1FF Top 100 Books

[mnb089mnb]

If you're calling me a sad bastard then I know I'm in trouble. That's not meant as a dig, just that you're one of the most non-judgemental people on the board. I should probably re-evaluate my life right now.

I was only joking. Spanish Harry Potter fan fiction though? Ay Caramba! (as Ron Weasley might say)

 

[IanH]

You were only half joking. Yeah, the website I use has 707k (seven hundred and seven thousand) fan fiction stories, a number of which are longer than even the longest of the real books. At least I've never written one (yet).

 

[RavenBish]

My guilty secret is that about half of the reading I've done in the last year or so has been reading Harry Potter fan fiction. I can try to butter it up by saying it is all in Spanish, but that is still incredibly sad for a 28 year old bloke who generally despises anything fantasy-related and thinks kids books are for kids. The fact is though that JKR didn't just write seven books, she created a universe that has endless possibilities and there is no other author who has ever done that.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

I had two HP books on my list (the 6th and 7th). HBP was my favourite, going by my memory, at least.

I only read them all once each when I was younger, but HBP sticks in my mind for it being darker than the rest (apart from the final one - the 4th was just the junior wizard olympics and the 5th was about an annoying smirking women who gets kidnapped my Minotaurs), the introduction of the horcruxes and their mystery, and the increased involvement of Dumbledore with THAT twist at the end.

 

[Son of Cod]

The fact is though that JKR didn't just write seven books, she created a universe that has endless possibilities and there is no other author who has ever done that.

For people that have never read any of the Harry Potter books, can you elaborate a bit on this last bit? Seems like overly lavish praise to me. Could it not be argued that any author that pens fiction creates a world that has endless possibilities?

 

[mistermagic]

Of the many, many reviews I read preparing the HP books, people praise JKR for her storytelling qualities more than the quality of the stories itself. It's an important trait to have for an author so it does help I suppose.

 

[mistermagic]

#17 - The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien - 37 points, 2 lists (2012: N/A)

So there you have it! After finishing comfortably top in the 2012 feature, the 3rd and last part of the LotR trilogy is out placed only 17th and making only 2 lists! The other 2 didn't even make it on multiple lists though. Funny how things turn out when you process them differently.
The question I'm dying to ask to you all is: how come this became so low? Is Tolkien's work a global work of art but when seperately read the books aren't that great? Or is it all the Harry Potters that you had to vote for that meant not enough space for Tolkien's trilogy?

Anyway about the book, it talks about a young hobbit named Frodo who the chosen one to bring a magical ring to the centre of the earth. Him and his good buddy Sam go on a excruciatingly long adventure meeting loads of fantasy creatures (is this the one where the trees are blocking their path until they suddenly realise that Sauron is evil?) and having lots of dangers. Not sure if this is the one where we see the gremlin either. I've started watching the movie so many times but it's so long and drawn out that I don't think I ever finished watching it. Or if I did it didn't leave a great impression on me.

So yeah. LotR is already out! I know right!!

 

[Veggie Legs]

Where would LOTR have finished if you added the three scores for the separate books?

 

[mistermagic]

6th.

 

[Oaf]

After all of the love and the hype for LOTR, and how much I love the films, I've probably never been more disappointed by something than when I read LOTR. Dull. As. Fuck. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more if I read them before seeing the films. I don't know. I just know that I spent several hours reading LOTR and I want them back.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

Never read the LOTR books but have considered doing it. You do hear a lot of people moaning about how boring they are (even those who enjoyed the films) but then there are those who are completely fanatical about the books.

Funny how it seems that LOTR was better portrayed on screen than its original source, whereas The Hobbit was completely butchered on screen.

 

[mistermagic]

#16 - The Stranger by Albert Camus - 38 points, 2 lists (2012: #29)

One of France's finest philosophical work told via a novel. This work is not a philosophical text as it depicts a rather simple story (a man loses his mum in French Algeria and doesn't any grief or mourning which is relevant to the rest of the story) but has deep philosophical meanings such as the absurd lack of consideration when one's mother passes away. I could tell some more but that would be a spoiler.

 

[mistermagic]

#15 - Harry and the Prisoner of Azbakan by J.K. Rowling - 39 points, 3 lists (2012: N/A)

Entering in the final 3rd of Rowling's series now. This one is in most HP fans the best. #3 in the series' chronological order, it takes the story to a whole level of mystery, magic added to Rowling's apt storytelling. There were no "meh, it's alright but just not for me". Everybody loved it and puts it up there with the best of the series. There are only 2 to go HP fans. Who's going to win? Who????

