Do you stick to a favourite author, or do you choose by subject of title? Novels, Romances, History or which type of book takes your fancy?
I read Bernard Cornwell... I particularly like his Arthurian and other historical books. Most of his books are bestsellers and he has written hundreds of them. He has the ability to store historical records, add a little humour, add a little fiction and come up with a best selling novel. I also enjoyed Marion Zimmer Bradley's, Mists of Avalon and Elizabeth Kostova's, The Historian.
So who are your favourite authors and which are your favourite types of books?
[question posted by Darkwing]
responses and comments:
sherlock holmes, agatha christie, and shidney sheldon are my favorites and i have till today not tried to read other authors.. [re2809]
Oh yes... Agatha Christie is good. I'll tell you something else which might interest you. Some of the Sherlock Holmes films were shot not far from where I live. There's a steam railway there, and the setting is ideal for the films. Thank you for your response and Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
I read mostly detective stories,autobiographies&biographies.I have read the whole of sherlok holmes in just one night.Its the best detective stories I have read.I like Agatha christie novels too. [ackars]
Similar taste to the person above you! Yes, I agree Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie are both pretty good. Thank you for your response and Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
I read a lot but it is mostly childrens' stuff as I home school my children. We are getting ready to read a Christian Novel titled "In His Steps" for my daughters' language arts program and I hope that it is good. Anyone ever read it? Speaking of reading, I believe we are due to go to the library again!! [carolscash]
That's good that you home school your children. No, I haven't heard of the book entitled "In His Steps" but I'm sure you and your daughter will enjoy it. I used to like the children's books when my kids were young and I read them bedtime stories. lol Best you hurry off to the library then... happy reading. Thank you for your response and Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
I tend to go by favourite authors. Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Pratchett are my top three. I, too, enjoy Arthuriun books and have read Bernard Cronwell too. [recycledgoth]
I like Mists of Avalon, but that's the only Marion Zimmer Bradley I've read. Bernard Cornwell, to my mind, is a very clever writer. He has the knack of throwing history, legend, humour and a little druidry into a bag, shaking it up and making it into a story that you can't put down. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
usually i do because sometimes if i read a series of novels of a particular author i love and then suddenly jump to another author, it somehow cut my appetite of reading. sort of like that. i read Ken Follett's book, he's a spy novelist and yes i like those kind. i seldom read romantic novels but recently a friend of mine suggected a book and when i read it it was so cool. it's a novel written by Judith McNaught.try to read PERFECT. its love and romantic indeed as what my friend told me. [MGjhaud]
Yes, it's nice to stick to the same author. I read a whole trilogy before I skip to another author, because I lose the thread otherwise. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I read books by category and I like books based on historical accounts. Books written by C.S. Lewis, John Bunyan and recently Joshua Harris I like to read also. [garyeye]
Yes, popular authors indeed. I love the books based on history too. It kind of takes you back to your roots. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
It's interesting that you mention Bernard Cornwell. He's not my favorite author, but I did get hooked on his Sharpe series after watching all the movies made from it. I'm almost through the Sharpe books, and find them fascinating because of their period detail. I did try the Arthur books but got bored about thirty pages into the first one. I did just read Gallows Thief, which I liked very much. The thing about Cornwell books, which is why I can't include him among my favorite writers, is that he's excellent on plot and settings, but his characters aren't fully developed. They tend to get lost in the details of the stories. To answer your questions, I don't think I could pick a favorite author because I read so widely. But I do have general favorites in both fiction and non-fiction. Unless I'm on a fiction kick, which I am right now, I usually read non-fiction--science and psychology. [unusualsuspect]
You certainly do cover a wide range of books and you did well to read all the Sharpe ones; there are an awful lot! Yes, I agree Bernard Cornwell sometimes goes into a lot of battle detail, but I find that he concentrates a lot on the central characters of the book, as with Derfel, in the Arthurian series' and not so much on Arthur, about whom the stories were supposed to be. Having said that though, I can get completely wrapped in Cornwell books, so much that I read almost for a full day, hardly putting the book down. There's always something to keep me going... I have to get to the end of the story. lol. Thank you for your quality response. It was very thoughtfully written and I'm awarding a + rating here. Brightest Blessings and happy reading. [Darkwing]
