I have always responded well to clearly defined tasks and I am generally better with numbers than words. This week’s number-related Top Ten Tuesday therefore had to be my chance to join in š¤. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
1. Ready Player One
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline takes place in a dystopian world so awful, that people spend most of their time in a virtual reality. I quite liked the 80’s pop culture references, but didn’t think this book could live up to all the hype.
2. The One Plus One
Whilst enjoying Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You, I haven’t actually read The One Plus One. I thought it was perfect for the purpose though.
3. The Three Musketeers
Presumably Alexandre Dumas’ famous tale doesn’t need an introduction, but let me highlight the motto all for one, one for all (which can be used if someone should ever decide to do Protagonists whose motto include numbers as Top Ten topic š).
4. The Big Four
I have read this book twice and recall nothing about the plot. Not the most memorable Agatha Christie!
5. Five on a Treasure Island
Enid Blyton’s classic children’s series about The Famous Five was my introduction to the mystery genre, which has since then become a favourite genre of mine.
6. The Sixth Man
This fast paced thriller by David Baldacci is about intelligence services and the absolute limits of the human mind. Probably far-fetched (and outdated with the progress of AI) but great entertainment.
7. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
The number seven relates to magic, superstition and fairy tales. After realising that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is actually just called Snow White, I went in the opposite direction. Carlo Rovelli’s Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is a simple, beautifully written, poetic introduction to some of the major topics in physics.
8. The Eighth Continent
Traveling is my biggest passion and Madagascar is on top of my destination list. Peter Tyson’s book about Madagascar’s unique plant and animal life will be mandatory reading before I go.
9. Nine Elms
I enjoyed the first couple of books in Robert Bryndza’s series about detective Erika Foster. Nine Elms, which will be published in December, is the first in a new series featuring university lecturer Kate Marshall. I might check it out…
10. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World
This story by Elif Shafak sounds unique. The title refers to the period just after the protagonist dies, during which memories run through her mind as her consciousness is slowly ebbing away. It is on the Booker Prize longlist 2019 and I would love to read it at some point.
This was my Top Ten list. I had fun putting it together! The numbers 1-7 were easy, with lots of choice. 8-10 less so. Do you know any great titles with these numbers?
Brilliant list! I drafted a post up for this but then remembered I had a blog tour review for today, a shame because I liked my list! š
Thanks! š Ah, that is a shame, I would have loved to see your list! Perhaps, hang on to it, there might be another opportunity to post it in the future.
Yes I might use for a freebie week.
Well done – you did it! š The Elif Shafak book is wonderful – one of my books of the year so far. Not sure that it can quite reach the heights of joy given to me by Five on a Treasure Island though… š
Thanks, I had fun with this topic! I clearly remember, you wrote a great review of the Shafak and it certainly contributed to bringing it on my radar! Haha, Five on a Treasure Island was superb! Thinking about it brought me back to my childhood with a full dose of nostalgia. š
I read The One Plus One and really enjoyed that one, such great characters. I also have Nine Elms on my radar! I did something similar linking books to numbers when I did a post about a book clock but I believe I had all different novels so this is great!!
Good to hear that The One Plus One wasn’t completely hopeless. I hope you will read Nine Elms and let me know your opinion. I always read books years after everyone else has read them and moved on. A book clock sounds fun!
Ok Iāll let you know if I read it but I donāt know when thatāll be š If you want to make a clock, you can see it here: https://thebelgianreviewer.wordpress.com/2018/04/16/diy-project-its-book-oclock-time-discussion/
Great idea! I didn’t realise it was an actual, physical clock, I thought it was virtual. Also, I like your selection of books!
Aw thank you!
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC LIST!! I AM IN LOVE WITH ALL OF THESE TITLES! šššā¤ļø Read The Three Musketeers WAYYYYY back and now that you have mentioned it, I think itās time for a re-read! ššā¤ļø LOVED THIS LIST! ā¤ļøā¤ļø
Haha, I love your enthusiasm! š I wouldn’t mind re-reading The Three Musketeers either, it has been quite a while since I read it the first time.
Very unique list, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World sounds brilliant with its premise. Going to have to look into that one.
Thanks! If I have limited overlap with other Top 10 lists this week, it might be because I was determined to do the numbers 1-10 and therefore avoided obvious choices such as 1984. Or perhaps I just read weird books…
What a great list! I remember FictionFan’s glowing review of the Shafak novel. I shall get to it one day š
Thanks! FictionFan’s glowing review definitely contributed to making me curious about this book. I will mirror your intention of getting to it one day! š
Well done for doing 1-10! I didn’t manage to do that, but we do both have The Three Musketeers on our lists. š
Thanks! I had to cheat a bit though, I haven’t actually read all the books on my list. But I was determined to do 1-10.
I’ve never read The Three Musketeers. That really should change sometime.
My TTT.
I thinks The Three Musketeers is a great classic. Hope you will enjoy it, if you decide to read it!
Great list! Iām intrigued by the Shafak as well.
Thanks! Let’s see which of us gets to the Shafak first š
I love David Baldacci, but I haven’t read that one yet.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Ah, I haven’t read much Baldacci, but The Sixth Man is a good one! I was so fascinated by the way human intelligence was explored, and it was a strong plot as well!
Oh this is making me all nostalgic for Famous Five books!
Yes, I think they bring back nice childhood memories for many people! Thanks for stopping by!
The sixth man sounds interesting.
It is interesting!
I love your choices here. You really did a primo job! I really, really, really want to read #10 also. FictionFan gave it a glowing review!
Yes, I really want to read no. 10 as well. And no. 8. And possibly no. 9. š
Ready Player One has been on my TBR for… too long! My all-time favorite book is 1984 š
I read 1984 ages ago and barely remember the details. I think a re-read might be in order!
You weird mathy person, you. š Lots of good choices on this list! Ready Player One is one I didn’t think of until I started seeing it in posts. xD Can’t believe I missed it. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World is one I hadn’t heard of, and it sounds really interesting! I’ll have to check it out.
Guilty as charged š Yeah, Ready Player One was an obvious one to start with. Now you mention it, I don’t recall having seen 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds in other posts either. The Woman in Cabin 10 seemed to be the popular choice for 10, but I guess it is a good thing we don’t all pick the same books. š
It’d be pretty boring if we did pick the same books. I loved seeing all the different books (some I knew, and some I didn’t).
So do I. A big part of the fun is to see what everyone else has chosen!