Who's your all time favorite author? Think about books you have read over the years. Can you choose just one author? It's a difficult task as some of us discovered at a recent staff genre fiction discussion. The time in your life when you read a book seems to be a factor, and we all agreed that individual titles by an author can be great, but not everything he/she has written. So what follows is a discussion of some favorites.

The Dragon Riders Of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey describes a medieval earth with fantasy and some science fiction elements. The reader is drawn into the characters' lives and their unhurried lifestyles. McCaffrey's books are suitable for middle school students and beyond. Worthwhile read-alikes include The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and books by Christopher Paolini and Madeleine L'Engle.

Another favorite author is Isaac Asimov. With reason and logic he creates an alternate world that is believable and uinque. Humorous repartee among characters is clever and moves the plot along.

In a different vein from the SF and fantasy, Dee Henderson's Uncommon Heroes series are also filled with realistic characters with positive values. These romantic suspense novels are fast-paced and deal with contemporary issues.

John Updike's early short story collection Pigeon Feathers was so highly praised that some of us wanted to check his book right away. Updike is a poet, an artist and a theologian. Throughout the collection one finds beautiful descriptions of nature and wonderful, perceptive character studies. Don't miss Updike's new book Due Considerations: Essays and Criticisms.

The mystery novels of Nevada Barr (featuring Anna Pigeon ~ National Park Service Ranger) take place in our national parks. So masterful is Barr's description of a place that the reader feels the cold, the fire, the danger that her heroine experiences. And if you enjoy audio books, Barbara Rosenblatt's sharp narration will heighten your involvement in these tales.

Game warden Joe Picket is a somewhat conflicted human being in C.J. Box's mystery series set in Wyoming. Though his stories contain some violence, they offer a great sense of place and lovable characters whose lives are not always resolved with neat little solutions.
Carl Hiaasen is another favorite,especially, when one is in a skeptical, or somewhat sarcastic frame of mind.

At present there are 18 titles in Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series. These entertaining mysteries set in Egypt during the Victorian Era contain minimal violence and wonderful plots that test the sleuting abilities of archaelogist Amelia and her delightful family. Again Barbara Rosenblatt adds to one's listening enjoyment of Amelia's adventures.

We have more authors to share, so check back for Part 2 of our "favorite author" discussion results. We'd also love to hear about your all-time favorites, so feel free to comment!

MC