Great Authors that AREN'T in Appendix N.

[odinfellhammer]

I will have to say it but I will, R.A Salvatore.
How about Robert Aspirin's Myth Series and Piers Anthony's "On A Pale Horse"?

 

[MortalPlague]

One author I haven't seen mentioned yet: Charles Stross. He writes mostly science fiction, but he has some pretty interesting fantasy works as well. Notably, "The Merchant Princes" series is fantasy, mixed with modern world and some dimension-hopping. Certainly worth a read. Also, the "Atrocity Archives" offers up some fuel for anything Cthulhu-related.

On top of that, Charles Stross is the creator of the Slaad. So he's got some D&D cred to his name!

Patrick Rothfuss, best author I have ever read.

I thoroughly enjoy Patrick Rothfuss' work. He's one of us, too; he's a self-professed geek and gamer. I had the chance to meet him at one of his tours, and he talked about D&D and gaming and writing the book.

The best part was when he asked us to come up to get books signed. He said, "Think about what you want me to write, whether it's a line from the book or a dedication, or something else. If you just ask me to write anything, I'll write 'Anything'. And then I'll feel pretty clever until I see your face."

So I picked out the best part of the book I could find. On the inside page of my book, Pat Rothfuss wrote the following:

"I, by signing below, hereby attest to the fact that I can neither read nor write. --Pat Rothfuss"

I'll add Scott Lynch's "Gentleman Bastard" series

Scott Lynch may be my favorite author. His tales have such panache and derring-do. "The Lies Of Locke Lamora" can be described like this; picture Ocean's Eleven set in the renaissance, featuring a band of thieves who are ripping off the nobility while trying to conceal their actions from the thieves' guild. Add mages and sharks. And a whole boatload of violence.

David Eddings - Belgariad and all the various attachments thereto

David Eddings writes some incredibly fun stuff. The Belgariad / Mallorean / Belgarath / Polgara makes for a wonderful 12 book series. It's been too long since I last read those books...

I would say that Joe Abercrombie's books are among the most inspiring Swords and Sorcery books I have read in decades. Give them a shot. The bloody nine is a character that will stay with you.

The Bloody-Nine is fantastic. So are Glokta, Bayaz, and even Jezal Dan Luthar grows on you by the time the books are through. The First Law trilogy is fantastic; one of the few times I've bought a book by its cover, and it was a brilliant decision.

For all the excellence of that trilogy, however, I think my favorite Abercrombie book is "Best Served Cold". Joe Abercrombie writes a mean revenge story. And really, just look at the cover:

Oh, one more thing. A while back, a bunch of fantasy authors got together at a Con and played D&D (including Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie, and Pat Rothfuss). You can read about the hilarity here!

 

[Tav_Behemoth]

I would have to add Clark Ashton Smith, who I think must have been an oversight in not making the list. You had one module completely based on his works (X2), you had some spells taken directly from it (the Geas spell), not to mention he inspired Vance's writing style, who in turn inspired EGG's.

Michael Mornard confirmed that Gary was a big fan of at least one Clark Ashton Smith story, The Seven Geases, from which he took the spell. Tom Moldvay, who wrote X2, added CAS to his reading list for the original "Red Box" Basic.

Other books Gary might have included:

• Pratchett, Terry: Discworld series. (Gary named this as one he would add if he did Appendix N today in a thread here at EN World).
• Cook, Hugh: Chronicles of an Age of Darkness. (He contributed a very positive blurb to the back cover of one of the American editions; I concur that the series is fantastic.)

Other authors I would add to the list:

• Hughart, Barry: Bridge of Birds et al.
• Chandler, David: Ancient Blades trilogy. (David is one of the players in the New York Red Box group, which made me hesitate to read these in case I had to pretend to like them; fortunately my admiration is genuine.)
• Baker, Kage: The Anvil of the World and its sequels.
• Swanwick, Michael: The Iron Dragon's Daughter, The Dragons of Babylon.

 

[Mallus]

Jorge Luis Borges

I now want to write a tournament-style module called, "The Garden of Forking Horrors". Thanks!

Cook, Hugh: Chronicles of an Age of Darkness. (He contributed a very positive blurb to the back cover of one of the American editions; I concur that the series is fantastic.)

The book published in the US as Wizard War was the most "D&D" book I've ever read, besides being fantastic fun. This absolutely belongs.

I'd like to add some great old(er) comics from the 70s and early 80s, but I'm drawing a blank except for P. Craig Russell's excellent Elric books for Marvel/Epic, and his work on Killraven (written by Don McGregor).

 

[Nellisir]

Just found this lurking around the internet. A brief synopsis of Abercrombie's new book (which is in first draft mode, so I'm guessing it'll be a little while...)

Shy South comes home to her farm to find a blackened shell, her brother and sister stolen, and knows she’ll have to go back to bad old ways if she’s ever to see them again. She sets off in pursuit with only her cowardly old step-father Lamb for company. But it turns out he’s hiding a bloody past of his own. None bloodier. Their journey will take them across the lawless plains, to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feuds, duels, and massacres, high into unmapped mountains to a reckoning with ancient enemies, and force them into alliance with Nicomo Cosca, infamous soldier of fortune, a man no one should ever have to trust…

Of course, when you say "none bloodier" in Abercrombie's world, it seems like there's only one person that could be on top of that heap of bodies....

OK, I'll shut up now. I'll post some more of my authors in a day or two, once this danged paper is done and I can start breathing again (and no, I shouldn't be here or online doing random searches).