I have many favourite authors.Most of them are Chinese. [sunjinwei]
There's not much I can say to that, except thank you for your response Sunjinwei, and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
just last week, i was in a book-buying frenzy. i bought 5 books that were on supersale and they were by 5 different authors. i'm not really picky. i want to try out different authors because i know there are so many promising and gifted writers out there. [toonatoons]
Well, that's right. I often buy from second hand bookstalls, and it's surprising what you can find as you rummage through. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I really like John Grisham's books. And any similar types of books. I read a romance novel occasionally but nothing thrills me more than a suspenseful book, a thriller, mystery, etc. I love books with lots of twists and keeps me going page after page! [Married2aMarine]
I like fantasy books. I read a lot of Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffery. I have started one today by Marie Brennan titled " Doppelganger". So far it is proving good. But i will read just about anything, except for romances. I dont care as much for them. [maryelser]
I'm big on Dean Koontz, he is truly one of the greats. I don't believe there is enough time in a day to tell you about all, & I do mean all the books he wrote. One that I have finished not to long ago & enjoyed a great deal was .... (Tic-Tock) Great story, with a twist. [Stiffler07]
You have read all of Dean Koontz's books? Wow, you must love him as an author. I might look out for Tic-Tock. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I like mysticism, and particularly got involved in Zen, which is not an easy path to follow, but can be very profound and enlightening. I don't read many fictional books, but have read the occasional one, -fantasy like Lord of the Rings (a few years ago now). I suppose some would call me an escapist, but I have not read Harry Potter.:-) I would say the one book I would hate to lose is Three Pillars of Zen, but Roshi Philip Kapleau, which deals with beginners advice through to the enlightened masters. One Zen-based humorous book I read was The Dice Man. This was written in the 1970s long before the television series and is both shocking and funny. Luke Rhinehart wrote this and a follow up called, Beyond the Dice Man - but his first book was best IMO. [derek_a]
I'm into a little mysticism and fantasy too. I haven't read anything Zen, nor Lord of the Rings, but I have watched Lord of the Rings on DVD. Harry Potter is a little immature for me, but I did read one children's book... Shadowmancer... but only because it was based around Whitby near where my brother lived, and this gave me added interest. Thank you for a very detailed, quality response, Derek. I am awarding a + rating for the time and detail you put into this. Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
I've been a big fan of James Herbert for many years now. I used to get really excited when a new book of his came out, but I haven't read anything for a few years now. I can't seem to concentrate any more. Gone are the days when i'd lie in bed and just read and read and read. I've been trying to read "Scar Tissue" - an autobiography by Anthony Kiedis of the RHCP. I'm about half way through and that's taken me around 6 months or so to achieve! I love the horror genre, especially ones with twists and turns to keep you on your toes. That's why I like James Herbert so much, you just don't get the plot until the very end and then all becomes clear. lol [feralwoman]
I think we all come to the point where we have to take a break from reading. I haven't read much in the past four months. Still, save them for a rainy day, when you can lie in bed snugly and read your books whilst the rain patters on your window panes. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I love novels that are written so wittily, novels that are spellbinding, fast-paced, and full of twists. I tend to read books from authors I have come to admire like Jeffrey Archer, Dean Koontz, Eric van Lustbader, James Patterson, Judith McNaught,among others. I also love classic novels and Jules Verne is one of my favorite classic author. [Mandy_Ch]
Oh yes, you have named some really class authors there. "Spellbinding" is a very good word for some stories. I like that. Thank you for your response, brightest blessings and happy reading. [Darkwing]
I have my favourite Authors which are Jackie Collins, Barbara Taylor Bradford, James Patterson, Danielle Steel and Penny Vinenzi I will not buy any other Authors Books unless I have been lent a book and I liked that one then I might consider buying the others. I am not into Historical ones I am afraid lol [gabs8513]
