10 Favorite Books (And Why!)

Today we’re looking at ten really good books, and why I like them. Some inspire my writing, some are just inspirational, and some are just fun (see esp. Number 10). Maybe you’ve read some – you definitely should. Enjoy!

1.     The Bible by God. Even days that I don’t read for pleasure (or for school) I read at least one chapter of this, if not six. I start each year with a bookmark in Genesis, Psalm, and Matthew of a different translation, then read two from each section each morning until I finish the Old Testament once, and the New Testament twice.

2.     Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon. Normally I would say “Deed of Paksenarrion” but that’s technically three books; 2 is the best of the three, though. I love Moon’s writing style and pacing, and it’s been a huge inspiration to me.

3.     Mad Ship by Robin Hobb. Also the second, of her Liveship Traders series; also really good because of what began to be revealed by the end. And also inspirational because of her ability to weave the setting so well, and tying together a lot of different pieces into an awesome plot.

4.     Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. I loved the adventure of this book, hopping islands into the unknown, never knowing what they were getting into next.

5.     Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I know: atypical. But when I want a leisurely, rich read there’s nothing like Victorian literature.

6.     The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. I have something about second books in a series. I even think I’m liking my pending second release more than 1 or 3. Maybe it was because, after Hunt, things got even hotter and heavier with the whole Dragon Reborn, fatalistic Last Battle thing. Still very well written books, no doubt. But, I enjoyed that one most.

7.     Devices and Desires, by K.J. Parker. A first book! What? Actually, I couldn’t seem to get into Book Two, at least the time that I tried. But D&D had an incredible sense of detail that fleshed out the main character better than almost any other method I’ve seen.

8.     Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. Only the second non-fiction to make it on the list. But this book helped me see wonder every day, sometimes in the smallest details. The key? Looking for it – believing it exists, and looking for it.

9.     Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Only the second non-fantasy fiction on the list. Also one of the few books I’ve read twice. But the idea of a modern war of that scale is epic, and Clancy (of course) carried it off perfectly.

10.  R.A. Salvatore. Yes, I cheated. It’s not because I like Salvatore more than anyone else on the list, or because every one of his books are stellar (he is number 10 on the list, after all). It’s because I always turn to his books when I want something fun to read. I’ve been working my way through his Legend of Drizzt books, and just picked up Book IV the other day; pretty excited to get to it (eventually).

There’s a lot of really good books out there. And I’ve been finding some really awesome indie authors too that would be high on an honorable-mentions list (might work their way up onto this list too – Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick is a definite contender - sorry, that's cheating too). Have you read any? Different opinion? What's your favorite? Let me know in the comments!