TEN'S LIST
What are your 10 favorite books?
Not too long ago, I was asked to describe my relationship with a good book. I’ll quote my answer: “To me, a good book is one that endears and endures. A good book is enjoyable, no matter how many times it has been read. A good book ages well too. No matter how old you grow, the book appeals, revealing more and more with each read.”
All the books I’ve listed today have remained close to my heart over the years. They have all touched me and changed me.
Even as a child, I was free to pick the books I read. My father had a sizable library of classic literature and I devoured his books from a young age. However, reading the classics didn’t stop me from developing interest in science fiction, thrillers and others. So, in my list you’ll find classics next to genre fiction, pulp next to historical masterpieces.
Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my favorite books:
Dune: There are few books that have affected me as much as Frank Herbert’s Dune. A complex, fully-realized world that is as memorable (if not more) as the characters, it remains to me, the ultimate of science fiction.
Nightfall: This classic from Isaac Asimov will always be on the list of my most favorite books. The story about the coming of night to a planet that is perpetually illuminated is perfect in its storytelling, right from the beginning to the final blow-your-socks-off reveal.
Rendezvous with Rama: A book from another master of science fiction, and another book that made me fall in love with the genre. What never fails to astound me is the simplicity of the setting. Well, there is nothing simple about first contact with an extra-terrestrial cylinder, and I don’t want to spoil the story, but it is only the genius of Arthur C. Clarke that can make such a nail-biting story out of almost nothing.
Around the World in 80 Days: An awesome tale of adventure from Jules Verne. Although Verne is known more for his science based stories, this one is my favorite because it celebrates the human spirit of exploration. It also remains an amazing portrait of the times.
East of Eden: Every John Steinbeck book is treasure and East of Eden is one of his best. Nothing beats the story of the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and the beautiful Salinas valley where the story unfolds over generations.
Where Eagles Dare: Who doesn’t love a classic spy thriller? And if it is from the peerless Alistair MacLean, love is inevitable. Sure, MacLean uses his stock characters and doesn’t go the way of the literary, but his story is told with swiftness and cool, and the action scenes are classic MacLean.
Pride and Prejudice: Can you imagine of Pride and Prejudice is more than 200 years old? I find it hard to believe. That’s the beauty of a tale told so magically that it becomes timeless. If there’s something I cannot have enough of, it’s Jane Austen’s characters, particularly the swoon-worthy Mr. Darcy.
Les Miserables: A book about love, destiny, and above all, redemption. The wonder that is Les Miserables can’t be summed up or described, it has to be encountered head on. Victor Hugo’s Jean Valjean is a force of life itself.
The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini’s debut novel is a brilliantly constructed masterpiece. The heartbreaking story of two boys and their friendship makes up the core of the book, the quest for redemption drives this poignant tale forward.
Gone with the Wind: Nothing needs to be said about Margaret Mitchell’s epic. As all great stories are, this is another timeless read, even though it is specifically and splendidly grounded in a particular era.
There it is, my top 10.
Title: Elementals: Season 1Author: Author: S.G. BasuPublished: September 29th, 2015Publisher: Vinayaka PublishingGenre: Science Fiction Thriller Content Warning: Mild violence and language Recommended Age: 15+Synopsis: Mayhem is about to visit Löthia.Löthia is at peace–after a millennium of genetic tinkering, Löthians’ power over the elements has been obliterated. The Elemental Wars that have plagued their civilization from the beginning of time is now distant history.But have the Elementals been tamed for good?Or is this just the quiet before the storm rips Löthia apart once again?
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Excerpt from Elementals: Season 1 by S.G. Basu:
Nothing during the course of the grouchy summer day indicated that, by the time it was over, seventeen-year-old Anavyx Elon would be accused of the grisliest murder in recent Löthian history. Dual complete moons blazed across the purple skies of Löthia that evening, and there shouldn’t have been any interruptions to Anavyx’s routine, yet there was. She heard the faint noise of her bedroom door opening when she was halfway through her shower. Her body, warm from the water cascading down from the canopy over her head, stiffened immediately. “Moma?” Anavyx called, voice trembling a little as her throat dried up with fear. No one replied. It couldn’t be Moma. Alana, her mother, was a top geneticist in the Peaks. Her evening consultation hours ended precisely at 2030 hours, not a moment before or after. There was no reason for her to leave her patients and come into the private section of the house looking for Anavyx. Maybe it was Dadi. Anavyx banished that idea with a shake of her head. It was impossible. Her father did not set foot in the house before midnight. Nothing except a calamity would bring him home this early. And even if he came home, he would never venture into her room. So who could it be? There was no other noise after the door opened. That was the oddest thing—the silence. It made her insides curl up in a tight ball.
About the Author:S.G. Basu is an aspiring potentate of a galaxy or two. She plots and plans with wondrous machines, cybernetic robots, time travelers and telekinetic adventurers, some of whom escape into the pages of her books.Once upon a previous life on planet Earth, S.G. Basu trained to be an engineer, and her interest in science and her love of engineering shows up time and again in her books.She shares her home with a large collection of Legos, a patient husband, and resident inspiration and entertainer, her daughter.Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | WebsiteSignup for S.G. Basu’s NewsletterGiveaway Details: There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
- $10 Amazon gift card
- An ecopy of Elementals, Season 1
Giveaway is International. a Rafflecopter giveaway
