Here's the list. Once we've done them all we'll have to find a new challenge....If it's red (pun intended) there's a review.
Title Author
1. The Lord of the Rings ---------- JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice ---------- Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials ---------- Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ---------- Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ---------- JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird ---------- Lee Harper
7. Winnie the Pooh ---------- AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four ---------- George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ---------- CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre ---------- Charlotte Bronte
11. Catch-22 ---------- Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights ---------- Emily Bronte
13. Birdsong ---------- Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca ---------- Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye ---------- JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows ---------- Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations ---------- Charles Dickens
18. Little Women ---------- Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin ---------- Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace ---------- Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind ---------- Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone ---------- JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets ---------- JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban ---------- JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit ---------- JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles ---------- Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch ---------- George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany ---------- John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath ---------- John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland ---------- Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude ---------- Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth ---------- Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield ---------- Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory ---------- Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island ---------- Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice ---------- Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion ---------- Jane Austen
39. Dune ---------- Frank Herbert
40. Emma ---------- Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables ---------- LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down ---------- Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby ---------- F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo ---------- Alexandra Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited ---------- Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm ---------- George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol ---------- Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd ---------- Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom ---------- Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers ---------- Rosamuande Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden ---------- Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men ---------- John Steinbeck
53. The Stand ---------- Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina ---------- Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy ---------- Vijram Seth
56. The BFG ---------- Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons ---------- Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty ---------- Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl ---------- Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment ---------- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses ---------- Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha ---------- Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities ---------- Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds ---------- Colleen McCollough
65. Mort ---------- Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree ---------- Enid Blyton
67. The Magus ---------- John Fowles
68. Good Omens ---------- Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards! ---------- Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies ---------- William Golding
71. Perfume ---------- Patrick Suskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists ---------- Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch ---------- Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda ---------- Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary ---------- Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History ---------- Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White ---------- Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses ---------- James Joyce
79. Bleak House ---------- Charles Dickens
80. Double Act ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits ---------- Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle ---------- Dodie Smith
83. Holes ---------- Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast ---------- Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things ---------- Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World ---------- Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm ---------- Stella Gibbons
89. Magician ---------- Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road ---------- Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather ---------- Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear ---------- Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic ---------- Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist ---------- Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine ---------- Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel ---------- Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera ---------- Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
98. Girls In Love ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries ---------- Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children ---------- Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat ---------- Jerome K Jerome
102. Small Gods ---------- Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach ---------- Alex Garland
104. Dracula ---------- Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc ---------- Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers ---------- Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker ---------- Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory ---------- Lain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal ---------- Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
111. Jude The Obscure ---------- Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ ---------- Sue Townsend
113. The Cruel Sea ---------- Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Misérables ---------- Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge ---------- Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray ---------- Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun ---------- James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids ---------- John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair ---------- William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga ---------- John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves ---------- Mark Z Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible ---------- Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man ---------- Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging ---------- Louise Rennison
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles ---------- Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession ---------- A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita ---------- Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaid's Tale ---------- Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World ---------- Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden ---------- John Steinbeck
134. George's Marvellous Medicine ---------- Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters ---------- Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple ---------- Alice Walker
137. Hogfather ---------- Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps ---------- John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front ---------- Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum ---------- Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity ---------- Nick Hornby
144. It ---------- Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach ---------- Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile ---------- Stephen King
147. Papillon ---------- Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms ---------- Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander ---------- Patrick O'Brian
150. Skeleton Key ---------- Anthony Horowitz
151. Soul Music ---------- Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time ---------- Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant ---------- Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement ---------- Ian McEwan
155. Secrets ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword ---------- Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest ---------- Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness ---------- Joseph Conrad
159. Kim ---------- Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch ---------- Diana Gabaldon
161. Moby Dick ---------- Herman Melville
162. River God ---------- Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song ---------- Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News ---------- Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp ---------- John Irving
166. Lorna Doone ---------- R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions ---------- M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches ---------- Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte's Web ---------- E. B. White
171. Frankenstein ---------- Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass ---------- Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea ---------- Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose ---------- Umberto Eco
175. Sophie's World ---------- Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr Fox ---------- Roald Dahl
178. Lolita ---------- Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull ---------- Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince ---------- Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid ---------- Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist ---------- Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One ---------- Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner ---------- George Eliot
185. American Psycho ---------- Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody ---------- George and Weedon Grossmith
187. Trainspotting ---------- Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps ---------- R. L. Stine
189. Heidi ---------- Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers ---------- D. H. LawrenceLife of Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being ---------- Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy ---------- Tony Parsons
193. The Truth ---------- Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds ---------- H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer ---------- Nicholas Evans
196. A Fine Balance ---------- Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad ---------- Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King ---------- T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar ---------- Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic ---------- Virginia Andrews
201. The Dice Man, Luke Reinhart ---------- Luke Reinhart
202. Idylls ---------- Theocritus of Syracuse
203. Metamorphoses ---------- Ovid
204. The Monk ---------- Matthew Lewis
205. The Twelve Caesars ---------- Suetonius
206. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court ---------- Mark Twain
207. Don Quixote ---------- Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
208. Northanger Abbey ---------- Jane Austen
209. The Importance of Being Earnest ---------- Oscar Wilde
210. The Secret Agent ---------- Joseph Conrad
211. I CLAUDIUS ---------- Robert Graves
212. Tom Jones ---------- Henry Fielding
213. The Hunger Games ---------- Suzanne Collins
214. One day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich ---------- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
215. Weaveworld ---------- Clive Barker
216. Marathon Man ---------- William Goldman
217. Selected Poems ---------- John Donne
218. Sophie's Choice ---------- William Styron
219. the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ---------- Edward Gibbon
220. The Castle of Otranto ---------- Horace Warpole
If you post below, one of your loving admins will edit this post to reflect there being a review. Any comments on existing reviews we can edit and paste into the review posts if that makes sense. So this thread should stay clean of all but thoughts on the books..I'm definitely getting old.
Updated,
RED=Read and not worthy (may be good but not an all timer)
AMBER=Woah, hold on there, there's a disagreement here, someone make a choice dammit!