On a side note, I'm thinking of getting done with the non-top 10 of this feature by the end of the week so that we can do some serious bad ass reviews next week. So expect 2 books to be revealed in less than 24 hours!

 

[Veggie Legs]

POA is the best Harry Potter book in my opinion, a big step up from the first two, but much more streamlined than some of the later ones. It's got great plot twists which are genuinely surprising the first time round and it introduces some of my favourite characters who become central to the story later on.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

Those US covers are awful.

 

[Ginola14]

On a side note, I'm thinking of getting done with the non-top 10 of this feature by the end of the week so that we can do some serious bad ass reviews next week. So expect 2 books to be revealed in less than 24 hours!

Have to say MM, that you are doing a fantastic job! Looking forward to the 2 book slot!

 

[TomPNE94]

As a massive HP fan, POA was my 2nd favourite after OOTP.

 

[Vanni]

The Stranger at no 16? It should be in the top 3 of every reader I give up.

BTW, The Outsider is a more fitting title than The Stranger.

 

[IanH]

Ah, okay. I was confused because the book seemed familiar but I'd never heard of the stranger. I have read the outsider though, remember enjoying it but think i forgot about Camus when I compiled my list.

 

[mistermagic]

The Stranger at no 16? It should be in the top 3 of every reader I give up.

BTW, The Outsider is a more fitting title than The Stranger.

A literal translation would be The Stranger I reckon.

 

[mnb089mnb]

The Outsider/The Stranger is a good read - it's quite short too - that's always a bonus. There's also a quite strong footballing link here with Camus being a former goalkeeper and a group of north African football fans being mentioned in the book.

 

[mistermagic]

#14 - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - 40 points, 3 lists (2012: #6)

This book finished so high 3 years ago that I decided to purchase it. Unlike Catch-22, I was able to finish it but I wasn't thrilled while reading it. Maybe reading too many reviews (that are very positive) makes my hopes of the book being great go through the roof. Alas, I found the writing hard to pick up, the story taking an awful amount of time to evolve into something resembling a plot and it actually took me the first 30 pages to find it confirmed that Scout was a girl (I had a hunch but Lee doesn't make it clear from the off). Reading the plot on the wikipedia page again makes for a decent story but I didn't feel it while reading it. Guess that's why it's a classic and not a thriller.

 

[Ginola14]

I find nothing remotely interesting in that book. It bores the nuts off me. The last few books - possibly minus HP and his gang - reads like a 1970's reading list from school.

 

[This Charming Mike]

Oh God, I've got To Kill A Mocking Bird to read after I finish Treasure Island...

 

[IanH]

#14 - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - 40 points, 3 lists (2012: #6)
and it actually took me the first 30 pages to find it confirmed that Scout was a girl (I had a hunch but Lee doesn't make it clear from the off).

That's nothing. It took me until last month to find out Harper Lee was a girl.

 

[Oaf]

Oh God, I've got To Kill A Mocking Bird to read after I finish Treasure Island...

I also have it sat on my shelf, and MM's review hasn't exactly enticed me into the idea of reading it

 

[mistermagic]

I also have it sat on my shelf, and MM's review hasn't exactly enticed me into the idea of reading it

Basically if you're into classics, read it. If not, don't.

 

[mistermagic]

#13 - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - 41 points, 3 lists (2012: #16)

I can sort of remember reading this as it was only 2 years ago. It was not easy and I then went on to define what makes literature a popular book genre. In this book, we get some classic Dickens: poverty, misery, failings, hardship. All of it is regroupped in the first part of the novel as Pip, an orphan, is being mistreated by his Kent adpotive family except by the father, who works as a blacksmith and will later train Pip to become one.
Things don't turn out as planned though as Pip is informed by a London lawyer that he is to move to the capital city to become a gentleman. Financed by a benefactor who we later learn more about. Pip's life is about to change!
This book is very difficult to read but a good story nonetheless. As stated above you have all the typical Dickens characteristics of unhappiness of the working class which are then intertwined with fame, money, love and good fortune. One to read defo.

 

[Veggie Legs]

I also have it sat on my shelf, and MM's review hasn't exactly enticed me into the idea of reading it

It's probably ten years since I read it, but I don't remember it being difficult to read or boring.

 

[Smally]

I take it Mistermagic won't be reading the sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird then