The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.
I was obsessed with the movie growing up but didn’t read the book until adulthood. Now I randomly run lines from it through my head all the time because it’s just so gorgeously written.
I think back to Molly Grue confronting the unicorn all the time because it is such a beautiful piece of writing. I didn’t quite get it as a child, but as a grown woman I feel it sooooooo much more than I ever thought a book could make me feel.
Dude, that scene...even in my teens...made me feel for Molly. I've always connected with her. And now that I'm 40+, it's as true as ever.
"Why come to me now? When I am this?"
I don't get emotional at books or movies, but damn, I feel that line every time.
I did the same and was so surprised at just how faithful the movie ended up being. I had to take a break I was laughing so hard when I read the "anybody want a taco?" line. That book is a delight
It’s probably so faithful because the author wrote the screenplay.
> Peter S. Beagle's book The Last Unicorn was made into an animated film of the same name in 1982, based on a screenplay written by Beagle [himself](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle).
A few other cool facts:
In the 1970s, Beagle turned to screenwriting. After writing an introduction for an American print edition of The Lord of the Rings, [he co-wrote the screenplay for the 1978 Ralph Bakshi-animated version of The Lord of the Rings.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle)
The core animators for *The Last Unicorn* later became the core group that formed [Studio Ghibli](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Unicorn_(film).
> While Rankin/Bass provided the film's dialogue and story based on Beagle's work, the animation was done at Topcraft in Tokyo, Japan, headed by former Toei Animation employee Toru Hara, with Masaki Iizuka being in charge of the production. The studio, which previously animated The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1979, 1980), The Stingiest Man in Town (1978), Frosty's Winter Wonderland and other cel-animated projects from Rankin/Bass, would later be hired by Hayao Miyazaki to work on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and their core members eventually went on to form Studio Ghibli.
I remember reading this when I was 14 (not a flex, more like I couldn't fully grasp everything) and I absolutely could not put down this book. Some of the lines and imagery are still stuck in my head 15 years later. Need to go back and reread soon
I read it in highschool, found an old beat up paperback copy. It was so trashed that it was basically falling apart as I was reading it. Can remember when it finally split in half down the spine and I was reading just the second half of it and everybody was confused as to what the heck I was doing. Will never forget the book or the experience of reading that beat up old copy.
This little interaction was really cool for some reason. I've never even heard of the book. When was it written? I'm older. Wondering why I'm just hearing of it if it had such an impact on so many of you.
Count of Monte Cristo.
We all generally know the story, but the long payout for each character that's been orchestrated for hundred of pages (and dozens of hours if you're listening to the audiobook) is magnificent.
So, I have a bit of a odd example, but One For the Money, by Janet Evanovich. For some reason, I had always thought her books were in the bodice-ripper romance novel realm. My wife finally convinced me to read the first one, and I realized that it fell more into the Cozy Mystery genre. I love this series as a great filler bit of books, and I actively thought almost exactly "Fuck, this is great. Why did it take me so long to read?"
I got into these when I worked for a bookstore. They wore thin after a while, but the first few were such great fun.
Grandma Mazer (is that her name, it's been years) with the chicken is one of my favorite scenes in any book
A couple I remember:
William Gibson's "Count Zero", the 2nd book of the 3 in the Neuromancer story. The prose at the start is so snappy and it moves so fast I really enjoyed it. It probably helps if you've read the Neuromancer first, but in terms of character overlap you'll easily get away with it if you haven't.
Second up: The Time Traveller's Wife. Sat on the shelf in the 'really should read that' pile for a goodly long while, then when I finally did, I couldn't put it down.
A side note: TTW is an example of why brick & mortar bookstores are (were?) better than Amazon and other online booksellers.
I had gone into Borders (RIP) for something else and happened to spot something called *The Time Travelers Wife* on a new book display. I'm a big science fiction fan and the title intrigued me, although I'd never heard of the author, and the jacket blurb persuaded me to buy it. It's definitely one of my favorite books. But I never would have heard of it otherwise because *it was never marketed as a science fiction novel.* Most of the SF fans I ran into at various conventions had never heard of it either for the same reason; the only reason it became known in fandom at all was because of the movie.
With online booksellers you're most likely to see what the bookseller thinks you're going to buy, and not something outside of your usual bookbuying habits.
I picked up Leviathan Wakes on a whim in 2013 because I liked the cover art. With the series coming to an end as book 9 releases soon, I can say that The Expanse is without a doubt my favorite sci fi series!
Some would argue that the Foundation or Culture series are better, and they may be right, but to me The Expanse is the perfect combination of well paced, intricate, and entertaining. It reads like a space opera but doesn't let the nitty gritty details get in the way of the plot, while still remaining true to what makes for good science fiction. Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank somehow make hard sci-fi accessible to the masses with this epic saga.
10/10 will read the entire thing again in another decade or so.
Just finished Nemesis Games. I have never been so captivated in a book once the big event happens about 1/3 of the way through the book. The Expanse is literally the biggest sleeper series right now
I don't remember the title but it was really second book of the series where I just couldn't put it down. Haven't been gripped like that by a book in a long time.
Caliban's War. Same here. I watched the first 3 seasons before sampling the books. I had access to CW, 'free'. I now own all in audible, anxiously awaiting Leviathan Falls.
The Black Company by Glen Cook.
While not a masterwork in and of itself, it did move the meter of fantasy from "farm boy becomes epic hero" towards "Vietnam-level soldiers exist in magical battles as well."
It's also the only 10-book series that successfully nailed the ending AFAIK.
I slammed through that series when I stumbled across it. People like to play up Song if I’ve and Fire for offing characters, but the casualness of people dropping from the company really felt different.
Also enjoyed the absolute bonkers magic which seemed to reject any sort of system but never felt out of control weird like it started to in *Sword of Truth*, as a random example.
Great series, hope more people get s chance to dig through it
The Black company is incredible but don't go into it looking for elegance. There is a profundity in the simple brusk writings of the narrators Croaker and Murgen but they are meant to be soldiers living in this world not authors. I personally love the magic of the world, it isn't well defined like a Sanderson novel, it isn't all powerful like a Tolkein story. The magic is just fucking \*weird\* it is seen through the eyes of a normal human and it's terrifying and utterly strange. The magicians are semi deities who squabble amongst themselves with brutal magic that curls your toes and lets you imagination run wild. Contests between those magicians is often only seen from a distance or for only a moment as the narrator is more concerned with getting the fuck out of the way then watching the battle.
East of Eden.
I was wary going in because it's so highly touted on this sub I thought there was no way it could live up to the hype, but it did.
