Best Fantasy Authors (Vanity)

5/15/03 | bondserv

[rwfok]

Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry

The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy consists of The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road.

[hedgetrimmer]

For Frank Stockton,
The Bee-Man of Orn and Other Fanciful Tales

[hedgetrimmer]

For E R Eddison
The Worm Ouroboros

His prose is elegant and ornate; it is reminiscent of the prose of the 17th century, and is yet wholly his own. His characters are heroes and villains who are as a rule "larger than life"; they fall down cliffs several hundred feet high without injury, they fight battles of epic proportions, and always strive for the greater glory of both their kingdom and themselves. Eddison, who wrote long before J. R. R. Tolkien published his Lord of the Rings, does not have much in common with the fantasy of today, but that is only to be expected from a field which generally emulates Tolkien and neglects those who came before him. An interesting anecdote, which might, however, not be true, is that Eddison had a hair fetish, and wouldn't allow his wife to cut her hair. If he had been alive today, it is not unlikely that his books would never have seen publication. Despite this, and despite the flaws he may possess, he is still a highly readable author, and his creations are seldom, if ever, surpassed by any other writer of fantasy the field has yet to see.

[Mike Darancette]

Jack Vance.

[Moonmad27]

My favorite, Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles, has a wonderful touch of fantasy in so many of the stories.

[balrog666]

Having read this far, I will add or echo recommendations for the following writers and series (for Fantasy only):

Roger Zelazny: Nine Princes series, world's best short stories, and everything else he wrote,
Raymond E. Feist: Magician/Riftworld series,
Terry Pratchett: Discworld series (perhaps the funniest of all time),
Steven Brust: both Dragaera series,
Walter Jon Williams: Metropolitan, Maijstral (very funny), world's second best short stories,
Elizabeth Willey: The Well-Favored Man/Kingdom of Argylle series,
Lawrence Watt-Evans: Legends of Ethshar series, Lords of Dus series,
Jack Vance: Dying Earth series, Lyonesse series, everything else even if it is SF.

I better stop here before I get too carried away.

And you can look up the authors and the complete series titles here at the world's most comprehensive SF/Fantasy fan site: SciFan!

[bondserv]

Thanks balrog666,

I will add these to the list.

I knew there was a reason I liked you. Do you have any comments regarding my original list?

I just found a store called the Book Corral near my house. They take in your used books for trading power, allowing you to pay as low as 30 percent of the retail price. An $8.00 book that came out last week, if someone trades it in after reading it, will only cost $2.50. They are also a reservoir of old Sci-Fi / Fantasy series, by far their largest section in the store.

I will see if any on your list are available.

Thanks again.

bondserv

[balrog666]

I assumed they were a given.

My favorite series of all time was J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". I've probably read it a dozen times starting with the (unauthorized) Ace editions and have had 6 or 7 editions I've passed on to the kids and grandkids.

L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is one of my favorites but he's probably an acquired taste since few of friends like him at all.

Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time Series" started out fine but he seemed to get neverending-series-itis by introducing a new subplot (or three) with every book. I haven't read the last two books but when he gets to the end I'll probably go back and finish up (if I'm still here).

Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth Series I see as about the same as Jordan. Started out interestingly but has twisted the elements and rambled on with self-contradictory storylines and bizarre subplots. Such writers really need to write something different occasionally, especially so they can get some distance from their past work and return to it fresh each time.

Stephen R. Donaldson - Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Series. First series was excellent, second was bad, then he wrote some weird stuff and his latest work is just twisted (although not without meaning).

I like Robin Hobb but she gets a little tedious at times. Frankly, as you read more and more authors and a wider and wider selection of books, every plotline tends to get somewhat derivative and I find the most important elements are the breadth of the plotline and the style of the author. Robin has good ideas but her style is a little too flat and tedious.

David Eddings - Belgariad / Malloreon / Elenium / Tamuli. Again I liked the first series of each but then he essentially rewrites it all over again. He needs to write something completely different (I know he has, but he hasn't done it lately as far as I know).

Terry Brooks - Shannara Series. I've read most of his work but rarely pass it on. Even he admitted he stole it all from LOTR and kept re-writing the same essential storyline again and again. Then when he does something different, he can't seem to end it and gets the old stretch-it-out-for-another-book syndrome. But, he has a very fluid and easily readable style. I used to get into arguments on the ICC SF channel because I would post some of his old interview quotes and some of his fans would get upset.

Joel Rosenberg - Guardians of the Flame Series just never captured my interest - everybody has different tastes.

Tad Williams - Dragonbone Chair. Arg! Tried it a couple of times because of the buzz, but I hated the simplistic setup, then it got boring and somewhat contradictory, and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief any more.

I have been known to throw books against wall when they insulted my intelligence too much and I maintain a special box next to the fireplace for the books that just need burning instead of being passed on or traded in. None of the above author's books have ever reached that low.

