SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Since goodreads started allowing users to track reread dates, I've noticed there are certain books I reread frequently and on a somewhat consistent basis, be that once a year, once every two years, etc. So I'm wondering -

What are the books you most frequently reread? How often do you read them? What is is that makes you circle back to these books? Do you consider them favorites? Are they old favorites or books you've recently discovered?

For more re-reading discussion, here is a thread about whether or not you reread books: Do You Re-Read?

I usually reread Harry Potter by JK Rowling once a year (i am a massive nerd and love the nostalgia), I have also reread Jane Eyre by Bronte a few times due to love for the character and her drive (particularly for the time it was written).
I love to reread books that are either classic or have drawn me into their worlds! It is great to be able to go back through and spot details you may have missed the first time, like foreshadowing.

I read too slowly to reread many books, but one I reread fairly regularly is Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. I see something new in it each time. And it reminds me of why I love books (as if I need the reminder!). I think I’ve read it 4 or 5 times in the past 20 years since I first read it.

I’ve reread some books for book club reads, but only the ones I love, most notably the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. I’ve read Assassin’s Apprentice 3 times.

I’m rereading lots of childhood favorites; reading them aloud to my son, plus added motivation through the KidLit challenge on Habitica. That is super fun.

If I take into account my childhood as well, my most re-read book would be Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. I loved this book like no other and read it certainly more than 10 times back then. Yet I haven't read it since I reached adulthood.

For adulthood my most re-read books are from the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, above all the Guards series, "Small Gods" and "Hogfather", because they speak to me on so many different levels.

The same goes for certain short stories by Theodore Sturgeon

yes yes I love the nostalgia of Harry Potter, too! I actually just bought the first HP book in a language I'm learning as some inspiration :)

and completely agree about the foreshadowing aspect too, K.

Diane, I like that too! I think rereading my fav books inspires me to try and find something new to love, because even during rereading I think about what it felt like to read for the first time. and how fun to read childhood favorites with your son! that's an aspect of rereading I hadn't thought about.

Oh Gabi that's a great question, I might add that to the first post! There are definitely books I read more as a child but haven't read recently.

That's a wonderful idea Stephanie! A very good way to inspire yourself :)

And of course I forgot about all the books and stories by Ursula K. LeGuin I’ve reread: Earthsea (also reading to my son), the Left Hand Of Darkness, the Lathe Of Heaven, and various shirts including the Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas.

I tend to reread a lot, so I'm not going to list everything here. But I think my most reread books are:

Harry Potter Audio Boxed Set (Stephen Fry audiobook)
Howl's Moving Castle <3
The Earthsea Quartet (mainly the first trilogy, which I read a million times as a kid)
Anne of Green Gables (mostly in Finnish as a kid)
His Dark Materials

And of course lately I reread Yoon Ha Lee and Emma Newman pretty much all the time!

I think the only re-reads I've done since I got on GR are:

Harry Potter
Once and Future King
The Song of the Lioness Quartet
Stormlight Archive
The damnable Dead Until Dark which I only re-read because I forgot entirely what this book was until I hated it again, and served as a great reminder why using GR is critical.

I used to re-read all the time as a kid, not gonna list them all!

If it's relatively short, the story is done in way that's fun even on re-reads (it's harder with epic fantasy with a lot of world-building because if you recall it well, there will be a lot of scenes you might as well skip), and I have a fond memory of it, it's a candidate.
So far, the are few books I've re-read, one of them was a trilogy with roughly a year-long gap between sequels so I went for the previous just before I hit the newest one.

I regularly reread

The Lord of the Rings
The Name of the Wind
A Song of Ice and Fire

and the prior books in a series when a new book in the series comes out, but only if they're a continuing story. Ones like the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser Series where the books are stand-alone, I don't. This applies to most mystery series as well.

I used to re-read the Harry Potter series all the time as a teenager. But I haven't picked them up in a long while.
Recently, I've been re-reading the Red Rising Saga every January since 2016. Gotta start the year off right.
I'm pretty sure that I've never read any other book more than twice.

I used to reread a lot when I was a kid. I’d run out of library books and reread my own small library.

I regularly reread Agatha Christie. I have half a dozen or more books with at least 3 books each in them as well as many paperbacks that I bought in my late teens and early 20s and if I really wanted to read something I’d pick one up. It helps when you keep forgetting whodunit. Hubby and I rewatch Poirot and Miss Marple a lot on the TV. And Midsomer Murders. And Agatha Raisin. But that’s a whole other thread.

