Day 2. Favorite Male Author

This is actually tough. I kind of have a triumvirate (is that the proper word?)

Triumvirate: (from Latin, "of three men") is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals...
Thank you, Wikipedia. Yes, I think that's fairly close.

Oh wait, there's a fourth. >.<

We'll just go with it.

The Storyteller

At the top, my favorite storyteller has to be J. R. R. Tolkien. No one will ever be able to create such a complete fictional world as his. I stand in awe of his history, geography, and linguistics, which add so much to the story. Even if you don't read the Silmarillion or the Children of Hurin, the stories are woven into Lord of the Rings, and even The Hobbit. There is so much richness hinted at, it feels like a real world.
It's also Tolkien I have to thank for my interest in linguistics and philology. It is at present little more than a hobby, but I probably wouldn't have even gone that far had I not read Tolkien's books.

The Writer of Deep Truths

Next on the list is C. S. Lewis for his ability to write deep truths into his works. Even in his children's literature you find such themes, yet they are expressed so simply and lightly, you don't feel like you're reading a Book With A Moral And Lesson To Be Learned. You are reading a lovely book which delves as deep as the salamanders without piling all the rubble on your back in the process.
The same can be said for his Space Trilogy- although in that case often there is a great weight as you read, but it is the weight of realization. I have never felt so insignificant, weak, and gloriously triumphant in my life as when I read those books.
And his lesser-known fiction and that which I've read of his nonfiction is equally thought provoking without dry solemnity. How true are his words- "Joy is the Serious Business of Heaven".

The Pseudo-Historian (In a good way)

Stephen Lawhead earns my admiration for his ability to re-tell ancient legends by setting them down in real locations at real times, interacting with real people. I do not enjoy all his works. There are some that went a bit overboard in the choice (or less than choice) language, or the sexual content, or even the violence.

(One note: Avoid "Patrick" at all costs. The content overshadows the story to the point of vulgarity, unfortunately.)



But I'd have to say that the Pendragon Cycle and the King Raven trilogy are my favorites. One of his earliest works, The Dragon King Trilogy, starts off as a near direct homage to Lord of the Rings, but eventually takes a turn which makes the rest of the story it's own entirely. Who would've thought to put a Native American-style culture smack dab in the midst of wizards and castles? And then make it work?

But it does work, and Toli is one of the best friends any man could ever have.

The Psycho (In a good way)

The viceroy to this triumvirate, if it is possible to have such a thing, is Ted Dekker, for his mastery of The Switch and his ability to bend your brain in ways it's never gone before. Of late his works have leaned more towards horror (or at least paranormal) than psych, but there are very few I haven't liked. "Thr3e" is a good introduction to his works. I shan't say anything about it, though, for fear of giving something away.

My favorite, though, is "Saint". Saint relies on many of his other works as backstory (at the very least read The Circle books and then Showdown), but is simply explained as The Bourne Identity meets superhero comics with a dynamic spiritual warfare twist. I confess I am a Saint fangirl.

So there you have it. My favorite male authors. Others I enjoy include Shakespeare, G. A. Henty, G. K. Chesterton, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And the list keeps going, mind you...