100 Best Character Books of All Time

We've ranked the best character books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change book cover1

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Stephen R. Covey

5.0
When Stephen Covey first released The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the book became an instant rage because people suddenly got up and took notice that their lives were headed off in the wrong direction; and more than that, they realized that there were so many simple things they could do in order to navigate their life correctly. This book was wonderful education for people, education
Ender's Game book cover2

Ender's Game

Orson Scott Card

4.6
Once again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who?

Ender Wiggin. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child.

Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender's childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School. Among the
The Road to Character book cover3

The Road to Character

David Brooks

4.5
“I wrote this book not sure I could follow the road to character, but I wanted at least to know what the road looks like and how other people have trodden it.”—David Brooks

With the wisdom, humor, curiosity, and sharp insights that have brought millions of readers to his New York Times column and his previous bestsellers, David Brooks has consistently illuminated our daily lives in surprising and
The Hobbit book cover4

The Hobbit

J. R. R. Tolkien

4.5
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilb
Foundation (Foundation, #1) book cover5

Foundation (Foundation, #1)

Isaac Asimov

4.5
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future -- to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire -- both scientists and scholars -- and br
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone book cover6

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling

4.3
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry’s room is a tiny closet at t
Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, #4) book cover7

Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, #4)

Stephen King

4.3
Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Jake’s pet bumbler survive Blaine the Mono’s final crash, only to find themselves stranded in an alternate version of Topeka, Kansas, one that has been ravaged by the superflu virus. While following the deserted I-70 toward a distant glass palace, they hear the atonal squalling of a thinny, a place where the fabric of existence has almost entirely worn away. Whil
The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3) book cover8

The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3)

Stephen King

4.3
Several months have passed, and Roland’s two new tet-mates have become proficient gunslingers. Eddie Dean has given up heroin, and Odetta’s two selves have joined, becoming the stronger and more balanced personality of Susannah Dean. But while battling The Pusher in 1977 New York, Roland altered ka by saving the life of Jake Chambers, a boy who—in Roland’s where and when—has already died. Now Rola
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3) book cover9

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)

J. R. R. Tolkien, Rob Inglis, et al

4.3
Alternate cover edition here.

The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered
The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2) book cover10

The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2)

Stephen King, Phil Hale

4.3
Beginning with a short story appearing in "The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction" in 1978, the publication of Stephen King's epic work of fantasy-what he considers to be a single long novel and his magnum opus-has spanned a quarter of a century.

Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, "The Dark Tower" series is King's mo
The Gunslinger book cover11

The Gunslinger

Stephen King, George Guidall, et al

4.2
In the first book of this brilliant series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the K
Ender's Shadow (The Shadow Series, #1) book cover12

Ender's Shadow (The Shadow Series, #1)

Orson Scott Card

4.2
Welcome to Battleschool.

Growing up is never easy. But try living on the mean streets as a child begging for food and fighting like a dog with ruthless gangs of starving kids who wouldn't hesitate to pound your skull into pulp for a scrap of apple. If Bean has learned anything on the streets, it's how to survive. And not with fists. He is way too small for that. But with brains.

Bean is a genius wit
Forward the Foundation (Foundation: Prequel #2) book cover13

Forward the Foundation (Foundation: Prequel #2)

Isaac Asimov

4.2
Librarian's Note: Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Here, from a grand master of science fiction, is the long awaited final novel of the greatest series ever told. Completed just before his death, Forward The Foundation is the crowning achievement of a great writer's life, a stirring testament to the creative genius of Isaac Asimov.

As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionar
Speaker for the Dead (Ender’s Saga, #2) book cover14

Speaker for the Dead (Ender’s Saga, #2)

Orson Scott Card

4.2
Now available in mass market, the revised, definitive edition of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning classic. In this second book in the saga set 3,000 years after the terrible war, Ender Wiggin is reviled by history as the Xenocide--the destroyer of the alien Buggers. Now, Ender tells the true story of the war and seeks to stop history from repeating itself. ...

