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Yesterday's list was Top Ten ROMANTIC SUSPENSE list, so yeah, I cheated ;-). It would have been very hard to pick a Top Ten Romance list, I think.
Here is something different. Can you give a Top Ten Non-Romance Books list? Just standard fiction? They can have a romance, of course, but they aren't considered in the romance genre. I suppose a lot of you will put in Gabaldon's OUTLANDER, huh, since she is pretty adamant that her story isn't a romance.
Although I haven't read much outside romance the last couple years, here is my Top Five. I'll have to leave the last five spots for an updated list for books like Dan Brown's or any of the highly touted books sitting on the TBR mountain.
6. Ayn Rand's ATLAS SHRUGGED
5. Katherine Neville's THE EIGHT
4. Frank Herbert's DUNE
3. Umberto Eco's FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM
2. Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE
and my #1 Non-romance Fiction book is: Leon Uris TRINITY
The strangest conclusion: I find that in fiction, anyway, the FIRST PERSON stories resonate the most to me. I think four out of the five above were written in first person. They also deal with history or alternative history, or different takes of history, with great romantic elements that are very layered.
If you never tried Foucault's Pendulum and are into alternate history and is PRE-DAN BROWN, try it. It is probably better than that big thick Dan Brown book anyway (heh...yeah, yeah, the hype stops me from reading it. LOL. That, and knowing that I've already read the whole story before in Holy Blood, Holy Grail years and years before).
Would you classify Outlander as a non-romance? As you know, there are millions of readers out there who swear Jamie and Claire are the Bestest Couple In All Romance. It's funny, don't you agree, that no matter how much the author insists her book isn't a romance, that so many millions who buy her book disagree with her? LOL. Quack, quack.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Non-Spy List
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5 comments:
Not sure if I can come up with then but here goes (not in any particular order):
1. Count of Monte Cristo Unabridged
2. Shogun by James Clavell
3. Scarlet Pimpernel
4. Ninja by Eric Van Lustbader
5. Black Heart by Eric Van Lustbader
6. Miko by Eric Van Lustbader
7. Tai-Pan by James Clavell
8. Fearfully & Wonderfully Made by Philip Yancey & Paul Brand
9. Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges
10. Created for Commitment by Wetherell Johnson
This was tough because Romance (primarily Rom Suspense & Paranormal) is 98% of my reading matter.
Dee C
Ah, this should be easier since I can count the number of non-romance authors whose works I read (or have read) in one hand -- JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, Christopher Paolini, and Dan Brown. Top five, I will say:
5. HP & The Goblet of Fire
4. Eldest
3. The Lord of the Rings
2. The Da Vince Code
1. HP & The Half-Blood Prince
This list could change once I read book 3 of CP's Inheritance trilogy (the conclusion to the series) and the last Harry Potter book. I can't wait for these two to come out.
-Leah-
Hi Dee, Same here. Now that I don't have much time to read, most of my reading is either romance or non-fiction, so this list is outdated. But I still pick up my Dune and Trinity and reread them now and then. Both stories deal with pwersonal fate but in a very different way, and both stories deal with how history views one event. I'm always awed by both these authors' ability to tackle the big subject and still make it meaningful and suspenseful to me.
BTW, Monte Cristo should be in the Classics list! LOL. It would have made mine, with at least one Shakespeare. Namely, Hamlet, of course. LOL. You've just outted me as a listmaker.
Hi Leah,
Your list looks pretty good, even though I'm behind with the Harry Potter series. Does it really resonate to you? I know it's a very popular book, but do you reread it? I'm just asking out of curiosity, not saying anything bad about it. I know many, many young readers are into every aspect of the HP world.
Yeah, I love the books and they're one of my favorite re-reads. Though I'm not as obsessed about them as other fans are. ;-) One of the things I like about the series is seeing the characters grow up -- we see a "no-clue" Harry in Book 1, then a "learning" Harry (and still learning), then a what I call a rebellious, arrogant, full of angst Harry in Book 5, and finally a mature Harry in #6. I really think he's matured in Book 6. Ah the things he's gone through. Just bring tears to my eyes. :-) That's why I can't wait to see how everything will come together.
-Leah-
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