Your go-to author.

[Art, Stay home, stay safe.]

This question is probably not really suited for the active members of the group, everyone seems pretty driven in burning through volumes and volumes of literature. Recently I even found myself lining 10-15 books in advance that I want to read, with majority of them in one way or the other connected to the group or our Spreadsheet (yes, it's so epic that it deserves to be capitalized).

But every once in a while every one of us want to read something by an author that one knows, one who you know will deliver. It does not have to be an extraordinary piece of literature, it's the "comfort book" that I'm talking about. For many years it used to be Stephen King, whenever I needed a few hours of being absolutely absorbed by the book, King was my go-to man.

Over the years I've managed to collect a whole bunch of Roger Zelazny material, an author I fell in love with back when I was a teenager, and since I've started going through the list I realised that I will keep rereading his stuff for years to come. These days when I need a good read or reread I will undoubtedly grab any of his books at random and know I will enjoy it from cover to cover.

Oh and of course how could I forget Bill Bryson, the man responsible for my grinning like a bloody idiot on public transport, snorting coffee out of my nostrils every 15 seconds.

These days I have a whole bunch of authors who I am interested in, but only a handful of those who are even on trial at the moment. Though I've read some of Heinlein, can't say that I have an undying faith in everything he's ever written. Le Guin, Bujold, Bradbury, Stephenson, Clarke are all great but I never feel sure I will enjoy their next book.

[Victor]

Good call with Stephen King. For me, even if one of his books ends up not being one of my favorites, guaranteed I'll still enjoy the hell out of it.

Neil Gaiman is another. Wish he'd write more novels - but then again, I can barely keep up with King, so I guess I shouldn't complain, lol!

[Silvana]

George Orwell for me, both fiction and nonfiction.
China Mieville, his work never disappoints.
GRRM and James SA Corey, while I might not enjoy one or two of their works, they are all auto-buys for me.

[Kateblue, 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning]

The problem with "go to" authors is you think you have one and then they disappoint. The last two entries in Bujold's Vorkosigan Series Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen and The Flowers of Vashnoi were very disappointing

And that last thing by Stephen King, ditto

They are both still mine, but the confidence level is lower

[Oleksandr, a.k.a. Acorn]

Honestly, I cannot select one. There are a few whose novels are solid both for first time reading or re-reads, e.g. Neal Stephenson, John Scalzi, Ursula K. Le Guin, Jo Walton, Isaac Asimov, Roger Zelazny among others. However, while I have my desire to (re-)read them, there are so many other books to taste that actually I set those good one further into my TBR pile

[Allan]

Ditto Stephen King, but I occasionally pick up one of my Lovecraft volumes to re-read a short story. GRRM for sure, not just GOT. There's probably more authors that are more STAY AWAY than GO TO. If I'm looking for a diversion, then I'm not going to pull out Delaney, Stephenson or Robinson.

[Dan]

My go-to science fiction (and to a lesser extent fantasy) author is Andre Norton. I have an entire shelf devoted to her works only. Norton was twice nominated for the Hugo Award, in 1964 for the novel Witch World, and in 1967 for the novelette “Wizard’s World.” Most of her other work was of similar high quality, but gets misclassified as YA literature causing it to be overlooked.

[Oleksandr, a.k.a. Acorn]

Dan wrote: "My go-to science fiction (and to a lesser extent fantasy) author is Andre Norton."

I adored her space opera as a teen, as well as her fantasy, it had the right amount of adventure and sense of wonder, but lately I hadn't read her, except for Catseye

[Art, Stay home, stay safe.]

Allan wrote: "There's probably more authors that are more STAY AWAY than GO TO. I..."

I find Delaney pretty hard to get into and I'm dreading to read his longer works, There are some authors I will never come near again and luckily I probably won't have to, since it is not likely they are winning any more awards.

[Kateblue, 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning]

Well, I think I said over in "what are you reading now" that Blake Crouch is on my list for writing 2 books that I adored. So I think I'm going to go read another one in the "Pines" series

[Carolyn]

For me it’s probably Seanan McGuire. I’ll pick up pretty much anything she’s written and know I’ll enjoy it.

[Kateblue, 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning]

I like both Alan Dean Foster and have read many over the years. Midworld and Nor Crystal Tears are two of my favorite books ever.

Scott, I'm really looking forward to McDevitt now.

As to Seanan McGuire, Carolyn, I like her, but I have not read that many yet, only the Feed books and Wayward Children, though I have started Rosemary and Rue twice and have stopped, not because I didn't like them, but because I have no time. I really liked Sparrow Hill Road and loved The Girl in the Green Silk Gown. I hope there are more of those soon. But I was trying to read Middlegame recently and quit not very far in. That doctor guy I didn't like just droned on and one. I was surprised because she doesn't usually introduce her worlds so ungracefully--with a bunch of exposition. Also, the 3 main Feed books were fun, but I quit and did not read all the other available stories--bored. So we shall see about her--but I like her better than most.

I have repeatedly reread large amounts of Robert Heinlein, Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan books (also repeatedly), The Magicians and its two followups a few times (it's newer, so hasn't been read as often), the first 7 McCaffery dragon books, Dune (1st book only), Roger Zelazny's Amber books, a few romances that are not too insipid, Mary Stewart being the main author, and right now am rereading something I used to reread all the time--J.D. Salinger finally came out for Kindle. Yay!

I also read everything that John Sandford and J.D. Robb put out, but I am not necessarily going to read them again. Besides, the last ones by each author were not up to par. I think they are hiring people to help as they age.

[Kateblue, 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning]

Crystal singer, forgot all about it, yes, have reread.