In the aftermath of his terrible war,
Foundation's Edge (Foundation #4) book cover15

Foundation's Edge (Foundation #4)

Isaac Asimov

4.2
At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations had come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation had proved victorious; and now they return to Hari Seldon's long-established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two ex
Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, #3) book cover16

Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, #3)

Jim Butcher

4.2
An alternative cover edition with a different page count exists here.

Harry Dresden - Wizard
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) book cover17

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and
Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, #8) book cover18

Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, #8)

Jim Butcher

4.2
There's no love lost between Harry Dresden, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, and the White Council of Wizards, who find him brash and undisciplined. But war with the vampires has thinned their ranks, so the Council has drafted Harry as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City.

As Harry adjusts to his new role, another problem arrives in the form of th
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1-5) book cover19

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1-5)

Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman

4.2
At last in paperback in one complete volume, here are the five novels from Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker series.

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.

"The Restaurant a
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5) book cover20

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)

J. K. Rowling

4.2
Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. 'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.'

Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione
Anansi Boys book cover21

Anansi Boys

Neil Gaiman

4.2
God is dead. Meet the kids.

Fat Charlie Nancy's normal life ended the moment his father dropped dead on a Florida karaoke stage. Charlie didn't know his dad was a god. And he never knew he had a brother.

Now brother Spider's on his doorstep -- about to make Fat Charlie's life more interesting... and a lot more dangerous.
The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2) book cover22

The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2)

Robert Jordan

4.2
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, #13) book cover23

Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, #13)

Lee Child

4.2
Suicide bombers are easy to spot. They give out all kinds of tell-tale signs. Mostly because they're nervous. By definition they're all first-timers.

There are twelve things to look for: No one who has worked in law enforcement will ever forget them.

New York City. The subway, two o'clock in the morning. Jack Reacher studies his fellow passengers. Four are OK. The fifth isn't.

The train brakes for Gr
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) book cover24

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
It is the summer holidays, and one night Harry Potter wakes up with his scar burning. He has had a strange dream, one that he can't help worrying about...until a timely invitation from Ron Weasley arrives: to nothing less than the Quidditch World Cup!

Soon Harry is reunited with Ron and Hermione and gasping at the thrills of an international Quidditch match. But then something horrible happens whic
The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #2) book cover25

The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #2)

Anne Rice

4.2
Lestat. The vampire hero of Anne Rice's enthralling new novel is a creature of the darkest and richest imagination. Once an aristocrat in the heady days of pre-revolutionary France, now a rock star in the demonic, shimmering 1980s, he rushes through the centuries in search of others like him, seeking answers to the mystery of his eternal, terrifying existence. His is a mesmerizing story --- passio
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) book cover26

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)

J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré

4.2
Harry Potter is leaving Privet Drive for the last time. But as he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and they take to the skies, he knows Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters will not be far behind.

The protective charm that has kept him safe until now is broken. But the Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything he loves. And he knows he can’t keep hiding.

To stop Voldemort, Harry knows
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2) book cover27

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)

J. R. R. Tolkien

4.2
The Fellowship was scattered. Some were bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some were contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam were left to take the accursed Ring of Power to be destroyed in Mordor–the dark Kingdom where Sauron was supreme. Their guide was Gollum, deceitful and lust-filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring. Thus continue
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn book cover28

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain

4.2
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or, in more recent editions, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local col
The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, #7) book cover29

The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, #7)

Stephen King, Michael Whelan

4.2
From the Flap:

All good things must come to an end, Constant Reader, and not even Stephen King can make a story that goes on forever. The tale of Roland Deschain's relentless quest for the Dark Tower has, the author fears, sorely tried the patience of those who have followed it from its earliest chapters. But attend to it a little longer, if it pleases you, for this volume is the last, and often th
Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5) book cover30

Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #5)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.2
In Laurell K. Hamilton's "New York Times" bestselling novels, Anita Blake, vampire hunter and animator, takes a bite out of crime-of the supernatural kind. But even someone who deals with death on a daily basis can be unnerved by its power...
When Branson, Missouri, is hit with a death wave-four unsolved murders-it doesn't take an expert to realize that all is not well. But luckily for the locals
31

Wonder

R. J. Palacio

4.2
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIA ROBERTS, OWEN WILSON, AND JACOB TREMBLAY!

Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.

The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born wi
Bad Luck and Trouble (Jack Reacher, #11) book cover32

Bad Luck and Trouble (Jack Reacher, #11)

Lee Child

4.2
From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night…. In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex–army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher—soldier, cop, hero—is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Chi
Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, #1) book cover33

Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, #1)

Lee Child

4.2
Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He's just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he's arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Jack knows is that he didn't kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn't stand a chance of convincing anyone. not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell.
Prelude to Foundation (Foundation: Prequel, #1) book cover34

Prelude to Foundation (Foundation: Prequel, #1)

Isaac Asimov

4.2
It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come t
Blackwood Farm (The Vampire Chronicles #9) book cover35

Blackwood Farm (The Vampire Chronicles #9)

Anne Rice

4.2
Lestat is back, saviour and demon, presiding over a gothic story of family greed and hatred through generations, a terrifying drama of blood lust and betrayal, possession and matricide. Blackwood Farm with its grand Southern mansion, set among dark cypress swamps in Louisiana, harbours terrible blood-stained secrets and family ghosts. Heir to them all is Quinn Blackwood, young, rash and beautiful,
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) book cover36

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
For Twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black m
Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1) book cover37

Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1)

Terry Pratchett

4.2
This is where the dragons went. They lie ... not dead, not asleep, but ... dormant. And although the space they occupy isn't like normal space, nevertheless they are packed in tightly. They could put you in mind of a can of sardines, if you thought sardines were huge and scaly. And presumably, somewhere, there's a key...

GUARDS! GUARDS! is the eighth Discworld novel - and after this, dragons will n
Thud! (Discworld, #34; City Watch #7) book cover38

Thud! (Discworld, #34; City Watch #7)

Terry Pratchett, Stephen Briggs, et al

4.2
Koom Valley? That was where the trolls ambushed the dwarfs, or the dwarfs ambushed the trolls. It was far away. It was a long time ago.

But if he doesn't solve the murder of just one dwarf, Commander Sam Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch is going to see it fought again, right outside his office.

With his beloved Watch crumbling around him and war-drums sounding, he must unravel every clue, outwit eve
39

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)

J.K. Rowling

4.1
The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet . . .

As in all wars, life goes on. The Weasley twins expand their business. Sixth-year students learn to Appar
Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4) book cover40

Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4)

Jim Butcher

4.1
For the 1st printing edition of this ISBN, see here.

HARRY DRESDEN -- WIZARD

Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can't pay his rent. He's alienating his friends. He
61 Hours (Jack Reacher, #14) book cover41

61 Hours (Jack Reacher, #14)

Lee Child

4.1
Jack Reacher is back.
The countdown has begun. Get ready for the most exciting 61 hours of your life. #1 "New York Times" bestselling author Lee Child's latest thriller is a ticking time bomb of suspense that builds electric tension on every page.
Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.
A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In near
Mort (Death, #1; Discworld, #4) book cover42

Mort (Death, #1; Discworld, #4)

Terry Pratchett

4.1
Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels are consistent number one bestseller in England, where they have catapulted him into the highest echelons of parody next to Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

In this Discworld installment, Death comes to Mort with an offer he can't refuse -- especially since being, well, dead isn't compulsory. As Death's apprentice, he'll have
Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, #5) book cover43

Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, #5)

Stephen King, Bernie Wrightson

4.1
Roland and his tet have just returned to the path of the Beam when they discover that they are being followed by a group of inexperienced trackers. The trackers are from the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis, and they desperately need the help of gunslingers. Once every generation, a band of masked riders known as the Wolves gallop out of the dark land of Thunderclap to steal one half of all the twins bo
The Catcher in the Rye book cover44

The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger

4.1
The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caulfield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days. The boy himself is at once too simple and too complex for us to make any final comment about him or his story
Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1) book cover45

Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)

Anne Rice

4.1
This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life. His story ebbs and flows through the streets of New Orleans, defining crucial moments such as his discovery of the exquisite lost youn
The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1) book cover46

The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1)

Terry Pratchett

4.1
"Another world is colliding with this one," said the toad. "All the monsters are coming back."

