UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Hi guys

I've been trying to find some new authors, or new books to read of late. I've hit a few brick walls and I'm not finding much I really like. I've liked a few, but I could do with some more. Obviously I own a Kindle, so I don't mind just ebook recommendations. I like realistic fantasy, the type of story set in a realish life, but with a fantastical element. A footstep off reality's path if you know what I mean. I have my own book Bring me the head of Turlington Jones, which if you have a look at you'll get the gist of what I like.

So any recommendations would be great.

Hmmm.

Bit of cheeky self promo there, Gavin.

I'll just shift this to the reccies area.

Wizard's First Rule & The Name of the Wind are well worth a look.

And as we're self promoting in this thread, you could perhaps take a look at Alloria

Running away now before Patti comes back.

A story set in a realish life but with fantastic elements, eh?

Can't. Resist. The. Temptation.

Love, Death and Tea



Sorry, Patti!

I didn't mean it as self promotion. I really do want some author and book recommendations. I used my example to show the sort of books I like reading. Sorry if I stepped over a boundary.

Don't worry. I think we've just jumped over the same boundary with you.

Patti will sort it all out with her usual firm hand.

And wizards, magic and zombies are a bit too far off reality's path for me. Sorry guys.

I don't want this t be a self promotion thread either. I want books or authors people have actually read. Thanks

Then maybe you need to be a bit more precise about "a fantastical element"? Cos most people will read that as having something to do with fantasy.

The way that Goodreads works is that you enter the books you have read and review them. GR then offers you books that are similar the ones you liked.

Or you meet up with folks with similar tastes to you and they make direct recommendations. But that can only really happen if you tell them the sorts of books that you like.

Will wrote: "Don't worry. I think we've just jumped over the same boundary with you.

Patti will sort it all out with her usual firm hand."

Or she'll just sit here and giggle.

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean by fantastical element if you don't want magic.

Do you mean like Game of Thrones kind of fantasy?

If you're looking for realistic fantasy, Gavin, have you tried anything by Juliet Marillier? She writes Celtic fantasy but the magic is very subtle. I've read lots of her books and there's not one I haven't enjoyed.

But maybe they're too historical for you?

What about Magic Kingdom For Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks? I quite enjoyed that, too.

Thanks Katie, I'll take a look.

When I say fantastical element I mean along the lines of say Philip Pullman and the His Dark Materials series.

Magic, dragons, and zombies are just a bit too far fetched for me. I know I'm being a bit vague, but if there is magic I'd like it to be more along the Harry Potter lines in that it is set in real life.

Harry Potter was set in real life?

Um...

Rather than in a made up magical land, HP is based in London in the present day.

I don't think I've read anything that you might like. Not that I can think of at any rate :o( I love everything fantastical and magical and the more unrealistic, the better!

You might like Gaff's book in that case: Inquisitor

Despite what the blurb states about a wizard, you probably would like The Name of the Wind. No magic at all in that book, in reality.

An alternate London, surely? It's a place where magic works and wizards and witches live amongst muggles. Hardly "real life".

It's a funny thing. If you described Harry Potter to most people who hadn't read it they would probably say "that's not my kind of thing". There's too much fantasy in it. I don't believe in magic. I don't want to read about wizards, giants, ogres, elves, etc.

But when they get overtaken by the hype and actually read the books, they find that they're not so bad after all. And then they might even try to claim that it's not fantasy.

Meanwhile, much better written books such as the "His dark materials" trilogy get overlooked because they don't have the same marketing hype. And people turn their noses up at it because they don't like fantasy. Or science fiction. Or something.

What a strange world we live in, eh?

You make a lot of sense there Will. Yes HP is an alternate London, just like His Dark Materials is a alternate Oxford, but it's that connection to real life I like.

In fact its not the magic that turns me off most Fantasy books, I think its the fictitious worlds. So maybe a bit of magic in my quest for new books would be OK.

I think you'll find that most well-written fantasy books will feature realistic characters if not "real world" locations. The fantastical elements are usually there to throw a spotlight on character.

Take a novel like Stephen King's "The Stand". You might call it fantasy or mild horror, and that could put you off. Its setting is small town America, but then King throws everything into chaos with a combination of science-gone-wrong plus the supernatural. In the end, the book is really about the ordinary Joes and Josephines trying to make sense of a difficult situation.

A reader might dismiss The Stand because it is mild horror. Or for the fantasy elements. And that would be a shame because those are only the trimmings. The main course is the interaction of characters.