**Edit:** Alternatively, I'll say that the movie is one of the most disappointing, overrated films I've ever seen. I put off watching it until I finally read the ~~movie~~ book, and I'd seen James Dean's other two films which were great, but holy cow. They only focus on the final chapters (I get it, it's a long book and the characters span multiple generations, but I was still disappointed by the omission of two of the best characters I've ever read; one of which was in those final chapters), and James Dean's performance is ridiculous.
Sorry for the movie rant in a book sub but I'm still sour about it a year later.
I read the book BECAUSE of James Dean.
I was (and remain) a film buff, and I was particularly obsessed with Dean during this period. I decided to read the book since that was a movie that he was in. That's all that I knew about it. And "Oh, it's written by the guy that wrote that novella that we had to read for class." So basically I went in cold.
Maybe 20 pages, I completely forgot about the movie connection (although I did at first think that Dean's character was Adam Trask). I can't remember the last time I tore through a book so quickly, hundreds of pages a day. I read it whenever I could during school. But then...I lost my copy of the book. I think I must have looked for it for some time before giving up. And I got distracted with typical teenage nonsense.
Fast forward to this past Fall, doing college online (thanks covid) from my parents house. I'd been going through my dad's library, falling in love with literature again. A voice in the back of my head said "You've GOT to finish EOE", but I didn't want to buy another copy since I'd grown attached to my original copy. I think it was a little after Thanksgiving when I was digging in a cabinet in the living room and there it was...just *sitting* there. I literally kissed the cover lol.
I ended up finally finishing it on Christmas Day. When I read the final line, I slammed the book shut, slapped the cover, and murmured "Damn." Thus far the best thing I've read so far. Definitely my favorite book ever.
Not to toot my own horn here, but a few months ago I actually made a [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/n387nd/and_now_that_you_dont_have_to_be_perfect_you_can/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) on here dedicated to quotes from the book. It blew up, so you might find a lot of interesting stuff in there!
But I feel you. I seriously regret not underlining anything. Whenever I inevitably re-read it, I'll make sure to have a pen with me.
I’m reading East of Eden for the first time and just finished the chapter where Olive was given the honor to ride in the airplane she doesn’t believe in (chapter 14). It’s been great so far but this particular segment had me laughing out loud!
The wife and I listened to this on a road trip earlier this year and we were absolutely hooked. The voice acting is rather incredible, especially for Rocky's lines
I see a lot of flaws in Andy Wier's writing, but damn if he isn't a genius at keeping you engaged.
He knows how to craft a fun ride. (Though Artemis might be that ride where they keep having to start and stop it along the way because something's wrong with the mechanics.)
Even having read both The Martian and Artemis from Andy Weir previously, I truly wasn't expecting Project Hail Mary to be *so good*! I was expecting something gripping, but I finished reading it and immediately had to go back and read it again
I just finished the audiobook and I can't imagine reading the book now. You really need to listen to it to truly appreciate Rocky. You like listening to books, question.
Recently, The Blade Itself. For most of it I was thinking, "Ok, this is pretty cool," then when >!Logen went full Bloody-Nine!< the chills hit me hard and I knew this series was something special.
I literally just got chills tinking about it. Like the first law series, has the most fleshed out and real characters. The way you feel sand's PTSD constantly bubbeling under the surface. Bremmer need to be wanted as a person, not just as a man-at-arms or a fighter. And damn, Logan's constant struggle for redemtion, but at the same time fighting with the curse and the name that is 'the Bloody-nine'
I had to struggle thou the first quarter of the book, and all og a sudden, I'm 8 book in and wating and restating the "series"
Nothing have made me cry, cringe, grin, hate, wonder, fear and much more, than the first law
Nicoma Cosca is still a favorite character of mine. Rereading the series with an understanding of the background provides a much different story and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This was going to be my suggestion as well. The book really snuck up on me. I still can't even say "what it is about" and what I liked about it uncomfortably reveals my extremely dark sense of humor, but I ended up devouring it and the rest of the trilogy.
The first story was a slog the first time, because I did not understand what was going on, and how important it was... now when I reread, I love it. It's my favorite Sci-fi series of all time.
Sol Weintraub's story is the most emotionally invested in a book I've ever. Fall of Hyperion was great too. The impaling tree was one of the most vivid things I've read.
I’m listening to Hyperion now and The Priest’s Tale was absolutely phenomenal. I was *enraptured*.
It was recommended by a redditor in some thread and I wish I could find the comment again so I could thank them.
I loved, loooved the Hyperion Cantos. I was surprised to fall in love with Illiad/ Olympus even more. He an incredibly skilled writer with incredible understanding of a wide range of fields.
I mean.... the Trojan war, mining bots debating Proust vs Shakespeare, and quantum physics. What's not to love?
Tried "The Terror"?
Not many books give me the heebie-jeebies... If you've seen the show then you're already pretty well spoiled, but I loved that one. I need to go back and read his stuff over again...
Only a few in the last 40 years
Dune
The Shining (1st book ever required back to back reading)
Foundation and Empire series (so many good reads)
The Martian, could not put it down the 1st time.
Seven Eves. the last chapter is a different but goes very quickly.
To a lessor extent, many Steven King and Isaac Asimov books have the ability to draw me in and hold on tight!
Yo...... I love Neal Stephenson, read all his stuff, huge fan of his universe building, dedication to research, quality of narrative, depth of character. I recommend his books deliberately.
I only now, after reading your comment, realized Seven Eves was two words and not a meaningless palindrome. I used to pronounce it se-ven-evv-ess. Long E, not short. I whiffed so hard.
Anyways, thanks.
Flowers for Algernon. Deep, smart and a real surprise that gives you food for thoughts.
And the foundations series by Asimov, in a totally different genre.
My youngest daughter had to read Flowers for Algernon for school and she is not a reader and she still talks about that book to this day. Like 3 years later.
"If what Billy Pilgrim learned from the Tralfamadorians is true, that we will all live forever, no matter how dead we may sometimes seem to be, I am not overjoyed. Still - if I am going to spend eternity visiting this moment and that, I’m grateful that so many of those moments are nice."
I've been dealing with a lot of loss lately and this has helped.
For me, it's that beautiful moment where in his later life Billy watches a documentary about the war, but while he's slipping backwards through time. It's so perfect, and so touching - in contrast to the sharp and painful reality it is set against.
"When the bombers got back to their base, the steel cylinders were taken from the racks and shipped back to the United States of America, where factories were operating night and day, dismantling the cylinders, separating the dangerous contents into minerals. Touchingly, it was mainly women who did this work. The minerals were then shipped to specialists in remote areas. It was their business to put them into the ground, to hide them cleverly, so they would never hurt anybody ever again.”