I also always reread the Hitchhikers Guide series. And Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre used to get an outing quite often. For years I would reread the Harry Potter series every year or two until I joined GR. I haven’t reread anything since. I discovered too many wonderful new books and haven’t had time to reread anything in the last couple of years. Except for Murder on the Orient Express for a Popsugar challenge last year. Oh and one day I was feeling a bit shit so I picked up HP and the Order of the Phoenix for the day. Didn’t finish it but then again I didn’t need to. I just needed to be sitting with an old friend.

Although I don't reread my sci-fi and fantasy books 'regularly', I have reread some several times and enjoyed them all over again. A few that come to mind:
Earthsea
Lord of the Rings
Revelation Space series (Reynolds)
Dune
Hutch series (McDevitt)
Abhorsen series (Nix)

There are some a I reread regularly, among them:
A Living Nightmare
The Neverending Story
The Days of the Deer
The Plays of Oscar Wilde
Fablehaven
Artemis Fowl
Pride and Prejudice
Cosmicomics
Dead Until Dark
I have basically reread avery book I own, but these are regular re reads

The only book I’ve consistently re-read over time is To Kill a Mockingbird. I first read it in 8th grade English class and I still have the same battered copy over 20 years later, which has been with me through college, grad school, the Peace Corps and at least three more moves as an adult. I read it all the way through at least once a year, and other times I’ll just go to favorite chapters or scenes. Like some others have noted, I find or realize something new each time I read it, which I just think is absolutely magical.

Books read most often (not using GR for this:
Holy Bible
Pride and Prejudice
Hunger Games trilogy

after that I"m not sure.

Anything Ray Bradbury I'll re-read. I've also been known to re-read other vintage sci-fi authors and vintage horror, especially Stephen King.

I reread Harry Potter pretty regularly. Almost once a year, though I have skipped a year here or there.

The other books I reread tend to be on the lighter, fluffier side. When I reread it tends to be because I'm in a funk - either a reading funk or a life funk, and I just want something soft and comfortable to slip into. I also try to stick with shorter series or books I can pick up one or two of, so I don't get sucked into a huge backlog of rereads.

These are the first ones that come to mind:

A Matter of Magic
Poison Study
The Case of the Missing Marquess (Enola Holmes series)

I re-read all the time for various reasons. The one I do the most is probably Harry Potter for the nostalgia. It just puts me in my comfort zone. If I've been reading a bunch of dark stuff, I go back to the Wizarding World for a while.

Then I periodically re-read giant series I love in small chunks. Right now I'm slowly reading WoT, Malazan, Emberverse, and Realm of the Elderlings. Some of those have unfinished books at the end, but I like the slow burn of reading one every few months, and I'll get to the new ones eventually.

Since I discovered Drew Hayes, I re-read his books all the time. I just finished a re-read of his Super Powereds series for no reason, but I usually go back from the beginning every other time he releases a book in a particular series.

Red Rising is another recent favorite. I actually haven't read the newest ones, but the original trilogy is just so intense that I like getting into that world again every once in a while.

I also re-read when I've let a few books in a series get released since I've read the last one. I re-read the first era of Mistborn, and then went on to read the second era for the first time.

Zelazny is my most reread author. I love his allusions & can always find something new. This Immortal is probably my most reread work of his.

anne Mccaffrey, Raymond Feist, sara douglass

The Circus of Dr. Lao -- 5-6 times
Something Wicked This Way Comes 5-6 times
The Haunting of Hill House 5-6 times
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 5-6 times
The Hound of the Baskervilles 5-6 times
The Sound and the Fury 4-5 times
The Maltese Falcon -- 4-5 times
Ficciones 3-4 times
My Life and Hard Times 3-4 times
The Underground Man 3-4 times
Absalom, Absalom! 3-4 times
Intruder in the Dust 3-4 times

I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones I'm coming up with. I've read several books twice. And I'd be hard pressed to recall the number of short stories I've read multiple times.

I'm a big re-reader, and whenever I have trouble getting into something new, I'll go pick up a book I've already read to enjoy again.

Of the many, many books I've re-read over the years, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings are without a double my most read. I've lost track of how many times I've read them, but over the years since I first discovered them as a teen, its probably been at least 20 times. In fact, I just downloaded my copy of The Hobbit to my kindle, for another re-read!

I’ve reread a lot of my favorites over the years, but right now, I find myself rereading John Conroe’s Demon Accord series. Especially College Arcane, Rogues, Snake Eyes.

