Favourite authors

[Xenostrata]

Wow. $40 for a copy of the Codex is impressive. I've seen various editions sell for thousands at auctions. Very, very nice find.

That book can have a very strange effect on the mind

In a different vein, another really good book is "Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke. A wee bit on the odd side, but a very satisfying read.

I'm pretty sure Abbeville editions are one of the cheaper editions (~$300, maybe?) but I'm not complaining. I love it

[blkcat1028]

There are some great suggestions so far and I've already found a few of the books. Thanks!!!

I am surprised that no one has mentioned Edgar Allan Poe.

I love "The Fall if the House of Usher" and "A Cask of Amontillado", but the creepiest of his stories is "Berenice".

And what about Ray Bradbury? He has to be one of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time. "The Martian Chronicles" is an amazing book!

[FuzzyDuck81]

A few of mine:

Terry Pratchett - all the discworld stuff, Nation was a good one too, and truckers/diggers/wings is a nice easy read

J K Rowling - harry potter series... i know, i know, not the best book series around but IMO its best strength is that its a very easy, pleasant read while not being patronising

Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn series is excellent.. his other stuff (otherland) i really couldnt get into though.

Raymond E Feist - multiple sets with an ongoing world & storylines, great stuff. The empire series collaborating wtih Jenny Wurts is excellent too.

Robin Jarvis - really enjoyed the deptford mice etc. series' when i was younger.. surprisingly gruesome for a series ostensibly aimed at yunger teens. The wyrd museum seris is a great one too.

Frank Herbert - Dune series.. the later books are harder going, but the original trilogy is a classic bit of sci-fi, great stuff.

Brent Weeks - night angel trilogy was very enjoyable

Tolkein - naturally

neil gaiman - awesome stuff, and as another poster mentioned, good omens collaborating with pratchett is brilliant

[Galeria]

Just finished reading The Moon Breaker

A story about Korthos Island. I enjoyed it.

[Ron]

I am both shocked and appalled that we are 4 pages into this thread and not one person has mentioned Stephen R. Donaldson. The Thomas Covenant books (series 1, 2, and 3 comprising 10 books) are among the finest fantasy books ever written. World building on par with Tolkien (but not stealing all his ideas, which is more than I can say for most fantasy writers). All of his other stuff is great too, he's never written anything I didn't like.

I love GRR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Books, but I hate his work ethic. It takes him 5+ years to write a book, because he is too busy going to conventions, doing book tours, watching football, etc. Basically doing everything except writing (he's in Portugal right now, not writing) . In my opinion, it's 50/50 on whether we see the sixth book in that series, and virtually no chance at all of seeing the seventh (and nominally last). Which is too bad, the books are really good (as is the HBO adaptation).

[EDIT: Okay, I take it back, a couple of people did mention Donaldson. Good. It makes me less worried about you people ].

[Uska]

I am both shocked and appalled that we are 4 pages into this thread and not one person has mentioned Stephen R. Donaldson. The Thomas Covenant books (series 1, 2, and 3 comprising 10 books) are among the finest fantasy books ever written. World building on par with Tolkien (but not stealing all his ideas, which is more than I can say for most fantasy writers). All of his other stuff is great too, he's never written anything I didn't like.

I love GRR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Books, but I hate his work ethic. It takes him 5+ years to write a book, because he is too busy going to conventions, doing book tours, watching football, etc. Basically doing everything except writing (he's in Portugal right now, not writing) . In my opinion, it's 50/50 on whether we see the sixth book in that series, and virtually no chance at all of seeing the seventh (and nominally last). Which is too bad, the books are really good (as is the HBO adaptation).

[EDIT: Okay, I take it back, a couple of people did mention Donaldson. Good. It makes me less worried about you people ].

Long ago I tried to read first land series couldnt do it then about 10 years later I went back and loved them now not as much and the second and later series just didnt do it for me.

As to GRR Martin not a fan of the song of ice and fire books but I am a huge fan of his wild cards series

also many years ago I was a gopher for the man at a con they put me at his beck and call he was friendly and made few demands to a teenager who really didnt know the mans work at the time very well(this was 30+ years ago

Oh just finished Newt's first alternate civil war book yeah he had help but its actually pretty good maybe he should dump pollitics and sticking to writting.

[BurnerD]

A relative newcomer who I have found very entertaining is Brandon Sanderson.

He is finishing up Jordan's Wheel of Time.

His novel Elantris and Mistborn Series were very good reads.

I've always enjoyed David Eddings also. The Belgariad and The Malloreon were fun reads..

