The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
My all-time favourite book, must have read it seven or eight times. Classic. See also – The Man In The Iron Mask and The Count Of Monte Cristo
The Chrysalids – John Wyndham
Whilst this book is my favourite of Wyndham’s he is probably best known for The Day Of The Triffids
Shogun – James Clavell
Brilliant evocation of feudal Japan. Clavell’s ‘Tai-pan’ is good too. Different, but still good.
The Hound Of The Baskervilles – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
All the Sherlock Holmes stories are worth a read as well as The Lost World
Dracula – Bram Stoker
Surely this is on most people’s top ten ‘must reads’.
Hollow Man – John Dickson Carr
The classic mystery story
You Only Live Twice – Ian Fleming
The one James Bond book that wasn’t filmed (only the title was used). You don’t realise just how good a writer Fleming was until you read one of his books. The films don’t really do him justice.
War Of The Worlds – H. G. Wells
The film versions were updates, why not read the original story?
The Last Of The Mohicans – James Fenimore Cooper
There aren’t many books published in or before 1826 that hold up to this day but LotM is definitely one of them. Actually one of a series of five novels.
King Solomon’s Mines – Sir H. Rider Haggard
If you’ve not read this by the age of say, 12, then what are you doing with your life?
Jack Absolute – C. C. Humphreys
Although only published in 2004 this has all the makings of a classic ripping yarn that could hold its head up in the company of Dumas, Forester or Haggard. Cracking.
The Prestige – Christopher Priest
The film is presented as a thriller/mystery and is an admirable attempt to tell the story. The book, however, is even more complex and is more like a gothic horror. Probably my favourite book of the 20th century and one you have to read twice to fully appreciate.
The Great Train Robbery – Michael Crichton
Although Crichton is better known for his science fiction work, I have a particular fondness for this adventure story set in Victorian England.
The Hornblower Series – C. S. Forester
Had to pick one series set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era, could easily have chosen Patrick O’Brian or Julian Stockwin.
Little Big Man – Thomas Berger
A modern picaresque novel detailing the 19th century adventures of Jack Crabb on the American frontier. One of those epic books you can just sink into and not resurface for days.