A nerds favourite books are... (Top Ten Fiction - General)

Member Name: dididave

Product:	Top Ten Fiction - General
Date:	14/10/05 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: These are truly great reads that I heartily recommend!

Disadvantages: I am obsessed with the apocalpyse and the doomed nature of humanity!

How do you pick your top ten books? It is difficult enough to narrow it down to my top one hundred! Nonetheless, let me present to you ten books that I feel everyone should read. From a personal point of view they are classics but only by reading them will you decide the same. In no particular order…

1: Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe.

Reading this for A-level English I remember being gripped throughout. Dr Faustus is a man seeking fame and glory by any means. When he dabbles in dark magic a demon known as Mephistophilis appears offering him all he desires in exchange for his soul. This is a much covered concept but this is still one of the best tale of consequences. Filled with evocative imagery as the reader delves into the psyche of an intelligent man driven mad by greed and a lust of power Marlowe's powers of description are second to none. Dr Faustus is probably best known in its play form or opera conversion as "Faust" yet I urge you to read this. After all at a mere 103 pages what have you to lose? A morality tale studying the shallowness of humanity must be a worthy addition to anyone's bookshelf.

2: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

A novel that draws on the horrors and futility of war yet sets it in the science fiction realm of space and the future. Ambitious to say the least, yet Joe Haldeman pulls it off with perhaps the greatest science fiction book of all time. "The Forever War" is everything a book should be, compelling, well characterised and descriptive. Set in the future, we follow the army career of space marine William Mandalla. We follow him as he battles through hundreds of years against the mysterious Taureans. What sets the novel apart in a much-maligned genre is its relevance to the modern day and historical events. Haldeman draws heavily on his own experiences in Vietnam as we are taken through the centuries in a blood thirsty, poignant yet ultimately tragic tale of a reluctant hero. Made all the more impressive by the fact it was published in 1974 yet in many ways predicts current events Haldeman has produced an addictive story that delves into the scarred psyche of the veteran soldier.

3: Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Now I can hear the groans already. Scorned by the literary elitists Pratchett is simply too popular for his own good. He releases two+ novels a year and has a massive base of adoring fans. This is enough to get most authors down yet Pratchett seems to relish in it. Dismissed as a fantasist who does not even use chapters (as Tom Paulin delights in telling people) he writes about the Discworld. A flat world that parodies our own populated by Witches, Trolls and Vampires cannot surely be the place for satire and writing of intelligence yet in "Night Watch" Pratchett displays a perfect example of this. A noir style whodunit this book covers a lot of ground from police brutality to classism to revolution and the Monarchy and even racism ("Ankh Morporkians have no time to be prejudiced due to skin colour as there are so many other things to be prejudiced about!). However, all Pratchett fans will attest that his genius is that his satire is hidden among a mass of humour, plot and ridiculous caricatures and this is what Pratchett fans love yet everyone else hates about it. If you have not tried a Pratchett book try "Night Watch" you will love it or hate it but if you love it trust me you never go back.

4: The Stand by Stephen King

So many novels by King failed to make this list not because they are not good but because The Stand (particularly the complete and uncut edition) is head and shoulders King's greatest work. This novel is an epic tale of apocalypse due to a deadly epidemic and the contrasting battle between good and evil. Affective on so many levels this story bases itself on the ideals of religion and the battles between God and the Devil but as with all King books stresses the importance of humanity on earth's events. The characters in this book are so wide ranging yet King manages to make them all interesting from the "retard" obsessed with the moon to an insane traveller you will be gripped by all their stories. It would have been so easy to make this a tale of action yet King provides food for thought as he supplies contrasting sides with very little difference between them. In many ways this is a book about the evils of man-made technology but it is the human tragedies within that make it so readable. And for those wondering, this is no horror novel.

5: Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl

A coming of age tale with no Witches, everlasting gobstoppers or marvellous medicines might seem like a strange choice as my favourite Dahl novel but let me explain further. There is no subversive humour to be found within but there is an emotional story about a nine-year old boy being brought up by his dad. Perhaps, based on Dahl's own experiences of childhood this is a masterful telling of a boys trials and tribulations in school and life and is a nostalgia laden trip for all children. Heavily rooted in times were corporal punishment and poaching were the norm this is all about the setting and the relationship of father and son. Dahl's descriptions of Danny's first adventures poaching with his father, driving a car and making a kite may not sound exciting but I remember being enthralled as a child and subsequent re-readings have held out. This is one to pass down through the generations.

