Best Novel of All Time?

[seepage]

for me being a western nut it has to be....shane...by zane gray,a classic.

Did he make fishing reels?

 

[NukeBenji]

Personally, I like the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. I don't think I've laughed so hard while reading before.

Back when I worked at Borders my buddy and I scooped those books up and read them. They really are great. Highly recommend them to anyone thats a fantasy/urban fantasy fan

 

[NightAngel79]

Back when I worked at Borders my buddy and I scooped those books up and read them. They really are great. Highly recommend them to anyone thats a fantasy/urban fantasy fan

I miss Borders

 

[Clangador]

Slaughterhouse Five for me; really anything by Vonnegut.

I agree with Slaughterhouse Five. That's his masterpiece. His other stuff varies in quality.

 

[alpha0990]

Frankenstein. Don't laugh, if you haven't read it.

 

[Clangador]

Frankenstein. Don't laugh, if you haven't read it.

I have read it and it's a classic, but I wouldn't rate it as the best novel of all time.

 

[Clangador]

What do you believe to be the best novel of all time? It's not necessarily your favorite book but if you believe your favorite book would be what you would consider to be the best, then go ahead.

1984 by George Orwell

I would rate it in my top 10. The ending was very "good."

 

[mathi]

"Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann

 

[Clangador]

"Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann

What's it about? I've never heard of it before.

 

[mathi]

What's it about? I've never heard of it before.

It's Nobel awarded novel. first published in November 1924. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential works of 20th century German literature. The book blends a scrupulous "realism" with deeper symbolic undertones of world war I. Translated in English and more than 70 languages.

 

[LilacBleeds]

Plus I think Harry Potter series is my favourite as well as I said before in my post
Pride and Prejudice

 

[cmybliss]

+ 1 for The Lord of the Rings. I've re-read those books every year for the last 15 years.

The Harry Potter series is, imo the best young reader's series ever written.

As for the classics, anything by Jane Austen. I do admit that my love of the Regency period influences my decision heavily here.

 

[janas]

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was the best Japanese novel I have ever read.

Wow.

 

[agentc13]

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card.

 

[Roze]

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card.

Isn't there a movie based on the book coming out this year?

 

[agentc13]

Isn't there a movie based on the book coming out this year?

There have been rumours of something along those lines for years (maybe decades). I know there is something currently in the works, but I don't keep up on it. If one is coming out this year I would be surprised, but it's possible I am behind the times when it comes to the movie news.

I don't think a movie can do it justice.

 

[Unforgiven]

I'll +1 all of the nominations for the Hitchhikers Guide. I love that series.

While my favorite of all time isn't of the influential variety, it is by far my favorite book. The Company by Robert Liddell. I have read it more than a dozen times and pick up some new twist or detail each time. The first time I read it I had to keep checking the cover to make sure it was fiction.

I can't begin to describe the storyline as I couldn't do it justice, but by the name, you can figure out it is an OSS/CIA spy novel.

 

[NightAngel79]

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card.

Loved it!!

Keep meaning to try to get into all the 'Ender' novels that came after it. Hate series where the timeline is all screwed up. So many to choose from not sure where to start with the rest of them

Isn't there a movie based on the book coming out this year?

hope so (if they do it right)

 

[agentc13]

Loved it!!

Keep meaning to try to get into all the 'Ender' novels that came after it. Hate series where the timeline is all screwed up. So many to choose from not sure where to start with the rest of them

For the original series:
Ender's Game
Speaker For the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the mind

I don't remember the shadow series off the top of my head, but it starts with Ender's Shadow and parallels the original and goes on between EG and SFtD, but from a different character's perspective. And there are a few short stories and a novel that goes between EG and SFtD (but was written much later).

 

[NightAngel79]

For the original series:
Ender's Game
Speaker For the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the mind

I don't remember the shadow series off the top of my head, but it starts with Ender's Shadow and parallels the original and goes on between EG and SFtD, but from a different character's perspective. And there are a few short stories and a novel that goes between EG and SFtD (but was written much later).

\
Yea, thats kinda what i mean. I know I heard that a 'true' sequel just recently came out? (i think)

Hard to figure out which book to read....

 

[agentc13]

\
Yea, thats kinda what i mean. I know I heard that a 'true' sequel just recently came out? (i think)

Hard to figure out which book to read....

I would recommend reading in the order they were written. It may be out of timeline order, but it's not weird to do so. The first book os by far the best, but I very much enjoy the rest in the series (and most other things he writes as well).

 

[NightAngel79]

so just go by publish dates?

 

[agentc13]

so just go by publish dates?

I listed the original series in order for you above, when I get home later tonight I will figure out the others and report back.

 

[NightAngel79]

I listed the original series in order for you above, when I get home later tonight I will figure out the others and report back.

Thanks Sharon! p)

no seriously though, i'd appreciate it player

 

[agentc13]

Thanks Sharon! p)

no seriously though, i'd appreciate it player

The original series:

• Ender's Game
• Speaker for the Dead
• Xenocide
• Children of the Mind

The Shadow Series (First book runs parallel to Ender's Game and the rest happen between that and SftD:

• Ender's Shadow
• Shadow of the Hegemon
• Shadow Puppets
• Shadow of the Giant
• Shadows in Flight (just released in January)

There is also a couple Novels that relate to the original series, but were written recently.

• A War of Gifts: An Ender Story (takes pretty much in parallel with Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow)
• Ender in Exile (Expands the final chapter of Ender's Game and takes place between that and SftD, also very close to the time of the rest of the shadow series)

Those are all the novels, there are a decent number of short stories that fit in there and a few more novels that will be released sometime soon (apparently this summer for one and another novel after that).

I would recommend reading them in the order I listed (that they were written) instead of in the actual chronological order of the overall story. Either way could be considered "right" but I read them in this order (started between the time the original 3rd and 4th books were written) and I don't find it at all confusing. If you want here is a graphical timeline type thing with the chronological order (and the years originally published as well) if that might help keep everything straight. The ones in red are short stories (that I didn't include in my list).