This is a list of 50 of my favorite reads. This list will not include graphic novels, webcomics, comics, manga or manwha but will include audiobooks, biographies, poetry, educational, writing and anthologies.
(1) Starship Troopers (1959)
The story follows Juan “Johnny” Rico through his military service in the Mobile Infantry. Rico progresses from recruit to officer against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humans and an alien species known as “Arachnids” or “Bugs”.
- Written by Robert A. Heinlein
- Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons
- Narrated by Lloyd James
- Audio by Blackstone Audiobooks
(2) The Flood (Halo #2 – 2003)
The story is set in the twenty-sixth century, following a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier named the Master Chief, who’s accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence. The two lead humanity in the battle against the group of aliens called the Covenant as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped artificial world.
- Written by William Dietz
- Published by Del Rey, Tor Books
(3) Salem’s Lot (1975)
Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in the hopes that living in an old mansion, long the subject of town lore, will help him cast out his own devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods and only one comes out alive, Mears begins to realize that there may be something sinister at work and that his hometown is under siege by forces of darkness far beyond his control. Filled with interesting characters and a plot that gradually unravels, it’s no wonder why Salem’s Lot is helmed as not only one of Stephen King’s greatest but one of the greatest vampire novels of all time.
- Written by Stephen King
- Published by Doubleday
- Narrated by Ron McLarty
- Audio by Random House Audio
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(4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7 – 2007)
Everything that happened before this novel pales in comparison to the final climax, the events leading up to the final confrontation of good against evil, Harry against Voldemort.
- Written by J. K. Rowling
- Published by Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic Inc.
(5) A Darker Crimson
(Crimson City #4 – 2005)Long ago the portal was sealed, and Los Angeles—now Crimson City—rid itself of demons for eternity. Or so Claudia Donovan believed. But now her daughter has been kidnapped and she’s learned that demons still exist—and that they are plotting. To whom can she turn for help? The vampire, Tiberiu Korzha, whose eyes promise death but whose lips taste of eternity? Or does salvation lie with the powerful Lath, he who inspires lust beyond name? Thirst, bitterness, despair—on the plane of Orcus, all these things await. But just as surely, beyond that portal are Claudia’s daughter, victory and true love.
- Written by Carolyn Jewel
- Published by Love Spell
(6) Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn (Xanth #8 – 1984)
Set as the eighth book in the Xanth series, the story follows a Castle Roogna’s ghost, Jordan the Barbarian, tells Princess Ivy his story of betrayal and death via the magical medium of the Tapestry.
- Written by Piers Anthony
- Published by Del Rey
(7) Armageddon’s Children (Genesis of Shannara #1 – 2006)
Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Knight of the Word Logan Tom has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.
- Written by Terry Brooks
- Published by Del Rey
(8) Through a Crimson Veil (Crimson City #3 – 2005)
Mika herself seeks freedom. She’s come to Crimson City looking for the key. But that key’s keeper is a killer, an outsider, a mercenary with a poisoned past. To her kind, he has meant only death. No matter that Conor McCabe’s pale green eyes hold a hint of lust, the glint of a bond never to be broken; the path ahead lies in shadow.
- Written by Patti O’Shea
- Published by Love Spell
(9) The Approaching Storm (Star Wars – 2002)
The Republic is decaying, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was elected to save the galaxy from collapsing under the forces of discontent. On the tiny but strategic planet of Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the growing secessionist movement. At the Chancellor’s request, the Jedi Council sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, along with their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, to stabilize the planet’s population. To succeed, the Jedi will have to fulfill near-impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies, stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the negotiations collapse and the mission fail. . . .
- Written by Alan Dean Foster
- Published by Del Rey
(10) Relic (Pendergast #1 – 2005)
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum’s dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human…But the museum’s directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.
Museum researcher Margo Green and Agent Aloysius Pendergast must find out who-or what-is doing the killing. But can they do it in time to stop the massacre?
- Written by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
- Published by Tor Books
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(11) Stinger (1988)
Inferno is a town in trouble, driven to the brink by racial tension, gang violence, and a collapsing economy. But things can always get worse, and they do so with astonishing speed when an unidentified spacecraft crash lands in the desert outside of town, followed by a second craft bearing the alien being who will soon be known as Stinger. Stinger is a kind of interstellar hunter on a mission he intends to complete, whatever the cost. He brings with him an endless array of technological marvels and an infinite capacity for destruction that threaten the existence of Inferno, its inhabitants, and the larger world beyond
- Written by Robert R. McCammon
- Published by Open Road Media
Also featured in:
(12) The Strain (The Strain Trilogy #1 – 2009)
A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold. So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city – a city that includes his wife and son – before it is too late.
