What’s the most addictive book you’ve ever read? Like the kind keeps you are thinking about non-stop until you finish?

[u/NYCGooph]

[u/LieutenantWeinberg]

Into Thin Air

[u/heylookatmywatch → u/LieutenantWeinberg]

Had nothing in mind when I clicked the thread but you are 1000% correct. I used to take the subway to work and the only time I missed my stop because of reading it was this book. And it wasn't even the first time I'd read it.

[u/Irfan_Khan5722 → u/heylookatmywatch]

When a book makes you miss your stop, you know it's a masterpiece.

[u/utah_traveler → u/LieutenantWeinberg]

Everything I've read by Krakauer has been great. Under the Banner of Heaven was one.

[u/Marrtintintin → u/utah_traveler]

Into the Wild was impressive!

[u/ered_lithui → u/utah_traveler]

That was such a tough read but was so so good

[u/Working-Ad-572 → u/LieutenantWeinberg]

Read this recently expecting to read it off and on for like a month and devoured it in 2 days. My copy(maybe all copies??) had the maps and some photos in the middle which I didn’t expect to love as much as I did lol

[u/Spiritual_Noise6056 → u/Working-Ad-572]

The middle-of-the-book maps and photos are dangerous because suddenly a “quick look” turns into another hour of reading. Definitely makes the whole thing more immersive.

[u/tanser → u/LieutenantWeinberg]

That one had me absolutely gutted. The last line felt like a punch straight to the gut. It really puts into perspective the dangers of mountaineering.

[u/imanoctothorpe → u/tanser]

I love books about mountains, and into thin air is one of my faves.

Others I really like: No Shortcuts to the Top, Denali's Howl, Touching the Void, K2 (the Ed Viesturs one), Alive by Piers Paul Read (less about mountaineering but def occurs in the mountains). Especially No Shortcuts, came across that at a really low point in my life and found it transformative.

Currently reading Annapurna by Herzog and it's good so far, and a classic, but not far enough into it to say for sure.

[u/chicken_karmajohn → u/LieutenantWeinberg]

I just finished this book a few hours ago. All in all only took me a few days of active reading. He’s an excellent author

[u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston.

[u/Torchlakespartan → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

My best friend bought this for me for my birthday in 2007 right after my Freshman year of college when I was going into a Biology major.

I didn’t end up going into biology but worked at Veterinary clinics and a nuclear pharmacy until choosing a different path. But most importantly it was one of the key things that kept my interest in biology, virology, and epidemiology to this day, 20 years after getting that book.

Also a sign of a friend who truly knew me, and I’m lucky enough to consider him a best friend to this day.

[u/SirCatsworthTheThird → u/Torchlakespartan]

Great story. I wish more people read it. We should take these diseases seriously.

[u/Torchlakespartan → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

For anyone else wondering, I gave him a call right after posting this and told him how thankful I was for him and the gift.

We don’t live in the same part of the country anymore, and go in spurts talking, he has a little boy with another kid on the way.

But he took the time to go on a walk and talk and hear me tell him how much that meant to me. He hardly remembered. But it was important to let him know.

[u/busterwilly → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

Could not put it down

[u/Craft_Alotl → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

Oh yeah! I remember when this came out and it felt edgy and horrifying and dangerous. But also so, so captivating!!!

Read it so damn fast. There is still haunting imagery from that book burned into my mind.

Like the passenger on the plane with ebola. Or the monkeys and the situation in Reston, Virgina.

+CHILLS+

Hard not to think of The Hot Zone when reading about the current 2nd largest ever (and growing) ebola outbreak across Eastern Africa!

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/ebola-outbreak-in-congo-spreads-to-2-new-health-zones-bringing-total-to-60-areas-affected

https://ebolamap.org

[u/selma_cassandra → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

The Hot Zone is such a good pick. Once it gets going, it’s ridiculously hard to put down.

[u/Dependent_Tune_1333 → u/SirCatsworthTheThird]

Great great book

[u/Hehe_hilarious]

Lonesome Dove. Didnt want it to end.

[u/ObjectiveMella → u/Hehe_hilarious]

That ending wrecked me. I just sat there in silence for like 20 minutes after.

[u/DrMonkeyLove → u/ObjectiveMella]

Clara confronting Call near the end is an unforgettable scene.

[u/Economy-Meeting2462 → u/Hehe_hilarious]

Currently listening to the audio book and I can’t stop!

