I am sure we have all asked that question of ourselves at various times of our lives, and the answer probably changes with time.
As a young bloke, I would probably have said Thomas Hardy (wow, that's pretty bleak!). Then in my thirties, I would have said Stephen King. During a 10 year period (or somewhere around that timeframe), I purchased and read just about his entire anthology. I still have over 40 of his novels on my bookshelves. Then there are my all time favourites like H.G. Wells, John Wyndham, C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
But what makes a favourite author. For me, the following springs to mind
If you see one of that author's books, you buy it.
Once you start reading the book, you can't put it down until you finish it.
You read late into the night, unable to put it down.
You re-read it at a later stage and you enjoy it just as much on the second read.
So my favourite author is David Gemmell (see http://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/david-gemmell-waylander-ii.html).
His fantasy books are second to none, his imagination always inspires, his heroes are true heroes and his stories are unforgettable. Sadly, his sudden death in 2006, aged 57, robbed us of so many more stories.
Luckily his widow Stella Gemmell has continued with his work (see http://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/stella-gemmell-city-i-have-been-avid.html).
Long live David Gemmell!
As a young bloke, I would probably have said Thomas Hardy (wow, that's pretty bleak!). Then in my thirties, I would have said Stephen King. During a 10 year period (or somewhere around that timeframe), I purchased and read just about his entire anthology. I still have over 40 of his novels on my bookshelves. Then there are my all time favourites like H.G. Wells, John Wyndham, C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
But what makes a favourite author. For me, the following springs to mind
If you see one of that author's books, you buy it.
Once you start reading the book, you can't put it down until you finish it.
You read late into the night, unable to put it down.
You re-read it at a later stage and you enjoy it just as much on the second read.
So my favourite author is David Gemmell (see http://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/david-gemmell-waylander-ii.html).
His fantasy books are second to none, his imagination always inspires, his heroes are true heroes and his stories are unforgettable. Sadly, his sudden death in 2006, aged 57, robbed us of so many more stories.
Luckily his widow Stella Gemmell has continued with his work (see http://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/stella-gemmell-city-i-have-been-avid.html).
Long live David Gemmell!
