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blog post, Books, children, david gemmell, fantasy, fiction, history, holy warriors, horror, janet fitch, list, neverending story, non fiction, novels, pet semetary, reading, review, stephen king, top 5, waylander, white oleander, writing
I feel like every self-proclaimed book lover uses summer break as a chance to catch up on some well-deserved and relaxed reading time. As a university student my summers are usually too long and too dull, so other than filling that time with sleeping, recovering from those final deadlines and mentally preparing myself for another year, I try my best to catch up on reading for pleasure (as opposed to being forced to read endless academic journals). However, I have a confession to make. At the start of the summer I had so many books I wanted to read, and also so many of my own ideas I wanted to write about. But as the summer went along, each day melting into the next I found that I read on average maybe once or twice a week.
At the start of the summer I read Pet Semetary by Stephen King, and it took me about a week. I dove into it, devouring each chapter like heroin; I had so many amazing things to say about this book and nobody to talk to about it. I’ve been a lover of Stephen King for quite a while but have yet to meet someone who I can share these thoughts and ideas with. After reading this I felt inspired, I wanted to read more, I wanted to write. I scribbled down ideas and visited my local Waterstones looking for new reads. I wanted to find something new and different; I steered away from Stephen King and looked for a new author. Maybe this was my mistake.
I didn’t feel the same enthusiasm for these books, interesting and well written as they may be. Try as I might I wasn’t falling into the pages, I was using these books as a pass-time, something to do when I had nothing better on. I wanted to feel excited about these books and excited about reading new and interesting novels. I want to be able to discuss these books I read with people and be excited with someone. I feel like this is what I am missing out on when it comes to my reading.
Hence why I am making this post. Below I have a list of my Top 5 books to read when you’re having a similar issue I have. You want to read, but feel unmotivated. These books are ones that pull you in, inspire you and generally make you fall in love with reading again. I’m going to try pick a few from different genres so there is something for everyone. If you have any recommendations or what to discuss books, please feel free to leave a comment below!
5. Holy Warriors – Jonathan Phillips
Probably offering the unexpected here with a non-fiction history book, but I do genuinely think this is a fascinating read and isn’t dry or dull like many academic books I stumble upon. Phillips offers an easy to understand and compelling history of the Crusades. The fun thing about this is you can pick and choose which chapters or sections you think will appeal to your interests and read those, there is no need to read this from front to back like you would a novel. If you’re interested in wars, or medieval history and the ideology of war and religion then I would definitely say this would be a captivating read. It’s one of, if not my favourite non-fiction read. Sometimes it’s nice to read something different.
4. Waylander – David Gemmell
An oldie but a goodie. This 80s fantasy novel is often overlooked for the liked of Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s the first in a series of novels which means if you fall in love there are more books to devour. This particular book follows the infamous assassin Waylander who is travelling the world in search of revenge against those who killed his family. After allying with a priest, a fellow assassin, a young woman and three children in her charge, Waylander gradually redeems himself and tries to save the kingdom which he had a hand in destroying. The novel is really dark and brooding, just like the titular character, who is the embodiment of the perfect anti-hero. Waylander iniquitous journey to reclaiming his individuality brings a contemplative look at one’s life with a humanistic touch. I don’t want to give too much away in terms of plot, but this book offers the classic fantasy tale of heros and villains with fantasy themes and magic intertwined throughout. Definitely check this book out if you’re a fan of Tolkien, George R R Martin etc.
3. The Neverending Story – Michael Ende
So I’m sure everyone who grew up in the 80s or 90s has seen the movie adaptation of this novel. I grew up watching the film with my younger sister, blissfully unaware of how creepy and scary many of the things in the film/novel actually are. This German novel was translated into English in 1983 and although I’d watched the film endless times when I younger I didn’t read the book until earlier this year. The book centres on a boy, Bastian Balthazar Bux, neglected by his father after the death of Bastian’s mother. While escaping from some bullies, Bastian bursts into an antique book store where he finds his interest held by a book called The Neverending Story. Unable to resist, he steals the book and hides in his school’s attic, where he begins to read. The Neverending Story is about the captivating and magical world of fantasia and the quest of a young boy to save the magical kingdom and the childlike empress. This is a classic book which really does brings back those childish feelings of wonderment and innocence. It really gets your imagination growing and offers a lot of really strong metaphors that you can really appreciate when you are older. I think a lot of book lovers and creative and imaginative people will be able to really connect with the main character and find a lot of childhood feelings they may have lost within the pages of this fantastic novel.
2. Pet Semetary – Stephen King
It seems pretty obvious that I would have this one on this list when I mentioned it earlier. Stephen King is undeniably a genius, and I have to say this is one of my more favourite books by him. Pet Semetary, being a dark and sinister horror novel about graveyards and resurrection is great fantasy fiction if this sort of thing interests you. However, even if you’re not a big fan of horror or the supernatural I would still say this book is a must-read. Not only does it deal with the supernatural, but also addresses the very real fear of impending death, and the frustration that comes with being powerless when it comes to our own mortality. There are endless quotes and lines in this book that will live with you forever, so make sure to give it a read.
1. White Oleander – Janet Fitch
I found this book accidentally by watching the film adaptation (Available on Netflix). The film was interesting, but the book is understandably so much better. I read this book towards the end of my second year of university and was blown away. The book itself is a coming-of-age story about a child (Astrid) who is separated from her mother (Ingrid) and placed in a series of foster homes. It offers a realistic and raw look into the life of this poor girl who faces the usual hard-ships of growing up in the extreme situations and circumstances life has thrown at her. The characters within this book are diverse and deep, each offering a different perspective of humanity. At 446 pages this novel is, in my opinion, an ideal size – not too long, not too short. Not only is the story itself deep and captivating but the language and imagery makes this book read like poetry. It truly is a dark and beautiful read in my humble opinion.