Book/Webcomic/Fan Fiction Recommendations

Strangely enough, I couldn't find any one forum thread that seemed to be solely for recommendations. So, to make a long post short, what are some excellent books, web comics, or fan fictions that you recommend others read?

For books, I must recommend the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. A well-written story about a wizard living in modern-day Chicago, the earlier books lean more towards a strange fantasy-detective hybrid, while the later books add more conventional adventure to the mix. My personal favorite series, and despite being 15 books in, the series is still very entertaining and never feels overly long.

If you're looking for a classic fantasy story, there's always the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Chances are most everyone here's read them, but I'd be remiss not to mention the series, which tells the story of a boy, a dragon, and a fight against an empire.

On the topic of web comics, any Mystery Dungeon fans will love Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Victory Fire. The story follows on from the events of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, and features beautiful artwork and excellent writing. It weaves together the plots of Black & White, Colosseum, Ranger: Shadows of Almia, and both Mystery Dungeons games before Gates to Infinity. If you've not played all of those, don't worry - the authors do an excellent job of bringing you up to speed. Updates every Tuesday and Friday.

On a similar note, I suggest Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Souls. It's an entertaining little comic that, despite having only recently started, is funny, well-drawn, and generally entertaining.

Lastly, for those interested in an eclectic mix of humor on all topics, there's xkcd. It blends humor with philosophy, references everything from philosophy, to history, to theoretical physics, and updates three times a week. The author also publishes What If, a series that answers questions you never knew you always had. Fair warning: xkcd sometimes features mature themes. It's generally fairly tame, but a few comics will not be appropriate for everyone. To quote the comic's own disclaimer, "This comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)."

For fan fiction, I must recommend Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Silver Resistance. I'm guessing many people here have already read it, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless. It's excellently done, with a detailed world and surprisingly deep plot. Ongoing, but it's been a while since it last updated.

Lastly, I suggest Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Life in Flames. It's a beautiful story with good writing and an interesting take on the Mystery Dungeon universe. It's based on the author's novelization of the game, but anyone familiar with Explorers should have no problem following along. Completed.