GREEN=A keeper and no mistake, read this bad boy at once.
May contain spoilers.
43. The Great Gatsby
Benny - I'd considered a short and punchy review along the lines of 'It's alright' but figured I should make an effort. It's not that it's a bad story, it's just that it really didn't feel like it got going to me. Admirably short at 150 or so pages, depending on your reader of choice, I found that I was reading more and more to get to something exciting. The initial 'party' outlook as we're introduced to the man in question could have been explored more but the love story within is the underlying plot. The voice of the story telling is well written but I found it somewhat pedestrian at times. Both murders were brushed away and the story of Daisy is just left hanging at the end.
I can't write a lot as there isn't much to write about, love story, jealousy, murder, revenge, it's all there, but it's all so anaemic you don't develop any feeling for the characters. There's no real physical descriptions of people so it's all about the smokey laid back feel of the 20's.
Gortex - I am finding this a difficult one to review as I can not decide if I like it or not. Similar to what Benny mentioned, at 150 pages! it does take forever to get going and felt like I was halfway through before the plot of the love circle and the underlying story of Gatsby’s rags to riches really comes to life. By which time because it is a short novel, it feels like it rushes through some of the major scenes as if it is in a hurry to finish. However I also feel this is quite cleverly written as it keeps the readers attention on the main plots and not getting too dragged into the sub plots. Which in some books I have read, it takes the writer several chapters to get back on course.
It also in my opinion gives you just a taster into the characters lives and leave the reader to use their imagination to fill in the gaps of what might have happened if…. Or what will happen after… a good way to keep people discussing a book after it is read. When reading it, it makes me think it is written in the form of some feller down the pub telling a story to his mates but taking forever to get to the end of the punch line and you end up wondering how much of it is true and exaggerated.
Once you get past the confusing and boring start it does start to come alive and I really did enjoy it but just wish it had been a bit longer. Again as Benny says it’s all there and gives you a nice taster of each but at the same time can’t decide what it wants to be. I am looking forward to see what the film will be like when it comes out.
Should you read it?
Benny - If you have a spare couple of afternoons, yes, it's an ok book.
Gortex - Yes it is worth the read, short and if you can get past the start worth it
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Benny - No.
Gortex - Not as high as 43 but in the later part after 150 yes.
May contain spoilers.
Additional #13. The Hunger Games
You remember that rumour that did the rounds about the drinking water, where it's laced with oestrogen and we are all becoming large breasted infertile man-girls? Either it's true or I've started liking girls books. This isn't half bad. So it's blatantly a star crossed lover version of 'The Running Man' by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King if I totally recall*) but it's well written and as you hit the games piece it accelerates. The ending is a bit weak and washed out, but there was no ending to be had after the frenetic pace of the death match itself.
Without rehashing the plot** there were a couple of pieces that disappointed. The final days of the battling were a little empty, specifically between Cato and the other big lad whose name I forget. Also the wolf pieces reminded me of the Mulefa***. An empty description and no real substance behind the reasoning. Outside that if you liked this little number, I'd highly recommend the Running Man, it's nothing like the film and a much better read.
I don't want to give the impression I didn't enjoy it, I really did, but I won't be pulling it off the (virtual) shelf in 10 years to remind myself of it. I felt no tense excitement, the nudity was boring, the love piece between Gale, Dolly bird and the stay puff man was ok, but toward the end relatively predictable. I'll read the others in the series as it was a good yarn....
Should you read it?
Yes, it's not a bad story, if you like pulp you can charge through and feel no dirtier afterward, go for it.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
No, too many others have done this story (and better)
*And without google....I'm good.
**Use google if you want that.
***If you don't know what this means, read my blog posts, it makes me sick to self publicise, but the mulefa make me want to eat my own face with a wooden spoon.
May contain spoilers.
3. His Dark Materials
The above post reminded me.
http://www.deadmen.co.uk/forum/entry.php?28-His-Dark-Deposit
Should you read it?
No. Avoid this tripe.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
It's about as classic as an oversized swan that uses it's wings as a mainsail and looks like a ship. Yes, that's in there too. What a load of mulefa.
106. The Pickwick Papers.
This is Dickens first novel and very much a comedy. It contains all the elements we've come to associate with Dickens, a large cast of bizarre characters with equally bizarre names, a couple of juicy villains and a real insight into the early Victorian period. It's basically a road movie/book in that a group of likeable fiends known as the Pickwick Club travel the length and breadth of the country observing life and the people they meet. They then return to the Pickwick Club and recount their tales to each other.
It's a light, funny book without the heavy drama and conflict found in some of his other work. what makes it shine is the way Dickens draws his characters. Each of them is a treat to meet and learn about. There are some great illustrations throughout the book and it's a surprisingly light easy read. If you're new to Dickens it's a good one to start with.
Should you read it?
Yes. It's a very humorous book and a great introduction to the world of Charles Dickens
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Absolutely. It's pure Dickens but without the melodrama and with some of his most enjoyable characters.
79. Bleak House.
This is classed as one of the best works Charles Dickens ever wrote and Bleak House was published in 20 monthly instalments over 67 chapters. It includes a vast amount of small part characters and sub plots with some excellent main characters like the menacing lawyer Tulkinghorn and mad but ever cheerful Miss Flite. At the novel's core is long-running litigation in England's Court of Chancery and the shambolic and disgraceful legal system in use at the time which was reformed in 1870. It is written from two main points of view, the third person narrator and main character and narrator Esther Summerson which gives it an interesting masculine and feminine point of view.
I personally think the novel is far too long and suffers from the same issues that The Lord or the Rings or such like novels that were written and published over an extended period of time. It chops and changes too much from one set of characters to the next which at many times has me confused as to who he is actually writing about until several pages into the chapters. Some of the chapters were, to be quite frank, dull and dragged on far more than they needed to, with the end of the novel being wrapped up in what felt like 2 very rushed chapters.
