I'm 26, graduated college and can't remember the last book I've finished that wasn't a self help book. Must've been like Percy Jackson in 6th grade or something.
I'm desperately trying to become more witty and just improve my ability to articulate my thoughts. I think my solution is to read more books. Expand my vocabulary.
English is my second language, but if you talked to me in person you wouldn't even know because I don't have an accent. I say this because I've always struggled with reading and have always stayed away from it growing up. I can read at a low college level, but I don't enjoy it that much. I think that had to do with being forced to read books that I found super boring during school.
I say all this, just to give you guys a background as to who I am in hopes that it will help with being able to recommend the right book. I've been scrolling this subreddit for 30 minutes and I see all these suggestions and but I'm just overwhelmed. There's so many damn options.
I tried Red Rising yesterday, using Chatgpt to help me decide. I didn't like it after a few chapters, the main character was a major reason why. The dude seemed like a total douche and I didn't enjoy being in his head.
So now I come to you guys, in hopes that I finally find something to start. Since I don't have a history of books to provide you guys with a good reference point, I thought maybe I can give you a list of my favorite movies instead:
– Dune (I 've read a little bit, but got like a quarter in and stopped because I don't want to spoil the movies)
– Fargo ( I Iike the mystery and the little bits of comedy in this movie)
– The matrix (Love this series, the darkness of it and how dystopian it is, the fights, and the music)
– District 9 (One of my favorite alien movies, dystopian setting, pretty bleak and sad tho)
– Alien (The characters are all so good in this movie, the black guy is hilarious)
– Everything every all at once (I don't know, I just cried a lot during this movie)
– Parasite (The characters were all so human in this movie, I really appreciated that)
– The shining (Scary af, and there's so much mystery, I remember my first time watching thinking, wtf is even going to happen)
I think in general I like sci fi, with a mix of dystopian, future setting. Dune is literally what I should read but i realllllly don't want any of it spoiled. I figure it's something I'll read after all the movies come out. I know people say the books are always better, and I believe that, but I really like watching movies and not knowing what's going to happen.
I really appreciate anyone that takes the time to help me!
by Fat_people_jigle
7 Comments
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a must read/listen
Check out ‘Three-Body Problem’ by Liu Cixin
The Shining, The Long Walk, The Running Man – (by Stephen King)
Jurassic Park, The Lost World – (by Michael Crichton)
The Silo Series by Hugh Howe
With Dune, at least the first book, both movies cover everything that is in the book. So just watch the movies then read the book? Unless this is a bot running back an old thread?
If not dune, give the Expanse a try if you want sci-fi and Alien.
Maybe Murderbot?
“Do androids dream of electric sheep?” By Phillip Dick. It’s a really good book, and it hooks you from the start.
You might like *Sphere* by Michael Crichton. Similar tone to a lot of what you listed, and very easy to read. Perfect for getting back into it.
Another good option might be *Hull zero three* by Greg Bear, or *Ship of fools* by Richard Russo. These are a bit denser but I think still good intro books.
Denser still you might like *City at the end of time* by Greg Bear, or *Revelation Space* by Alastair Reynolds.
If you want to go a slightly different scifi direction that’s still pretty dark but not *quite* as dystopian or horrific, you could try the *Final architecture* trilogy by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Very well done and diverse characters, and the writing is still simple enough it shouldn’t burn you out as an intro book. It’s also just my favorite new scifi series in recent memory.
Some other great options for you might be the *Lilith’s brood* trilogy by Octavia Butler and *Binti* by Nnedi Okorafor.
Kannazuki series by Yuka Miura.
All those characters do is argue and bicker. Sure there is some action/violence/plot thrown in there but the banter is top notch.
Also Key to Midnight by Dean Koontz. Its a great character study as well.