Favourite fantasy authors?

[butterfly_warrior]

After getting a long discussion about the books I'm currently reading going in my journal, I thought I'd start a new thread for wider discussion.

I love to read, but I have a very narrow area of interest - I seem to stick with fantasy novels. Reading is a form of escapism for me, and I just love being transported off to a new world. It always bothers me that fantasy is lumped in with science fiction - I generally just can't tolerate science fiction novels!

For me, it all started with Tolkien. I started with The Hobbit, which I've now read so many times I just can't do it any more. I can even quote the first and last sentences of the book... Once I got to high school I moved on to The Lord of the Rings. Again, I've read them so many times I just can't face them any more. I think it was every summer holiday through high school.

From there it extended into Terry Pratchett, and a friend who would keep me supplied with books to read... I chomped through my sister's Eddings novels and her entire collection of Anne McCaffrey (or how ever it's spelled!), but never really bothered to purchase my own copies.

Lately, I've discovered a set of Australian female fantasy authors that are keeping me very entertained. Jennifer Fallon currently, Isobelle Carmody while I was in hospital, Traci Harding and Trudi Canavan before that. I've got Glenda Larke waiting for me (but I haven't checked where she's from).

Other favourites include Jude Fisher, Robin Hobb, Julian May, Katherine Kerr, Melanie Rawn. I wasn't quite so fond of Janny Wurtz. Stephen Lawhead is ok at times (but I'm a little over books based on the legend of Arthur, why do so many people do it?), and I think the only author I've ever come across that I'd ever suggest you don't go near was Cecilia Dart-Thornton. Awful, hideous, boring... yet my completist nature meant that I just had to keep going until I finished the whole trilogy. Robert Jordan was high on the list for a while, but I lost interest through continually having to wait for the next book. I've never read a single Harry Potter book at all!

Any other fantasy addicts like me? Any other suggested authors that myself and others might like?

BW

[AnyDream]

Neil Gaimin is definitely the most clever and entertaining fantasy author I've ever read, American Gods is a masterpiece! He also wrote "Good omens" with Terry Pratchett which was great. His novel "Stardust" was recently made into a film (in the cinemas last Oct) - the film was excellent.

Another old favorite is Diana Wynn Jones, another very clever author with a great sense of humour - most of her books are young adult but she's penned a few adult novels in the last few years - Year of the Griffin and Dark Lord of Derkholm are but a couple.

[butterfly_warrior]

I've read Good Omens, but nothing else by Neil Gaimin - I've only recently been seeing his books on the shelves (thanks to Borders, they don't seem to be stocked anywhere else!), I might just grab some of them some time. Haven't encountered Diana Wynn Jones, either.

This is good! Normally a discussion of fantasy authors results in me going "yep! got them too!". My bookshelf is straining to contain the collection at the moment, and all shelves are stacked double, so I can't even see at least half of my books!

BW

[rufalina]

Oh wow... Another fantasy freak!
I just love Terry Pratchett too... Great reads...
As for Cecilia Dart-Thornton I felt the same as you, but had to read them all too.... You cant leave a trilogy once you have started.
Lately I have been reading Terry Goodkind... I have one left to go, and have to pop into the library to get it. I have been waiting for the last book to be published since June...
Must look into some you have mentioned after I finish Terry.

[Pandora]

Raymond Feist is far and away my favourite. Mum got me the leather bound anniversay edition of Magician when it came out.

I guess i started out with David Eddings and Robert Jordan, but in all honesty the WOT series gave me the irrits after a while.

I also like Ian Irvine.

[Laranna]

Raymond Feist is my fave...Magician is excellent!

I'm currently ploughing through the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Series, I'm up to book 5. I am enjoying them but they just take forever to read. Although, I guess that's partly my fault because I love reading and I will start another book or magazine without finishing whatever I'm currently reading Also, reading Harry Potter atm.

DP is onto Jennifer Fallon atm and he seems to be enjoying them.
Of course Tolkien is another fave. I've read a couple of Katherine Kerr as well, they were ok.

Oh, and I also liked the Janny Wurts 'Daughter of the Empire'...etc...trilogy.

[Tanya]

I've only read books from;
Terry Brooks
Christopher Paolini
Isobelle Carmody
Joanne Rowling

There are a few others but not really worth a mention
I have started to read the 1st Shanara series from Terry Brooks... I haven't read a book for a while. Much too busy!!

I am hoping to one day read the LOTR series when I get time! I love the movies and understand that a lot in the movies had to be moved because if they put it in the same order as in the books it wouldn't have made as much sense.

[Frantelle]

I just love George R R Martins a Song of Fire and Ice series - but he takes to long for the next to come out

[ll80]

I am a huge fantasy reader, in fact it's all I really read these days, as I also like the escapism.

George RR Martin Song of Fire and Ice is one of the best fantasy series ever, but read slowly, as kyliekd said takes ages for the next release to come out. Very painful.

Stephen Donaldson -"Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"
"The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant"
excellent reads, the main character isn't always very likable and I like that in a book.

Fiest as mentioned, all his books are good reads I have them all.

David Gemmell, WAYLANDER
WAYLANDER II (a.k.a. IN THE REALM OF THE WOLF)
HERO IN THE SHADOWS
THE FIRST CHRONICLES OF DRUSS THE LEGEND
THE LEGEND OF DEATHWALKER
LEGEND (a.k.a. AGAINST THE HORDE)
KING BEYOND THE GATE
QUEST FOR LOST HEROES
WINTER WARRIORS
WHITE WOLF
THE SWORDS OF NIGHT AND DAY
All good reads.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke (Jane Austen meets Harry Potter during the Napoleonic wars) I loved this one.

Anything by Robin Hobb is excellent and I highly recommend her she puts her characters through hell.

So many more I could go on and on and on....
Love my fantasy....


edit: oooooo and how could I forget Tad Williams Otherland series - bit more sci fi fantasy but very good
and a good female Australian Gothic fantasy author is Kim Wilkins - Higlhy recommended

[Astrid]

Robin Hobb, Raymond E Fiest, Marion Zimmer Bradley here. Struggling though with one of Robin Hobbs books at the moment, one of the main characters is so like my first boyfriend I am having trouble sticking to it, which is a shame as it looks as though it is going to be a great story.

[Kitt3n]

try victor kelleher.....most of it is for younger readers but del del was one of the best reads of my life! and trhe red king... and to the dark tower and..... he just rocks.
but do del del first

[AnyDream]

Tanya, do yourself a favour and read "The Hobbit" first - by far and away the best Tolkien IMO!

BW, I misspelt Diana's name - should be Diana Wynne Jones - usually files under "J" at the library. You don't often see her adult novels at the bookshop, get them at the library instead. There's one that's my all time fave, forget the title but it's set around a Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, it's a hoot!

Abby, I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, once I got past the first 3rd of the book! Gripping towards the end, wasn't it?

Also, (how could I forget to mention these) - not really fantasy but if you read fantasy you will LOVE them - the books by Gregory Maguire. He takes an old tale (eg Cinderella) and then reworks it into a novel. I've read "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" and "Mirror Mirror" - they were all great reads.

I forgot another *excellent* trilogy by an australian author - Sean Williams (who later got roped into writing some of the Star Wars stuff) - "The stone mage and the sea"; "The sky warden and the sun"; "The storm weaver and the sand". V interesting cos it's sort of set in a futuristic Australian-kind of environment but is essentially a fantasy novel. Haven't read anything else of his though.

[Lulu]

Ooooh - I can come out of the closet then?

I have spent nearly all of last year obsessed with Robin Hobb, and all because my 15yo DD, wanted me to read a part she didn't understand.......

I managed both The Liveship Traders and Farseer Trilogies.

I am now reading the trilogy The Golden Compass is based on. And I've borrowed it from DD's friend.....

[butterfly_warrior]

Lulu - there's a third trilogy by Hobb - the golden man? Something like that, anyway. It ties the previous two trilogies together quite nicely.

I read quite a bit of Gemmell when I was younger - an ex boyfriend loaned me quite a lot of books over the years, but I'd never actually bothered to pick anyo f them up later in life. They were actually really difficult to find, anyway.

I tried to read one of the Terrys - not sure if it was Goodkind or Brooks and absolutely hated it. In the same way as I can't stand protracted descriptive passages, there was also something vaguely disturbing about a journey across the plains taking a matter of hours. I'm fairly sure it was Brooks, but I've avoided both in case I'm mis-remembering.

Strangely, some of the usual culprits you find on a fantasy fanatic's bookshelves are missing from mine - I've never read any of Feist, I tend to avoid anything that gets a lot of hype. I guess you could say I stick to the more obscure authors at times.

Thoroughly enjoying Jennifer Fallon's work at the moment - all too easy to write it off as just another world with the usual stories about lords and heirs and inheritances and political intrigue, but it's actually really quite engrossing.

I did find Isobelle Carmody a little odd. I was reading Obernewtyn while I was in hospital (and fairly quickly got into the second book in the series while I was in there), and every single nurse that saw the book asked me what it was about and I just couldn't describe it!

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one "suffering" from this addiction.

BW

[Caramello]

Hi everyone,

Another Sci Fiction/Fantasy fan here.

Heave read most of the books mentioned - currently reading Isabella Carmody after snavelling it from the school library.

Definitely agree about Cecilia Dart-Thornton - I got so frustatrated with her writing I refused to buy any more of the series.

Also, Stephen King's Sci Fi. I couldn't stand it, but DH (who is a King fan) absolutely loved it.

[butterfly_warrior]

Well done for breaking the "I must buy and read all books in the series" urges, Gargy!

BW

[Captain]

I really enjoyed Sara Douglass with the Axis Trilogy. Though I didn't like the next set she did, very repetitive.
I also loved Raymond Fiest. Magician is definatly worth a read.

[LadyRaven]

I've only read one book by Eddings, the redemption of althalus or however it is spelt and I lost all respect for him as a writer I thought it was the most pourly written piece of dribble ever and you could see the ending 5 pages in! Sorry I know some people love him but IMO he's awful

I loved Melanie Rawns dragon prince series, not as much dragon and magic as Id have liked a lot more war and medieval sort of politics but wasn't too heavy and was really well written

Also Katherine Kerr, best written celtic books I've ever read, a bit hard to understand if you start at the end of the series like I did, but really well written and has good twists in it!