This having been said, there are some truly amazing chapters and gripping scenes which had me glued to the book and not wanting to stop reading. At one point I was almost in tears due to how graphic and sad the story had become and how in pure Dickens class he makes everything come alive. But unfortunately for me these patches of total literature class were too spaced out and not as frequent as I would expect from the master himself.
Should you read it?
Yes. But only if you’re a big Dickens fan and wish to read his entire works. There are better novels he has written.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
No. Even though it is Dickens I feel there are far better works by him that should and are on the list.
8. Nineteen Eighty Four.
This book recommended by several people and very highly rated in both the BBC big read along with other listings of best reads and quite rightly so. It is a dystopian and satirical novel set in Oceania, where society is tyrannized by The Party (Big Brother) and its totalitarian ideology. It takes no time at all in diving head first into the main character Winston Smith and describing the world and political state of London (air strip 1) in spring 1984. About 75% of the novel is from a narrator point of view, and very heavily written in a psychological, sociology and political way. Not something that you can lightly just pick up, read, and not have to pay attention to what is being digested.
I did find after getting through the first few chapters of this style of writing in becoming a bit tedious, and felt it made the story stand still and not really get going. But sticking with it and only reading when my mind was not distracted by other things to much, I really got into it and started to eagerly turn page after page in wanting to find out what happens. The ending in particular is truly excellent and can guarantee you spend time after and during the read thinking about society as a whole and how things in some way in our reality have not much changed and have striking similarities.
Should you read it?
Yes. This is a must read.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, And deservedly so and in the top 10 in my opinion.
2. Pride and Prejudice.
So this novel which is so popular and rated so highly in the BBC Great Read and by very many people around the world. Question is, is it any good, and in a nut shell probably only if you’re female as I am going to struggle to write many good things about it.
It is a story about a love affair, focusing around the main character of Elizabeth Bennet and as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the early 1800s, and her love for the other main character Mr Darcy. The writing description and use of English is really excellent and for any scholar an absolute gem of written literature.
I started this book once before, but gave up after the first few chapters as found it so dull a read that my mind would wonder off on something else. For the Great Read challenge I thought, give it another go and just stick at it as who knows it might get better. In a short answer NO it does not, and don’t waste your time reading this book as it is as dull as dirty dish water and in my opinion only had about 2 or 3 short parts in it which I found enjoyable. I don’t mind reading a love story as sometimes they can be a joy to read, Wuthering Heights for example in my opinion is truly excellent and much more interesting with gripping characters and scenes in the book which has you captivated.
Pride and Prejudice though just takes for ever to get to the main points and spends 80% of the book talking about marriage and how the ladies feel about it all, while building up to the main point which ends up to be a letter about who said something bad about someone else and then starting the same cycle again. These are topics which I would expect women to love and men to roll their eyes at, which is the only conclusion I can come to why it is so popular.
Should you read it?
No. There are better love stories out there, don’t follow the crowd.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, because lots of women prob voted it in.
22. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
This book probably does not need much introduction as I am pretty sure everyone in DMW and probably the world now know of the character Harry Potter. If not then either you must live in a third world country or never watch telly, browse interweb, or chat to people in public. It is the first novel in the series written by JK Rowling and sets the scene for the early life of an orphaned child about to find out he is a wizard, and goes off to school to learn how, with lots of adventures and characters helping and hindering him.
I personally think the book is absolutely charming, fun and a pleasure to read. The film in my opinion was very good and sticks pretty close to the story but the book is just better, as is often the case. The extra scenes, descriptions and a few characters just send it into another level and I enjoyed it so much I could just not stop reading. It has the ability of really letting your imagination run wild as you read about wired and wonderful magic, items and creatures. In a strange way the story and style reminded me of CS Lewis and his wonderful novels about Narnia, and the other magical worlds which work around ours and can be got at if you are young and innocent enough.
The only thing that worries me a bit is, due to how good I found this first book are the rest in the series able to hit as high a standard as this one has set or will it (like the films) lose the charm of it because it all becomes just a bit too serious.
Should you read it?
Yes. This is an excellent read.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list?
Yes, and would recommend it.
36. Treasure Island ---------- Robert Louis Stevenson
This is a story told from the perspective of a young boy (Jim Hawkins) and details his 'coming of age' as he sets off on an adventure, for me this is the story of Long John Silver. Silver is the archetypal pirate and I'm amazed as to how much both he and the book have influenced the image of pirates generally. Eye patches, parrots, treasure maps etc. And Silver seems to be the blueprint for every pirate character since. His moral ambiguity is most interesting and I can't work out of he's a completely evil character or more of a Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow. I suspect the latter. Either way the book is the story of Silver as told through the eyes of Jim Hawkins. Silver is such an iconic and interesting character that much like he does in movie adaptations he carries there whole story along and it's his adventure that kept me interested throughout.
Treasure Island is a summer blockbuster movie in book form. Think Indiana Jones, Star Wars etc
Should you read it?
If you're a fan of high adventure and especially pirates and high jinx on the high seas then this ones for you.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Absolutely. It defined the pirate genre and is a classic adventure story
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53. The Stand ---------- Stephen King
This will be tough to review without giving too much plot away but here we go. You've probably read my other thread on the mass outbreak of a virus wiping out the vast majority of the worlds population. This is that book, focusing on a subset of characters who are drawn into to groups, good and bad. Think of people with good morals and hearts against those without. It really is a fantastic book and covers so many things without boring you. You will end up thinking about the what-if's. There's a strong set of references to good and bad, God and the Devil etc, but it's done remarkably well with no preaching or judging. Think about Pullmans books and then write them in such a way that they aren't shite.
