There's gotta be a point.
A book should reach inside and grab you, shake you up, and change you in some way.
When I'm reading, I want to be so absorbed in the story that my own world falls away: there's no awareness of hunger, heat, or looming to-do lists. I want to see the backgrounds and feel the full range of characters' emotions.
The really good ones lodge themselves in your head and stay there for weeks.
Doesn't matter if it's fiction, non-fiction, mystery, suspense, contemporary or historical, romance or fantasy, there should be more to a book than just words on a page.
So these are the authors that have most messed with my head and my heart through their writing.
- Ted Dekker (Circle Trilogy and Heaven's Wager)
- Joel C. Rosenberg (The Last Jihad Series)
- Karen Kingsbury (Who can pick just one??)
- Terry Blackstock (Last Light series and Predator)
- Randy Alcorn (Courageous)
- Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind Series)
- James Scott Bell (Presumed Guilty)
- Robert Whitlow (The List)
- Kristen Heitzmann (too many to choose)
- Kathy Herman (Baxter Series)
Whose work do you like to read? What's your favorite book?
Anything by Mary Kassian or Nancy Leigh DeMoss is wonderful! I especially love Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Good biblical womanhood stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteTed Dekker's stuff is definitely thought-provoking, but just some of his older works. I don't quite agree with the Circle trilogy, though; the likes of Sinner (this one especially!!), Adam, and even Thr3e or House. But of course, every person would have a different opinion.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely with you on Courageous by Randy Alcorn- that book is one of the most amazing I've read this year. It's so relevant for today's society. Actually most books that I've read by Randy Alcorn. 'Safely Home' did some serious messing with my heart and mind.
C.S. Lewis is one my favorite authors to turn to when I'm purposely seeking thought-provoking reading.
C. Hope Flinchbaugh's Daughter of China is an excellent one.
I'm currently reading The Sahdow Things by Jennifer Freitag, which, so far, is also proving to be quite the satisfying, challenging read.
Other than that, it's kind of hit and miss. Some are, some aren't.
Thanks for sharing your list- I'll be sure to check 'em out as 3/4 of the authors listed are unfamiliar to me!
Kathi Macias - she's tackling tough but important subjects such as the persecuted church worldwide and human trafficking issues.
ReplyDeleteThelma Wells - she's talking/writing about issues we all face such as depression, anger, worry & anxiety, and spiritual warfare.
Mary DeMuth - she's dealing with issues around abuse and shame. Many people are able to open up and find healing as a result of Mary's personal story.
I do love authors who write well, draw you into the story, have well developed characters, take you to another place and time and make you feel the emotions of their characters. Authors like Francine Rivers, Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Tolkein, Randy Alcorn, Ted Dekker, Mary Stewart(Madame Will you Talk)and Melody Carlson(Finding Alice)...just to name a few. Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn were my introduction to your writing and I was thrilled to find another writer whose books I could get completely immersed in.
ReplyDeleteJust found another,Sarah Jio...read her novel, The Violets of March in one sitting.
Baxter series is Karen Kingsbury not Kathy Herman. Kathy has several good series though. I just started reading Robert Whitlow, and have read The List and The Trial. Like the movie ending of The Trial better than the book but like the book ending of The List better than the movie. Have also been reading Stephen James' series although it's a bit graphic (Grisly deaths)
ReplyDeleteoops...meant to say Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn...my introduction to Mary DeMuth's writing in my earlier post. Followed this link from Mary's FB post. ;-)
ReplyDeleteKathy C., Kathy Herman has a series that's set in a town called Baxter. A few other series have splintered off of this one, and I really like her writing and the points that she makes.
ReplyDeleteI've read both 'The List' and 'The Trial.' I liked them both, but I definitely liked the book version better than the movie.
Haven't read any of Stephen James' work. I'll look it up, although I'm not much for gore.
Thanks, everyone, for the great suggestions of authors! I'm always happy to try new ones.
ReplyDeleteThe ones on your list whose books I have read are Terry Blackstock and Jerry Jenkins/Tim LaHaye. They are excellent authors. Currently I am enjoying the novels of Chris Fabry. I would include him along with the others on your list.
ReplyDeleteGreat list. I have just finished reading Day of War by Cliff Graham. An interesting start to a series about King David. This one starts when David and his men are living on the run from Saul. It is written from one of his men's perspective. It does have some war goriness (is that a word?) to it, but still so worth reading.
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"The Seed" By Fola, The most thought provoking book EVER!
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