There's absolutely no reason why you should have to be into historical novels, so please don't be afraid. lol. Danielle Steel, I agree, is a very good writer and most of the others are pretty good too. Than you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I love read like everyone here I think. My favourit book is Harry Potter 6 (harry potter and the half-blood prince) but I love all the Harry Potter's book!!! other books that I like is My life with marley and me, Paulo Coelho ( the brazilian writer), Sidynei SheldonMarion Zimmer and Malba tahan (other brazilian!). [GabrielGebara]
That's the Harry Potter book my daughter in law liked best! lol. I bought it for her as a gift and bought the adult version, and guess what? It was word for word, the same as the kids' version. ha ha ha I agree with you on Marion Zimmer Bradley. I loved the Mists of Avalon, and it was such good value for money, the amount of reading in there. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I normally just browse through all the books in the adult fiction section of the library. I go for fantasy and science fiction though I will look through any which catches my eye. I could be the cover, the synopsis, or the title. If I read a book that is really nice, I will search for more books from the same authors too. I do have my own list of favorite authors. ^^ [lordwarwizard]
Fantasy is good. I'm not so up on the science fiction though, but fantasy and mysticism, I like. Thank you for your response Wiz and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I read anything that interests me... I trying to buy the Harry Potter series though I have read two books already. Right now I'm reading books about Wicca because I'm really interested in it. [lafavorito]
Well, there's a coincidence. I'm Seax Wiccan, Lafavorito, but I started off with a basic Wicca training. I hope you enjoy your reading into this tradition because I find it very fascinating. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
As Bacon put it : " books ....only a few to be chewed and digested " ... I am after those stuff .. books that reflect true life... books that enlighten you ... books that are informative .. books on the whole = your real companions . I like them ! [sukumar794]
Wow, yes, you hit the nail well and truly on the head there. It's true, there's no better way of enlightenment than through reading and experience of life. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I read a huge variety of novels excluding the romance novels. Mostly I like adventure stories. Though I am neaely a sixteen year old old I still sometimes read Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl and currently I spend most of time reading Star War novels. What about aout you guys do you just pick up books in times of great boredom or read books regularly ? Guys does anyone of you know from where can I get some downloadable e-books??? [uniqueme20]
There's nothing wrong with Enid Blyton. She was a great author. I agree with you that romantic novels are a bit wishy-washy, although Marion Zimmer Bradley incorporated romance well into the Mists of Avalon. I read quite regularly, but for the past four months, I haven't done much reading. Now that summer's almost here though, I shall be spending some time lazing in the garden and reading. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I really like ANY fiction if it's catchy, but I do have some favorites authors to include Dean Koontz, Patricia Cornwell, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Lavyrle Spencer, Lee Child and I could be missing some. I love to read!!!! [micfac7]
Yes, I love to read too. Dean Koontz seems to be a popular author. I must read at least one of his, just to see what they're like. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I prefer self-help,psychology,spiritual type books. I choose by title and subject rather than by author; although, there are certain authors I enjoy reading so I watch for anything new they may have out. [browneyedgirl]
Wow... yes, spiritual books are very good. They help you heal and better yourself and are very educational. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
Hi Darkwing, my favourite author at the moment is Dan Brown the author of The Da Vinci code, after first reading this, I thought mmm that was good, so I read the prequal Angels and Demons and that was equally as excellent, so I've brought the two other books he's written and I'm half way through one, and I must admit it's just as good as the rest! I must admit my usual genre is girl chick type books as they're nice and easy to read especially at bed time when I do most of my reading, but after hearing about The DaVinci code I had to read the book prior to seeing the film and it was well worth it! [Bizziebod]
Hi Bizzie! I think just about everybody has read and raves about The Da Vinci Code... everybody, that is, except meeeeeee!!! lol When I've finished this Bernard Cornwell Trilogy, The Forgotten Land, which is about a child brought up by Vikings, then his Stonehenge book, which I'm sure is fascinating, I might just find myself a copy of The Da Vinci Code. Everybody else loves it, so I have to be curious, don't you think? Thank you for your response, my friend. Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
