1. Eoin Colfer: Airman (2007) 9.0/10
"Incredible character development and excellent writing bring this book to the top of my list."
2. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Two Towers (1954) 8.9/10
"Once again Tolkien brings in descriptive language and ever interesting characters to the world of Middle Earth."
2. Victor Hugo: Les Misérables (1862) - Translated by Norman Denny (1976) 8.9/10
"An exquisite picture of a relatively small moment of history is dictated so poignantly that it can hardly fail to resonate for anyone, regardless of time or location."
4. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Return of the King (1955) 8.8/10
"Although it is the third installment in his fantasy epic, Tolkien's world building expertise shines again as he introduces new places, people, and history that makes one feel as if they have been immersed for much longer than they actually have."
5. Patrick Ness: The Ask and the Answer (2009) 8.7/10
"The pace picks up as the plot develops, and the latter half of the book is rife with emotional, heart-wrenching scenes."
5. Oscar Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) 8.7/10
"A brilliant portrayal of humanity at its most raw, Oscar Wilde uses his trademark wit and thought-provoking philosophy to weave a grand tale that begins as a bold venture into human morality and sin, and finishes as a chilling yarn of horrific proportions."
7. Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell: Beyond the Deepwoods (1998) 8.6/10
"Countless fantastical creatures being unveiled through the eyes of a relatable and likable protagonist in Twig is a foolproof strateg7 used brilliantly by the authors."
7. Patrick Ness: The Knife of Never Letting Go (2008) 8.6/10
"The main intense scenes are written with such an enthralling simplicity that readers are left with an unfamiliar sense of "hold up, did that just happen?" that they wouldn't have gotten with a scene that is extremely detailed. It's a bold approach, but Ness pulls it off."
7. Patrick Ness: A Monster Calls (2011) 8.6/10
"'A Monster Calls' combines incredible writing and brilliant illustrations to create an incredibly emotional tale."
7. George Orwell: 1984 (1949) 8.6/10
"Orwell creates a legendary subversion of expectations with his incredibly grey, monotone story that is somehow able to resonate so wonderfully and colourfully with the real world."
7. Douglas Adams: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) 8.6/10
"For the first ninety percent of the plot, Adams shines in a uproariously funny, eloquently dictated, and smartly constructed genre-bending novel."
12. Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell: The Curse of the Gloamglozer (2005) 8.5/10
"Colourful characters such as Maris give wonderful depth to the story, and surprising bits of humor are sprinkled around, although the book can get quite dark and serious."
12. Andy Weir: The Martian (2011) 8.5/10
"Weir combines intriguing science with an extremely entertaining plot that, while seeming tedious at times, still adds to the suspense."
12. Patrick Ness: Monsters of Men (2010) 8.5/10
"Both the main and secondary characters see their paths fulfilled as Ness builds up to a heart-pounding (and heart-wrenching) final battle."
12. Rick Yancey: The 5th Wave (2013) 8.5/10
"Fantastic plot development and action packed sequences that manage to stay unique one after another."
16. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) 8.4/10
"An excellent piece of classic fantasy literature, Tolkien blends superb writing with an imaginative story to create the tale of Middle Earth and the Rings of Power."
16. Kevin Sands: Mark of the Plague (2016) 8.4/10
"Instead of a simple, mildly engaging plot, readers are given a mystery that finds our protagonist (retaining his compelling and entertaining traits of the previous novel) working through a horrifyingly brilliant setting."
16. William Goldman: The Princess Bride (1973) 8.4/10
"Goldman's writing (or perhaps it is S. Morgenstern's) moves so quickly, and readers are thrust from one exciting plot point to another, with Goldman's amusing commentary providing a refreshing pit stop in the midst of fast-paced storytelling."
16. Pittacus Lore: Fugitive Six (2018) 8.4/10
"Each of the characters is developed well, although all of the different plots start to bleed into one another and almost seem too similar."
16. James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton: The Calling (2014) 8.4/10
"The premise is good, the lore is slightly underdeveloped, but character variety and diversity sets the Endgame series apart."
16. Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal: The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek (2019) 8.4/10
"As the real plot gets underway, Bleak Creek suddenly becomes home to a brilliantly crafted, eerily executed adventure, complete with all the humour one would expect from a book by these two."
16. Neal Shusterman: Scythe (2016) 8.4/10
"Wonderfully paced and extremely engaging, the only thing that is really left to be desired from this first installment in what promises to be a great series is the predictable nature of some of the plot elements."
16. Eoin Colfer: Highfire (2020) 8.4/10
"The characters are not especially unique and the relationships between them are not entirely fleshed out, but the overall plot is highly entertaining."
24. Pittacus Lore: The Fall of Five (2013) 8.3/10
"An excellent book in a great series that keeps you on your toes. Full of unexpected twists and turns that I was not expecting."
24. Scott Westerfield: Leviathan (2009) 8.3/10
"Although the two separate plotlines are not entirely original, Westerfield showcases his creativity in what the main focus of the novel seems to be: world building."
24. Scott Westerfield: Behemoth (2010) 8.3/10
"Again, the concepts and unique mechanical and organic beasts are the real selling point of the series."
24. Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell: The Descenders (2019) 8.3/10
"A much more thought-provoking and serene novel than perhaps any of its predecessors"
28. Ken Reid: Hockey Card Stories (2014) 8.2/10
"I would have liked to see some newer ones, but all in all, an interesting perspective on one of the country's most popular hobbies."
28. James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton: Rules of the Game (2016) 8.2/10
"Although the cast becomes smaller for obvious reasons, it still maintains a wide variety of different characters, each of whom are well fleshed out."
28. Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner (2003) 8.2/10
"Brilliant parallels between characters and a story rife with symbolism battle against several glaring negatives to produce a tale that, perhaps, is all the more compelling because of its flaws."
28. Neal Shusterman: Thunderhead (2018) 8.2/10
"The villain is re-established menacingly and the urgency is palpable from then on, even if the physical action actually slows down."
32. James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton: Sky Key (2015) 8.1/10
"Each character has a unique and well developed story, complete with the signature action scenes where the writing really flourishes."
32. William Golding: Lord of the Flies (1954) 8.1/10
"While over-the-top at times, Lord of the Flies is an extremely well-written novel with loads of symbolism throughout, but only to be picked up on by the reader if they aren't terrified enough."
32. Kevin Sands: The Assassin's Curse (2017) 8.1/10
"Sands once again has readers on their toes throughout, giving several candidates for the main antagonist, but still giving a surprising twist at the end."
32. Rick Riordan: The Burning Maze (2018) 8.1/10
"Riordan redeems himself from some past projects with this excellent novel."
32. Neal Shusterman: The Toll (2019) 8.1/10
"The poignancy of the trilogy increases by a mile while the action decreases disappointingly, but the entirety of it is dictated so well that one can hardly complain."
32. Rick Riordan: The Tower of Nero (2020) 8.1/10
"A maturity is evident that transcends age, while the overall writing remains as engaging as it was in 2005."
38. Eoin Colfer: The Fowl Twins (2019) 8.0/10
"The story differentiates itself from the original series just enough to be original, while maintaining the original charm and smarts needed in a Fowl story."
38. Rick Riordan: The Hidden Oracle (2016) 8.0/10
"Finally, Rick Riordan writes with new, fresh characters and an original plot, even though he is once again just modernizing ancient Greek myths."
38. Ransom Riggs: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2011) 8.0/10
"A very unique concept with found photography is fleshed out beautifully in this introductory novel to Riggs' trilogy."
38. Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 (1953) 8.0/10
"With incredibly rich language and an entertaining enough plot, Ray Bradbury crafts what is justifiably known as a science fiction classic."
38. Kevin Sands: The Blackthorn Key (2015) 8.0/10
"It's always enjoyable following the protagonist in a solve-the-clues adventure, and the Blackthorn Key does just that."
38. Eoin Colfer: Deny All Charges (2020) 8.0/10
"Colfer remains enjoyable and sticks to his well-established story formula."
44. Adam Gidwitz: A Tale Dark and Grimm (2010) 7.9/10
"Gidwitz does wonderfully with the classic fairytale, with humorous storytelling, however his many interjections (although amusing) break up the story and make it seem choppy."
