My latest read is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. This book I HIGHLY recommend to anyone but be warned, book two is not out yet and according to his blog it is still a work in progress.
What I like most about a story is how involved I feel while reading. I’ve always been highly visual, and once I’m into a story I zone out to the point of oblivion. This kind of focus has helped with my career in web/software development. I have also found myself so lost in thought that I can cover large distances while hiking and not remembering passing any or all my appointed landmarks I associate as progress until I realize I’m at the end of the trail.
Anyway, back to my point. Rothfuss knows how to draw one in and keep you engaged. Rarely is there a dull moment (big issue for me). The book is told mostly from the point of view of the main character (Kvothe) retelling his past to a scribe who has come to try and get the real story of a hero’s life. The detail was rich but not overwhelming, leaving enough for your imagination to fill in all the blanks.