It's a huge book, around 1200 pages and is probably the biggest I've read without giving up. The last couple of chapters are a little boring as the plot is played out and it's back to normal'ish life, but necessary to close the plot. If you like post apocolytic studies of human nature and the various things that can impact that then get this. There are some decent twists in there, the end game can feel a little short in hindsight, but fits nicely with the story. It's so close to being far fetched, but remains completely plausible, and all the what-if's hang well.
Should you read it?
Absolutely, it's a superb book and fires the imagination.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes, without a doubt, it's one of the best pieces of fiction I've read.
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89. Magician ---------- Raymond E Feist
Since several of the books I know are on list I thought I'd contribute.
Magician was originally released in two parts ("Apprentice" and "Master") in the US, but has always been a single volume here in the UK.
The story follows the life of Pug, an orphan living in the remote coastal town of Crydee. After a storm he finds artefacts from a ship washed ashore, however the ship is no ordinary wreck, but is the first incursion into Midkemia of the warlike Tsurani and heralds invasion from another world. Through the eyes of Pug, his adopted brother Tomas and the ruling family of Castle Crydee you are immersed in the lives of a generation and the fate of two worlds. From the politics of the Palace at Rillianon, the abject misery of a slave's life in the swamps of Tsurania to the lands of the elves and the eerie history of the Valheru, Magician is a book of enormous scope.
The narrative starts off with a linear tale following Pug's life, but as the war begins and Pug is captured, the book beings to follow divergent paths as events unfold for the main characters. The pace of the story is measured, but doesn't let up. It's hard going at first because the characters, places and races are all unfamiliar, but by the time Tomas has taken up the Valheru armour and Pug is on Tsurania, you can't put the book down. This book can only be described as an epic.
If Peter Jackson were to make this into a film, it would have at least eight parts and none of them padded (Hobbit, I'm looking at you!).
I re-read this book every couple of years followed by it's enjoyable, but less impressive, sequels. More serious than David Eddings, more precise than Robert Jordan, this book is top of the genre.
Should you read it?
If you have any love of fantasy fiction YES! - It is an amazing epic and probably the best book in the fantasy fiction genre.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Definitely - If you enjoy this, you'll also love the "Empire" trilogy Feist co-wrote with fellow author Janny Wurts. The story runs parallel to the events of "Magician", but follows the life of a woman in one of the ruling houses on the Tsurani homeworld.
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208. Northangar Abbey........................................... jane Austin
It seems to me that Jane Austin is a bit of a one trick pony when it comes to writing. Again we have a thoroughly decent young heroine, a dashing but initially disliked hero, a misunderstanding, despair, revelation and finally a reunion and confirmation of love. Different names, different location, same story. I didn't find Northanger Abbey particularly bad and the characters are interesting and well written but it was obvious what was going to happen from the start. So it was a light comfortable read that never really came to life but also never left me bored. It sailed a safe middle ground of being fine but not great.
Should you read it?
Not unless you're really into period romantic stories
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
It is supposed to be a classic and in it's day it may well have been, but today it's really just a glorified Mills and Boon.
Comment
Quote from: PenfoldI guess its literary success stems more from its parody of Gothic novels (all the rage in the late 18th early 19th Centuries) rather than the story itself. From Walpole's Castle of Otranto to Lewis's The Monk, the genre went mad. Some it it - Allen Poe, Mary Shelley etc is great but there was a lot of dross.
But I do agree it's not a patch on Emma or P&P.
Quote from: SmiloIt was her first so I guess that's fair. Her later works definitely had stronger stories and a wider group of characters that help drive the stories along. I still feel they are all a little too similar and predictable. While there is often a secondary character who surprises us in some way, we're never in any doubt about who will end up happily in love and married at the end. Her writing is very good but her stories less so, if that makes any sense
108. The Wasp Factory ---------- Iain Banks I first read this a few years ago, but since I noticed it was on The Listâ,,¢ I figured it was worth sharing my thoughts. It's a book written from the perspective of Frank, who lives with his father on an otherwise uninhabited island. Frank passes the time by inventing bizarre and often violent daily rituals, with the first half of the book establishing his eccentric life on the island and his... unusual, relationship with his father.
Then Frank's brother escapes from a psychiatric hospital, arrives on the island and.. well, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you :)
Should you read it?
It's (very) darkly comic, well-paced and I found it utterly absorbing when I first read it. Possibly the best plot twist I've ever read.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the listIn my opinion, yes. I've never read anything that stayed with me like this book did, it's brilliantly written but certainly not for the faint of heart.
Comment
Quote from: BennyGoes to show, I hated it, I thought the twist was purile. I enjoyed the build up but the end was flat, the sheep were interesting and there was some tension in there, but I'd never rate it on this list....Ah well, viva las vegas or la difference or whatever it is..
36. All Quiet On The Western Front ---------- Erich Maria Remarque
This is a stunning book. I had little hope to be honest and was expecting some dated war prose and possible whimsical meanderings. I haven't read any other reviews anywhere and I'm glad I didn't. It's a short book, readable in a week relatively easily but there are no breaks and no respite throughout. It tells the tale of one unlucky conscript in WWI in the first person. The story weaves around the futility of the war and the constant push and pull of trench warfare. It raises some questions around why we go to war but it's done in a way that isn't forced nor political.
It treads the line between giving a non fiction account from a fictional character with absolute perfection. I prefer non-fiction and this kind of based in reality fiction ticks all the boxes.
Should you read it?
