Survivor Appendix N Authors- LEIBER WINS!

[Ibrandul]

The list of people who have actually read about Elric and Stormbringer, Erokose, Tanelorn etc is shrinking day by day.

OK, sure. But that's true of most of the remaining names on the list. So why are so many people downvoting Moorcock?

 

[Blue]

Bellairs, John 15
Burroughs, Edgar Rice 23
Carter, Lin 16
de Camp & Pratt 19
Dunsany, Lord 19
Fox, Gardner 19
Lanier, Sterling 10
Leiber, Fritz 21
Merritt, A. 18
Offutt, Andrew J. 16
Pratt, Fletcher 14
St. Clair, Margaret 17
Tolkien, J.R.R. 21
Weinbaum, Stanley 10
Wellman, Manley Wade 16
Williamson, Jack 18
Zelazny, Roger 21

 

[werecorpse]

Bellairs, John 15-2=13
Burroughs, Edgar Rice 23
Carter, Lin 16
de Camp & Pratt 19
Dunsany, Lord 19
Fox, Gardner 19
Lanier, Sterling 10
Leiber, Fritz 21
Merritt, A. 18
Offutt, Andrew J. 16
Pratt, Fletcher 14
St. Clair, Margaret 17
Tolkien, J.R.R. 21+1=22
Weinbaum, Stanley 10
Wellman, Manley Wade 16
Williamson, Jack 18
Zelazny, Roger 21

I am an avid roleplayer, d&d in particular, but don’t read that much so I’m supporting those I know and like who have the most influence on my gaming and downvoting those I don’t really know. I am disappointed to see Moorcock gone. I really liked his books.
My top 4 order would be Tolkien then either Moorcock or Leiber, then Zelazny. Beyond that there are only a half dozen or so I care about so the rest are just downvote fodder.

 

[Harzel]

OK, sure. But that's true of most of the remaining names on the list. So why are so many people downvoting Moorcock?

Not sure why people were downvoting Moorcock, possibly the beat-down-major-competitors syndrome. However, I can tell you that had people not been beating up on Tolkien, a bunch of my upvotes could have gone to bolster Moorcock.

 

[Harzel]

Bellairs, John 13
Burroughs, Edgar Rice 23
Carter, Lin 16
de Camp & Pratt 19
Dunsany, Lord 19
Fox, Gardner 19
Lanier, Sterling 8
Leiber, Fritz 21
Merritt, A. 18
Offutt, Andrew J. 16
Pratt, Fletcher 14
St. Clair, Margaret 17
Tolkien, J.R.R. 23
Weinbaum, Stanley 10
Wellman, Manley Wade 16
Williamson, Jack 18
Zelazny, Roger 21

 

[CleverNickName]

Not sure why people were downvoting Moorcock, possibly the beat-down-major-competitors syndrome. However, I can tell you that had people not been beating up on Tolkien, a bunch of my upvotes could have gone to bolster Moorcock.

Same here. Moorcock should have made the top-five easily. I couldn't help him make it, though, because I've had to spend my upvotes elsewhere.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

All I know is I’ve read dozens upon dozens of fantasy books. I’ve never heard of anyone on this list but Tolkien. I’ve heard of a few of their characters, but none of the authors.

That is called the Test of Time. You can be the greatest author in history, but if newer generations don’t pick you up and read your works, your work has not stood the rest of time.

Tolkien’s has. Out of everyone on this list, Tolkien’s work has stood the test of time.

John Bellairs has a movie out later this year (The House with a Clock in it's Walls), Edgar Rice Burroughs last had a movie in 2012 (and probably has more movies based on his work than anyone else on the list), Howard in 2011. Moorcock's latest novel was published in 2010, and he is working on another. And if you have never read Fritz Leiber or Roger Zelazny you are seriously missing out.


Sometimes it's the test of time, sometimes it's just ignorance.


Getting very tempted to start downvoting Tolkien.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not sure why people were downvoting Moorcock, possibly the beat-down-major-competitors syndrome. However, I can tell you that had people not been beating up on Tolkien, a bunch of my upvotes could have gone to bolster Moorcock.

Likewise.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Bellairs, John 13
Burroughs, Edgar Rice 23
Carter, Lin 16
de Camp & Pratt 19
Dunsany, Lord 19
Fox, Gardner 19
Lanier, Sterling 8
Leiber, Fritz 21
Merritt, A. 18
Offutt, Andrew J. 16
Pratt, Fletcher 14
St. Clair, Margaret 17
Tolkien, J.R.R. 21 - sure he is great, but he seems to be leaving some people blinkered to other writers
Weinbaum, Stanley 10
Wellman, Manley Wade 16
Williamson, Jack 18
Zelazny, Roger 22

 

[Lanefan]

Bellairs, John 13
Burroughs, Edgar Rice 23
Carter, Lin 16
de Camp & Pratt 19
Dunsany, Lord 19
Fox, Gardner 19
Lanier, Sterling 8
Leiber, Fritz 21
Merritt, A. 18
Offutt, Andrew J. 16
Pratt, Fletcher 14
St. Clair, Margaret 17
Tolkien, J.R.R. 22
Weinbaum, Stanley 10
Wellman, Manley Wade 16
Williamson, Jack 18
Zelazny, Roger 22

Of those left on this list Tolkein is one of the not many I've heard of and one of the very few I've read (and the only one I've enjoyed) - I'm old school, but not that old. Most of these people were a big deal in the 60's and early 70's, right when Gygax et al were designing D&D, but - as someone else wisely pointed out a bit upthread - have since then somewhat failed the test of time.

I've never read Moorcock (though I probably should, one of these days) and I've read enough of Lovecraft's ravings to realize I don't want to read any more of them.