Top 5 Favorite Writers Ever

by: David Ames (Guest Writer)

As I sit here in my recliner, relaxing to the mellow sounds of the Scrubs dramedy playing in the background, I have to think about this topic. I read a lot (and not always that fancy “prose” stuff that all the kids are big on) so choosing favorite authors is going to be a little tough. Should I talk about the authors who make me laugh, the authors that make me think, or perhaps the authors that cause me to weep like a schoolgirl at a One Direction concert? I've decided to do a little bit of everything. Anyway, that’s enough about my sad, sitcom existence…onto the goods!

#5. John Adjvide Lindqvist
Known for: Let the Right One In, Handling the Undead

Lindqvist is an author that most are unaware of and that is a great disappointment because his work is stellar. He has singlehandedly reinvented the horror genre a few times but unlike others in his field who have done the same (David Wellington, I’m looking at you), Lindqvist has managed to do so with a focus on the human aspects of the supernatural. While people like Wellington do an amazing job of working through new lore, the horror is always at the forefront. Instead Lindqvist uses the human beings around the horror to emphasize not only the dark but the light in the stories. If you need a good read, check out Let the Right One In, an amazing story that captures the heart of the vampire genre, with some really messed up events along the way. Not for the faint of heart but definitely worth a read.

#4. Terry Goodkind

Known for: Sword of Truth Series

Terry Goodkind changed the way that I feel about fantasy writing. His take on swords and wizards is something fresh, as well as how he handles a cheesy genre while deftly maneuvering around the cheddar. It is an 11 book series with an additional novella, an e-book exclusive, and a new trilogy started. Check out the first in the series, Wizards First Rule, and enjoy all that Tolkien style goodness without all the excessive description (although Tolkien is still the man).

#3. Scott Snyder

Known for: Severed, American Vampire, Batman

Snyder is arguably the best writer working in comics today. That’s almost all that needs to be said about him. His creator owned books like American Vampire and Severed are landmarks in new horror and his current run on Batman has basically captured everything that can be wonderful about the Dark Knight. I will read anything he has ever written…ever. Check out Severed, a slow-burn horror comic that builds on suspense, not gore…well…a little bit of gore…but mostly an amazing story.

#2. Cormac McCarthy

Known for: The Road, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian

McCarthy is one of those writers that makes you stop and think…and then question why you aren’t as good at anything as he is at writing. His simple style speaks volumes and his story telling is uncompromising. Beautiful is the only word warranted here. Read The Road…RIGHT NOW! It changed my life, literally.

#1. George Orwell

Known for: 1984, Animal Farm

Few people have captured the prophetic fear of totalitarianism quite like Orwell. His allegories and storytelling lay the groundwork for some of the greatest works of all time. I recommend 1984, which coincidentally is my favorite book…ever.  This book is where the term “Big Brother” originated and no story will ever make you so happy and then so sad, or pissed, by the end