[u/goagod → u/Hehe_hilarious]

Can I ask you something? How many pages do I have to read before they go on the trip? They have been talking about it for 80 pages.

I love the writing but it's just not going anywhere. I've heard such good things... tell me I'm close!

[u/zandytreats → u/goagod]

The book is more than the trip. The characters and their stories and period vibe is the reason the book is awesome.

[u/prophet_5 → u/goagod]

I think it's around page 150 or 200. Worth it.

[u/DrMonkeyLove → u/goagod]

It is a slow book for the first two hundred pages. After that though, it becomes much more engaging and is phenomenal.

[u/Topia_64 → u/goagod]

I hate books where I have to suffer through 200 pages before it even starts to grab me.

[u/lorenzosmithereens → u/Hehe_hilarious]

second this. it’s been two years and i still think about it very often, planning to read again soon.

[u/wackylemonhello → u/lorenzosmithereens]

Same! I’m obsessed.

[u/Maverick916 → u/Hehe_hilarious]

Probably one of the few movie/mini series adaptations that lives up too. Robert Duvall said that's his favorite performance he ever gave.

[u/Icy_Appointment_4434]

The count of Monte cristo

[u/Tominator2000 → u/Icy_Appointment_4434]

Yes! When I started a 1 hour commute for work a few years ago I thought I'd use the opportunity to listen to some audio books. First book I chose was The Count of Monte Christo. It was a bad choice because I enjoyed it so much that nothing else ever lived up to it afterwards! I would pull up after work and stay in the car until the current chapter finished but wished I could hear the next chapter.

[u/Johnheartberin → u/Tominator2000]

where do you listen the audio book?

[u/Tominator2000 → u/Johnheartberin]

I found a free version on librivox.org which has crowd sourced readings of books that are now in the public domain.

[u/ihatestheworld → u/Tominator2000]

I did the same and downloaded the chapters on my ipod. Was building fences and had to get the book from the library to read at home. Fully immersed until finished, and it went too fast!

I did not like the AI read chapters, though. That was in like 2008, though.

[u/carfox2 → u/Tominator2000]

I did the same thing when started an hour commute. Nothing else lives up to The Count of Monte Cristo. Les Miserables is also up there for me.

[u/carrieholmesyn → u/Icy_Appointment_4434]

You look at a 1,200 page brick of a book and think it's going to be a slog, then you look at the clock and realize it's 3 AM and you just blew through 300 pages without moving. It has no right being that fast-paced for something written in the 1840s.

[u/riddermarkrider → u/Icy_Appointment_4434]

SAME I can't believe someone beat me to it this time lol

[u/DJAyth]

11/22/63

Only read it last year but devoured it in 2 days

[u/NYCGooph → u/DJAyth]

Loved this book. Was disappointed by the TV series tho.

[u/Available-Basil-2179 → u/DJAyth]

Yes! Couldn’t put it down! Low-key, I can’t say I think Stephen King has written a better book

[u/Topia_64 → u/DJAyth]

This was a fantastic read and out of the norm for Stephen King.

[u/urm0m4 → u/DJAyth]

Help I had to DNF this 50% of the way through 😭 everything I’ve seen has been AMAZING reviews. I feel like I’m missing out

[u/babs82222 → u/DJAyth]

This is mine too. It's long but it doesn't feel long because it's so engrossing.

Everyone I've ever recommended it to has thanked me later.

[u/Next_Personality102 → u/DJAyth]

Yessss!!!! I tell everyone about this book. I’m so sad I’ll never be able to read it again for the first time.

[u/timhamilton47 → u/DJAyth]

Just finished the audiobook. 50+ hours and I had my earbuds in my ears for almost a week straight.

[u/coding_codess]

Gone Girl. I started it one night and basically refused to sleep until I finished. The twists just keep pulling you

[u/toomanyblocks → u/coding_codess]

This is my response too.  When I got to the main twist of the book, my immediate reaction was “what the fuck.” I tried to take a break from it to do other things but I couldn’t stop thinking about it and had to keep going. Gillian Flynn has a special way of writing people who are really fucked up but come across as normal to the world.

[u/CurrentNormal9336 → u/coding_codess]

She also wrote Sharp Objects which I finished in a single day. It was the first time I had stayed up all night to finish a book in years.

