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What's your favourite book or comic of all time and why?

Posted by Rich in Books & Comics

Here we are at the start of a brand-new Space, so why not start with The Big Question? It'll help us get to know each other and the kinds of books and comics you'd like to see discussed here.

Very simply: tell us your favourite book or comic of all time, and why it's your favourite.

It's a tough one, we know. Feel free to add honourable mentions and if your favourite has changed over the years, tell us that too, and just nominate your current fave. But do commit to a single choice!

Give us a decent bit of analysis/justification too - more detailed, thoughtful answers are more likely to get awarded - and links to the cover art so we can recognise your pick in a bookshop are optional but warmly encouraged. The best 20 submissions get $1 apiece!

already paid

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Reward details

This reward closed to entries at 11:44am on May 21, 2024 but you can still reply, react, and join the conversation below! If you’d like to enter other rewards which are still open, click here.

Created at 11:35am, 3rd May, 2024. Page last updated at 5:43pm, 5th November, 2024.
Deadline at 11:00pm, 20th May, 2024.

Asim 5/19/2024, 4:52:21 PM

My favourite book is toxic people, dealing with dysfunctional realtionships by Tim Cantopher. This is a book that goes into detail about negative people, narcacisst, gaslighters, abusive people, toxic partners and work colleagues etc and all the negative impact they can have on you. If you imagine being around someone and poisonous gas come's out of their mouth, you wouldn't stay around them because you would get poisoned right? This book goes into detail about how to recognise toxic people around you, how to implement boundaries to protect yourself and your own mental health! Metaphorically giving you a gasmask to help protect yourself against those people!

It's really helped me with some difficult situations throughout my life, highly recommend for everyone

Makster 5/19/2024, 7:56:55 AM

Favourite Novel?

1Q84 by Haruki MurakamiA little bit of a cheat as 1Q84 is broken up into three novels so hopefully it is still valid. Although the title harkens to the Big Brother dystopian novel, the actual story is far from it. It is about two different people: a talented child that grows up to be a ho-hum math tutor and a lady that moonlights as an assassin. They both get stuck in a parallel world (one with two moons) and the story is about how they are to come together and escape back to our world.

I feel this is Murakami's best work. It focusses a lot again on the everyday life of these characters carrying them from travelling, cooking, getting into relationships, listening to music, but then pulls you along with the mystery of the lady's next assassination target, the man's past and how it psychologically affects him, and of course, when they realise they are not in the real world and how to get back.

I have fond memories of this book as during a teenage summer I was working as part of an internet company packing their goods for shipment. Manual labour for some extra cash to spend on a summer music festival. There wasn't a TV in the staff room, and I couldn't afford a phone with access to the internet so I had this novel to keep me company through the staff lunch breaks. It really captured my imagination and made those breaks fly-by. So much so that I used to sneak out for restroom breaks just to read a couple more pages.

Fun fact: the number 9 in Japanese is 九 and pronounced as Kyuu or Ku i.e. like Q. So the title serves as a sorta pun of the famous George Orwell novel

TNTpenguin 5/15/2024, 1:54:51 PM

Scott Pilgrim vs the world is the best series I have read.

Scott Pilgrim is a 6 book series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The books follows the titular Scott Pilgrim that has just started dating Ramona Flowers. But if they wish to continue dating Scott must defeat the "Leagues of Evil Ex's" which is a group of 7 of Ramona's past lovers in a mission to control her future love life. The story may sound simple at face value. Scott just need to fight 7 Exs and he just gets the girl. Wrong.

The parts where the story shines is the character work done. Scott is an awful person.He's a cheater, a liar and takes advantage of people but thoughout the story he fights his inner demons (literally) and becomes a better person for Ramona and the people he has affected.

Scott's character isn't the only piece of character work in the book series. Ramona and scott friends all get development (development that unfortunately the movie adaptation couldn't catch all of).

