I feel the same way about Jane Austen. I find her occasionally funny, but more often tedious.
As for reading suggestions....
Hmm.
1) Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising trilogy, since you seem to like sff. It's technically a children's series, but it's allusive and engaging and so good.
2) Again in the sff vein, Orson Scott Card's Ender books. Dunno if you've read them yet, but if not, you ought to give them a try.
3) Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy. I would recommend this to almost anyone, really (other than those people who would object strenuously to depictions of homosexuality). And you'd probably get more out of it than I do, since you would understand more of the cultural references.
5) And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts is one of the few nonfiction books I think everyone should read. It's a saga of the early years of the AIDS epidemic, especially as it was dealt with in the US. A little bit political at times, and probably the most distressing book I've ever read, but important.
no subject
As for reading suggestions....
Hmm.
1) Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising trilogy, since you seem to like sff. It's technically a children's series, but it's allusive and engaging and so good.
2) Again in the sff vein, Orson Scott Card's Ender books. Dunno if you've read them yet, but if not, you ought to give them a try.
3) Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy. I would recommend this to almost anyone, really (other than those people who would object strenuously to depictions of homosexuality). And you'd probably get more out of it than I do, since you would understand more of the cultural references.
4) The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago is another one I'd recommend to almost anyone. It's a fairly difficult read -- not least because Saramago has an aversion to quotation marks -- but it's wonderfully complex and fulfilling.
5) And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts is one of the few nonfiction books I think everyone should read. It's a saga of the early years of the AIDS epidemic, especially as it was dealt with in the US. A little bit political at times, and probably the most distressing book I've ever read, but important.