As a writer, you also read.

A lot.

You read to learn styles, to mimic styles and methods of others as you learn, and to inspire yourself.

Since becoming an officially published author under the name J.R. Smith back in 2014 (which pssst! You can find more information about my book “Fate’s Crossing (The Black Blood Legacies #1)” on Amazon, just go here http://amzn.to/2cY9Oe7 - it’s currently rated 4.3 out of 5 stars and has been compared to Terry Brook’s Shannara series!), I have read as many books as I possibly have the time for and went back over some of my old favorites from high school. Today, I am going to give you my top five picks that will include both individual or stand-alone novels and series’. Let’s start from the bottom up, shall we?

Top 5 Book Picks

5.) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Okay. Yes. This may seem a tad cliché. But it is the truth. The Lord of The Rings is by far one of my favorite series of books. The writing isn’t over the top or supremely complicated. It has a nice, solid flow to it. The characters are relatable and the imagery/symbolism, while not stated implicitly, is easy to pick up and understand. Tolkien’s ability to separate all the characters and send them down their own respective roads and then tie it all back together in the end, rather seamlessly might I add, is something I hope to one day to be able to emulate.

4.) Pagan Apocalypse: Wrath of the Old Gods by John Triptych

This was a very interesting take on an apocalyptic tale. Set in Europe, the world suddenly is overwhelmed by beings of old myth and lore – including Pagan gods. Humanity is running for its life and a boy, his sister, his friend, her boyfriend and an old wizard are about all that remains behind of the population in their town – the rest having been taken bus to hopeful ‘safe’ zones. And the story unravels from there, the boy being our would-be hero who experiences great loss and overcomes it and makes his way down his path towards his fight against the old gods. It’s certainly not the usual ‘hell on Earth’ or ‘angels versus demons’ story that Triptych is starting to set up. If you’re looking to write in the apocalyptic genre, take a look at this guy. He has more in store for us – of that I am sure and eager to see.

3.) Origin: Othala Witch Collection Sector One by Rebecca Hamilton

Okay. WARNING. This is totally NOT suitable for work. It does get quite into detail and rather steamy before the story is done. However, the reason why this wound up on my list is because of the way that component works into the story. It serves a true purpose. It helps to build, define and even dare I say resolve not only the inner but external conflicts of both of the main characters in this tale. It is a stand-alone novel (meaning you can read it without having to read the rest of the series to get the full story) – which seems to be a theme in this series. I normally would not out myself as having read a book, much less a story, such as this. But the fact remains is that she used that content and used it well within the confines of her story and its parameters. And it worked fabulously, in this writer’s opinion. It made the connection, the struggle and the relationship between our hero and heroine that much more palpable and that much more real. Kudos, Ms. Hamilton.

2.) The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks

This by far – maybe even more loved than The Lord of The Rings - one of my all time favorite series. I can go back over the books over and over again. The universe is wide and the stories, even those of the smaller characters, are very, very compelling. And the beauty of it all is that they all connect to each other, each character and each story building off of one another to reach the inevitable conclusion. The writing is fairly simple and easy to understand without giving you too much of a headache (it’s not like reading something like say, Shakespeare….). It’s descriptive without being too much. It’s engaging – which is something I hope to accomplish in my own writing.

And coming in at a number one…

1.) The Dragonlance Series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Okay. This could very well be more termed to say The Dragonlance Franchise. Why? There are just so many different stories, mini-series arcs, characters and books. Shoot, as of 2008 there were over 190 books in the entire franchise – let alone the animated features! This is one of those franchises that can cross generations (Doctor Who anyone?). My father and I read many of these books together and had many, many discussions on them. The writing is a little more complicated than say The Shannara Series but not by much. The characters are loveable and engaging – my favorite being Tasslehoff Burrfoot. If you’ve read any of these books with that character, you’ll know why. It’s among my favorites because of the memories that I have that involve these books. I suggest if you are a fantasy reader and you’ve got a little time to hunt these books down and read them, do so. You won’t regret it.

So, that’s a list of only some of my favorite reads that have spanned across the last 10-15 years of my life. What are some of your favorite reads, be they new or be they old? Let me know. I may just pick them up and may just feature them in another article on down the road. And who knows, you may get a shout out for the suggestion!

See you guys in the next one.