I always have at least one book to read. If not, I feel lost, like I don't know what to do with myself.
Right now I'm reading several books: The Runner by Patrick Lee, Earth by David Brin and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (re-reading). I also just finished The False House, the second book in James Stoddard's trilogy and plan to start the third book, Evenmere, soon. Plus I read the Bible almost everyday.
As a lifelong reader, I have no idea how many books I've read in my entire life. While most of them are forgotten, there are some that stick with me. They revisit me from time to time. They haunt me, in good ways. They are the standards by which I judge all other books and stories. These are the ones I call favorites.
Some are books from my childhood. Over the years I've realized that not all of them are great. For example, I read A Wrinkle In Time when I was 9 or 10. After re-reading it a couple of years ago, I really didn't enjoy it as much. It was good, but not as good as I remember. However, as a child, it captivated me entirely, which is the whole point of a good story.
At any rate, below are some of my favorite books of all time (in no particular order). Know that I will add to this list as other books comes to mind, so whatever list you're reading is the latest.
- The Dark Tower (entire series) - Stephen King
- The Stand - Stephen King
- It - Stephen King
- Interview With a Vampire - Anne Rice
- The Vampire Lestat - Anne Rice
- Tale of the Boy Thief - Anne Rice
- Perdido Street Station - China Mieville
- The Scar - China Mieville
- The Sparrow - Marie Doria Russell
- Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
- 2001 - Arthur C. Clarke
- Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke (quite possibly the most perfect sci-fi book ever written)
- Justice and Her Brothers (series) - Virginia Hamilton
- Lord of the Rings trilogy - J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
- A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle
- The Rook - Daniel O'Malley
- Stiletto - Daniel O'Malley
- Night Watch (entire series) - Sergei Lukyanenko
- The Green Future of Tycho - William Sleator
- Interstellar Pig - William Sleator
- House of Stairs - William Sleator
- Foundation (series) - Isaac Asimov
- Dune - Frank Herbert
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein
- Blackout/ All Clear - Connie Willis
- Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
- The Firm - John Grisham
- Harry Potter (series) - J.K. Rowling
- The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenger
- The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
- Flood - Stephen Baxter
- Ark - Stephen Baxter
- Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind
Those are some of my faves. What are some of yours?