Oh, and I forgot to mention a few more worth checking out such as Martha Wells and Dave Duncan and Robert Aspirin and A.E.van Vogt and PJ Farmer and Patricia Wrede and John De Chancie and...

[bondserv]

Thanks for your interesting assessment. The wall and the fire cracked me up.

If you get some free time let me know your favorite author's and why. I know you listed some for me, but I'd appreciate more of a "must read" list of suggestions. I am looking for some good reading and it seems that we have similar assessments. I've bought some books I've wanted to throw at the wall too. It may be something I try in the future.

Don't be afraid to expound, that is the main reason I started this thread.

bondserv

[bondserv]

Continued:

J.R.R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings / Silmarillon / The Hobbit
Stephen R. Donaldson - Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time series
Terry Brooks - Shannara series
Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth series
Joel Rosenberg - Guardians of the Flame series
David Eddings - Belgariad / Malloreon / Elenium / Tamuli
L.E. Modesitt, Jr. - The Saga of Recluce series
Robin Hobb - Farseer series
Tad Williams - Dragonbone Chair series


Others additions alphabetized:

Douglas Adams - Hitchhiker series
Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy: Purgatory / The Inferno / Paradise
Poul Anderson - Future History Series / Tales of the Time Patrol
Piers Anthony - Magic of Xanth Series / Incarnations of Immortality / Blue Adept Series
Isaac Asimov – Foundation / Foundation and Empire / Second Foundation
Robert Lynn Asprin - Another Fine Myth series
Jean M. Auel - Clan of the Cave Bear series
Iain Banks - Walking on Glass / The Bridge
L. Frank Baum - The Wizard of Oz series
Greg Bear - Songs of Earth and Power
Michel Bernanos - The Other Side of the Mountain
Hannes Bok - The Sorcerer's Ship / Beyond the Golden Stair
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451 / The Martian Chronicles / Something Wicked This Way Comes
Marion Zimmer Bradley - Darkover series
Steven Brust - both Dragaera series
Lois McMaster Bujold - The Spirit Ring / Curse of Chalion
Orson Scot Card - Alvin Maker series
Jack Chalker - Well of Souls
C.J. Cherryh - Chanur series
Rick Cooks - Wiz series
Bernard Cornwell - King Arthur series
David Drake - Hammer's Slammers
Gordon R. Dickson - The Childe Cycle
E R Eddison - The Worm Ouroboros
Lawrence Watt-Evans - Legends of Ethshar series / Lords of Dus series
Philip Jose Farmer – Riverworld
Raymond E. Feist - Magician / Riftworld series
Leo Frankowski - The Cross-Time Engineer
Ed Greenwood/Jeff Grubb - Forgotten Realms
James Halperin - The Truth Machine
Harry Harrison - The Stainless Steel Rat series
Robert A. Heinlein - Glory Road / Waldo / Magic, Inc. / Farnham's Freehold / Beyond this Horizon / The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathon Hoag / All You Zombies, etc.
Frank Herberts - Dune series
Hickman/Weiss - Star of the Guardians / Dragonlance
Robert Holdstock - Mythago Wood / Lavondyss
Howard - Conan: The Barbarian series
Robert Jordan - Conan: The Barbarian series
Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry
Stephen King - Darktower / Gunslinger series
Katherine Kurtz - Chronicles of the Deryni series
Ursula K. LeGuin - Earthsea Series / The Lathe of Heaven
Tanith Lee - Books of Paradys series
Fritz Leiber - Lankhmar series
CS Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia Series / The Screwtape Letters
George R.R. Martin - Song of Ice & Fire
Anne McCaffrey - Dragonriders of Pern series
Michael Moorcock - Eternal Champion / Elric Series
Mervyn Peake - Gormenghast Trilogy
Terry Pratchett - Discworld series
Tom Reamy - Blind Voices
Spider Robinson - Callahans Crosstime Saloon series
Fred Saberhagen - Dracula series
Barry Sadler - Casca: The Eternal Mercenary series
R.A. Salvatore - Drizz't series
James H. Schmitz - The Witches of Karres
William Shakespeare - A Mid Summers' Night's Dream
Robert J. Silverberg - Lord Valentine's Castle
Edward E. Smith - Skylark / Lensman series
Christopher Stasheff - King Kobold / Wizard in Spite of Himeslf / Her Majesty's Wizard
Frank Stockton - The Bee-Man of Orn / Other Fanciful Tales
Harry Turtledove - Ruled Britannia / Guns of the South
Richard S. Tuttle - Targa Trilogy / Sword of Heavens / Forgotten Legacy
Jack Vance - Dying Earth series / Lyonesse series
Jules Verne - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea / Around the World in 80 Days
A.E. Van Vogt - The Weapon Shops of Isher series / The World of Null A series / Slan
H.G. Wells - The Time Machine
Theodore H White - The Once and Future King
Elizabeth Willey - The Well-Favored Man / Kingdom of Argylle series
Walter Jon Williams - Metropolitan / Maijstral
Gene Wolfe - The Book of the New Sun series / Shadow and Claw
Roger Zelazny - Amber series / Nine Princes series

Authors only:

John De Chancie
Dave Duncan
John C Gardner
R. A. Lafferty
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
George MacDonald
Guy de Maupassant
Fitz-James O'Brien
Saki (H H Munro)
Bram Stoker
Theodore Sturgeon
Ruth Plumly Thompson
Martha Wells
Patricia Wrede
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

[balrog666]

Don't be afraid to expound, that is the main reason I started this thread.

