The top TBD Books of all time: FBG consensus (1 Viewer)

[Psychopav]

I'll probably score as low on the commonality index as I did in the TV poll

I think I could score lower than you on this one, based on the discussion in the thread. I'm not sure it's even worth lobbing in a list.

Mrs. Marco is having a similar feeling.

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about? Welcome to PM if want to gauge if some like-minded taking part.

I've never read Cervantes, but if I had I imagine I might have him on my list.

I have read Bloom County so I will almost certainly have a Bloom County book on my list of 70.

 

[kupcho1]

I'll probably score as low on the commonality index as I did in the TV poll

I think I could score lower than you on this one, based on the discussion in the thread. I'm not sure it's even worth lobbing in a list.

Mrs. Marco is having a similar feeling.

Well i hope that doesn't keep anyone from participating

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I'll probably score as low on the commonality index as I did in the TV poll

I think I could score lower than you on this one, based on the discussion in the thread. I'm not sure it's even worth lobbing in a list.

Mrs. Marco is having a similar feeling.

Well i hope that doesn't keep anyone from participating

She’s still participating.

Frankly, I’m surprised how quickly she said she wanted to play. I didn’t have to ask her twice.

She teases me about how much time I’ve spent in the music drafts and lists over the years

 

[krista4]

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

The sci-fi/fantasy stuff is mostly what I was thinking I wouldn't have. I've never read any of the ones being mentioned (yes, including Lord of the Rings). And I can't think of a single book where I would have asked the question whether to use individual books or series. Guess I just read stand-alone books.

 

[Chaos34]

I'll probably score as low on the commonality index as I did in the TV poll

I think I could score lower than you on this one, based on the discussion in the thread. I'm not sure it's even worth lobbing in a list.

No no. I'm much less interested in the usual suspects than the unusual ones. Just saying what you said there piqued my interest.

 

[Chaos34]

Fwiw again, I tapped out on The Hobbit and never read LoTR. Haven't watched the films. Also never seen an episode of GoT, let alone read the books.

 

[Don Quixote]

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

The sci-fi/fantasy stuff is mostly what I was thinking I wouldn't have. I've never read any of the ones being mentioned (yes, including Lord of the Rings). And I can't think of a single book where I would have asked the question whether to use individual books or series. Guess I just read stand-alone books.

I’ve never read LotR either - I’m pretty much standalone with fiction too. I guess there is Don Quixote Volumes 1 and 2 though.

 

[TheBaylorKid]

I’ll follow along but my fiction reading is pretty limited. If it’s not King, Koontz or something from the Bunnicula or Ramona Quimby universe i probably haven’t read it
Oh and Star Wars…lots of Star Wars

Props for Bunnicula reference

 

[Instinctive]

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

The sci-fi/fantasy stuff is mostly what I was thinking I wouldn't have. I've never read any of the ones being mentioned (yes, including Lord of the Rings). And I can't think of a single book where I would have asked the question whether to use individual books or series. Guess I just read stand-alone books.

It is crazy just how many books there are out there. I know I'll have had big blind spots when I see the results here, but just for fun:

I have a 10 ft by 10 ft book case I made built into a wall of our house and two columns are almost entirely filled by:

1. RA Salvatore's Drizzt Do Urden books
2. Terry Brooks Shannara books

That doesn't even include other epic works, and I'll avoid naming many of the shorter ones where I think it may be a spotlight.

 

[Eephus]

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

The sci-fi/fantasy stuff is mostly what I was thinking I wouldn't have. I've never read any of the ones being mentioned (yes, including Lord of the Rings). And I can't think of a single book where I would have asked the question whether to use individual books or series. Guess I just read stand-alone books.

It is crazy just how many books there are out there. I know I'll have had big blind spots when I see the results here, but just for fun:

I have a 10 ft by 10 ft book case I made built into a wall of our house and two columns are almost entirely filled by:

1. RA Salvatore's Drizzt Do Urden books
2. Terry Brooks Shannara books

That doesn't even include other epic works, and I'll avoid naming many of the shorter ones where I think it may be a spotlight.

I've heard of Shannara but I think you're making the other one up.

 

[Instinctive]

I’m not trying to spoil some of the books that would be on mine, but I’m going to have very few (if any) of the sci-fi/fantasy that others have been talking about.

The sci-fi/fantasy stuff is mostly what I was thinking I wouldn't have. I've never read any of the ones being mentioned (yes, including Lord of the Rings). And I can't think of a single book where I would have asked the question whether to use individual books or series. Guess I just read stand-alone books.

It is crazy just how many books there are out there. I know I'll have had big blind spots when I see the results here, but just for fun:

I have a 10 ft by 10 ft book case I made built into a wall of our house and two columns are almost entirely filled by:

1. RA Salvatore's Drizzt Do Urden books
2. Terry Brooks Shannara books

That doesn't even include other epic works, and I'll avoid naming many of the shorter ones where I think it may be a spotlight.

I've heard of Shannara but I think you're making the other one up.

If you like the genre, it's required reading IMO.

