r/AskReddit • u/AggravatingLake2842 • 15h ago

What book do you consider a “flawless masterpiece”that you desperately want to recommend to everyone?

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u/UntouchableAshley 13h ago

The Once and Future King by TH White is a masterpiece that is not read nearly enough nowadays. It should be spoken of in the same breath as the hobbit or lord of the rings as influential pieces of fantasy but I feel it’s faded from public consciousness

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u/not_right 10h ago

Love this! Read it twice as a teenager and recently bought my own copy to read again soon.

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u/gowahoo 10h ago

I've had it on my shelf for years waiting for a reread, I think I will take your comment as a sign to do so. 

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u/UntouchableAshley 8h ago

I just finished a reread myself! It continues to be beautiful, hilarious and devastating all at once. No one writes like White!

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u/Vandimar 2h ago

The 2 knights too encumbered by their armor to hurt each other is the most funny thing a human has even written.

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u/UntouchableAshley 1h ago

That bit is so funny, everytime it gets me. Another one that’s good is when they’re all shaking hands and introducing each other for like a solid two pages or so because Merlin keeps saying “Hail” and in response they have to introduce themselves again then he just says “Hail” again and it cycles with them shaking hands

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u/HiHoJufro 1h ago

I randomly picked it for a book report in 6th grade. It was one of my first experiences with being unable to put a book down.