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Need escape literature suggestions for myself


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I'm in survival mode, trying to do the bare minimum to keep my family functioning in the midst of pregnancy nausea. I mostly just want to curl up on the bed and escape from the world. I need something good to read, something I can disappear into. I tend to like fantasy and sci-fi, though I'm open to other suggestions as well. Books aimed at kids and young adults are fine too. Kindle availability is a plus. I don't want anything with explicit sex, otherwise I'm not very particular.

 

Doesn't have to be recent, it's actually been years since I read much fiction, and I've forgotten a lot of what I read as a teen. Suggestions?

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Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes

Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Philip Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep

Anything by Charles De Lint

Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

 

If you need something light - Coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle

 

Check out  James Rollins and his Sigma Force Novels (mysteries) or Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments series ( ya magical)

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I guess you've already thought about Tolkien for fantasy. CS Lewis's Space Trilogy is one of my favorite sci-fi reads. Ender's Game is good sci-fi. I have only read that one though there is a series. I just had read that the others aren't as good, so never tried them out.

 

For just feel-good escapism, I like Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies Detective Agency books. The title sounds awful, but don't be put off by it. Set in Botswana, the books are about relationships and transitions in a shift from traditional culture to modern culture. Very soothing.

 

A soothing Christian series is the Mitford books by Jan Karon. The books are about a little Episcopal parish in the mountains of NC. The priest is a loving, wise, bumbling, very human guy. I want to move to his parish someday. Those books are about relationships, too--relationships between God and various people, between husbands and wives, parents & children, neighbors, etc. and are about redemption. Though she wraps things up pretty neatly, which usually bugs me and is a reason I dislike a lot of Christian fiction, her characters are really lovable, and many of the relationship interactions are very real. I felt like I was gleaning some wisdom reading them.

 

I like to read mysteries to escape. Some favorite series are the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters (Set in Egypt while it was a British protectorate, it's tongue-in-cheek humor, very funny, very page turning as well!), Charles Finch's series about a MP in 19th century England is great, Tony Hillerman's books about a detective on a Navajo reservation lend insight into Navajo culture as well as being well-written mysteries, Laurie King's series on Sherlock Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell (I think?) The Beekeeper's Apprentice is the first one, I think. The Flavia de Luce books are very entertaining. A gifted and very mischievous 11 year old girl is the solver of the crimes. Dorothy Sayers Lord Peter Whimsey books are fun. Of course Agatha Christie wrote prolifically and well!

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Anything by Charles De Lint

Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

 

If you need something light - Coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle

 

Check out  James Rollins and his Sigma Force Novels (mysteries) or Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments series ( ya magical)

 

Urban fantasy is my favorite genre. I adore Charles de Lint, particularly the Newford stories. I'm also hooked on The Mortal Instruments and the prequel series The Infernal Devices. There is no better escapist fiction, as far as I'm concerned.

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When I was feeling tired last year I did like the Gail Carriger Soulless books (although the first two are a bit racy). Her YA series Etiquette & Espionage is set in the same world and much tamer. 

 

If you like Pride and Prejudice, Carrie Bebris has a follow up series where the Darcys solve paranormal mysteries. I enjoyed those as well. 

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I've recently joined the hordes of fans of Georgette Heyer.  She writes delightful, funny, clean romances set during the Regency period.  I recommend starting with Cotillion, The Grand Sophy, or Frederica.  

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I'm currently reading The Golem and the Jinni which I'm very much enjoying. Also in the genre of magical realism is The Night Circus which I loved. Someone upthread mentioned Alexander McCall Smith's detective series. I preferred his Isabel Dalhousie series set in Scotland about a philosopher who also solves various 'mysteries'. I put the word in quotes because they more often involve a lens on the tensions, contradictions and longings of the human heart and mind. Wonderful series but not a lot of plot, very much character-driven.

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Oh, I read Golem and the Jinni, too! Loved it,

Atlantis Gene, Atlantis Plague - sci-fi that I recently enjoyed, too.

Plus, I love going back and rereading old favorites, like. Betty Smith's books, Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Maggie Now, also Pearl S. Buck's stories and the How Green Was My Valley series of books by. Llewllyen

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Not sci-fi, but:

 

P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster books (personal favorite: The Code of the Woosters) as well as his Psmith series (favorite: Leave it to Psmith). Words can't describe the perfection. Love.  :001_wub:

 

(If you read the J&W books and like British TV series, the 1990-93 BBC series with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry is excellent (and hilarious!!))

 

I also really like Watership Down by Richard Adams. It's about rabbits. Don't let that deter you. We gave it as a birthday gift to someone once. She later told us she had thought: "Rabbits. . .ok, that's strange. . ." But she read it anyway and really loved it. It is masterfully written. He also did a sequel, Tales from Watership Down.

 

Hope you can find relief, or at least distraction, from your nausea. Prayers for endurance for you!  :grouphug:

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Not sci-fi, but:

 

P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster books (personal favorite: The Code of the Woosters) as well as his Psmith series (favorite: Leave it to Psmith). Words can't describe the perfection. Love.  :001_wub:

 

(If you read the J&W books and like British TV series, the 1990-93 BBC series with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry is excellent (and hilarious!!))