- Written by Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan
- Published by William Morrow
Also featured in:
(13) Vampyrrich (1999)
In a small, isolated town, people are affected by a condition that leaves them in a coma unless they consume blood. Then a terminally ill man plans an act of vengeance: to set the dead against the living, so that the whole world might experience the misery the townspeople have endured for years.
- Written by Simon Clark
- Published by Hodder & Stoughton
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(14) The Umbrella Conspiracy (Resident Evil #1 – 1999)
The plot follows Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, members of an elite task force known as S.T.A.R.S., as they investigate the outskirts of Raccoon City following the disappearance of their team members. They soon become trapped in a mansion infested with zombies and other monsters.
- Written by S. D. Perry
- Published by Pocket Books
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(14) The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time #2 – 1991)
The story features young heroes Rand al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara, who join Shienaren soldiers in a quest to retrieve the Horn of Valere. At the same time, Egwene al’Vere, Nynaeve al’Meara, and Elayne Trakand go to the White Tower in Tar Valon to learn Aes Sedai ways. Finally, an exotic army invades the western coast.
- Written by Robert Jordan
- Published by Tor Books
(15) Earth Hive (Aliens #1 – 1992)
Wilks was a space marine with a near-fatal flaw: he had a heart. Billie was a child, the only survivor of a far-flung colony outpost. Thrown together in the last hellish night of an alien invasion, Billie and Wilks helped each other get out alive. Thirteen years later Wilks is in prison, and Billie lives in a mental institution, the nightmare memories of the massacre at Rim seared into her mind. Now the government has tapped Wilks to lead an expedition to the aliens’ home planet to bring back a live alien. But the competition on Earth to develop the aliens as a new weapons system is brutal. When Wilks’s team departs on their mission, a trained assassin trails them. And what follows is no less than guerrilla warfare on the aliens’ planet–and alien conquest on Earth!
- Written by S. D. Perry
- Published by Bantam Books
(16) Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (2001)
A dracolich and his sorcerous queen have seized control of the Mythal, the ancient magic that once protected the war-ravaged elven capital. Once the elven ruin is completely in their thrall, the cult intends to expand its domination one city — and one soul — at a time.
- Written by Carrie Bebris
- Published by Wizards of the Coast
(17) Nemesis (Resident Evil #5 – 2000)
Hoping to hide evidence of their unethical and immoral genetic experiments, the Umbrella Corporation unleashes mercenary teams and an updated version of its Tyrant-class killing machines – a lethal creature code-named Nemesis – on Raccoon City.
- Written by S. D. Perry
- Published by Pocket Books
Also featured in:
(18) The Last Wish (The Witcher #1 – 1993)
Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. And a cold-blooded killer. His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good… and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
- Written by Andrzej Sapkowski
- Published by superNOWA
- Narrated by Peter Kenny
- Audio by Hachette Audio
(19) Spider-Man: Carnage in New York (1995)
Carnage has been returned to New York in chains, the subject of a daring attempt to reverse the effects of his metamorphosis. When the interference of a deranged scientist causes the experiment to go horribly wrong, Carnage is set loose upon the city once again! It’s up to Spider-Man to stop his deadliest foe before he unleashes… Carnage in New York.
- Written by David Michelinie
- Published by Berkley
(20) City of the Dead (Resident Evil #3 – 1999)
A police officer Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield attempt to escape from Raccoon City during a zombie apocalypse. This is definitely for fans of the video game.
- Written by S. D. Perry
- Published by Pocket Books
Also featured in:
(21) Vector Prime (The New Jedi Order #1 – 1999)
Twenty-one years have passed since the heroes of the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star, breaking the power of the Emperor. Since then, the New Republic has valiantly struggled to maintain peace and prosperity among the peoples of the galaxy. But unrest has begun to spread and threatens to destroy the Republic’s tenuous reign. And as the Jedi and the Republic focus on internal struggles, a new threat surfaces from beyond the farthest reaches of the Outer Rim–an enemy bearing weapons and technology unlike anything New Republic scientists have ever seen.
- Written by R. A. Salvatore
- Published by Del Rey
(22) Z for Zachariah (1974)
Ann Burden is sixteen years old and completely alone. The world as she once knew it is gone, ravaged by a nuclear war that has taken everyone from her. For the past year, she has lived in a remote valley with no evidence of any other survivors. But the smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann’s solitude. Someone else is still alive and making his way toward the valley. Who is this man? What does he want? Can he be trusted? Both excited and terrified, Ann soon realizes there may be worse things than being the last person on Earth.
