Favorite books

I'm a big fan of science-fiction, and Jules Verne was one of those writers who could throw in enough informative scientific detail while still telling a great story. Now, I've only read 20,000 Leagues once through so far, and it was in my teenage years, so my opinion may not be concrete. But from beginning to end, every scene is memorable, especially the gruelling escape from the South Pole. Not to mention, Captain Nemo is one of the most fascinating characters ever. I loved this book so much from beginning to end that it still continues to be one of my faves.

This one was on the list from the moment I first read it! :-) All I can say is, "Wow!" Not only is it a fantastically matched game of cat-and-mouse, focusing entirely on just these two characters, but it's a simply fascinating look inside the mind of a writer. I especially love how vividly Stephen King describes this man's thought process. My absolute favourite aspect of the writing is how a sentence is sometimes interrupted and directly resumed after a brief, italicised paragraph, very much like how thoughts flash through the mind. I'll be very surprised if this doesn't remain my favourite of Stephen King's works.

Honestly, I love the Harry Potter series in general. It's a toss-up between this and Prisoner of Azkaban for my favourite of the bunch, but I'd say Goblet wins by a hair. This is where the series started to get deliciously dark. Obviously the three tasks of the Triwizard Tournament steal the show, but, as usual, there are also tons of great moments in between, exploring themes like Harry's first crush, false information in the press, and especially friendship. The graveyard scene has to be one of the most terrifying sequences in the entire series. Quite simply, everything about this book kicks ass. :-)

This is by far the shortest book on the list – really just a novella – but it fills its time unbelievably well. The first half is spent setting up the mountain village environment and Roxanne's efforts to get the growing bear to stay. But the book's real power kicks in when it introduces a topic that's right up my alley: the arrival of a film crew! :-) The second half is the making of the film, which, as you can imagine, is what interests me most. That's what makes the story for me. And then there's the bittersweet ending and the wonderfully realistic final sentence.

One of my favourite movies of all time is also one of my favourite novels of all time! :-D I don't know if I'd say the book is better than the movie, but it is a lot more detailed, especially on the philosophy of the true magnitude of the scientists' creations. The book's also much more suitably violent, often describing in detail people's gory injuries from the dinosaur attacks. The build-up in the first half is expertly calculated, and then the second half is so exciting that you breathlessly rush through it at lightning speed. What else can I say? I just *adore* Jurassic Park! :-)

All right, I know it's kind of cheating putting a comic book on the list, but Watchmen really is that good. With its ambiguous morals and complex, intriguing characters, it revolutionised how superhero comics were written, and it still holds up even today. At its most basic level, it's a murder mystery that leads to the uncovering of something much greater, but there's a ton of other things going on besides, and nearly every single scene hits bull's-eye. Plus it's a fascinating look at how superheroes would integrate into a real-world environment. And the ending is a jaw-dropping shock but still a poignant dichotomy.

There are eight books in the Artemis Fowl series, but for me, it's a no-brainer: the first one is the best. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this one! I love how the star is a criminal mastermind – and a child prodigy at that. I love the spin this story puts on the image of fairies: how their technology is aeons ahead of mankind. I love each and every character, and I especially love the book's dry sense of humour. It's all just right up my alley, and every single paragraph is pure genius! I adore it to death.

I guarantee you've just thought, "Never heard of it!" But trust me when I say you're missing something truly special. Like Misery, it's about trying to write a book, except this time the writer is a young boy forced to write a book for his school library, and the character he's created is appearing in his real life and driving him on. But along the way, the boy's little sister gets in on the act and keeps trying to sabotage his story. The rivalry between the big brother and the little sister basically becomes an all-out war for control of the story, and I frigging love it! :-) As a child, I had this book on tape, and I listened to it so many times that, without any exaggeration, it changed the way I talked. It's a delightful look at what happens when you go with the flow and see how your story turns out first time, even if it keeps being corrupted. I think A Villain's Night Out is simply fantastic, and really deserves more recognition. It's my all-time favourite book.