The Alchmist novel by Paulo Cohelo about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago. He follows his dreams, literally, a well as “signs” from his environment. He travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Characters: Santiago (the shepherd) Melchizedek (the king of Salem) The Englishman […]
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Theme: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman, explores themes of good vs. evil, free will, and the nature of humanity. Summary: Good Omens is a humorous and thought-provoking novel that tells the story of an angel and a demon who team up to prevent the apocalypse. It is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan
Theme: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany, explores the theme of the impact of fame and legacy upon a parent-child relationship. It is about the journey Albus takes while growing up, and the roles he and his best friend, Scorpius (Draco Malfoy’s son), play when dark forces,
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Theme: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, explores the theme of war and violence. It is divided into chapters that focus on different characters connected to one central protagonist, Holly Sykes, during successive historical moments. Summary: It follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, who becomes embroiled in a secret war between two
Theme: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, explores the themes of physical death and war. Summary: Among Atkinson’s later critically acclaimed works was Life After Life (2013), a novel in which the protagonist, Ursula Todd, repeatedly dies and is reborn in the year 1910. In each new life, Ursula is confronted by different choices and situations
Theme: The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, describes the content of Lost memories and the fight to get them back. Summary: The story follows an elderly couple, Axl and Beatrice, as they embark on a journey to find their long-lost son. Along the way, they encounter mystical beings and uncover buried secrets that force them
Theme: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, explores the theme of destiny, youth, courage and love. Summary: Sophie is the oldest of three girls and works in a hat shop. Things change when the Witch of the Waste (evil bad women) puts a spell on her that makes her old. She meets the infamous
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Theme: Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, explores the theme of Faith and Belief. Summary: It follows the story of Lessa, a young woman with a telepathic bond to dragons. Set in the world of Pern, it is a tale of courage, adventure, and the fight against an ancient enemy. Famous Quotes: A dragon is not a
Theme: The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang, explores the theme of war, colonization, racism, colorism, genocide and cycles of abuse. Summary: The book follows Fang Runin, a peasant girl who is accepted to Sinegard Academy. She discovers a mysterious power and trains to become a shaman to the vengeful god, the Phoenix. When war
Theme: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, explores the social themes, like class, money and position in society among other things as well. Summary: It is a collection of four stories set on Discworld, a flat planet that is carried by four huge elephants that stand on the back of the giant turtle Great
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Theme: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, explores the theme of Coming of Age Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Identity and the Shadow Self Duty and Destiny Cosmic Balance Summary: A Wizard of Earthsea is a simple but beautiful and magical coming-of-age story of a young wizard Ged, who starts
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Theme: The Hobbit by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, explores the theme of bravery. Summary: A well mannered Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, embarks upon a journey to take back a kingdom, and a very important jewel ,with twelve dwarves, and a wizard named Gandalf the Grey. Halfway throughout the journey, Bilbo embarks upon a magic golden
Theme: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis explores the theme of good vs. evil, betrayal and forgiveness, courage, transformation, the natural world, and magic. Summary: This novel takes readers on a magical journey through a wardrobe into the enchanting world of Narnia where four siblings must battle the evil witch
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Theme: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, explores the theme of The price of life Stretch of a lie Summary: In this novel, we follow a group of elite con artists called the Gentleman Bastards. Led by their leader, Locke Lamora (the infamous Thorn of Camorr), the story begins with the gang trying
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Theme and Summary: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin explores the theme of Power Struggles – The fight among characters and houses for control and authority Family Loyalty – The importance of staying true to one’s family and protecting them Betrayal – Characters turning against each other for personal gain Famous Quotes:
Theme: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton explores the themes of man vs. nature, technology, and power. Summary: The main message of this novel is to show the danger of using technology in such a way. Jurassic Park follows the characters of Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler as they are flown to an island