6: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I was determined to hate this when were handed this in English Literature yet I cam to love it. This novel is essentially about a feminist movement in a downtrodden, restrictive communist future. Atwood's heroine Offred (meaning Of Fred) in this seemingly utopian society is unique in that there is no major unveiling of a strong character, no shock revelations and indeed no surprise happy ending. This novel is a heavy read at times but its subtlety is its strength. It tells of the folly of man but it is in Atwood's description of the society and its restrictiveness that there is most interest. Little things such as scrabble are taboo among men and women yet ironically to remain sexually attractive to men women steal pats of butter to use as moisturiser. It is the social observations that Atwood makes that compelled me to read it and will compel you too. Politically incorrect in many ways but all the more refreshing for it.

7: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

No top ten of books should neglect to mention the late great Douglas Adams. The funniest, most ludicrous yet fundamentally British book of all time Adams mercilessly takes apart humanity and our superiority complex when earth is demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass and the only thing it is known for is being "Mostly Harmless". With a fabulously cast of characters from two-headed alien to paranoid android this is just the funniest book you will ever come across. Arthur Dent is the perfect reluctant Hitchhiker in dressing gown and only a British writer could make him obsessed with finding a decent cup of tea. I have lost count of the number of times I have read and re-read this novel and every time I find something new. Full of wit some purists prefer Hitchhikers in its original radio format but the novel offers so much more in terms of characters and sheer scope. After all in what other book could you discover the answer to the ultimate question, "What is the meaning of life?"

8: 48 by James Herbert

Herbert is such a patchy writer, when he is on song his novels are truly spectacular, when he is not they are formulaic and dull. "48" is most certainly the former. Known throughout the writing world as a "schlock horror" writer who is more about the gore than the plot (for the perfect example read "The Rats") 48 is a refreshing change for King in that there are no supernatural entities or mutated animals. Herbert instead presents a post-war version of London that asks, "What if Hitler as a final act of defiance unleashed a deadly blood disease that makes leprosy look tame?" Herbert's tale of one mans isolation as he presumes himself to be the only person left immune to the disease is a rapid race against time. Herbert's description of a derelict London is a chilling one and the bloodthirsty infected groups chasing our hero across London bitter at his purity has a real "Night of the Living Dead" quality yet retains the action of a high speed car chase. And of course it wouldn't be a Herbert novel without a twist! This is a novel of spectacular settings and incredible vision and one of that I always come back to in the dark, winter months.

9: The Taking by Dean Koontz

What would you do if Aliens were invading the earth? What you run for the hills, pray or fetch your rifle? These are some of many questions Dean Koontz asks us in "The Taking". Molly Sloan awakes to eerie lights and smells she does not recognise. There is a sense of foreboding in the air that Molly does not like. Why do the usually arrogant coyotes whimper and seek shelter at her door? Koontz is often thought of as the thinking mans Stephen King and novels such as this are probably the reason why. Koontz takes the much-travelled route of alien invasion yet gives it a fantastic twist, some truly original ideas and a staggering conclusion. However, it is Koontz's writing that makes this book such a strong read. His imagery and powers of description draw you in. You fully immerse yourself in the novel and can imagine the settings perfectly; you empathise with the lead character and follow their journey as if you are part of their party. It is Koontz's ability to immerse you in his world that makes this novel as good as it truly is. Add to this Koontz's ability to play on our mortal fears and what you have is as close as you will get to the perfect thriller.

10: The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.

Many of you will be surprised by my Lord Of The Rings omission and rightly so. However, "The Hobbit" takes the final spot due to it being more accessible and exciting throughout. There is no doubting LOTR is an epic but for sheer adventure nothing beats The Hobbit and of course it appeals to children and adults alike. Who doesn't like a good old-fashioned swords and sorcery style book? The Hobbit is different to many in an often-staid genre in that Bilbo Baggins the hobbit in question is an unwitting hero. There are no tales of daring do and indeed his quest for Dragons treasure is as unwitting and reluctant as it is dangerous. This is why this book appeals to so many. Everybody loves a clumsy, naïve hero especially as a teenage reader when we are all clumsy and naïve. Tolkien was a superb writer and for many including myself The Hobbit is his most enjoyable novel. With a full cast of dwarves, wizards, and orcs and of course the troubled Gollum to contend with Bilbo is thrown from one dangerous situation to the next thanks to his friend Gandalf. As a teenager I could not put this book down and the same is true on subsequent readings. Add to this Tolkien's natural ability to render the land of Middle Earth into living colour and you have one of the best books of all time.

So there you go. Fitting just ten in was so hard and no doubt some will be asking were other classics by C.S Lewis etc are. However, I have tried to give you an idea of my reading tastes and just be joyous as I could have happily listed ten King or Pratchett books!

Summary: These books rock (in my humble opinion).