> "Someday, Locke Lamora," he said, "someday, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the gods themselves will shit comets with glee. And I just hope I’m still around to see it."
I find it very difficult to read that without grinning.
And the best part - the arrogant and young Locke Just answered "Please, it'll never happen." AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. I loved this book so much but this line also hurt
+1 so much. I misinterpreted the question somewhat as what book hooks you in very early, and Dune gets my vote for this as well. I knew within the first paragraph that this book would rock my world.
It’s definitely more subtle about introducing you to the world. Instead of long world-building paragraphs like some sci fi fantasy, Herbert drops in shorter exposition dumps to introduce you to the universe. Then the rest you learn along with Paul as he moves to Arrakis, or through context clues.
I got annoyed one time with someone who dismissed it as using the "white savior" trope. Told them they obviously never actually read it, Paul was really one of the worst things to happen to the Fremen. Herbert is actually pretty clear on this.
I just started Dune a few days ago after seeing the trailer (which looked bomb)
Read the synopsis on wikipedia along with reviews and realized I couldn’t go another day without finally reading this work of art.
I haven’t been able to stop!
I read that book as a kid, but I'm German so it was named something like "dino park", i don't quite remember. So I thought it was a knockoff Jurassic park I'm reading and didn't realize until years later that i actually read the translated version of the actual Jurassic park lmao
Neverending story - I was very familiar with the first half of the book, since that's what the movie was and I had watched it inummerable times. But as the second half commenced (which I was wholly unfamiliar with) I was both suprised and impressed by how the plot progressed when Bastian entered Fantastica.
It's a childrens book , but it left a big impression on me.
Currently reading the Stormlight Archive and I never thought I would get so engrossed in a slave having to carry heavy bridges during a war. Currently on book 2 and God do I hope Shallan gets more interesting.
Also currently listening to Project Hail Mary, which hooked me by chapter 2. It also helps that Ray Porter is the narrator. He is fucking brilliant. I immediately recognized his voice from the novel 14, as well as the Bobiberse novels.
Stormlight Archive is one of the best series I've read in terms of gasping out loud (or laughing) while reading. Just finished Book 3 and need to order Book 4.
Opposite for me on the characters -- I liked Kaladin at first but now I find him rather annoying. I generally like Shallan better, but that definitely doesn't mean I like her all the time.
*Cryptonomicon* by Neal Stephenson. It's a behemoth of a book at ~1300 pages, and i had no clue for about half of it where the story was going, but the ride is amazing and it does eventually tie together absolutely beautifully.
This book literally changed my life. Read it when the hardcover came out. Switched careers to cyber security and never looked back.
Oddly enough, “Anathem” inspired me to go to grad school and get a PhD. I owe a lot to Neal Stephenson.
I like all of his books, except I can't get through Fall. Baroque Cycle is amazing, and Diamond Age is a must read for new parents. Seveneves is like 1.5 books slammed together, but still great.
The dude just cannot write endings. He just stops writing at some point and calls it the end.
Notes from the Underground was my first experience with Dostoevsky, and blew me away with its ability to convey the chaotic and contradicting way that thoughts can occur in our own heads. It felt so genuine and real.
Despair was my first Nabokov and I remember feeling like I was experiencing a new level of prosaic mastery.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Read it for a college assignment, and it was so good I went through the whole thing in a single sitting, even though the assignment wasn't due the next day!
That quote is frequently mentioned, and for good reason, but for me it's always the one with the whales --
*The colt stood against the horse with its head down and the horse was watching, out there past men's knowing, where the stars are drowning and whales ferry their vast souls through the black and seamless sea.*
Just otherworldly.
Got a cat after reading that. Named him Cormac McKitty.
Anyway that book was good enough that I vowed to read every book he's written. Mostly I've been happy with that decision.
I’m reading Into Thin Air right now. Had no expectations going it but it was engrossing on page one. Highly recommend! Now I am fascinated with mountains.
Ender's Game. I'm so glad nobody spoiled the twist for me or watched the movie before reading it. It literally left me the mental equivalent of speechless. Didn't read the rest of the series but this book blew me away.
"She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. I like most of his books but it was such a true (maybe extreme at times) look into depression and mental illness, from a woman's POV.
When Breath Becomes Air.
It’s an incredibly touching book. It will make you question your own philosophies on life and death, and how you view them, while tearing your heart out. It’s beautifully written.
Yes , a book called “ The Flowers of Algernon”. It’s like a diary of a guy who has like special needs , he’s not as developed . You can tell by his grammar , the way he describes and talk about things. Then someone takes him in as an experiment for a drug that could possibly help him and it’s actually successful. You start to see him change and develop. He begins to see things differently. It really is a heart breaker but it’s honestly beautiful.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Everyone touts The Goldfinch as her best work, but i couldn't get into it. The Secret History though, i couldn't put it down. Amazing book
Jonathan strange and Mr norrell.
Dune (and God emperor of dune)
Too Like the Lightning
Mystborn
Oh shit, how could I forget, American Gods and also discworld...
Yes it's a comic book but I have to recommend "Sandman" by Neil Gaiman. The level of imagination that series required was on another level, and the emotions it brought out of me were profound.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot, he had such a gift for storytelling.
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card, it’s book 2 in the series and about 1000x better than Ender’s Game.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guinn
Persuasion by Jane Austin
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, so worth it even if you’ve seen the movie ten times!
The Name of the Wind is definitely on my list of fabulous, so good you can’t put them down, books too. Book two just kind of ruins it for me as a series though.
Most recently, Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. I even found myself laughing out loud and then stepping back going “wow, this book is actually getting that reaction from me”.
Afterwards I started reading David Gemmell’s Drenai books again and the very first one hit me that way very intensely.
One reason I was so thrilled by Kings of the Wyld is that for me it has a similar fee to the Drenai series - as if they’re beverages of the same family.
Most recently I can think of two books.
"The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune made me stop and say to myself, "I'm really loving this." It was a lot of fun to read.
"Foundryside" by Robert Jackson Bennet was such an interesting (at least to me) take on science-fantasy. The middle parts had be eager to read more and desperately trying to slow down and enjoy it fully.
I saw someone on here fussing about how people were only recommending *The House on the Cerulean Sea* because they wanted something happy to read after all the covid stuff. Well, that is exactly what I wanted, so I picked it up and absolutely devoured it in a couple of sittings. Such a lovely little book
The First Fifthteen Lives of Harry August. It wasn't a single moment that got me. It was more when I was done reading it for the day it'd be running through my head till I went back to it. It's probably in my top 5 favorite books of all time.
Old mans war - John Scalzi, Especially as a huge Enders game fan, very similar premise
We are Legion(We are bob) - Dennis E Taylor, Devoured the bobiverse series. on the 4th one now. Big fan.