Although the books have a light hearted tone alot of the time it doesn't be shy to be serious and it won't talk down to the audience it treats you as an adult, just like how the characters treat each other as adults.

And if 6 books isn't enough, there is a movie directed by Edgar Wright (he was the director of Shaun of the Dead), a game development by ubisoft and a full anime on netfix animated by the studio that worked on devilman crybaby. If you have plans to check out the anime I beg of you to read the books first as I like to think of the anime as a companion piece to the books/film.

Scott Pilgrim is a wonderful piece of fiction and I read it at least once a year. Each time giving me a new prescriptive on the characters. Please if you spare the time to read 6 graphic novels, read scott pilgrim.

Makster 5/16/2024, 10:51:09 AM

TNTpenguin

Which volume is your favourite?

Mine is the fourth volume: Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together for a number of reasons

1. Bryan's artstyle enters its most recognisable form as a cross between cartoony and manga-esque. You can probably see it peeking through in the previous volume but here it is a lot more pronounced 2. Around the release of this book is where I first heard of SP so I guess it also counts as my introductory volume 3. Although Todd Ingram is my favourite Ex (a weird phrase to say and type), Roxy is almost like a filler Ex and sheds a little bit more light on Ramona rather than Scott 4. Lastly, I do feel in this volume Scott does Get it Together. Scott gets a job, earns the respect for Knives' father, Scott makes the leap to say 'I love you' and to move in with Ramona And I just like the whole vibe of the book. There's a lot of scenes where the gang are just hanging out and it makes you really like the vibe of the Toronto/ SP landscape. It's like the summer/ beach arc of an anime (funnily enough the volume starts at the beach) where you just have the protagonists chilling and maybe reflecting on what the story has been so far

Sturmer 5/14/2024, 5:26:31 PM

Well, it’s been nearly two weeks since I started trying to figure out my favorite book of all time. It’s a tough task! After much consideration, I decided it's the first book I chose to read on my own: Headless Horseman (1865) by Thomas Mayne Reid.

This book opened up the wonderful world of reading for me 35 years ago. Even though I was only 5 years old and don’t remember much from that age, the joy of that discovery is clearly imprinted in my memory.

Rushlock 5/9/2024, 6:16:14 PM

Age of Apocalypse

A bit more specific, as this is my favorite alt reality/timeline story, of my favorite comics, X-Men

I got started with the 90s Animated series, then got into paper comics after that. Those led to this wild event in comics where all the main titles 'ceased' for 4 months as this entirely separate reality was established. At the time, as a kid, we didn't know it'd be 4 months and then back to 'normal' so it was bonkers!

As for why, seeing characters that I was familiar with reimagined, but still recognizable was enthralling!

Laser-Bicep 5/9/2024, 9:37:53 AM

ID SAy WATCHMEN for the following reasons

Nonlinear storytelling: Watchmen weaves multiple timelines , revealing layers of plots that are intricate

Anti-heroes: Although its quite overdone now, Watchmen at the time subverted traditional superhero stereo types

Comic-within-a-comic: “Tales of the Black Freighter” mirrors the main plot which i thought was cool

Chapter titles: Each chapter title corresponds to a song lyric

On top of that there is so many plot twists and is a definetly a good read for someone who prefers a story for a more mature audience.

taha 5/7/2024, 4:11:20 AM

One of my all time favourite comic book stories is Wolverine: Old Man Logan for so many reasons. One of them being that it not only inspired the 2017 film, but it also feels like it took inspiration from more than a few sources for its road trip narrative and post-apocalyptic setting.

One of my other favourite comic books is Y: The Last Man, a similarly dystopian story but one that happens under different circumstances but the premise is the same in that there is an absence of a certain category of people.

However, in Wolverine's case, the shortage of superheroes is haunting and the few that we do meet are so different from what we're used to that it makes for some very interesting moments that would never happen otherwise. Without giving too much away, some of them aren't even heroes any more and that makes for an even more terrifying premise for Logan.

