Michael Chabon

While all of Chabon's books are excellent, two in particular are Wordcandy. His young adult book Summerland is a gorgeously written novel that does for American mythology what Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander did for Britain's, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a critically acclaimed novel about two Jewish comic book writers in the '30s and '40s. (Kavalier and Clay has become something of a comic geek's Bible, and is routinely name-dropped by comic book-loving Seth on The O.C.)

Note: Michael Chabon has a really awesome website.

Note #2: Chabon was in the running to write an X-men movie script. It didn't happen, but the mere thought of it makes certain of my comic book-loving friends weak in the knees. Instead, he helped with the story for Spiderman II.

Aftertaste:
None. Even the film version of Chabon's Wonder Boys wasn't too bad.

Availability:
Everywhere.

Other Recommendations:
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman

The His Dark Materials trilogy, by Phillip Pullman


Website:
http://www.michaelchabon.com -