Anyone like to suggest some holiday books for me (probably fantasy/sci-fi or non fiction)

[Takver]

Looking for some good suggestions for taking on holiday. My taste in novels is pretty light-weight and biased to fantasy/sci-fi (tend to read quite a bit of YA fantasy, though largely because I get them from dd). Recent books I've enjoyed & would be just the sort of thing: the Parasol Protectorate series, the Divergent trilogy, the most recent Tales of the city book, various books by China Mieville, the Rivers of London series.

Alternatively non-fiction is also good - history / economics / feminism / biography up to a point (but probably not popular science). Don't mind more 'serious' books for non-fic as I find them much easier to read in bits and pieces (whereas with literary novels if I can't read uninterrupted I tend to lose the thread).

All suggestions welcome - thanks!

Definitely read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, if you haven't already.

SF/fantasy isn't particularly my thing but I've read and enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and the Rivers of London series and wondered if you/your dd might enjoy Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy? They're billed as books for 9-12 year olds but I know lots of adults (including me!) who have really enjoyed them. Although they're set in a very different world from Jonathan Strange or Rivers of London, they seem to me to have a similar "feel" and sense of humour (and even have footnotes ).

Is Rivers of London similar to JS & Mr Norrell?

Not really, no! But they seem to me to share a certain kind of (typically British?) humour, so the above post was my slightly feeble attempt at an Amazon-style "if you liked that then you might like this..."

I would recommend
The Circle by Dave Eggers
Mr Penumbra's 24 hour bookstore

Thanks macerella, I'll take a look at Rivers of London

How about jim butchers's Dresden Files series? I've read the first -light and amusing with a bit of dark.

Off tomorrow, and I have a good pile ready to go. Crystalskulls, I've got some of my old Mercedes Lackey packed for dd, I think she'll love the Magic's Pawn series :) (Also have a couple of MZB Darkover novels for her - looking at your list if you haven't read them I think you'd probably really like them.)

I absolutely loved Gods Inc by Sarah King. It's very light fantasy. About a high flying businessman who is killed in a car crash and wakes up in the afterlife. Long story short, he finds out his wife who is still alive, is being stalked by a serial killer and he has to save her from beyond the grave. It's a bit sci fi, a bit fantasy. In this new world where he finds himself he starts to uncover disturbing secrets such as all living people are actually watched over and controlled by the dead. It's a really gripping and fast moving read.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00K31WE78?Version=1&entries=0

I second the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovotch as well as the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka.

In terms of fantasy I would also recommend:

1. The Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne - about the last surviving druid and his dog. It is primarily set in present day USA although he travels all over this world and other planes. A lot of it is set in the Celtic mythological plane of Tir Na Nog. However, it also delves into Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Native American and other mythologies and there's even an encounter with Jesus.

1. The Demon Accords series by John Conroe - about a young police officer who can exorcise ghosts, and his encounters with vampires, werewolves and other non-human entities. Also set in the USA.

1. The Shadowmagic series by John Lenahan. Another one that starts in the USA and ends in Tir Na Nog. I think this series was written for young adults but I really enjoyed it.

1. The Hellequin series by Steve McHugh - this is a lot darker and less funny than the others. It's about a sorcerer with amnesia.

1. Finally, I would recommend a book of short stories called Carniepunk. All set in fairgrounds. The stories are variable but good as a whole.

Until a couple of years ago I would have scoffed at the idea of reading fantasy fiction. Now it is pretty much all I read, although am also a fan of crime dramas. There are some great recommendations on this thread, so thank you fo starting it Takver and I hope you have a wonderful holiday

Any of Kelley Armstrong's books would work with your brief. She also has a couple of YA series.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

Anything byHaruki Murakami. IQ84 is amazing two book epic that has a thread of fantasy running through. Most of his books follow this theme really.

Lois McMaster Bujold, the Curse of Chalion

also wrote a fun space opera series but the Curse of Chalion is her best fantasy. Think it won the world fantasy award iirc