The Legend of Drizzt - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[shuke]

I’ll follow along but my fiction reading is pretty limited. If it’s not King, Koontz or something from the Bunnicula or Ramona Quimby universe i probably haven’t read it
Oh and Star Wars…lots of Star Wars

Who cares. I think my list is going to be relatively low-brow. Books are for entertainment. I've been going to school and working my *** off my entire life, not every waking moment has to be for self-betterment.

 

[shuke]

Starting on my list and forgot that In Cold Blood and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evl, althought being written in a very novelistic approach are works of non-fiction

And yet somehow The Executioner's Song seems to qualify as fiction.

Spoiler
It won't be on my list.

How is that fiction?

 

[shuke]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

 

[Don Quixote]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

 

[krista4]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Yeah, I thought we all treated the lists like this (favorites). I just wasn’t sure mine would add much of interest to anyone else, since I haven’t read a lot of those under discussion.

After PM’ing with you, I feel better about submitting a list. As I mentioned, it’s not that my favorites are obscure (maybe two at most), nor are they particularly highbrow. Just different from the way the thread was going.

Are we still at 50 or up to 70 now?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

have read Bloom County so I will almost certainly have a Bloom County book on my list of 7

Is this limited to novels or are comic strip collections, graphic novels and children's books (i.e. Dr, Seuss) eligible?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I went back and re-read all of the books i was supposed to in high school and loved a bunch of them - so I will have some of the classics on my list, along with a lot of King, Koontz, Dan Brown and other "trash".

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Are we still at 50 or up to 70 now?

70

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Anyone else doing google searches with vague plot descriptions looking for a book you once read but can't remember the name of it?

 

[Gally]

I voted "No" because I don't think I have read more than 10 books in my lifetime (I am not counting kids books).

ETA: My favorite of all time was Jaws

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I voted "No" because I don't think I have read more than 10 books in my lifetime (I am not counting kids books).

ETA: My favorite of all time was Jaws

Just knock off a quick 60 more over the next month.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I voted "No" because I don't think I have read more than 10 books in my lifetime (I am not counting kids books).

ETA: My favorite of all time was Jaws

Just knock off a quick 60 more over the next month.

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

 

[Gally]

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

I would rather just watch a movie

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

I would rather just watch a movie

Just pretend you read all the books that became movies.

 

[whoknew]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

 

[Gally]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

what about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy Mysteries?

 

[Psychopav]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

Great point. For sure we should.

 

[Chaos34]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

what about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy Mysteries?

Noooo! How will I ever get to 70?

 

[krista4]

OH is a much bigger reader than I am. When he was a kid/teenager, he constantly got in trouble for skipping class...to go to the library to read. I asked if he'd be willing to do a list, and he was into it. His list will be much more highbrow than mine.

 

[shuke]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Oh. I'll have a lot of horror and post-apocalypse.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

what about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy Mysteries?

Wrong detective series....

 

[KarmaPolice]

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

I would rather just watch a movie

I would too, but that i cant do at work, in the car, or while doing stuff around the house. I have come around on audiobooks a little bit due to being able to do that and something else.

 

[Gally]

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

I would rather just watch a movie

I would too, but that i cant do at work, in the car, or while doing stuff around the house. I have come around on audiobooks a little bit due to being able to do that and something else.

If I listen to podcasts while working or doing something else (other than driving) I end up missing a ton of the content.

 

[KarmaPolice]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Oh. I'll have a lot of horror and post-apocalypse.

Similar here. Horror, sci-fi, and dystopian seem to be my main zones of interest in fiction.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Find some short audiobooks, put on 2x or higher, and beast them out!!

I would rather just watch a movie

I would too, but that i cant do at work, in the car, or while doing stuff around the house. I have come around on audiobooks a little bit due to being able to do that and something else.

If I listen to podcasts while working or doing something else (other than driving) I end up missing a ton of the content.

Me too, its not a perfect method. I still prefer a physical book, but that requires time and the ability to stay awake. Audiobooks are a bit of a compromise, but i also tend to listen to non-fiction in that fornat as well due to what you mention.

In fiction, i do like it for long-winded fantasy serries as a compliment. For example, i recently listened to and read Dune. It helps with the names and vocabulary. I just started a ridiculously long series by Sanderson recently and am going to do the same for the first book.

 

[Eephus]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Oh. I'll have a lot of horror and post-apocalypse.

Similar here. Horror, sci-fi, and dystopian seem to be my main zones of interest in fiction.

My list will be predominantly middlebrow literature, detective and spy stories with a little bit of sci fi from long, long ago.

I can't think of a single horror novel that I've ever read.

 

[KarmaPolice]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Oh. I'll have a lot of horror and post-apocalypse.

Similar here. Horror, sci-fi, and dystopian seem to be my main zones of interest in fiction.

My list will be predominantly middlebrow literature, detective and spy stories with a little bit of sci fi from long, long ago.

I can't think of a single horror novel that I've ever read.

I'd prefer this. I'd rather get a good idea from a genre i don't typically read.

I can't think of a spy novel I've ever read.