"Why?" said Tiffany.

"There's no one to stop them."

There was silence for a moment.

Then Tiffany said, "There's me."


Armed only with a frying pan and her common sense, Tiffany Aching, a young witch-to-be, is all that stands between the monsters of Fairyland and the warm, green Chalk country that is her home.
The Fault in Our Stars book cover47

The Fault in Our Stars

John Green

4.1
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author
Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #3) book cover48

Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #3)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.1
In Circus of the Damned-now in trade paperback for the first time-a rogue master vampire hits town, and Anita gets caught in the middle of an undead turf war. Jean-Claude, the Master Vamp of the city, wants her for his own-but his enemies have other plans. And to make matters worse, Anita takes a hit to the heart when she meets a stunningly handsome junior high science teacher named Richard Zeeman
49

Without Fail (Jack Reacher, #6)

Lee Child, Dick Hill

4.1
Skilled, cautious, and anonymous, Jack Reacher is perfect for the job: to assassinate the vice president of the United States. Theoretically, of course. A female Secret Service agent wants Reacher to find the holes in her system, and fast - because a covert group already has the vice president in their sights. They've planned well. There's just one thing they didn't plan on: Reacher.
The Hunt for Red October (Movie Tie-In) book cover50

The Hunt for Red October (Movie Tie-In)

Tom Clancy

4.1
Don't Miss the Original Series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Starring John Krasinski!

The #1 New York Times bestseller that launched the phenomenal career of Tom Clancy--the gripping military thriller that introduced the world to his unforgettable hero, Jack Ryan.

Somewhere under the freezing Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision. The Red October is heading west. The Americans
Song of Susannah book cover51

Song of Susannah

Stephen King, Darrel Anderson

4.1
The Wolves have been defeated, but our tet faces yet another catastrophe. Susannah Dean’s body has been usurped by a demon named Mia who wants to use Susannah’s mortal form to bear a demon child. Stealing Black Thirteen, Mia has traveled through the Unfound Door to 1999 New York where she plans to give birth to her chap, a child born of two mothers and two fathers who will grow up to be Roland’s n
Memnoch the Devil (The Vampire Chronicles, #5) book cover52

Memnoch the Devil (The Vampire Chronicles, #5)

Anne Rice

4.1
In the fifth Vampire Chronicle, Lestat is searching for Dora, the beautiful and charismatic mortal daughter of a drug lord. Dora has moved Lestat like no other mortal ever has, and he cannot get her out of his visions. At the same time, he is increasingly aware that the Devil knows who he is and wants something from him. While torn betwen his vampire world and his passion for Dora, Lestat is sucke
Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1) book cover53

Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1)

James Patterson

4.1
A missing little girl named Maggie Rose . . . a family of three brutally murdered in the projects of Washington, D.C. . . . the thrill-killing of a beautiful elementary school teacher . . . a psychopathic serial kidnapper/murderer who is so terrifying that the FBI, the Secret Service, and the police cannot outsmart him - even after he's been captured.

Gary Soneji wants to commit the crime of the ce
Running Blind (Jack Reacher, #4) book cover54

Running Blind (Jack Reacher, #4)

Lee Child

4.1
The bestselling novel featuring the "wonderfully epic hero" (People) who inspired the hit film Jack Reacher.

Across the country women are being murdered, victims of a disciplined and clever killer who leaves no trace evidence, no fatal wounds, no signs of struggle, and no clues to an apparent motive. They are, truly, perfect crimes. In fact, there’s only one thing that links one victim to the next.
The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, #4) book cover55

The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, #4)

Robert Jordan

4.1
The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.

In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?

In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn.

