I looked at my bookshelf and picked out the books that have the bindings
lovingly cracked and have obviously seen the most use. In no particular
order:
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
‘Nuff said.
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
also ‘nuff said.
Wizard of Earth Sea by Ursula Le Quin
This is an excellent series of books
from an author who has not written nearly enough. My other favorite from
her is The Left Hand of Darkness.
Riddle Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip
A hero's journey into his
destiny told in a heart wrenching evocative way.
The White Mountains by John Christopher
This was the series that turned me
on to SF/Fantasy. Also, John Christopher had the grace to reply to fan mail
from a 5th grader. It was an exciting day in my youth that I'll always
remember.
Hyperion/Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
I believe that this is the best
SF book/series I have every read. Seven pilgrims travel to Hyperion at the
end of the world. Only one will have his/her desire granted by the Shrike,
a deadly enigmatic creature.
Darkover Novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley
This is the one series that I
have hunted high and low to find every book. While some of the novels are
weak, overall it is an excellent body of work.
The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathon Hoag by Robert Heinlein
In my
misspent and impressionable youth I read way too much Heinlein. This
novelette is what I consider to be his best work.
Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McAffrey
I return to these again and again.
As with many of Anne McCaffrey’s books, these are filled with strong female
characters that present excellent role models for young women.
The Time Master Trilogy by Louise Cooper
I have never been disappointed in
Louise Cooper's books but consider this series to be her ultimate. A
marvelous study of the necessary balance between Chaos and Order.
Honorable Mention: God of Tarot series by Piers Anthony
I almost hate to
include books by Piers Anthony on my list but this dog-eared series in
staring me in the face. Anthony’s early works show why he can still sell
the garbage he churns out regularly now that writing has become his "job".
God of Tarot is a fascinating character study as a monk tries to establish
the validity of a miracle on a newly settled planet.
