Good reads for my honeymoon?

July 1, 2009 8:45 PM

Can you recommend some good beach reads for my honeymoon in a few weeks?

I'm getting married in a few weeks and we're taking a 9 day trip to the carribean. We're staying at a secluded, low-key resort and plan on spending a lot of time lounging around on the beach and on our deck... which means lots of time for reading. Genres I'm into include horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.


- In the last few years I've gone through most of Vernor Vinge and Dan Simmons' works. I'm looking for a new author to try out... hard SF is a plus, and the ability to tell a story well is also important.

-I wouldn't mind reading fantasy, but I don't want to get sucked into a long series that never ends. I made it through 7 books of Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series and 1.5 books of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, but I just don't have the patience (or time) for it anymore. I would, however, be willing to read a good one-book fantasy story

-I haven't been much into nonfiction, but on my last vacation I picked up Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil out of the ship library, and devoured it in 2 days. Anything like that?

-Finally, I'm interested in reading a really good historical biography... ideally in US history. Where should I start?

Thank you for your suggestions!

posted by mikeweeney to sports, hobbies, & recreation (23 comments total)

Also, I'm open to suggestions in other genres too... this is just what I'm normally into.
posted by mikeweeney at 8:49 PM on July 1

If you liked Garden of Good and Evil you might also really like Devil in the White City which is part the story of the Colombian World Exposition [yay US History] and part murder mystery. Also it's non-fiction.
posted by jessamyn at 8:51 PM on July 1 [2 favorites has favorites]

The Historian (Elizabeth Kostova). Slightly more intellectual than your average horror story, but ultimately just fun and very grippping. Perfect beach book!
posted by katopotato at 8:53 PM on July 1

I think a good historical biography would be about Ben Franklin- don't know any of the top of my head, but there are several.

My personal favorite that is a bit sci-fi, fantasy and a little horror combined is called
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Another good one that is none of the above, but still a great read is called
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

Lastly, if you've not had a chance to read the Twilight Series, you will probably love it.

Great book for hanging out on the beach.
posted by Chele66 at 9:06 PM on July 1

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I always recommend it for this sort of thing. Personally, I couldn't put it down (engrossing plot structure.) It's light and romantic (nice for beaches and honeymoons) and has the interesting fantasy/sci-fi (?) element: time travel, natch.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 9:18 PM on July 1

Blindsight by Peter Watts is really good hard SF.
posted by infinitewindow at 9:25 PM on July 1

You might like Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Sort of like fantasy, but not (I think his writing is usually called magical realism).
posted by lakeroon at 9:33 PM on July 1

One of the most entertaining series I ever read in the fantasy genre was the Empire Trilogy (Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts). More recently, I found Conn Iggulden's trilogy about Genghis Khan to be good times all around (and a nice easy read). In terms of classic American literature, I recently read and loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

My own tastes in beach reading are pretty specifically geared towards trash, however (it's usually too hot on the beach to think about things very deeply). If you feel like going that way, the original Valley of the Dolls book is very entertaining, as is Pillars of the Earth (I can't believe I just publicly admitted that I read that....egad!)

I just read Devil in the White City, and while it was good, I found myself skimming the bits about the World Fair to get back to the more interesting murder mystery story line. I liked Daughter of Fortune. Couldn't really get through Gabriel Garcia Marquez without way more effort than you'd really want to expend on the beach.

Will be following this thread with interest...always on the lookout for good books!
posted by Go Banana at 10:05 PM on July 1

The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo, anything by Kurt Vonnegut, and I love love love the Dexter series of books (yes, the show is based on books). Easy and riveting! Man, I wish I had a week of books and booty approaching! Congrats and enjoy.
posted by ShadePlant at 10:05 PM on July 1

The City of Falling Angels, by the same author as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, is really good. (as an aside, midnight in the garden is one of my favourite books. I have a pet bird named Dr. Buzzard, the dead voodoo priest in that book)
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:28 PM on July 1

Iain M. Banks' Culture novels, or The Algebraist, which I loved.
posted by transporter accident amy at 1:19 AM on July 2

ender's game by orson scott card.

won both the nebula and hugo award. i didn't actually have any idea what these were prior to reading this book, but if you are a sci-fi fan then you probably do.

there are several books in this series, ender's shadow would be a good follow up if you enjoy my initial suggestion.
posted by cheemee at 2:06 AM on July 2

Have you read The Terror by Simmons yet? That is a huge book so ideal for when you have a good chunk of time.

