Who are the best science fiction/fantasy authors?

5/22/ | Myself

[GSWarrior]

There must be a lot of SF fans here. Who are you favorite authors or books? What are you currently reading?

I enjoy SF books that focus on character development over hard scifi themes. Robert Silverberg, IMO, is about the best there is. I also enjoy Gardner Duzois' short stories--some gut-wrenching stuff. Jack Vance's are also very entertaining. Orson Scott Card is pretty good too.

I am currently reading Altered Carbon, by Richard Morgan...it's kind of slow and hard to follow. Not likely to read his other novels.

I have enjoyed some, but not all, of Niven and Pournelle's works.

[americanophile]

Tolkien

[weegee]

A word of caution, 90% of them are crud. 90% of EVERYTHING is crud (Sturgeon’s Law).

[No Truce With Kings]

Three I can recommend wholeheartedly are Lois McMasters Bujold, Eric Flint, and John Ringo.

Ringo’s “The Last Centurion” rocks.

[martin_fierro]

Ray Bradbury.

To SC: < |:P~

[The Louiswu]

Clarke
Heinlein
Asimov
Niven
Pournelle
James P. Hogan
Cook
Feintuch
Gerrold
Herbert


just to name a few...

[contemplator]

Asimov, Bradbury, Herbert (Dune)

[Brett66]

I loved the Posleen war series of John Ringo, one of my all-time favorite novels.

[Tanniker Smith]

I asked a similar question on another board recently. Got a lot of interesting answers.

Anyway, I like Asimov. I can get through Heinlein. I'm currently enjoying Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and I've previously read his "Pastwatch", which I liked, too.

Just finished "2001" and it was sleep-inducing. "3001" was better, but not exactly a great read. (I haven't read the others.)

Fantasy, I liked the late David Gemmel's stuff. Lord of the Rings is a must-read if you wish to have a conversation with anyone on the topic of fantasy (and Harry Potter is/will be joining that).

Never read any of "The Wheel of Time" and I don't intend to.

Whoops. There's the bell. Gotta go. More later.

[Lancey Howard]

Robert A. Heinlein

[mykroar]

I haven't read my Sci-fi/Fantasy in quite a while, but among my tops would be:

• Frank Herbert
• Stephen R. Donaldson
• Michael Moorcock

[buccaneer81]

Harry Turtledove

John Birmingham

Robert Heinlein

Orson Scott Card

[wideawake]

Thomas Ligotti and Jorge Luis Borges.

[mewzilla]

E.E. “Doc” Smith. Heinlein. Barbara Hambly. Linnea Sinclair. Asimov. Clarke. David Weber. In any order :)

[PapaBear3625]

If you liked Pournelle's military SF, you will probably like David Drake and John Ringo

Let's not forget Robert Heinlein. While some of his post-stroke fiction was below par, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" was a classic

[ssaftler]

Asimov had some pretty good characters, such as those in the “Foundation” and “I, Robot” series of books.

Too bad the man was a raving, Kool-Aid drinking leftist...

[GSWarrior]

Of all the Heinlein books I have read I enjoyed Moon the most.

[hosepipe]

C.S. Lewis.. “Screwtape Letters” is the ultimate Sci-Fi..

[GSWarrior]

I enjoyed Pastwatch immensely. Great book.

[willgolfforfood]

Roger Zelazny (I belive he is now deceased) has several extremely entertaining works out.