The reason why I think I pick this one as my favourite is because of how strong the story has stuck with me and it's not one that gets easily forgotten. If you're curious about it, it's definitely a much different story to the one that was told in Hugh Jackman's movie, but still one that hits just as hard and provides an emotional experience with one of the most well-loved members of the X-Men.

Lanah Tyra 5/5/2024, 4:04:34 PM

Really hard to choose just one, as I have a favourite from each genre. Would be even hard to choose just my favourite sci-fi book. So for overall favourite I'll go with the first book I remember reading on my own, got it from my dad shortly before he passed away.

I love it because it's completely different to read it as a child and as an adult. So if you haven't read it since a long while, I highly recommend reading it again, it definitely makes you rethink your life.

Emilia 5/5/2024, 2:52:32 PM

I really struggle to answer this but I think I might have to say 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck. It is a book that I think about regularly because of a particular sentiment in it. “Don’t you see? . . . The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open.” The idea of choice between good and evil is so central to the text that this sentiment changes the way you read the book as a whole. Just such a well thought out book with so many beautiful sentiments. Another quote I love is 'I guess I wouldn’t have minded so much if she had wanted my death. That would have been a kind of love. '. Such a heartbreaking reflection on the desire to be with someone that hates you because at least they feel something about you. Steinbeck brought something to fundamentally human to the novel, so fundamental to existence no matter where or who you are. Such an amazing book!

Groblin 5/4/2024, 9:50:24 PM

I am going to cheat a little and instead of just one book I will say the series of books by David Eddings called The Malloreon.

This is the 2nd series of books by David Eddings that I read when I was a teenager (think I was around 12 but can't remember that far back properly now). I was in a bad place as I was bullied at school and this was my safe place. I loved the characters and they way the magic in this world behaves. I went on to read the prequel series called The Belgariad and then had to read every single David Eddings book I could find (even the non fantasy books). I have always wanted to go back and re-read these to see if they still hold up to the memories.

FirestormGamingTeam 5/4/2024, 11:58:34 PM

Groblin

They do hold up, 100%

mar1gold 5/4/2024, 12:50:56 PM

Giovanni's room by James Baldwin

James Baldwin is one of my favourite authors! He has a very beautiful way with prose and all his descriptions are so vivid. Giovanni's room is about a man named David who falls in love with an Italian called Giovanni. It's a beautiful analysis of masculinity, shame and prejudice. David as a narrator isn't very likeable, but you still feel sorry for him. Baldwin creates this conflict with his characters a lot.

My favourite quote from the book is:

“Love him,’ said Jacques, with vehemence, ‘love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters? And how long, at the best, can it last, since you are both men and still have everywhere to go? Only five minutes, I assure you, only five minutes, and most of that, helas! in the dark. And if you think of them as dirty, then they will be dirty— they will be dirty because you will be giving nothing, you will be despising your flesh and his. But you can make your time together anything but dirty, you can give each other something which will make both of you better—forever—if you will not be ashamed, if you will only not play it safe.’ He paused, watching me, and then looked down to his cognac. ‘You play it safe long enough,’ he said, in a different tone, ‘and you’ll end up trapped in your own dirty body, forever and forever and forever—like me.”

Gaypengwing 5/4/2024, 1:38:14 AM

The Hobbit because it was the first book I ever chose to read for myself and it has led to my love of Lord of the rings/the hobbit growing in to my favourite complete story. Fantasy has become an escape and hugely impacted my cosplays too. There is so much lore and I will never get sick of reading it again and again. So much so that the cover is falling off of my copy

Horror and Cats 5/3/2024, 8:52:14 PM

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant.

It is about a scientific research vessel investigating the loss of all souls aboard a film studio ship over the Mariana Trench. It turns out, there is are unknown horrors residing in the trench and the loss of the studio ship isn’t the only vessel to have fallen afoul of the denizens of the trench.

