Fantasy authors worth the reading.

[ShadowDenizen]

As a rabid bilbiophile, I'll put aside the obligatory classics like Zelaznys' "AMber", Leibers "Grey Mouser" stuff, RObert E. Howards "Conan", Moorcocks "ELric", etc.

The authors I (try to) keep up with currently?

In no particular order:
1) Tad Williams
2) Janny Wurts (her "Wars of Light and Shadow" is simply brilliant.)
3) Gene Wolfe (just ordered his new book, which is said to be a mix of scifi/detective fiction/Lovecraft.)
4) Naomi Novik- Not a fan of "alternate history" in general, but the Temeraire series really grabbed me.
5) Brandon Sanderson
6) David Farland: Still digging the Runelords series after 7 books.
7) Jim Butcher: The Dresden files also still captivate me.
8) Steven Erikson: Yes I know the "Malazan" series has it's detractors, but I've loved the series to date (haven't read Book 8 yet, though.)
9) EE Knight: THe Vampire Earth series is quite enjoyable, in a "popcorn" kinda way.

I used to like Laurell Hamilton, but both her "Merideth Gentry" and "Anita Blake" series became too much like reading soft-core porn for me to continue.

I read the first few "Sword of Truth" books, but those went downhill quicker than the "Wheel of Time", so I gave up on that, too.

 

[scitadel]

So. Lots of authors here I agree with, lots I don't or haven't gotten into. China Melville I keep hearing good things about, but I couldn't even get past the first chapter. I'll have to try him again since there's so much good things.

From those already mentioned:
- Jim Butcher. Both Dresden and Codex Alera are fun, fun, fun. And the characters are pretty interesting and they change. And he's managed to keep Dresden growing but not over-powered
- Pratchet & Gaiman - my favourite two British authors.
- Steven Erikson - long and hard to finish his books, but they really do come out even more when you re-read them and start going "oh, so that's how he ties this and that's what he meant here and...". I can see why he's not for everyone though
- Gemmel - someone I'd get books from the library from. Light heroic fantasy. 'Nuff said.
- Peter David - again, another light read. His Sir Apropos of Nothing series was a bit strange. Sort of like Pratchett turned dark, on good drugs.
- Robert Asprin - library author. Fun to read, but not someone I'd buy.

Authors who haven't been mentioned :
- Lorna Freeman - the Covenant and the King's Own. Very good first book. Second book seemed a bit more disjoined, and certainly shorter. We'll have to see about 3rd but certainly interesting so far and worth a read.
- Michelle Sagara - her "Cast in..." are pretty good. A bit of a romance sub-plot, but it's really, really, really sub. Interesting world and the first book was very well written.
- Gail Z. Martin - the Blood King has been the only novel I picked up. Relatively formulaic fantasy, but good read.
- Anne Bishop (was she mentioned) - her Black Jewels trilogy was very good. Very interesting magic system. Have not tried anything else as yet.

And lastly, I'm surprised no one mentioned her more:
- Lois McMaster Bujold. Probably one of THE top writers alive right now. Though I'll admit her fantasy books aren't as good as her Miles series. Her focus is mostly characters and politics and interaction, but the interaction between her heroes and the Gods in the Curse of Chalion series is really well done.

I'm not sure if this is straying too far since we're going into graphic novels but two series that I should add that do fantasy really well:
- Lucifer (complete series. Perfect for creating a real bastard character)
- Fables (on-going series)

 

[ShadowDenizen]

- Gail Z. Martin - the Blood King has been the only novel I picked up. Relatively formulaic fantasy, but good read.

The Summoner is Book One of that series; a decent fantasy tale, worth reading.

I'm not sure if this is straying too far since we're going into graphic novels but two series that I should add that do fantasy really well:
- Lucifer (complete series. Perfect for creating a real bastard character)
- Fables (on-going series)

If we're talking comics, my list more than doubles!! 8)
[I'd support both those choices, and I'd add:

1) Thieves and Kings (Interesting mix of prose and art.)- Ongoing
2) A Distant Soil- Nearly complete (first 4 volumes available inTPB)
3) Wandering Star (Complete; 3 TPB set availble.)
4) Preacher (Complete; 9 volume TPB set out.)
5) The Walking Dead (Ongoing; 8 TPB's available)
6) Invincible (Ongoing; 8 TPB's out.)
7) Y: The Last Man (Complete; 10 TPB set available.)
8) Sandman (Complete;10 TPB set out
9) Jack of Fables ("Fables" spin-off, ongoing)

I'm sure there's tons of stuff I'm forgetting...

