Contact by Carl Sagan. I first read it as an adult and it took my breath away. The movie was a fair adaptation.
Also, I like to read Ender's Game once a year or so.
Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
31–40 of 52 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#32A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#33Catch 22.
Catch 22 is a fantastic read. I don't think I've read anything else where everything in the book is such a great illustration of its main theme. Plus, it's just plain entertaining.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#34The Count of Monte Cristo for a great, rousing yarn
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#35Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, while maybe not the "best" book ever written, is highly entertaining...
All of Neal Stephenson's books have a breezy sense of wonder and adventure with a dash of science-y cleverness.
If the OP is looking for a page turner, then Stephenson's Snow Crash is another great recommendation. Anathem was slower to me, and Reamde was good. But if I was to pick up Stephenson's stuff again I go to Snow Crash, then Cryptonomicon as my one, two.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#36It's so hard to recommend something without a frame of reference. Personally, I've found myself re-reading The Lord of the Rings lately. But, if I had to pick one book that was my favourite, I might say Moby Dick . (I'll admit that I actually read it first after seeing the Wrath of Khan as a kid)
I agree with this. "Fiction" is a really broad term and may lead to many different and, probably, meaningless suggestions to the OP. If he can specify wich kind of fictions he likes maybe he will get better recommendations, I've read so many fiction books from different genres that it's really hard to choose one in particular.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#37Top three: Mockingbird , by Walter Tevis; Riddley Walker , by Russell Hoban; Glimpses of the Moon , by Edith Wharton Some other favorites: The Dog Stars , by Peter Heller; To Reign In Hell , by Steven Brust; Machine Man , by Max Barry; The Dawn Patrol , by Don Winslow; The Woman , by Hank Ketchum
Read Machine Man this year: very effective, really chilling.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#38[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#39A confederacy of dunces, amazing book! tragedy, comedy, insane characters, really good book!
Re: Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read?
#40Joyce Carol Oates.