Best novel you've read?

[nomadd]

Long story (no pun intended) is that I've just got a Kindle Paperwhite and love it. I have quite a backlog of 'classics' to read, so I'm sorted there. Ditto classic Sci-Fi and Fantasy books.

Any decent novels you've read in the past that don't necessarily make their way onto such lists but you've think shouldn't be missed in a lifetime?

All sensible () responses much appreciated.

[mudskipper]

Long story (no pun intended) is that I've just got a Kindle Paperwhite and love it. I have quite a backlog of 'classics' to read, so I'm sorted there. Ditto classic Sci-Fi and Fantasy books.

Any decent novels you've read in the past that don't necessarily make their way onto such lists but you've think shouldn't be missed in a lifetime?

All sensible () responses much appreciated.

Life of Pi is excellent. It was 20p for Kindle recently - not sure if it still on offer. But well worth a read at the full price. Lots of freebies for the classics and Shakey - I gave up on Les Mis though!

[Zippy]

Shipwrecks - I really enjoyed this one, but there are not a lot of laughs

Think the best book I've read was The Color Purple

[OwlHoot]

Long story (no pun intended) is that I've just got a Kindle Paperwhite and love it. I have quite a backlog of 'classics' to read, so I'm sorted there. Ditto classic Sci-Fi and Fantasy books.

Any decent novels you've read in the past that don't necessarily make their way onto such lists but you've think shouldn't be missed in a lifetime?

All sensible () responses much appreciated.

Off the top of my head

Pompeii by Robert Harris, a real page turner.

Alex, a good thriller with more twists than a conger eel

A Man Called Intrepid. I read this last week. Not sure if it's on kindle yet, but highly recommended all the same. It's about undoubtedly the most amazing character of WW2, a guy called Sir William Stephenson, who ran all the allied intelligence services throughout the war and mentored Bill Donovan, the founder of the CIA. Slightly confusingly, the author is William Stevenson

[norrahe]

Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos One of my favourites.

Mr N is currently reading all the Bond books, apparently they are enjoyable as well.

[OwlHoot]

Mr N is currently reading all the Bond books, apparently they are enjoyable as well.

Ian Fleming (along with several other later celebrities, including Noel Coward, Roald Dahl, and Hughie Green) worked for Sir William Stephenson during WW2. Sounds like Mr N would enjoy "A Man Called Intrepid".

[EternalOptimist]

two ancient classics, written in Victorian english

last days of Pompeii. by Bulwer-Lytton
the cloister and the hearth. by Charles Reade

[Troll]

My favourite is the Alexander trilogy by Mary Renault

[sasguru]

I have a penchant for literary thrillers i.e. where there is a strong plot AND the characters are adequately developed.

Best thriller ever has got to be Forsythe "The Day of the Jackal".
Also Robert Harris "Fatherland" - the best of the the "what if Germany had won" books IMO.
Peter Hoeg "Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow" - the very first of the Scandi-thrillers and still one of the best
"Snow Falling on Cedars" by Guterson(?). Excellent .

These are mostly from the 90s, don't know if they're in ebook.

[ctdctd]

For a page turner of a thriller, try The Eye of the Tiger by Wilbur Smith