Best Fantasy Authors (Vanity)

5/15/03 | bondserv

[bondserv]

Who are some of your favorite Fantasy authors, and their best books. I am looking for authors that might write in a similar style as some on my list.

My list:

Tolkien - Rings Series

Stephen Donaldson - Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Series

Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time Series

Terry Brooks - Shanara 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

[bondserv]

New additions to the list:

Dragonriders of Pern

Ursula K. LeGuin

Steven Brust - "Dragaera"

Roger Zelazny

Poul Anderson

Anson Guthrie

Manse Everard

Robert J. Silverberg - "Lord Valentine's Castle".

Gene Wolfe - The Book of the New Sun series

Gene Wolfe's - Shadow and Claw

George R.R. Martin

Hicks/Weis - Star of the Guardians

Asimov - Early Foundation series

[Maigrey]

You could also try Piers Anthony, and some of his Xanth Series, and also his series, Incantations of Immortality. Also interesting reading (if not too fantastic...)

There is also one by Greg Bear, called Songs of Earth and Power.

[billbears]

Not necessarily fantasy except the 'what if' part but Harry Turtledove. He's written a long series on what would possibly have happened if the South had won the War (he's past WWI in that one), another series if aliens had landed during WWII (last time I looked up into the 1980s on that one), and another couple of history ones including what if Mohammed had turned to Christianity. Haven't gotten into that series all that much, but did just pick up his latest book, Ruled Britannia, set 10 years after the Spanish Armada defeated the British.

For laughs, without a doubt, Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series. What I've always found so funny is how he ties in things from our lives into the stories

[shempy]

Wow, Lord Valentine's Castle! That was such a cool book. I read it when I was a kid and haven't seen it since. I'm gonna head on over to Amazon and order it now.

[Cachelot]

Well, this is kinda different from the selection you have there:

Mervyn Peake - the Gormenghast trilogy.
Certain books by Iain Banks, such as Walking on Glass and The Bridge.

A little more mainstream:

Hannes Bok - The Sorcerer's Ship and Beyond the Golden Stair
Robert Holdstock - Mythago Wood and Lavondyss
Christopher Stasheff - King Kobold

[Tax-chick]

Turtledove bump, way cool! "Guns of the South," Deo Vindice!

Stainless, you like?

[bondserv]

I have enjoyed Piers Anthony Adept Series on Phaze.

[billbears]

Hicks/Weis - Star of the Guardians

And if you're really bored, you could pick up the Dragonlance series they started, which should have ended about 40 books ago!!!

There was another book that SciFi just did a movie of the first book a few weeks back. Riverworld I think it was. What if all the people from history met in the afterlife. That one is weird but a good read

[bondserv]

Hannes Bok - The Sorcerer's Ship and Beyond the Golden Stair

Robert Holdstock - Mythago Wood and Lavondyss

Christopher Stasheff - King Kobold

Which is your favorite? I have seen Bok, but haven't commited to buying them yet.

[VeritatisSplendor]

how about Harry Turtledove's alternate histories? Ruled Britannia, How Few Remain, Guns of the South (reading it now). I don't know if he did sword and sorcery type fantasy, but if he did you'd love it - the man can write unlike some of the authors you mentionned, who type, no offense.

And definitely, definitely Lois McMaster Bujold - the Spirit Ring, Curse of Chalion, (sequel due in a few months.) She writes too.

Mrs VS

[VeritatisSplendor]

Aww, ya beat me to it.

Mrs VS

[philetus]

A.E. Van Vogt

The Weapon Shops of Isher

[bondserv]

Riverworld or was that Otherworld?

Was that by Tad Williams?

[billbears]

Up until WWI I liked it. Although I think he has taken it a route that would probably not have happened, if you know what I mean...

The thing I did like from Guns though was that he used mainly real quotes from the people involved. Kind of interesting who started the real run at a Socialist party and led it in these United States if you ask me.

[Malsua]

I agree with your list...

Add in Hard Sci-Fi though!

Jack Chalker - Well of souls

David Drake - Hammer's Slammers

Just about everything from Gordon R. Dickson.

And just about everything from Philip Jose Farmer.

on that note, I attended a lecture from Stephan R Donaldson at the Kiva at Kent State back in probably 1986 or so. it was fascinating. He explained the characters at length and why Thomas Covenant was so annoying.

[billbears]

LOL!! I can't put his books down for some reason. And don't tell me about Ruled Britannia. I just started reading it the other night

[billbears]

Riverworld was written by Farmer. Don't know about Otherworld

[shempy]

The Riverworld series by Phillip Jose Farmer is excellent. The sci-fi channel absolutely butchered it.

[Eastbound]

Good choice!

[billbears]

Yes they did. It didn't have anything that I remember from the book except a few of the main characters. Came off reminding of the one time I watched Xena one afternoon home from work