What is a good book?

Question

What do you look for in a good fictional book? Like quality, description, character development, etc.
Third person or first person P.O.V.s (remember to mention which one you are talking about)
I am just curious...
Thanks=]
later
--AMB

I guess I meant to asked the question:
What is in a good book?
Not books that are good (you could site examples if you want...I guess)
Sorry
later
--AMB

Answer 1

the best book is one that opens your mind.

Answer 2

In a good book there are:
1. three-dimensional characters i.e. people you can actually believe you could meet one day, or even that you have already done so ( e.g. Stephen King is very good at that)
2. a "credible" plot- even the wildest fantasy can be credible if told in the right way, i.e. with and inside "structure" keeping things together ( e.g. The Lord of the Rings)
3. Rythm- an alternance between quiet and tension, pause and action ( Don De Lillo, Underworld)

and then some books have even more- like poetry or music in the narrative, or emotional connections to you and your dreams/memories, or even wise advice woven among the lines...

Answer 3

I've noticed more and more new releases are in 1st person which surprises me. I used to hate that but alot of good stuff is in 1st person these days.

What I look for in a good book is a good story, something original, with good writing. I don't like regurgitated things or formulaic writing. That's why I'm not a big mystery reader or a fan of series generally, although I have to admit JK Rowling did a good job keeping my attention.

A couple of books that I thought were just awesome are

The Kite Runner
Life of Pi
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Bee Season

Answer 4

The Innocent Man by John Grisham. It's wonderful! I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days. It's a true story though about a guy who was a promising baseball guy i high school, went on to play for the minors and majors and when he got cut from the team he sank into depression and then became a bit psycho.. He hung with the wrong crowd and the police accused him of killing someone. He spent years in the pen (tells all about his experience) and right before he was to executed he was let go. It's a really good book.

Answer 5

I write and my audience are children under seven. If they like my work, they wiggle their feet in circles. If they do not like my work, they arch their backs in an early form of social agony and slither off the sofa as though I am not noticing that they are departing while I am reading aloud to them. It's actually the height of politeness as far as they are concerned . . that slithering away.

But, what I consider to be a good book is one that suspends belief and does not soapbox the author's agenda and voice and perspective. A good book, to me, is one that captures and lucidly reports moments of reality artistically in a meaningful weave, akin to haiku. A good book allows it's characters to respond and develop independently in a natural, realistic way rather than in artificial jerks of puppetry. A good book should reveal a truth, not preach or condescend. And, the truth never follows a downward path. So, I like novels that follow hopeful journeys and the pursuit of excellence and health. I detest whiny works, "poor me" and "woe is I" suffering stuff. Ho-hum. Personal report, first person, is a pleasure to read if the character is truly free of the author's agenda, even if the character is the author. It takes experience and skill to write from many perspectives, but, the more realistic perspectives that an author can honestly conjure, the richer the work.

Answer 6

If you like reading non-fiction, about what goes on nowadays - I recommend these two -

1) "Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader"
written by Bradley K. Martin

2) "Rogue Regime"
written by Jasper Becker

These two well-written books give an insight about the North Korean Government.

Fiction?

Try all the books written by Clive Cussler.

The hero is Dirk Pitt, with his sidekick Al Giordino. These are well-written.

Answer 7

What I do is go to a library and browse the Fiction section. I look for books that look like they have been used a lot. This is a sign that many people liked it so it's worth a try.
When I'm done reading that book and if I liked it, I look for more books by that author.
I discovered books by Thomas Tyron this way. He is now one of my favorite authors.

Answer 8

Books that interest me are ones that keep the page turning. They can be first or third person as long as they provide a lot of detail in thoughts and feelings. I have to know what happens next!

Answer 9

I know I'm a guy but I LOVE Nicholas Sparks books. I've read all of them! I just something that is romantic and funny and that makes you happy and sad. Something that almost everyone can relate to in a way. Nicholas Sparks books always have love, pain, and healing in them, and that is why I think that his books are the BEST books to read.
Best of luck!
=)

Answer 10

I would recommend East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Wonderful book. Or As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. Both are about as close to perfect novels as you can get. Pax - C

Answer 11

Bodega Dreams