The books on this list are considered to be some of the most gripping page turners. These are the books that may induce literature related insomnia. Because of their affect on us, these are some of the top books you can’t put down, as voted for by book lovers and only included if they score highly on book review websites such as Amazon and Goodreads.
8 of the Most Enthralling Books you can’t put down
1. The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Review: The main character, Watney, presumed dead, is accidentally left by his crew mates when an intense Martian dust storm forces them to abort their mission to Mars. What follows for part of the book is a logbook style narrative that describes in great technical detail his efforts to extend his life until the next scheduled mission arrives in 4 years.
The log book format is a very difficult format to write, but the author manages to pull it off masterfully. As the main character recounts his triumphs and tragedies you can’t help but be dragged into his struggle against the unforgiving Martian environment. This book is a fascinating story that will keep your attention while being funny, suspenseful, and detail orientated.
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2. Harry Potter Series
Author: J. K. Rowling
Review: Many people may be hesitant about the Harry Potter books, especially if they haven’t read them. Some even look down on Harry Potter fans as crazy fanatics who have become obsessed with the story. All we can say is that there is a reason why the Harry Potter books have been so successful. Its because they’re absolutely amazing, and if you’re looking for a book that will get a child hooked and force them to read 7 books, then this series is for you. Just make sure they haven’t seen the movies yet.
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3. The Stormlight Archive
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Review: The Way of Kings, at over 1000 pages, is the first volume of Brandon Sanderson’s projected ten-book fantasy books series, The Stormlight Archive.
The book tells three separate stories. There’s Dalinar and his son Adolin, two nobles embroiled in a six-year old war. There’s Shallan, a young woman who’s doing her best to save her family from ruin. There’s Kaladin, the one-time war hero and current slave, battling inner demons. These are roles we’ve seen before in fantasy, yes, but Sandersonbreathes new life into them.
The book has great characters, an utterly original story line with just enough of the familiar fantasy trope to make you feel at home in this genre. The world it introduces is breathtaking and the questions it raises at books end are tantalizing, not to mention dangerous.
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4. Ender’s Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Review: All great books, regardless of the genre, say something truly profound about the human condition.
Ender’s Game not only manages to have a strong message, but it is also a joy to read. The plot is enthralling, the characters are complex and realistic, and the descriptions of the battle room fill your head with fantastic images that make you wish your school had been like this, without the burden of saving humanity.
We follow the life of our young protagonist Ender who is billed as a dynamic potential leader to save the Earth from malicious aliens. Orson Scott Card tells a futuristic tale, yet it is only a prediction of what the modern world would look like. In Ender’s Game, he explains the hardships of gifted children who are isolated in order to develop prowess. The Ender series is a must read for lovers of all genres. Undoubtedly one of the best fantasy books of all time.
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5. Good Omens
Authors: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
Review: The Apocalypse is coming. Soon. Luckily, Heaven and Hell have left the business with the Anti-Christ in the hands of Crowley and Aziraphale, demon and angel respectively. The only problem is the rank and file angels and demons aren’t so sure they want Armageddon to come.
A satire and a parody, it lampoons everything in sight. From Elvis sightings to televangelists to the destruction of all intelligent life (“nothing left but dust and fundamentalists.”), little escapes the scathing wit of Gaiman and Pratchett. This is a funny book. A satire and a parody, it lampoons everything in sight. From Elvis sightings to televangelists to the destruction of all intelligent life, little escapes the scathing wit of Gaiman and Pratchett.
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6. Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Review: Amy and Nick are married for five years, but there is not much harmony left. All of a sudden, Amy is missing. And from there, a more and more surprising and devious plot develops, cleverly and elegantly put together by a very talented writer.
This is not one of your conventional mystery books. There are twists and surprising developments. As a reader, you’re getting manipulated and are lied to by both protagonists. It’s not only a thriller, the book is also about unconventional truths about love and marriage.
Gone Girl is the kind of book that compels you to read even when you don’t have time. If you appreciate skillful writing, it will hook you like an addiction. You will resent distractions, ignore the phone, postpone making dinner in order to stay with it. It’s great fun to read with a great ending.
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7. Jurassic Park
Author: Michael Crichton
Review: Scientists clone dinosaurs to create a massive theme park on a tropical island, and everything goes terribly awry. What may have been forgotten in the years since its initial release is that this is one of the most thrilling, imagination-igniting, adventurous and frighteningly believable books that you can’t put down.
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8. Angels & Demons – Robert Langdon Series
Author: Dan Brown
Review: Along with The Da Vinci Code, Inferno and The Lost Symbol, Angels and Demons makes up the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown.
Harvard professor Robert Langdon and CERN scientist Vittoria Vetra have just one night to prevent the Vatican from being destroyed by an antimatter bomb. Can they do it? Of course. But the fun lies in how and why.
A sample of antimatter has been stolen from physics center CERN by the Illuminati — the all-powerful group made so famous by Robert A. Wilson’s books. Here, they are represented as being an ancient order of scientists upset with the way the Church has treated science and scientists.
This provides for plenty of science vs. religion conversations, and Brown does a good job with them.
Angels and Demons is a fast, but satisfying read. Like all Dan Brown books, it rolls along unstoppably, not the least of which because the action takes place over a 24-hour span. The entire series have brought many new fans to the mystery genre, and brought a new level of credibility to mystery books.
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For more great books you can’t put down, check out our book lists.
The post 8 of the Most Enthralling Books you can’t put down appeared first on Books to Eat.