I read the Holy Bible - the bestseller of all time. And I also translate it from Greek to English. I am a Christian, a child of God, baptized into Christ on October 1, 1989 and I belong to the Church of Christ founded and headed by Christ as shown in Acts Chapter 2. I am given the gift of knowledge and understanding Bible Greek and I translate the Word of God from Greek to English PLAINLY - Greek word into its English equivalent with additional words for grammar purposes written in italics so that readers may delete them when they so desire. I have already published GENESIS, EXODUS, LEVITICUS (Greek-English), THE WILL New Testament (Greek to English), ELEMENTS of SALVATION, The Right Way, GOD, ORIGIN, TRANSFER into PERFECTION, GREEK-ENGLISH (Grammar & Vocabulary), WORDS in THE WILL New Testament, and others shown at http://www.lulu.com/arseniajoaquin I have seen the versions being circulated worldwide and they are generally admitted to be 80% NOT translations. My translations are 99.99% translations and I see the truth, beauty, and sweetness of the Word of God. I hope these books could also help people understand the Word of God and be saved. I hope that people would include these in their reading. May God bless all of us. [arseniajoaquin]
I'm sure that there are many English versions of the Bible, Arsenia, but you have done well to translate it so closely... you couldn't get much closer than 99.9% accurate. I'm afraid I'm not a Christian so I won't be entering your link but I'm sure many Christians who look into this discussion, might. Thank you for your response to this discussion, for which I've awared a + rating, and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I'm a bookworm. Hehe. So.. I read just about anything, although I have a few authors I favored and I read each and every book they have like Robert Ludlum, Danielle Steel, Victor O`Reilly, Luanne Rice, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie... and many others... of different genre. I read any genre, from chick literature to suspense books, to horror and love to romance.. :) I devour them. Hehe [angelblush]
Lol... do you devour them so that nobody will ever find out what you've been reading? The authors you've mentioned here are indeed very popular ones. Thank you for your response, happy reading and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I go through phases mostly i read romances but i love horror two if the writer is good. I have my favorites but will read anything that catches my eye, mostly because when I read i go through books so fast that if I stuck to my favorites I would be waiting for stuff to read. [homegrowntexasgirl]
There's certainly a wide contrast between romances and horror. lol. I agree though, that if you read quickly and read a lot, then you would be stuck waiting for a particular author's next publication. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
i like to read books written by 19th century/early 20th century authors...i dont like a lot of the books written today because i feel like they are "dumbed down." I do like books that take place in that time period though, i dont know why i'mso drawn to it! [rarrimalion]
Yes, I think your observations about modern day writers is a good one, but I do think that some of them are good authors. I like historic books too. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I always read the Holy Bible. It consists of 66 books and it's complete. All the books there are very interesting and exciting. In fact, many movies are based on some stories in the Holy Bible. [erminiasanjose]
Do you really read only the Bible and nothing else? Wow! You must know every single line by heart. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
Hi darkwing, I am an extensive reader and have read a lot of books. I can't exactly pinpoint which one is among my favorite author though. I love to read science fiction, mystery, a little action, and medical books. I'm not a health conscious bunny but I like to update myself on the latest trend in medicine. The last book I read is from Sharon Sala. I always go to a bookshop near my house to rent some of the latest or newest released books for a minimal fee. This works well for me since I don't have enough spaces in my study room anymore. Happy reading. :) [charms88]
Great response, Charms. I like mysteries too, but when it comes to medical books, they can be a bit depressive, so I study herbs and alternate remedies instead. Wow... a bookshop that rents books. That's a good idea... a bit like a library. Thank you for your response Charms; I'm awarding a + rating with my brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
James Patterson is my number one favorite. I will buy his books without even reading what they are about. He is awesome and talented. His books are suspensfull and catch you right off the bat. I love Rossanna Bittner too. She rights Native American romances. I have a lot of favorites. Those two are on the top of the list though. [margieanneart]