[u/rf8350]

The Stand

[u/Immateriumdelirium → u/rf8350]

Easily my favorite too. The unabridged version where King lays out all the smaller tragedies during a plague is just incredible. And Gary Sinise will always be my Stu Redman.

[u/TheBronzeKneecap_69 → u/Immateriumdelirium]

I’m reading through it now! Initially I was a little impatient given the virus is really taking form now 200 pages in, but then I realized I was a dumbass and started to enjoy the stage setting and getting to know the characters. I don’t know if I’ve read a descent into the post apocalypse so interestingly explored before

[u/TheScottishPirate]

Shadow of the Wind.

Absolutely absorbed by the story and it's many mysteries. Barcelona is my absolute favourite holiday destination I have visited and so that made the story even better. Just couldn't put it down!

[u/BigPimpin91]

There is no Antimemetics Division.

It's a mind bending memory thriller set in a similar universe to the SCP stuff. It can be hard to follow if you don't pay attention but the setting and content are right up my alley and tickled my brain just right.

Finished it in two days.

[u/_tinytimber_ → u/BigPimpin91]

This has been on my TBR list for a minute so I’m glad to see this! Just finished The Library on Mount Char and A Short Stay In Hell, currently reading The Gone World. I also love mind bending/alternate universe/unreliable narrator and/or memory stuff, so sounds right up my alley.

[u/Ok_Baseball3751 → u/_tinytimber_]

Loved The Library on Mount Char! I have Short Stay on my list. I’ll have to look into The Gone World. I love the mind bending type books as well.

[u/Trou_Survivor]

The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb.

I read The Farseer Trilogy and the Tawny Man when I was a kid. Loved it so much. Then I came across The Rain Wild Chronicles and enjoyed it less.

But I wanted to reread all the books recently. In the right order. So I discovered The Liveship Traders saga and oh my god. It is, to me, the best part of her work so far.

To anyone who likes Fantasy, very well written characters, complex stories who don't focus too much on being complicated, and a good dose of mystery and humor, go for it. I'd recommend it to everyone until I die! Bonus: Women main characters

[u/thievedrelic → u/Trou_Survivor]

Interesting that you would say that considering how much the rest of the series informs the lore and things happening in the Liveship series! I can't imagine reading about the serpents underwater without an understanding of what was happening with that species as a whole aboveground, for instance the treasure beach content and how it wraps back to Fitz.

[u/flowabout → u/Trou_Survivor]

This series consumed my life this past spring. I read the first trilogy, Assassin's Apprentice, and I wasnt a huge fan

A couple months later I decided to try Liveship traders and that was it - I devoured the rest of the series and I've been in a horrible reading slump ever since.

[u/canadia80]

Currently reading Needful Things by Stephen King. At 700 pages it's not long enough .

[u/Immateriumdelirium → u/canadia80]

Fucking Leland Gaunt still creeps me out lol

[u/akkmedk]

Stephen King's Dark Tower. Once I was in I ended up reading all of his books looking for tidbits and connections. I don't even love horror but draw was too great. All things serve the Beam.

[u/WomanOfEld → u/akkmedk]

see the TURTLE, ain't he keen?

all things serve the fuckin' beam

Constant Reader, checking in.

[u/SnooPandas6542 → u/akkmedk]

I'm glad people love it. I'm a SK fan boy but just can't get into The Dark Tower. Drives me nuts because the series would keep me busy for a while.

[u/Immateriumdelirium → u/akkmedk]

Long days and pleasant nights!

[u/Joebob2576 → u/Immateriumdelirium]

And may you have twice the number.

[u/TheFartsUnleashed → u/akkmedk]

You have not forgotten the face of your father.

[u/mousesnight → u/akkmedk]

Gan be with you

[u/OyGoodestBoy → u/akkmedk]

Shut up, Oy! Shut up, Ake! Shut up, Ka! Shut up, moon!

[u/HealthyRoof5046 → u/akkmedk]

We are all ka-tet.

[u/ThaWarlord33]

Pillars of the Earth & World Without End (Sequel) - Ken Follett

Cancel your life once you start.

[u/TrumpHasCTE → u/ThaWarlord33]

In a similar vein, Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War & Remembrance. Sweeping historical fiction about a family during WW2.

[u/Trou_Survivor → u/ThaWarlord33]

I really consider reading Pillars of the Earth someday soon. I've heard so many good things about it, and it just keeps on being confirmed by strangers on the internet haha

[u/Bittermare → u/ThaWarlord33]

KenFollet is one of my favorite authors. Have loved his historical fiction.