In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plans the return of the Seanchan armies
The Fifth Elephant (Discworld, #24; City Watch, #5) book cover56

The Fifth Elephant (Discworld, #24; City Watch, #5)

Terry Pratchett

4.1
They say that diplomacy is a gentle art. That its finest practitioners are subtle, sophisticated individuals for whom nuance and subtext are meat and drink. And that mastering it is a lifetime's work. But you do need a certain inclination in that direction. It's not something you can just pick up on the job.

Which is a shame if you find yourself dropped unaccountably into a position of some signifi
The Book Thief book cover57

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak

4.1
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, wit
Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6) book cover58

Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6)

Terry Pratchett

4.1
'Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come round again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes.'

For a policeman, there can be few things worse than a serial killer at loose in your city. Except, perhaps, a serial killer who targets coppers, and a city on the brink of bloody revolution. The people have found their voice at last, the flags and barricades a
Hamlet book cover59

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

4.1
No Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of Hamlet on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right.

"Hamlet" is the story of the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is su
The Bourne Identity (Jason Bourne, #1) book cover60

The Bourne Identity (Jason Bourne, #1)

Robert Ludlum

4.1
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Who is Jason Bourne? Is he an assassin, a terrorist, a thief? Why has he got four million dollars in a Swiss bank account? Why has someone tried to murder him?...

Jason Bourne does not know the answer to any of these questions. Suffering from amnesia, he does not even know that he is Jason Bourne. What manner of man is he? What are his secrets? Who has
Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #7) book cover61

Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #7)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.1
"You can't trust anyone who sleeps with the monsters."

That's what I've always said. That's what I've always believed. But now I'm the one sharing a bed with the Master Vampire of the City. Me, Anita Blake. The woman the vampires call the Executioner. From part of the solution, I've become part of the problem. So it hits close to home when an arsonist begins to target vampire-owned businesses all o
Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, #7) book cover62

Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, #7)

Jim Butcher

4.1
Paranormal investigations are Harry Dresden’s business and Chicago is his beat, as he tries to bring law and order to a world of wizards and monsters that exists alongside everyday life. And though most inhabitants of the Windy City don’t believe in magic, the Special Investigations Department of the Chicago PD knows better.

Karrin Murphy is the head of S. I. and Harry’s good friend. So when a kil
Tripwire (Jack Reacher, #3) book cover63

Tripwire (Jack Reacher, #3)

Lee Child

4.1
Jack Reacher, ex-military policeman relaxed in Key West until Costello turned up dead. The amiable PI was hired in New York by the daughter of Reacher's mentor and former commanding officer, General Garber. Garber's investigation into a Vietnam MIA sets Reacher on collision with hand-less "Hook" Hobie, hours away from his biggest score.
Die Trying (Jack Reacher, #2) book cover64

Die Trying (Jack Reacher, #2)

Lee Child

4.1
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

In a Chicago suburb, a dentist is met in his office parking lot by three men and ordered into the trunk of his Lexus. On a downtown sidewalk, Jack Reacher and an unknown woman are abducted in broad daylight by two men - practiced and confident - who stop them at gunpoint and hustle them into the same sedan. Then Reacher and the woman are switched into
The Lord of the Rings book cover65

The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien, Dramatization, Ian Holm

4.1
A full-cast dramatization
approx. 4 hours
4 cassettes
J.R.R. Tolkien's
The Fellowship of the Ring
Order the audiobook today before the feature film release this holiday season.
J. R. R. Tolkien's groundbreaking epic of good versus evil, extraordinary heroes, wondrous creatures and dark armies of terror will be presented in a trilogy of feature films.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" - December 19, 2001
"T
66

Persuader (Jack Reacher, #7)

Lee Child

4.1
Never forgive, never forget.

Jack Reacher lives for the moment. Without a home. Without commitment. But he has a burning desire to right wrongs - and rewrite his own agonizing past.

Never apologize. Never explain.