Arg! I had a great little missive going but I just found out the hard way that my UPS needs a new battery. The thunderstorm is still here, so I will have to get back to you in a day or two.

Happy reading,
balrog

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Lois McMaster Bujold - The Spirit Ring / Curse of Chalion

The Adventures of Miles VorKosigan must be included even of they are not Fantasy but SciFi. Miles is a wonderful hero if a bit mad.

Another SciFi series that is good if you like space opera is the Novels of the Liaden Universe by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

Time Travel

Suzanne Frank, (the first two are good, I think she ran out of steam on the second two.)

S.M. Stirling's "Island in the Sea of Time" series. In fact anything by Stirling is good

Pure Fantasy

The Rhapsody Trilogy by Elizabeth Haydon.

Dragon Prince and Dragon Star Trilogies by Melanie Rawn. Warning: Main characters are killed off without warning or even reason in her books.

Glen Cook’s Garret series. Hard-boiled detective stories set in a magical world with a 1970’s flavor. For those who like something just a little different.

[bondserv]

Dragon Prince and Dragon Star Trilogies by Melanie Rawn. Warning: Main characters are killed off without warning or even reason in her books.

I believe I read that the Main characters are killed off somewhere in my distant past and have subconsciously been bypassing Rawn at the bookstore.

Reminds me of the movies "Spartacus" and "Message in the Bottle". Real downers that had my wife and I saying No, NO, they can't do that.

Thanks for the contribution. Bujold has been a favorite of a few people in this thread. Go Miles go!

[bondserv]

Do you when these books were published?

[bondserv]

Cooks work sounds like a great premise. Kind of brings it home for a lot of computer aficionados.

[rwfok]

The first book was published in 1984, the second and third in 1986. Here's the website:

http://www.brightweavings.com/books/fionavar.htm

[balrog666]

You know, I don't know that my (admittedly vast) experience buys anything here. I can steer you to the authors that I like or that I respect and hey, maybe there's even some overlap there, but that doesn't mean you will like them! Spider Robinson was the best SF book reviewer of the 1970's but, even though I didn’t often agree with him, his reviews could steer me to authors I had previously overlooked or that needed a second chance because we could compare the overlap of good and bad books. Also, I don't really want to dump on any other poster's selection or the authors listed here. Especially, since I used to read a great deal of "trash" when I was young. How else does one educate one's palate?

And, with a few days perspective, I have reflected on my friends over the years. We discussed the books we liked and disliked and sometimes we agreed and often we didn't - everybody has personal likes and dislikes. Sometimes they introduced me to authors I was unfamiliar with and vice versa. We all benefited and moved on. My best friends rarely like what I like but we all tend to know what each other likes and know when they will enjoy a particular book or author. Without that degree of familiarity, all we can do is suggest what we like, see where our tastes overlap, and grow from there. If you can get to a SF conference or two, it will definitely influence your perspective (it does tend to bring focus onto what you already know); that rude, arrogant, condescending authors always come across that way in their work, that nice guys can inspire you to find the good attempts in their work, and that idiots are irredeemable.

A quick aside: Never-ending-series-it is probably one of the things I hate most. Whenever a series starts to go that way (without sufficient justification) I just put it aside and wait it out. There were many such authors in the 1960's and 1970's and I really got sick of them. No point in mentioning them, you either liked them or you didn't and most of them aren't being reprinted for obvious reasons.

In summary, you already have a great deal of grist for your mill with the books and authors listed and I will let you make your own decisions about them. I hope everyone gets as much out of this thread as they might hope for.

Happy reading!

PS: But before I go, I have to get in a few last shots:

Unless you are a literature student, don't waste your time with anything older than about 1940; Peake's Gormanghast, Lord Dunsany, Chandler, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Bram Stoker, etc. The arcane use of language and the milieu shift is overwhelming. EE Smith's space operas (if you like that stuff) are about the only exception.

Also, Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry: The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy consists of The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road.

One of my best friends loved those books. I didn't. Take your pick.

[bondserv]

Good points. I will check out Spider Robinson's reviews if they are on the net.

Thanks

[bondserv]

Any other poster's who want to share your top 10 list please feel free. Use the list here post 130 to jar your memories.

[canuk]

My 2 cents...or is it .0005 in Canadian funds...
Martha Wells- quick & funny! Or this new guy I just read;
Michael Schweitzer- The Curse of Garnel Ironheart.
Based on DD campaigns...