Absolutely, this is one of the best books I've read in the last 10 years.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes, without doubt. Top 10 for me a this point.
top post updated - marker
SECOND REVIEW - GORTEX
141. All Quiet on the Western Front ---------- Erich Maria Remarque
The book describes the German soldiers (Paul Baumer) extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front. It covers Paul and his fellow class mates and comrades in arms and their experiences and how this changed and brutal life of a very young man affects him when visiting home and coming to terms with what civilians think about the War and the soldier’s involvement.
This is a short Novel and throws you straight away into the world of trench warfare of WW1 and be warned is incredibly powerful and in some cases disturbing reading. It holds nothing back and brilliantly delves into the physiological effect this kind of environment would have on a 19 year old lad. It is also fascinating as it is written from the point of view of the German side and not like most books I have read on the great Wars from the Allied and often American view, and covers the question “Why do we continue to fight�
This is possibly one of the best and most interesting, entertaining and emotional reads I have ever come across and in my opinion jumps straight in to my top 10 books read and has me asking the question why it has taken me so long to pick it up.
Should you read it?
Yes. One of the books you really have to read at some point.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes. This book should be in the top 10 if not 5 as it is just that good.
20. War and Peace ---------- Leo Tolstoy
This is close to possibly the longest single book that I have ever read although it is really made up of 16 books over 2 volumes and between 19 â€" 38 chapters in each book. In other words this makes up to create the 7th longest Novel ever written in "originally in Russian" the English language and boy is it good.
In many ways it can’t decide if it is a Political, Social, Historical, Romantic, Philosophical, Artistic or Scientifical work as it covers all these subjects in great detail and really gets inside the world of aristocratic Russia during the early 19th C invasion of Austria and Russia by France under Napoleon. It covers both the points of view from the Russian and French side of things and criticizes all those in power and the faults/errors carried out. So a very unbiased work which makes me respect the writer as so many times do I read something like this where they take just one side and from a narrow minded point of view.
It does take a while to get going as it takes a long time to introduce all the characters and where 1 word might do Tolstoy uses 3 but in such a way it makes for excellent reading and beautifully written. Half the book is in fictional novel style with lots of characters most of which really existed with the other half covering the situation the wars had on everyone involved from the rich to the poor and how this effected life and why Napoleon destroyed his army who is generally known as a genius.
I loved and still enjoy reading the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell but always felt there was something that Cornwell missed in his description of what all the actions Sharpe, Wellington and the rest had on life in general. Tolstoy captured this and much more so. If you enjoyed Sharpe or this sort of historic writing then you will enjoy this but be prepared to take some time in completing it.
Should you read it?
Yes you should and definitely read it if you like history and late 18th early 19th C French wars. But not a book to take on hols and stick with it.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes, Absolutely and should be higher than 20.
182. Oliver Twist ----- Charles Dickens
Set in the first quarter of the 19C, it focuses on the difficult and trouble life of a young orphan Oliver Twist who is brought up in a work house and eventually escapes and ends up meeting and mixing in with the criminal underworld of London in that period of history. A good deal of the characters he meets treat him badly and use him to their own good, as was often the case for children of those times. A roller coaster of events and adventures await with some of the best sub characters ever written in the English language.
My second Dickens book review and quite frankly this is an absolute gem and helps me understand why Dickens was held Then and Now in such high esteemed as a one of the greatest writers that ever lived. This book in my opinion sums up everything I would class a Novel to be and I enjoyed reading every moment of it. His use of support characters like The Artful Dodger, Bill Sikes and Mr Bumble are of pure genus and really make the reader feel like he is involved in the novel. My favorite character by far though is the evil and sinister Fagin who the reader ends up loving and hating at the same time.
It surprises me to see this Novel so far down the list of greatest books ever written, but as I have other Dickens works to read then perhaps The Great Expectations (highest on the list) will prove me that this is not his finest work although at the moment I find that hard to except.
Should you read it?
Yes. This is a perfect example of what a Novel should be and if you only ever read 1 work by Dickens make it this.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes, Absolutely and puts to shame other books on the list which are higher.
23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ---------- JK Rowling
This is the second novel in the Harry Potter series and it kicks off pretty much straight off the back of the first book and forms the new term for Harry, Ron and Hermione and pretty quickly everything is going wrong.
This novel like the first book keeps its charm of young people going to a wizard school and the descriptions of lesson time are so well written that you really feel like you’re in the room when they carry out the spells. Like wise the introduction of the Weasley family and Mr Weasleys fascination in the muggle (our) world with questions like “what is the point of a telephone†had me in stitches.
It tends to be a little more serious and a bit darker as you would expect from young people growing up at school which is captured well, and the characters greater understanding of magic with many more spells being used often with funny outcomes keeps it entertaining.
I personally really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the series but I would encourage people to read the books in order as it has lots of references to the previous book which might make it confusing to the reader if just picked up at random. Even if not all the books are in the Great Read (most are) I will continue to read the other novels and give my opinion.
Should you read it?
Yes. If you enjoyed the first novel then you will love this one.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes, but not as high as 23 and I wonder why they are in separately rather than just come under the one entry for the whole series.
141. All Quiet on the Western Front ---------- Erich Maria Remarque
The book describes the German soldiers (Paul Baumer) extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front. It covers Paul and his fellow class mates and comrades in arms and their experiences and how this changed and brutal life of a very young man affects him when visiting home and coming to terms with what civilians think about the War and the soldier’s involvement.
This is a short Novel and throws you straight away into the world of trench warfare of WW1 and be warned is incredibly powerful and in some cases disturbing reading. It holds nothing back and brilliantly delves into the physiological effect this kind of environment would have on a 19 year old lad. It is also fascinating as it is written from the point of view of the German side and not like most books I have read on the great Wars from the Allied and often American view, and covers the question “Why do we continue to fight�
This is possibly one of the best and most interesting, entertaining and emotional reads I have ever come across and in my opinion jumps straight in to my top 10 books read and has me asking the question why it has taken me so long to pick it up.