It isn't the hardest SF but have you read the new generation of scpace opera writers: Iain Banks, Al Reynolds, Peter Hamilton, etc? Richard Morgan is also an interesting, newish SF writer - try Altered Carbon - who has just started writing a fantasy trilogy. Then there is Anathem by Neal Stephenson which is a monumental work in more ways than one.

I am planning to take The Crimson Petal And The White by Michel Faber on my honeymoon because, again, it is massive.

Oh, and seconding The Time Traveler's Wife.
posted by ninebelow at 4:26 AM on July 2

I've read and enjoyed the Ender Series (both of them) and also the Terror. i recently watched the trailer for the Time Traveler's wife, and it looked interesting, so I think I may check the book out.

Thanks for your help so far, keep them coming!
posted by mikeweeney at 4:36 AM on July 2

Fantasy: Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy is perfect holiday material, interesting and very readable, not interminable. Ditto Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards books. Neil Gaiman's American Gods or Anansi Boys are standalone contemporary fantasy and also well worth the read. Guy Gavriel Kay has also written a number of excellent standalone fantasies, Tigana, and the Lions of Al-Rassan being my own favourites.

SF: Seconding ninebelow's SF author list, though I would also add Adam Roberts, Ken Macleod and Ian McDonald.
posted by Jakey at 5:28 AM on July 2

Anything by John Scalzi.

Old Man's War trilogy - Classic hard sci-fi - fast paced action with interesting characters.

Zoe's Tale - retelling of the third book in the trilogy from the POV of our hero's 17 year old daughter. Written for the YA audience - don't need to read to trilogy to enjoy this.

Agent to the Stars - a laugh out loud funny take on the classic what happens when we finally discover an intelligent alien race story.

The Androids Dream - A funny yet action packed "spy" story set in space. Full of intrigue, humor, and satirical commentary on modern politics.
posted by COD at 5:44 AM on July 2

Things my girlfriend and I have argued about is a book we actually bought on our honeymoon and then would steal from each other if one woke up first or went to the bathroom. A quick very fun read. Not what you usually read I know, but marriage is all about sacrifice.

Cryptonomicon was the first thing I thought of for you.

I do not understand the appeal of George Martin either.
posted by mearls at 5:47 AM on July 2

Two excellent fantasy books I've read recently were The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick (full disclosure: I know the author) and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, which I read on my own honeymoon. The former has a definite first-in-a-series narrative, which may not serve your interests here, but the latter stands up on its own very well.
posted by itstheclamsname at 6:08 AM on July 2

The first trilogy in the Symphony of Ages series: Rhapsody, Prophesy, and Destiny. [There are three more books in the series, kinda, but they're not as relevant and aren't as good, in my opinion.]

Seconding The City of Falling Angels, and Paris To The Moon is an excellent memoir, if you're interested in that sort of thing.
posted by alynnk at 7:30 AM on July 2

Fantasy:

Seconding Scott Lynch. His second book -- also about the same characters, but an independent story in its own right -- is called Red seas under red skies; his third is coming out some time soon. Another second for Niffenegger and for Scalzi (he is SF).

I enjoyed Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, which is Trolloppe with dragons. I also enjoy Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, which is sort of standalone. (A bit less than Lynch, rather like mystery writers who keep the same characters going.)

I love Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, though not everyone has. China Mieville writes brilliant stuff, but it's very dark, which you may not be interested in.

I have enjoyed Pandemonium, by Daryl Gregory. I like Kit Whitfield's books. I believe her second isn't out in the US yet, but the first is called Benighted and it's about werewolves, sort of. It's hard to describe.

Jonathan Carroll's earlier work is very good. I am most a fan of Sleeping in Flame.

I can't think of as much SF, but none of these are long, epic tales except JS&MN, which is a single, 1000 page book.

If you want historical fiction, consider David Liss. If you want non-fiction but not biography, consider Erik Larson. If you want mystery, consider Carol O'Connell or Minette Walters.
posted by jeather at 9:37 AM on July 2

For fantasy, try Brandon Sanderson. His debut novel, Elantris is standalone, and his next series, the Mistborn trilogy, is great, and is completed, so you don't have to worry about starting a series that is still in progress.
posted by CMcKinnon at 9:45 AM on July 2

Kim Stanley Robinson might be ideal for you, especially the Mars trilogy. So, so good.
posted by Brody's chum at 2:57 PM on July 2

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I ended up getting Elantris (really enjoyed it), Blindsight (enjoyed it, but some of the writing was a little annoying), and the Time traveler's wife (halfway through, very good so far). I also got a biography of Albert Einstein, but I didn't get that far. Thanks again!
posted by mikeweeney at 1:04 PM on August 2