The Worst/Best Books You've Ever/Never Read.

[BlindTom]

Best be fair to the classics since the education system is determined to ruin them all, so I'll mention two moderately recent ones.

Best: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel by Samantha Clark.
It's just beautiflly written nineteenth century style prose, a take on magic that's refreshing and classical rather than this "Abracadabra" Harry Potter nonsense, and best of all an interesting little diversion from real history, a la fallout.

Worst: Labyrinth by somebody as forgettable as their writing.
Nothing happened, the book was set in the middle ages and modern day, neither timeline interacted with the other, or itself, or the reader.

 

[dangerousdave_42]

The best book ever is The Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. It was such a rich and thought provoking tale, I was a bit pissed the other day when I learned that a movie for it is coming, they will only ruin it.

its a tv show actually and its not coming out it has already started on november first here doth be the trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Wb2yAUddg
while it does not look steller I will give it a shot purely because of Goodkind and sam Raimi's involvement

 

[maximilian]

Best: Crime and Punishment, Birdsong, War and Peace, The Death of Ivan Ilych (and Terry pratchett or Sharpe when I want something light and fluffy).

Worst: Eragon series ("look mum! I found an old norse dictionary online!"), Harry Potter 7th book ("Harry Potter and the Awkward Fan Fiction"), the Pig Man and Me.... I think I could go on forever. I hate most post-modern crap - Possession by A.S. Byatt was super long, masterly and completely wanky.

 

[samsprinkle]

oh, a series might do it some justice since they will have more time to develop things. i dont feel near as bad anymore.

 

[Cheesus333]

Oh goody. Another thread full of hate and snobbishness. My favourite book was Noughts & Crosses, by Malorie Blackman. I refuse to give a worst.