspired by Paradise Lost. I could be remembering incorrectly...

Rissa, I have the bible all jumbled up. All I think I know about the devil, is that he started out as one of God's favorite angels but then he lead a revolt and was cast to hell. *waggels eyebrows* pretty impressive for an non-believer??

#74--> JP, I read that too.

So, how about them Yankees?

#74 - I've heard that too jp but I haven't read Paradise Lost so I can't confirm it.

#75 that's what I was getting at.

I don't really even know what Paradise Lost is about.

Another person who hasn't read Paradise Lost. Who wrote it?

Someone called Milton. I don't know much about him, and I most certainly haven't read anything by him. I need to broaden my mind by extensive reading (gah! more pride and prejudice! get out of my head!!)

Thanks, suge! I haven't read anything by him, either.
"...broaden your mind..." ... I was thinking of Prisoner of Azkaban. ;) I am so in need of a Pride and Prejudice reread!

Ahhhh!!!!! Okay, John Milton wrote Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained they are epic poems in the tradition of Dantes Inferno series. The crux is as suge said, that Satan was a former angel who rebelled against God and is cast from heaven. There are amazing battle scenes (think the Illiad) as well as some very interesting ideas about Satan. However, it is only a story and is not Biblical canon, so a clergyman would never say that it is a truth of Faith. It's just fun to read and think about.

I have yet to read His Dark Materials but I intend to borrow my sister's copy when she is done with it, because as I said in another thread, I refuse to let others tell me what to think about a book. I will make up my own mind whether I think it's an Atheist manifesto or not. (I actually rarely have a problem with these kinds of books anyway, I thought the controversy over Da Vinci Code was stupid, we should have concentrated more on how unfortunate it was that he was such a bad writer!

The author is an atheist. Some of his characters have a grudge against the powers that be. That's all I saw.

bib, I'd love to hear your take on those books. I read the first two, but haven't gotten around to the last one.

I thought the controversy over Da Vinci Code was stupid, we should have concentrated more on how unfortunate it was that he was such a bad writer!

*laughter & quiet applause*

Eeek hasn't read Paradise Lost ??? I have read it twice for classes and once on my own. It is really the story of the fall in Christianity as dramatized by Milton and truthfully since that passage in Genesis is rather short a lot of what is the Christian idea of the fall comes from Milton. It is also a great epic poem.

However- and I suspect this is what appeals to Pullman. Satan in Paradise Lost is asking why he should be subjegated. His language in the story is pretty persuasive- and really he is expressing some of the humanist flowering of the Renaissance -this expansive desire to be more. In some ways Milton made him too appealing or sympathetic. He embodies that same human striving. So the striving of Asriel Lyra etc. and the sense of being held back by the magisterium are similar.

Sorry to become all nerdy there for a minute I studied this so it all comes back.

Yes Pullman is an atheist and he has spoken in ways that offend people in interviews. Are the books good as a stand alone work of Fantasy, yes. Are they a threat to Christianity which has managed just fine for a couple thousand years- I don't think so. Will they be used as a lightning rod for people with various agendas most certainly.

Wow I should have moved this to the rant thread - sorry

83 Agreed. Eek bad two page chapters. (I suppose I am unfairly criticizing a book I didn't read but I read the first 10 pages and couldn't stand it.) That book was already written by Umberto Eco who has a prose style.

Eek and a Harvard symbologist? Semiotics is an actual field- Of which surprisingly it is what Umberto Eco is a professor.

Wow I am full of rants today- lack of sleep

#81 & 84 -
*grumble grumble*
Adding Paradise Lost to my freakishly long TBR list...
*grumble grumble*

Okay, see this is why I love this place so much. We can have discussions like this, which are respectful and meaningful and also have discussions about the best way to eat chocolate! Is there anywhere better?

lg, I'll let you know when I've read them. Holly's still working on them, but when she's done....

Mar: you were able to explain it better than I was, I read Milton in college, but it's been nearly 10 years since that class now. I feel like I should go find it and read it again now!

I actually like books with short chapters sometimes. I used to bring James Patterson books to read before classes started in college, the chapters were so short, you could always finish one between the time you sat down and the time the prof started! I think the thing with Dan Brown is that if it were a better writer writing them, the subject matter could be interesting. (There actually was another author who wrote a similar story as well who sued Brown, his was even worse, I couldn't finish it and I can't remember the author's name or the title of the book!)

Thanks bib. Yeah I don't mind short chapter structure. I love Natsume Soseki but yeah there was a whiff of badness that even 10 pages could detect.

If you like the subject matter you might read Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. It is not as easy to read as his The Name of the Rose but entertaining. It starts with a murder in a cathedral. He has a much better grasp of history, philosophy and literature.

Now where is the chocolate thread. . .

The DaVinci Code bored me to tears. I figured it would be more interesting to someone who was religious.

#81 bib:
Thanks.

#84 Mar:
I'll probably get to it in one of the lit classes I'll have to take someday. :)

#84 - Sympathetic devils. Yes. I felt that way when I read The Brothers Karamazov as a teenager. I felt very sorry for Dostoyevsky's devil.

I've read a lot of adaptations of classics the past few years. Finding things that the kids can grasp. There was a nice children's adaptation of Paradise Lost that I read with my son a few years ago. Can't recall who did it. It might help anyone who feels intimidated by the meatier classics if they pick up an adaptation first to whet their appetite for the story. Caveat: I have been annoyed by some glaring omissions and story changes in some children's editions.