I know I've answered this in another thread (a desert island one I think), but it's all good! My go-tos are Pride and Prejudice and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, both of which I've enjoyed in at least three different formats/media along with rereading them.

ETA: but really, my most common rereads over the years have been comics and, in the last couple decades, manga. Maison Ikkoku, Skip-Beat!, and Fruits Basket are some that immediately come to mind.

I anticipate rereading some works of Ursula Le Guin and Terry Pratchett, but feel I ought to get a significant way through their books before diving in on seconds.

The Sherlock Holmes stories, Frankenstein, Dracula, and some of H.G. Wells novels.

Randy wrote: "The Circus of Dr. Lao -- 5-6 times
Something Wicked This Way Comes 5-6 times
The Haunting of Hill House 5-6 times
[book:The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes|47..."

Obviously you and I could go on reading sprees together. Nine of your twelve are on my list.
May I recommend The Wall, A Canticle for Leibowitz, and The Thin Man?

Joseph wrote: "Obviously you and I could go on reading sprees together. Nine of your twelve are on my list.
May I recommend The Wall, A Canticle for Leibowitz, and The Thin Man?"

I've read The Thin Man twice, though I prefer The Maltese Falcon and Red Harvest (which I forgot to add; I think I've read it 3 times).

A Canticle For Leibowitz I've only read once and should really rectify that; I thought it was great the first time I read it.

I haven't had the pleasure of The Wall but I will look into it. Thanks.

I read Shane at least once a year. It's a book that I first read as a teen, and the titular character has stuck in my mind ever since. It's one of the few books that I probably wouldn't change a single thing about.

Personally for me its the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy. A good friend recommended it to me and it was the first that got me hooked on the fantasy fiction genre. Others I tend to gravitate back to is Terry Brooks and the Shannara series as well as for R.A. Salvatore and his Drizzt series of books. I'm currently reading Terry Brooks Sword of Shannara trilogy as I hadn't read it in years. I'm also reading Jonathan Moeller's Ghost in the Vault. Jonathan is a great author and his Ghost series are an excellent read

I've re-read the first 7-8 books of Wheel of Time more times than I'd like to count. I think I've still only read the last 2 once though. Planning a full run-through before the end of the year as well, heaven help me. Lord of the Rings have had a good few re-reads over the years. I think I've even read The Silmarillion three times. To have a teenagers level of free time again.

Sabriel I think would be one of my most re-read books. Still the only book I finished and immediately restarted from the beginning.

Raymond Feist, sara Douglas, some of Issac Asimov, Joel Shepherd, JOhn Conroe.

always re read their series , a few times actually .

Top of the list Lord of the rings, probably 7-8 times in various versions and languages.
Harry Potter 3 times and aiming for another go next year.
Dune original series 1-4 , 3 times and expecting another go at some point.

I've read many series of books more then twice.

For example:
The Black Prism
The Name of the Wind
The Magician's Brother
Theft of Swords

If I don't find a new book to read, I usually just re-read books I like. And this is a big curse with me, because it impedes my ability to find new books :\

Shannon wrote: "I've re-read the first 7-8 books of Wheel of Time more times than I'd like to count. I think I've still only read the last 2 once though. Planning a full run-through before the end of the year as w..."

Same here on Wheel of Time. I re-read the first 8 or so books more than the rest, because that was around the time I caught up to publication. Then I would re-read every few years, adding the books that had come out since then. I've only read the last book once.

so agree Jonas

re read a series I loved OR read a new book???

sometimes it is a difficult choice

I have been given a lot of new books to read, curtesy of a nephew and niece who are always buying new ones but have no where to store them. They also say they don't want to re read. Last year in a massive clean up the nephew dropped 300 books off for me, he had them accumulated in his garage.

mmm re read or new

I doubt I've ever found so many people in one place who also have reread the Lord of the Rings books multiple times. :)
I reread the Lord of the Rings a LOT, not so often as an adult, but I used to reread the series several times a year as a kid ever since 3rd grade, when I first read them.
I reread the whole Wheel of Time series each time a new book came out in the series, so I could remember all the seemingly inconsequential details when reading the new one.
I reread the Chronicles of Narnia about as much as I did the LOTR series. I LOVED The Last Battle, in particular as a kid, and the wood between the worlds in The Magician's Nephew., so I may have reread those books more than the rest of the series.
As a grown-up I pass on most books to siblings or put them on a community free-books shelf or in a Little Free Library once I finish them, but I still have a full set of LOTR, the Wheel of Time, Narnia, the Prydain Chronicles(Lloyd Alexander), the 6 Mistborn books, and The Dark is Rising(Susan Cooper) so I can reread them at will. I am also collecting the Discworld books, for future rereads. And, I have a copy of Fun With Your New Head, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Hearts in Atlantis on my rereads shelf.
I do also listen to the audiobooks of LOTR and Discworld a lot when I want something familiar to listen to.
I rarely add to my shelf of SFF books for rereading, but I did add The City of Dreaming Books(Moers) this year, and a copy of Anathem(Stephenson).