Should you read it?
Yes. One of the books you really have to read at some point.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes. This book should be in the top 10 if not 5 as it is just that good.
13. Birdsong ---------- Sebastian Faulks
The focus of the novel tells of a man called Stephen Wraysford at different stages of his life both before and during World War 1. While most of the novel concentrates on Stephen's life in France before and during the war, the novel also focuses on the life of Stephen's granddaughter, Elizabeth, and her attempts to find out more about her grandfather's experiences in World War 1. The story is split into seven sections which cover three different time periods.
The pre war period focuses on a love affair between Stephen and married wife of his landlord and employer Isabelle. This is how the book starts and to be honest takes a while to get going in setting the scene and introducing the characters. It is not until the affair really starts to develop does it really grabs the attention and goes into some very graphic and descriptive love scenes which would often be found in Porn Magazines, except better written. Along with this it tries to show how turmoil the situation of life was for the rich and poor before the war started.
Once the War is declared Stephen joins up in the English army and is dispatched with the regiment to the Battle of the Somme. He befriends and gets involved with some engineers / Miners who aim to dig tunnels under the German defenses and set mines off. This a bit like All Quiet On The Western Front makes for very powerful and in some parts emotional reading. It is just brilliantly put together and like All Quiet holds nothing back in going into the details and descriptions of how hard war in the trenches was. It also goes into great detail how dangerous the miner’s job was and in some cases more dangerous than being shelled at by the big German guns on the surface.
I can not say that it is better than All Quiet On The Western Front as it is just different and covers other subjects like his love life, home life and also how his Grand daughter (1976 period) goes looking for information on her Grand father. There is if anything more to it than just War and if you enjoyed All Quiet then you will love this. I personally (once it got going) really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone as a must read book.
Should you read it?
Yes. Excellently written, interesting and powerful reading.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes. Fantastic read and deserves to be right up high on the list
108. The Wasp Factory ---------- Lain Banks
This short novel is written from a first person point of view told by sixteen-year-old Frank Cauldhame, describing his childhood. Frank observes many Shamanistic rituals of his own invention, and it is soon revealed that Frank was the perpetrator of three deaths of children before he reached the age of ten. It also focuses on his brother and his escape from a mental institution and his aim to return home to their (Frank & Father) deserted island connected by bridge to a larger island in Scotland.
A word of warning should be given to anyone about to read this book that it has extremely dark humour and often very graphic a disturbing treatment of animals and humans. Not for the faint hearted that might get disturbed by this sort of material but once read something that is not likely to escape your memory quickly.
It takes about half to two thirds of the book to actually start really getting to the point of the plot and taking structure to the novel and once it gets there ends all to quickly. The first half of the book talks about Frank’s obsessions, interests and things he has done in the past that he is proud of and often masochist and psychotic behaviour in violent acts. The second half starts to explain his brother, father and friend’s evolvement and what The Wasp Factory actually is and why he is this way he is with a quite shocking ending.
Personally I think it is ok… not that bad, but not that great either. Definitely something that would create good debates and conversations with others who have read it over a pint. At points I was shocked at what I was reading but then found myself chuckling about it afterwards.
Should you read it?
Yes a short novel that will have you thinking about it later and worth a read.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
No. Not a great novel and definitely not a classic.
17. Great Expectations -------- Charles Dickens
Dickens 13th novel and 2nd written to be fully narrated from first person with the first being David Copperfield. It is a coming of age novel based around the main character Pip and how his fortunes change through out his life. It is broken down into 3 parts with each part focusing on a period of his life. It is set in early to mid Victorian Brittan and main locations are the Kent marshes and City of London.
Apparently this novel was the favorite of Dickens from the many books he wrote and possibly one of the most adapted stories into film and stage ever written. With a total of 15 film and television versions made and a 16th released only last year on the big screen in UK. So quite likely a novel that if not read then defiantly heard of or and possibly seen by the great population in the UK and possible world.
Personally I thought it starts very well and within just a few pages you’re thrown into the disturbing meeting and chase of convict Able Magwitch, which in turn introduces the loveable Joe Gargery, disturbing Miss Havisham, and cold yet beautiful Estella. The descriptive writing, details and plot are all superbly written by the true master Dickens is, and his ability to create interesting sub characters is almost unequalled in quality and ability.
Part 1 is all about Pips childhood and excellent but when Part 2 get under way and Pip becomes into property and heads for London I found it a bit heavy going and really struggled to keep interested in some of the chapters, almost to the point where I had to force myself to trudge through it. My perseverance was rewarded though as Part 3 is also excellent with the return of Magwitch and the conclusion of Pip expectations which I thought pretty sad and not as happy an ending as I had expected (American film endings always seem to be happy and flowery).
To sum up, it is good but in my opinion not the best of Dickens work as I enjoyed Oliver Twist a good deal more as it kept my attention through out the story.
Should you read it?
Yes
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes. But lower on the list than 17.
86. Vicky Angel -------- Jacqueline Wilson
This is another novel in the top 200 books on the BBC most popular read, which is written for a children’s audience in mind. Written from a first person point of view it focuses around the main character Jade Marshal and her friendship with best friend Vicky.
Following a tragic accident to Vicky who then becomes a ghost that only Jade can see it then goes into how this event affects Jade and how she comes to terms with it in her life.
That pretty much sums up the whole novel and it is pretty short thank goodness as it seems to repeat chapter after chapter with the same sort of things going on with just the slight subject changing. So one minute it is how Jade will deal with going to school with the ghost of Vicky to the next chapter how will she cope with going to the local shops. I personally got fed up of this pretty quickly and really struggle to keep reading it to the end which in turn is nothing exceptional.
