Being the avid reader that I am, I have noticed a trend in the books that I read. Once I read a book, and I like it, I seem to become almost an addict to the works of that author, in a way. I have done so with J.R.R. Tolkien (author of the Lord of the Rings), and also with Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park). This 'addiction' of sorts lasts maybe for a year or two, as I become tired of the author.
Right now- I'm into Stephen King novels. He's got to be one of the best authors of our time (okay, I admit, I am a bit biased). I'm wrapping up the Dark Tower series as of the moment I type this.. afterwards I'll take a short break as I take a chunk out of the backlog of books I have yet to read.
What I love about the stories he writes isn't the horrific scenes or the extreme level of detail that he goes into, but the depth of the characters the he creates. You end up truly loving the characters, and want to cheer them on through their hardships and congratulate them when they succeed with something. When you finish the book, you feel as if you had really known each character, and that they had been there for part of your life. It almost affects you when a character suffers a grievous loss, or they suddenly die in some way.
There are so many possibilities when you really take some time to read. The written word can express so much more than film, I think. Novels aren't constrained by the
amount of time people are willing to spend reading something, but rather
how much people would rather read, and I believe that makes a big difference.
Long days and pleasant nights,
Neal
