Best fiction books according to redditors
We found 1,573 Reddit comments discussing the best fiction books. We ranked the 447 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 1,573 Reddit comments discussing the best fiction books. We ranked the 447 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Use of Weapons and, everything else by Iain M. Banks. Amazing stuff. Trust me.
The Blade Itself and the rest of that series by Joe Abercrombie.
Altered Carbon and the rest of that series as well as Thirteen and The Steel Remains, and it's sequel (still waiting on book 3) by Richard K. Morgan. He's pretty amazing.
That would keep you busy for a long time and are all pretty amazing. Seconding Dune, which is amazing, and the Name of the Wind which is great but very popcorn.
But really, if you were to read everything by Iain M. Banks you would be a better person.
Edit: The Sparrow
I highly recommend Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge if you are interested in this theme.
Cool. Bit of advice though: in about a week or two you're probably going to come down off the emotional high and start to question it and then be tempted to conclude you were just being emotional.
Don't give it in to it. Pick up some religious books with substance in them. Just offhand, since it's sitting nearby, I would suggest The Screwtape Letters.
The Great Divorce is one of my favorite books of all time, Lewis really had a insightful understanding of sin, and how temptation works on a person. Have you read his space trilogy? In the second book, Perelandra, he tells the story of Eve's temptation with such gripping detail I found it difficult to read, it was almost too real, too tragic. I highly recommend the whole series.
Lucifers Hammer - Pre and post asteroid impact.
One Second After - Post EMP, this is well written but the setup is a little to perfect. If you're a dad you will probably cry.
Patriots - Post financial collapse. This one has a decent premise but parts of it are really bad. There is also at least one sequel/prequel/companion.
I enjoyed reading The Screwtape Letters
I recommend this edition of the Inferno. John Ciardi does a wonderful translation. While not every stanza rhymes Ciardi manages to write with a similar iambic pentameter found in the original. At the end of each Canto ("Chapter") Ciardi includes footnotes for every word and reference the reader might not understand (I know I sure didn't) as well as summaries at the beginning of each Canto so you know exactly what the Hell you're reading.
Have you read Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge?
That's one of the major devices used in that book, and it's actually really well done and cool.
My wife, a librarian, buys all the fiction for the public library she works for. With her input, I can attest that Amish Fantasy Romance is the ass-end of literature.
Edit: I'm neurotic.
The Sparrow.
Thanks so much for putting this together! So much great info came out of this con!!
*possible spoiler - do not click on link below if you don’t want to know a big picture possibility about where the show may be headed***
For those interested, a fan overheard the book that JRoth apparently gave to Bob for season 6 and it is this.
I really liked The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It may not be what you're looking for because 1) the story involves humans making contact with aliens on their planet, rather than the other way 'round and 2) the outreach mission is run by the Jesuits, so the initial motivation for contact is religious as well as scientific, and so discussion of religious issues arises here and there.
All of that aside, it's a great book and it really gets at the assumptions we tend to make about alien life. The characters in the book make a lot of assumptions about the aliens, and the results are shocking and unexpected. It's more about change on individual level, rather than societal - but definitely worth a read.
The Catholic Church figures pretty heavily into the story, but doesn't come out looking all that great. It's not really a "pro-organized religion" sort of book.
Because of you, I found this. I feel it could be more popular than Twilight given time.
First off, I got what looks to be some great books from my match. I got Perdido Street Station, Hyperion, The Sparrow, The Little Country, and American Gods. I have never read nor heard of these titles, but I'm excited to start reading them.
Now for the best part. My match sent me an original manuscript for a novel they wrote. How awesome is that? They also included a short story (a side story to the novel) that includes me as a character. I can honestly say that this is one of the best things I've ever received! I think I'll start with the novel first.
http://imgur.com/xVFbm
*update: Thanks for all of the encouraging posts! It seems that I really struck gold on this exchange. I sent a little reddit gold love to my SS for the wonderful gift. It's such a great collection that I feel like the books I sent to my match are woefully inadequate.
I would say no. There is no Biblical support for the fact that he can (or can't) listen to prayers. However, even if he can hear your prayers, there isn't really much that he could do about it as God is infinitely more powerful than Satan.
If you want an interesting take on the subject, you should check out the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It's been a while since I've read them, and I don't remember if Lewis asserts demons can hear prayers or not, but it is a fascinating and wonderful look at demons and what they do.
You may be interested in: I, Lucifer
Lilith's Brood, by Octavia Butler, previously published as The Xenogenesis Trilogy. Excellent sf!
ETA: The Sparrow and its sequel Children of God, by Mary Doria Russell. I know I keep mentioning this book, but it's that good!
My answers are in alphabetical order. I don't have any items for the game category.
Movies: The Book of Eli, The Day After, The Postman
TV Series: Jeremiah, Jericho, The Walking Dead
Book: Lights Out, Lucifer's Hammer, Patriots
You should read The Sparrow by M.D. Russel. The book makes you think about self preservation of an ecosystem, not just a type of animal or plant.
I know that there are sci-fi novels that deal with this, but I can't recall any at the moment except for The Sparrow.
EDIT: formatting and fixed link
Laurus is excellent.
Don't you mean Amish Vampires in Space?
I agree. The audio version by Gollum (Andy Serkis) is awesome. I'm currently listening to it in my car on the way to work, for the second time. Much better than radio commercials in the morning.
Kudos to you for wanting to diversify your reading list. Reading or listening to only one person is always a dangerous thing, no matter who that might be. I've made a bunch of book recommendations on this sub in the past. Here are a few I think are a good fit for you specifically. In general, I'd also highly recommend all of the works by the authors listed.
Lastly, I'd encourage you to read through some of the Reformed Confessions. Begin with the Heidelberg Catechim and the Belgic Confession. If you want a more modern approach, I'd encourage you to also read the Christian Reformed Church's Contemporary Testimony Our World Belongs To God, too.
Second.
