Darkschunt 
Sunday, June 17, 2007
The Darkschunt Top Ten Book List
I can't remember if I've ever put up a Top Ten Book list which I've been meaning to for ages but has been putting off. I've thought about it so often that I can't remember if I really had done it before or whether it's just been in my head. Anyway, I went through some of the archives and it doesn't look like I have, but anyway this Top Ten list comes with book cover pictures so enjoy!
These are by no means the only books I love or will ever love but they are the ones which I really love now and that I think I will always love. They are the books that I keep thinking of in my mind and that are or were really huge influences on me. They run to all kinds of genres, because I don't think that there can be only one good genre in books, all genres have their amazing points, yes, even romance. So here we go, my top ten favourite books at the moment, not in any particular order...
1. Dangerous Love by Ben Okri
I think Okri will forever be one of my favourite writers. The Porn Star first recommended me to read Famished Road, another of Okri's books. Hesitant at first, I came to really love this book. I picked up Dangerous Love later, in a secondhand book shop and I love it just as much as Famished Road, they're both special in their own ways (come to think of it, I also picked up Famished Road from a secondhand book stall). This book in particular that I have is incredibly special to me as there is a message written in one of the first few pages, it was a gift to someone else, from someone who obviously loved it dearly as well and was deeply influenced by it. So I know this book had once been very cherished by someone and that made it all the more special. So, I can't wait to read more Ben Okri.
*Note: I listened to Angel Gabriel by Lamb over and over again while reading Dangerous Love, which I recommend to everyone too!
2. Water Touching Stone by Eliot Pattison
I cried when I read this book, that was how sad and touching and poignant it was. I can't really say enough for this book but that you should all read it too. This is actually the second in a line of books featuring Pattison's hero, Shan, after The Skull Mantra. I've only read The Skull Mantra and Water Touching Stone so far, but I suspect Water Touching Stone will always be my favourite.
3. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
This is for those who like a good vampire story. I only wish I had this particular book cover. My copy has a boring old cover of the side of a house with branch shadows flickering over it. Not as cool as this one.
For more on vampires, read on.
4. Dreamstone by Glenna McReynolds
Like I said, all genres count and romance is one of them. But I think that everyone should read Dreamstone just for her amazing descriptions and vivid imagination (and no, I am not just referring to the romance and sexual parts. Although those scenes were pretty damn good too). Dreamstone is the second book in a trilogy, actually, with The Chalice and the Blade being the first book and Prince of Time being the third. Everyone I know who has read the book seems to love The Chalice and the Blade the best but I myself preferred Dreamstone. Maybe it's because I really like the characters of Llynya and Mychael and the fact that Llynya is a really strong woman who fights well.
5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel by Susanna Clarke
I think this book speaks for itself. Once again, I wish I had this particular book cover. My copy is the red cover with the silver raven in the front, it was the only one they had at the bookstore.
6. Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery
I read L.M. Montgomery when I was a kid. That was after the Anne of Green Gables TV series came out and my sister and I were nuts about it. I think Pat of Silver Bush is my all-time favourite, though, along with the sequel Mistress Pat. Magic for Marigold comes a close third. And until today, I still enjoy reading those books, so yeah, they're really awesome.
7. Night World by L.J. Smith
Oh, wow, these books of L.J. Smith's were a major influence on my high school days! Night World is actually a series of books that Smith wrote, they were my absolutely favourite of her books, followed by the Forbidden Game trilogy. I wasn't too fond of The Vampire Chronicles, maybe because I thought Elena was kind of a snobby bitch. Smith doesn't seem to have stopped writing books shortly after the Night World series. Does anyone know what's happened or if she plans to release any more books? If so, I want to know!
8. Agatha Christie
I just can't name which is my favourite book by Agatha Christie since I love them all, though some more than others. So I just decided to put a picture of the cover of one of her more famous books: Murder on the Orient Express, which was also made into a move with a lot of famous old movie stars in it.
9. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson.
"We can't stop here! This is bat country!!"
10. The Magus by John Fowles
I think I've mentioned this before that it took a while for the Lost Smoker to get me to read his copy of The Magus, mainly because it had a hell scary front cover (to me, anyway) and I did not want that book in my room at night when the thing in front might come to life and, I don't know, sit at the foot of my bed and bare its fangs at me and laugh like a hyena. I had enough to deal with the TV at the foot of my bed, where the thing from the Grudge or the Ring or one of those Japanese horror movies might come crawling out of any day. Anyway, after some time, I grew brave and borrowed the copy and always placed the book front-cover face-down during non-reading periods and ... I was really glad I read it. THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. It sure as hell changed the protagonist's life anyway. (the guy in the book, not me). It may have changed my life but I'm still not sure in what way. Anyway, the cover you see on my blog is still not the creepy cover of the Lost Smoker's copy but still I've come to conclusion after searching through Yahoo images for a relatively benign picture of the book that all book covers for this book are creepy. Don't let it deter you from reading this book though, wrap the cover in brown paper if you must. This is one of the most interesting books ever.
Has anyone noticed there is a theme with book covers running through this particular post?