[u/spidersinmysoup → u/ThaWarlord33]

Who knew building a medieval cathedral could be so enthralling!

I've read it several times and it never fails to keep me engaged. 

[u/capnfoo]

Sphere. I started at 10pm and read it all night in one sitting. I was too creeped out and curious to find out what was really causing all the creepiness to sleep.

[u/Freds_Bread]

Shogun.

[u/thefastripguy]

Perfume - Patrick Süskind

[u/GatoradeKween → u/thefastripguy]

I think about this book all the time.

[u/jurgo]

I finished The Long Walk in two days. idk what it was about that book but it was captivating

[u/MickCollins]

I want to say it but I don't because reading the book is a blessing and a curse because the motherfucker who "wrote" it won't finish Book 3 and I think that says it all...

[u/patrixide → u/MickCollins]

The namr of the never gonna finish this series?

[u/EnthusiasmUnusual]

The Road by Cormac McCarthy.  I read it in one sitting, stayed up all night to finish it!

[u/Stooic-Entropy2502 → u/EnthusiasmUnusual]

Holy crap! That was my vote too! His books are amazing but The Road is my favorite.

[u/RevolutionaryWeek573]

The Martian was all I could think about while I was listening to it. I was listening to it passively at work when I realized I was as holding my breath (when the Americans launched their rocket with food.

Also…

I couldn’t sleep when I was reading the short story, I Am Legend. I remember being tense, perched on my elbow, reading as fast as I could (and I’m not much of a reader) at 2 am to find out what happens next.

Project Hail Mary was hard to put down too. My whole family read it while we were on vacation in Hawaii. We would breakout into small groups to discuss it depending on what chapter people were on. Such a great memory.

[u/paraworldblue]

Idk which specific one was the most addictive, but definitely something by Philip K Dick. The massive amount of amphetamines he used when he wrote those books really comes through in the writing.

[u/kolraisins → u/paraworldblue]

Ubik was probably the biggest page turner of my life. 

[u/Cat_Litter_Scientist]

The Golden Compass series

[u/Trapezoidal_Sunshine → u/Cat_Litter_Scientist]

I loved those books and read them at least a dozen times. Was very disappointed in the TV series, though. Who adapts a book with frigging armored bears and thinks “Hey, let’s remove all the armor for the big armored bear battle!”

[u/ered_lithui]

Piranesi

[u/Solgudinde → u/ered_lithui]

Came to say this! So well written and intriguing.

[u/DrMonkeyLove → u/ered_lithui]

This was a really fun read, and a really interesting premise.

[u/blindwuzi → u/DrMonkeyLove]

Felt backroomsish

[u/Sathirel]

Tip: give a small description, folks! Would help a lot :D

[u/DocSewer]

Project Hail Mary

[u/Tyrshand → u/DocSewer]

I’ve been a huge fan of Andy’s since I first read The Egg while I was in high school (about 15 years ago)

I’ve read everything he has put out

When PHM came out I was obviously excited to read a new work from one of my favorite authors

But I was not expecting to read ~500 pages of what I could easily argue is his magnum opus in three or four sittings

[u/technoSurrealist → u/Tyrshand]

I always forget that he wrote The Egg. Probably the work that's had the biggest philosophical impact on me in my life. I think about it at least weekly

[u/PennsylvaniaAvenue → u/technoSurrealist]

I’m just learning that it’s the same author

[u/DocSewer → u/Tyrshand]

I can’t believe I haven’t read anything of this before. But he’s on my good reads list!

[u/Phenogenesis- → u/DocSewer]

The audio book is one of the greatest performances done and really elevates the book even further in a way that rarely occurs.

[u/rawr_imfierce → u/DocSewer]

I felt this reading The Martian. Waiting on my copy of PHM and can't wait!

[u/wiNdbridge0 → u/DocSewer]

amaze amaze amaze

[u/OhTheHueManatee]

Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

[u/Electrical-Olive3767]

I just read Between Two Fires. Read it in a week. Probably not for everyone.

[u/typefeel]

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

[u/DerelictBombersnatch]

1984

[u/Bruinen24]

It

[u/FroggiJoy87]

Basically anything by Michael Crichton, lol. Powered through Jurassic Park in one sitting, same with Micro.

