Favorite Stories

I got to thinking that since I was keeping track of what books I have read, I should also put up on my web site a list of what my favorite books are. Plus, Kim was looking for it when I said I had a page for recommendations. :) Besides just naming them, I also want to comment on why I like them. Books are important to me. Of course, once you get into favorite books, it's easy to get off into other things, like favorite short stories, favorite books when you were young, favorite movies, favorite color.... The list just goes on and on. Well, here's a start.

By the way, no particular order is implied by the lists here. There's no way I could pick out my all time most absolute favoritest book ever. They change. I change. I read new books, and new things happen to me. Sometimes I like something just because of things I associate with it, not necessarily for how good it actually is. If I used to love a book and haven't read it for ten years, how do I know I still love it? Well, I'll just say I used to love it and make room on the "treasure" row of my bookshelf for a few more.

Books

It's also interesting to note that one of the things that hints to me that I've got a favorite is when I can remember the author. Going though my list, just realized I can name every author without refering to my bookshelf. :)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - An amazing book. It's hard for me to settle my thoughts and pick out why I like it. It's a great Sci-Fi space opera(?) book. I love the game with its tacitics and escalation in complexity. But it's also about being a smart kid, making serious decisions when you realize the adults don't have all the answers. And ... most of all ... it's about making decisions in tough situations (whether you are a kid or an adult), and living with yourself when you find out what you've done. Most of the books in my list might appeal only to me and not to others. This book I can recommend broadly. It's that good.

The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman - This book has one of the best, most gut wrenching descriptions of guilt I have ever read. Plus I just like the daemons. They intrigue me (natch). I suspect this book would be most understandable if you've read the previous two, "The Golden Compass" and "The Subtle Knife".

Chaos Mode by Piers Anthony - I like all the books in the Mode series (though I like "Fractal Mode" the least). However, my favorite characters are Sequiro and Burgess and they have the largest part in this book.

A Place Of Silver Silence by Ardath Mayhar - One of those books that had all the themes I like to read about, in a story that absolutely gripped me at the time I read it. I don't remember when I first read this; it must have been early in grade school. It kind of cemented in me that there are books out there that were written for me and I just have to find them. When I realized how much I liked this book and that you can get used books online, I had to get it.

Ratha And Thistle Chaser by Clare Bell - I love the story - one character is smart, responsible, and caring, and off on a mission of exploration to save his people. The other is on a mission of self-recovery, trying to conquer her inner demons and winning. The third is a leader who is trying to do the right thing and not repeat the mistakes of her past. Despite catastrophe, the characters make progress toward their goals. I guess I like to see that we have a choice and that we can succeed in trying to be better people. We had to do an essay in school once about a character that we were most like, and I chose the smart character from this book. That helped cement this book as one special to me. (2006-03-24: According to the author's web site, there's a new book coming out spring 2007!)

Light On Shattered Water by Greg Howell

A View From The Fence by J. Wells

White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey

Martin The Warrior by Brian Jacques

High Wizardry by Diane Duane - Another one of those books that's written for me. A computer geek, the world from another viewpoint, fighting All That Is Wrong In The World, and coming to grips with what can and can't be done. (While I suppose Wizard's Dilemma is a better story about coming to grips with life's bitter unfairness, High Wizardry came first and has computers in it. :)

The Architect Of Sleep by Steven R. Boyett - This one fascinates me not only because of the story, but the story of the story. The story is the classic anthropomorphic alternate earth story. Or at least the start of it. Real life intervened and the story was never finished. Disagreements and misunderstandings between the author and publisher meant that the story was changed in ways that neither side was happy with and the next part of the story was never published. Broken, but still good. One of the first treasure I found in a used book store. A reminder that even if things don't work out right in the end, there can be worth while results from just the beginning of a project. And that it's OK to like something flawed, to be flawed. Author's home page book info

Honorable Mention:

ME by Thomas T. Thomas

The Spooky Old Tree

On Beyond Zebra by Dr. Seuss

Harry potter by J. K. Rowling

Short Stories

I haven't thought a lot about what my favorite short stories are, so the list is short and incomplete. Most of my favorite short stories are from the Internet, however, and I've been able to track a few of them down.

When You Return by Allen Kitchen - Published on alt.fan.furry. Archive page, local copy. This is an excellent furry retelling of a classic tear-jerker. What more do I need to say? :)

The Satisfied Mind by Will A. Sanborn - Original, archive page, local copy. I like this one because it strikes a personal chord - furries and computers. This is a story in the "what would really happen if you got what you wished for" genre. Is it possible for a programmer to do too good a job? Not now, but wistful thinking says it might happen. I think what raises this story above the run-of-the-mill is how the problem is resolved. It gives me a lot of respect for the main character.

Me And My Big Mouth by Brian Antoine - Original (broken link?), archive page, Local copy. The Nas-Kan story arc is huge and tumultuous, but this little interlude is my favorite. The affectionate, bantering give-and-take between Brian and Kalindra is what I like best about the series, and here they get to do it with no life-threatening interruptions. We get to meet some new characters and get to know the main ones better. It's great.

Proper Form by Allen Kitchen - published on alt.fan.furry. Archive page, local copy. When you look at furry-themed writing, there are a lot of transformation themed stories out there. I liked this one because it has a suprise ending. I like the way it takes a wry look at furry-obsessed people. I also like the new ideas it presents in the "what would really happen if you got what you wished for" genre.

Shh! by David Brin - appeared in Otherness. This is a great story because it remorselessly leaves you guessing. Is there a secret or isn't there?? It's a unique first-contact story and an interesting comment on what makes humans tick.