I Publish Press Searches For the Other Top Ten

Who Says Only Literary Masterpieces Deserve to Make "Best Of" Lists?

Early this year the Times Book Review polled "authors, critics, editors and other literary sages" for their choice of the best work of American fiction published between 1980 and 2005. The Guardian followed with a list of the top "British, Irish or Commonwealth novel" nominees for the same period. So the literati have spoken, but what about the people? We believe these lists need another companion. After all, authors like Stephen King, Clive Cussler, Elizabeth Peters, Nora Roberts and the like are deserving of "Best" accolades, are they not? So here's the poll for the best loved, most enjoyed popular novels of the last quarter century.

Before I list my picks, I have to give an honourable mention to the following: Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Stephen King's The Stand, and Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance, all of which are on my all time top favourites list. Unfortunately they do not meet the criterion of being published after 1980. It's a difficult choice - I have read and loved so many good stories - but here goes...

• Honest Illusions, Nora Roberts
• Friday, Robert A. Heinlein
• Executive Orders, Tom Clancy
• Icefire, Garfield & Judith Reeves-Stevens
• Eye of the World, Robert Jordan

List your top five English language "mass market," "generic fiction," "pulp fiction," "popular fiction" favorites published anywhere between 1980 and 2005--fantasy, science fiction, political thriller, mystery, horror, chick lit, romance--they didn't make the New York Times or Guardian lists, but we want them for ours.

Linda Noël, Director and Publisher

Best Books from 1980-2005

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