Favorite Author/Novel

[Lost_Leader]

I am an avid reader. Primarily Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, but I'll dabble in other genres, as well. I have currently hit a wall on new material to absorb, and so I am looking for opinions on everyones favorite authors/books. Maybe I can find a new favorite.

My current Top 5 (they change depending on my mood):
1. Raymond Feist - Particularly his earlier books, The Riftwar Saga and the Tsuranuanni books.
2. George R.R. Martin - His "A Game of Thrones" series is brilliant. Can't wait for "A Dance of Dragons"
3. Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game and the sequels, primarily.
4. Clive Cussler - What can I say? I am a Dirk Pitt fan.
5. Dean Koontz - The Odd Thomas books are weird and fun. The dark, punny humor is hilarious and his imagery is unique and morbid.

So... what are your Top 5?

[Oreg]

Being reading alot of Bernard Cromwell lately. I really like his writing.

William Dietrich's - Scourge of God, Hadrian's Wall were both excellent.

I would have to say Stephen Lawhead is still one of my favorites.

Love Stephen Pressfield as well Gates of Fire, Killing Rommel , Afghan Campaign, Tides of War, Last of the Amazons etc

[arminius]

This is a good site: http://www.shelfari.com/

You can list books you have read and or own or want to read or own, etc, and rate them, and recommend them and such. Kind of like Netflix but with your own books.

Oh, and I've been reading political books lately. I don't want to mention the titles or authors because they'd immediately start a fight.

_

[ChaelaAnne]

My all time favorite author is Guy Gavriel Kay. His last two books are not my favorite of his. I would check out "The Lions of Al-Rasson" first. Can't recommend enough. (I MUCH prefer GG Kay over RR Martin.)

[Aeneas]

1. Robert Jordan's wheel of time series
2. Terry Brooks Shannara/Knight of the word series which are being merged sort of in his current series
3. Piers Anthony Xanth novels (loved these in middle school)
4. Michael Crichton - This man is genius and his writing embodies the importance of science fiction as an alternate and more enjoyable route to understanding some pretty heavy scientific information and its possible implications to our future.
5. Stephen King - yeah a predictable and played out choice, but the gunslinger series is super cool.

[Kavel_Havae]

Harry Turtledove - all the alternate history stuff is great.
Clive Cussler - I'm a NUMA fan too
Spider Robinson - Callahan's Series
Terry Pratchett - Disc Wold
Keith Baker - well he is the Eberron Dude!

[Thermopyle]

nuf said.

oh a novel
Stephen R. Donaldson/ The Real Story.( gap series)

[Arnya]

1 - Douglas Adams - 'Be like the twenty-second elephant with heated value in space; bark!'

2 - Anne McCafferey - 'To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven, Master Robinton'

3 - Terry Pratchett - 'Call heads or tails' 'Sides'

4 - JRR Tolkein - 'Stupid fat hobbit'

5 - George Lucas - 'You're a wonderful human being, Jabba'

[Aerilyn]

R.A. Salvator - Can I say Drizzt - Man you got to at least read Streams of Silver - This was the first one to be released of the now 13 or so books in this series, some are better than others and he has some other series that are just as good

Margaret Weiss & Tracy Hickman - The Dragon Lance Series is awesome

George R.R. Martin - Ya Game of Thrones Rocks

Ed Greenwood - If you are a Forgotten Realms Fan you will love his imagination

Michael Moorcock - Elric of Melnibone' - One of the Greatest High Fantasy Series of All Time

J.R.R. Tolkien - Enough Said but I am sure you have read this

[Hiletroy]

1) Stephen R Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (first 2 trilogies and final trilogy in progress)
2) J.R.R. Tolkien - still the standard
3) Patricia McKillips - Riddlemaster of Hed
4) Eric Van Lustbader - Sunset Warrior Trilogy
5) Edgar Rice Burroughs - John Carter Warlord of Mars series


(among others....hehe)

[BurnerD]

I don't even know where to begin... I'll give you a few to consider, some of them you probably have already read....

Glen Cook - Black Company FTW...

Robert Howard - If you've never read the original Conan stories, or any of his other works go getem. There have been several compilations released recently. I'm reading Crimson Shadows, which is a collection of his Weird Tales submissions, now.

Eldon Thompson - Legend of Ashreal Trilogy(sic) - Only two books out know I think.

Tim Waggoner - Ebberon Blades of Flame Series - Two books currently released.. interesting character set.

Bartimaeus Trilogy - Jonathon Stroud - Kinda Harry Potter like, but a good read.

Tim Lebbon - Dusk and dawn - Very gory, graphic dark fantasy.. decent storyline

Dennis McKiernan - His Mithgar books are pretty good.

Alan Dean Foster - Shadowkeep - This book is a starightforward DnD like classic fantasy novel. I really like this type of fantasy so it was a fun read for me. I'm kind of suprised at how few people have read it.

David Eddings - The Belgariad

Harry Harrison - Stainless Steel Rat series

Ursala Leguin - Wizard of Earthsea

All D&D and Star Wars related books .. Rogue Squadron series amonst my favorites there

[Lost_Leader]

Great Feedback! I am putting together a list for my next trip to the bookstore. While I have read many of the favs listed so far, there are a few that I have never heard of. The ones I have read would make my top 5 on another day, most likely. So many great authors out there.

