It's that time again - Remus needs recs

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I've just bought 'Golden Son' on KIndle, so that should keep me quiet for a little while, but I need other things too.

In an ideal world the thing you recommend will be -
Not obvious
Something long and wintry - either a doorstop or a series
Gripping and well written
Probably a bit old fashioned
Maybe with ghosts
Basically I want something to curl up with - am thinking something akin to His Dark Materials, or Wilkie Collins' 'Moonstone' or the Holmes stories. Otherwise I'll just have to re-read the Harry Potters, and I don't want to!

Have you tried Pratchett/Baxter Long Earth series?

If you fancy something lighter Jonathon Strouds Bartimeaus series.

Orson Scott Cards Tales of Alvin Maker could keep you going for a while.

Any one of the series by Harry Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, or David Weber might well get you through to 2017.

I hated The Master and Margarita with a passion. Complete nonsense, from the beginning to the dragged-out end. If it has a point, I would like to hear about it.

I am currently reading Mrs Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It night suit you.

A couple of children's books that may be a little obscure and that you may (or may not) enjoy are From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg or A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. The kids and I are currently reading Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book which is fantastic.

Just another couple have come to mind. Have you read any of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files or Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant books? Both contain wizards who use their magic to help solve crimes and fight off all the ghouls and goblins.

I was going to suggest the Phil Rickman books for the Merrily Watkins series, although then you said no to religion and she is a vicar.

That said, the woman never seems to be in a church and most of the religion has been paganism rather than christianity so far. They are more crime and people-are-strange type books than religious ones.

She's the Deliverance Consultant (exorcist) for Herefordshire. I've just started the fourth book and so far have enjoyed the series.

I haven't read any of his other, non-Merrily books yet, but some of them sound quite good too and might not have the religion angle.

I've got something on my wish list called Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll which might fit your criteria, although obviously I haven't read it yet.

It's set in winter, says it's historical fiction, definitely has a ghost, and she's written at least two others that sound similar. They are children's books though, seem to by aimed at ages 9-12.

I've also got one called Wolf Winter by Cecelia Ekback wish listed, and I don't think this one is for children, which is about two sisters in a remote place finding a body. Their father is away, their mother won't let the matter rest and though they say the man was killed by a wolf, what wolf cuts a body so cleanly?

I love your recs threads Remus
Has anyone said Dark Matter by Michelle Paver yet? Protagonist spends the winter in the arctic and it is a ghost story. Scared the life out of me. Not a long read or a series though, sadly.

Hygge they're perfect for this time of year aren't they, great reads and oh so spooky!

Another vote for Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond chronicles, start with The Game of Kings. She was a brilliant writer and her books are overlooked but are utterly brilliant.

I'm skimming through my kindle looking for good read and have settled on The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. I've read them before but they recently arrived on kindle.

Just bought the first Merrily W one.

Have read lots of the ones mentioned.

No to the 'Rivers of London' ones - they annoy me.
Read 'Dark Matter' - expected to love it but preferred the getting ready for the trip than the actual ghost/twist stuff.
Read Mrs Peregrine and the second one - they are indeed right up my street, although I think the books are better than the actual stories, if that makes sense?!
Hated, 'The Master and Margarita' to the point where I gave up in disgust.
Have read all of Pratchett's but only like some of them. Don't like Tiffany Aching much and found the second in the Long Earth series really, really boring - didn't finish it. Do like Sam V and Captain Carrot though!

Have read all of Neil Gaiman's and 'A Wrinkle in Time.'

Somebody else recommended Jim Butcher to me - what is the first one called? There seem to be zillions of them!

Am really not v good with fantasy by women. In fact, am not v good with much fantasy at all but live in hope that somewhere there is something as good as The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Tower. I suspect not, though.

Just bought, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' and 'Goodbye to Berlin' in charity shops too - neither of them are what I'm really looking for though.

I've been reading Capital by John Lanchester - it's a long novel (over 500) pages, well written and engrossing. No ghosts :o It's all set in one road in London (modern day).

Also, on a London theme, I've been eyeing up London Belongs To Me by Norman Collins. It was written in 1945, set in 1938 in a rooming house in Kennington. Again, lots of different characters. Will be interesting to compare the way people lived then with how they do now, in similar areas/houses etc. There's a bit about it at the beginning of Capital too. Also, a very long novel (over 700 pages).

Have you read the Lirael trilogy by Garth Nix?

I tried 'Capital' but got tired before finishing it. Read the first Nix one but didn't think much of it.

Sorry.

I have enough to keep me going for a week or two now, but really want a lovely big wintry book. :)

Any of the trilogies by Robertson Davis. Love them all. Nothing ghostly, but a bit old-fashioned, long saga-y reads. I like the Cornish trilogy and the Deptford triology.

ANd the Salterton trilogy too. Blimey - I need to re-read these.

The Quincunx by Charles Palliser is quite like Wilkie Collins in feel

I didn't like, 'The Quincunx.' Thought I would, but I just couldn't get into it.

Something like E. Nesbit would be good - have read all hers though!

I haven't read it for years but I remember loving The children of the New Forest. It's probably really dated now

Lumpy they are, I'm really enjoying them. I think the second book has been my favourite so far, but I'm only on book four so plenty of others to get through and choose from as well.

You get to really care about all the characters Hygge, new one out in December! His other books are good too, deliciously creepy!

Another set of books for this time of year are the Mayfair witch books by Anne Rice.

I postponed Tad Williams in the end and went for We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Have you read Q by Luther blissert? Slightly bonkers treatment of the reformation. I will re-read this when I am not in a small-child-induced haze of tiredness.

"We, the drowned" is interesting. Danish sea story. Unusual.

Neither of these are wintery as such but defo lose yourself.

Also "the quick" - not ghosts, but defo fantasy

The first Jim Butcher is Storm Front. Have you read Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea books? They are as good if not better than LOTR in my opinion. What about In The Name of the Rose or Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco? Both would be fairly meaty. Another one that comes to mind is The Alienist by Caleb Carr. I read it over 10 years ago and enjoyed it then. It is set in New York towards the end if the 19th century. It us kind ifvzsherkick Holmsy. There is a second book too but I can't remember what it's called.

Don't know what happened there - should read "kind of a"

I feel horribly awkward - sorry.

Didn't get on with Ursula LeGuin at all. Started 'The Name of the Rose' but decided I'd rather never read again than actually finish the damn thing.

Don't like Anne Rice.

Will google the others.

I've started the first Merrily whatshername. Erm...so far I am not liking it very much at all. Hopefully it will pick up.