So far as higher-brow SciFi goes, try China Miéville, Paolo Bacigalupi and Catherynne Valente and Vernor Vinge
You bring up an excellent point (and make a great case for land ownership!), and that is that actual physical space can't really be created, and will remain scarce, insofar as Earth has a fixed surface area. If the scenario I described above came to pass, though, would any landlords come looking for rent? Would any governments levy taxes? If no one needs cash and everyone has pretty much everything provided for them, all but the most stubborn landlords won't have any reason to give a hoot. I suspect government would take longer to die out, since it may still be needed to enforce laws, judge disputes, provide safety, etc. It's not hard to imagine a world even further down the line, however, when technology has advanced to the point where humans can't realistically do much damage to one another.
Edit: If you're really into this, I'd suggest reading some singularity-esque literature such as Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (novella), Rainbows End (novel), and The Singularity is Near (speculative nonfiction to be taken with a grain of salt).
Longevity is not immortality. What Kurzweil posits is amazing, and may happen - but isn't biblical immortality. You could be three thousand years old and still get eaten by a bear. Your "upload" could crash and burn somehow. It is, in a word, artificial. I'm all for it, on some level, and it may even be in accord with the Isaiah promise that "the one who dies at a hundred will be considered a mere youth, and the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed," but it isn't the same thing as RESURRECTION - physical and spiritual immortality, accompanied by the re-creation of all things.
Edit: the futurist vision of Kurzweil could also have a nasty turn to it - read C.S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength.
It's real.
Sounds like a Patriots book report.
He's good but no way I am I going to recommend him to someone new to philosophy. I actually really like Fr. Spitzer's The Souls Upward Yearning for a good holistic approach for intellectually approaching God. He uses anthropology, literature, and a few philosophical arguments to build a very convincing picture of why God is more likely than not. David Bentley Hart's The Experience of God is very good as well. While Anglican, I find C.S. Lewis to be very enjoyable and persuasive as well, so you should definitely check out The Screwtape Letters and The Abolition of Man.
But don't just read philosophy all day either or you will want to claw your eyes out. There's Catholic literature that did as much to shore up my faith than any argument. The best two are J.R.R Tolkiens The Silmarillion and Dante's Divine Comedy. A great book by a Russian orthodox author that came out last year is Laurus.
To be honest, it's not so easy to just pick up a Talmud and read it and get what's going on. It's primarily a legal text and the parts you'd find interesting are the occasional tangents it goes on, but even those are there to make a point about the law and are presented in the same argumentative style.
So you'd probably be more interested in an anthology of "Aggadot" ("tales"), such as this one (I have no idea whether that particular one is good or not, I just found it through a Google search, though the Amazon reviews are good).
You might like The Sparrow
I found it really compelling and thought provoking (though very dark at times!). It was a good balance of scifi and theology/philosophy.
I don't really read enough mystery/thriller to give recommendations, but here are some Japanese "normal" books I recommend (all Amazon links):
Night on the Galactic Railroad
ICO: Castle in the Mist
The Book of Heroes
I Am a Cat
Silence
The Samurai
Kokoro
Jesus did not just take on a human shape when he came to earth - he became fully human. He is still fully human. A human cannot simply discard their flesh, because flesh is an essential component to humanity. In order to be human still, he must have flesh still.
>If he were to appear to another species elsewhere in the universe presumably he would use a body from their species...right?
There is no evidence that he ever does this, and so to comment on it would be pure speculation. However, if you want speculation on that very issue, check out C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, specifically the second book, Perelandra. Essentially the thrust is that by becoming a man, the Lord forever marked man as the high mark of creation, and that anyone who knows the Lord would recognize that.
When demons are brought up, I always highly suggest the Screwtape Letters which is fictional, but offers deep insight into man's spiritual struggles.
For the record, the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a "story that takes the form of a series of letters from a senior Demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, a Junior Tempter. The uncle's mentorship pertains to the nephew's responsibility in securing the damnation of a British man known only as 'the Patient.'"
If you'd like to hear part of the audiobook for yourself, consider watching these four semi-animated videos.
The non-animated, full version of the audiobook can be found here, although it is an unauthorized upload to Youtube, but the official CD's can be bought here.
The parts that really slapped me in the face at how accurate it is for myself, is Part 3.
Alternatively it's possible to read the actual book, linked HERE which is legally public domain under Canada's copyright laws.
Something similar, fictionally, is The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell. She's an anthropologist, and the novel's contents are germane to your question (so as not to spoil anything). There's a sequel novel too but I haven't read it.
If I may add an extra layer to your observation: This book is about a group of people who find themselves in a first contact scenario based on a signal received at the Arecibo array. The book's title? The Sparrow.
I highly, highly recommend it - some of the most emotional sci-fi I've ever read.
How about both?
http://www.amazon.com/Amish-Vampires-Space-Kerry-Nietz/dp/1940163048
This has been done a few times, unfortunately it is a difficult thing to search for, and I can't recall the names of any of the books. (I haven't read any) Two I came across are:
"I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story" by Glen Duncan
and
"To Reign in Hell" by Steven Brust
Maybe some fine redditors will pop up and mention more.
If you like that style of scifi, Rainbow's End is sort of a similar concept about where wearable computing and Augmented Reality devices take us.
Read the book "I, Lucifer". It touches on that subject extensively in a very entertaining manner.
Well . . . if you're looking at a book simply as a collection of text, I too have never feared a line of text. What books allow, is a slow building of fear that require quite a bit of character development. I don't read horror novels waiting to be frightened, and truthfully read very little horror. The fear just happens. To be honest, it's a different type of fear - more of an uneasy feeling really. Certainly, a book can't have, what my son calls, "The scary jump out scenes". But if we exchange the term fear with edgy, here are a list of my favorite books with an "Edge":
[The Passage] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Passage-Novel-Book-Trilogy/dp/0345528174)
[The Terror] (http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Novel-Dan-Simmons/dp/0316008079/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404481514&sr=1-1&keywords=terror)
The Stand
Carrion Comfort
Desperation
I am Legend
The Sparrow
Night
Frankenstein
All Quite on the Western Front
Hunger
Blood Meridian
Watchers
The Minus Man
In no particular order - Not the usual suggestions either. Hope it helps, and happy reading!