[u/office_raccoon39]

The Hunger Games. Once I started, I kept telling myself I’d stop after one more chapter, but I just couldn’t put it down.

[u/squeak363 → u/office_raccoon39]

The problem is, every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, so you have to keep reading to find out what happens. I found the best way to be able to stop is to stop like a page or 2 into the chapter. Usually she's concluded whatever the cliffhanger was and hasn't started building into the next one yet.

[u/Pyranoside]

House of Leaves. Constantly wanting to know more about the twisted world of this book is highly addictive.
Edit: and terrifying!

[u/FireflyClassSerenity → u/Pyranoside]

Once I was able to get into this book, it consumed my life. I was also on a temp leave from work and had nothing but time so I was completely absorbed

[u/milkjake → u/Pyranoside]

Nobody told me how fun this book was to read. It gets rightly talked about as a psychological thriller, but it’s also a whimsical metacognitive puzzle. Loved it!

[u/JMacPhoneTime → u/milkjake]

I'm not finished it yet, but I also find the academic parody really amusing. There's something really funny about just the volume of citations apparently relating to this one movie, and the way they (over)analyze it.

[u/Blastosite → u/Pyranoside]

This is my favorite book, most original book I’ve ever read

[u/StrangeCrimes]

Perdido Street Station. Just when you think it can't get any weirder it doubles down. Then it doubles down on that, and continues to do so until the end. I couldn't put it down.

On the opposite end of the spectrum I'm reading Inspector Imanishi Investigates and it's bone dry, and it's great. 60s Japan. Fascinating.

[u/foxonafrozenlake]

The Secret History.

[u/malo0149 → u/foxonafrozenlake]

Loved this one! I also really liked The Goldfinch, I know a lot of people didn't but I enjoyed it immensely.

[u/foxonafrozenlake → u/malo0149]

I liked the Little Friend, too. A LOT! And also the Goldfinch.

[u/AubNix → u/foxonafrozenlake]

Came here to say this. Once you get like 60 pages in it becomes fully impossible to put down. Donna Tartt is my favorite author hands down

[u/escargotini]

The Expanse series probably

[u/soulfister]

I read the novella “A Short Stay in Hell” in one day, two sittings. It was almost two years ago and I still think about it often

[u/pixiemaybe]

red rising, most recently. not for anyone with a weak stomach, but definitely hard to put down.

[u/homeslice234 → u/pixiemaybe]

Bloodydamn pixie

[u/lorenzosmithereens → u/pixiemaybe]

second this! currently on my 2nd read through and it’s just as good (if not better) the second time around

[u/schwaggz]

The Malazan book of the fallen series has all but ruined fantasy literature for me as nothing else can compare to the prose, depth and world building Erikson created.

[u/Little-Subject-4232]

The Three Body Problem. All 3 books in the series, phenomenal.

[u/nimbus_signal → u/Little-Subject-4232]

I really feel like I would/should like that series. I’ve tried three different times, and I never make it to the interesting part that I’m sure must be there.

[u/Proper_Lunch_3640 → u/nimbus_signal]

It’s definitely not an addictive read. It feels highly procedural due to its prose. But it was written by an engineer, which explains a bit. The addiction comes from its high concepts. It very cerebral, so the hook is experiencing a new way of understanding a reality created by the author.

[u/Craft_Alotl → u/Little-Subject-4232]

Definitely the concepts and ways of thinking about things in these books got me deeply pondering.

Really powerful stuff.

I did find some of it a bit draggy or awkwardly phrased, but I do wonder if some of that is in the translation, since I read the English version.

I also really enjoyed his novel about ball lightning. Absolutely fascinating concepts!

[u/intothatgoodnight18 → u/Little-Subject-4232]

I just finished this series a few days ago and, after reading Death's End, I can never look at the night sky the same ever again. What a life-changing series

[u/ImpossibleBison3204]

Game of thrones

[u/Degutender → u/ImpossibleBison3204]

Cersei's downfall had me absolutely hooked. The show changing her to a highly efficient girlboss instead of an authoritarian monster whose stooges misinform her out of fear and doom basically all of her enterprises was blasphemous.

[u/Jukeboxhero91 → u/Degutender]

Kevan takes over once she’s imprisoned in the books and he’s assassinated because he’s actually competent and cleaning up the mess her ego left all over the place.

