38 1985 novels

Acts of Faith is the 1985 novel written by Rajiva Wijesinha. The book is the first in a trilogy that was followed by Days of Despair in 1987 and concludes with 2005's The Limits of Love.

Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth is a novel written and published by Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz in 1985. It was translated from Arabic into English in 1998 by Tagreid Abu-Hassabo. The form and subject of the book is the basis for a cello concerto of the same title by Mohammed Fairouz.

Ardiente Paciencia, or El Cartero De Neruda, is a 1985 novel by Antonio Skármeta. The novel was published in the English market under the title The Postman. It tells the story of Mario Jiménez, a fictional postman in revolution-era Chile, who befriends the real-life poet Pablo Neruda.

Brightness Falls from the Air is a science fiction novel by American writer James Tiptree Jr., set in the same fictional universe as the stories in her 1986 collection The Starry Rift.

The Call is a novel published in 1985 by the American writer John Hersey. The novel, which is in the form of a fictionalized biography with letters and excerpts from Treadup's journal, presents the experience of David Treadup, an American Protestant missionary in China during the first half of the twentieth century. As the novel progresses, and China undergoes Japanese invasion and communist revolution, Treadup reconsiders whether his efforts to help China were useful and questions the usefulness of the Christian mission. Hersey based Treadup on a composite of six historical China missionaries, including his own father. Other historical figures appear, sometimes under their own names.

The Catalogue of the Universe is a romance novel for young adults by the New Zealand writer Margaret Mahy, first published by J. M. Dent in 1985.

Chidambara Rahasya is a novel written by Poornachandra Tejaswi. This novel depicts the state of a small Indian village in humorous manner. This book has murder investigation, caste system, communal riots, blind beliefs, love story, cardamom plants, friendship, youth rebels, land lords, untouchables, politics of the village. In 2006, Girish Karnad made a teleserial based on the novel This book won Kendriya Sahitya Academic Award for Kannada in 1987.

The New York Trilogy is a series of novels by American writer Paul Auster. Originally published sequentially as City of Glass (1985), Ghosts (1986) and The Locked Room (1986), it has since been collected into a single volume. The Trilogy is a postmodern interpretation of detective and mystery fiction, exploring various philosophical themes.

A Day in Ostrobothnia is a 1985 novel by Finnish author Antti Tuuri. It won the Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 1985.

Dragon Steel is a fantasy novel by American author Laurence Yep. It was first published in 1985 and is the second book in his Dragon series. In Dragon Steel, Yep decided to expand on the dilemma faced by exiled dragon princess Shimmer, that of how to govern, since she had been exiled from the Inland Sea at a relatively young age by dragon standards. He based her on experiences on a study of historical rulers, both those who had ruled poorly, and those who had "risen to the expectations of their people". He also based the undersea dragon kingdom of Sambar XII on the "real ocean", inspired by the undergraduate courses in marine biology and oceanography he had taken at UC Santa Cruz. The story picks up where Dragon of the Lost Sea left off. Coming off their victory over the witch Civet, Shimmer and her human companion Thorn discover inner turmoil among the dragon kingdoms amidst increasing tensions between the humans and the dragons, gaining a new ally in the process.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed E.T., who is stranded on Earth. The film stars Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, and Henry Thomas.

The Execution of Justice is a 1985 novel by the Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt. It tells the story of an attorney who is tasked to reinvestigate a man sentenced for murder. The book criticises elements of the legal system and ponders on the nature of justice. It was adapted into the 1993 film Justice, directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer.

Fiela's Child is a South African drama written by Dalene Matthee and published in 1985. The book was originally written in Afrikaans under the name Fiela se Kind, and was later translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Icelandic and Sinhalese, among others.

The Firebringer Trilogy is a fantasy series written by Meredith Ann Pierce. The first novel, Birth of the Firebringer was published in 1985, followed by Dark Moon in 1992, and concluding in The Son of Summer Stars in 1996. Well remembered for Pierce's rich use of language, the series fell out of print in the early 90s, and began commanding high prices online. The series was re-published in paperback by Firebird Books in 2003.

Fletch Won is the eighth book in the Fletch series of mystery/comedy novels written by Gregory Mcdonald, and was published in 1985. The story is set before the first seven books in the series, and follows the early days of the title character's journalism career. Fletch scores his first big interview, only to have the subject turn up dead in the newspaper's parking lot. He investigates, beginning his dual profession of journalist and investigator.

The Forest of Peldain is the twelfth science fiction novel by Barrington J. Bayley. Set on the water world of the Hundred Islands, the Arelian empire attempts to seize control of the last island, Peldain, which within its dense forests contains an independent kingdom and an ancient secret.

