Well, sticking to the King theme, the Dark Tower series is pretty good over all. Nice long 7 book affair, you wouldn't be bored for awhile. It's more science-fiction/fantasy than horror, so it'll still be a nice change if that's what you're looking for.

I've tried to start the first book a couple of times... last time, I think I got about 100 pages or so before giving up. I know lots of people view this as a seminal masterwork, but I found it rough going.

This is going to sound strange but, the best way I found to get into The Dark Tower is jump into the middle of it. I started reading the series on the third book (Wastelands) after I got it as a Xmas gift. I was instantly hooked on it and when I went back to The Gunslinger and Drawing of the Three and everything just sort of "clicked" for me.

I can't recommend The Terror by Dan Simmons enough. It does go on a tad bit too long but it's been my favorite novel of 2007 so far.

Heh, weird for the sake of being weird... I just finished The Hitchhiker "Trilogy in 5 Parts". Those books were so damn funny. I haven't *ever* laughed so many times while reading, but I do admit an attraction to English humour. The books are fairly short (all five of them may be as long as one of the longer George R.R. Martin epics), so it was very easy to get through them.

Have you read any of the other Douglas Adams books? I haven't, just wondering if I should.

Um, not trying to derail.

I'll third Shogun. It's as long as the Stand, but it doesn't feel a second too long.

damn, missed that... time to go to the search box...

Allow me to stroll over to my bookshelf.
Scifi:
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game...only because it'll give you background for one of my favorite novels of all time, Speaker for the Dead. Only scifi novel to actually make me cry.
Asimov's Foundation Series (just the first 5, the rest suck). When I was 9, my dad sat me down, and said "Son, let me introduce you to some real books." He handed me his copies of Aasimov's Foundation trilogy and the Lord of the Rings.
Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End. Simply amazing.
I agree that Lucifer's Hammer is good, but from the Niven-Purnell collaboration I much prefer The Mote in God's Eye.
If you feel like making a committment, George R. R. Martin's fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire is so far fantastic. The first book is called A Game of Thrones.
Finally, to add to the post-apocalyptic theme, Walter M. Miller Jr.'s A Canticle for Leibowitz is very good.
I could go on and on, but this should be enough.

After the incident with the movie recommendation threads, I am extremely tempted to make a "Finally Read "Hop on Pop"... Now What?" thread...

I second the Foundation series. There are Sci Fi books I like more individually, but that's my favorite series ever. Last summer I read the entire series of 5, then read the robot series. So excellent. Definitely worth it. Come to think of it, I may read these again someday soon.

The recent steampunk book Mainspring is pretty good. It's about a guy sent on a mission by an angel to wind the earth like a clock, else the gears that move the universe will run down.

Otherwise, comic writer Warren Ellis' first full-length novel, Crooked Little Vein, is coming out next week (or july 24, if you are reading this from the future). If you haven't read any of his other work, Ellis is known for his dark humor, biting satire and bizarre futurism. Sorta like Neil Gaiman minus the annoyances like hope and compassion.

I'll second this, but be warned that the first half of the novel is all setup and it takes awhile to slog through it. George Stewart's Earth Abides is a really good post-apocalyptic novel as well... it's sort of the grandfather of the genre. It's a really interesting take on what would happen to the planet if only a very small handful of people survived a plague.

I just finished Snow Crash, it's as good as everybody says it is. Before that I read The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks and Perdido Street Station by China Mieville, both were really great sci-fi novels.

I agree with the Dark Tower suggestions. I don't suggest jumping in the middle of the series though. Thats interesting feedback on the first book, the first book is still my favorite.

Also, don't forget to watch the TV version of The Stand. The acting is pretty bad and the sets aren't very convincing but it stays very true to the text so its pretty entertaining.

If you haven't read Ender's Game, you shouldn't be doing anything else until you finish it. It's short, intense, and well-written. The way Card pulls down the pants of the human condition is brilliant.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is good. It's pretty long too, if that's what you're into.