- Written by Robert C. O’Brien
- Published by Heinemann Educational Books
(23) The Hobbit (1937)
The Hobbit is set within Tolkien’s fictional universe and follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon.
- Written by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Published by George Allen & Unwin
(24) War of the Worlds (1898)
It describes the memoirs of an unnamed narrator in the suburbs of Woking, Surrey, England, who recounts an invasion of Earth by an army of Martians with military technology far in advance to human science.
- Written by H. G. Wells
- Published by William Heinemann (UK) and Harper & Bros (US)
(25) The Time Machine (1895)
The novel follows the adventures of a hypothetical Time Traveller who journeys into the future to find that humanity has evolved into two races: the peaceful Eloi — vegetarians who tire easily — and the carnivorous, predatory Morlocks.
- Written by H. G. Wells
- Published by William Heinemann (UK) and Harper & Bros (US)
(26) The Beast from the East (Goosebumps #43 – 1996)
Getting lost in the woods with her identical twin brothers, Ginger Wald wonders why their portion of the woods contains such bizarre flora and fauna, until a group of furry blue monsters invites them to play a deadly game.
- Written by R. L. Stine
- Published by Scholastic Paperbacks
(27) Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars -2005)
As combat escalates across the galaxy, the stage is set for an explosive endgame: Obi-Wan undertakes a perilous mission to destroy the dreaded Separatist military leader, General Grievous. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine continues to strip away constitutional liberties in the name of security while influencing public opinion to turn against the Jedi. And a conflicted Anakin fears that his secret love, Senator Padmé Amidala, will die. Tormented by unspeakable visions, Anakin edges closer to the brink of a galaxy-shaping decision. It remains only for Darth Sidious to strike the final staggering blow against the Republic–and to ordain a fearsome new Sith Lord: Darth Vader.
- Written by Matthew Woodring Stover
- Published by Del Rey
(28) Beware, the Snowman (Goosebumps #51 – 1997)
Jaclyn used to live with her aunt Greta in Chicago. But not anymore. They’ve moved to a place called Sherpia. It’s a tiny village on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Jaclyn can’t believe she’s stuck out in Nowheresville. No movie theaters. No malls. No nothing. Plus, there’s something really odd about the village. At night there are strange howling noises. And in front of every house there’s a snowman. A creepy snowman with a red scarf. A deep scar on his face. And a really evil smile…
- Written by R. L. Stine
- Published by Scholastic Inc.
Also featured in:
(29) Around the Way Girls 5 (2008)
Girls from around the way think they’ve seen it all and know it all. What they don’t know will surprise them and change their lives forever. Take a look at the lives of some street-smart women who’ll learn what living the fast-paced life can mean in the end if you’re not careful.
What if you were raised to be a hooker and, worst of all, your father was your pimp? In “Keepin’ It in the Family”, Diamond, Essence, and Chanel were forced onto the streets at a very young age as hookers with their father as their pimp. In “Pound Cake”, we bring you to Coney Island, where four friends, led by fiery 19-year-old Pound Cake, deal with daily life in one of the deadliest parts of the borough. “So Seductive” introduces you to the world of Cinnamon and Simone. Best friends since childhood, who love to play with men and get whatever they want from them.
- Written by Erick S. Gray, Mark Anthony, Tysha, Veronica K. Jackson
- Published by Urban Books
(30) Winter’s Heart (The Wheel of Time #9 – 2002)
Rand is on the run with Min, and in Cairhein, Cadsuane is trying to figure out where he is headed. Rand’s destination is, in fact, one she has never considered. Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower, is revealed to be a liar. But what is he up to? Faile, with the Aiel Maidens, Bain and Chiad, and her companions, Queen Alliandre and Morgase, is prisoner of Savanna’s sept. Perrin is desperately searching for Faile. With Elyas Machera, Berelain, the Prophet and a very mixed “army” of disparate forces, he is moving through country rife with bandits and roving Seanchan. The Forsaken are ever more present, and united, and the man called Slayer stalks Tel’aran’rhiod and the wolfdream. In Ebou Dar, the Seanchan princess known as Daughter of the Nine Moons arrives–and Mat, who had been recuperating in the Tarasin Palace, is introduced to her. Will the marriage that has been foretold come about?
- Written by Robert Jordan
- Published by Tor Books
(31) Monster (1992)
After her best friend is arrested for gunning down two people at a party, Mary Carlson investigates the jailed woman’s claims that her victims were actually monsters.