To sum up I think this book is directed at young teenage girls who have limited imagination other than shopping, emotions and what someone thinks of someone else. If you are such a person then you will probably enjoy this, other wise don’t even pick it up as it is not worth the effort.
Should you read it?
No avoid at all costs.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
No. People who voted this in should be banded from all future votes.
12. Wuthering Heights ---------- Emily Bronte
Surprised to learn that this was her only novel, before she sadly died aged 30. in fact I think all the Bronte sisters popped their clogs before they hit forty.
Wuthering Heights is the name of a large house on the Yorkshire moors and the backdrop to a tragic and doomed love story that spanned several decades. Unlike the Jane Austin feel good stories this is very dark and looks that looks at the destructive nature of passion and follows the lives of a collection of tragic characters for whom the story ends badly. I thought it was going to be a hard slog but surprisingly I zipped through this one.
I assumed this would be the normal romantic stuff about unrequited love, reconciliation and happy ever after. It's not. It's about cruelty, malice, emotional pain and mental torture. Not one of the characters is truly decent and while some show they can be really monstrous at times none are universally bad people. There's always a reason why the characters are the way they are or become the people they become. But there are no heros and heroines here, no one for us to root for and no real happy ever afters. Wuthering Heights is a sad story but compelling and although we don't much care for the characters they are all fascinating and the story of their lives really draws us in and keeps us hooked. I suppose this is a literary form of watching a slow motion car crash unfold before our eyes, although a beautifully written one. There's certainly a voyeuristic slant to watching these people's lives unravel in the pursuit of love and passion. But it's still a masterpiece in my opinion and certainly not trashy or obvious.
Should you read it?
Absolutely
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list?
Yes, it's 12 on the list and in my opinion should sit higher than some better placed novels!
I have read a lot of books, and generally speaking I like them but "76. The Secret History ---------- Donna Tartt" is one that should be consigned to the eternal fires of hell and left there. Never have I come across a writer so impressed by her command of completely making you wonder why you started it. If I wanted to have to learn a new word of the day every other page I would've bought a dictionary.
The overall premise is good, but it is so long-winded...and people claim it to be a classic??!
Should you read it? Possibly, but make sure you have a gun and a bullet from page 2 onwards.
86. Midnight’s Children -------- Salman Rushdie
The book was written and published in 1980 and won several prizes and was also the centre of a law action in the British Courts, over some of content from the novel.
It is written from a narrator point of view, told by the main character Saleem Sinai with the main subject covering the change of independence in India from British rule using actual historical events of the C20. Also the magical development of the “midnight’s childrenâ€, who are all born around the midnight hour of India’s independence with each child gaining special gifts like flight, enhanced strength or telekinesis. It covers Saleem’s family history pre and after birth until the present day, and is written over 3 books.
The first book seems to cover just his pre birth and although has some entertaining short stories in, it takes forever to get to the actual birth of the main character and repeats it self continually in case you had forgotten what had happened in the previous few chapters. It does this through out the all 3 books/parts and also annoyingly does not tell you clearly when one book ends and the next finishes. It feels very badly put together as if the editor got in a muddle and had the attitude of “oh that will doâ€.
It covers some interesting historical events and facts but these are all to brief and does not really go into detail in any way but focuses on how this affects him (Saleem) and his family. It also takes until half way through the 2nd book to even start describing the Midnight Children’s and their abilities which lasts for 1 chapter and then does not cover it again until a good way through the 3rd book. One of the major subjects in the book and possibly most interesting is extremely briefly covered leaving me disappointed.
The whole read from start to finish is so frustrating with each story starting well, then dragging on and on in the middle, to finally get to the main act, only to cover it in 1 or 2 paragraphs and then moving onto the next story. I really struggled to keep reading it and get to the end of the book and felt a total slog. It could have been really good and in my opinion falls very short.
Should you read it?
No. Not worth the effort.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
No. Not sure how it won any awards.
46. Animal Farm ------- George Orwell
The second book by George Orwell that is in the top 200 reads and was published in 1945 eventually after many publishers refused to support it. Often used in school or college English courses and probably because of this reason more famous than his other works.
It is set as the title says on a farm and from the perspective from the animals themselves living / working on the farm. There is eventually an uprising by the animals led by the clever pigs and control of life is turned over to the animals. Like 1984 this is a political, social and dictatorship peace with lots of short, but cleverly written chapters about the life on the farm.
The book is short and once started very hard to put down as it is always interesting how the society changes following a big event and then just goes back to how it was but with a different twist. I really enjoyed reading it and think it is excellently written from the start to the finish and in some ways better in my opinion than 1984 although both works are worth reading.
Should you read it?
Yes. Short, interesting and guaranteed to have your mind imagining from start to end.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
Yes. Should also be higher up the list than 46.
78. Ulysses ------- James Joyce
This is possibly the hardest review I have had to do of any book…..
The book was written in 1918 and broken into 3 parts of about 18 main chapters in total and is mainly a free thinking fiction peace and in terms of the period, one of the first to try this in the 20th Century. I take a quote from the man himself when describing the book "put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant," and to be honest this pretty much sums up the whole thing.
It covers a single day in the life of main character Leopold Bloom and set in the city of Dublin before the break out of the 1st world war. It pretty much covers what goes on during his generally normal day in real terms and everything that goes through his head throughout the day. So it covers things like him getting up in the morning and cooking kidneys for breakfast and what he thinks and feels about this process.
Every chapter is different and I mean very different. From the writing styles to what is going on in the novel. From one moment you’re reading about a funeral to the next someone hallucinating and beating someone with a stick while naked, and as a reader not really know what the previous 50 pages has to do with the current idea or paragraph your reading. I had to check the internet and synopsis a few times to try and understand what on earth was going on. To make matters worse as I mentioned the writing style changes pretty much from chapter to chapter for example you will be reading just a list of names for 2 pages followed by what can only be described as written verse and actor dialog. It truly is a difficult read and I thought Dracula was bad enough.
