Good Books To Read Now and Anytime

We read to know we are not alone.

C.S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis knew how to express, in writing, the very essence of the scope of human emotions. And that’s what a good writer does. When you have a good book, you are not alone. The depth and breadth of triumph and tragedy become yours as you turn the pages of The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, or the exquisite beauty of redemption becomes visible in the last pages of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. We gather courage from their triumphant journeys, and hope from their poignant emotional responses, both of which are in great demand right now! So, here’s a list of books to inspire you and maybe even challenge your viewpoints.

Fantasy/Sci Fi

I absolutely love a good fantasy book and here’s why you should too. It takes the things which we know and restores the deep significance that has become hidden over time. The function of myth and fantasy is to allow our imagination to rediscover the enchanted reality that the narrow, practical, perspectives of real life won’t allow. We all need a little more enchantment in our lives.

This is the first book in the Dragon King trilogy. If you like this one, the other titles are Warlords of Nin and The Sword and the Flame.

Thrillers

Better known as page turners, these keep you up at night and usually in an uneasy way, but you can’t stop until you know what happens to the protagonist.

This is the first book in a four book series by Thomas Harris wherein we are introduced to a fiendish literary serial killer named Hannibal Lecter. The other titles in this series are The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, and Hannibal Rising.

Non-Fiction

These are the books that tell stories which are hard to believe and cause us to question ideas and beliefs we may have taken for granted.

Good Old Fashioned Fiction

If you like historical fiction and you need a sweeping epic, this is for you. The Saxon Tales series includes 10 books that chronicle Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s journey as a young boy captured by Vikings and then pressed into service as a soldier for the Saxon army under King Alfred’s reign. It is the epic tale of how England was formed to defend herself from Viking invasions.