What is the Greatest Book Ever Written...has been moved

CmdrMitthrawnuruodo, talk to my dad sometime. He's a huge Cussler fan.

I've only read a handful of Cussler's works, and they're good for some light, guilt-free entertainment. My favourite is Sahara. I wouldn't call any of those works particularly profound, although they do represent some of the better plotting out there today.

Now, about Tolkien.

I'd like to ask all the people who did not like The Lord of the Rings to answer this, if you haven't already: What would you consider to be the greatest literary works of fiction?

Just so I can establish a framework or context here, and where you're coming from. Believe it or not, there are patterns to that.

A quick and dirty summary of some of the "macro" reasons why I love LOTR:

Narrative structure

The dramatic irony created from the upside-down-and-backwards overlapping timelines from Book III onwards remains an unparalleled accomplishment in storytelling structure to this day.

Accessible language

Am I the only one who finds LOTR to be a very relaxing, easy read to trudge through?

Thematic applicability

LOTR's themes, byproducts of a rich and legendary plot instead of being a lopsided focus, manage to be profound and influential beyond comparison. So much, in fact, that people are often fooled into thinking that the work was meant primarily to demonstrate these themes.

Memorable characters

Everyone can relate to somebody in LOTR, to various extents. Even the most seemingly minor characters have an illuminating presence.

One hell of a plot

What can I say?

Immersive setting

Not just the physical settings, but the establishment of cultures, intercultural relationships, workable languages, and forces that push and pull Middle-Earth into place. What's even better is that a thorough knowledge of all the nooks and crannies is only a supplement, not a requirement, to the story. This keeps the entire novel tightly unified, and prevents the context from overshadowing the plot.

On that note: as for The Silmarillion, I personally didn't care for it much. But that's kind of like the difference between, say, The Iliad and reading up on all foundations of Greek mythology. Good storytelling interests me more than depth of setting, though both are necessary.

 

I'm reading FOTR, and it's great so far. I'm very much looking forward to the second two books.


!snap

 

I'd like to ask all the people who did not like The Lord of the Rings to answer this, if you haven't already: What would you consider to be the greatest literary works of fiction?

I appreciate your asking this, and your reasons for liking the books. But you guys don't have to get all hyper when a few of us say we don't like LOTR. This thread is entirely opinion-based, and if our opinion is that we don't care for the story, then so be it.

Personally, the story is starting to grow on me. But if others want to express dissatisfaction with Tolkien's work, there's nothing to stop them.

 

Every Book by Nick Hornby especially Fever Pitch

All Brits should know what I mean

For the Americans, read it and you will have the best example for European pop-culture.

 

1984 is without a doubt the greatest, with Animal Farm and Brave New World close behind.

 

I have never tired of "Green Eggs and Ham"

 

Invisible Man like Watrfae said is also an excellent book. Great literary value and social commentary.

 

1984 is without a doubt the greatest, with Animal Farm and Brave New World close behind

I found Brave New World to be confusing... maybe I should read it again.


!snap

 

Non-fiction: The Hiding Place

Fiction: Pride and Prejudice

 

jp-30, you're absolutely right.

 

the best book that is ever written is Dune by Frank Herbert

and ofcourse..lord of the rings comes on second place..

almost forgotten..pippi långstrump..

 

The Lord of the Rings: 12
The Silmarillion: 1
Red Dragon: 1
Dune: 2
Stranger in a Strange Land: 1
Atlantis Found: 1
Fever Pitch: 1
Jurassic Park: 1
Brave New World: 1
Huckleberry Finn: 1
1984: 2
Green Eggs and Ham: 1
Evolution of the Species: 1
It: 2
Les Fleures Bleues: 1
The Stand: 1
The Iliad: 2
The Never-ending Story: 1
Siddhartha: 1
Invisible Man: 2
Pride and Prejudice: 1


Lord of the Rings has nearly a third of the vote.

 

Chronicles of Narnia. If I have to pick one of them...well, I can't.

 

Just out of curiosity who wrote It? I've never heard about it and what genre is it? Thanks

Anyway my vote would go for either LotR or 1984.

Actually right now I'm reading an extremely interesting book called Flatland. Haven't finished it yet but it's definatly thought-provoking.

Basically it's about this square who lives in a 2-dimensional world. And one day this square has an encounter with a 3-D object. Somehow(haven't gotten there yet) he gets taken from Flatland to Spaceland(3-D world like ours) and discovers this 3rd dimension of depth/height. Then he goes back to Flatland and tries to tell everyone about this other dimension but they put him in jail cause they think he is a crazy nut. It's all trying to explain/show how there could be a 4th dimension that we don't know about and can't see. Very intersting stuff.

 

my favorite book is a collection of short stories by kurt vonnegut, Welcome to the monkey house. my favorite novel is 1984.

!snap recomended that i read 1984 about four years ago I've highly valued his picks ever since ( NJO,jurassic park )

the last line of 1984 sent chills down my spine.

 

other than the Bible, the Koran, the Talmud, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, and other non-fictional religious texts, I would have to list the following as my top 5:

5) Les Miserables
4) Winter of our Discontent
3) War and Peace
2) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
1) The Brothers Karamazov

 

Cailina: It is a novel by Stephen King.

My calculus teacher read parts of Flatland to us my senior year of high school. It seemed silly then. Maybe I didn't appreciate it.

 

Way to much singing, every ten minutes somebody would just start singing, like in a disney cartoon or something...

LOL... I know what you mean...



!snap

 

"Just out of curiosity who wrote It? I've never heard about it and what genre is it? Thanks"

It is a masterpiece of storytelling, basically, arguably the best Stephen King novel written and a modern day epic. Some people might call it a horror book, but they're shortsighted. It's much more than that. I'd say it manages to be a commentary on social issues, a nostalgic, longing look at the innocence of youth, the themes of friendship and sacrifice - I could go on. It is a daunting read at nearly 1200 pages.

I started to read LOTR and just found it slow and uninteresting. I was not a fan of the language used in narration, though in dialogue I didn't mind. I don't know; it just didn't click with me.

 

I was going to say LOTR but after some thinking I think I'll go with The Hobbit, for the simple reason it's easily as enjoyable as LOTR and I can actually read it in a day.

 

LOTR

followed by Herman Hesse' 'Sidhartha'

 

Speaking of King, I'd go with The Stand for his great epic, and a great story.

 

I just don't see how you can compare It or The Stand with works like LOTR, 1984, or Illiad/Oddesey. I just don't see it.


!snap

 

The Stand is an epic story, and a well-written epic at that. Have you read it (or It)?

 

My top 5, in no particular order:

1. Crime and Punishment, Dostoyevsky
2. First Folio of Shakespeare (1623)
3. The Trial, Franz Kafka
4. In Search of Times Past, Proust
5. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Marquez