44. S. Andrew Swann: Dragon Thief (2015) 7.9/10
"The humour of this second installment isn't executed quite as well as that of its predecessor, but in terms of plot complexity and the evoking of emotion, it far surpasses it."
44. Scott Westerfeld: Goliath (2011) 7.9/10
"The first two thirds of the novel are a bit slow moving and slightly muddled when it comes to the individual stakes of this particular book, but the whole trilogy is wrapped up very well in the final act."
47. Rick Riordan: The Tyrant's Tomb (7.8/10)
"Riordan still utilizes most of the same formula as has proven to be successful, but this one is original enough to stay intriguing."
47. S. Andrew Swann: Dragon Princess (2014) 7.8/10
"An interesting, albeit not an entirely original, concept forces many humorous moments throughout, however subtle moments of darker humor is also evident."
49. Pittacus Lore: United as One (2016) 7.7/10
"The start of the novel is rather slow, however the second half of the book takes a whole new turn, showcasing the darkness of full fledged war with excellent narration, but still with the bits of humor readers have come to expect."
49. Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell: Doombringer (2015) 7.7/10
"Great writing combined with great illustrations make this a nice 12th book."
49. Pittacus Lore: Return to Zero (2019) 7.7/10
"The writing quality established and developed over the course of the series continues to shine in this well-paced and action-packed final installment."
52. Rick Riordan: The Sword of Summer (2015) 7.6/10
"Littered with hilarious scenes and chapter titles, The Sword of Summer is an overall good read, although not nearly original enough."
52. Gareth Roberts, Douglas Adams: Doctor Who: Shada (2012) 7.6/10
"It is a testament to the greatness of this novel that you can really see this episode in your head while you are reading."
52. Ransom Riggs: Library of Souls (2015) 7.6/10
"Better than the second, but still fails to recapture the magic of the first installment."
55. Lincoln Pierce: Big Nate Blasts Off (2016) 7.5/10
"Relatively mature themes and emotional highs and lows really raise the Big Nate bar here."
56. Ransom Riggs: Hollow City (2014) 7.4/10
"The action is repetitive, and while it is not a slog to get through all of the scenes, well written and engaging as they are, the plot does not really build up to anything
57. Rick Yancey: The Infinite Sea (2014) 7.3/10
"The action is very well dictated, if a little overwhelming, and the symbolism and allegories are well-crafted, if a little obvious."
58. Douglas Adams: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988) 7.2/10
"It's not like it's a bad book; I'd place it on the 'good' side of the spectrum, but it's hard to stay invested."
59. Pittacus Lore: Generation One (2017) 7.1/10
"While all main characters are greatly developed, the issue arises of having a few too many main characters."
60. F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby (1925) 7.0/10
"A bit wordy to start off, the story is hard to follow, and hidden events make you reread bits and pieces. Excellent writing and subtle symbols pick out the black heart at the center of the American dream."
61. Stephen R. Lawhead: The Sword and the Flame (1983) 6.9/10
"Although it does surpass its predecessors in terms of quality, this third novel also seems very disconnected from the first two in terms of series continuity and overall structure."
61. Ray Bradbury: The Illustrated Man (1951) 6.9/10
"Subtle symbolism in every story hints at the darker aspects of human nature while interesting characters add thoughtful dialogue along with surprising bits of dark humor."
61. J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorne: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts 1 & 2 (2016) 6.9/10
"However many fond memories this eighth Harry Potter story brings up, nostalgia alone does not cover the fact that The Cursed Child seems like a fanfiction."
61. Marcus Sedgwick: The Ghosts of Heaven (2014) 6.9/10
"Sure, it's mildly thought-provoking, but more like a nice collection of short stories slightly tied together."
65. Norton Juster: The Phantom Tollbooth (1961) 6.8/10
"Filled with hilarious puns and jokes based on the English language and numerical system, The Phantom Tollbooth is an enjoyable read, however by the end of it the jokes wear a bit thin and readers are left looking for an actual plot."
