While the franchise is over and it doesn't seem that author J.K. Rowling will return to the no-longer boy wizard anytime soon, I think its a good idea to occasionally head back to where it all began. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first of the books and introduces us to the tragic and lonely world of The Boy Who Lived. It's also the first time we catch a glimpse of Voldemort.

Harry lives with his uncle and is tormented by his cousin on a daily basis. He lives in a small room under the stairs before being whisked away to Hogwarts. There he meets Hermione and Ron whose friendship, while occasionally rocky, endures through the entire series.

I think this is the book where people fall in love with the world of Harry Potter. As the series went on, the books became darker and darker, but this seemed more like a magical version of Nancy Drew mysteries. The kids face danger at every turn, but all seems fun and light hearted. Even the confrontation with Voldemort in the end, while intense, lacks the ominousness of later books. Read more about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Many people may equate Sherlock Holmes with the cavalier Robert Downey Jr. or for an older generation the more conservative Jeremy Brett, but Holmes first starred in a series of books by Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle.

Holmes is a master of logical and deductive reasoning able to see in a second what others can't find after hours of strenuous searching. He seems to be an expert at everything and can tell you where you're from, what you ate and your best and worst habits after simply looking you over.

He's England's most famous detective and solved some the most difficult cases in Scotland Yard history, but he is also a flawed human being. Doyle did this on purpose to show that a genius can't be absolutely perfect and there has to be a trade for such amazing skills. He was a known opium addict and socially awkward.

Once you placed him outside the realm of a case, he was lost. Dr. Watson was his anchor to the real world and suffered through more than a few condescending insults. There was a tendency in films to portray Holmes not as this flawed individual, but as the perfect detective. Even when Brett would take to the opium pipe, he did it in a refined way. Read more about Character Spotlight: Sherlock Holmes

When it comes to English horror authors, one of my favorites is Clive Barker. Barker may be an American transplant, but he was born and raised across the pond.

Barker's literary works are definitely more macabre than some of his contemporary authors and he has never been one to shy away from sexuality in any way. He is most famous for his creation of the Hellraiser character Pinhead and the countless movies associated with them. Barker himself was only associated with the first few and the rest have been bad ripoffs.

Barker has written many books including a few young adult and has become one of the best horror writers of our generation. All have been critically acclaimed in horror circles and he continues to offer up his own unique view of the world. When he isn't writing, he paints macabre paintings that reflect his own twisted dark thoughts. Read more about Author Spotlight: Clive Barker

There are few characters in English literature, television and culture more memorable than Dr. Who. The mysterious time traveler goes from past to future and planet to planet with the help of the TARDIS, a time and space machine that has its own consciousness.

Dr. Who began as a television show on BBC that ran from 1963 until 1989, but has come back in several iterations since. There have been many characters portraying The Doctor through the years with each one a new persona with new quirks and mannerism each time The Doctor “died.” Read more about Character Spotlight: Dr. Who