While the assignment title certainly contains the word "book," and therefore the implication of a print or physically consumable form, I will, for the sake of being able to even create a list with ten items, include those pieces of literature which exist primarily on the internet, which may or may not also primarily rely on graphic illustration also. Such web-published graphic novels or comics have, perhaps unfortunately, formed one of the primary sources of written word entertainment for me for the last several years. In any case, of the publications and collections of text I have entertained myself with these ten stand out the most, in no particular order.
1. William P. Young's The Shack. At the time when I read this, I was about 13 years old, transitioning between seventh and eighth grade, and on a sailing trip with PCDS's own Mr. Crab. The Book, for one of the first times in my life, presented a tangible representation of the Christian God my father had been telling me about for the better part of my life. Chasing after something or someone, or someones under certain theological schools of thought, without a tangible type of guide to gauge my progress or physical description of what an encounter with the divine might be like was and still is perhaps one of the more frustrating things I feel I must cope with.
2. Tim LaHaye's and Jerry B. Jenkins's Left Behind and 16 subsequent sequels. I was 12 or 13 years old when I read the final entry in the series. With perhaps 600 pages or so per novel, it was potentially one of the longest devotions to a series I ever sustained. While it sported opinionated theology, I would like to believe that I might be able to tackle something of comparable length and different subject matter.
3. Rich Burlew's The Order of the Stick. I was perhaps around 12 or 13 when I first encountered a thread on a forum I had been frequenting, discussing the merits of this particular webcomic over others around on the internet, though perhaps as ineloquently as most forum members around my age. While I lost interest in the forum, I have never lost interest in Order. From its humble start with generally poor presentation in its undoubtedly iconic art style, Order has only progressed in complexity and character building over the 800 strips since its first in 2003. Admittedly it also sparked my interest in table top Role Playing Games, with its saturation of reference jokes to the gameplay and common tropes suggested by the numerous guides and various publications by Wizards of the Coast and other table top RPG companies. I consider it remarkable that Order is able to make me, in one moment, laugh at its necessary weekly reference joke, while in the next make me care about the dozen characters as they progress through the joys, tragedies, blessings, and curses of living inside a literal adventure land.
4. Howard Taylor's Schlock Mercenary. Admittedly, while not as dramatic as Order of the Stick, Schlock Mercenary is where I first learned about a Dyson Sphere, personable Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology, and numerous other true scientific concepts as the titular Mercenary, Sergeant Schlock, traipses about the universe with the mercenary company Tagon's Toughs. Again, in terms of art, one need only click on the "first" button to compare Taylor's illustrative capacities in 2000 to those of his present strips. I believe I was around 13 or so when I found Schlock Mercenary
5. Christopher Hastings's The Adventures of Dr. McNinja. Admittedly, while his art has improved with the addition of color and perhaps more advanced artistry skills, Hastings's best stories involving the good Ninja/Doctor, Dr. McNinja, were before he could publish color pages, or even properly draw mangled arms and legs being torn off by a velociraptor. I have yet to properly replicate the purely awesome chaos he is able to portray, while still being coherent and comfortably entertaining. When looking at most newer and more colorful works, I feel as though Hastings has somewhat lost the affability offered by the good doctor in revealing the implied inner harshness he must have in dealing with washed up movie stars, dinosaurs, zombies, clones, mustachioed raptor bandits, and the like. I find hardly surprising my 13 year old self was enamored with the McNinjas.
6. Gabriel Ba's and Fabio Moon's Daytripper. Daytripper was perhaps one of my most enjoyable forays into Magic Realism. Perhaps it was the stunning visuals I was offered to accompany the absurd realities attached to the universe the duo constructed. While I, at the age of 17, watched Brazilian protagonist Bras de Olivias Domingos die terribly at the end of every chapter, I could not help but believe that life must certainly continue on, in spite of your present circumstances to, ironically, offer you new opportunities to seize and make the most of what is dealt to you before you inevitably expire.
7. Kaja and Phil Foglio's Girl Genius. I really can't justify my attachment to the series beyond its engaging story and beautiful Steam Punk environment. Perhaps it was the brass, metal gears, and whirring clockwork machinery that kept my interest at 14 or so through the enormous archive of strips.
8. Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World. I recall reading this book when I was perhaps 10 or 11. I felt it to be one of the most beautiful illustrations of a father's love for his son that I had ever seen.
9. CS Lewis's A Horse and his Boy. What I always longed for from CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia was more in-universe building. A Horse and his Boy was always satisfying after any reread. Adventure, secret births, romance with rich women? All it really lacked for my 13 year old heart was more epic violence and lasers of my favorite Star Wars films.
10. John Bellairs's The House with a Clock in Its Walls. I remember reading this when I was in but fourth grade for assigned reading. I remember being ACTUALLY afraid for once, being the avid reader I used to be.
Looking back, perhaps I had best get to more profound novels. Though, I must say, digging for gold in mounds of even dirt seems more satisfying that digging for gold in mounds of gold.
In any case, I applaud you for reading my obviously over-extended explanations.
Your explanations didn't seem over-extended to me. I was surprised how many of your favorites were by writers who are virtually unknown to me (except Dahl and Lewis, obviously). You have good strong reasons for everything you include. Thanks.
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