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The Beach
Alex Garland

Richard is drawn into a strange conversation in a hotel. He hears of a secret island Garden of Eden hidden in the scattered islands of a Thai marine park. Next morning, he finds a map pinned to his door and the man who put it there has slashed his wrists. The challenge is irresistible and he sets off on a perilous journey in search of Shangri-La.

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Don't be put off reading this by the film version,which was very poor.
The book is far darker. It captures the back-packer ethos and search for the perfect beach very well and the turn into corruption and inevitable human self-destruction draws comparisons with "Lord of the Flies" and "Paradise Lost".
Potentially a great cult novel. Pity about the film...

I agree with Steve..the book was quite good whereas the movie was pants.

Yep I agree, much better than the film. Mind you they usually are aren't they.