When Reacher witnesses a brutal kidnap attempt, he takes the law into his own hands. But a cop dies. Has Reacher lost his sense of right and wrong?
The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles, #3) book cover67

The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles, #3)

Anne Rice

4.1
Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

In 1976, a uniquely seductive world of vampires was unveiled in the now-classic Interview with the Vampire . . . in 1985, a wild and voluptous voice spoke to us, telling the story of The Vampire Lestat. In The Queen of the Damned, Anne Rice continues her extraordinary "Vampire Chronicles" in a feat of mesmeric storytelling, a chillingly
Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, #2) book cover68

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, #2)

Jim Butcher

4.1
Harry Dresden--Wizard
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able
The Tale of the Body Thief (The Vampire Chronicles, #4) book cover69

The Tale of the Body Thief (The Vampire Chronicles, #4)

Anne Rice

4.1
In a gripping feat of storytelling, Anne Rice continues the extraordinary Vampire Chronicles that began with the now-classic Interview with the Vampire. For centuries, Lestat—vampire-hero, enchanter, seducer of mortals—has been a courted prince in the dark and flourishing universe of the living dead. Now he is alone. And in his overwhelming need to destroy his doubts and his loneliness, Lestat emb
Blood Canticle (The Vampire Chronicles #10) book cover70

Blood Canticle (The Vampire Chronicles #10)

Anne Rice

4.1
Lestat is back with a vengeance and in thrall to Rowan Mayfair. Both demon and angel, he is drawn to kill but tempted by goodness as he moves among the pantheon of Anne Rice's unforgettable characters. Julien Mayfair, his tormentor; Rowan, witch and neurosurgeon, who attracts spirits to herself, casts spells on others and finds herself dangerously drawn to Lestat; Patsy, country and western singer
Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5) book cover71

Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5)

Charlaine Harris

4.1
Small-town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has had more than her share of experience with the supernatural—but now it’s really hitting close to home. When Sookie sees her brother Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a were-panther for the first time—a transformation he embraces more readily than most shapeshifters she knows. But her concern becomes cold fear when a s
Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum, #8) book cover72

Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum, #8)

Janet Evanovich

4.1
Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum has a big problem on her hands: Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared.

Evelyn's estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. During the divorce proceedings, he and Evelyn signed a child custody bond, and Steven is demanding the money guaranteed by the bond to find Annie. The money was secured b
Shadow of the Hegemon (The Shadow Series, #2) book cover73

Shadow of the Hegemon (The Shadow Series, #2)

Orson Scott Card

4.1
The War is over, won by Ender Wiggin and his team of brilliant child-warriors. The enemy is destroyed, the human race is saved. Ender himself refuses to return to the planet, but his crew has gone home to their families, scattered across the globe. The battle school is no more.

But with the external threat gone, the Earth has become a battlefield once more. The children of the Battle School are mor
Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, #6) book cover74

Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, #6)

Jim Butcher

4.1
For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there is something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film's producer believes he's the target of a sinister entropy curse, but it's the women
75

Golden Fool (Tawny Man, #2)

Robin Hobb

4.1
The acclaimed Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies established Robin Hobb as one of the most splendidly imaginative practitioners of world-class fantasy.

Now, in Book 2 of her most stunning trilogy yet, Hobb continues the soul-shattering tale of FitzChivalry Farseer. With rich characters, breathtaking magic, and sweeping action, Golden Fool brings the reluctant adventurer further into the fray i
76

Echo Burning (Jack Reacher, #5)

Lee Child

4.1
Hitching rides is an unreliable mode of transport. In temperatures of over a hundred degrees, you’re lucky if a driver will open the door of his air-conditioned car long enough to let you slide in. That’s Jack Reacher’s conclusion. He’s adrift in the fearsome heat of a Texas summer, and he needs to keep moving through the wide open vastness, like a shark in the water. The last thing he’s worried a
Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #3) book cover77

Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #3)

Charlaine Harris

4.1
Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill's sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. When she finally catches up with the errant vampire
Hot Six (Stephanie Plum, #6) book cover78

Hot Six (Stephanie Plum, #6)

Janet Evanovich

4.0
Low-rent bounty hunter Stephanie Plum reaches depths of personal experience that other women detectives never quite do. In Hot Six, for example, a sequence of new and hideous cars bite the dust; she finds herself lumbered with a policeman's multiply incontinent dog; and she has several bad skin days. All this when she is trying to prove her distinctly more competent colleague and occasional boyfri
High Five (Stephanie Plum, #5) book cover79

High Five (Stephanie Plum, #5)

Janet Evanovich

4.0
Stephanie Plum has a whole lot of trouble on her doorstep.

Her Uncle Fred has disappeared and Grandma Mazur is convinced he's been abducted by aliens.