It has a very technically and scientifically inclined plot, but Grant has the fantastic ability to make complex topics palatable much like Michael Critchen (Jurassic Park).

Also, there is strong LGBT+ and deaf representation. The use of ASL (American Sign Language) actually ends up being a pivotal plot point.

It’s a fantastic book.

jojonoer 5/8/2024, 9:33:42 PM

Horror and Cats

I would love to read more Mira Grant, but my nerves and heart simply cannot take it. I read 'Feed' and then I cried for like an hour. I have to stick to her non-horror stuff

Horror and Cats 5/8/2024, 10:52:14 PM

jojonoer

Oh yeah, Feed is intense haha

Misfitsworld 5/3/2024, 6:34:57 PM

for me it has to the the original beano dennis the menace, i loved reading that comic as a kid, always used be in the shop each week buying it, rasher,gnasher creating chaos for sergeant slipper & the colonel & walter the softy being harassed by him poor mum and dad driven up the wall by him, i did own a lot of the annuals but unfortunately as got older they got misplaced i do however still have this hot water bottle cover from 1996 i checked the label, i loved it so much i really never used it hence it looking in such condition still, no idea where the water bottle is though lol

Georgina_Herdman 5/3/2024, 6:00:04 PM

Verity by Colleen Hoover - The ending has such a heartbreaking rug pull (no spoilers) that is something you’ll be pondering days after finishing the book. It’s also open to interpretation as the Character in question is a distinguished liar so at the end you’re left not sure what to believe. You won’t regret reading it!

girlofgotham 5/3/2024, 5:22:52 PM

This is so tricky so I'm going to pick American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I read it when I was a student and I hadn't read much of his stuff at the time so it was really exciting. I love Neil Gaiman's prose and while the tv show eventually became a bit of a disappointment, I liked season 1.

This book has really cool interpretations of gods and mythology and that's something I was obsessed with at the time I read it. And now that I'm writing about it, it might be time for a reread since it's been about a decade (probably more) since I read it last!

MadamClutter 5/3/2024, 4:30:09 PM

I'm going to pretend this specifies contemporary books because otherwise I cannot pick just one.. I'm still picking a trilogy though!

My favorite book is A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It's the first book in the All Soul's Trilogy and really my favorite is all three!

Why? So many reasons... It has everything I've ever wanted in a novel.. magic, adventure, time travel, history, love, passion, vampires, witches, daemons, humor, danger, family... and so much more. For me, this story sets the bar for contemporary fantasy.

"It begins with absence and desire. It begins with blood and fear. It begins with a discovery of witches."

(Picture is from Amazon )

Kirsty_HighLady 5/3/2024, 5:59:08 PM

MadamClutter

I really enjoyed the first one of these and need to start the second! Such a well-crafted idea and a good pace to the story so far. Also really appreciate a mid-twenties main character in a fantasy book!

MadamClutter 5/3/2024, 6:04:25 PM

Kirsty_HighLady

Yes! I agree about having a more mature main character, it's a nice change of pace. There's a new book for the series coming soon too, Black Bird Oracle. Also, Time's Convert is in the same universe but follows one of the other characters.

FaithChaos 5/3/2024, 4:05:40 PM

It has to be Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy for me. Not only is the book itself fantastically funny, but it was also a book I would sit and read with my dad. We would each take it turns to read a page, and this remains one of my most cherished memories of childhood. It's a world I can still picture perfectly, even though it has been a few years since I revisited it.

I would say it's a must read if your into quirky, funny sci-fi stories.

Roo 5/3/2024, 4:21:50 PM

FaithChaos

I have that exact copy kindly gifted to me by my Grandad ❤️. It's falling apart at the seams but I suppose that's the sign of a well-loved book

Wadd Enderas 5/4/2024, 5:09:17 PM

FaithChaos

Super choice, the sheer querkiness and unpredictability brought about by the Improbability Drive make the Trilogy (of 5) so entertaining. I love examples like when we spend a page just going through the full cycle of a Sperm Whale becoming self aware...