[u/Wolfeehx → u/ImpossibleBison3204]

Yeh, but sadly we are never gonna read the rest of the series. I reckon there’s maybe a 10% chance of the next book but he’ll die before he finishes the series.

[u/jcolette]

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

[u/Ok_Manufacturer_5083]

Blind Assassin

[u/putridtooth]

Into Thin Air was the fastest i've ever read a book. I read it so fast I straight up don't remember anything about it other than how insane i felt reading it

[u/treestumpbanananet]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan. These books are so good that back in the day they were banned on campus by several high schools because so many students were sneak-reading during class. I took vacation days from work when the next book would be released because I knew I'd barely be sleeping until I finished my first read-through. Rothfuss wrote a great 2/3 of a trillogy, and GRR Martin was great (as far as he went), but only Tolkien stands above Jordan in the list of high fantasy authors.

[u/Doomboy911]

Dungeon crawler carl while not good was hard to put down. I feel they had gamified reading .

Also discworld.

[u/BirdCollections → u/Doomboy911]

I was reading DCC and kept wondering "how can this get any crazier?" but without fail, the stakes are raised and crazier things do in fact happen!

The prose is easy to read too, you can finish one in a day

[u/RevereTheAughra → u/BirdCollections]

The whole series is like this. I am currently between books 7 and 8 because I had to take a break lol and also there is no book 9 yet so... but I love all of them, especially book 7.

[u/Andskotann → u/RevereTheAughra]

I literally had to stop in the middle of 7 because of what it was doing to my life. I read 1-6 in a week. That was the only thing I did that week. That was earlier this month and I haven't been able to go back to it yet.

[u/itsMalarky → u/Doomboy911]

What do you mean by "not good" in this context? Certainly not high brow literature...but I feel like if something is difficult to put down it's got to be "good" to a certain extent

[u/pwndnoob → u/itsMalarky]

It's not winning any Oscars. But to call it "not good" is rude, cause it's very good. The first two books are the worst cause they are more litrpg dependent but they are also good and addictive enough that people don't stop there.

[u/appleswitch → u/itsMalarky]

It's getting popular so when you say you liked it you have to also shit on it

[u/TheBrightLord → u/Doomboy911]

I think the books are pretty good! They’re not exactly high literature but they were a blast to read and have some really touching moments.

[u/Zelcron → u/Doomboy911]

I adore them. Stick with it for the first few books. They're good but around book 3 it really finds the emotional core of the series and starts to grow way beyond standard litrpg, a genre I don't usually care for.

[u/Hak_Saw5000 → u/Doomboy911]

I've never read the books, but Jeff Hayes narration of the audiobooks really makes it enjoyable

[u/Wolfeehx → u/Doomboy911]

I keep meaning to read DCC but totally with you on Discworld.

[u/hopelesscaribou → u/Wolfeehx]

DCC got me back into binge reading.

I rarely reread books, but I plan on going through this one again.

[u/PQbutterfat → u/Wolfeehx]

The audiobooks are unreal.

[u/sisususi → u/Doomboy911]

I randomly picked up book 1 last month, and 4 weeks later I am halfway through book 6. I find myself reading  during any free moment. It’s not highbrow literature, and sometimes I roll my eyes at the writing, but overall the series is incredible.  

[u/PopAlarmed4666 → u/Doomboy911]

I don’t read books but I couldn’t put down dungeon crawler Carl.  Can’t wait for movie or game if they plan to do it

[u/TerraInc0gnita]

The king killer chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss.

"But the 3rd one might never come out"

I don't care I reread them and listen to the audio books on loop. They're incredible, with a bit of everything.

[u/Akseem → u/TerraInc0gnita]

I love those books but REALLY hate that he never made the 3rd book and at this point I’ve given up hope.

[u/Excellent_Egg7586]

The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake is right up there.

[u/Redd2313]

Annihilation So so much better than the movie so different as well, much more to it and more than one book . But I will say the bear part in the movie is so unnerving

[u/laurabaurealis]

Recursion by Blake Crouch! Both times I read it I had trouble staying up way too late, unable to stop reading. Dark Matter (same author) did that to me too, but Recursion is my favorite of his

[u/sexydan → u/laurabaurealis]

Dark Matter is what did it to me. I read the whole book in one day.

Recursion is also very good.

[u/pottery4life]

Here's an oldie but goodie: The unbearable lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.