65. Eoin Colfer: The Forever Man (2015) 6.8/10
"While it both starts and ends poorly, the conclusion to the time travelling FBI series has a scrumptious middle section."
65. Ben Tripp: The Accidental Highwayman (2014) 6.8/10
"Tripp's novel starts out reasonably well, with a fun, swashbuckling tale of highway robbery and a cool horse, but as soon as magic begins to develop, it loses a lot of its charm."
65. Jacqueline Rayner: Doctor Who: The Stone Rose (2006) 6.8/10
"An entertaining plot is somewhat predictable, but amusing dialogue and characters make up for it."
69. Stephen R. Lawhead: In the Hall of the Dragon King (1982) 6.7/10
"Boring exposition in the first half gives way to much more exciting and intriguing details, although the main character disappears slightly during the climax."
69. Michael Crichton: Jurassic Park (1991) 6.7/10
"Although it is extremely entertaining and thrilling at times, Crichton's novel, "Jurassic Park," gets bogged down routinely by overly long speeches, dull science, and difficult to understand statistics and graphs."
69. Rick Riordan: The Hammer of Thor (2016) 6.7/10
"Yes, it was an amusing read. Yes, it had an engaging plot. And yes, it was deja vu all over again, as The Hammer of Thor, in reading it, is much too similar to Riordan's previous books."
69. Stephen King: The Gunslinger (1982) 6.7/10
"There are some scenes which are well described and quite riveting, while others are downplayed to an extent which seems very unnecessary."
69. Volker Kutscher: Babylon Berlin (2007) - Translated by Niall Sellar (2016) 6.7/10
"The mystery that unfolds in this setting is captivating (when not broken up by the aforementioned negatives), and Kutscher unveils several brilliant and engaging twists."
74. Stephen R. Lawhead: The Warlords of Nin (1983) 6.6/10
"Lawhead obviously tries to keep pace with other, more renowned world-builders such as Tolkien and Lewis, but his attempts fall rather flat in nearly every area."
74. Homer: The Odyssey (-720) - Translated by Martin Hammond (1999) 6.6/10
"While extremely descriptive and compelling, Homer's Odyssey is extremely repetitive."
74. Hiroshi Sakurazaka: All You Need is Kill (2004) 6.6/10
"With a confusing ending and weak characters throughout, this book is just barely above average."
74. Rick Riordan: The Dark Prophecy (2017) 6.6/10
"The author brings us, yet again, another run-of-the-mill plot, and entertaining though it may be, it is getting strikingly less enjoyable every time Riordan adds new myths and monsters."
74. Dante Alighieri: Inferno (1320) - Translated by Allen Mandelbaum (2004) 6.6/10
"While the format is somewhat hard to understand, and often a tad full of ancient Italian people and politics that are no longer relevant, Dante's vocabulary and philosophy are nearly unmatched."
74. Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818) 6.6/10
"Although extremely wordy, Mary Shelley's Frankentstein is definitely well-written, showcasing an incredible level of poetic narration and diction."
74. Mal Peet: The Penalty (2006) 6.6/10
"Faustino is a likeable enough character, but the rest of the cast echoes just about everything else about the novel: mediocrity."
81. Rick Yancey: The Last Star (2016) 6.5/10
"The Last Star is nothing more than a filler novel, something a concluding piece should definitely not be."
81. Lincoln Pierce: Big Nate Lives it Up (2015) 6.5/10
"The writing, as usual, is written as though by an eleven year old, however Peirce manages to pull off a decent book."
81. Charles Dickens: Hard Times (1854) 6.5/10
"Brilliant characterization, but a great lack of real plot make the story a bit too wordy, especially near the midpoint of the novel."
81. Kate DiCamillo: The Tale of Despereaux (2004) 6.5/10
"It might be charming, but beyond that, The Tale of Despereaux is extremely underwhelming."
85. Rick Riordan: The Ship of the Dead (2017) 5.7/10
"To top off this cake of cliches and dull narration, there is the LITERAL CHOCOLATE SYRUP of a stupid romance subplot."
86. D.J. MacHale: The Merchant of Death (2002) 4.2/10
"Although the final climax was actually fairly interesting, that's about the only positive note I can give this book."
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