 

[Desdichado]

Eh. Winter's Heart and Knife of Dreams were not bad at all. The Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight, on the other hand...

And Crown of Swords. And Lord of Chaos (with the exception of the last few dozen pages). And Fire in the Sky. And The Shadow Rising. And even The Dragon Reborn.

It's hard to even get to Winter's Heart and Knife of Dreams on the hope that they're good when you have to slog through all those other books first.

 

[drothgery]

And Crown of Swords. And Lord of Chaos (with the exception of the last few dozen pages).

Okay, the bizarre thing to me about so many people who followed the series is they think this. The end of Lord of Chaos was the worst part, and the after-effects created most of the mess in the aftermath. And despite that, Crown of Swords was one of the strongest books in the series.

 

[Desdichado]

Okay, the bizarre thing to me about so many people who followed the series is they think this. The end of Lord of Chaos was the worst part, and the after-effects created most of the mess in the aftermath. And despite that, Crown of Swords was one of the strongest books in the series.

Not seeing that at all. To me, the end of the Lord of Chaos was the best single sequence in the entire series (granted, I haven't read the last two.) Crown of Swords was the worst book in the series up to that point.

 

[drothgery]

Not seeing that at all. To me, the end of the Lord of Chaos was the best single sequence in the entire series (granted, I haven't read the last two.) Crown of Swords was the worst book in the series up to that point.

A Crown of Swords wrapped up more dangling plot threads than any book before or since. If it wasn't also one of the best-written in the series, it'd be one of the best in the series on that alone.

 

[CCamfield]

To expand on my earlier naming of William Sanders...

I really would like to read some of Sanders' works but I just haven't been able to FIND any of them.

The one story of his that I've read was in Lord of the Fantastic, the tribute volume in honor of Roger Zelazny. I thought his story there was great, and quite funny.

On that note, I want to mention Roger Zelazny, but NOT for his Amber books. Sure, the first series was fantastic. But I think some of his other books are even greater for their blending of mythology and science fiction - chiefly Lord of Light, and Creatures of Light and Darkness.

Anyway, I want to mention some of my favorite authors who haven't been mentioned, maybe it's surprising, maybe not...

Mary Gentle Some here will remember Ash: A Secret History probably, which was a great alternate-reality story of medieval mercenaries and alchemy.

I just finished reading her 1610: A Sundial in a Grave. Really excellent. It's really something of a swashbuckler, with the main character... well. It's a younger Rochefort. As in, the villain from The Three Musketeers. That man! Anyway, the fantasy in it is that there is a mathematician who is able to predict the future based on probabilities. And based on these predictions, a conspiracy is hatched, and Rochefort is being blackmailed into... assassinating a king.

Patricia McKillip - almost every book of hers I've read has stunned me in some way. She's amazing. But, most of her stories involve a more mythic/fairy tale feel than many. e.g. The Tower At Stony Wood, in which a knight discovers his king has unknowingly married a witch, and goes on a quest to find the real queen. While at the same time, a prince of the northerners they conquered sets out to slay a dragon, and use its hoard to launch a new war of independence.

 

[Pants]

Crown of Swords was the worst book in the series up to that point.

I'd give that 'award' to The Fires of Heaven which was an awful book the last time I read it. The only thing redeeming the book was it's good ending, but then Lord of Chaos had the same problem.

 

[amethal]

Mary Gentle Some here will remember Ash: A Secret History probably, which was a great alternate-reality story of medieval mercenaries and alchemy.

I just finished reading her 1610: A Sundial in a Grave. Really excellent. It's really something of a swashbuckler, with the main character... well. It's a younger Rochefort. As in, the villain from The Three Musketeers. That man! Anyway, the fantasy in it is that there is a mathematician who is able to predict the future based on probabilities. And based on these predictions, a conspiracy is hatched, and Rochefort is being blackmailed into... assassinating a king.

I really like her Golden Witchbreed. Technically its sci-fi but its similar to fantasy in many ways.

Ash left me feeling a bit underwhelmed but I'll have to give 1610 a go.