My Top 5 Favorite Books
I’m sure many of you immediately think of a few titles when considering your favorite books, but WHY are those your favorites? I’m going to list the what and why of my top 5 favorite books, and I’d like to invite all of you to comment and do the same.
1. Good Omens – by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
2. Memnoch the Devil – by Anne Rice
3. Invisible Monsters – by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Ender’s Game – by Orson Scott Card
5. Twilight Watch – by Sergei Lukyanenko
Now, I have a pretty good mix, but you’ll notice that they all have some sort of fantasy or sci-fi element to them (no surprise from me) and in many cases are part of a series. Another thing several of these books have in common is the reveal moment. You know, when an author writes the big reveal of the plot in such a perfect way that the clues do their job without spoiling things until just that moment before the truth is plainly presented before you.
Like in Fight Club, when they’ve given you all those clues to know that the Narrator was Tyler all along, but it’s right before he actually says so that you go *gasp* oh god! I didn’t list Fight Club only because I prefer the film and the film’s ending (as does the author) but I love his novel Invisible Monsters for another of those similar reveal moments. Ender’s Game has it as well, AND Twilight Watch, so that reveals how much I enjoy a good mystery that isn’t easy to solve, but needs to be weaved like a complicated cross-stitch.
I also don’t necessarily love the first book in a series more than the others. Ender’s Game is the first, but Twilight Watch is #3, and Memnoch the Devil is #5.
Good Omens I love for the relationship between the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale. I’m a sucker for witty banter and character relationships that are ambiguous or against the norm. In Memnoch the Devil, a morally ambiguous character meets God and the Devil, and explores Heaven and Hell, both of which are presented in a way I could easily believe as real.
I like to be transported as far from normal life as possible, which all of these titles do for me. What about you? What books resonate with you and why do you love them?
1. Good Omens – by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
2. Memnoch the Devil – by Anne Rice
3. Invisible Monsters – by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Ender’s Game – by Orson Scott Card
5. Twilight Watch – by Sergei Lukyanenko
Now, I have a pretty good mix, but you’ll notice that they all have some sort of fantasy or sci-fi element to them (no surprise from me) and in many cases are part of a series. Another thing several of these books have in common is the reveal moment. You know, when an author writes the big reveal of the plot in such a perfect way that the clues do their job without spoiling things until just that moment before the truth is plainly presented before you.
Like in Fight Club, when they’ve given you all those clues to know that the Narrator was Tyler all along, but it’s right before he actually says so that you go *gasp* oh god! I didn’t list Fight Club only because I prefer the film and the film’s ending (as does the author) but I love his novel Invisible Monsters for another of those similar reveal moments. Ender’s Game has it as well, AND Twilight Watch, so that reveals how much I enjoy a good mystery that isn’t easy to solve, but needs to be weaved like a complicated cross-stitch.
I also don’t necessarily love the first book in a series more than the others. Ender’s Game is the first, but Twilight Watch is #3, and Memnoch the Devil is #5.
Good Omens I love for the relationship between the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale. I’m a sucker for witty banter and character relationships that are ambiguous or against the norm. In Memnoch the Devil, a morally ambiguous character meets God and the Devil, and explores Heaven and Hell, both of which are presented in a way I could easily believe as real.
I like to be transported as far from normal life as possible, which all of these titles do for me. What about you? What books resonate with you and why do you love them?
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Stephen
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Apr 16, 2014 01:27PM
The fact that Sergei Lukyanenko makes this list earns you huge cool points. Most people I talk to don't even know who he is.
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Haha, thanks! I initially saw the international version of the Night Watch film in England and loved it, which turned me to the books, which I love FAR more. Sadly, the Day Watch movie was a disaster after reading all the books by then, but I'll always love Night Watch for leading me to the series.
Day Watch was kind of a mess but still more interesting than most of the movies out there. Still waiting on that third one...Did you happen to see the US dvd/bluray edition of Night Watch. Streamlined the story and they did some great work with the subtitles.
I wonder if that was the same as what I saw in theaters. When I saw it, I remember the subtitles being part of the experience, like getting shot off the screen at one point, but when I saw it on DVD later it was just normal boring subtitles. Maybe the edition you're talking about is more like what I saw originally? I found the dub hard to handle. Always more of a natural language with subtitles person.
