The 10 Best Fiction Books of All Time
If you would like to expand your library and are not sure which classic novels are for you, this blog will guide you by offering a brief introduction to some of the most unforgettable and inspiring novels ever written by a diverse collection of writers. Here are literary works that have outlasted countless others as generation after generation falls in love with them again and again.
Don Quixote — Miguel De Cervantes
Known by most as the most influential work of literature to blossom out of the Spanish Golden Age, Don Quixote appears regularly on lists of best fictional works of all time. The author chronicles the adventures of a nobleman and his squire — a simple yet witty farmer — as Quixote, determined to become a knight-errant, attempts to revive chivalry. The author’s style is experimental and playful, and has had a significant impact on the literary world.
The Great Gatsby — F. Scott Fitzgerald
This novel is set in the 1920s and follows a cast of characters living on prosperous Long Island, primarily concerning the mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and his obsessive love for Daisy Buchanan. The book is wonderfully concocted, touching on such themes as resistance to change, excess and idealism, and is regarded as Fitzgerald’s magnum opus. Leap into the Jazz Age, a time, as observed by the New York Times, when “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession”.
Moby-Dick — Herman Melville
Written by American novelist, Herman Melville, this story depicts a captain’s obsessive quest to gain revenge on the creature that had previously bitten off his leg, the mighty Moby Dick. The author’s detailed and realistic descriptions, as well as his ingenious writing style, allowed him to delicately explore themes of social status, ethics and the existence of God.
War and Peace — Leo Tolstoy
Bibliophiles and writers around the world can all agree that reading Tolstoy’s War and Peace is an incredible, irreproachable literary experience. This masterpiece is set during the time of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812, where we are introduced to three well-to-do characters that have stood the test of time, remaining some of the most well-known and beloved figures in literature. Tolstoy also wonderfully includes characters from diverse backgrounds, illustrating their struggles with their culture and history.
One Hundred Years of Solitude — Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This wonderful landmark novel is celebrated as the literary piece to provoke the establishment of a totally new genre known as “magical realism”, in which the extraordinary are treated as normal, everyday occurrences. The novel chronicles the lives and experiences of the multigenerational Buendia family, whose patriarch founded a town in Colombia. Their story highlights the incongruity between one’s need for solitude and desire for love. The immensely rich writing style will have you looking at the world with new eyes and appreciation for literary art.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — Mark Twain
This well-known and popularised novel delves into issues such as racism, freedom, friendship, war and religion with remarkable grace, lightheartedness and dignity. The American tale is told in the first person by a nineteenth-century boy as he embarks on adventures with a runaway slave. It was one of the first novels to be written in vernacular English and has maintained an enduring position of popularity among readers.
Lolita — Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita is an acclaimed novel that touches on a highly controversial subject — a middle-aged man’s obsession with a young, fourteen-year-old girl, with whom he later engages in a sexual relationship after becoming her step-father. This irresistible book of the man’s confessions and desperate appeal to a jury may make for uncomfortable reading for us who live with modern anxieties surrounding such a dark topic, and yet it is a literary classic that has inspired two film adaptations and many have even taken it to the stage.
Nineteen Eighty-Four — George Orwell
Orwell, a legendary political satirist, has unnerved many readers with his remarkable foresight into the lives of modern man and woman, not to mention manipulation of language frequently used to distort public belief and exert control. This novel is often referred to as one of the most terrifying dystopian insights, possibly due to the fact that the depicted society becomes more and more real as time goes by.
To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
This deeply moving masterpiece went on to win the Pulitzer Prize just a year after its first publication. It enthralls readers with its exploration of human behaviour as it focuses on the central themes of racial injustice and the cruel destruction of innocence, whilst being set in a “tired old town” in Alabama during the time of the Great Depression. The story revolves mostly around a young girl, Scout, and her older brother. Readers quickly come to realise how brave these young children are and how their courage has the power to change the situations occurring around them. Yet, some things remain out of their control and the justice system shatters their naivety.
The Lord of the Rings — J.R.R. Tolkien
This novel is one of the best-selling novels of all time, selling over 150 million copies. The author had originally intended it to be a single work, but publishers ended up dividing it into three books. The story of Frodo, Sam, and the rest of the Fellowship and their quest undertaken to destroy the One Ring, belonging to the Dark Lord Sauron, has stood the test of time. This magnificently-constructed world, with even languages found in the book, such as Elvish and Dwarvish, having been invented by the author from scratch, has defined the Fantasy genre for almost a hundred years and continues to have a lasting impact on the imaginations of people around the world.
Take up the challenge and let your mind be captivated by these literary masterpieces. Pick up your copy from any one of our Agenda outlets to access a whole new world of love, life and ideals.