Theme: The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin explores the theme of climate change, racial repression, and post-apocalyptic disaster. Summary: The story is split into three separate narratives. One, narrated in the second person, follows a middle-aged woman named Essun from a small town called Tirimo. The other two are narrated in the third person and follow
Theme: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood explores the theme of human relationships (romantic/familial) and how they are affected by the scientific and cultural shifts. Summary: Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss
Theme: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, explores the theme of power and authority. Summary: Fleeing her old life, Rosemary Harper joins the multi-species crew of the Wayfarer as a file clerk, and follows them on their various missions throughout the galaxy. It introduces readers to the Wayfarer, a ship
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Theme: I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, explores the theme of Human Superiority and Control. Summary: It is a collection of nine short stories that imagines the development of “positronic” (humanlike, with a form of artificial intelligence) robots and wrestles with the moral implications of the technology. The Three Laws of Robotics: A robot may not
Theme: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, explores the themes of love, loss, sacrifice, and the pursuit of meaning. Summary: On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope—and a
Theme: The Children of Men by P. D. James, explores the themes of hope and faith in the face of overwhelming futility and despair. Summary: It is a dystopian novel set in a future society where women have become infertile. As the human race faces extinction, the protagonist, Theo Faron, is drawn into a dangerous mission
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Theme: The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, explores the theme of the relation between humans and natural resources. Summary: It follows the adventures of a group of castaways who use their survivalist savvy to build a functional community on an uncharted island. A hot-air balloon carrying five passengers and a dog escapes from Richmond, Va., during
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Theme: Neuromancer by William Gibson, explores the theme of alienation, technology, and identity. Summary: The title “Neuromancer” is a combination of two key elements: “neuro” and “mancer.” In this context, “neuro” refers to the nervous system, particularly the brain and its functions, while “mancer” is derived from “necromancer,” which traditionally refers to someone who communicates
Theme: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, explores the themes of happiness, censorship, the individual versus the community, violence, and mass media. It’s a dystopic novel in that it describes a bleak, restrictive, and totalitarian society. Summary: It tells the story of Guy Montag and his transformation from a book-burning fireman to a book-reading rebel. Montag lives in
Theme: Foundation by Isaac Asimov, explores the theme of how psychohistory influences the world and what future knowledge means in terms of power and time. Summary: It examines the rise and fall of civilizations, the role of knowledge and science in shaping the future, and the struggle for power in a universe undergoing significant change.
Theme: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick, explores the theme of The Power of Human Empathy. Summary: The story is “androids don’t feel empathy and that makes them different from humans.” An android would sell out an other android without a second thought according to the some of the characters. In
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Theme: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut explores the theme of the impacts of war, free will, and death. Summary: It is an account of Billy Pilgrim’s capture and incarceration by the Germans during the last years of World War II, and scattered throughout the narrative are episodes from Billy’s life both before and after the
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Theme: The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, has a theme of Religion, its presence and absence, and the notion of a higher power. Summary: It is about a fictional invasion of Southern England by Martians. It deals with the in/ability to retain faith in the wake of devastation and catastrophe. The military
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Theme: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr., contains themes of the conflict between religion and science, religious ethics and secular ethics, sin and redemption, myth and preternatural innocence. Summary: Set in a Catholic monastery in the desert lands of the Southwestern US after a catastrophic nuclear war, the novel spans the thousands
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Theme: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, explores the theme of lying and twisting the truth. Summary: The story highlights the importance of intelligent and practical hard work in life, as it will definitely pay off in the coming years. The first two pigs were reluctant to do the hard
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Theme: The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen, explores the theme to judge people based on their appearance. Summary: A story of a prince who insists on marrying a real princess. When a woman comes to his door maintaining that she is a real princess, the prince’s mother tests her by burying a
