History Gush / Literature

* MatthewReilly's books are action movies distilled into novels. They move at a hectic pace, his characters have a CrowningMomentOfAwesome daily, and the action scenes would make MichaelBay drool. They don't even have [[ExcusePlot]]s - they're well thought-out, complete with believable characters; [[{{Badass}} Schofield]], for example, has a hard time asking a girl out, even though he's fine with driving a plane into a massive elevator shaft. There's the added tension of AnyoneCanDie, too. He even manages to pack his books with over-the-top stunts without them getting old - ''Ice Station'' has a thirty-page hovercraft [[strike:ChaseScene]] HighSpeedBattle, and it never seems to fall into "Just finish it already!"

* I first saw TheManWhoWasThursday in a library, and was immediately caught by its charmingly wacky title. (And only by the title, given that I'd never read anything from Chesterton up to then.) [[BetterThanItSounds And my trust has paid off]]: it was one of the most captivating, beautiful, mesmerizing piece of literature I've ever stumbled upon. It can be read as a fast-paced and highly surreal thriller which never ceases to surprise the reader - and, at the same time, it brings up some of the most disturbing questions about human nature, faith and existence that someone can ask himself. No wonder that Chesterton himself called it a 'nightmare' - but it's a nightmare that I wish to re-live again and again.

* ''{{Perelandra}}''. Which is ''the'' best book I have ever read. [=~C.S. Lewis~=] took the [[TheBible story of Eden]], infused it with imagination, shot it into space, and somehow it blossomed into one of the most exquisitely beautiful epics in the English language. Here is the power of myth in modern language with modern characters, yet undiluted by them. The story is such that it only serves to make it more potent. God, the Devil, sin, suffering, redemption, and the purpose of the human race are written in ways that will turn your worldview inside out. Because Lewis knew how to write the scale of the universe that didn't make us smaller, but made ''it'' bigger. And richer, and more complex, and more extraordinary, and absolutely breathtaking. I read it again and again because every time I get to the end, my soul is awake and singing.

* In this troper's opinion, ''TheLovelyBones'' by Alice Sebold is one of the most beautifully-told stories ever. Susie Salmon is just such an endearing character that it almost makes you wish she didn't have to die for the story to be told in the first place. Yes, YouShouldKnowThisAlready.

* TheRailwaySeries, by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and later continued by his son Christopher. I love it. Simply by reading one gains a working knowledge of railways. The characters... Being introduced to them a few at a time, watching as they develop... becoming attached to them. Watching as the whole of it all unfolds. Crowning Moments of Funny, Heartwarming, and Awesome may be found, as well as Tear Jerkers. The TV series, in its older days, before SeasonalRot took hold (cue Henry's sad theme)... I grew up watching the old episodes and reading The Railway Series. In fact, that's probably why I turned out as alright as I have. Although the Thomas stories told nowadays are largely insults to the classic stories we loved, they have not erased those tales from existence. They remain, in our books, on our video tapes and DVDs, on YouTube... And next year, a new Railway Series book is coming out. The true Thomas isn't out of steam yet. He will always be there when needed. For Thomas is, after all, a Really Useful Engine. *cue classic outro riff*

TheRailwaySeries, by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and later continued by his son Christopher. I love it. Simply by reading one gains a working knowledge of railways. The characters... Being introduced to them a few at a time, watching as they develop... becoming attached to them. Watching as the whole of it all unfolds. Crowning Moments of Funny, Heartwarming, and Awesome may be found, as well as Tear Jerkers. The TV series, in its older days, before SeasonalRot took hold (cue Henry's sad theme)... I grew up watching the old episodes and reading The Railway Series. In fact, that's probably why I turned out as alright as I have. Although the Thomas stories told nowadays are largely insults to the classic stories we loved, they have not erased those tales from existence. They remain, in our books, on our video tapes and DVDs, on YouTube... And next year, a new Railway Series book is coming out. The true Thomas isn't out of steam yet. He will always be there when needed. For Thomas is, after all, a Really Useful Engine. *cue classic outro riff*

* "{{The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time}}" is truly an amazing novel.th

* Tom Robbins mixes absurd silliness with AuthorFillibuster and it comes out ''awesome''. ''EvenCowgirlsGetTheBlues'' is a work of genius, wonderful start to finish, with the best rants and digressions ever put to paper.

* Really, fellow tropers? Really? No one has mentioned Brian Jacques' {{Redwall}} series yet? 'Really?' This troper can honestly say that Redwall is the best fantasy series she has ever had the pleasure of reading. She is teased constantly by her parents about how much she loves "her little furry animals with swords and nut bread", but is not bothered by this, considering it's the truth. Each and every one of Jacques' characters is unique in his or her own way, from the warrior mice to the villainous foxes and wildcats. The world is beautifully fleshed out, the plots may be formulaic at times but are nonetheless engaging. TheSmurfettePrinciple is averted left and right, and most of all the characters and situations are realistic (besides the fact that they're all TalkingAnimals). This troper loves these books and will continue to love them.

* There is just not enough hard drive space in the universe to explain all of the things I love about Mistborn I read it earlier this year and just loved it thuroughly.