[Drakos]

The author that got me into reading is Stehpen Stephen R. Donaldson with the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Wounded Land, The One Tree, and White Gold Weilder). At that point I was hooked and have been an avid reader since. I followed tose books witht the Firs Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, then moved on to Dragonlance books.

I would have to say that my favorite author so far is Ramond E. Fiest and the Rift War Saga (Magitian, Silverthorn, and Darkness at Sethanon). In the US Magician was published as two books Magicial Apprentice and Magician Master. I really like Fiest's style. I have read most of his Rift War Cycle (Rift War Saga, Serpent War Saga, etc....)

I also enjoyed Lyndon Hardy's trilogy, Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, and Riddle of the Seven Realm's.

Edit: Should also throw in a plug for Weise & Hickmen (Dragonlance series, Rose of the Prophet series, Darksword, etc...)

[Jayfunked]

fantasy pretty much all wrapped up by the above posts.

A couple of books outside this genre I have to recommend as they're the sort of low-brow book that would never normally get recommended as often people like to suggest things like 'you must read the iliad, I find the original ancient greek version the most satisfying.

Reading these is the literary equivalent of watching a hollywood blockbuster in i-max with surround sound. You're never going to get oscar dialogue or acting but hot **** you walk out of there entertained.


Stel Pavlou: Decipher
Fantastic fast paced thriller tying in all sorts of science and linguistic themes on the way. Doesn't stop for breath.

Matthew Reilly: Seven Ancient Wonders Trilogy
Ridiculously over the top, Indiana jones like series where the set-peices are the stars of the show. Makes my previous recommendation feel lethargic.

[Drakos]

I am both shocked and appalled that we are 4 pages into this thread and not one person has mentioned Stephen R. Donaldson. The Thomas Covenant books (series 1, 2, and 3 comprising 10 books) are among the finest fantasy books ever written. World building on par with Tolkien (but not stealing all his ideas, which is more than I can say for most fantasy writers). All of his other stuff is great too, he's never written anything I didn't like.

I love GRR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Books, but I hate his work ethic. It takes him 5+ years to write a book, because he is too busy going to conventions, doing book tours, watching football, etc. Basically doing everything except writing (he's in Portugal right now, not writing) . In my opinion, it's 50/50 on whether we see the sixth book in that series, and virtually no chance at all of seeing the seventh (and nominally last). Which is too bad, the books are really good (as is the HBO adaptation).

[EDIT: Okay, I take it back, a couple of people did mention Donaldson. Good. It makes me less worried about you people ].

Hey Ron, I have to agree with out on Donaldson. This guy it the one author that ignighted the spark of my love of reading. I owe it all to a teacher who took the class to the library and wouldn't let us leave until we had selected a book for a book report. I stumbled accross The Wounded Land and bam instant avid reader.

[Paryan]

A lot of great entries on this topic!

A few I have to second are:
David Eddings, "Redemption of Althalus." I enjoyed the other series (Belgariad etc.) when I was younger, but this one is a great stand alone novel that still captures a fun plot with novel character interactions.

Timothy Zhan Star Wars books...should have been the newer movies, completely agree.

I'm a big fan of Tolkien, Goodkind, Feist, Martin, and most of Robert Jordan (couldn't quite get through the last few....).

One series I didn't see mentioned was the Death gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Very unique and enjoyable. The world of fire in the books was the inspiration for my main character's name....

Other great books (which aren't necessarily sci fi/fatasy themed, but have elements of the supernatural)

Jeff Long's "The Descent", "Deeper", and "the Wall." First 2 are a take on the premise that hell is a physical place in the Earth. The Wall is a unique story about rock climbing (big fan as I'm very into rock climbing, but may not appeal to those without an interest....)

Last one is "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski. This one is hard to describe, but is downright chilling. The writing is so unique that at time, you have to turn the book upside down, or read pages backwards....If you see it in a bookstore (those still exist right?) pick it up just to flip through it. The strange mechanic may appeal to some, or frustrate others, but the read itself is amazing. I don't want to give it away, but the story has the feel that it could of, or did happen....awesome read.

[Ron]

Hey Ron, I have to agree with out on Donaldson. This guy it the one author that ignighted the spark of my love of reading. I owe it all to a teacher who took the class to the library and wouldn't let us leave until we had selected a book for a book report. I stumbled accross The Wounded Land and bam instant avid reader.

Yeah, I read the first series back in high school. It cemented by love of fantasy literature.

I don't know if you check his page. I catch up with it every now and then. He wrote, as of last December, that he had the complete first draft of book 10 done. He said he still needed a year of rewrites to clean things up, but the book exists! Right on schedule.

That's one of the things I love about Donaldson. If he is writing a series, every three years you will get a new book, because he takes his work seriously. Unlike SOME authors I could name...