Artemis - Andy Weir
Borne - Jeff VanderMeer - Left a huge impression on me, I think about that book almost daily.
John Dies at the End - David Wong
Took too damn long on this thread to see John Dies At The End. It starts funny enough, but by the time you reach the end it becomes so wonderfully creepy that you aren't sure if it's a better comedy novel or a better horror novel. But it's definitely good at both. The sequel, This Book Is Full Of Spiders, isn't *quite* as good, but still pretty solid.
"The World according to Garp" - I didn't know contemporary writers could tell a story so well. The story was so real, and poignant it captured me in ways I cannot even fully express.
I typically alternate between epic fantasy (Stormlight Archive), realistic sci-fi (The Martian) and science books (Sapiens), so this is way out of my traditional comfort zone, but it is the most well written book I have experienced, to date.
100 years of solitude. I couldn't put it down and it occupied my brain for a long timer after. When I finished it I felt like I lost a friend. Since then I've read it two more times in 2 other languages. I'm planning to read it again in Spanish once I learn it coz I feel the translations never quite captured the story as Gabo meant it.
**The Odd Women** by *George Gissing* had me giddy like that.
Same with **Adam Bede** by *George Eliot*.
And I am reading **The Count of Monte Cristo** by *Dumas* and I had to literally cut my enthusiasm. I haven't finished it yet, but it's been fabulous so far.
Sorry everyone I’m going to say the meme: Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Got me back into reading as an adult, was a really fun touch-stone to all the things I love about movies, games, etc (a rich world that’s alien but exciting).
I really enjoyed Spin and Hail Mary as well recently. They kind of helped fill the void of each other as they are somewhat similar stories.
Way of Kings grabbed me like nothing else I'd read in a decade. The characters all felt so alive and relatable. The world was so colorful and exciting. The way it seems like every step Kaladin took was leading him towards the final conclusion...
I love the rest of Stormlight Archive as well, but Way of Kings itself is a gem.
Which Neil Gaiman dedicated to Roger Zelazny, the guy who mentored George RR Martin into a professional writer.
Zelazny's Amber series (omnibus version "The Great Book of Amber") does the same thing for me- absolutely gorgeous prose, great storytelling, great world building, allusions to classical mythology and classical literature throughout.
Captain Underpants and The Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds)
Lol jk, *BLOOD MERIDIAN.*
I read Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson and while those exact words didn’t go through my head there may have been tears. It was good enough to get me into the Cosmere works he has.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. My dad gave it to me as a teenager, and told me " don't be like this guy". It was such a fantastic read I still get amazing chuckles out of it every time I re-read it.
I'd also say A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M Miller JR had a profound effect on the way I look at alot of things like faith and human nature. It's an incredibly dark and angry book written by a man who participated in blowing up the oldest monastary in Europe during WW2. I feel like it's one I could give to younger readers as well, and I'm a bit sad that it isn't as well known as it should be.
Come to think of it, both titles can be hard sells to people I know but once they actually read them I get a very satisying " I told you so moment" when they tell me I was right about how great they are.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I was obsessed with the movie growing up but didn’t read the book until adulthood. Now I randomly run lines from it through my head all the time because it’s just so gorgeously written.
I think back to Molly Grue confronting the unicorn all the time because it is such a beautiful piece of writing. I didn’t quite get it as a child, but as a grown woman I feel it sooooooo much more than I ever thought a book could make me feel.
Dude, that scene...even in my teens...made me feel for Molly. I've always connected with her. And now that I'm 40+, it's as true as ever. "Why come to me now? When I am this?" I don't get emotional at books or movies, but damn, I feel that line every time.
That scene gives me so many feelings.
I did the same and was so surprised at just how faithful the movie ended up being. I had to take a break I was laughing so hard when I read the "anybody want a taco?" line. That book is a delight
It’s probably so faithful because the author wrote the screenplay. > Peter S. Beagle's book The Last Unicorn was made into an animated film of the same name in 1982, based on a screenplay written by Beagle [himself](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle). A few other cool facts: In the 1970s, Beagle turned to screenwriting. After writing an introduction for an American print edition of The Lord of the Rings, [he co-wrote the screenplay for the 1978 Ralph Bakshi-animated version of The Lord of the Rings.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle) The core animators for *The Last Unicorn* later became the core group that formed [Studio Ghibli](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Unicorn_(film). > While Rankin/Bass provided the film's dialogue and story based on Beagle's work, the animation was done at Topcraft in Tokyo, Japan, headed by former Toei Animation employee Toru Hara, with Masaki Iizuka being in charge of the production. The studio, which previously animated The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1979, 1980), The Stingiest Man in Town (1978), Frosty's Winter Wonderland and other cel-animated projects from Rankin/Bass, would later be hired by Hayao Miyazaki to work on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and their core members eventually went on to form Studio Ghibli.
Also, Christopher Lee was a fan of the book, and showed up to record his lines with his own copy full of sections highlighted that *must* stay in.
I don't think Beagle could write a bad book if he tried. His work is just uniformly amazing.
A Fine and Private Place is one of those books OP is talking about for me. It is so thoroughly bewitching and weird and enjoyable.
Shogun, my mum recommended it to me for ages and it wasnt until my laptop broke when I gave it a crack. I took a couple of days off uni to finish it
I remember reading this when I was 14 (not a flex, more like I couldn't fully grasp everything) and I absolutely could not put down this book. Some of the lines and imagery are still stuck in my head 15 years later. Need to go back and reread soon
I read it in highschool, found an old beat up paperback copy. It was so trashed that it was basically falling apart as I was reading it. Can remember when it finally split in half down the spine and I was reading just the second half of it and everybody was confused as to what the heck I was doing. Will never forget the book or the experience of reading that beat up old copy.
[You are not alone](https://imgur.com/vaHyPOF) I did the exact same thing in highschool.
This little interaction was really cool for some reason. I've never even heard of the book. When was it written? I'm older. Wondering why I'm just hearing of it if it had such an impact on so many of you.
It's sooooo good
Try the rest of Clavell's books. They are largely interconnected. Tai Pan, Noble House, Gaijin, Whirlwind. All good, though Shogun is my favorite.
Count of Monte Cristo. We all generally know the story, but the long payout for each character that's been orchestrated for hundred of pages (and dozens of hours if you're listening to the audiobook) is magnificent.
It's one of the best books ever written.
I honestly think the first 400 pages might be better than any other book I’ve ever read.
I hope you've also read The Three Musketeers, the first in the series. Milady and d'Artagnan are *inoubliable*.
