Epic Advice Pretty Please

For Christmas last year, I acquired the complete "Chronicles of Narnia" set. At the beginning of 2007 I had put "Read Narnia" on my New Year's Resolutions List. Dec. 25th of that year, I was put to the challenge by Handsome's gift to keep the promise to myself.

I didn't read all 7 books in 6 days, but I gave it one hell of a go.

Why, WHY didn't I read that series years ago? I had read "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" years ago as a child, LOVED IT, but never the whole series....In some ways, I'm glad I read it as an adult.

Incredible. Simply incredible. I loved it and can't wait for "Price Caspian" to come out in theatres this summer.

I'm a voracious reader. I'll read everything from Mark Twain to Jane Austen to John Grisham to CS Lewis. I'll try anything at least once.

I just got done reading one of the most incredible (and completely under-rated) book series in modern fiction. I've read them all, but never read all 7 back to back.

If you haven't read "The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King, shame on you. It's the greatest series I've ever read. The first book "The Gunslinger" was published in 1982. (I think he wrote it in 1970, even before "Carrie"). The last book, "The Dark Tower" was published in 2004. Talk about stringing your readers along. If you're a true SK fan, he kept you going all along the way thru his other books and the references he made to those characters.

Almost anything SK wrote is connected to Roland, the last Gunslinger, (think Clint Eastwood meets Johnny Depp meets Val Kilmer ala "Tombstone") and The Dark Tower. If you loved "It" and especially "The Stand", you'll love "The Dark Tower". If you hate Stephen King movies, read this series. It's weird. It's so tied to all his other *books* but it is so different than anything else he's written. It's completely AWESOME.

Next to "It was a dark and stormy night" and "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" the greatest first line in an epic series of books is: "The man in black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed."

If you're a reader and you've never given Stephen King a try, here's my top 10 list of must reads:

1. "The Dark Tower" series (all 7 books, see above)
2. "The Stand"
3. "The Talisman"/"Black House" (co-written with Peter Straub, but I don't care, it's awesome!)
4. "IT"/"The Shining" (don't make me choose)
5. "Delores Claiborne"
6. "Bag of Bones"
7. "Misery"
8. "The Regulators"/"Desperation" (co-written with his alter ego, Richard Bachman...same character names, different people/story, total mind screw)
9. "The Dead Zone"/"Carrie" (oldies but goodies)
10. "Needful Things"/Tommyknockers" ~ pure King Terror

Honorable Mention "The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels" (incredibly captivating)
Honorable Mention 2: "Pet Semetery", "Firestarter" and "Cujo" They aren't on the the list because I refuse to read them again until Darling turns 18.

Sorry for the dork shrapnel flying at you...give me suggestions...tell me what to read next!