Which D&D author/designer do you like best?

[Upper_Krust]

Gary Gygax ~ 1st Ed.

Carl Sargent ~ 2nd Ed.

Monte Cook ~ 3rd Ed.

 

[JohnNephew]

Ah, and I guess this was really what was at the heart of my objection: there are plenty of people who shaped and contributed to D&D over the years ... [snip]

There, I'm going to agree with you entirely.

But then, both you and I have too much experience with the back-room side of RPG publishing. I think as a reader it's hard not to identify the sort of corporate/team entity responsible for the creation of a work with the name on the cover.

Heck, I think it's often true that a "favorite writer" in an RPG context has nothing to do with anyone involved in the publishing company -- and everything to do with the people who are your GM and fellow players who actually make playing the material a creative, enjoyable, rich and fulfilling experience.

 

[DDK]

Carl Sargent is currently a favourite author of mine, having practically written the Flanaess (From the Ashes, Iuz the Evil, Ivid the Undying {never published, available from WotC as a free download}, Marklands) from Gary's sketchy original material he is both loved and despised by GH fans.

I also wouldn't mind checking out Earthdawn one of these days as I heard he wrote that as well.

You forgot many authors, btw. I mean, where would GH fans be without Erik Mona? Not to mention the fact that he did Armies of the Abyss and contributed to Chris Pramas' Legions of Hell as well as Faiths & Pantheons, among other things.

 

[DDK]

The same goes for really obscure or non-prolific writers - John Bellairs is one of of my favorite writers, based on one book - The Face In The Frost. The fact that I haven't read anything else by him, and I assume he never wrote much else because I haven't seen any other books by him, doesn't take away from his status as one of my favorite authors.

Heh, yeah, definitely. That reminded me of one of my favourite fantasy authors, Charles de Lint. I've only read three of his books and only liked one of them, but I REALLY like that one. I think it's one of the best works of fiction ever written