Since I cut back on blogging, I’ve gone back to reading novels in a big way – 1-3 per week.
I’m a relatively eclectic reader, though I love Science Fiction the most. Not a huge fantasy fan, but there’s some I like. Mysteries are OK, though again not a huge fan. Let me list some of my favorite authors in no particular order:
Robert A. Heinlein,
David Drake
S.M. Stirling
John Ringo
Lois McMaster Bujold
John D. MacDonald
Robert B. Parker
Larry Correia
Larry Niven
Elizabeth Moon
William Gibson
Jerry Pournelle
Eric Flint
David Weber (most of the time)
I’ve said elsewhere, my personal and political philosophy is in large part due to Robert Heinlein’s entire catalog, John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee novels, and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser. I think if I had to pick one very finest Sci-Fi novel ever written, it would be Frank Herbert’s DUNE, though I don’t think much of the sequels or really anything else he wrote. I’ve read most of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, all of Jim Butcher’s Dresden books to date, all of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson books, most of Isaac Asimov’s Sci-Fi and much of his non-fiction work (not a big fan of the Foundation trilogy). I’ve read (I think) the entire Berserker catalog from Fred Saberhagen, but liked his Empire of the East series much, much more. I’ve read all of Sue Grafton’s “Alphabet mysteries” so far. I just finished all of Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder mysteries, and a couple of months ago I finished all of Lee Childs’ Jack Reacher novels. (Good, but don’t hold a candle to Travis McGee.) I’ve read W.E.B. Griffin’s Brotherhood of War novels through The Generals, and his The Corps series. Liked those, but the repetition got a bit old. I’ve read the entire Stephen Hunter Bob Lee Swagger catalog, and a couple of his non-Swagger novels.
So, anything out there that’s knocked your socks off? Couldn’t put down? I’m pretty open to anything short of bodice-rippers and Mack Bolan knock-offs.