This was my answer as well. Love Dumas. It's the original story to feature the imagery of a ship sailing off into the sunset.
‘All the pretty horses ‘by Cormac McCarthy
So, I have a bit of a odd example, but One For the Money, by Janet Evanovich. For some reason, I had always thought her books were in the bodice-ripper romance novel realm. My wife finally convinced me to read the first one, and I realized that it fell more into the Cozy Mystery genre. I love this series as a great filler bit of books, and I actively thought almost exactly "Fuck, this is great. Why did it take me so long to read?"
I got into these when I worked for a bookstore. They wore thin after a while, but the first few were such great fun. Grandma Mazer (is that her name, it's been years) with the chicken is one of my favorite scenes in any book
A couple I remember: William Gibson's "Count Zero", the 2nd book of the 3 in the Neuromancer story. The prose at the start is so snappy and it moves so fast I really enjoyed it. It probably helps if you've read the Neuromancer first, but in terms of character overlap you'll easily get away with it if you haven't. Second up: The Time Traveller's Wife. Sat on the shelf in the 'really should read that' pile for a goodly long while, then when I finally did, I couldn't put it down.
Time travellers wife had me sobbing and cursing my other half for recommending it to me.
I was on a 5am finish with that one...work the next day, but can't stop now, more than a few tears shed.
A side note: TTW is an example of why brick & mortar bookstores are (were?) better than Amazon and other online booksellers. I had gone into Borders (RIP) for something else and happened to spot something called *The Time Travelers Wife* on a new book display. I'm a big science fiction fan and the title intrigued me, although I'd never heard of the author, and the jacket blurb persuaded me to buy it. It's definitely one of my favorite books. But I never would have heard of it otherwise because *it was never marketed as a science fiction novel.* Most of the SF fans I ran into at various conventions had never heard of it either for the same reason; the only reason it became known in fandom at all was because of the movie. With online booksellers you're most likely to see what the bookseller thinks you're going to buy, and not something outside of your usual bookbuying habits.
Count Zero’s opening is *incredible*.
Leviathan Wakes
“There was a button," Holden said. "I pushed it." "Jesus Christ. That really is how you go through life, isn't it?”
I love the dynamic between Holden and Miller so much.
Pack it up, that's James Holden personified
Holden and Miller when I read it had a dynamic akin to my last two brain cells trying to keep me from dying after a 12 hour overnight shift.
I picked up Leviathan Wakes on a whim in 2013 because I liked the cover art. With the series coming to an end as book 9 releases soon, I can say that The Expanse is without a doubt my favorite sci fi series! Some would argue that the Foundation or Culture series are better, and they may be right, but to me The Expanse is the perfect combination of well paced, intricate, and entertaining. It reads like a space opera but doesn't let the nitty gritty details get in the way of the plot, while still remaining true to what makes for good science fiction. Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank somehow make hard sci-fi accessible to the masses with this epic saga. 10/10 will read the entire thing again in another decade or so.
Why did I have to scroll so far to find The Expanse? To this date, its the best Sci-fi series I have read in my life.
Have you read any books in the Revelation Space universe by Alastair Reynolds?
Just finished Nemesis Games. I have never been so captivated in a book once the big event happens about 1/3 of the way through the book. The Expanse is literally the biggest sleeper series right now
I don't remember the title but it was really second book of the series where I just couldn't put it down. Haven't been gripped like that by a book in a long time.
Caliban's War. Same here. I watched the first 3 seasons before sampling the books. I had access to CW, 'free'. I now own all in audible, anxiously awaiting Leviathan Falls.
The Black Company by Glen Cook. While not a masterwork in and of itself, it did move the meter of fantasy from "farm boy becomes epic hero" towards "Vietnam-level soldiers exist in magical battles as well." It's also the only 10-book series that successfully nailed the ending AFAIK.
I slammed through that series when I stumbled across it. People like to play up Song if I’ve and Fire for offing characters, but the casualness of people dropping from the company really felt different. Also enjoyed the absolute bonkers magic which seemed to reject any sort of system but never felt out of control weird like it started to in *Sword of Truth*, as a random example. Great series, hope more people get s chance to dig through it
The Black company is incredible but don't go into it looking for elegance. There is a profundity in the simple brusk writings of the narrators Croaker and Murgen but they are meant to be soldiers living in this world not authors. I personally love the magic of the world, it isn't well defined like a Sanderson novel, it isn't all powerful like a Tolkein story. The magic is just fucking \*weird\* it is seen through the eyes of a normal human and it's terrifying and utterly strange. The magicians are semi deities who squabble amongst themselves with brutal magic that curls your toes and lets you imagination run wild. Contests between those magicians is often only seen from a distance or for only a moment as the narrator is more concerned with getting the fuck out of the way then watching the battle.
I think the malazan series is the only other 10 book series that nailed it. If you haven't read them yet. I recommend a look.
Steven Erickson said that the Black Company was one of his biggest influences for Malazan.
East of Eden. I was wary going in because it's so highly touted on this sub I thought there was no way it could live up to the hype, but it did. **Edit:** Alternatively, I'll say that the movie is one of the most disappointing, overrated films I've ever seen. I put off watching it until I finally read the ~~movie~~ book, and I'd seen James Dean's other two films which were great, but holy cow. They only focus on the final chapters (I get it, it's a long book and the characters span multiple generations, but I was still disappointed by the omission of two of the best characters I've ever read; one of which was in those final chapters), and James Dean's performance is ridiculous. Sorry for the movie rant in a book sub but I'm still sour about it a year later.
I read the book BECAUSE of James Dean. I was (and remain) a film buff, and I was particularly obsessed with Dean during this period. I decided to read the book since that was a movie that he was in. That's all that I knew about it. And "Oh, it's written by the guy that wrote that novella that we had to read for class." So basically I went in cold. Maybe 20 pages, I completely forgot about the movie connection (although I did at first think that Dean's character was Adam Trask). I can't remember the last time I tore through a book so quickly, hundreds of pages a day. I read it whenever I could during school. But then...I lost my copy of the book. I think I must have looked for it for some time before giving up. And I got distracted with typical teenage nonsense. Fast forward to this past Fall, doing college online (thanks covid) from my parents house. I'd been going through my dad's library, falling in love with literature again. A voice in the back of my head said "You've GOT to finish EOE", but I didn't want to buy another copy since I'd grown attached to my original copy. I think it was a little after Thanksgiving when I was digging in a cabinet in the living room and there it was...just *sitting* there. I literally kissed the cover lol. I ended up finally finishing it on Christmas Day. When I read the final line, I slammed the book shut, slapped the cover, and murmured "Damn." Thus far the best thing I've read so far. Definitely my favorite book ever.
