What 10 books...

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Right, we've all thought about this before and iirc this has been done in the past, but I want an updated version!

"What 10 books would you take with you to a deserted island?"

In this case, I will not be in a deserted island but in Salamanca, Spain. But for all intents and purposes, this question applies to me because I'll be on a tight budget and wont be buying any books there.

So, lets hear em. And please try and avoid posting books that are part of a series, Erikson's current Malazan releases alone would already hit 7. Also, consider also the re-readability (is this a word?) of the book as I'll be re-reading all of the 10 that I choose to bring at one point or another :/

So far, I've got: A Game of Universe by Eric S Nylund. I know it by heart but still enjoy it. Also, Machiavelli's The Prince, but its so light that I wont count it in my 10.

 

Brandon Sanderson's Elantris. It is very re-readable and kicks major ass. Although, only if you are going for fantasy, I don't know if you want any of those on the trip.

IIRC, you liked Elantris, right?

 

hehe a lot of those seem a bit above my head to be honest Feel free to keep adding, I'm just hoping to see something that seems like it will fit my criteria.

@saber

I found it okay, but not exceptional. I found Hrathen pretty interesting but didn't really get into the other characters.

just thought of another book that made it onto my list: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, love that book. I'm still thinking about American Gods.

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Wow, tough assignment, Enagonios but I'll try. These books are in no particular order.

1) John Kennedy Toole: A Confederacy of Dunces. This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I recommend it highly.

2) J.R.R. Tolkein: The Lord of the Rings. See Montresor's description on this one.

3) Joseph Heller: Catch-22. Some great black humor. There are some laugh out loud parts and yet the whole thing is kind of disturbing. Exactly what the author wanted. A great read.

4) Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In my opinion this is one of the best books ever written. It captured my imagination when I was just a boy and never let go. It takes me back to another time. There are so many levels to this book that it is hard to describe them all.

5) Audie Murphy: To Hell and Back. Gut wrenching. One of the best first hand accounts of war ever written.

6) Eugene B. Sledge: With the Old Breed on Peleliu and Okinawa. Ranks up there with "To Hell and Back" as one of the greatest first hand accounts of war. In fact, I'm re-reading it for the umpteenth time right now.

7) Warren Kiefer: Outlaw. I don't know if the author has written anything else or if the book is even in print anymore. This book is not your average western. The characterization is superb and the story is engaging. A great read.

8) Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels. To be honest I didn't think of this until I saw it on Montresor's list. I've read it several times and will probably read it many more. Swift is the best satirist I have ever read.

9) The Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia of WWII. I've got to have at least one fat reference book for the times when I don't want to get engrossed in a story. This is the best one I've seen about WWII.

10) C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm assuming that this can be had in one volume, though I have the individual books. This is just fun, escapist stuff.

Honorable mention goes to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

 

In no particular order I think I would have to go with

1. Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy- one of the best technothrillers in my opinion.
2. Ender's Game- Orson Scott Card- A movie is long overdue for this book
3. Magician- Raymond E. Feist- I believe this combines the first two books of the riftwar saga
4. Armour- John Steakley- Another one that should have been a movie. An all round fantastic SF book.
5. Footfall- Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle- I have always liked this book
6. Eye of the beholder- Robert Jordan- I was trying to avoid long drawn out epic's because if I was stranded on a desert island it would drive me crazy to not know how they ended. However, since he died and there probably will never be an ending I decided to go with this book.
7. The Fire Dream- Franklin Allen Leib- A great novel of Vietnam
8. The Stand- Stephen King- I had to have at least one of his books.
9. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress- Robert Heinlen- One of my favorites of his.
10. The Sword's Trilogy- Michael Moorcock- This has the first three books of the Chronicles of Corum and it comes to a nice conclusion.

 

A tough assignment indeed...
These being in no paticular order:

1. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson - Very long, very detailed, and very very good - so perfect for your desert island needs.

2. The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkein - again, very long and detailed. Every time I've read it I've picked up on entirely new aspects of the world.

3. Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds.

4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I really want to reread this one. Another of those very complicated books.

5. The Shadow Kingdom by Cory Daniells - High fantasy series (in one volume) that I have an irrational love for.

7. On The Beach by Nevil Shute - Depression++.

8. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin - need something of hers for the brilliant cultures she builds.

9. Intervention by Julian May - It is part of a series, but stands alone. Long and complicated.

10. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell - Because I don't feel that my list is depressing enough

 

Tight budget, you say? It's your lucky day, for the Lord has seen fit to provide The Gutenberg Library and The Baen Free Library (okay, most of the Baen stuff is crap, but do give David Drake a shot).

You can thank me later.

 

Complicated? Silly, more like. Just a story about some people in a village growing old. Either that, or it was WAY over my head.

Unless you read this when it came out (and there were no good fantasy books outside of Tolkien) then steer clear of this by a mile. In the 21st century, it's as predictable and dull as a Salvatore book. The main character is as lifeless as a bag of porridge.

 

Re: Feist: Magician is fairly good. His later books are much worse. But wouldn't reach a ten-books-to-take-with-you list, no.

 

The Magician by Raymond E. Feist. Anyone saying stay clear has their head up their... After the riftwar his books sucked but that one is great. Michael Marshall Smith - Spares,another book that's fantastic.

 

@Montesor

Thanks, I'd appreciate it

I read Magician only last year. It was pretty good imo but by no means an "essential" for me. I actually like Feist's Faerie Story more.