First think that came to mind for me was Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow. Really quality stuff.
From Amazon (SPOILER ALERT): In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet which will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question the meaning of being "human." When the lone survivor of the expedition, Emilio Sandoz, returns to Earth in 2059, he will try to explain what went wrong... Words like "provocative" and "compelling" will come to mind as you read this shocking novel about first contact with a race that creates music akin to both poetry and prayer.
I really liked Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge:
http://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-End-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0812536363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456942139&sr=1-1&keywords=rainbows+end
More AR than VR, but except for the input method which is a little glossed over, the tech seems more plausible every year.
If you like that, his Zones of Thought books are amazing.
Even the greatest futurists have had a poor success rate predicting what's to come. Gibson's stories have held up pretty well, all things considered.
If you haven't already, I recommend reading the brilliant, Rainbows End by Verner Vinge. It came out in 2007, but already seems eerily prophetic. I'll be very curious to revisit it in ten years.
I think this is AR. Augmented Reality only replaces things you don't like. You want to keep the drink? Keep it. You want to keep the toilet? Great, but maybe alter it to look... cleaner (eww). Keep the window because the sunlight is nice, but give yourself a better view.
If you keep anything from reality, then it is AR, not VR (which is total replacement).
Just read Rainbows End.
Vinge has a series of earth novels (his space novels are the common "super hard scifi" people trot out).
http://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-End-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0812536363 and http://www.amazon.com/The-Peace-War-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0765308835 and http://www.amazon.com/Marooned-Realtime-Peace-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0765308843/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
(Those are all functionally a series, with strongly connected characters and stuff believe it or not)
Of course, go for it. It was really fun to listen to it in audio form.
People that know just enough about me to know I read a lot keep recommending these damn things to me. As if those of us that like to read will read any damn thing; cereal boxes, airplane seat-back safety cards (admittedly, I love these), and shitty immature porn.
I also have this terrible habit of listening to people's awful book recommendations when I am drunk. This is exacerbated by my kindle, which is always with me. So drunken super_luminal will IMMEDIATELY PURCHASE horrible books on the recommendation of drunken strangers she meets at bars with wild abandon.
I woke up one morning with a terrible hangover and a copy of The Shack blinking back at me.
So much shame.
Quick answer: Mixed reality/vr overlays. Read Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge to get a taste (the book is prophetic in that regard).
Longer answer: The internet won't go away, just like travel by train or ship hasn't gone away, but it will change. It will still be there as a baseline of "this is where you go to get information quickly" but the way you interact with it will be completely different. The "revolution" will require several key technologies, all of which are already possible or in development.
1- Ubiquitous WiFi or equivalent. I'm talking free, fast, reliable internet service, everywhere. Google is doing this right now in the US, and many countries (ie: Japan) are already way ahead of the US in that regard.
2- Miniaturization. Things will get really small, like nano scale, and that will allow the below technologies to become reality.
3-
VRAugmented Reality Overlays. This is a google glass type technology but taken further. Miniaturized to the form of contacts. Flexible displays at the next level. Complete visual reality overlay with gesture controls as well as voice commands.On mobile atm, so can't look it up, butThere's a company already out there making a gesture control input device in the form of a band that goes on your forearm and reads your muscle movements. Combine that with glass and you have a very early version of what I'm talking about.4- Wearable computers. Again google glass, but woven into your clothing. I'm sure there will be plenty of companies trying to market "smart clothing" as a selling point. These will be able to act as a personal health assistant as well as provide more computational horsepower if needed, though at that point you will likely have the whole of the "internet" to help you compute anything you want, doing away with the need for a personal computer that does everything. Moreover, these will provide context for OTHER people wearing their displays to get information about you. Privacy issues abound, of course.
These technologies combined will completely reshape the way we interact with computers, the internet and each other. Entire new fields of entertainment will be created. New communication tools unheard of will come to exist. Cell phones will be as foreign as 8-tracks. PCs as archaic as gramophones. Hell, even the way we travel, work, meet friends will change. If you have the ability to see/hear everything as if you were actually there, why leave your house to visit Rome? New York? Tokyo? Mars? Why physically commute to work? Conference calls are cute and all, but how about having everyone that needs to be in a meeting face to face with each other regardless of what continent they're on? Hey! Nine Inch Nails is coming out of retirement for the 5th time! One show, in Barcelona. Venue holds only 500. But that's ok, cause the live link will be able to hold the other 10 million as if they were right there at the front row. Convenience fees might still apply though.
That's just the surface of what I can think of, and there's plenty more that will happen that I can't think of.
EDIT: Added links and fixed grammar/spelling.
http://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Mary-Doria-Russell/dp/0449912558
The Sparrow. Possibly my favorite book of all time. There is a sequel as well, Children of God.
Take a look at the book The Sparrow
I really enjoyed The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
I love the English translation of Bialik and Ravnitzky's Sefer ha-Aggadah --- your local library might have it.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sparrow-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0449912558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396116677&sr=8-1&keywords=the+sparrow
"The Sparrow: A Novel"
by Mary Doria Russell
Buying a book is not about obtaining a possession, but about securing a portal.
Used book: The Shack
Thanks for the contest!
My wife continues to change my view on things at least on a weekly basis. It's one of the things I love most about her: we have very similar views on a lot of things, but even when we share the same view, she helps me to see a different side of things and to understand why other people might hold a different view.
The other day, I was reading The Shack and making fun of it for the clumsy dialogue, the weird way in which the main character seems to injure himself in every chapter, and the reasons why its answer to the problem of evil couldn't really resonate with people who had experienced certain types of suffering (natural disasters, for example). She laughed along with me but then pointed out that the first two chapters are actually the only ones in which Mack injures himself and asked me if I understood why the book was so popular and meaningful for a particular demographic of (mostly) American evangelical Christians, and I had to admit that I did understand. The thing is, she doesn't really like the book either, but she still helped me to appreciate it for what it is and to see it through other people's eyes.
Ever read The Screwtape Letters?
It always surprises me how The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell has slipped under the radar of many. It's intense in places but extraordinarily well-written. It has a sequel that's not nearly as good (probably due to a publisher urging a rush job), but overall this is an amazing book. It's my number one favorite book, not just sci-fi book, for a variety of reasons. Very thoughtful, very vivid characters, very interesting descriptive detail. So realistic in places it almost doesn't feel like sci-fi.
I enjoyed Ascent by Jed Mercurio a lot. The opening chapter is more violent than I wish. I almost stopped reading, worrying the whole book would be that way, but it lightens up. The first chapter can, frankly, pretty much be skipped by anyone who doesn't like that kind of thing. The rest of the story was much more even and interesting. I have a feeling when I see the upcoming Apollo 18, if I even bother (I'm expecting bad reviews), I'm going to wish it was this story instead.
Over Thanksgiving I was at my In-laws. One of them left a Glenn Beck sitting out on the coffee table. I mean, I assume it's not a political book but I also just can't see anything that fool does as being any sort of good or useful. Before this I knew them both as reasonable individuals. I knew they were right-leaning but I didn't know they were crazy-person-right leaning.
Not so subtle, but a thoughtful read nonetheless:
The Devil's Apocrypha
The audio version has Andy Serkis (Gollum) doing the voice of Uncle Screwtape, and he’s SO awesome in it.
Might not be exactly the one you're looking for, but similar: The Devil's Apocrypha.
Here's a small list of easily accessible sci-fi that had me hooked to the genre. They are, in my humble opinion, some of the greatest books/authors of the genre.
Stranger in a Strange Land (Robert Heinlein)
A Deepness in the Sky
Rainbows End (both by Vernor Vinge)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick)
They also all appear to be available for your Kindle.
There's actually a great book along these lines.
Have the read The Inferno by Dante? That will knock your socks off. I recommend the Ciardi translation as he provides helpful plot summaries before each Canto and notes after. Both of which are necessary for anyone unfamiliar with the work to truly appreciate and understand its brilliance.
If you feel like getting a little crazy Amish Vampires in Space. Read reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Vampires-Space-Kerry-Nietz/dp/0983965552/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
If you're in for some fiction I recommend The Brothers Karamazov which is a classic read and highly influenced by Dostoevsky's faith. Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin is a short, modern work and also a great work of fiction influenced by faith.
Not sure if these are appropriate, or if she's read these already but here's a few off the top of my head:
Am I on the right track?
The book has sold millions of copies.
the Diamond Age
Friday
the Sparrow
the Blind Assasin
Parable of the Sower
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. http://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Mary-Doria-Russell/dp/0449912558
That would be fantastic but if Niven is dead set against video/film treatment, a great alternative (maybe even better) would be Vernor Venge's Rainbow's End) future where Augmented Reality (AR) hides and overlays layers of experiences over everyday life. Not only would it be a bit cheaper to produce than fully-immersive "Dream Park" environments, a series based on AR could readily explore that intersection of imagined and real worlds you talked about.
Had to Google this one to check if it existed.
I can see Amish Vampires in Space in Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Vampires-Space-Kerry-Nietz/dp/0983965552
But this one looks to be a joke https://twitter.com/katiedt/status/423203671145320448?lang=en
Which I would like to see someone writing some day :)
fear cuts deeper than swords
Thanks for the fun contest
Serious answer, if you're interested in a fictional exploration of that idea from a Catholic writer, I highly recommend The Sparrow. It's basically about First Contact from the lense of a Jesuit, and I found it extremely thought provoking.
We all have doubts. It's part of being human and being a Christian. As you mentioned you are still looking for truth and are open to the idea of theism. I would just recommend a few books for reading that are great intellectual reading about the subject. That being: The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism and The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
as well as anything by CS Lewis notably [Mere Christianity] (http://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425281260&sr=1-1&keywords=mere+christianity+cs+lewis) and Screwtape Letters.
All the best in finding truth friend, and although you may doubt Him (even as Apostles, greatest evangelists, martyrs, missionaries also did) I would not advise ruling out Christ just yet.
It's normal to have questions. It's good you're thinking about your religion.
>1 I heard the Bible has been altered (esp. the New Testament) by people so that they can eat pork, drink occasionally, not be circumcised, etc. However, the Quran hasn't. This is why my Muslim friends are all circumcised, don't eat pork, drink, etc. Like the stuff in the Old Testament. Is there any proof that the Bible is unaltered?
The dietary laws found in the OT are strictly for the nation of Israel. Most of them come as a sort of national penance for the idolatry at Sinai and were never meant to followed by the Gentiles. God elected Israel to prepare the world to see what election is grounded in (His gratuitous love). He choose a people who were of no account to demonstrate that when He elects, He does so freely and not because we bring anything to the table. He gave Israel the law to train them so that they would learn to grow accustomed to delighting in following God.
>2 Why did Jesus die for our sins, if anything is possible?
God did not have to become man and dwell among us (John 1.14) and be crucified for our sins. It was nevertheless fitting that He did so. Why? One reason is because it shows us what sort of love God has for us. He's fully invested in His creation. He knew from eternity that when He created this place, He was going to come down here and show His love in the Incarnation and crucifixion.
The Crucifix also inverts the world's expectations about power. Adam and Eve sinned because of pride, preferring themselves to God. So Jesus comes and shows us what true humility looks like (cf. Phil. 2). He doesn't "win" by power (though He could have), but shows His creatures what it looks like to love humbly.
>3 Why does God send us, who He created, to Hell to be eternally tortured if we don't believe (believe in me or I'll torture you)? I'm trying my hardest to believe and be a good Christian, but I have so many unanswered questions and doubts that are getting in the way.
Wouldn't Heaven for someone who does not love God actually be Hell? If they don't love Him now on earth, what makes you think they would enjoy Him in Heaven? It's not a safe assumption that the person who stood before God would automatically enjoy it. God has created creatures with a will because to love Him without being able to will it would be meaningless. It would be a sort of farce on God's part. However, that means some will freely choose to reject Him. If our wills mean anything, then God respects that and doesn't force those people to love Him for eternity (which is what Heaven is). I would read CS Lewis' The Great Divorce.
>4 Will God send those people who are raised in another religion, such as in Thailand (Buddhism), who don't have any external way of being informed of Christianity (like missionaries), to be tortured forever in Hell?
Some Christians believe this is so - that you're just out of luck if you happen not to be exposed to the Gospel. Catholics are not one of those sorts and I can only speak as a Catholic. For us, we follow St. Paul's thinking in Romans 2.14-15. Paul there talks about the natural law which is imprinted on our hearts by virtue of being created in the image of God. The Catechism says that the man who searches for God in another religion and does so earnestly is somehow being prepared for the Gospel (CCC 843) because all truth and goodness come from God. We trust those souls to God's mercy and justice, knowing that He is both.
>5 Why did God put a tree of knowledge if no one could eat from it? Like He purposely put the temptation there, knowing that at least some of us will be tempted to sin, and from there, be eternally damned.
Obedience which comes from love is the mark of the Christian life. CS Lewis' Perelandra does a good job at thinking about this. Basically Lewis says that there are sometimes rules which God gives which do not have a rationale on their own except that God has asked us to follow them. So in Perelandra, the woman is not allowed to live on the fixed land simply because God has asked her not to. By following this rule, however, she grows in love for God. She grows up, understanding what obedience is.
>6 Why does sin and the possibility of being sent to Hell for eternal torture exist, if God loves us more than anything? Doesn't He know that with creating humans, a lot of them will sin?
He does, but He hasn't remained aloof from the situation. Hebrews 4.15 tells us, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." That's beautiful. Think on the Incarnation and the sheer gratuity of God's love in that act. Also see my above answer about hell.
>7 How would He judge agnostics? Like there are so many religions, and uncertainties, that some people will just gather from every religion that there is indeed a God who created us. Like people who follow basic morals like treating others well, but still do sins like, greed, lust (without rape or cheating), sodomy?
We don't know about any particular person who goes to hell. We simply trust God's goodness, His mercy, His justice, etc.
>8 Lust, masturbation, greed - why do those traits seem natural to humans, if they are sins? Like of course it's natural to look at the opposite sex and lust after them, especially when our hormones are raging.
Sin is the distortion of something good. Some women are beautiful. Recognizing their beauty isn't wrong. But sin warps our wills and desires, it warps our inclinations. Adam's and Eve's wills were in accord with their reason, but sin distorts this unity. This is why we do things (like sin) that we wish we did not (cf. Rom. 7). Neither lust, masturbation, nor greed are natural to man - they do not accord with the end for which God has created them (beatitude). Lust is an unhealthy fixation and a distortion of the natural goodness of human sexuality, which is given as a gift. Masturbation is the same - masturbation takes a gift meant for the sake of another (i.e. one's spouse) and misuses it for oneself. It takes something which is meant to be outward looking and makes it isolated. That's not what God created us for. Greed likewise is a disordered desire of goods. Any good thing we see on earth should point us to God, but greed terminates solely in created things and forgets the Creator.
I hope some of that helps.
There is a used like new copy of this book for under $5!
scurvy thank you for holding this contest!
Not exactly about this guy, but I've found out that he was the source material for The Samurai by Shusaku Endo. I had heard about this book before, but am now even more interested to read knowing there was a real-life inspiration for the novel.
Not my own work, but if you like this prompt then you'll like this book
And the sequel
The Water Knife is about water shortages taken to their most severe possibilities in the Southwest.
I've talked with engineers and other professionals in different states who agree the worst-case scenarios are possible.
As recommended before, Rainbows End is also near-future, with more emphasis on technology, but with plausible developments and events that show both how fragile and interconnected the world is.
Check out the scifi novel "the Sparrow" by Mary Russell, tackles the religion in space dilemma, pretty good read too.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sparrow-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0449912558
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel
Oh Rainbow's End not Reading Rainbow's End. I think Vinge may be an acquired taste. When I read him it always feels like he's trying to provoke something from me. It's not subtle.
Here are some books I recommend. Some are free on kindle. Check out a library. They will have these books.
Read the 4 Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. Just read them.
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-St-Augustine-Saint-ebook/dp/B00AQM75SC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113491&sr=8-2&keywords=st+augustine+confessions
http://www.amazon.com/Aquinass-Shorter-Summa-Thomass-Theologica/dp/1928832431/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113525&sr=8-1&keywords=st+thomas+aquinas
http://www.amazon.com/When-Church-Was-Young-Fathers-ebook/dp/B00LWIU1EE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=early+church
http://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-Moody-Classics-Gilbert-Chesterton-ebook/dp/B00DEUQ9GW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113746&sr=8-1&keywords=gk+chesterton
http://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-Lewis-Signature-Classics-ebook/dp/B002BD2UR0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113766&sr=8-3&keywords=cs+lewis
http://www.amazon.com/The-Screwtape-Letters-C-Lewis/dp/0060652934/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113766&sr=8-4&keywords=cs+lewis
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is fantastic.
Read The Shack, I could explain all day long my beliefs, doesn't mean they make sense to you or anyone else.
Just a side note, this theme is explored in Russel's novel, The Sparrow. The crew sent to the planet found with intelligent life include Jesuits.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sparrow-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0449912558
All these other very worthy suggestions would fill in the time nicely and provide many hours of enjoyment but I was just thinking about those books that stuck in my mind as being just a bit different. Could be the age I was or the place I was in my life but I think I'd be happy to pick all of the following for a sojourn on a desert island
The Collected Tales - Nikolai Gogol. Surreal, humorous, short story supremo, I'm especially fond of The Nose!
Frankenstein - Mary Shelly. You think you know the story. Think again.
A Rebours - Huysmans. Decadance defined.
Maiden Voyage - Denton Welch. Great observational writing from a tragically short life
The Samurai - Shusaku Endo. Duty and honour strained for a lost cause.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes - A. Conan Doyle. Because every home should own one and the mix of short stories and novels are perfect for long flights.
There are more of course but the real joy is in coming across your own favourites, not other peoples so be brave!
The Postman - David Brin
Dies the Fire- SM Stirling
I just finished reading Patriots, it was alright.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell goes into first contact material like Contact does, but (IMHO) it's much deeper and more thought provoking.
Read The Devil's Apocrypha - it is a great book along these lines. It is the story of the Bible told from the Devil's point of view where god is the dickhead.
The book I'm going to read is called 'The Shack'. I don't know the whole background on it, but it's fiction, and somehow talks about the religions in church is not 'the religion' that is in the bible yadda yadda yadda.
From Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shack-William-P-Young/dp/0964729237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252527523&sr=1-1
Baby Rudin, The Inferno, DPV
A Case of Conscience by James Blish and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.
http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Christian-Faith-Max-McLean/dp/1931047596/
http://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-Full-cast-Dramatization-Diabolical/dp/1589973240/
http://www.amazon.com/He-Touched-Me-Gospel-Presley/dp/5559166928/
http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Hymn-Book-Johnny-Cash/dp/B0001NBMTE/
http://www.amazon.com/Can-Circle-Be-Unbroken-Country/dp/B003O5MO02/
Here are some of my favourite from the thread
UnBEARable: A Russet Falls Novel |
Bear |
How to Good-Bye Depression: If You Constrict Anus 100 Times Everyday. Malarkey? or Effective Way? |
The Erect Oak |
The Baby Jesus Butt Plug |
The Haunted Vagina |
De'nisha Diamond |
Ass Goblins of Auschwitz |
Master Nage's Guide to Training Consensual Slaves |
Cum For Bigfoot |
Amish Vampires in Space |
Natural Harvest: A collection of semen-based recipes |
The Jewish-Japanese Sex & Cook Book and How to Raise Wolves |
The Day My Bum Went Psycho (Butt Trilogy #1)
Amish Vampires in Space
Me too :) In a way we already have Biblical proof of aliens. If we define alien as another created species from somewhere other than earth possessing sentience, then what are angels if not aliens?
Also, if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend CS Lewis' space trilogy. It's a series of fiction books where he explores the ideas of other planets and alien species created by God :)
Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength
The follow up "The Religion War" is interesting too. It's not free, though.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Religion-War-Scott-Adams/dp/0740747886
I believe that is the same version that I read, but my version didn't have the second two books in the trilogy. Here is the version I have: The Inferno (Signet Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451531396/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WKYCAbM8M328J. If I had to bet, I would say that the version you linked has the chapter summaries as well.
Sure, here ya go. The Inferno (Signet Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451531396/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lvCgzb224412C
Things to Buy
http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Years-Hanna-Schissler/dp/0691058202
http://www.amazon.com/Redneck-Manifesto-Hillbillies-Americas-Scapegoats/dp/0684838648
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/039332169X/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Everyone-Darwins-Theory-Change/dp/0385340214
http://www.amazon.com/Andromeda-Strain-Michael-Crichton/dp/006170315X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225932164&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Primates-Classroom-Evolutionary-Perspective-Childrens/dp/0870236113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589323&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Paleolithic-Prescription-Program-Exercise-Design/dp/0060916354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589224&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Exiles-Eden-Psychotherapy-Evolutionary-Perspective/dp/0393700739/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589294&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Chimpanzee-Politics-Power-among-Apes/dp/0801886562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589183&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/YOU-Updated-Expanded-Insiders-Healthier/dp/0061473677/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263303625&sr=1-5
http://www.amazon.com/YOU-Updated-Expanded-Insiders-Healthier/dp/0061473677/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263303625&sr=1-5
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Science/dp/1400033462/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297305735&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/New-Sugar-Busters-Cut-Trim/dp/0345469585/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297305615&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History-Meals/dp/0143038583/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297305420&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Bastard-Kick-Ass-Getting/product-reviews/0762435402/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Everyone-Darwins-Theory-Change/dp/0385340214
http://www.amazon.com/Food-Rules-Eaters-Michael-Pollan/dp/014311638X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297305420&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Primates-Classroom-Evolutionary-Perspective-Childrens/dp/0870236113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589323&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Exiles-Eden-Psychotherapy-Evolutionary-Perspective/dp/0393700739/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589294&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Paleolithic-Prescription-Program-Exercise-Design/dp/0060916354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589224&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Chimpanzee-Politics-Power-among-Apes/dp/0801886562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261589183&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Strange-Land-Robert-Heinlein/dp/0441788386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258348123&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Plate-Diet-Great-Healthy/dp/1885167717/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266199288&sr=1-13
http://www.amazon.com/Religion-War-Scott-Adams/dp/0740747886/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_9
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Plate-Diet-Great-Healthy/dp/1885167717/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266199288&sr=1-13
http://www.amazon.com/Blindsight-Peter-Watts/dp/0765319640/
http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Years-Hanna-Schissler/dp/0691058202
http://www.amazon.com/Redneck-Manifesto-Hillbillies-Americas-Scapegoats/dp/0684838648
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/039332169X/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
http://www.amazon.com/Andromeda-Strain-Michael-Crichton/dp/006170315X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225932164&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Atheist-Manifesto-Against-Christianity-Judaism/dp/1559708204
http://www.amazon.com/Mayo-Clinic-Family-Health-Book/dp/1603200770/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267299889&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Sculpting-Bible-Men-Revised/dp/1578262380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298573232&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295507
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594866279/ref=asc_df_15948662791442125?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=pg-1583-01-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=1594866279
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345498461/ref=asc_df_03454984611442018?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=pg-1583-01-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=0345498461
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Runners-Handbook-13-Week-Walk-Run/dp/1553650875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298575384&sr=8-1
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703558004574581891694514228.html
http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Wild-Plants-Foods-Adventure/dp/1423601505
http://www.amazon.com/Shoppers-Guide-Organic-Food/dp/1857028406/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308213453&sr=1-16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Portrait_of_the_Artist_as_a_Young_Man
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stream_of_consciousness_writing
http://entertainment.time.com/2011/08/30/all-time-100-best-nonfiction-books/#fast-food-nation-by-eric-schlosser
http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Strange-Land-Robert-Heinlein/dp/0441788386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258348123&sr=8-1
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/continuous-positive-airway-pressure-cpap-for-obstructive-sleep-apnea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-22-Joseph-Heller/dp/0684833395
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253993543&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Aero-Speed-Hyperformance-Jump-Rope/dp/B00017XHO8
http://www.invisibleshoe.com/#ecwid:category=135066&mode=product&product=278983
http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe621670756c0575741d&m=fe7215707561047d7315&ls=fde817797d6d037977177974&l=fe9215717260007a70&s=fe2d13707d600478751c72&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2e167375640d75711576&r=0
http://www.amazon.com/Element-Surprise-Navy-Seals-Vietnam/dp/0804105812/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304634342&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Survivor-Eyewitness-Account-Operation/dp/0316067598
http://www.amazon.com/Diving-Bell-Butterfly-Memoir-Death/dp/0375701214/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312848167&sr=8-1
Political
Iraq Research
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Tawhid_Wal-Jihad
http://www.ontheissues.org/Drugs.htm#Barack_Obama
Congress Related
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/r110query.html
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_1.htm
http://www.usdoj.gov/
http://www.issuedictionary.com/Barack_Obama.cgi
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r110:75:./temp/~r110y7HfAa::
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists
/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237
http://allafrica.com/
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/??
Health & Exercise
Green Tea
http://www.teatrekker.com/store/tea/green/green+-+japan.php
http://www.o-cha.com/brew.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2080066_steep-loose-leaf-tea.html
http://cooksshophere.com/products/tea/green_tea.htm
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=146
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tea
http://blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html
http://blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com/
https://www.itoen.com/leaf/index.cfm
http://www.maiko.ne.jp/english/
http://www.mellowmonk.com/buyGreenTea.htm
http://www.o-cha.com/home.php
http://www.denstea.com/
http://www.theteaavenue.com/chgrtea.html
http://www.teafrog.com/teas/finum-tea-brewing-basket.html
I really loved The Poisonwood Bible. And she wrote The Invention of Wings too, right?
Check out The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It's science fiction, but written beautifully and the focus is on humanity and characterization, not "beep boop robots aliens" haha. This book really stuck with me after reading it, in the same way the Kingsolver novels did.
Also check out The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea. It's a semi-fictionalized account of the life of Teresita Urrea, and is also absolutely wonderful and will stick with you.
Has anyone read The Screwtape Letters ? Ben Shapiro has been talking about it for a while.
Goddamn that sucks. I'm sorry :-(
I've heard the Red Tent is a great one!
Does the name "Trappist" have anything to do with the science fiction novel "The Sparrow"? https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Novel-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0449912558
Welcome :)
Can't legally link the full book, but I'm sure your library has (or can get) a copy. I believe the book was The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.
The story you talked about sounds pretty interesting. Sometimes I'm tempted to read OSC's fiction that people observe(/complain) is just thinly veiled Mormon cosmology, because it sounds interesting, but I don't think I can stomach reading any of his books anymore now that I know a bit more about him as a person. Kind of sad.
I was interested to find that LCMS churches where I live in the Southern US seem to be as well attended as ELCA churches. This is anecdotal from an acquaintance of mine who is a LCMS pastor, but I have no reason to doubt from my limited visits to Lutheran churches.
I would encourage you as a "nomad" to seek out other traditional churches that may exist in your area. I am Orthodox Christian and while I am happy to proclaim that Orthodoxy in many ways is an ideal home for those fleeing atheism/marxism, there are several other churches (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, etc) where one can find a meaningful expression of "Mere Christianity" as defined by the Nicene Creed.
There are two sayings that I'd like to point out.
The first is a paraphrase of what I am remembering as a Tertullian quote, "One Christian is no Christian" and speaks that Christianity is in essence not a collection of dogmas to which one assents but a gathering of Christian believers to form the body of Christ (Church) by way of mutual participation in liturgical worship (the definition of liturgy is "the common work"). We are not saved in isolation, and this applies even if you believe that you are being saved from the hell of nihilism rather than from literal flames of hellfire.
The second is a latin phrase, Lex orandi, lex credendi which means "what we pray, we believe". If people find that the concept of Christianity appeals to them on an intellectual level but they don't want to associate themselves with common Christians, I would say that might be a case of intellectual snobbery about the type of people who regularly attend churches.
If someone thinks there is something worthwhile in the teachings of Christianity, I would challenge that person to go pick out a church and go there every Sunday for a month. You will learn valuable things about that church and about yourself. Go read the tiny book The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and see what the peril and the privilege that comes with taking a mental construct and turning it into a living thing that interacts with other human beings who can be petty, annoying, and ultimately instructive.
CS Lewis - That Hideous Strength
Haven't read it but a guy on the Tom Woods podcast did a lesson on Libertarianism in literature and he said this is the one book he would recommend from his course. It's part 3 of a trilogy but, from what he said, they aren't connected so you can skip ahead.
How about these:
They're not novels unfortunately but I want to at least give you something.
EDIT: Here are two that I remember as being in novel format:
The Devil's Apocrypha, it's been a while since I read it, but it was pretty good. The Club Dumas, & The Devil in Love, the two books that the movie "The Ninth Gate" were based on.
Forever Peace - Haldeman
Book of The New Sun/Book of the Long Sun - Wolfe (this is a very rewarding story, but it requires commitment)
Never Let Me Go - Ishiguro
The Sparrow - Russell
Please be aware that these are all fairly dark. Maybe I'm soft, but The Sparrow was one of the roughest books I've read, from a psychological perspective.
People try and throw that old rhetoric around and I just point at some of the books you can buy such as Amish Vampires in Space .
I can't say what's better or worse (since I haven't read that actual book but got a chuckle that there was even such a thing) because it's all subjective. If you find you like books over video games for your escape, all the power to you. If you prefer games, so be it. Choose your poison. But don't bad mouth one as somehow worse then the other.