Recent modern attempts to bring it to screen just haven't quite cut the mustard for me.

Paul 5/3/2024, 3:38:48 PM

My favourite novel has to be First and Only, a Gaunts Ghosts novel.

In a nut shell, this is band of brothers but in the far future with aliens and zealous cultists.

The book tells the story of a newly founded guard regiment on the planet of Tanith. Known for their skills at hunting and tracking these regiments were to be scouting professionals. However at the founding of the regiment the planet was attacked and completely destroyed.

The regiments commander, colonel commisar Ibram Gaunt and enough men for one regiment managed to escape However all of the command structure were lost so the ranks of colonel, major etc go to grunt soldiers.

This is the first book in a series that follows the Tanith 1st (and only) as they fight from campaign to campaign while a sinister conspiracy playes out in the background. The characters are brilliantly written and develop over the course of the series but the foundation of that development is in this book.

If you are a war story fan, its a good read. If you are a warhammer fan, its a great read.

If you collect imperial guard and have not read this, report for disciplinary action at the commiserate office immediately 😉

FirestormGamingTeam 5/3/2024, 3:14:53 PM

This one!

In this book, we follow the journey of two young boys, Thomas & Pug, whose world is invaded by a Rift Gate and they become swept up in it. I( won't say too much because of "spoilers" but, it is an incredible book and leads the way into his massive series of books based on the world of Midikemia and Kelewan, everyone should read this book.

Wadd Enderas 5/4/2024, 5:04:28 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

Fantastic book! I've gone on to read the rest of Feist's books in the main Magician storyline (involving Pug), but magician is by far my favourite.

FirestormGamingTeam 5/4/2024, 5:06:57 PM

Wadd Enderas

100% agree, it's a master piece. His new series is really good as well so don't forget to keep up.

Wadd Enderas 5/4/2024, 5:14:50 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

I think i've worked through all of the Riftwar Cycle now, recently finishing -

(While I typed this I was Googling and have found Firemane... this one?!)

FirestormGamingTeam 5/4/2024, 5:43:43 PM

Wadd Enderas

Correct but I think the aim is to tie the new series back into the older ones, I wont spoil it for you, but go get his new books, it will make sense.

Wadd Enderas 5/4/2024, 11:55:18 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

Awesome, thanks man!

sumokitty 5/4/2024, 4:47:58 AM

It was 2007, I was a teen sleeping on the floor of the new house we moved into. Internet wasn't set up, nor was my bedroom. My Mum's partner (at the time) had a collection of books that I rummaged through for entertainment since, you know, no internet :(

I ended up snatching the book called Daggerspell and was surprised at how engaged I would be. The book, Daggerspell, is authored by Katharine Kerr, and is part of her Deverry series.

Daggerspell was my introduction to the fantasy genre and kept me hooked! The book covered so many different ideas too - romance, feuds, dark scary magic, etc.

The story follows the protagonist through many generations, whom is unable to die until he fixes fate (which he messed up, oops). The story is presented with a main "timeline", with little short stories showing the protagonist's attempts at fixing fate in previous century/decades.

I'd highly recommend it, the world is imaginative, the nature of magic is creative, and there's a whole series to read!

I wasn't much of a reader before, but Daggerspell grabbed my attention, and ignited my geeky interests in fantasy.

Fras_Shoyo 5/9/2024, 1:39:33 PM

“The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien: This epic fantasy trilogy transports readers to the magical world of Middle-earth. With its richly detailed mythology, complex characters, and epic battles, Tolkien’s masterpiece has become a beloved classic for generations of fantasy enthusiasts.

antibird 5/16/2024, 10:38:19 AM

Fras_Shoyo

This is the correct answer

Sturmer 5/9/2024, 6:49:18 PM

I think that's the toughest bounty so far, 6 days passed, but managed to reduce my list to 12...

