When asked what novels you definitely must read before you die…It’s difficult to narrow it down to just three books. How do you decide which genres to choose? This is the most difficult choice to make. How will you write this type of list while ignoring the existing masterpieces?
We’ll find a way to avoid butchering the vast number of decent novels available and upsetting fans. We’ll do the best novel of all time by genre. Please keep in mind that this is our own view and preference. Take it with a grain of salt.
Fantasy
- Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
- The Return of the King by J.R.R Tolkien
- Six of Crow by Leigh Bardugo
Fantasy is one of the oldest literary genres. There are numerous sub-genres ranging from low fantasy to high fantasy. Paranormal/urban fantasy, portal fantasy, cozy fantasy, and so on. This list cannot include all of the books under this broad scope. Making a reader choose between those is a crime.
Science fiction
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
- Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Again, this group is quite broad. Choosing three books from among the genre’s finest is a capital offense. Because Anticipation fiction is filled with jewels that need more recognition. It crushes my heart to leave Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness off this list. But I strongly advise you to read more science fiction.
Classic
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- The Stranger by Albert Camus
Classic novels can be intimidating to pick up. But rest assured, there are numerous tales out there that will still be relevant in 2023. Even if Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice might easily be transposed into our period, with parents looking for the best husbands for their daughters. We were used to fast delivery and blockbusters, so the pacing can be slow at times. Reading a classic is like going back in time and experiencing distinct trains of thought and ideals.
Romance
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
- Ice Planet Barbarian by Ruby Dixon
Okay, so this list is a little unusual, and to be honest, those three titles next to each other are really hilarious. The romance genre is the most prolific of all genres combined. The number of good titles published each month is astounding. And there are so many different kinds of romance. The independent community (indie authors) is continually injecting new ideas into this genre. The genre has reached a high in the last five years, with new readers flocking in following the pandemic that hit us in 2020. We discovered numerous new books that we would not have discovered otherwise thanks to Booktok (a book-loving community on the app TikTok).
So there you have it, our top three books of all time. Many sub-genres had been overlooked. Sorry!
Please leave a comment with your favorite novels and let us know if you want us to compile a longer list next time. Choosing only three was excruciating.
Continue reading and discovering new worlds through the words printed on a dead plant. See ya later, Space Cowboys.
Singularity Books 