That's one of the best reviews of The Stand I've ever read.

It's a great book.

It's my all time favourite book.

Patti (baconater) wrote: "It's my all time favourite book."

Mine also (well, one of them)

Gaff's books are set in a realistic UK. They're also a good read.

You can try Night Watch, Gavin. Meets your criteria perfectly:

Night Watch

I read that one and two more of his (because I made the mistake of buying them all first) and was a bit disappointed, but don't let me put you off!

If you like quirky detective stories set in London, the Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler might be acceptable, though I didn't like the first one, because it was set in the present day with flashbacks to 1940 and I found the plot too far fetched. Loved book 2, though. Two old codgers who have been working together for years and have completely different styles.
The Water Room

BJ started a similar thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
You might find something suitable recommended there

Well remembered, Nosemanny!

Some good stuff coming up here. I'm gonna check them out tonight.

As we seem to be on the self-promotion route here, can I plug my first novel, The Relic Keeper. It's basically a history of the next 50 years! The Relic Keeper

Interesting that you said you wanted 'real life' type stuff and mentioned Philip Pullman's books where kids cut through the walls of dimensions with a knife, have demonic soul-pets and wall through the land of the dead on the way to a meeting with Chorlton and the Wheelies. Not sure where the real life bit comes in really.

It's life, but not as we know it...

Since we are breaking all the rules here for a good cause, may I suggest "A Smattering of Darkness: Short and Shorter Twisted Tales"
It is real, has twists of the psyche and the supernatural shows up on occasion. New author, new book, new worlds to explore.

A Smattering of Darkness

What about Dean Koontz? Though he is an established name, his books are a quick and easy read, if you have not read him.

If we're all being cheeky, have a look at The Barefoot Runners by Jane Jago....

Jane wrote: "If we're all being cheeky, have a look at The Barefoot Runners by Jane Jago...."

Notice no one else self promoted Jane?

No, I didn't think so.

Didn't mean to step on anybody's toes. But. Alisha directly above?

I shall merely wave smugly and not self promote.

To be fair, so did Neil

Absolutely, we need to start a thread for we smug wavers where we never actually quite mention our books ;-)

Sometimes I sorta squint at posts so I don't actually see stuff.

But I think the spirit of this thread is for readers to share reccies.

There's plenty of other places for authors to promote.

Speaking of which, I'm loving Birds Without Wings.

Full of characters I truly care about. Now, if I just had some time off work so I can read it properly....

How about R. J. Trivett's Bubble of Time (Book One Lyonnesse Tales? Whimsical fantasy and only two murders violence-wise. He does have a disconcerting habit of full-stopping after closing speech and then starting the 'said' with a capital, but it's an enjoyable read, for all that.

House of Silence or Cauldstane
is that the kind of thing you mean?

Gavin wrote: "Hi guys

I've been trying to find some new authors, or new books to read of late. I've hit a few brick walls and I'm not finding much I really like. I've liked a few, but I could do with some more...."

You can try Collective Mind I read it on Kindle last month

I recommend your book to m friend.

Thanks,
Rennie Bottali

The Butterfly Garden. It was one of this months kindle first books and I really enjoyed it from start to finish

this book is must for action and spy lovers it has an interesting plot!

I'm reading this at the moment:

The Forest and the Farm

It's grittily realistic, set in a 'long ago' in an unspecified place and time when you had to make, grow or hunt everything that you needed in order to survive. There's a very mystical thread through it, such as the Forest that is depicted as a living entity that will kill anyone who does not obey its rules.

Gavin wrote: "Thanks Katie, I'll take a look.

When I say fantastical element I mean along the lines of say Philip Pullman and the His Dark Materials series.

Magic, dragons, and zombies are just a bit too far..."

Have your tried David Almond's "Skellig"? OK it is generally regarded as a childrens book, but the concept is surreal - finding a real life angel in your garage! It doesn't come more bizarre than that.

I've been enjoying Ben Aaronovitch series of alternate London books. They are set in modern day London where the Met has it's own (very small) unit to fight the demons of London.
The series is Peter Grant, the first book is Rivers of London.
Very entertaining reading

I can second the Ben Aaronovitch series, and The Name of the Wind.

And disagree that Philip Pullman is to be preferred to JK Rowling. Big sections of "His Dark Materials" seemed to me to have been lifted straight out of Ursula K Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea trilogy. (BTW if you've never read them,The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed are worth more than a look).

And finally, my own effort fits your bill, I think; The Spirit of the Age.