Gaku Stories, also published under the title My Boy: A Father's Memories, is an I Novel by Japanese author Makoto Shiina. It was published in 1985 by Shueisha. The same publisher also published a sequel, Zoku Gakumonogatari, in 1986.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is a 1985 novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. The English translation by Alfred Birnbaum was released in 1991. A strange and dreamlike novel, its chapters alternate between two bizarre narratives—"Hard-Boiled Wonderland" and "The End of the World".

Kiki's Delivery Service is a children's fantasy novel written by Eiko Kadono and illustrated by Akiko Hayashi. It was first published by Fukuinkan Shoten on January 25, 1985. It is the basis of the 1989 Studio Ghibli anime film of the same title and of the 2014 live action film also of the same name.

Killashandra is a novel by Anne McCaffrey published in 1985.

The King's Justice is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1985. It was the eighth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson. Although The Legends of Camber of Culdi trilogy was published immediately prior to the Histories trilogy, the Histories trilogy is a direct sequel to Kurtz' first Deryni series, The Chronicles of the Deryni.

Kothe Kharak Singh or Kothe Kharak Singh: a story of three generations (1985) is a Punjabi-language novel written by Ram Sarup Ankhi. The novel is considered as Ankhi's best literary work and for this work he received Sahitya Akademi award in 1987.

Love in the Time of Cholera is a novel by Colombian Nobel prize winning author Gabriel García Márquez. The novel was first published in Spanish in 1985. Alfred A. Knopf published an English translation in 1988, and an English-language movie adaptation was released in 2007.

The Mystery of the Sardine is a novel by Polish-English writer Stefan Themerson.

The Old Gringo is a novel by Carlos Fuentes, written from 1964 to 1984 and first published in 1985. Fuentes stated: "What started this novel was my admiration for Ambrose Bierce and for his Tales of Soldiers and Civilians. I was fascinated with the idea of a man who fought in the United States Civil War and dies in a Mexican civil war." The novel addresses themes of death, cultural exchange, and Mexican identity, among others. Its English-language translation became the first novel by a Mexican author to become a U.S. bestseller. The book was one of three nominees for the Ritz Paris Hemingway Award as best novel of 1985.

Old Masters: A Comedy is a novel by the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard, first published in 1985. It tells of the life and opinions of Reger, a 'musical philosopher', through the voice of his acquaintance Atzbacher, a 'private academic'.

Peace on Earth is a 1985 science fiction novel by Polish writer Stanisław Lem. The novel describes, in a satirical tone, the ultimate implications of the arms race. It is a continuation of the adventures of Ijon Tichy.

A Perfect Peace is a 1982 novel by Israeli author Amos Oz that was originally published in Hebrew by Am Oved. It was translated by Hillel Halkin and published in the United States by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1985.

Rich Like Us is a historical and political fiction novel by Nayantara Sahgal. Set in New Delhi during the chaotic time between 1932 and the mid-1970s, it follows the lives of two female protagonists, Rose and Sonali, and their fight to live in a time of political upheaval and social re-organization.

The Rod of Light is the thirteenth science fiction novel by Barrington J. Bayley and his only sequel. The book continues the story of Jasperodus, who is now in conflict with Gargan, a ruthless robot attempting to make his own soul.

The Sand Child is a 1985 novel by Moroccan author Tahar Ben Jelloun. First published in France, the novel's message expresses on multiple levels ideas about the post-colonial condition of Morocco while also emphasising themes relating to the construction of individual identities. It can also be seen as a critique of "traditional" Islamic and Moroccan morals, with specific reference to the position of women. There are strong elements of magical realism in the novel.

Satantango is a 1985 novel by the Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai. It is Krasznahorkai's debut novel. It was adapted into a widely acclaimed seven-hour film, Sátántangó (1994), directed by Béla Tarr. The English translation by George Szirtes won the Best Translated Book Award (2013).

Sozaboy: A Novel in Rotten English, more commonly known as Sozaboy, is an anti-war novel by the late author and political activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, published in 1985.

The Time Wanderers is a 1985 science fiction novel by Soviet writers Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, set in the Noon Universe. The book is narrated by Maxim Kammerer, and tells the story of The Great Revelation.

The Timeservers is a novel by Russell M. Griffin, published in 1985 by Avon Books. The tagline on the cover of the paperback is, "Too far from Earth time creates a different kind of human." It received a nomination for the Philip K. Dick Award for excellence in Science Fiction in 1985. This novel is no longer in print.

Trumps of Doom is a fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, the first book in the second Chronicles of Amber series and the sixth book in the Amber series. Whereas the first series was narrated by Corwin, this series is narrated by his son, Merlin. Trumps of Doom won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1986.

The White Castle is a novel by Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk.

World's Fair is a 1985 novel by American author E.L. Doctorow. It is a semi-autobiographical story of a boy named Edgar who lives in the Bronx during the late 1930s, and culminates with the 1939 World's Fair. It won the National Book Award in 1986.