More Essential Books

Here are six more of my favorites.  These were not quite the life-changing-experience that the first list was but still awesome in their own way.

7.       The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

Sanderson was picked by Robert Jordan’s wife to finish The Wheel of Time.  At some point in there, he started writing his own fantasy magnum opus, part of which is loving tribute to Jordan’s work and part of which is clearly-inspired improvement on the original.  I don’t know what else to say about it besides the fact that The Way of Kings is massive in scope, inventive in detail, and yet packed to the rafters with action and essential character moments.  I sincerely hope that the rest of the series is as good as the opener was.

8.       Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

If you’re a West Pointer, and you must read science fiction, the Academy would prefer you read Robert Heinlein.  Start with Starship Troopers and then read the Juveniles.  Seriously, though, this book is visionary in so many little ways, my favorite of which is that the main character is Latino.  Heinlein, who wrote the book back in the late 1950s, hides that fact until the very last page.  Interestingly, I think that this is probably the last of his books that isn’t sort of counter-culturally subversive.

9.       Iron Man issue #200 by Denny O’Neil (writer) and Mark Bright (penciller).

Iron Man #200 is my favorite single-issue comic of all time.  It wraps up both Tony Stark’s alcoholism and his battle with Obadiah Stane in a single, giant-size issue and forms the basis for about half of the first Iron Man movie.  It’s also available online in digital format from Marvel, though I’ve no idea what the download costs.

10.   On Writing by Stephen King.

I can’t remember much of the actual writing advice that King gives here, but the book itself is at least half autobiography, and that part is fascinating.  In particular, I liked reading about King’s struggle with addiction and his decision to change his life by becoming sober.  I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but compare and contrast that to the experience I had with my father.

11.   Ghost by John Ringo.

John Ringo is a right-wing whack-job who’s famous for writing science fiction and fantasy schlock.  In this series—and in this book in particular—he goes completely off the rails and gives himself over entirely to his inner demons.  Seriously, this book has it all.  It’s as sick, twisted, and patriotic as you can possibly imagine, and since Ringo is both a veteran and a true believer, it’s written without a hint of irony.  What’s worse is that it’s easily Ringo’s best work as a writer.  He’s got something to say, and he knows it, but he’s at pains to come to terms with it.  If you haven’t yet questioned what you believe in, read this one right now.  Beyond that, I’ll let it speak for itself.

12.   Fields of Fire by James Webb.

Fields of Fire is, to me, kind of the anti-Once an Eagle.  It’s about leadership, bravery, and the Vietnam War, so of course, it’s also about frustration, squandered opportunities, futility, and loss.  It’s a terrific book, though.  It’s just anti-war in the tradition of All Quiet on the Western Front and The Red Badge of Courage.  It’s probably a little more approachable to the modern audience than those books are, and for that reason, I liked it more than I liked those others.