 

[Chaos34]

Can we just consider the Encyclopedia Brown books as one?

what about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy Mysteries?

Wrong detective series....

Hitchcock and the Three Detectives, right? Devoured them.

 

[Chaos34]

What sort of books are some of y’all thinking about?

My favorites. That's how I view and treat these lists.

For sure. Was asking about genre because it seemed like some were having doubts about participating because not as into the sci-fi/fantasy that had been dominating discussion.

Oh. I'll have a lot of horror and post-apocalypse.

Similar here. Horror, sci-fi, and dystopian seem to be my main zones of interest in fiction.

My list will be predominantly middlebrow literature, detective and spy stories with a little bit of sci fi from long, long ago.

I can't think of a single horror novel that I've ever read.

I'd prefer this. I'd rather get a good idea from a genre i don't typically read.

I can't think of a spy novel I've ever read.

i've read some horror. Less than 5 depending on if a couple qualify. One is classic and on my list. One is contemporary and might make my list.

I consumed small libraries of three spy novelists. Two of them pillars of the genre. The third a grand master of page turning suspense. No idea how to rank them. It's been so long and I feel like they're all kind of the same as quality goes.

 

[guru_007]

My list is going to be, awesome.
But to be honest, I'm just here to see the rankings as I've probably grabbed at least 10-15 books I've read over the past few years from this forum. My wife is a voracious reader and I often get suggestions from her as to what I may enjoy. There are definitely some big hits from her lists, but others not as great.
I'm going to have to make a damn spreadsheet for this one as I have too many books listed already and will need to put a score next to them. My top 5 is pretty solidified, but after that, it's a big ole crapshoot.

 

[Chaos34]

My top 5 is pretty solidified

As are my top 2. I doubt one appears in any top 30s and the other in any lists at all, but they had such impact on me, I'm gonna be stubborn and leave them there.

 

[Ilov80s]

My top 5 is pretty solidified

As are my top 2. I doubt one appears in any top 30s and the other in any lists at all, but they had such impact on me, I'm gonna be stubborn and leave them there.

My top 10 or so is pretty interchangeable, same with the next 20 or so. I had big tiers more than clear rankings. It’s been tough sorting them in those tiers.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

@kupcho1

I know we are ranking only fiction novels - are we including children's books (i.e. Dr, Seuss), graphic novels or collections of comic strips?

My inclination is they do NOT qualify - but may need some help getting to 70 without non-fiction and with my failure to remember the name of some books.

 

[kupcho1]

@kupcho1

I know we are ranking only fiction novels - are we including children's books (i.e. Dr, Seuss), graphic novels or collections of comic strips?

My inclination is they do NOT qualify - but may need some help getting to 70 without non-fiction and with my failure to remember the name of some books.

I think children's books (nonfiction) and graphic novels (book at a time, not entire series) are fair game.
Comic strips, though, don't fit.

 

[Frostillicus]

So the way I'm thinking of this is a book series with a clear beginning and end is submitted as one entry (The Dark Tower, A Song of Ice and Fire, Wheel of Time, etc.) whereas a bunch of books with the same characters that are telling different stories should be submitted individuallly (The Prey Books by Sanford, Lincoln Rhyme by Deaver, Reacher, Clive Cussler, etc.).

 

[Psychopav]

@kupcho1

I know we are ranking only fiction novels - are we including children's books (i.e. Dr, Seuss), graphic novels or collections of comic strips?

My inclination is they do NOT qualify - but may need some help getting to 70 without non-fiction and with my failure to remember the name of some books.

I think children's books (nonfiction) and graphic novels (book at a time, not entire series) are fair game.
Comic strips, though, don't fit.

Thanks for this. What about Encyclopedia Brown? They aren't really stories at all, more like collections of short stories if you can even call them that.

 

[Don Quixote]

I’ve been keeping track of my books on Goodreads for the past decade or so, which is helping me for this. Sorting by rating to help remember and organize. It made me look up the FBGs group on Goodreads — last activity 13 years ago.

 

[Don Quixote]

So the way I'm thinking of this is a book series with a clear beginning and end is submitted as one entry (The Dark Tower, A Song of Ice and Fire, Wheel of Time, etc.) whereas a bunch of books with the same characters that are telling different stories should be submitted individuallly (The Prey Books by Sanford, Lincoln Rhyme by Deaver, Reacher, Clive Cussler, etc.).

Based on what Kupcho said earlier, the books in each of those series should be treated as separate, individual books. Only series taken into as one entry is LotR because that was broken up by the publisher and not the author.

 

[kupcho1]

So the way I'm thinking of this is a book series with a clear beginning and end is submitted as one entry (The Dark Tower, A Song of Ice and Fire, Wheel of Time, etc.) whereas a bunch of books with the same characters that are telling different stories should be submitted individuallly (The Prey Books by Sanford, Lincoln Rhyme by Deaver, Reacher, Clive Cussler, etc.).

Based on what Kupcho said earlier, the books in each of those series should be treated as separate, individual books. Only series taken into as one entry is LotR because that was broken up by the publisher and not the author.