Greatest or Favorite Fantasy Author!

[Celexei]

Who do you think tops the charts in the Fantasy genre? R.A. Salvatore's pretty top, but I'm teetering on the verge of saying Michael Moorcock is an equal if not better. Moorcock being the creator of the first non-barbarian multi-saga main character in the Albino Sorceror and Swordsman, Elric of Melnibone!
If you haven't read the Elric Saga, and you love fiction, it is a must!

[Drew]

George R.R. Martin. Hands down the best.

[Artha]

George R.R. Martin. Hands down the best.
Yep, I'd consider him the best current fantasy writer.

edit: A Feast for Crows comes out in November, and that makes me sad :(

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Artha]

[Drew]

Originally posted by Artha
edit: A Feast for Crows comes out in November, and that makes me sad :(



Why? I've been waiting for years while he sat on ass and went to ComicCons, instead of spending 100% of his time writing the book :lol: I'm just glad he finally finished half a book and it's getting published!

[Kitsun]

Arrr, I like Martin but Steven Erikson is pretty damn good too. Both of them are hella awesome at the grand epic with plot twist thing down.

Salvatore is good for the action junky thing. But the recent storylines are beginning to feel like old issues of Marvel comics... you just know he ain't knocking out the main characters at this point.

[crazymage]

Hef

[Drew]

Kitsun, what's a good Steven Erikson book to pick up?

Originally posted by Drew
George R.R. Martin. Hands down the best.

Drew is so right, hes right....

Yeah Martin's Song of fire and Ice series is by far the best fantasy i have ever read.
He is the only person whose characters I have hated so much i was tempted just to skip the chapters about them, and then by the next book I'm sitting there liking the guy and rooting for him to win.

[Drew]

Originally posted by Dave
He is the only person whose characters I have hated so much i was tempted just to skip the chapters about them, and then by the next book I'm sitting there liking the guy and rooting for him to win.


Haha I know who you are talking about. And man, he has NO PROBLEM at all killing off anyone. You never know who is next on the chopping block but it's gonna be someone. I wasn't so hot on the twist at the end of the latest book (involving an older female character), thought it was kinda hokey, but overall I just love the whole series.

[Himmy]

How about Robert Jordan? I love the Wheel of Time, maybe it's just me.

[OreoElf]

I love Patricia Brigg, J.K. Rowling, Martin is great, Mercedes Lackey is a huge fav of mine... I can't pick one... Oh and can't forget Anne McCaffrey!

[Drew]

Originally posted by Himmy
How about Robert Jordan? I love the Wheel of Time, maybe it's just me.


Pretty much everyone I know got tired of it at some point. Sorta like Terry Goodkind's sword of truth series.

[Artha]

The Sword of Truth series seriously needs a conclusion.

[Myitkyina]

I with everyone else praising George R. R. Martin. I also liked the Exiles series by Melanie Rawn. Both were recommended to me by my fiance--maybe I'm just a nerd (ok, I know I'm just a nerd), but there's something very sexy about a man who reads.

[Himmy]

Yeah, if he would just wrap up WoT I'd feel alot better about it and probably quit sending him hatemail. As it is, I am going to continue to waste my 34 cents every day.

Besides that, what about Whasshisname Scott Card or whatever? Ender's Game?

[Drew]

More sci fi but definately quick good reads.

Originally posted by Drew

Originally posted by Dave
He is the only person whose characters I have hated so much i was tempted just to skip the chapters about them, and then by the next book I'm sitting there liking the guy and rooting for him to win.


Haha I know who you are talking about. And man, he has NO PROBLEM at all killing off anyone. You never know who is next on the chopping block but it's gonna be someone. I wasn't so hot on the twist at the end of the latest book (involving an older female character), thought it was kinda hokey, but overall I just love the whole series.

Considering that is the first, REAL magic type thing that has been paramount in the book really it didn't bother me all that much. And shit, how she ended up that way... The hell the family has gone though... I hope she gets a lot of revenge.