Rafdyy 5/9/2024, 7:54:26 PM

"Watchmen" by Alan Moore is a groundbreaking graphic novel that redefined the superhero genre. Set in an alternate reality where masked vigilantes are part of everyday life, it explores complex themes such as power, morality, and the human condition. The story is filled with intricate plotlines, flawed characters, and philosophical undertones, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read. The artwork by Dave Gibbons complements the narrative perfectly, creating a visually stunning and immersive experience. "Watchmen" remains a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate readers with its depth and complexity

Kane Carnifex 5/10/2024, 10:12:09 AM

I have seen innocence puke

First you don't see it but later you know which stories are connected to each other. People you hate, you start to understand, you accept it. Once you take off the pink glasses, you see how cruel and normal our life got.

Humans make your noise life quiter

Super dark, a lot of bodyfluids and moral which learnt to cannibalize anything.

and than i will be a Poster over your Bed

ISBN: 3937536590 Language: German

"Guten Tag, die Welt liegt in Trümmern. Ich sammle sie auf. Errichte daraus neue Gebäude. Konstruiere neue Städte. Kann man wohnen
drin. Oder weiträumig umfahren.

Good Day, the world lays in debris, I collect them. I build new buildings. Construct new cities. You can live in it. Or bypass it widely.

Dark, morbid and merciless - a relay race for sick brains

I also had Harry Potter on my list and the Legend of the Seeker(~16 Books in German) and Thor and Anders but this one hits my sweet spot :P

Marcus 5/13/2024, 2:30:49 PM

One of my favourite comic books of all time has to be Batman Eternal. This is because of the multiple characters and plot points that take part within the overall story. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tim Seeley, and other fantastic writers and artists tell an incredible story that will keep you engaged and build upon the suspense. One of my favourite plot points in this story is the character development of Spoiler and Bluebird, with how they grow to become the heroes that they need to be in this event. I won't say any more just to make sure I don't spoil the experience for you, but I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself!

Philip 5/14/2024, 12:24:12 PM

The Mongoliad

I think I've read this book 4 times so far. It's a historical fiction that set during the Mongolian hordes invasion of Europe. An order of Christian / Pagan knights set out on a quest to cross the war ravaged continent and deep into the heart of the Mongolian empire to assassinate the khan.

Its theme parallels the Lord of the Rings, where a small band seeks to sneak into enemy territory and cross vast landscapes, whilst being hunted and in turn setting up ambushes to slay their pursuers.

The story leans into the culture of the time, heavily referencing the mysticism and concepts of honour and duty.

The heroes journeys diverge through the story and you get to follow from the perspective of different characters in each chapter, including the khan and members of his court.

I thoroughly recommend the story as the descriptions of events are horrific and the mindsets of the characters so alien, yet utterly engaging.

As all the pieces move on the board, you can engage with each character and the finale is both surprising and satisfying.

jojonoer 5/19/2024, 2:45:55 PM

The Lord of the Rings might be my favorite books of all since it was the first "big" books i actually read by myself.

I had heard The Hobbit on the radio and pestered my father to read LotR to me but it took way too long, so I found the books in his bookshelf and read ahead.

I also promptly made myself cry when I found out Boromir died so it might have traumatised me a bit too, but once i read the books I started borrowing the audio books from the library to bring on vacations every year. It was a absolutely massive book of tapes for my walkman😆

TheGreatestBanana12 5/20/2024, 10:29:26 PM

Without a doubt it has to be Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone for me it was probably one of the first full length books that had ever read and I was definitely hooked to the point where I just wanted to keep reading so that is something that I will never forget. My love of reading probably started from reading the first Harry Potter and it only increased with each other book in the series after that the story was so gripping to me that I couldn't put the books down and would read them cover to cover pretty much without stopping, even now I could read this again and again and it would still hold its charm that I first experienced when I was just a kid.

You're a wizard Harry.

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