Ok so hasn't anyone enjoyed, if read, the core series to Dragonlance? You know: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night and Dragons of Spring Dawning. And any other Dl books. I LOVE them!

Also what about the Myst trilogy?

Oh and I totally agree that anything by Tamora Pierce totally rocks. I started reading those when I was in fourth grade and here I am nearly finished with my junior year of college and I can't wait to go home for the summer to re-read them. What does that say about me, I wonder?

This might surprise people, but I ACTUALLY liked the Da Vinci Code and Brown's writing style in it. Maybe it's because I read DVC before Angels and Demons, but I though Angels and Demons was a complete DVC rip-off and his writing style sucked. He seemed a bit vague in A&D, but his style was a lot more simpler in DVC, which might be why I enjoyed it so much more.
I am an atheist, so the whole religous tone didn't bother me; on the whole, I was quite amused by it.

#91 - MEEEEE!!!!
*waves hand wildly in the air*

I read and loved the original Weis & Hickman DL books - the ones my friends and I refer to as "Dragons of Seasonal (Blank)" and "(Blank) of the Twins" - back in high school and they remain some of my all time favorite fantasy books. Great stories, great characters and all around wonderful adventures!!!

I also really love R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms stuff especially the Dark Elf Trilogy and the Icewind Dale Trilogy - now marketed as The Legend of Drizzt. Great great great books!!!

#81 I didn't say biblical, that was suge, I said religious narative, which it is.

and I liked the Da Vinci Code, not enough to read it again, but I didn't dislike it.

I wasn't saying that anyone had said it was Biblical, I was simply making sure that no one would think that it was!

whoa! I heard my (aww this dog is a nightmare!! *goes off and lets Cocoa out*) name. What? What?

I was actually saying, that Pullman's books share parallels with certain religions here on Earth, but that I didn't find that he was attacking any religion, he was telling a story about events that happened elsewhere. Some one on this thread, way up there said that Pullman's books were about killing God, I said that (SPOILER) Lord Asriel was trying to kill The Authority, whether these two can be considered one and the same, I leave to your individual judgements.

I'm an Atheist also, and nothing in these books bothered me either.

I'm glad that I'm not the only DL lover here. I would be worried about this group if I were. Haha. I haven't read any of the DL Elf- series yet but I have read the Meetings, Tales, and I am going to be reading Preludes this summer. Hopefully I get a chance to re-read HP7 too.

I also read Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. I have heard that LT users aren't very fond of it but I have yet to read any bad comments myself. We shall see...Muahahahaha! jk.

I am another person who thought DaVinci Code was okay. I liked Angels and Demons better, though, and would be more likely to reread that one. I don't see it happening any time soon, though.

92: Wingert: Did you know Angels and Demons was written and published first?

jk? THE jK?

98- Yes I did.

#98 I actually liked Angels & Demons better too. I think this is mostly because I loved the explanation given of "Why does God let bad things happen to good people" though. As I think I said, think the subject matter would be much more interesting in the hands of a better writer, however, if you're looking for a fast, fun thriller than both books do fit the bill.

we had to tell my mom that she shouldn't read either Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code, she doesn't do well with gore.

Angels & Demons certainly was gory, I didn't think Da Vinci Code was too bad though.

An interesting sidenote, since I double posted I'll use this for it. I read Da Vinci Code as an ARC. Border's decided they were going to pick a new book a month and have all of their employees read it before it came out, then it was our job to talk it up. We only did two though, that was the first one, the second was The Devil Wears Prada.

my mom wouldn't have been able to read the Da Vinci Code, even with it not being "too bad"

Ok sorry to bust up this Davinci Code/Angels and Demons chat but aren't we supposed to be letting people know what else they would enjoy reading if they like HP?

I think people might enjoy Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality book series:
On a Pale Horse
Bearing an Hourglass
With a Tangled Skein
Wielding a Red Sword
Being a Green Mother
For Love of Evil
And Eternity

What? I'm confused....is there a point to this thread?

;)

Yeah...well it is entitled "If you like HP then you will like..." So I thought we were supposed to be giving ideas of what people might also like if they like HP...did I miss something? It is quite possible I did. Haha.

Awww! Newbies are so cute! I remember doing that. Trying to bring threads back to topic. And now I'm so random I need my own threads to help contain some of my randomness. ;o)

Another book I recommend is Little White Horse. This was Jo's favorite book as a child and a source of inspiration for HP. Even though it's a little "girly," I still liked it- for a guy.

#99 suge:
*hugs* Too cute. Don't we all wish. :)

#110 jp:
Ditto. :)

grrr! *scrolls, huffing and puffing all the way up to #99 to see what k is talkign about* Thanks, K!

we are adrift in a sometimes turbulent sea of randomness. where these currents will take us, none of us know. BEWARE OF THE THREAD!

LOL you'll learn fast summer, threads rarely stay on topic for long, but you should always feel free to post on the original topic if you have something to say, none of us will mind!

#113 suge:
You're welcome! :)

A really good series is Maximum ride. It's about these that are genetically changed at birth so they have wings. They are always being chased by eraser part wolf hitmen. It is a really really good series!
Lily