The best books you probably never heard of.

Today I thought I'd talk about the greatest books you've probably never heard of. These are books that I found in garage sales, bargain bins and second hand bookstores and had a hard time tracking down the entire series. Each book will be a link to the book if your interest is peaked. Classics are great, and they're classics for a reason, but sometimes the dusty, forgotten books can whisk you away on the best journeys. Many of these were found in the days before Amazon, so tracking them down just added to their appeal. And yes there was life before the internet, though it was bleak and limited and I don't want to go back!

Tears of Artamon by Sarah Ash - I mentioned this in my post the other day and I love it. It centers around a boy who finds out he is heir to a dark legacy, the Drakhoul. Part dragon and part vampire, he's all awesome. I found the first book in an outlet store while on vacation and spent five years tracking down the next two. But I'm so glad I did because they were wonderful books.

SoulSmith by Tom Dietz While looking for a new series to read I discovered this in my favorite secondhand bookstore, The Book Nook. It was a little weird, but it follows a teenage boy who discovers amazing gifts regarding metal work. Once I read the first one I had to read the rest and even today with Amazon and B&N it isn't easy...

The Dragon Nimbus by Irene Radford I got book one from an ex, book two from a garage sale and finally tracked down book three when Amazon came along. But this series was worth tracking down. I loved the world Radford created and it served as one of the two inspirations for The Raven and the Rose, my currently abandoned fantasy novel. (The other inspiration was Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan)

Life's That Way by Jim Beaver Known for his role as Bobby Singer on Supernatural and Ellsworth on Deadwood, Mr. Beaver is a great personality and I have had the pleasure of meeting him. I own an autographed copy of this book and it moved me to tears. A memoir of his wife's struggle ad eventual death to cancer, this book is a series of emails he sent out periodically to keep everyone informed without having to constantly repeat himself. It moved me in a way I don't really have words for. To say it is remarkable how he deals with the tragedy would be an understatement.

Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston Best known for his work with Lincoln Child on the Pendergast series, I think this is my favorite thriller, though it might be tied with Angel's and Demons. The critics hated it, and ok, maybe it's a little far fetched, but I lapped it up like a cat with cream.

So what's your favorite book no one has ever heard of?