Favorite contemporary author

Mine would have to be John Grisham. Check out:

The Pelican Brief
The Partner
The Last Juror
The Brethren

Tom Clancy, Chuck Paulahniuk or Irvine Welsh.

(Although I've only read one book each of the last two so....)

Tok, have you read any grisham?

Dan Brown, James Patterson and early Clive Cussler books are all fantastic reads.

His books are alright I guess, but John Grisham is pretty up himself. Bit of a wanker.

don't really have a favourite but some of the best things i've read in the past 10-15 years will give you an idea of what I like

satanic verses: Salman Rushdie
midnight's children: Salman Rushdie
100 years of solitude: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
life of pi: Yann Martel
hi-fidelity: Nick Hornby

there's more but these are ones that I recommend to everyone as something to try if they've never read any of their books.

I've read some Grisham... the Partner was pretty good... The Pelican Brief was alright. Runaway Jury was good but kind of boring...

I've been reading old Stephen King books. Although he is extrmely prolific, the stories always keep my attention. I especially liked the Nightmares and Dreamscapes. I let some woman here at work borrow it but she got fired so I'll never see that again. I've got tons more of his stuff to read though. A friend of mine's mother had everything in paperback and hardback so she gave me all the paperbacks.

I need to look at more of Patterson's stuff. I've not read that Dan Brown book, that one that i can't remember the name of that caused the controversy..

The Da Vinci Code. Was alright, cheap ending though. Very Deus Ex and anticlimactic, which I don't enjoy. Haven't read his others but apparently they're pretty formulaic.

Haven't read any Grisham.

Tell you what I did enjoy though - Dean Koontz' The Taking

Harry Turtledove is a fun sci fi read, and Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars is a nice twist on Alice in Wonderland.

I would have to say that the best recent book that I've read was "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky.

I've read tons of SK books since the last time I posted in this thread. I've started reading medical fiction. I'm reading Robin Cook books in order of publication.

Perhaps I'll read a book published in this century sometime... haha.

satanic verses: Salman Rushdie



Very controversial person. Every word that comes out of his mouth is always controversial. Satanic Verses is considered blasphemous and I would say so myself as well.


Anyways many of my favorite authors has something to do with religious beliefs and life.

This book which it is for everyone because everyone can relate to it is called

Don't Be Sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarni

Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart : By Hamza Yusuf

I love Tom Clancy's stuff as well. His last book I read was called The Last Remorse.

I also love Paulo Coelho's book called The Alchemist

well, i read it as an outsider, not being at all religious but enough interest in creation myths in general (which includes related religious stories) to know the general gist of things.

what I liked about the book is how it deals with the superficial nature of (certain groups) of ALL religions. The fact that the author used Islam as his basis for the story is almost irrelevant to me, especially considering that it would be the one that he has most connection with.
As a piece of writing, the story it tells and the mythology of it (not the same as the interpretation of a religion) is a wonderful twist on expectations.
There is also a lot to be applauded in the way the book switched between time/situations/people and draws parallels not just between people directly but betwee ideas of people and how the same thing can be interpreted.
Like I said, I read it purely in terms of it being fictional literature, without the religious connotations.

I have to admit that the man is a bit of an arse and an obvious publicity whore but he does write some very good books (not anymore though, his last effort was a piece of hackneyed trite).
Midnights Children is another fantastic modern fantasy/fairy tale seeped in a version of history. That one is much better than Satanic Verses and the weaving of elements is much more successfull.

Have you read m/any of his books?
I mean no offence in this but can you see the Satanic Verses without the religious elements and the merits it might have?

Have you read m/any of his books?
I mean no offence in this but can you see the Satanic Verses without the religious elements and the merits it might have?

Yes I have read it. Its been almost 7 years since I've read that book. You have to understand that in Islam it is forbidden to make up stories about the Prophets. I do believe I've read somewhere where he claimed it to be 'non-fiction.' Regardless if its fiction or non fiction, still forbidden. You can say that his book is the Dan Brown's version of Da Vinci Code.

GREGORY MAGUIRE!! He wrote the book 'Wicked' which was turned into the broadway musical. I've heard the two are nothing alike...but he also has a bunch of other books out that are incredible. He's in my top 5 favorite writers. Here's some of his other titles:

'Lost'
'Ugly Stepsister'
'Son of a Witch'(sequel to Wicked)
'Mirror Mirror'

I also really like this book 'The Hallow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse' by Robert Rankin...there's also a sequel but I haven't read it yet. It was a very enjoyable book. Nothing deep and meaningful necessarily, but very fun to read.

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