 

I also really like Watership Down by Richard Adams. It's about rabbits. Don't let that deter you. We gave it as a birthday gift to someone once. She later told us she had thought: "Rabbits. . .ok, that's strange. . ." But she read it anyway and really loved it. It is masterfully written. He also did a sequel, Tales from Watership Down.

 

Hope you can find relief, or at least distraction, from your nausea. Prayers for endurance for you!  :grouphug:

 

If you like Brit humor then there is no finer option than Jeeves and Wooster.  

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The Wheel of Time is 14 tomes long- tons of escape time there!

 

I also like Amish fiction when I just want to escape a bit- I love the ones set up as a series.  Wanda Brunstetter writes some of my favorite Amish fiction.

 

The Elm Creek quilting ones mentioned were also pretty good, though I stopped reading them at some point.

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I mostly just want to curl up on the bed and escape from the world.

 

 

I'll recommend The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir as it will certainly have you escaping from this planet!

 

 

"Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

 

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

 

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

 

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

 

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?"

 

 

It was an entertaining read, and I'm one who normally doesn't read science fiction.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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I just finished a book by Gail Tsukiyama, A Hundred Flowers. I've read almost all of her books, which take place in Japan or China.

I love all of Bill Bryson's books. They are all funny and I always learn lots of interesting tidbits.

Finally, I'm just beginning A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. As much as I read I cannot believe I haven't read this until now. It is fantastic.

None of these are sci-fi or fantasy, but they are all good.

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I'll recommend The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir as it will certainly have you escaping from this planet!

 

 

"Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

 

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

 

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

 

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

 

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?"

 

 

It was an entertaining read, and I'm one who normally doesn't read science fiction.

 

Regards,

Kareni

I really liked this book!

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Thank you all for the suggestions! I just finished re-reading Ender's Game and have started Frederica. Looking forward to enjoying more of these.

 

I feel so useless. I wish I could just hibernate. I keep telling myself in not really spending my days doing nothing, I'm spending my days growing a baby. And surviving. And reading stories.

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:grouphug:  on the nausea.

 

Youth Fantasy: I enjoyed the Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins. At a recent Homeschool Book Sale, the teen boy helping me carry my massive pile of purchases to my car spoke highly of the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini. It sounded intriguing and one of my sons is on a dragon kick right now, so that's on my summer TBR.

 

Youth Sci-Fi: DD needed a few sci-fi books for our library's summer reading program, and I'm reading along with her. We are both in process of reading A Wrinkle in Time (both the book and the graphic novel adaptation by Hope Larson) and City of Ember (both the book and the graphic novel by Dallas Middaugh). It's interesting to compare/contrast the book with the graphic adaptations.

 

Adult Sci-Fi: I have Redshirts by John Scalzi on my TBR list. Since I haven't read it yet, I'm not sure about questionable content or even if it's any good. How's that for a recommendation?  :lol:

 

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Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset.  It's a series of 3.

 

If you like that also, The Master of Hestviken by Sigrid Undset

 

These are really good novels, not too hard to read (though the norse names can get a bit tricky).

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Other sci-if/fantasy authors I like that haven't been mentioned:

 

Neil Gaiman

Patricia McKillip

Ursula LeGuin

Marion Zimmer Bradley (I like her sci-fi stuff better than her fantasy, personally)

Patrick Rothfuss

 

Patrick Rothfuss!!!  The Name of the Wind and the Wise Man's Fear are two excellent novels!  They are lengthy (if you're looking for a one day read this is probably not for you), extremely well written, and will totally draw you into the world. 

 

Also, the Brandon Sanderson Mistborn series I think is also well written, less lengthy, but still the type of novels that will have you immersed. 

 

They are both fantasy with magic in other worlds and light romantic interests but I don't recall any s*x scenes.  Mistborn series has a focus on a mostly female protagonist or shared with a male.

 

P.S. -- Hope you feel better soon!  I watched through almost all of the True Blood series on my last bedrest.

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Oh--I have some great suggestions!
The Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs
These are "cozy" mysteries set in Charleston--and oh! the atmosphere is fun.

And if you feel like escaping to Venice, but can't afford the transatlantic flight! Read this series by Donna Leon. The first one is:
Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

These are more serious, thoughtful mysteries with great character development of the Italian detective and his family.

 

 

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Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern series or Book of a Thousand Days.

 

I also have a few that I like that are more Indie authors:

 

Rebecca Ethington's Imdalind Series (the description is awful, but I enjoy them).  The first is free on Amazon. Her Through Glass series is also pretty good, although a bit darker.

 

E. M. Tippetts Someone Else's Fairytale and associated books.

 

I read a lot of fluff.  It is my escape instead of something like reality tv.  If all else fails, I'll head over to fanfiction.net and find a highly rated Pride and Prejudice book to read and send it to my Kindle.  These are my secret love. :)

 

 

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I've recently joined the hordes of fans of Georgette Heyer.  She writes delightful, funny, clean romances set during the Regency period.  I recommend starting with Cotillion, The Grand Sophy, or Frederica.  

... and don't forget Black Sheep!!

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This past year I toured the apocalypse/zombie genre and the books I really enjoyed were World War Z, Wool Omnibus, The Passage, One Second After, and I Am Legend. Excellent escapism, though One Second After might be too much for me if I was pregnant.

Wow, I've read all of these, too. Last night I finished Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory. One you might want to consider if you're into zombie lit.

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