My Favorite Reads

In preparation for my next blog, I thought I'd leave a list of my all time favorite books.

Jurassic Park - by Michael Crichton
I read this book when I was in the Dominican Republic on my first youth missions trip. It was amazing to read this amidst the lush island that was so similar to that of the book. The movie was on the verge of coming out and I just could not wait to find out what the story was all about. I've gone on to read many other Crichton books, and at least one other will appear on this list, but JP stands out as the first taste of a more visceral world. A story about the illusion of control, and how we truly have very little of it. Terrifying.

The Lord of the Rings - by JRR Tolkien
Wow. These books have been such an inspiration to me. Even before I'd ever read them. I had older brothers and later friends who had read them and thus impacted me. But I read them the summer before the movies hit. I remember my oldest bro telling me to make sure I read the chapter "The Council of Elrond" in one sitting. The depth and life Tolkien gave to his characters and world will never be outmatched in my opinion. A world and story to exist on it's own. Amazing.

The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
Again I waited until adulthood to read the whole series. It was again the summer before "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," hit theaters. Simply yet satisfying on a level that didn't knock me off my feet. The world vibrant and full of life and symbolism. While we all have to grow up at some point, it does not mean we have to loose our innocence. Moving.

Harry Potter - JK Rowling
Read books 1-6 right after I read Narnia, and book 7 two years later the day it came out. Another amazing series full of difficult choices and trials. A hero quest in a "modern" setting. The thing I love about this series is how Rowling incorporates almost every human emotion in the series. Love, hate, fear, vulnerability...all permeate the entire series, and culminates in an amazing climactic battle, hinged on a singular choice. Brilliant.

Eaters of the Dead - Michael Crichton
A very intriguing version of the Beowulf story. Crichton takes an outsiders approach to the ancient world of the vikings. Almost an anthropological study this story is incredible in it's detail of a culture I knew very little other than the typical stereotype. And his spin on Grendel and the overall approach to the Beowulf aspect is incredible. It gave me chills as the images came to life in my mind. Savage.

Hood - Stephen R Lawhead
This is an amazing new interpretation of the classic Robin Hood story. It tells of selfish young Bran and how he must rise above the loss of his father and land to become what his people need him to be. It speaks of responsibility and duty and other concepts lost on many people today. The transformation of Bran is the central theme of Hood, the first of 3 in the "King Raven" Trilogy. I can't wait to read Scarlet and Tuck. Redeeming.

The Chronicles of Prydain - Lloyd Alexander
These five books; The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King, are quite simply my favorite books of all time. This series focuses on the hero quest of Taran, a simple Assistant Pig-Keeper. How he longs to become a hero, and the difficult challenges he faces that lead him to that fate, that curb the desire to doing what must be done. I don't know how many times I've read this series, but it inspries me anew every time. It is full of lessons and truths that I've only encountered in small amounts elsewhere. While this maybe geared towards younger audiences, I think that any adult can enjoy them. Adventureous.

Other Recomendations:
-The Pendragon Cycle:
Taliesn, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, Grail - Stephen R. Lawhead

-Patrick - Stephen R. Lawhead

-The Song of Albion Trilogy:
Paradise War, Silver Hand, The Endless Knott - Stephen R. Lawhead

-Congo, Sphere, Lost World, Prey, State of Fear, and Next - Michael Crichton

-The Hobbit, Silmarillion, Children of Hurin - JRR Tolkien

-Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath - Cornellia Funke

-Watchmen - Allan Moore

-Stardust, Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman

-Tales of HP Lovecraft - HP Lovecraft

Well, if you've made it this far I congratulate you. Welcome to the world of my rambling blogs. If you want to know more of what I think on these books, just email me. The address should be somewhere over on the side. Let me know what you think of these books if you've read them!