Jon Snow is the best character of the whole book though. Hes awsome. :)

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Dave]

[Himmy]

Science Fiction is fantasy, I mean... It's not real, it's a fantastical world of high-technology. In your face with a can of mase.

Originally posted by Himmy
How about Robert Jordan? I love the Wheel of Time, maybe it's just me.

It was okay until he released that preamble that he called a book. (the last real on he released not "spring") That one pissed me off and now i hope he makes up for it with his next one.

[Himmy]

Originally posted by Dave

Originally posted by Himmy
How about Robert Jordan? I love the Wheel of Time, maybe it's just me.

It was okay until he released that preamble that he called a book. (the last real on he released not "spring") That one pissed me off and now i hope he makes up for it with his next one.

I totally agree with that. I mean, what a fucking total waste of my time. I do hear that book 11 is only being delayed because he wants to finish the series with book 12 and wants to make sure that he doesn't leave any loose ends lying about. So, from what I hear, he's writing them both before he releases 11. To keep with the mesh.

[Kitsun]

Originally posted by Drew
Kitsun, what's a good Steven Erikson book to pick up?

Actually I've only read this one series by Erikson. It never actually occurred to me to check for any other titles.

The series is: A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Book 1: Gardens of the Moon
Book 2: Deadhouse Gates
Book 3: Memories of Ice
Book 4: House of Chains

On Adhara's recommendation, I bought the books but had them sitting on my shelf for a half year because I was afraid of getting started and sucked in. So I finished my classes first and found a nice lull couple weeks before beginning. OMG that was a good decision.

The first page and a half were... difficult. I couldn't figure out what the fark was going on with so many different names and doodads going on. After that though, my neck was craned in a reading position for around two weeks straight.

If anyone picks up the series to read, the third book is wickedly tragic and brutal.

[Artha]

Considering that is the first, REAL magic type thing that has been paramount in the book really it didn't bother me all that much. And shit, how she ended up that way... The hell the family has gone though... I hope she gets a lot of revenge.
Seriously, I can't believe he had the balls to trash the family like that.


Jon Snow is the best character of the whole book though. Hes awsome.
I'm a big fan of Tyrion.

[Kitsun]

Originally posted by Dave

Jon Snow is the best character of the whole book though. Hes awsome. :)


Pffft!

My money is totally on Arya to learn to be an extremely hot assassin and come back and whoop some ass over the next two books.

If he kills her off, I'm burning the book and writing my own ending for it, goddamnit.

[Artha]

I can see it now.

Arya: "I want to be an assassin."
Assassin: "Too bad, no girls. /kill"

[Myitkyina]

I am a Tyrion fan, too... although I'm eager for the dragon story to interact more with the others.... looks like that won't be happening in the next book though.

[Fallen]

Wow, I haven't really read anything by those mentioned here.

1. Raymond E. Feist
2. Salvatore

Those are my two current favorites. I also enjoy Harry Potter(Rowlings(sp)), but that isn't really what I would call High Fantasy.

Shrugs

Originally posted by Myitkyina
I am a Tyrion fan, too... although I'm eager for the dragon story to interact more with the others.... looks like that won't be happening in the next book though.

A 16 year old kid SAVED all of the kingdoms from destruction. pfft They got nothin on him, not to mention the fucking kickass sword.

Originally posted by Artha
[quote]Considering that is the first, REAL magic type thing that has been paramount in the book really it didn't bother me all that much. And shit, how she ended up that way... The hell the family has gone though... I hope she gets a lot of revenge.
Seriously, I can't believe he had the balls to trash the family like that.


Jon Snow is the best character of the whole book though. Hes awsome.

When i read that part i was just like WTF, your kidding... WTF, no way... WTF everyone?!!!
The crippled child though will end up being some uber badass in a wheelchair.


<Edit> That made me feel like I should mention this book has some sexually explicit stuff in it. If you find that offensive i wouldn't read it. It adds a whole lot to the plot line of the book though... (George r.r. martin is a pervert>

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Dave]

[Drew]

Originally posted by Kitsun
My money is totally on Arya to learn to be an extremely hot assassin and come back and whoop some ass over the next two books.


"Valar morgulis."

[Hips]

Marion Zimmer Bradley
Robert Jordan
Terry Goodkind
Terry Brooks
Mercedes Lackey
Andre Norton
Elizabeth Kerner

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by GS3 Michiko]

[Stunseed]

Originally posted by GS3 Michiko
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Robert Jordan
Terry Goodkind
Terry Brooks
Mercedes Lackey
Andre Norton
Elizabeth Kerner



Michiko and Fallen's lists are 100% of mine, with the exception of David Eddings, who rightfully deserves to be on any list.

[Gan]

Stephen R Donaldson (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)
George R R Martin (Fire and Ice series)
Terry Brooks (Shannarra books)
Raymond Feist (Krondor series)
David & Leigh Eddings (Malleorn - Belgariad series)
Michael Moorecock (Eternal Champion) I have his autograph!
Tolkein
Rowling
honorable mention: Piers Anthony (Magic of Xanth series)

Those are the tops of all the sci fi fantasy books I've read over the years...

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Ganalon]

[Jolena]

Hands down, no second thoughts. My favorites are R. A. Salvatore and Mercedes Lackey.

I'm currently reading a set of six Forgotten Realms books that were overseen by Salvatore but each one is written by a different author. They are consecutive and focus on the world of the Underdark and the change between male and female dark elf roles. It's a really amazing series and if you haven't read it and like Salvatore's other Forgotten Realms books, I suggest you pick them up.

Book titles for that series are

Dissolution
Insurrection
Condemnations
Extinction
Annihilation
Resurrection

[Tater Salad]

I like all the authors mentioned so far.

Just to add a few

Katherine Kurtz
Melanie Rawn
C.S. Friedman
Robin Hobb
Elizabeth Moon
Tad Williams
David Duncan

[Rainy Day]

And man, he has NO PROBLEM at all killing off anyone. You never know who is next on the chopping block but it's gonna be someone.

I agree he's one of the best ever.

But man, the killing off thing....he sure does get into making everything a total downer. I can't think of another author who has been so ruthless with their own characters.

Some others I like:

Tanya Huff (writes everything from vampire stuff to SF to classic fantasy)

Anne Bishop - especially the Black Jewels Trilogy

RD

[Kainen]

Anne McCaffery and Michael Moorecock are my favorite fantasy authors.

Terry Pratchett is a good sci-fi/fantasy author. It's mostly humor, though.

[Warriorbird]

Sean Stewart in my current reading trend.

Though I really couldn't choose. Most of them are so different.

[Skeeter]

I'd just like to add a couple of real authors to the list.

Asimov
Bradbury


How nobody has mentioned these 2 boggles the mind.

[Gan]

Originally posted by Tea & Strumpets
Terry Pratchett is a good sci-fi/fantasy author. It's mostly humor, though.

Yea, Discworld was pretty funny. I put that in the same category as Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures series. Funny as hell but not hugely dramatic. Great for light reading though.

[Latrinsorm]

Piers Anthony got a lot less interesting after the first 69807456 books. Some of them were certainly gems, but the guy really ought to have hung up his typewriter earlier.

[Apotheosis]

Whoever wrote the Redwall series gets my vote. Terry Pratchett Kicks some ass too, one of my main chars is "Rinswynd" (Rincewind was a wizard who had more then a few of the books with his appearance).

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Yswithe]

Yeah.. So I've been reading the Wheel of Time now for over a year. I'm on like page 700. I'll never pick up another book from this series ever again. FUCKING DRAGS.

- Arkans

[Gan]

Originally posted by Skeeter
I'd just like to add a couple of real authors to the list.

Asimov
Bradbury


How nobody has mentioned these 2 boggles the mind.

Reading Isaac Asimov is like reading sociology blended with sci-fi. Its good but so heavy that its a lot of work to get through his books. I read I Robot (short story compilation) and the Foundation trilogy. The short story's of his are far better than his novels.

[Warriorbird]

Yeah. I'm not an Asimov novel fan, though his short story collections are some of my favorites. I'm also really amused by the fact that the weird old guy in Repo Man was apparently based on him.

[Hips]

Originally posted by Arkans
Yeah.. So I've been reading the Wheel of Time now for over a year. I'm on like page 700. I'll never pick up another book from this series ever again. FUCKING DRAGS.

- Arkans

The first one is pretty slow... the middle books pick up, and then once the Shaido Aiel kidnap Perrin's wife in Winter's Heart it all slows down again.

[DeV]

Not to be cliche but my favorite or should I say the fantasy author I respect and admire the most is Tolkien. I've read LOTR six times through out of insanity. The Silmarillion and The Hobbit both, simply amazing works. David Eddings comes a close second.

And who can forget Douglas Adams. Though in his case I have to admit I played the game on floppy disk before I discovered how much I liked the book(Hitchhikers Guide) and others by him.

[Tromp]

margaret weis and tracy hickman when they wrote the first two chronicles. those were a good read and one of my all time favorites.

[Jadewolff]

Couple of good authors that have come out in the last 5 years who are currently my favorites...

Anne Bishop - Dark Jewels series
Elizabeth Haydon - Rhapsody series

[Gan]

Yea, I've enjoyed the Rhapsody series alot. And the artwork by Royo on the covers is outstanding.

[Celexei]

Honestly people, if you haven't ever picked up Michael Moorcock, It is an absolute must, I don't think there is any fantasy character who could stand up to Stormbringer...by any means. Elric is a great character, Blue Oyster Cult wrote songs about him even! Michael Moorcock played with BOC and Dabbled with Syd Barret Pink Floyd as well! Must give him credit, he's a phenominal author.

[Drew]

Originally posted by DeV
Not to be cliche but my favorite or should I say the fantasy author I respect and admire the most is Tolkien. I've read LOTR six times through out of insanity. The Silmarillion and The Hobbit both, simply amazing works.


I think for most people this goes without saying, you just don't recommend Tolkien because everyone has heard of him.

[Celexei]

This is very true, he's the first stepping stone in most peoples fantasy life, and a damn good starter. LOTR and The Hobbit are the fundamentals of a fantasy life for the majority of us.

[DeV]

Originally posted by Drew

Originally posted by DeV
Not to be cliche but my favorite or should I say the fantasy author I respect and admire the most is Tolkien. I've read LOTR six times through out of insanity. The Silmarillion and The Hobbit both, simply amazing works.


I think for most people this goes without saying, you just don't recommend Tolkien because everyone has heard of him. Not as much as one would think. I have thought twice on many ocassion of refraining from discussing my admiration of Tolkien or LOTR and I don't except with my one friend who I actually talked into reading the book. A feat in itself which took her all of 6 months. She was the only person I could talk into seeing all three films with me also. That and these boards are my outlets unfortunately, and not everyone who I associate with knows of Tolkiens work or would even think once about reading one of his masterpieces or any fantasy literature for that matter.

[Celexei]

You definatly need a hug :grouphug: Where do you live that people don't know Tolkien as a household word? I guess I just got lucky in life with surrounding myself with people who appreciate good literature. You could always come out here! We'll talk Tolkien with ya!

[DeV]

Haha, thanks for the hug, always welcome them. I just grew up with different kinds of literature being my primary entertainment. The classics were it. My parents had and mom still has a large collection of the classics such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, War and Peace, Wuthering Heights, Fathers and Sons and so on. Fantasy literature was not part of the equation and I certainly didn't know anyone else who was into it while growing up. I think I was the only kid on the block who was into roleplaying games and that was strange enough!

I discovered it on my own.

I come from your typical black moderately conservative middle-class family. It's sort of a stereotypical description I know, but that should tell you enough. lol

[Vixen]

I think I read too much to have a favorite author. Because I love all the Valdemar stuff , love Mercedes Lackey... and I like Robert Jordan, even though he's a hard read for a lot of people. I love Harry Potter and Tolkien, and a series whos author I can't for the life of me recall, but its the Lost Years of Merlin series... And I know theres more, but I could no sooner pick a favorite author of any of them than I could describe how much I love my new baby boy.
I just read too damn much is the problem I think. I spend on books what a lot of women spend on shoes.

[Artha]

Tolkien was a great world builder, not so much on the writing part.

[DeV]

That's exactly what I admire in particular about his writing. The ability to create a believable world with a believable history and build upon that. It's not the fact that he was the first, the grandfather of fantasy so to speak, because he only went on to inspire others to do alot better than he did at writing fantasy fiction. It's the details. The language. The long-ass poetry/songs. The tedious descriptions of the country side and the pseudo-history. The fact that his unique attention to detail was turned into something that resembled to be almost a real history. He tended to focus on things that other writers would not spend nearly as much energy on.

Teduious, long-winded, and definitely not mediocre. All of which I am attracted to when it comes to his books.

[Celexei]

Originally posted by Vixen
and a series whos author I can't for the life of me recall, but its the Lost Years of Merlin series...

T.A. Barron ...the absolute first fantasy that I can ever remember coming across at the 5th grade Book Fair whilst I was going to Catholic School... This series and The Hobbit are the reasons I am who I am today.

[Celexei]

Originally posted by DeV
That's exactly what I admire in particular about his writing. The ability to create a believable world with a believable history and build upon that. It's not the fact that he was the first, the grandfather of fantasy so to speak, because he only went on to inspire others to do alot better than he did at writing fantasy fiction. It's the details. The language. The long-ass poetry/songs. The tedious descriptions of the country side and the pseudo-history. The fact that his unique attention to detail was turned into something that resembled to be almost a real history. He tended to focus on things that other writers would not spend nearly as much energy on.

Teduious, long-winded, and definitely not mediocre. All of which I am attracted to when it comes to his books.

Wow, that was the best worded personal review on Tolkien I've ever read. You get 3 gold stars!!! Very Nice! :D:yes:

-Celexei Teranth

[DeV]

:grouphug:

[Celexei]

Has anyone read, or can anyone point me in the direction of some sort of Japanese or more Asian themed Fantasy? I've been wandering if it exhists, I'd really like to read some if there was.

[Toxicvixen]

I :heart: David Eddings. Some would say (meaning me) his works are predictable and all of his books share a similar theme, plot and character types, but I love him anyway.

I do recommend Laurell K. Hamilton if you like vampires and don't mind some graphic naughty stuffs. :blndwhip:


As for the Japanese fantasy. I have read quite a few books on Geisha and the like. What exactly would you be looking for as Japanese fantasy?

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Toxicvixen]

[Adhara]

1) Steven Erikson, Malazan series. Best and most original fantasy I've ever read. Realistic, multi-dimensional character development. I thought I had read some good fantasy until I picked up my first Erikson book.

2) George R.R. Martin. Love the Song of Ice and Fire series. If only the old man could write faster.

3) Robin Hobb. Haven't read many of hers yet but I can already tell she's on my top 5 with her Farseer trilogy and followup.

4) Sara Douglass. Australian author. Check out her Starman trilogy.

And Terry Pratchett which reminds me of a contemporary Oscar Wilde with his charming wit and insight.

[Celexei]

Originally posted by Toxicvixen

As for the Japanese fantasy. I have read quite a few books on Geisha and the like. What exactly would you be looking for as Japanese fantasy?

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Toxicvixen]

I'm not to sure....something similar to normal fantasy...ya know, swords, magic, gods, magical beasts etc. but in a more traditional Japanese setting and feel. Samurai's, Ninja's Japanese Dynasties etc. I'd really like to find something such as that.

[Edited on 7-28-2005 by Celexei]

[Hips]

It's not fantasy, but Memoirs of a Geisha was FANTASTIC. My copy of it fell apart because I read it so often...

[Celexei]

As well as the Japanese Fantasy tips (see prior)...Has anyone read anything by Cornelia Funke? I'm sitting at work eyeing a book on the shelf called Dragon Rider, and I was curious if her work was decent. The book seems to be in a similar fantasy genre as Rowlings (of which I haven't read any of yet) but I wasn't for certain.