I'm not reading a book this week. I've finished the ones I have with me and I haven't found a new one yet. So, to keep this post novel related, I thought I would write a list of some of my favourite books. This list is in no way exhaustive, is arranged in no particular order and doesn't include any books written by my family - you know you are top of my list guys.
Here are 11 books for the 11th of February.
Enjoy.
1. Dracula by Bram Stoker - as scary now as when it was first written, this classic was almost solely responsible for catapulting vampires into the limelight - and eventually into our beds. If you haven't already, you should read it.
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien - I know this book so well I almost know it off by heart. It is an old dear friend I like to revisit on cold winter evenings.
3. The Abhorsen Chronicles by Garth Nix - I enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, Sabriel, but the second and third parts (Lirael and Abhorsen) blew me away. Oh, and Kelloggs gave me Lirael for free, so it was a double win situation.
4. I am legend by Richard Matheson - Thinking about this book still gives me shivers. It has become part of my brain chemistry. Good game to play - what would you do if you were Robert Neville?
5. The Sheep Pig by Dick King Smith - I think I cried the beginning of a large size garden pond because of this book. It got to the stage where my sister had to change the story so it wouldn't cause me any more heart ache. It's a classic.
6. The vet books by James Herriot - He inspired legions of fans to become vets and entertained millions of animal lovers with his sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant accounts of being a vet in rural Yorkshire.
7. The Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill - This book was like a waking nightmare for me. I could not sleep I was so traumatised after reading it. It was absolutely brilliant!
8. Stardust by Neil Gaiman - It has magic, whimsy and evil witches. What more could anyone ask for?
9. The Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - They hit the right note of science, thriller and horror with their first joint outing and were never quite able to do it again.
10. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz - I love Dean, and it is hard to choose a favourite among his works, but wow!
11. World War Z by Max Brooks - Finding a good zombie novel can be hard. Most are pure guilty pleasure, but this book is a real find. Building on his earlier novel - The Zombie Survival Guide - Brooks improves upon the theme and creates a book which should be a must read in every school and university.
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6 comments:
Good choices - haven't read all of them but the ones I have are excellent.
Are there no books hanging around your present location???
I have read the first three books because I am a fantasy fan, who will try my best to read the major works of said literature.
You should try the (Tsuranuanni) Empire Trilogy by Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts. If there is going to be another fantasy blockbuster trilogy movies to succeed LotR, this should be it. :)
I've only read 2 and 10, so thanks for the suggestions!!!
Here are some others to consider:
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card... This book was so good I read it twice in a row. Talk about messing with your thought processes.
The Gunslinger - King... The journey of the Dark Tower Series was phenomenal, but the first was by far the best.
Bless Me, Ultima - Rodolfo Anaya... Magical Realism at its best.
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman... I truly enjoyed this "Alice in Wonderland" fantasy. Fun read.
To Kill a Mokingbird - Harper Lee... Nothing more to say.
Terry Brooks - Sword of Shannara... Special place in my teen years. Brooks isn't a fantastic writer. But Shannara is a fantastic place.
Olympos and Ilium - Dan Simmons... Phew!
I could do this all day!
One more for you writers out there:
On Writing - King... Do yourself a favor. READ this. Then read it again. Maybe even three times. I can't tell you how many times I've read this book. In my mind, it is the perfect how-to-write book, because it's not.
Ah, I would have to say that I'm fond of Roberto Bolano. A Chilean writer who has written what is considered by many to be a masterpiece in "2666" (that's the title of this near-1,000 page tome). I'd suggest reading a short novel of his first. Something like "Distant Star."
"The Road" by Cormac McCarthy is a good read as well.
"The Art of Racing in the Rain" is unique in that it has a dog as a narrator and is philosophical in content.
Those are just a couple off the top of my head. I actually have a somewhat long list of books to read if you're interested in that.
Hey, I'm an avid reader myself but my choice of books r quite different to yours.
Btw, I enjoyed my stay here.Ill visit u some more.
keep it up.
AB. :-)
Thanks Anon. There are plenty of books hanging around the house but I have either read them or have no interest in reading them at the moment.
Hi Shadowthorne, thanks for the recommendation. It is always good to hear of new fantasy books worth reading.
Thanks for the suggestions G.C. I've read most of them but will look out for the ones I haven't. Tell me, have you read the other books in the Ender series and if so, what did you think of them compared to the first book? I'd be interested to hear what you think.
Those books sound good Shad B. Send over your long list or post it on your blog, I'd love to find out what is on it.
What kind of books do you like to read Anand? I'm glad you like the blog. Please visit again soon. :)
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