I’m an avid reader. Sure, I read comic books a lot, but I do read normal books as well. I have three main book series which I adore, and they may be different from other people’s. As I’ve stated before, while I love Harry Potter as a film franchise, the books didn’t really grip me as much, and I haven’t read other obvious books like Lord of the Rings (though as stated before I love the movies) or Narnia. My love of books is small but still an important part to my entertainment. Here are the three book franchises which I love the most and still think are great:
- Alex Rider
I’m a huge spy guy and honestly, I don’t think I would have become a Bond fan if I wasn’t introduced to the spy genre through Alex Rider. The books are about a teenage boy who gets hired by MI6 to be their top agent. It sounds cheesy, but the plots and action are very mature, with all the great spy tropes- travelling the world, insane plots, evil monologues, crazy gadgets and riveting action. Most of the books could pass off as Bond plots, and the use of a teenage lead adds more layers to the books, as Alex is struggling between being a reluctant spy and trying to have a normal life. The books get really, really dark at points, which is good. My favourite book in the series is Scorpia Rising, the epic finale to the series, excluding the Yassen spin off.
My dad read the first few books to me when I was young, and as I was older I read the later ones by myself. This really was the first book franchise I got truly inspired by.
- Percy Jackson
My love of Greek mythology stems from this awesome series. Percy Jackson is about a teenage boy (you can see why I related to these books) who finds out that the world is full of mythical monsters and that he is the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea. Much like Harry Potter, there is an ongoing arc through the books, which is slowly woven through each one, with each book standing on its own. This is also the only series I love where I’ve met the author, Rick Riordan, where I got my favourite book, The Titan’s Curse, signed. I dunno why it’s my favourite, probably because of the manticore. I love manticores.
The way the Greek myths are tied into the real world is really clever and I love the use of the monsters and the gods. The world is complex and it’s such an original idea. This series was my Harry Potter- the books which I read in school and discussed with my friends about. I’m currently starting reading Magnus Chase, which is set in the same universe except it has the Norse Gods instead.
- Skulduggery Pleasant
Ah yes, my favourite book series. I’ve mentioned this in the past, but now it’s time to properly explain my love for this series, which spans from a Year 6 classroom to an Australian hotel room. The books are about Stephanie, a young girl who becomes the sidekick to the most awesome character ever conceived- Skulduggery Pleasant, a witty, magical, powerful detective. Oh, and he’s a skeleton. Together, the two fight many threats, including necromancers, gods, vampires, ghosts and Spring Heeled Jack. There’s more, but that would be spoiling.
The nine books are some of the most entertaining storytelling I’ve experienced. They are fast paced, with mystery, humour and action being thrown it at every turn. Even the longer books flow because of the constant shifts in the narrative- whether it’s a twist, an action scene or a character driven scene. There’s always something going on, which makes the books easy to read and makes it easy to be immersed in the world. The books also don’t follow Harry Potter’s mistake of getting progressively more depressing as the books go on, with the books maintaining their witty charm through all nine books.
This is one of my all time favourite franchises, along with Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings and comic books. I would honestly go as far to say they are part of my childhood, and I was truly upset when I finished the final book. I aim to be Skulduggery for World Book Day this year, and the inevitable film will have me there opening night. Though I know what I’m looking for in an adaptation- no romance, unnecessary grittiness or pointless changes to the book. For casting, David Tennant or Benedict Cumberbatch as Skulduggery. If the film sucks, I will be vocal about it. Very vocal.
So those are the book series which I enjoy the most. One day, I aim to write a series which can match the likes of them.
Ben Williams' World 
I have not read any of the books, but I did enjoy the Alex Rider and Percy Jackson films. Skulduggery is a new one on me, but it sounds good. When I was in my mid-teens, way back in the dark ages, I was really into Alistair MacLean, Neville White and John Gardner.
That should have read Neville Shute (I HATE SPELLCHECKERS). Len Deighton and Adam Hall were also worth reading.
I’ve not read any of the books you mention above, but the series that I absolutely loved as a child was the Famous Five (Enid Blyton). I remember Mum reading the books to me, and then reading them myself when I was older. I also read Nancy Drew when I was a teenager – it’s about an amateur detective and the books are mysteries that really captured my imagination.
As an adult I started to read the Morland Dynasty, which is a series of more than 30 books about a fictional family set against real historical events. The first one is set during the War of the Roses, and the most recent is in the 1930s. As a lover of history, the books gave me a real insight into how people lived their lives during the different periods, and also how big historical events impacted normal people.
I really recommend reading Lord of the Rings and the Narnia books. Also, the Wizard of Oz books – they are all a lot darker and more disturbing than the Hollywood glorious technicolour film!
I have read the Wizard of Oz, but because I haven’t seen the film yet I can’t really compare. I am aware of the changes though, like the colour of the slippers and the Tin Man’s backstory.