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

[jonathanmo]

On the lighter end of fantasy you might look at Eddings' Belgariad series...pretty solid stuff...on the darker end is the George R.R. Martin books, "Song of Ice & Fire" series...

[Happygal]

What about Frank Herberts 'Dune'?

[bondserv]

Classic. Donaldson would be someone I would like to meet.

I liked the way his photo in the back of the book had him smoking a grit with a cloud of smoke. Seems like a cool guy.

[ladyinred]

Tim LaHaye & company LEFT BEHIND series

Oh you are brave aren't you?

[redheadtoo]

Some great writers have been listed on this thread but I can't believe that no one has mentioned my favorite C.J. Cherryh. She is a great writer in both science fiction and fantasy. I especially enjoyed her Gate series and her Foreigner series.

Another favorite that has not been mentioned is Orson Scot Card. How can science fiction and fantasy readers make a list of the best writers and not include him.

[bondserv]

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

Sounds interesting if she keeps you going for more than 2 books.

[Darheel]

Ed Greenwood

Jeff Grubb

If you've never heard of the Forgotten Realms, you've missed out on some excellent fantasy reading and gaming. I consider FR another part of Tolkiens' dreams.

[bondserv]

C.J. Cherryh

I read the Deynri(sp)? series many moons ago, had a great religious twist to the fantasy. Good stuff.

[narses]

Leo Frankowski
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Fred Saberhagen
Harry Turtledove
CS Lewis

[Marak]

Richard S. Tuttle - Targa Trilogy / Sword of Heavens / Forgotten Legacy

Absolutely the best in epic fantasy, but then I am a little prejudiced. :)

[ExSoldier]

I rather liked Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality....wherein WAR, DEATH, TIME, etc are actually "offices" which can be occupied by humans....However I stopped reading them when he came out with the last two holding that GOD and SATAN are ALSO "offices." He took a good thing too far. Shame.

[bondserv]

Sorry that was
Katherine Kurtz - Chronicles of the Deryni

[ExSoldier]

Barry Sadler did a series called "Casca: The Eternal Mercenary" that was very good.

I also like SCI-FI military books like "Hammers Slammers" by David Drake and the "Dorsai" series by...I forget his name...lol

[Sloth]

Michael Moorcock has written some interesting novels. And James Halperin's first novel, The Truth Machine, was outstanding.

[ExSoldier]

All of the "Conan: The Barbarian" series both by Howard and Jordan.

[bondserv]

New additions to post #54:

Anne McCaffrey - Dragonriders of Pern
George R.R. Martin - Song of Ice & Fire
Rick Cooks - Wiz series
Frank Herberts - Dune
Orson Scot Card
Ed Greenwood
Jeff Grubb
C.J. Cherryh
Leo Frankowski
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Fred Saberhagen
CS Lewis
Richard S. Tuttle - Targa Trilogy / Sword of Heavens / Forgotten Legacy
Katherine Kurtz - Chronicles of the Deryni
Barry Sadler - Casca: The Eternal Mercenary
David Drake - Hammers Slammers
Unknown - Dorsai
Michael Moorcock
James Halperin - The Truth Machine
Howard - Conan: The Barbarian series
Jordan - Conan: The Barbarian series

[hedgetrimmer]

Meryvn Peake
George MacDonald
Robert Asprin
Frank Stockton
Frank L. Baum
Ray Bradbury
Guy de Maupassant
E R Eddison
Philip Jose Farmer
John C Gardner
FRITZ LEIBER!
C S Lewis
Saki (H H Munro)
Fitz-James O'Brien
Bram Stoker
Robert Silverberg
Ruth Plumly Thompson
Theodore Sturgeon
T H White
Oscar Wilde
Roger Zelaszny

Short list, not comprehensive

[Teacher317]

Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card. Top notch, including some serious religious themes, a rarity for fantasy.

[bondserv]

FRITZ LEIBER!

Caps to indicate your endorsement?

[Nataku X]

I like Terry Goodkind, not just for the story, but for the inspirational conservative messages of his books. Book six was purely an argument against socialism (when the main character is held captive in the heart of a socialistic country, and transforms the world there... lots of stuff in that book could have be lifted straight out of Rush Limbaugh's books). Some nice pro-life overtones, too.

Definitely some cringer scenes, though, especially in the first & second books, and not for the family. I can't tell whether he views Christianity favorably or not, either.