And if they were just talking about education well, there are actually tons of educational games so...
If you liked the Ender universe, try the offshoot series for Ender and Bean. Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind are more philosophical and deal with Ender coming to terms with killing all the Formics. Everything after Ender's Shadow follows Bean and the other Battle School kids as the world superpowers try to achieve global domination after the Formic War, it's more about military and political strategy. They're both great, but very different.
For something new, check out Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and its sequel, Children of God. Here's the Publishers Weekly description of The Sparrow:
An enigma wrapped inside a mystery sets up expectations that prove difficult to fulfill in Russell's first novel, which is about first contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. The enigma is Father Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit linguist whose messianic virtues hide his occasional doubt about his calling. The mystery is the climactic turn of events that has left him the sole survivor of a secret Jesuit expedition to the planet Rakhat and, upon his return, made him a disgrace to his faith. Suspense escalates as the narrative ping-pongs between the years 2016, when Sandoz begins assembling the team that first detects signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and 2060, when a Vatican inquest is convened to coax an explanation from the physically mutilated and emotionally devastated priest. A vibrant cast of characters who come to life through their intense scientific and philosophical debates help distract attention from the space-opera elements necessary to get them off the Earth.
Oh, and I almost forget, the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin is so freaking amazing. If you want a new fictional universe to explore, this is it. Well written, ridiculous plot twists, tons of interesting and unique characters that you hate with a passion until you read the chapter written from their point of view, then you fall in love with them. I watched the first two episodes of Game of Thrones before deciding I wanted to read the books first. I stayed up way later than I planned to because I just had to read the next chapter, then the next, then the next book, until I'd read all five in no time and might read them again because I'm addicted to the characters and universe. It's just such rich content that you'll find yourself flipping back and forth to re-read different parts. You won't regret it.
A sweater so epic, he wrote a book about it
At that age, I was going to my shul's youth minyan. It ended early, and the Rabbi who led it read this book to us, and gave us prizes for remembering the stories. It was awesome.
The Sparrow. I loathed this book. Jesuits in space. However, I think it would be funny for those who got it.
Patriots - James Wesley Rawles
http://www.amazon.com/Patriots-Surviving-James-Wesley-Rawles/dp/156975599X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
It's definitely worth buying if you cannot find it at the library.
I liked Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse. It's written by the man behind http://www.survivalblog.com/, a survivalist himself, and he seems to know what he is talking about.
check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Sparrow-Mary-Doria-Russell/dp/0449912558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341599508&sr=8-1&keywords=the+sparrow+russell
it's fiction, but the author does a good job of considering this question philosophically via empathy (the title ends up adding depth to a cliche christian sentiment in a way that was probably not intended, but is true nonetheless).
Perhaps they just read Glenn Beck's new book?
Here: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Sweater-Glenn-Beck/dp/141659485X
woohoo! Congratulations Violincellist. I used to wonder why people always thanked me when I held a contest, but I get it now that I have been around longer. So thank you.
And what a great thread to save in order to find books to read! I'm always looking for something new. The Red Tent because a friend said it was really good. I'm not sure her and I have the same idea of good when it comes to reading, but I'm pretty eclectic so I gave it a go. Haven't made it far yet, but I thought I'd share regardless :)
> I feel as if half of me wants these things and the other half despises them.
Join the club. It includes Paul, me and every other believer: "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:15)
The fact remains: we are in the world (material/carnal/flesh) but not of the world (immaterial/divine/souls).
> I am afraid my actions (sinning a lot) speak louder than my words.
Fear (e.g. “I am afraid”) is a product of too much emphasis on the Law and not enough on the Gospel. You’re stuck on keeping Commandments and earning good boy merits (grace) with God. That's exactly where the devil wants you. Our adversary (devil, Satan, Lucifer or whatever) would love nothing more than for every blood bought child of God to be scared, afraid and unsure of their salvation.
I recommend The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Your local library should have it if you don’t want to buy it. It’s a short read. It’s fictional satire about two demons and how they try to sabotage the faith of believers.
Try something different, here are a few suggestions:
Does "Patriots" get any love around here? The story is meh, but I appreciated a lot of the SHTF-planning ideas.
Link to book on Amazon
Fiction: Laurus is a great story about God using a sinner to do good things.
Saint: I can think of two off the top of my head.
Mary of Egypt
Moses the Black
There’s another case of this:
Guterson’s “Ed King” https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0307271064
Duncan’s “I, Lucifer” https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0802140149
Amish Vampires in Space
My favorite religiously-themed fiction book: The Sparrow
The Red Tent
Yikes I reeeeeeally hope they are not going the [hover for spoiler](/spoiler alien) route.... that's a big nope for me :/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sparrow_(novel)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/0449912558/R1VLVTYCBFUYI/ref=cm_cr_dp_mb_rvw_1?ie=UTF8&cursor=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/0449912558/R346EEJCNWLWYG/ref=cm_cr_dp_mb_rvw_7?ie=UTF8&cursor=7
Edit: ok well I can't figure out how to properly hide what I am talking about but those who look up the plot of the book should know what I'm talking about.... going in that particular direction would really feel like jumping the shark for me and I'm not here for it :/
I suggest reading A More Christlike God by Brad Jersak.
For lighter reading, read or watch The Shack
RE: Does God fart. You should check out Religion War by Scott Adams and if your up to it read the first book God's Debris.
I'm not sure if this is quite what you're looking for, but I would highly recommend The Screwtape Letters, by CS Lewis... it provides some of the most profound insight into the nature of sin, temptation, and the struggle for human souls that I know of. John Cleese does an astounding reading of it as well, which makes for even more enjoyable and engaging experience.
The recent sci-fi book Rainbows End by Vinge deals with this issue. In it the protagonist awakens after being cured of his Alzheimer's disease. It is a terrible book though, but you can read a big chunk of it yourself here.
If you're into Sci-fi type books, you should check out The Sparrow. Easily one of my favorites that draws on philosophy, religion, linguistics, space travel, and more.
There was a follow-up called "Children of God" which I'd recommend if you like the first one.