Favorite Authors

[Traci]

Who are your top three favorite authors? Even though some answers will not come as a surprise I'm sure.... :)

1. Terry Pratchett
2. Brandon Sanderson
3. Robin Hobb

Any you're not sure of yet but might become a favorite?
Guy Gavriel Kay and Steven Erikson are my maybes.

[[deleted user]]

Kay
Butcher
Sanderson

[Damali]

Top 3? I can't do it. I'll narrow it down to 5.

L.A. Banks
Robert Jordan
Juliet Marillier
Jennifer Fallon
Jacqueline Carey

[Traci]

That's fine name as many as you want. And feel free to come back and add more. :)

[Jean]

Julian May
Steven Erikson
George RR Martin

[Amanda]

JRR Tolkien
Terry Pratchett
Tad Williams
Jacqueline Carey
Mary BrownThe Unexpected Dragon
Kim Harrison

I'm also quite fond of Mark Lawrence and Patrick Rothfuss but can't call them favs until I've read more than one book from them.

[Traci]

add Rothfuss to the top of my maybe list.
*grumble* I just finished The Name of the Wind and am now reading Wise Man's Fear. No excuse.

[Dana]

Robert Jordan
George R R Martin
Charles de Lint

Guy Gavriel Kay, Kate Forsyth and Anne Bishop are probably my next three. I like Rothfuss too, but I've only read Name of the Wind so I'd put him in my maybe list.

[Amanda]

Dana wrote: "Robert Jordan
George R R Martin
Charles de Lint

Guy Gavriel Kay, Kate Forsyth and Anne Bishop are probably my next three. I like Rothfuss too, but I've only read Name of the Wind so I'd put him ..."

I have some books by de Lint :) I'm going ot have to get to them soon.

[Amanda]

JRR Tolkien
Terry Pratchett
Brandon Sanderson
Patrick Rothfuss
Terry Brooks
Brent Weeks
Kate Elliott

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Andre Norton
Mercedes Lackey

[Dana]

Amanda wrote: "I have some books by de Lint :) I'm going ot have to get to them soon. "

I'm convinced he's one of those writers that can't write a bad book. He's wonderful. :)

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

1. Guy Gavriel Kay
2. Steven Brust
3. Peter S. Beagle
aaaaand, since you let us go higher and didn't specify fantasy~
4. Roger Zelazny
5. Barbara Kingsolver
These authors are virually auto-buys for me, and I'm working on collecting almost all of their works in hardcover, as able. I have other favorite books, but don't feel authors are consistant quality across the series or different book.

[Laurel]

All automatic buys for me. Plus, I'm probably leaving people out. Goodness, I have a problem!

[Scott]

This list always changes depending on what I'm reading but right now I would have to say, in no real order:

George R R Martin
Brandon Sanderson
Jim Buthcer

[Tacuazin]

I've tried. I really have. But I can't make up my mind. Three authors? Only three? No way.

The first two are easy, they are automatic buys:
- George RR Martin
- Terry Pratchett

For the third place, though, I am having a serious debate with myself. I leave it to you, guys. Maybe you can help me overcome this sudden indecisiveness:
- Ilona Andrews
- Joe Abercrombie
- Kevin Hearne

[Leighann]

I've read so many new author's lately I don't think I could pick. It's to hard to say.

I will say the most influential:
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Raymond Feist

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

Tacuazin wrote: "Ilona Andrews
- Joe Abercrombie
- Kevin Hearne."

I love the Andrews' Kate Daniels series and those are auto-buys for me. I'm just not impressed with the On The Edge series.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Fantasy authors:

Patricia Briggs
Ilona Andrews
Rob Thurman/Simon R. Green

All time favorite author is Anne Stuart, but she writes romance and suspense.

[TinaNoir]

Ooh, I think I might have to do at least 5 in no particular order:

Guy Gavriel Kay
Lois McMaster Bujold
Sharon Shinn
Brandon Sanderson
Ilona Andrews

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Damali wrote: "Top 3? I can't do it. I'll narrow it down to 5.

L.A. Banks
Robert Jordan
Juliet Marillier
Jennifer Fallon
Jacqueline Carey"

I think I had a pretty good idea you would say this... :)

[Becky]

Anne McCaffrey
H. Beam Piper
Neil Gaiman

[Sharon]

It would be difficult for me to pick just 3, but in a 'desert island' scenario, these would be the three, with the first two 'automatic buys' for me for anything new coming out, but McKinley I have to read first as she is 'off and on' for me.

Lois Bujold
Mercedes Lackey
Robin McKinley

I read 'some' of a lot more authors, but as for *new to me* authors that are very promising, Faith Hunter (Author) with her Jane Yellowrock series, urban fantasy/detective (sort of) is looking good. I picked up the first in the series on a 'free book' list and liked it well enough that the 2nd and 3rd are now in my collection. If the series holds up, it will end up being on my 'buy now' list.