This is not to say it does not have some big pluses to it. For anyone who loves the English language and writing then this book covers pretty much every style you could think of. Also some of the chapters are truly excellent and the writing / descriptive style is very absorbing and thought provoking and I admit to really enjoying. It is almost as if the writer could not decide what sort of book to write so just did everything.
Should you read it?
No. It is too long and makes no sense from start to finish and a real slog of a read.
Yes. Because it really has some excellent and amazing parts and for anyone with a love of English this is a good go.
Is it a classic and does it deserves to be on the list
No. I don’t personally count this work as a Novel which I think this list is all about. Were this the best 200 books of the written language then yes it should be there because of the truly original style and excellent example of free thinking writing and how it will create debates when ever talked about.
11. Catch - 22 ------- Joseph Heller
Written in 1953 and published in 1961. It is based around World War 2 and 1943 from the US side and a fictional B-25 Bombardier squadron. It follows main character Captain John Yossarian and his attempts to avoid flying more missions. Each chapter of the book is taken from a different character and from their point of view of the situation and their own little stories which make up the bigger picture. This style of writing is new to me and I have not read anything else similar.
It does take a while to get going and as each character comes along it explains a bit more of the bigger picture of the novel. Unfortunately I found this made for the second half of the book a good deal more interesting and enjoyable than the first. It has some very funny scenes and many comical and ridiculous characters which are brilliantly written, along with an underlying physiological side looking at how constant danger in flying missions can affect your sanity.
I personally enjoyed it as something different form your standard war novels but as mentioned before a bit of a slog to get going.
Should you read it?
Yes. If you can stick with it then worth it in the end.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, due to the original writing style and hilarious characters.
14. Rebecca ------- Daphne du Maurier
Written in 1937 and in a gothic romance style, It is a single volume work of around 385 pages and has been adapted many times into Film, Television and Theatre productions. It is a narrator read piece which is told from the main characters eyes Mrs de Winter and her meeting, falling in love and life with Maximilian who is an English gentleman and owns the house named Manderly which is where much of the story is focused.
It is not so dissimilar to Wuthering Heights in that it has a dark underling secret to it and often has very dramatic scenes which are quite unexpected and written in a most descriptive and thrilling way.
After a slow start to the novel it really picks up speed and I found myself completely enveloped in the whole story to the point I just could not put it down or stop reading. This was quite odd as I had expected it to be dull and pretty ordinary which was a great surprise and pleasure that I enjoyed it so much. This really is a case of don’t judge a book by the name or the cover as I think you will be pleasantly impressed.
Should you read it?
Yes. This is a must read on the list.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, One of the best on the list so far.
27. Middlemarch ------- George Eliot
Strangely the actual name of the author was Mary Anne Evans but she chose to use the male pen name for the reason that she wished her work would be taken seriously, if the thought was that it was written by a man. Written and released 1874 and is made up of 8 different volumes over 90+ chapters. It is based on 1830’s England and fictional town of Middlemarch which is set in the midlands. It covers many different topics like the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, education, medicine, greed, punishment and arts. Along with this there are lots of different characters and it covers a generation of time scale.
The number of characters at first is a bit overwhelming and it took me a good while to work out who was whom and what relation they had to each other and then just to keep you on your toes along comes more as you progress through each book. This having been said many of them are enjoyable and each very different to the other. It is covered largely by a narrator and has dialogue through out the work and this reminds me a good deal of The Archers on the radio or possibly Eastenders but set 170 years ago.
It is pretty heavy going and took me a long while to complete and over several return visits to the book as I found myself losing interest in it and slogging away to the finish. It is no way near as bad as Pride and Prejudice as it covers far more topics other than just marriage and this brings the book over to a much wider audience, but it does have a similar style of writing and description to for mentioned novel. To say I enjoyed it would not really be correct but there are some good things in it and I can see why it is a hit and in particular I think with the female audience.
Should you read it?
No, It is not worth the slog.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, I can see why it is listed as a classic even though I did not enjoy it.
33. The Pillars Of The Earth ------- Ken Follett
First published in 1989 and broken down into 6 parts covering and set in the medieval period in England during the 12centry (1123 â€" 1174). It focuses on medieval gothic architecture and in particular cathedrals during the time of The Anarchy following the death of King Henry 1st with out a clear heir for the thrown.
It is a fictional historical novel about the building of Kingsbridge (fictional town) cathedral after the original one gets destroyed in a fire and the onsite priory look to build a new one. There are several key characters mainly the monks of Kingsbridge and the stone masons who build it, along with leading figures of the time like Earls, Bishops and the King. It is written in a similar style to those books written by Bernard Cornwell and others, and their many fictional yet based on historic fact books. But in my opinion in a much greater depth of detail and the written description is truly brilliant.
I loved this book from start to finish and could not stop reading it. Being a big fan of this style and type of writing I knew form the start I would enjoy it but I think this author goes beyond others, simply with the immense depth of detail and description of the period it is written. So much so that I feel like I am really there with the Knights in amour charging to battle or how the political problems and changes of allegiance was going on effect the characters of the book.
I can not praise this enough and quite frankly I think the best book I have read in this great read I have come across so far and can see myself reading it again at some point in the future. (also apparently there is a sequel)
Should you read it?
Yes. This is a must read on the list.
Is it a classic and does it deserve to be on the list?
Yes, This is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read.
There are a lot of good books on this list already. I will add Game of Thrones, Frankenstein, In Cold Blood. There are so many more, but I could be going all day here.