For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and Bookish), I wanted to break my Top 10 into two Top 5 lists: the top 5 books featuring travel that I have read, and the top 5 books featuring travel that are on my TBR list. There is travel in virtually every book if you want to get technical, but I wanted to feature books where the traveling is essential to the plot (or for the books on my TBR list, they appear to be essential), so this is what I kept in mind as I created my lists. The lists are in no particular order.
Top 5 Books Featuring Travel that I Have Read
1. The Hobbit
Bilbo Baggins was happy living out a quiet life in his hobbit home when Gandalf retrieves him for an adventure. Nearly the whole book features travel as Biblo journeys his way through Middle Earth.
2. Scarlet
There is a decent amount of travel in Scarlet, Meyer’s follow-up to Cinder, and as a bonus, a lot of it is futuristic methods of travel! It is through travel that Cinder escapes, Scarlet gets to know Wolf, Scarlet finds her grandmother, and Scarlet and Cinder meet. Basically, there is a lot of moving forward in the novel and it’s all important.
3. Ender’s Game
Even though this book is set in space, there isn’t as much traveling as you would think. Still, Ender has to leave his home on Earth to attend Battle School to try to save the world, and then later in the book he takes another journey that will have a profound impact on him (but I won’t spoil that). When Ender’s does travel, it’s always important.
4. Rebecca
It is while traveling on vacation that the heroine of this story meets the man she marries, then travels home with him where she will be haunted by his past and her life will be changed. It’s a great, suspenseful story.
5. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
I could really put all of The Chronicles of Narnia here, but I wanted to focus on the book that began it all. The method of travel is simple: a wardrobe. And somehow, some way, this wardrobe transports four children to a whole new world for a great adventure that will define their lives (actually, you can know how the wardrobe is able to do this if you read The Magician’s Nephew). When I was a child, I wished so badly I could transport to Narnia through a wardrobe as well, but sadly, I was never able to find the right portal.
Top 5 Books Featuring Travel on My TBR List
1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Arthur Dent isn’t looking for adventure when his friend, who turns out to be an alien, rescues him by taking him from Earth (which is promptly blown up after they leave), and they end up traversing through space. I’ve seen the movie several times but have not read the book yet, but as fun as the movie is, I can only imagine what a ride the book must be! Arthur learns a lot about himself and the universe on this journey, and even the meaning of life. Well, maybe. (And yes, Martin Freeman plays both Arthur AND Bilbo!)
2. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Though I don’t normally gravitate towards contemporary romance, I am interested in reading this one (plus I just received it this weekend after winning a giveaway so I guess I’ll be reading it sometime!). I mean, how can you resist the cover? Travel seems important in this one since the couple meets in an airport as they are going about their separate ways. I find it an interesting concept since I think the airport is the single most fascinating place to people watch.
3. A Million Suns and Shades of Earth
I have already read Across the Universe and want to read the continuation of the spaceship Godspeed in its sequel books. The whole mission of the Godspeed was to travel from Earth to a new world for a new home, but there lies and secrets that mar the journey along the way.
From my understanding, the premise of this book is somewhat like that of the movie Hidalgo, except the horses are much more vicious and are raced in the sea. These horses have played a tragic role in the lives of the two main characters, and yet they both still find themselves compelled to race. I am definitely intrigued by this idea and am curious to see more about how the races impact their lives.
The Lord of the Rings, much like The Hobbit, focuses on a journey through Middle Earth. And Frodo’s mission is imperative: to destroy The One Ring. I am so intimidated by the length of these books, but I would love to get an in-depth look at Frodo and Sam’s friendship as they travel through Middle Earth and face so many trials.
What books featuring travel are your favorite? Or what books featuring travel are on your TBR list?
Great list.
Thanks for stopping by!
This is an awesome list! I wish I remembered to put Scarlet on mine. That book was so incredibly awesome 😀 As well as Ender’s Game! I can’t wait for that movie to come out. So epic!
Me too; I hope it’s good!
I’ve never actually read any of these, but a few are on my TBR. I’ve seen the Hitchhiker’s Guide around a quite a bit today, and I admit, it sounds intriguing. I never knew what it was about before. And I’ve been wanting to read Scarlet for the longest time. Your little description made it sound even better!
Great list! I’ve only read a couple of these. John Green made my list and quite a few others, too. I loved when they went to Amsterdam to find that author. It was quirky and different than the typical contemp novel.
~ Gabbi
My top ten! 🙂
You should watch The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy movie! It has such quirky and fun humor! The author of the book also helped write the movie script, so I know that the two are at least similar in spirit. Thanks for stopping by!
Great list! I also have The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Hobbit on my list 🙂
They’re great books! Well, I haven’t read LOTR yet, but I’m sure it’s great. 🙂
I have the Hobbit and LotR on my list, too. I love them. The Hitchhiker’s Guide and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are excellent choices, too. Great list!
Natflix&Books
Lots of Hobbit and LOTR love today! They are such epic journeys!
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy are on my list too, and I love how you included Scarlet (the Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite series)! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by my TTT list!
Alice @ Alice in Readerland
Cinder and Scarlet are great! I’m looking forward to Cress!
Oh great list! I like how you split it up! And the fact that we have some similar ones on our lists. Makes me feel like maybe my own TTT wasn’t so crazy after all! I do hope you give LotR a chance sometime, even though it’s size is intimidating! I haven’t read it in YEARS (probably 10?) but wouldn’t mind rereading it again. I was seriously obsessed with the world afterwards. >.>
I don’t think your list was too crazy at all; I saw several posts that involved fantasy forms of travel! I mean seriously, who wants to travel by plane when you can travel by wardrobe? No TSA agents there. I really do intend to read LOtR, it’s just a matter of devoting a period of time and saying, “no books except these during this time.”
Wow! I’m surprised I haven’t seen the Across the Universe trilogy on more lists this week… That one fits so well!
I saw them on a few; I agree, it definitely fits well!
I am bummed I haven’t read The Chronicles of Narnia, because that is such a great travel one.
Definitely read them sometime; they’re quick reads!
I still have yet to read The Hobbit and LOTR. I had Narnia on my list too. So good!
Narnia is the ultimate travel spot I believe!