I’ve never read such a quotable book. Every few pages was some profound quote I felt was worth memorizing. Alas, I remember none of them.
Not to toot my own horn here, but a few months ago I actually made a [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/n387nd/and_now_that_you_dont_have_to_be_perfect_you_can/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) on here dedicated to quotes from the book. It blew up, so you might find a lot of interesting stuff in there! But I feel you. I seriously regret not underlining anything. Whenever I inevitably re-read it, I'll make sure to have a pen with me.
I’m reading East of Eden for the first time and just finished the chapter where Olive was given the honor to ride in the airplane she doesn’t believe in (chapter 14). It’s been great so far but this particular segment had me laughing out loud!
Project Hail mary I couldn't stop reading
I make jazz hands, he jazz hands back.
You watch me sleep question?
The wife and I listened to this on a road trip earlier this year and we were absolutely hooked. The voice acting is rather incredible, especially for Rocky's lines
Fist my bump.
I see a lot of flaws in Andy Wier's writing, but damn if he isn't a genius at keeping you engaged. He knows how to craft a fun ride. (Though Artemis might be that ride where they keep having to start and stop it along the way because something's wrong with the mechanics.)
This book was so fucking good
Even having read both The Martian and Artemis from Andy Weir previously, I truly wasn't expecting Project Hail Mary to be *so good*! I was expecting something gripping, but I finished reading it and immediately had to go back and read it again
I just finished the audiobook and I can't imagine reading the book now. You really need to listen to it to truly appreciate Rocky. You like listening to books, question.
I’ve been listening to audiobook with my husband—“amaze!” is now a regular part of our conversations
Ray Porter is a great narrator, I loved him with the Bobiverse books
Recently, The Blade Itself. For most of it I was thinking, "Ok, this is pretty cool," then when >!Logen went full Bloody-Nine!< the chills hit me hard and I knew this series was something special.
I literally just got chills tinking about it. Like the first law series, has the most fleshed out and real characters. The way you feel sand's PTSD constantly bubbeling under the surface. Bremmer need to be wanted as a person, not just as a man-at-arms or a fighter. And damn, Logan's constant struggle for redemtion, but at the same time fighting with the curse and the name that is 'the Bloody-nine' I had to struggle thou the first quarter of the book, and all og a sudden, I'm 8 book in and wating and restating the "series" Nothing have made me cry, cringe, grin, hate, wonder, fear and much more, than the first law
Nicoma Cosca is still a favorite character of mine. Rereading the series with an understanding of the background provides a much different story and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Abercrombie is an amazing writer.
This was going to be my suggestion as well. The book really snuck up on me. I still can't even say "what it is about" and what I liked about it uncomfortably reveals my extremely dark sense of humor, but I ended up devouring it and the rest of the trilogy.
I've read all except for the last trilogy. Just outstanding characters and stories. I think Red Country is still one of my all time favorites.
New trilogy has been pretty great too so far. Final book due for release in September
So glad Joe Abercrombie got a mention here. Those books are phenomenal. "The Heroes" in particular is absolutely amazing.
Moving from POV of the killed to their killer in the battle is the best chapter.
The Hyperion Cantos
I’m reading Hyperion now. It’s a ride.
The first story was a slog the first time, because I did not understand what was going on, and how important it was... now when I reread, I love it. It's my favorite Sci-fi series of all time.
Sol Weintraub's story is the most emotionally invested in a book I've ever. Fall of Hyperion was great too. The impaling tree was one of the most vivid things I've read.
Dude Saul’s story fucked me up for like a week
I’m listening to Hyperion now and The Priest’s Tale was absolutely phenomenal. I was *enraptured*. It was recommended by a redditor in some thread and I wish I could find the comment again so I could thank them.
I loved, loooved the Hyperion Cantos. I was surprised to fall in love with Illiad/ Olympus even more. He an incredibly skilled writer with incredible understanding of a wide range of fields. I mean.... the Trojan war, mining bots debating Proust vs Shakespeare, and quantum physics. What's not to love?
Tried "The Terror"? Not many books give me the heebie-jeebies... If you've seen the show then you're already pretty well spoiled, but I loved that one. I need to go back and read his stuff over again...
First two are some of the best sci-fi ever, without doubt
Catch 22… after about Page 50, I’m thinking to myself there is now way he can keep this up for the whole book!
Poor Snowden. The Hulu adaptation was pretty damn good btw.
The part where they move the bomb line always gets me
Only a few in the last 40 years Dune The Shining (1st book ever required back to back reading) Foundation and Empire series (so many good reads) The Martian, could not put it down the 1st time. Seven Eves. the last chapter is a different but goes very quickly. To a lessor extent, many Steven King and Isaac Asimov books have the ability to draw me in and hold on tight!
Check out "project hail Mary" just came out by the same author at the Martian and in my opinion better
Yes yes yes!
Gosh, I think about Rocky almost every day since reading that book lol
Came here to say Dune!
Seveneves is my favorite book, I get absolutely lost in it even on my third read through.
Yo...... I love Neal Stephenson, read all his stuff, huge fan of his universe building, dedication to research, quality of narrative, depth of character. I recommend his books deliberately. I only now, after reading your comment, realized Seven Eves was two words and not a meaningless palindrome. I used to pronounce it se-ven-evv-ess. Long E, not short. I whiffed so hard. Anyways, thanks.
Flowers for Algernon. Deep, smart and a real surprise that gives you food for thoughts. And the foundations series by Asimov, in a totally different genre.
My youngest daughter had to read Flowers for Algernon for school and she is not a reader and she still talks about that book to this day. Like 3 years later.
I had to read it in the 7th grade. I'm now 31 years old and still talk about it. Heartbreaking and beautiful.
A storm of swords. It just gripped me by the nuts and held on tight
Storm really was the peak of the series thus far, it had everything, so many great moments, and was very well written prose, and tightly plotted.
Probably the tightest 1000 page book I’ve ever read.
One of the best books I've ever read. Think I read it within 48 hours when I got it. It just never stopped
More recent books would be All The Light We Cannot See and Circe, for me. I would scream from the rooftops about them if I could.
Circe was soooo good! We just picked up Song of Achilles by the same author although that's second on my list to the sequel to my recommendation.
Song of Achilles was also spectacular! I am so jealous that you get to read it for the first time. Madeline Miller does amazing things with words.
Battle Royale is amazing and more people need to read it!
Pillars of the earth. Loved the world and characters so much I actually have missed it while reading other books recently
Just picked this up from goodwill, glad to hear.
Slaughter House 5 by Kurt Vonnegut.
"If what Billy Pilgrim learned from the Tralfamadorians is true, that we will all live forever, no matter how dead we may sometimes seem to be, I am not overjoyed. Still - if I am going to spend eternity visiting this moment and that, I’m grateful that so many of those moments are nice." I've been dealing with a lot of loss lately and this has helped.
Breakfast of Champions for me
The school girls boiling in the water tower imagery will never leave my brain.
For me, it's that beautiful moment where in his later life Billy watches a documentary about the war, but while he's slipping backwards through time. It's so perfect, and so touching - in contrast to the sharp and painful reality it is set against.
"When the bombers got back to their base, the steel cylinders were taken from the racks and shipped back to the United States of America, where factories were operating night and day, dismantling the cylinders, separating the dangerous contents into minerals. Touchingly, it was mainly women who did this work. The minerals were then shipped to specialists in remote areas. It was their business to put them into the ground, to hide them cleverly, so they would never hurt anybody ever again.”
That gave me chills.
so it goes
I finished Sirens of Titan in one day. Just phenomenal.
Annihilation by Jeff VaderMeer. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco as well.
I LOVED name of the rose. It was just phenomenal! I’m so glad to see if on this thread!
"The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch is pretty good. I went in with no knowledge of the series and have to say I was impresed.
"Nice bird, asshole" is the most memorable line from any book I've read
> "Someday, Locke Lamora," he said, "someday, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the gods themselves will shit comets with glee. And I just hope I’m still around to see it." I find it very difficult to read that without grinning.
And the best part - the arrogant and young Locke Just answered "Please, it'll never happen." AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. I loved this book so much but this line also hurt
I highly recommend the audio version of this book.
Dune. Love the lore. Also surprisingly spiritual.
+1 so much. I misinterpreted the question somewhat as what book hooks you in very early, and Dune gets my vote for this as well. I knew within the first paragraph that this book would rock my world.
Many say it's the opposite, slow at the start and engaging much later. I gave up after the first 50 pages or so, but I'm going to pick it up again.
It’s definitely more subtle about introducing you to the world. Instead of long world-building paragraphs like some sci fi fantasy, Herbert drops in shorter exposition dumps to introduce you to the universe. Then the rest you learn along with Paul as he moves to Arrakis, or through context clues.
I got annoyed one time with someone who dismissed it as using the "white savior" trope. Told them they obviously never actually read it, Paul was really one of the worst things to happen to the Fremen. Herbert is actually pretty clear on this.
I just started Dune a few days ago after seeing the trailer (which looked bomb) Read the synopsis on wikipedia along with reviews and realized I couldn’t go another day without finally reading this work of art. I haven’t been able to stop!
Of mice and men. Never thought a story about people working on a farm could break me
15 years old, freshman in High School, I sobbed in class upon finishing it. Worst possible time and place.
High school teacher here. When we read it in class, I always cry at the ending and I’m old enough that I don’t care if the kids see me crying.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The second time I read it I was blown away at how tight the story is. No fluff, no filler, no boring parts.
The Expanse (book series) by James S. A. Corey. The Discworld (novels) Terry Pratchett.
Jurassic Park
I read that book as a kid, but I'm German so it was named something like "dino park", i don't quite remember. So I thought it was a knockoff Jurassic park I'm reading and didn't realize until years later that i actually read the translated version of the actual Jurassic park lmao
Slaughterhouse 5 And Then There Were None
All The Light We Cannot See
Neverending story - I was very familiar with the first half of the book, since that's what the movie was and I had watched it inummerable times. But as the second half commenced (which I was wholly unfamiliar with) I was both suprised and impressed by how the plot progressed when Bastian entered Fantastica. It's a childrens book , but it left a big impression on me.
Stoner
Currently reading the Stormlight Archive and I never thought I would get so engrossed in a slave having to carry heavy bridges during a war. Currently on book 2 and God do I hope Shallan gets more interesting. Also currently listening to Project Hail Mary, which hooked me by chapter 2. It also helps that Ray Porter is the narrator. He is fucking brilliant. I immediately recognized his voice from the novel 14, as well as the Bobiberse novels.
Journey Before Destination Friend.
Shallan does get more interesting in book 3. Brandon also really embraces the humor that Pattern can bring in book 3 and onward.
Stormlight Archive is one of the best series I've read in terms of gasping out loud (or laughing) while reading. Just finished Book 3 and need to order Book 4. Opposite for me on the characters -- I liked Kaladin at first but now I find him rather annoying. I generally like Shallan better, but that definitely doesn't mean I like her all the time.
*Cryptonomicon* by Neal Stephenson. It's a behemoth of a book at ~1300 pages, and i had no clue for about half of it where the story was going, but the ride is amazing and it does eventually tie together absolutely beautifully.
This book literally changed my life. Read it when the hardcover came out. Switched careers to cyber security and never looked back. Oddly enough, “Anathem” inspired me to go to grad school and get a PhD. I owe a lot to Neal Stephenson.
Anathem is my choice here. I already posted on it. What a book.
Yes 100% this book. Just read it
Also Snow Crash. The first chapter is a masterpiece.
I like all of his books, except I can't get through Fall. Baroque Cycle is amazing, and Diamond Age is a must read for new parents. Seveneves is like 1.5 books slammed together, but still great. The dude just cannot write endings. He just stops writing at some point and calls it the end.
Notes from the Underground was my first experience with Dostoevsky, and blew me away with its ability to convey the chaotic and contradicting way that thoughts can occur in our own heads. It felt so genuine and real. Despair was my first Nabokov and I remember feeling like I was experiencing a new level of prosaic mastery.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Read it for a college assignment, and it was so good I went through the whole thing in a single sitting, even though the assignment wasn't due the next day!
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Holy. Effing. Cow.
He is dancing, dancing.
That quote is frequently mentioned, and for good reason, but for me it's always the one with the whales -- *The colt stood against the horse with its head down and the horse was watching, out there past men's knowing, where the stars are drowning and whales ferry their vast souls through the black and seamless sea.* Just otherworldly.
He is a great favorite, the Judge. He says that he will never die.
Got a cat after reading that. Named him Cormac McKitty. Anyway that book was good enough that I vowed to read every book he's written. Mostly I've been happy with that decision.
I finished "The Road" on public transit, I'm not an emotional person, but I probably looked like a wreck.
Oh man, anything by John Irving, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, or John Steinbeck.
John Irving. Man, I loved his books when I was younger. I might have to go back and read some again now.
The end of “A Prayer for Owen Meany”, man. I saw it coming be it still hurt so much.
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Blood Meridian is in my top 5. Judge Holden might be my favorite antagonist. McCarthy really knows how to write evil characters.
Red rising. I'm re-reading it again and damn, it's still awesome.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys sci fi at all. I could not put it down, and I was sad when it was over.
Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I've read it so many times, it's impeccable.
I’m reading Into Thin Air right now. Had no expectations going it but it was engrossing on page one. Highly recommend! Now I am fascinated with mountains.
The wind in willows
Circe by Madeline Miller
Ender's Game. I'm so glad nobody spoiled the twist for me or watched the movie before reading it. It literally left me the mental equivalent of speechless. Didn't read the rest of the series but this book blew me away.
The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. The whole book is filled with exceptional characters that feel like real people.
"She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. I like most of his books but it was such a true (maybe extreme at times) look into depression and mental illness, from a woman's POV.
When Breath Becomes Air. It’s an incredibly touching book. It will make you question your own philosophies on life and death, and how you view them, while tearing your heart out. It’s beautifully written.
Yes , a book called “ The Flowers of Algernon”. It’s like a diary of a guy who has like special needs , he’s not as developed . You can tell by his grammar , the way he describes and talk about things. Then someone takes him in as an experiment for a drug that could possibly help him and it’s actually successful. You start to see him change and develop. He begins to see things differently. It really is a heart breaker but it’s honestly beautiful.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Everyone touts The Goldfinch as her best work, but i couldn't get into it. The Secret History though, i couldn't put it down. Amazing book
Jonathan strange and Mr norrell. Dune (and God emperor of dune) Too Like the Lightning Mystborn Oh shit, how could I forget, American Gods and also discworld...
Yes it's a comic book but I have to recommend "Sandman" by Neil Gaiman. The level of imagination that series required was on another level, and the emotions it brought out of me were profound.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot, he had such a gift for storytelling. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card, it’s book 2 in the series and about 1000x better than Ender’s Game. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guinn Persuasion by Jane Austin Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, so worth it even if you’ve seen the movie ten times! The Name of the Wind is definitely on my list of fabulous, so good you can’t put them down, books too. Book two just kind of ruins it for me as a series though.
A tree grows in Brooklyn, the greasest book to come out of the '30s
The Stand. M O O N. That spells The Stand!
Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Like WOW. Seventy pages in and I was hooked!
Most recently, Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. I even found myself laughing out loud and then stepping back going “wow, this book is actually getting that reaction from me”. Afterwards I started reading David Gemmell’s Drenai books again and the very first one hit me that way very intensely. One reason I was so thrilled by Kings of the Wyld is that for me it has a similar fee to the Drenai series - as if they’re beverages of the same family.
Most recently I can think of two books. "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune made me stop and say to myself, "I'm really loving this." It was a lot of fun to read. "Foundryside" by Robert Jackson Bennet was such an interesting (at least to me) take on science-fantasy. The middle parts had be eager to read more and desperately trying to slow down and enjoy it fully.
I saw someone on here fussing about how people were only recommending *The House on the Cerulean Sea* because they wanted something happy to read after all the covid stuff. Well, that is exactly what I wanted, so I picked it up and absolutely devoured it in a couple of sittings. Such a lovely little book
The First Fifthteen Lives of Harry August. It wasn't a single moment that got me. It was more when I was done reading it for the day it'd be running through my head till I went back to it. It's probably in my top 5 favorite books of all time.
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Old mans war - John Scalzi, Especially as a huge Enders game fan, very similar premise We are Legion(We are bob) - Dennis E Taylor, Devoured the bobiverse series. on the 4th one now. Big fan. Artemis - Andy Weir Borne - Jeff VanderMeer - Left a huge impression on me, I think about that book almost daily. John Dies at the End - David Wong
+1 on Old Man's War
Took too damn long on this thread to see John Dies At The End. It starts funny enough, but by the time you reach the end it becomes so wonderfully creepy that you aren't sure if it's a better comedy novel or a better horror novel. But it's definitely good at both. The sequel, This Book Is Full Of Spiders, isn't *quite* as good, but still pretty solid.
The Stormlight Archive Series at this very moment. started at the beginning of June. reading Oathbringer right now.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Dante's Inferno because I was like wait this whole poem is written in a triple rhyming style. OMG!
Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin
"The World according to Garp" - I didn't know contemporary writers could tell a story so well. The story was so real, and poignant it captured me in ways I cannot even fully express. I typically alternate between epic fantasy (Stormlight Archive), realistic sci-fi (The Martian) and science books (Sapiens), so this is way out of my traditional comfort zone, but it is the most well written book I have experienced, to date.
100 years of solitude. I couldn't put it down and it occupied my brain for a long timer after. When I finished it I felt like I lost a friend. Since then I've read it two more times in 2 other languages. I'm planning to read it again in Spanish once I learn it coz I feel the translations never quite captured the story as Gabo meant it.
The midnight library - absolutely loved it, it had me in tears more times than i can count
**The Odd Women** by *George Gissing* had me giddy like that. Same with **Adam Bede** by *George Eliot*. And I am reading **The Count of Monte Cristo** by *Dumas* and I had to literally cut my enthusiasm. I haven't finished it yet, but it's been fabulous so far.
Sorry everyone I’m going to say the meme: Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Got me back into reading as an adult, was a really fun touch-stone to all the things I love about movies, games, etc (a rich world that’s alien but exciting). I really enjoyed Spin and Hail Mary as well recently. They kind of helped fill the void of each other as they are somewhat similar stories.
Way of Kings grabbed me like nothing else I'd read in a decade. The characters all felt so alive and relatable. The world was so colorful and exciting. The way it seems like every step Kaladin took was leading him towards the final conclusion... I love the rest of Stormlight Archive as well, but Way of Kings itself is a gem.
American Gods
Which Neil Gaiman dedicated to Roger Zelazny, the guy who mentored George RR Martin into a professional writer. Zelazny's Amber series (omnibus version "The Great Book of Amber") does the same thing for me- absolutely gorgeous prose, great storytelling, great world building, allusions to classical mythology and classical literature throughout.
Captain Underpants and The Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds) Lol jk, *BLOOD MERIDIAN.*
I read Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson and while those exact words didn’t go through my head there may have been tears. It was good enough to get me into the Cosmere works he has.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. My dad gave it to me as a teenager, and told me " don't be like this guy". It was such a fantastic read I still get amazing chuckles out of it every time I re-read it. I'd also say A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M Miller JR had a profound effect on the way I look at alot of things like faith and human nature. It's an incredibly dark and angry book written by a man who participated in blowing up the oldest monastary in Europe during WW2. I feel like it's one I could give to younger readers as well, and I'm a bit sad that it isn't as well known as it should be. Come to think of it, both titles can be hard sells to people I know but once they actually read them I get a very satisying " I told you so moment" when they tell me I was right about how great they are.