- Written by Christopher Pike
- Published by Simon Pulse
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(32) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976)
- Written by Mildred D. Taylor
- Published by Dial Press
(33) Dragons of Winter Night (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 2 – 1985)
- Written by Margaret Weist & Tracy Hickman
- Published by Random House
(34) The Color Purple (1982)
- Written by Alice Walker
- Published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
(35) Blood of Elves (The Witcher, Book 3 – 1994)
When the Empire of Nilfgaard attacks the Kingdom of Cintra, Ciri, granddaughter of Queen Calanthe, manages to flee the capital city. The Emperor of Nilfgaard sends his spies to find her, hoping to harness her magical potential and the elven blood in her veins. Enter Geralt of Rivia. A monster hunter for hire, he’s keeping Ciri safe at the Witchers’ keep, Kaer Morhen. But with the Emperor’s spies closing in, how long can Geralt keep Ciri hidden away?
- Written by Andrzej Sapkowski
(36) The Exorcist (1971)
The book details the demonic possession of eleven-year-old Regan MacNeil, the daughter of a famous actress, and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon.
- Written by William Peter Blatty
- Published by Harper & Row
(37) Memoirs of a Geisha (1997)
The novel tells the story of a fictional geisha working in Kyoto, Japan, before, during and after World War II, and ends with her being relocated to New York City.
- Written by Arthur Golden
- Published by Alfred A. Knopf
(38) The Cabinet of Curiosities (Pendergast Series, Book 3 – 2002)
- Written by Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston
- Published by Grand Central Publishing
(39) Halo: Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe (2009)
When the alien juggernaut known as the Covenant declared holy war upon the fragile human empire, millions of lives were lost—but, millions of heroes rose to the challenge. In such a far-reaching conflict, not many of the stories of these heroes, both human and alien, have a chance to become legend. This collection holds eleven stories that dive into the depths of the vast Halo universe, not only from the perspective of those who fought and died to save humanity, but also those who vowed to wipe humanity out of existence.
- Written by Tobias S. Buckell, B. K. Evenson, Jonathan Goff, Eric Nylund, Frank O’Connor, Eric Raab
- Published by
(40) The War in Heaven (Eternal Warriors #1 – 2000)
Three young people–Jami, Holli, and their brother Chrisopher Lewis, an ordinary mortal granted supernatural powers–become caught up in the timeless battle between good and evil as Christopher is tempted to defy the will of God and must make a devastating choice that could have profound repercussions for himself and those around him
- Written by Theodore Beale
- Published by Pocket
(41) Discover the Destroyer (Everworld #5 – 2000)
Senna. The one and only reason David, Christopher, April and Jalil find themselves in a place that is magical and terrifying and wonderful all at once. Senna is also the reason they can’t get back to their own world. It seems she only shows up when she wants to be found. And she always disappears. At the moment, Senna is the least of their problems. Now they have to make a choice: Outsmart the dragon that killed Galahad—or die. And the odds of David and the others surviving by themselves aren’t very good. But they’ve met some Everworld residents that might be willing to help for a price: Senna.
- Written by Katherine Applegate
- Published by Scholastic Inc.
(42) Street Magic (The Circle Opens #2 – 2001)
Describes the further adventures of child-mage Briar Moss in his travels with his teacher, the Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn.
- Written by Tamora Pierce
- Published by Scholastic Press
(43) Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter (2001)
- Written by Michael Reaves
- Published by Del Rey
(44) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millenium, Book 1 – 2005)
- Written by Stieg Larsson
- Published by Norstedts Forlag
(45) The Snow Empress: A Thriller (Sano Ichiro #12 – 2007)
- Written by Laura Joh Rowland
- Published by Minotaur Books
(46) The Hunger Games (2008)
Follows Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the future, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America, who volunteers to participate in The Hunger Games, an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle royale to the death.
- Written by Suzanne Collins
- Published by Scholastic Press
(47) Dark Lord: Rise of Darth Vader (2005)
Dark Lord takes place in the immediate aftermath of the events in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and focuses on Darth Vader and his rise to power in the newly inaugurated Galactic Empire.
- Written by James Luceno
- Published by Del Rey
(48) Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)
- Written by Louise Simonson
- Published by Ace Books
(49) Witchling (Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon #1 – 2006)
At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, a fellow operative, Jocko, has been murdered. Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, badass leader of the Subterranean Realms. He’s made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground. It falls to three operatives from the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, Half-human, half-Faerie sisters Camille, Delilah, and Menolly to prevent Shadow Wing from creeping to Earth via the Wayfarer.
- Written by Yasmine Galenorn
- Published by Berley
(50) The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1 – 1999)
- Written by Lemony Snicket
- Illustrated by Brett Helquist
- Published by Scholastic, Inc.
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