Reading

I don't read too many books. I've never finished a book I've disliked though, but there are books that I have not finished that I like, too...

Actually...I don't know why I don't read more...my roommate recommended Maximum Ride and Percy Jackson...are they any good? She makes them sound awesome.

She and I both write though. She's working on two novels right now; she has a story about zombies and then a fantasy she's working on. I'm actually working on an adventure novel...I am still doing the rough draft and am working on Chapter 5 right now. I worry that reading enthusiasts won't enjoy it though. On the risk of being accused of hijacking, I'd hope anyone who wanted would read it. I posted chapters 1-4 in this subforum here though:

http://www.torn.com/forums.php?p=threads&f=52&t=15944596&b=0&a=0&start=20

Chapter 4 in it's current state is on the next page after that one...never mind the original purpose of the thread hasn't been honored...I actually do intend to do that descriptive piece eventually. I draw most of the inspiration for the story from interesting historical events or mythology.

I think the reason I don't read much is I have this preconceived notion that stories do not give everyone an equal share of significance. A suspension of disbelief is developed for the plot, the setting, and characters that are significant to the story in any degree. That's kind of unfair. It takes away from the whole "John Everyman" or "Hero" trope that stories try to present, and it bothers me even when I enjoy every other aspect of a story. I think it's the source of what makes me root for the underdog no matter how significant they are. I like the idea of an adventure story where everything gets blown out of proportion to an epic scale, but any living person, not just the main protagonist, has an infinite potential to change the course of the story at any time.

A good example is the movie Fargo. Not particularly interesting, but -- I'll try to leave out spoilers -- even a stranger driving by on the highway can cause huge affects on the story...so everything seems so much more significant. It's probably why I enjoy The Good Earth so much. I can't seem to find many stories that have this feature to them though. It sucks because Fantasy Adventure is my favorite genre of all time. Narnia is one of my favorites because of the adventuring aspects.

I don't like the idea of a selected few being better than everyone else. So, let me just ask this: Is there a series out there that would satisfy that desire and would be considered fantasy adventure novels? Any that come highly recommended?