[u/Beyond_Re-Animator]

Jurassic Park. I found it absolutely thrilling when I first read it. At one point I was so engrossed I got on the wrong commuter train. When I realized I needed to get off and backtrack I was happy because I got to keep reading it for longer than I had anticipated.

I also remember finishing Dr. No in 2 sittings because it was so exciting.

[u/misimalu]

Shantaram

[u/cherrybounce]

The Passage

[u/Gullible_Movie505]

Demon Copperfield

[u/snowkid42]

Mistborn, which got me started on Stormlight Archives, and suddenly I was devouring every book in the cosmere

[u/trunksfreak]

The Harry Potter series. When I first read it I couldn't stop. I fell in love with the story and the way it flowed was just so seemless and enjoyable for me.

[u/TrippinCuttlefish → u/trunksfreak]

Having to wait for the next book to come out was torture but then it was a huge event with midnight releases. Good times.

[u/Ish_but_the_1st_time → u/trunksfreak]

I think it’s been a little bit lost just how amazing the mystery and suspense elements of that series is.

You can pick a lot of nits, but they are super compelling YA page-turners.

[u/More-Astronomer-3988]

The Secret History, fascinating

[u/DethFeRok]

The Kite Runner. Read all night to finish it.

[u/BJntheRV]

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler

[u/TechnOligee]

Pillars of the Earth

[u/TheRealRory]

Children of Time

[u/InsectAbject7741]

Dune! Frank Herbert!

[u/PaulLeFou]

Children of Time, Gideon the Ninth

[u/awpickenz]

I think I have thought about waiting for godot every day for years.

[u/GatoradeKween]

I have books that haunt me for the rest of my life.

Read it 10+ years ago and still think about it:

Perfume by Patrick Süskind Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Not a novel but 2 collection s of short stories I just read and keep thinking about:

Out There by Kate Folk Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender

[u/Direct_Hunter_2679]

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Therapy, CBT ect didn't really make sense til I read that book. Hadn't read since school, but read it page 1-10 then the next day... Read it all from start to finish.

Had some harsh truths in that I needed to hear tbh.

Might read a bit now. Can't sleep haha 😂 being on the phone isn't helpful

[u/ballerina22]

Anything by Robin Hobb. Every time you open the book it feels like coming home.

[u/EveningPea9694]

Dungeon crawler Carl

[u/JadedIntroduction590]

The entire throne of glass series

It’s a story about a queen who loved her kingdom. And the lengths she goes to in order to protect it and her people. I wept for days and I think about this series every day.

[u/BradS2008]

Red Rising. The entire series

[u/bizanciio]

The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn

[u/botbbb]

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

[u/aliasgrace_]

The Grace Year. Hadn’t read anything that compelling since The Handmaid’s Tale!

[u/CapitalFloor3260]

Started The Expanse series about 3 months ago and only 2 books left.

[u/Zestyclose-Order8525]

Clay's Ark by Octavia Butler. It's part of the Patternist series. All of the books are amazing but this one I had to keep myself from reading in one sitting.

[u/MythicalParts]

The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub

Fairytale by Stephen King

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut

[u/WomanOfEld]

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King (I mean, I pretty much can't put anything he writes down, even on the 19th re-read), and The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey.

A mystical, supernatural cowboy opera, and a high- stakes space opera.

[u/Much-Tangerine-256]

Jurassic Park. Couldn’t put it down!!

[u/hoopstick]

The Da Vinci Code/Angels & Demons

Say what you want about Dan Brown’s writing style, but the dude knows how to write a page turner. He ends every single chapter on a cliffhanger, it was annoying as hell when I was trying to go to sleep.

[u/Ch0c0lateBiznezz]

Tender is the Flesh

[u/effstops]

I need to read more.

[u/Whiskeyperfume]

Stephen Kings Dark Tower series

[u/Pitiful_Mode1674]

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas translation.

[u/yumi1115]

11/22/63 by Stephen King.

I picked it up thinking I’d read a few chapters, and then it basically took over my brain. The time travel hook is great, but what really gets you is how lived-in the world feels. You don’t just want to know what happens, you want to stay there.

[u/OldAdministration735]

The Stand

[u/jpd2]

Ender’s Game. There must have been glue on the covers, I could not put it down. At three AM on a work day I set it aside to go to sleep. At 6 AM I awoke and immediately grabbed it to keep reading. It’s an adventure.