what is the best book that will never appear on the Guardian's Top 100 Books of the Century?

[Gone2far]

I've read a fair amount of Literature, including 22 on the Guardian's list, but no reading has given me so much sheer unadulterated pleasure as reading Lee Childs thrillers. Yet they'll never be on lists of Good Books (most of which look dreary beyond belief).
I've only recently discovered them (I'm not a thriller reader normally) but they've ruined me for the kind of books that get awards, and where Nothing Happens for 300 pages.
However, sooner or later, I'm going to come to the end of them. Does anyone else have a writer (of whatever genre) that they love, but will never get critical recognition.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert is brilliant but she is too much tied up with Eat Pray Love to have any credibility.

Marian Keyes made the good point that she has never been nominated for the comedy writing award (whatever it is called) despite the fact that she is hilarious.

Georgette Heyer. Above all other writers, she is my sure-fire, guaranteed comfort read. When the world seems shit, and I just want to hide on the sofa with a book, there she is. Witty, intelligent, well-researched, and a love story that bears no resemblance to chick-lit (shudder).

BUT - given that you're reading Lee Child, can I recommend the Orphan X books? Me, DH and DS raced through them last summer (all impatiently waiting for each other to finish so we could have our turn). Pacy, well written, great protagonist. Proper page-turners (and I don't use that description lightly!)

It's all a bit pretentious. I love Dan brown books, such page turners, jolly cooper the same.
I tried "conversion with people" and it was so dreary, I wanted PLOT! not words.
So we need awards for great plots. Not great use of words.
The authors I like get rich anyway as do many people buy them. The award winners not so much!

Bernard Cornwell - particularly the sharpe books but also the Uhtred books. Incredibly well researched (they were on my mum's reading list for a history MPhil!) but wear it very lightly and exciting.

I love georgette heyer as well = Frederica is my all-time favourite.

I love Bernard Cornwell as well, and I really enjoyed the two big Ken Follett trilogies.

Also would say everyone should read The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Prayer for Owen Meany

This Thing Of Darkness by Harry Thompson. Utterly brilliant, almost the size of Moby Dick, but I never wanted it to end.

And Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space books. Absolutely gripping (and again, each the size of a house brick!), so well plotted.
Hard sci-fi though, so no chance of ever appearing in any kind of list

@kingsassassin as my name will tell you, I agree

I love georgette heyer as well = Frederica is my all-time favourite.

Mine is The Grand Sophy.

Penny Vincenzi - I think they’re clever, compelling and she writes a decent sex scene.

The Heart's Invisible Furies and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

And I really like Liane Moriarty books they are funny, touching and often really gripping

Georgette Heyer for sure. Wodehouse gets all the props as a comic writer, but for my money Heyer is much funnier and a better writer. I think the nonsense of comparing her to Jane Austen was unfortunate, since she’s nothing like Austen and it made “literary” readers so sniffy about her.

I’d nominate Mary Stewart. Who else can evoke a landscape with such immediacy?

And Dorothy Dunnett. The Lymond series is an intellectual tour de force, as well as being vastly entertaining.

I’d add my favourite queens of crime. Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh.

Most of Marian Keyes's books but in particular Rachel's Holiday.