Mosi Mynn Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I'm sure this has been done before! Inspired by Goodreads, I'm curious as to what everyone's Top 10 books are, regardless of genre, length, respectability or reason. I realise this is a nearly impossible ask. I can immediately think of about fifty I want to list. But, off the top of my head, my initial not-thinking-about-it 10 are: The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien Watership Down by Richard Adams 1984 by George Orwell To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Duncton Wood by William Horwood (I would like to put the first trilogy here, but, unlike The Lord of the Rings, they are separate books, so I've gone for the most beautifully written of the three) The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Silver Brumbies of the South by Eleyne Mitchell The Tales of Olga da Polga by Michael Bond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 You started off well. I couldn't begin to get it down, there are probably a top 4-5 and then about another 20-30 that could fill out the roster depending on my mood. To Kill a Mocking bird, His Dark Materials (i'm treating them as one), LOTR, Watership Down, Trainspotting are probably always going to be up there whatever the mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HexMachina Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I would have to cheat and include Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings as one single entry to make my list at all interesting (otherwise it would be Hobb Hobb and Hobb). Note these aren't necessarily based on some kind of objective criteria but my personal favourites or books which for one reason or another hold a special place for me. Not in order but a tough top 10: The Lord of the Rings JRR Tolkien. My entry into the fantasy genre from which I have never looked back. Realm of the Elderlings Robin Hobb. Utterly captivating with such beautiful characters and plot Howards End E.M. Forster Bleak House Charles Dickens The Silmarillion JRR Tolkien/Christopher Tolkien The Fifth Season N.K. Jemisin Cloud Atlas David Mitchell Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen Harry Potter series J.K Rowling Lord of the Flies William Golding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu Bolin Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 IT - Stephen King Use of Weapons - Iain M. Banks White Jazz - James Ellroy Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72 - Hunter S. Thompson London Fields - Martin Amis Deadhouse Gates - Steven Erikson Espedair Street - Iain Banks The Sound of Thunder - Wilbur Smith The Music of Chance - Paul Auster Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essan Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Slightly cheating because somet of these are series (but that at least allows me to pick 10 different authors!):Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas AdamLord of the Rings - JRR TolkienThe Stonor Eagles - William HorwoodExcession - Iain M BanksA Song of Ice & Fire - George RR MartinThe Jacobite Trilogy - DK Broster The Brentwood Trilogy - Robert RankinLucifer's Hammer - Larry NivenThree Men and a Boat - Jerome K Jerome And any one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels cos I really couldn't pick the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartofice Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Lord of the Rings Song of Ice and Fire 1984 Lord of the Flies Lolita Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell A Little History of the World The Road Slaughterhouse 5 His Dark Materials Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosi Mynn Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Essan said: And any one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels cos I really couldn't pick the best! As soon as I posted mine I realised I had forgotten Small Gods or Witches Abroad or Masquerade or Interesting Times or ... And I forgot Narnia! I don’t think you can have the whole of A Song of Ice and Fire, sorry. I'm going to have to insist you pick one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 This is not easy. In no particular order: Lord of the Rings Anathem The Wind in the Willows The Hollywood Quartet of James Ellroy Mother Night Dangerous Visions Again Dangerous Visions Iain Banks (insert any of his books here) I, Claudius The Black Echo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Underworld, Delillo The Judging Eye, Bakker The Mauritius Command, O'Brian (pick any, really) Code of the Woosters, Wodehouse The Living, Dillard Wings of a Falcon, Voight Use of Weapons (any Banks works) Blood Meridian, McCarthy Suttree, McCarthy One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia Marquez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Such great choices. I could not begin to select 10. @helena ex machine I started the Realm of the Elderlings three years ago and my wife became fanatical for the stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 In no particular order: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon The Scar by China Mieville The Shipping News by Annie Proulx The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke Normal People by Sally Rooney* *Recency bias alert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 4 hours ago, larrytheimp said: Underworld, Delillo The Judging Eye, Bakker The Mauritius Command, O'Brian (pick any, really) Code of the Woosters, Wodehouse The Living, Dillard Wings of a Falcon, Voight Use of Weapons (any Banks works) Blood Meridian, McCarthy Suttree, McCarthy One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia Marquez Damn, I wish I had room for O'Brian also. And Flashman too. But then I would want Swallows and Amazons also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 34 minutes ago, maarsen said: Damn, I wish I had room for O'Brian also. And Flashman too. But then I would want Swallows and Amazons also. I have never read any Flashman but have a couple maybe a year out int he TBR pile. Is there any one in particular you'd recommend? I keep a couple O'Brian books under the seat in my vehicle because it's so easy to just flip open any part and read a couple pages and it's always good. And goddamn just realized I left Shogun off my list so one of those others has to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 2 hours ago, Paxter said: In no particular order: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon The Scar by China Mieville The Shipping News by Annie Proulx The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke Normal People by Sally Rooney* *Recency bias alert! This is a great list, sorry for DP Specifically, the Austen, Mieville, Chabon and Proulx, who all would have made my top 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 43 minutes ago, larrytheimp said: I have never read any Flashman but have a couple maybe a year out int he TBR pile. Is there any one in particular you'd recommend? I keep a couple O'Brian books under the seat in my vehicle because it's so easy to just flip open any part and read a couple pages and it's always good. And goddamn just realized I left Shogun off my list so one of those others has to go! I would start with the first, Flashman. Royal Flash and Flashman at the Charge after that and then the ones set in the US such as Flash for Freedom, Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, and Flashman and the Redskins. Think of Flashman as if Iain Banks wrote thistorical novels. I know the feeling of having to take stuff of the list for other books you just remembered. Much as I like Phil Farmer, Roger Zelazny and Robert Silverberg..... DUNE! I forgot Dune. And Triton and Dalhgren by Samuel Delaney. Aaargggh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyKC Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 I can tell you this, that my top 10 are all by LaHaye and Jenkins. The specific books change frequently, but the source is always consistent. Love, love, love. From my family to yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 9 hours ago, larrytheimp said: Underworld, Delillo You are a cretin! Everyone knows White Noise is DeLillo’s best work. Where do you live? I’m coming over to fight you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 1 minute ago, Myshkin said: You are a cretin! Everyone knows White Noise is DeLillo’s best work. Where do you live? I’m coming over to fight you. Love White Noise, but I like travelling light, so am a sucker for big giant books. Watch out for airborne toxic events Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawkcabi Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North World War Z - Max Brooks The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas Foundation - Issac Asimov The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger The Pillars of the World - Ken Follett A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin 1984 - George Orwell Ready Player One - Ernest Cline Magician - Raymond E. Feist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essan Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 17 hours ago, Mosi Mynn said: I don’t think you can have the whole of A Song of Ice and Fire, sorry. I'm going to have to insist you pick one Okay, probably A Storm of Swords then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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