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Theme: The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, explores the theme of beauty, heroism, and virtue. All fairy tales attempt to help people know how to be good people. Message: Fairy tales show that people face adversity, but, if they believe in themselves, they can overcome obstacles. Stories can help children confront real-life fears and anxieties in
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Theme: Grimms Fairy Tale by The Brothers Grimm, explore themes of good versus evil, consequences for actions, and the importance of virtue. Summary: The tales are about children and families and how they reacted to the difficult conditions under which they lived. The Grimms thought the stories and their morals emanated naturally from the German people
Theme: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, explores the theme of beauty, heroism, and virtue. All fairy tales attempt to help people know how to be good people. Message: Fairy tales show that people face adversity, but, if they believe in themselves, they can overcome obstacles. Stories can help children confront real-life fears and anxieties in a
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Theme: Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs by Jacob Grimm & Wilhelm Grimm, is a short fiction story. It explores the theme of Good versus evil, innocence, beauty, bravery, jealousy, vanity, and friendship. Summary: She is meant to represent good while the queen is meant to represent evil. A main message of this work is
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Theme: Elan Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine Ella, focus on theme of the importance of agency and selflessness in the world. Ella’s inability to refuse commands parallels the experiences of young adults, especially young women, who may have little control over their own lives. Her quest to become independent functions as a coming-of-age story. Famous Quotes:
Theme: A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, explores the theme of: Perseverance in spite of hardships Even to the point of ignoring reason The struggle for survival in a hostile environment Summary: A geology professor, Otto Lidenbrock, and his nephew Axel discover and decode an ancient document that purports to
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Theme: The Princess Bride by William Goldman, explores the theme of Love, Loyalty, and Friendship. Summary: Within the frame stories and in The Princess Bride itself, the novel’s characters are confronted with questions of what it means to be a good friend, parent, or partner. The Princess Bride is a love story between Westley and Buttercup. Famous Quotes:
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Theme: Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, explores the theme of Chance, Adventure, and Human Connection. Summary: In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a wager of £20,000 (equivalent to £1.9 million in 2019) set by
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Theme: King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard explores themes of exploration, greed, and the clash of cultures. Summary: It is a thrilling adventure novel that follows Allan Quatermain and his companions as they search for the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon in Africa. Famous Quotes: Only love and death will change all things.
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Theme: Life of Pi by Yann Martel explores the themes of spirituality and religion, self-perception, the definition of family, and the nature of animals Summary: This novel revolves around a teenage Indian boy, Pi, who becomes lost at sea after a shipwreck. Pi finds himself struggling for survival against the torrential ocean with his only
Theme: Tarzan of the Apes by E R Burroughs, explores the theme about the impact of heredity on behavior; racial superiority; civilization, especially as his struggles with his identity as a human; sexuality; and escapism. Summary: Tarzan/John Clayton is very intelligent and articulate, and does not speak in broken English as the classic movies of
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Theme: She – A History of Adventure by Henry Rider Haggard, explores the theme of “an immortal woman inspired by an immortal love”. Summary: It was one of the first pieces of serial literature to reach a large popular audience. A Victorian professor and his adopted son travel to Africa in search of a lost
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Theme: The Little Prince is an honest and beautiful story about loneliness, friendship, sadness, and love. Summary: The prince is a small boy from a tiny planet (an asteroid to be precise), who travels the universe, planet-to-planet, seeking wisdom. On his journey, he discovers the unpredictable nature of adults. Famous Quotes: All grown-ups were once
Theme: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, explores the theme of love, the universe conspires, perseverance, gratitude, hope, personal legend, dreams, and life. Summary: An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. He is both a simple sheep herder
Theme: The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi explores the theme about that people will be rewarded for being brave, loyal, and honest. Summary: A poor man named Geppetto wants to carve himself a marionette in order to make a living as a puppeteer. He is given a piece of enchanted wood, and as soon
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Theme: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is a story of an ambitious and adventurous seagull whose main aim in life is to do something worthwhile and unforgettable. Summary: It is an ode to self-determination through transcendence of the body and discovery of the limitless nature of the mind and the spirit. Jonathan longs to
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