Meanwhile, Cousin Vinnie has asked her to bring in the vertically challenged Randy Briggs who's jumped bail. But instead of coming quietly, he has taken up residence in Stephanie's closet. The mysterious man called Bunchy is trailing Stephanie in the
A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2) book cover80

A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2)

Terry Pratchett

4.0
WE SEE YOU. NOW WE ARE YOU.

No real witch would casually step out of their body, leaving it empty.

Tiffany Aching does. And there’s something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can’t die.

To deal with it, Tiffany has to go to the very heart of what makes her a witch . . .
Breakfast of Champions book cover81

Breakfast of Champions

Kurt Vonnegut

4.0
In Breakfast of Champions, one of Kurt Vonnegut’s most beloved characters, the aging writer Kilgore Trout, finds to his horror that a Midwest car dealer is taking his fiction as truth. What follows is murderously funny satire, as Vonnegut looks at war, sex, racism, success, politics, and pollution in America and reminds us how to see the truth.
The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15) book cover82

The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #15)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.0
Anita Blake is about to face the challenge of her life. Into her world-a world already overflowing with power-have come creatures so feared that powerful, centuries-old vampires refuse to mention their names. It is forbidden to speak of The Harlequin unless you've been contacted. And to be contacted by The Harlequin is to be under sentence of death.

Long-time rivals for Anita's affections, Jean-Cl
Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16) book cover83

Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #16)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.0
Readers can't get enough of the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

A favor for Jason, vampire hunter Anita Blake's werewolf lover, puts her in the center of a fullblown scandal that threatens master-vampire Jean- Claude's reign, and makes her a pawn in an ancient vampire queen's new rise to power.
Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #10) book cover84

Narcissus in Chains (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #10)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.0
Hamilton's vampire-hunting Anita Blake faces a plethora of foes in her tenth outing.

Just returned to St. Louis after six months away, Anita is still no closer to choosing between her lovers—Jean-Claude, a vampire, and Richard, a werewolf. But she has to rely on both for help after two of the wereleopards that she has been watching are abducted at a seedy club called Narcissus in Chains.

Anita and
The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #2) book cover85

The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #2)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.0
Harold Gaynor offers Anita Blake a million dollars to raise a 300-year-old zombie. Knowing it means a human sacrifice will be necessary, Anita turns him down. But when dead bodies start turning up, she realizes that someone else has raised Harold's zombie--and that the zombie is a killer. Anita pits her power against the zombie and the voodoo priestess who controls it.

In The Laughing Corpse Anita
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1) book cover86

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1)

Jim Butcher

4.0
HARRY DRESDEN — WIZARD

Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is act
Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, #9) book cover87

Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, #9)

Charlaine Harris

4.0
The vamps have been out for years, and now the weres and shifters have decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. Sookie Stackhouse already knows about them, of course - her brother turns into a panther at the full moon, she's friend to the local were pack, and Sam, her boss at Merlotte's bar, is a shapeshifter.

The great revelation goes well at first
Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #17) book cover88

Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #17)

Laurell K. Hamilton

4.0
Once you tell someone certain things, like, say, you got mailed a human head in a box, they tend to think you're crazy.

Anita Blake's reputation has taken some hits. Not on the work front, where she has the highest kill count of all the legal vampire executioners in the country, but on the personal front. No one seems to trust a woman who sleeps with the monsters. Still, when a vampire serial kille
Executive Orders (Jack Ryan, #8) book cover89

Executive Orders (Jack Ryan, #8)

Tom Clancy

4.0
A runaway Jumbo jet has crashed into the Capitol Building in Washington, leaving the President dead along with most of the Cabinet and Congress. Dazed a confused, the man who only minutes before was confirmed as the new caretaker Vice-President is told that he is now President of the United States.