I haven't read either of those authors' writing, but you make James Patterson sound so good that I might just look him up. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I normally don't read, but I just started reading this really great book on to save and make a ton of money without any work, and it's amazing! It's called The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach. You should check it out! [theuniqueone]
Hmmmm, maybe I will. Thank you for the reference and your response. Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
Yes I stick to my favourite authors such as Agatha Christie, Sydeny Sheldon, Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle, John Grisham and lately I have started some books written by Jane Ann Krentz.. these are mostly romance with a bit of suspense in it. Its good past time. It is her offbeat humour and flair that makes it a good reading. [mallengadapriya]
Some very famous authors there Mallenga, although I have to admit, I don't know Jane Ann Krentz. You make her sound good though. Another one for my list, maybe? Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I am a big fan of R.K.Narayan's short stories and novels. Apart from these I read fashion and women's magazines. [roshnichaudhary]
Short stories and novels are great, as are some magazines. Thank you for your response Roshni, and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
i like to read suspense, science or detective and i also like to read history and adventure books. [bmodina]
Your choice sounds similar to mine BM. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
i do enjoy reading romantic novel when im still in highschool but it stopped when i got married..so busy i guess..i even got stillt he books i frequently read in my bookshelves.. [vanities]
Reading is a good way to relax, whatever the subject, I think. It's good to curl up with one on a rainy day, or when you're winding down after a hard day. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
I always read fairy tale and cartoon when i was a child, just like "hei mao jin zhang"(Chinese), but when i growed, I found i have no interested about them, and now i always read novels reflect social problem. Actually, on-line novel is more and more popular now, and it will be a good way to read [xiaodongpan19831110]
Oh yes, fairy tales and cartoons are quite a magical part of our young lives. It's good that you still read now though. A great way to relax and learn and the same time. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
Well, I prefer to say that I don't stick to a certain author. I like read books, all kinds of books. I'm studying literature, so I have to read much. But as a Chinese, I still find it much more easy to read Chinese books. [chenxiaoyue_713]
Yes, I guess you would find it a lot easier to read books in your own language, as do we all. But, I admire your dedication in reading other books too. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
Well my recent favorite is Paulo Coehno, but I do not stick to him. I read whatever I put my hands upon. Nowadays reading more of self help books available on net. As far as Paulo Coehno books are concerned they always give a spiritual message which is what I like in his book. [sunita64]
Obviously Paulo Coehno has great insight into the spirtual world and its meanings. Self help books are always helpful too. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
i generally read bestsellers ,fiction and non fiction and i hv experienced they are good only . going by writer jane austen is no.1 ,i like her writng and so pride and prejudice is fav. book of mine for anytime reading i'll sugest pickup reader's digest in fiction the alchemist .lol dear. [aissha]
A good choice of books, Aissha. Thank you for your response and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
hi friends thank you for posting here, agatha christie and shidney sheldon are my lifetime favourites... still i have many... but mostly prefer this authore doesnot bother anout the title... have a nice day/evening... [sonustar]
I do choose any interesting topics and good authors when i choose a book to read.But i do love to read an epic and drama like illad and oddyssey, i like it very much and i enjoy reading it.As for now i am looking for a good book and author that really interests me. [denden]
I'm sure it won't take you long to find a good book to read. Just reading through these responses should give you a few ideas. Thank you for your comments and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
when i was a teenager, i used to read the nancy drew books, myster type, oh i loved them then...now, i think i may say that i have only read one good book which was written by mitch albom - tuesdays with morrie..i love it. [mlgb_24]
I think we all have our favourites, in childhood, early adulthood and later in life. Thank you for your response, MLGB and brightest blessings. [Darkwing]
my favorite writer is paulo koeljo who became actor lately i see him on tv acting in some yugoslavians chanels that i have been watching. [DrPepe]
Yes, I think I've seen that you enjoy Paulo Koeljo's writing in a discussion of yours. Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]