Karl's Favorite Fiction

I like to learn something from every book I read, so I don't usually go for pure fantasy or social drama. The books below teach you a little about evolution, art, science, history, war, law, and humanity. I like to finish every novel knowing that I learned something that will make it easier to understand and appreciate the people and the world around me. Most of these books did that for me, but some are just plain good reading. Most of these books you can get used for 75 cents plus shipping from Half.com . . . just click on the title.

Note that this list contains contemporary fiction only. I don't feel that my opinions are relevant in the realm of the classics. For that matter, my opinions are no more relevant than any other person on God's green earth. So if your favorite books aren't on this list . . . send me YOUR list! How the heck else am I supposed to find great books? Read every book every written?

The Light of Other Days by Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke. Not so much because it is a literary gem, but because the idea of being able to see into the past (but not travel there) is presented in such a fascinating way. Myths unravel once the simple truth is known, and the mystery of our evolution is laid bare. Amazing.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I like books and movies that string me along, and then surprise the hell out of me. This one is well worth reading for the ride, but the payoff is jaw-dropping.
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. No, this isn't S&M porn, you perv. Maybe it's because the book is about Michelangelo and I was in Italy while reading it, but the mix of history, fiction, and the behind-the-scenes details of sculpting marble, make this one a fascinating read.
Contact by Carl Sagan. Too bad he died before he could write more novels, because this is one of the smartest science fiction novels I've ever read. Even if you saw the movie (which was pretty good), you should read this book. There's much more detail for the scientifically inclined in the book. Even if you saw the movie and don't want to read the entire book, PLEASE read the last few chapters for an extended (and much better) ending to the story.
The Incident at Twenty Mile by Trevanian. Too bad I was suspicious of authors that write under single-word psuedonyms, because I almost missed out on some amazing novels. This one is a favorite because it takes a real but obscure event in the old American west, and weaves a fictional (but plausible) story around it that will knock your socks off.
Word of Honor by Nelson Demille. If you recommended to me a courtroom drama about a Vietnam vet, I would probably roll my eyes and mumble politely. Fortunately, I read this one because I knew that Nelson Demille could not write a bad book if he tried. And it happens to be the best he's ever written. Very powerful.
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. Harry Potter for grownups. It brings Arthurian history alive.
The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy. Tom Clancy only had a handful of good stories in him, it appears, because I haven't even been able to finish his last two books. But this one was one of his best.
Wish You Well by David Baldacci. He normally writes thrillers, or I might have never read this amazing story of two orphans who have to move in with their dirt-poor grandmother. Do yourself a favor and read it.
The Runaway Jury by John Grisham. Another courtroom drama I'm surprised that I liked so much. I'm not a fan of our excessively litigious society, but when the target is Big Tobacco, it's rip-snorting fun.
Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. This was made into an execrable movie, but the book is a fascinating and spooky mix of fake history and fiction. Sort of an Indiana Jones story set in the dark ages, dressed up to look like a scholarly annotation of an ancient manuscript.