And to you Stephen Donaldson Fans... Thermo-pile and Hiletroy, I too love the Gap and Thomas Covenant books, but my favorite of his are still the Mordant's Need duo: Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through. But all of his are good.

I like Robert Jordan, too, but he sure takes a long time to develop his story. It almost seemed like it started to get away from him a bit. I look forward to his son's interpretation of his final notes. Rest In Peace, Mr. Jordan.

Anne McCaffrey... love her. Pern books are great. Robinton is Iconic. I do enjoy her Pegasus and Freedom novels, as well. Acorna was.. meh. But Pern FTW.

BurnerD, I love some of the ones you listed. I haven't read Shadowkeep. It's now on my list. Thanks!

George Lucas... well he is classic, but I prefer some of the other Starwars books. Particularly the X-Wings.

I had never heard og G.G. Kay, but if his style is similar to Martin's, I am sure I will love him. Also on my list, and thanks!

Harry Turtledove is a great author. Another Alternate Earth that I really enjoy is Naomi Novik. The Temeraire Series is creative and unique.

[BurnerD]

Great Feedback! I am putting together a list for my next trip to the bookstore. While I have read many of the favs listed so far, there are a few that I have never heard of. The ones I have read would make my top 5 on another day, most likely. So many great authors out there.

And to you Stephen Donaldson Fans... Thermo-pile and Hiletroy, I too love the Gap and Thomas Covenant books, but my favorite of his are still the Mordant's Need duo: Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through. But all of his are good.

I like Robert Jordan, too, but he sure takes a long time to develop his story. It almost seemed like it started to get away from him a bit. I look forward to his son's interpretation of his final notes. Rest In Peace, Mr. Jordan.

Anne McCaffrey... love her. Pern books are great. Robinton is Iconic. I do enjoy her Pegasus and Freedom novels, as well. Acorna was.. meh. But Pern FTW.

BurnerD, I love some of the ones you listed. I haven't read Shadowkeep. It's now on my list. Thanks!

George Lucas... well he is classic, but I prefer some of the other Starwars books. Particularly the X-Wings.

I had never heard og G.G. Kay, but if his style is similar to Martin's, I am sure I will love him. Also on my list, and thanks!

Harry Turtledove is a great author. Another Alternate Earth that I really enjoy is Naomi Novik. The Temeraire Series is creative and unique.

Hope you like em... Like I said I am more of a classic fantasy reader.. I like the hero type, dungeon crawling stories. Terry Brooks Sword of Shannara is my idea of a perfect fantasy story.. as are the Tolkein Books. Shadowkeep can be finished in a weekend and is just a fun read. I will add more authors as I think of them.

[rpasell]

I've read many of the above mentioned authors, and like many of them as well, Jordan, Pratchett, Adams, Eddings and Martin are all really good.

Also check out Terry Goodkind.

My favorite wasn't mentioned though Steven Brust http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Brust. Something about his protagonist Vlad Taltos that I find particularly appealing.

[Tanka]

I'd suggest every fan of Sci-Fi OR Fantasy ready Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover. Assuming you can find it. It's out of print and apparently very rare. Well, well worth the read, however.

[mgoldb2]

In no order

Steven Brust (His vlado taltos series)
Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's series)
Ra Salvatore (I put this here since from 1992-2002 he was my favorite aurthor but I personally completely lost interest in him last few years. Did not like hunter trilogy at all)

I finally started reading a game of thornes after so many people told me it so great but not far enough to make judgements yet.

R.A. Salvator - Can I say Drizzt - Man you got to at least read Streams of Silver - This was the first one to be released of the now 13 or so books in this series, some are better than others and he has some other series that are just as good.

Crystal Shard was the first one, streams of silver was secound book.

[Pellegro]

Pk ****

EDIT: Grrr ... Philip K. Di(k

[Lithic]

Books I can almost recite:

1) Ender's game (The sequals/prequals were decent, but too many inconsistencies between the books really ruined them. Its like Card either forgot to reread his old books before writing new ones, or he decided to change his world's history)

2) Battlefield Earth (The book the movie was based on, not the book based on the movie based on the screenplay based on the book). I love postapocalyptic stuff.

3) Fossil hunter/Farseer/Foreigner (gotta love intelligent Dino's)

4) Old Drizzt trilogy (though I find Salvatore's Superhuman characters trying for the most part, especially the rest of the drizzt saga)

[WeaselKing]

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman-all their stuff not just Dragonlance

Robert Jordan

Frank Herbert as well as Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson to some extent

[GuitarHero]

Brian Jacques (pronounced Jakes, not Jock-quiz) and his Redwall series. I've read these since i was in elementary school! His early books in the series he was testing the waters, and his later books he seems to have gotten into a rutt, but his middle books are where the stories really grip you. Each book draws on similar locations and lore, though you don't have to read them in order, or even have read any previous books, to get into them. You don't have to know that the Matthias and Methusila Bells were named after a great hero and a great scholar, respectively, to know that they are ringing. Knowing that Martin the Warrior was a great hero of yore is enough, without having read his stories and struggles. He uses personification, similar to Wind and the Willows, which may cause some scepticts to shy away, but after reading Long Patrol or Marlfox, you can see that they aren't your frollic in the woods kind of woodland creatures.