Dune is also on my often re-read list

I reread almost nothing. There’s so many good books I haven’t read yet it feels profligate to re-read something.

But years ago before I discovered Goodreads (and book blogs) I did re-read the entire Dune series (up to Chapterhouse) and I have re-read the Hyperion Cantos about 10 years ago.

The only book I can think about re-reading in the near future would probably be The Nights Dawn trilogy, since it’s my all-time favorite space opera trilogy.

I could see re-reading “Dune” by itself.

I tried re-reading THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS and THE DISPOSSESSED and it didn’t go well and that really upset me e.

Since I'm on my fourth read if the Stormlight Archives now in as many years I can definitely say that this series are my most re-read books in adult time. There is something entirely comforting that I can giddily freak out over the same passages each time anew.

'Gravity's Rainbow' & a stage play, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe', both 3 times, and John Updike's Rabbit 4 books & novella, twice.

I’ve reread more books in the past 2 years than in most decades previous. There’s something very comforting about rereading beloved books. I still read too slowly to reread much though.

I am an obsessive rereader. I reread when I just finished a book I didn't care for and just want assurance I will love the next one. I reread when I am feeling blue for the same reason.

I am pretty much always in the cycle of rereading (audio) the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris (I see someone doesn't like it!) because Johanna Parker is such a great reader, and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King because it simply begs to be reread.

I reread books I have fond memories of (this is mostly by writing style and characters) and I reread before a sequel if it's been a while.

MadProfessah wrote: "I tried re-reading THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS and THE DISPOSSESSED and it didn’t go well and that really upset me."

I love to reread my fav books, but yeah, as our reading tastes change and develop, and as the times change, occasionally rereading can destroy a fond memory of a once-loved book. It's disheartening to find on a reread that you question what you (once) saw in a book. I guess kinda like looking at those old photos. Did I really wear THAT? By choice??? And what's with my hair? I liked that style once? Ugh. *cringes*

I haven't re-read anything in a long time. But there are a few books I've reread in the past.

Probably my most read book has to be Mossflower by Brian Jacques. Aside from just being a great book, it's probably also the one in specific that got me into reading to begin with.

I've read Magician by Raymond E. Feist at least a few times (or its earlier separate versions Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master). I don't know how it would read for me now, but I think I identified with Pug a lot growing up. That and generally having a fondness of interesting magic systems would've made this a prime candidate for re-reading.

Other than that it's a bit tough to remember. I might've read Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman a couple times. And as I said, I haven't reread anything in years.

I first read The City and the Stars in 1972 and followed with Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke and A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke.

Apollo 16 and 17 both happened in 1972. Since then I liked telling people that my mother would let me stay home from school during those landings but once during a dinner with my mother and my wife my mother corrected my recollection by saying that I just wouldn't go to school. I've re-read The City and the Stars an additional 5 times. My AOL screen name was and is "Diaspar." My license plate is "Diaspar." It may not surprise you that I think that The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke is still the best science fiction novel ever written. BTW, Diaspar is the name of the City.

I re-read Childhood's End when the Mini-series was on Sy Fy in 2015, (I loved it). Now I could be persuaded that it is actually a better book than The City and the Stars.

I've re-read all of Asimov's Robot novels and just reread Foundation. I've read Dune twice and may again after liking the new movie.

I must've read TLOTR at least 80 times, as has a mate of mine. We would often test each other on the most obscure details and it's rare one would get something wrong - I even knew the elvish poetry fairly well at one point, and can still finish any line of dialogue if you give me the first three words.

Anything by Bernard Cornwell is quite re-readable also. I've read the Sharpe series many times. And Thomas of Hookton.

I used to reread all the time when I was younger and didn’t own a squillion books. Now I have all the books and don’t have time to reread old favourites. Hopefully I’ll get to read more new favourites in the coming year.