I can't remember if I've ever put up a Top Ten Book list which I've been meaning to for ages but has been putting off. I've thought about it so often that I can't remember if I really had done it before or whether it's just been in my head. Anyway, I went through some of the archives and it doesn't look like I have, but anyway this Top Ten list comes with book cover pictures so enjoy!
These are by no means the only books I love or will ever love but they are the ones which I really love now and that I think I will always love. They are the books that I keep thinking of in my mind and that are or were really huge influences on me. They run to all kinds of genres, because I don't think that there can be only one good genre in books, all genres have their amazing points, yes, even romance. So here we go, my top ten favourite books at the moment, not in any particular order...
1. Dangerous Love by Ben Okri
I think Okri will forever be one of my favourite writers. The Porn Star first recommended me to read Famished Road, another of Okri's books. Hesitant at first, I came to really love this book. I picked up Dangerous Love later, in a secondhand book shop and I love it just as much as Famished Road, they're both special in their own ways (come to think of it, I also picked up Famished Road from a secondhand book stall). This book in particular that I have is incredibly special to me as there is a message written in one of the first few pages, it was a gift to someone else, from someone who obviously loved it dearly as well and was deeply influenced by it. So I know this book had once been very cherished by someone and that made it all the more special. So, I can't wait to read more Ben Okri.
*Note: I listened to Angel Gabriel by Lamb over and over again while reading Dangerous Love, which I recommend to everyone too!
2. Water Touching Stone by Eliot Pattison
I cried when I read this book, that was how sad and touching and poignant it was. I can't really say enough for this book but that you should all read it too. This is actually the second in a line of books featuring Pattison's hero, Shan, after The Skull Mantra. I've only read The Skull Mantra and Water Touching Stone so far, but I suspect Water Touching Stone will always be my favourite.
3. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
This is for those who like a good vampire story. I only wish I had this particular book cover. My copy has a boring old cover of the side of a house with branch shadows flickering over it. Not as cool as this one.
For more on vampires, read on.
4. Dreamstone by Glenna McReynolds
Like I said, all genres count and romance is one of them. But I think that everyone should read Dreamstone just for her amazing descriptions and vivid imagination (and no, I am not just referring to the romance and sexual parts. Although those scenes were pretty damn good too). Dreamstone is the second book in a trilogy, actually, with The Chalice and the Blade being the first book and Prince of Time being the third. Everyone I know who has read the book seems to love The Chalice and the Blade the best but I myself preferred Dreamstone. Maybe it's because I really like the characters of Llynya and Mychael and the fact that Llynya is a really strong woman who fights well.
5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel by Susanna Clarke
I think this book speaks for itself. Once again, I wish I had this particular book cover. My copy is the red cover with the silver raven in the front, it was the only one they had at the bookstore.
6. Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery
I read L.M. Montgomery when I was a kid. That was after the Anne of Green Gables TV series came out and my sister and I were nuts about it. I think Pat of Silver Bush is my all-time favourite, though, along with the sequel Mistress Pat. Magic for Marigold comes a close third. And until today, I still enjoy reading those books, so yeah, they're really awesome.
7. Night World by L.J. Smith
Oh, wow, these books of L.J. Smith's were a major influence on my high school days! Night World is actually a series of books that Smith wrote, they were my absolutely favourite of her books, followed by the Forbidden Game trilogy. I wasn't too fond of The Vampire Chronicles, maybe because I thought Elena was kind of a snobby bitch. Smith doesn't seem to have stopped writing books shortly after the Night World series. Does anyone know what's happened or if she plans to release any more books? If so, I want to know!
8. Agatha Christie
I just can't name which is my favourite book by Agatha Christie since I love them all, though some more than others. So I just decided to put a picture of the cover of one of her more famous books: Murder on the Orient Express, which was also made into a move with a lot of famous old movie stars in it.
9. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson.
"We can't stop here! This is bat country!!"
10. The Magus by John Fowles
I think I've mentioned this before that it took a while for the Lost Smoker to get me to read his copy of The Magus, mainly because it had a hell scary front cover (to me, anyway) and I did not want that book in my room at night when the thing in front might come to life and, I don't know, sit at the foot of my bed and bare its fangs at me and laugh like a hyena. I had enough to deal with the TV at the foot of my bed, where the thing from the Grudge or the Ring or one of those Japanese horror movies might come crawling out of any day. Anyway, after some time, I grew brave and borrowed the copy and always placed the book front-cover face-down during non-reading periods and ... I was really glad I read it. THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. It sure as hell changed the protagonist's life anyway. (the guy in the book, not me). It may have changed my life but I'm still not sure in what way. Anyway, the cover you see on my blog is still not the creepy cover of the Lost Smoker's copy but still I've come to conclusion after searching through Yahoo images for a relatively benign picture of the book that all book covers for this book are creepy. Don't let it deter you from reading this book though, wrap the cover in brown paper if you must. This is one of the most interesting books ever.
Has anyone noticed there is a theme with book covers running through this particular post?
Comments:
Ahhh Night World. Memories. Along with Christopher Pike, and those random "Love Stories" books, these were among the series of books to "shape" my teenage years too. But you already knew that!! =P
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