President John Patrick Ryan

But how do you run a government with out a government? Where do you begin?

Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2) book cover90

Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2)

James Patterson

4.0
In Los Angeles, a reporter investigating a series of murders is killed. In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a beautiful medical intern suddenly disappears. In Washington D.C. Alex Cross is back to solve the most baffling and terrifying murder case ever. Two clever pattern killers are collaborating, cooperating, competing - and they are working coast to coast.
Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, #1) book cover91

Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, #1)

Tom Clancy

4.0
Tom Clancy's Patriot Games is filled with the exceptional realism and authenticity that distinguished the author's two previous bestsellers, Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising. Patriot Games puts us on the cutting edge of another type of war — the international battle of terrorism.
It is fall. Years before the defection of a Soviet submarine will send him hurtling into confrontation with t
Faith of the Fallen (Sword of Truth, #6) book cover92

Faith of the Fallen (Sword of Truth, #6)

Terry Goodkind

4.0
There is an alternate cover edition here.

As his beloved Kahlan lies close to death, Richard Rahl, who distrusts prophecy more than anyone, is confronted by a compelling vision - one that bears a terrible price. It would mean taking Kahlan away to safety while abandoning his people to a grim fate.

As savage hordes stand poised to invade their homeland, Richard and Kahlan's devotion, not only to each
93

Clear and Present Danger (Jack Ryan, #5)

Tom Clancy

4.0
Colombian drug lords, bored with Uncle Sam's hectoring, assassinate the head of the FBI. The message is clear: Bug off!
At what point do these druggies threaten national security? When can a nation act against its enemies? These are questions Jack Ryan must answer because someone has quietly stepped over the line.
Does anyone know who the real enemy is? How much action is too much? Which lines have
94

Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum, #16)

Janet Evanovich

4.0
Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck. . . .

BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving
Dearly Devoted Dexter (Dexter, #2) book cover95

Dearly Devoted Dexter (Dexter, #2)

Jeff Lindsay

4.0
See alternate cover edition: here

He's a charming monster... A macabre hero... A serial killler who only kills bad people.

Dexter Morgan has been under considerable pressure. It's just not easy being an ethical serial killer - especially while trying to avoid the unshakable suspicions of the dangerous Sergeant Doakes (who believes Dexter is a homicidal maniac...which, of course, he is). In an attemp
96

Fool's Errand (Tawny Man, #1)

Robin Hobb

4.0
Fifteen years have passed since the end of the Red Ship War with the terrifying Outislanders. Since then, Fitz has wandered the world accompanied only by his wolf and Wit-partner, Nighteyes, finally settling in a tiny cottage as remote from Buckkeep and the Farseers as possible.

But lately the world has come crashing in again. The Witted are being persecuted because of their magical bonds with anim
Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, #11) book cover97

Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, #11)

Jim Butcher

4.0
Accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council, Warden Morgan goes in search of Harry Dresden in a desperate attempt to clear his name and stop the deadly punishment from taking place in this latest thrilling addition to the Dresden Files series.
98

The Gathering Storm (The Wheel of Time, #12)

Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson

4.0
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not r
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer book cover99

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain and Scott McKowen

4.0
Who could forget the pranks, the adventures, the sheer fun of Tom Sawyer? It’s something every child should experience and every child will love. From Tom’s sly trickery with the whitewashed fence—when he cleverly manipulates everyone so they happily do his work for him—to his and Becky Thatcher’s calamities in Bat Cave, the enjoyment just never ends. The illustrations for this series were created
Chainfire (Sword of Truth, #9) book cover100

Chainfire (Sword of Truth, #9)

Terry Goodkind

4.0
With Wizard's First Rule and seven subsequent masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled readers worldwide with the unique sweep of his storytelling. Now Goodkind returns with a new novel of Richard and Kahlan, the beginning of a sequence of three novels that will bring their epic story to its culmination.

After being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbe