Top 10 to Read

I'm starting by listing the best fiction I can think of. I don't usually read books more than once. But if I do, its because I really like it. So, based on reading the book more than once and in no particular order here is the list:

* Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - John LeCarre - Also include 'Smiley's People' and the other books about George Smiley in this item.

* The (various) Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Stephen R. Donaldson - And throw in anything by this same author. (But be warned that "The Gap Series" is very, very different. But good.)

* Morgaine Series - CJ Cherryh - Gate_of_Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth

* Cyteen - CJ Cherryh - I originally read this when it was published as three paperbacks named "Cyteen: The Betrayal", "Cyteen: The Rebirth", "Cyteen: The Vindication" but all newer editions have just one book called "Cyteen"

* Foundation Trilogy - Arthur Asimov - This means the first three of this series: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, The Second Foundation. The newer books continuing the series are good too.

* Mysteries - Tony Hillerman - Pretty much any of the Jim Chee or Joe Leaphorn mysteries. You can find a list here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hillerman

* Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card - The other Ender books are good too, especially "Ender's Shadow" but I haven't feld the pull to read them again.

* The Coldfire Trilogy - CS Freidman - Black Sun Rising, When True Night Falls, Crown of Shadows

* Darkover Series - Marion Zimmer Bradley - There is a list here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Zimmer_Bradley

* Aubrey Knight Series - Steven Barnes - Street Lethal, Gorgon Child, Firedance

* Dune - Frank Herbert - The original six: Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heritics of Dune, Children of Dune--these are the really good ones. If you can only read one, read "Dune".

* The Snow Queen Cycle - Joan Vinge - The Snow Queen, World's End, The Winter Queen, Tangled Up in Blue

* Legion of Space - Jack Williamson - Simple but fun.

* Shannara - Terry Brooks - The best ones are the first three: The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, The Wishsong of Shannara. The Heritage series has four more books and they are good too. I haven't read the others in the series twice but enjoyed them the first time.

* Silistra Series - Janet Morris - Four books: High Couch of Silistra, The Golden Sword, Wind From the Abyss, The Carnelian Throne.

* Taormin Series, Network-Consortium - Cheryl J Franklin - Which is pretty much all she has written.

* Hobbit, Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien - not much to add here

Ok ... there are seventeen items in the list. And I've got to admit that most of them comprise more than one book. I never much thought about how much I like there to be more than one book with a continuing story or continuing characters. You learn something every day.

You probably noticed the preponderance of Science Fiction and Fantasy here. I think that is because it hasn't been too many years since I branched out into other areas of fiction. Since I seem to wait a long time before re-reading a book, there hasn't been enough time elapsed.