I know, I know. I’ve been a very bad man about posting to my blog.  I have reasonable excuses for it, one of which being switching hosts (as you can see from the shiny new URL).  Please, let me be the first to welcome you to seth-swanson.com.  I’ll explain the reasons for my move in a later post.  Today, I’m posting with a purpose: that of revealing a book that I could read over and over and over … or books … pursuant of the #wanaFriday Twitter tag.

I know this will come as a shock to those who know me, but I’m not an overly complicated man.  I generally don’t read to better myself as a person, or to gain “culture”.  I enjoy me a bit of Shakespeare, but beyond that I give most literature a skip.  I’m sure its great and everything, but most of the “greats” have a decided lack of magic, monsters, swords or Jedi’s.  I’m ADHD, you have to keep me engaged in the book with the use of an array of shiny objects. Which brings us to my first book that I can happily continue reading forever:

I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole
I’ve loved the whole X-Wing series since I was in high school.  I know that its pulp fiction, but the first four books of that series are great.  I, Jedi is even better though.  As should be obvious, there’s Jedi, which also means there’s lightsabers and the Force.  Not enough?  How about a Jedi private investigator?  Still not enough?  Add in some space battles, a few clandestine operations and a great story.  I, Jedi is by far my favorite novel in the Star Wars: Expanded Universe and Stackpole is my favorite author who writes in it.  If you were ever curious about fighter ace Wedge Antilles, the X-Wing series fleshes him out nicely.  Corran Horn is also one of my favorite characters within that universe.  I spent years reading Star Wars books just looking for references to him and his distinct abilities.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Its about a city of magic zombies.  If you need more than that, we can’t be friends any more.  Brandon Sanderson is my absolute favorite author and anything he writes deserves to be on this list, but Elantris was the first book of his that I read.  If you aren’t familiar with him, then check out something of his.  He’s pretty well known by now for making completely unique and interesting magic systems.  I specifically like the symbol based Aon magic in Elantris, but I also love the metal based magics from the Mistborn series.

Monster Hunter Intl. by Larry Correia
Monster Hunter Intl. (Hereafter MHI) is pretty much a summer action blockbuster in book form.  Monsters, guns, government conspiracies, an impending world ending disaster, werewolves, vampires and one-liners.  I could read this whole series over and over again whenever I just want to read about stuff being blown up in creative ways.  Its just good fun.

So, there’s a peak into my mind.  I’m not going to win any prizes for the width and breadth of my reading, nor my tastes, but there you have it.  I also prefer cider to beer.  I’m a heathen and I know it.  Good thing it doesn’t bother me.

Come back a bit later for news on WordKeeper (my tool to help authors set and keep their word goals) and big news on Impervious!  For now, I’m off to Kansas City for the weekend with my lovely wife to celebrate our first anniversary!  Out.

Updated with links to other participants:

• Cora Ramos: Mistress of Synchronity
• Linda Adams: The Beauty of Omniscient Viewpoint
• Margaret Miller: Reading Books the Second Time Around
• Ellen Gregory: My re-reading book: The Lions of Al-Rassan
• Seth Swanson: It’s been a while
• Tami Clayton: Visiting Old Friends Between the Pages Once Again
• Janice Heck: Tuscany in Mind–Second Time Around
• Kim Griffin: Favorite Novel Reread