Author Interview: Daniel Coleman's Book Picks

First, a brief biography of Daniel:


When he’s not firefighting, Daniel Coleman spends his free time jumping genres in fiction. In 2006 he discovered small-town living and isn’t looking back. Jabberwocky, a novella, is available now (and the ebook is only $.99 on Amazon and Smashwords; the paperback is only $4.99 on Amazon.)  Hatter comes out June 10th.  If you’ve got a few hours to kill he’d be happy to discuss PEZ, ice cream, or Scrabble.



Now, on to the books!


Thanks for the invite, Novapsych.  I could go on for days about my favorite books, but I’ll try to quit before your readers pull out the virtual rotten vegetables.   
Let’s start with some classics.
 Les Miserables is probably my favorite book.  It’s emotionally impacting and the characters are so easy to identify with.  Victor Hugo knew how to put his characters through the ringer. 
My best friend, a 20 something-year-old guy, recommended Jane Eyre.  I laughed and called him a wuss, but a year later I picked it up and had a hard time putting it down. 


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an amazing glimpse into the duality of man.  And, it’s a novella (short novel), like my book, Jabberwocky.   
Okay, on to more recent books.

I loved Ender’s Game as a teenager and I still love it.  I read the Harry Potter series as an adult and I am in awe of the world J.K. Rowling built.  I finally read Jurassic Park a few years ago.  As a science guy, I love how Crichton made the science behind genetic engineering so approachable for the layman. 


I love everything I’ve ever read by Neil Gaiman.  I can’t think of any books that beat the creativity and storytelling of Neverwhere and American Gods.   


I follow quite a few Utah authors.  I’ve had the pleasure of meeting them at conventions and conferences across the state.  Brandon Sanderson, Larry Correia, Dan Wells, James Dashner.  Being a friend or fan of these authors makes their books much more enjoyable.  And even though I’m biased, you can’t go wrong with any of their books 


While I tend to write and read Fantasy, the genre matters much less than the quality of the book.  Pillars of the Earth is an unmatched historical fiction.  John Adams and 1776 made history come to life for me.  Somehow David McCullough wrote textbooks that read like novels.  The Help is a great glimpse into life in the South in the Civil Rights Era from three different viewpoints.  I’ve studied viewpoint considerably and haven’t seen anyone pull it off better than Kathryn Stockett.  


I just can’t stop!  Here are a few more: The Screwtape Letters, The Hunger Games, Lone Survivor, Atlas Shrugged, Lonesome Dove, The Princess Bride, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy all get 5 stars in my book. 


Thanks for dropping by, Daniel!  Great picks - especially Ender's Game and The Princess Bride.  Those are some of my favorites too!