[Lis]

1. Robin Hobb
2. Lynn Flewelling
3. Either JK Rowling or Scott Lynch (It's hard to choose ._.")

Brandon Sanderson and JRR Tolkien come in close, but I've barely breached the surface of Sanderson's work so I can't really place him anywhere yet.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

1. J K Rowling - though I would like her to write something non-HP and see if it's as good

2. Neil Gaiman - I don't always love his stuff, but I really admire his diversity. And what I like of his stuff I tend to really like

3. Pratchett - Discworld is just so inventive, endlessly entertaining, and wonderfully satirical

***

Honorable mentions:

John Flanagan - author of my second favorite series 'The Ranger's Apprentice' - but, again, I'd like to see what he can do outside of that series

Gail Carriger - The Parasol Protectorate is delightful

Garth Nix - I enjoyed both the Keys to the Kingdom and the Old Kingdom/ Abhorsen series

Nancy Springer - author of a series called 'Enola Holmes Mysteries' which I just adore. I've also started reading her 'Rowan Hood' set.

Bill Willingham - for Fables

Matthew Sturgis - for House of Mystery

And, maybe, soon to add Chris Wooding - though it's a bit early to tell, he definitely has some potential to be added to the list.

[Traci]

± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "1. J K Rowling - though I would like her to write something non-HP and see if it's as good

2. Neil Gaiman - I don't always love his stuff, but I really admire his diversity. And what I like of hi..."

I would be willing to judge Rowling on another Potter series. Doesn't even have to be completely different. Anything. Just please write again....

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

I would love for a Marauder's series.

[Lis]

± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "I would love for a Marauder's series."

Aah, it'd be fantastic if she could.

The only experience I've actually had with Neil Gaiman would have to be Neverwhere, which I was alright with. What other stuff has he written?

[Traci]

American Gods is probably Gaiman's other most known work. It's similiar enough to Neverwhere that if you like one you'll probably like the other. Stardust is more of an orginal fairytale in the style of Princess Bride. Sort of.

My favorite is Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch written with Terry Pratchett. It's dark comedy. Think the movie The Omen.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Don't forget 'The Sandman' series. Also Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Odd and the Frost Giants, and several others.

[Damali]

MrsJoseph wrote: "Damali wrote: "Top 3? I can't do it. I'll narrow it down to 5.

L.A. Banks
Robert Jordan
Juliet Marillier
Jennifer Fallon
Jacqueline Carey"

I think I had a pretty good idea you would say this... :)"

Lol. That transparent, am I? :D

[Kathleen]

I have many favorites:
Diana Gabaldon
Juliet Marillier
Maria V. Snyder
Jules Watson
Melina Marchetta
Patrick Rothfuss
Brandon Sanderson
Cinda Williams Chima

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Limited to 3 is hard...but I'll try to stay in the rules. It sort of limit's itself for me (and my choices won't surprise anyone:

1. J.R.R.Tolkien
2. Elizabeth Moon
3. Jim Butcher

maybe.

[Emily]

I had gotten to about 13, and was still adding names, before I decided to keep it strictly to fantasy authors (no scifi, no graphic novels, no classics, no other genre) and it was still really hard! Here they are, though-authors I love so much I would (or have) reread their stuff and always look forward to the next new book.

1. Jim Butcher
2. Naomi Novik
3. Patricia Briggs

[Linette]

1. JK Rowling
2. George RR Martin
3. Jim Butcher

Honorable mentions:
a) Robin Hobb
b) Naomi Novik
c) Robert Jordan

[Kevin]

Top 3
Salvatore
Jacques
Martin
Honorable mentions
Butcher
Jordan
Sanderson

[Tracy]

Dean Koontz
Stuart Woods
Jim Butcher

My becoming favorites are
Andrew Kaufman
Michael Grant
James Dashner

[Anne]

I know it says 3, but I can't seem to narrow it down any more than this. I like to read too many types of books, and my favorite authors depend on my mood. All of these authors have written multiple books I've rated 5 stars.

Fantasy authors:
Robin Hobb
Jennifer Fallon
Jim Butcher
Robert Jordan

Others:
Mark Twain
Alexandre Dumas
Aldous Huxley
George Orwell
Edgar Allan Poe
Douglas Adams

[Michele]

J.K. Rowling
Neil Gaiman
Jane Austen (not fantasy, I know)

[Bill]

Impossible to pick 3, but if you insist...

____
Tolkien
Gaiman
Delany (Samuel R)

[Olga]

I'm rooting for my favorite Sharon Shinn. To my surprise, she is on nobody's list. She is a fantastic fantasy writer (pun intended). The other two?
Tanya Huff and Patricia Briggs

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

I don't think I've heard of her... what books of hers do you recommend, Olga?

[Olga]

Carol. If you haven't read Sharon Shinn, start with her Samaria series, the novels about angels. You might find her angels surprising. The first in the series is Archangel. Her latest novel is Troubled Water. I finished it recently and I'd like to post a review but I haven't figured out how yet.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Click on the book and there will be a place below the book entry for you to check shelves and edit in a review.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Oh, first you got to the
Add to my Books", forgot that...sorry.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95...

[Olga]

Thanks, Mike.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

S'okay. :)

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

Crud! Kindle. *grumble about ebooks*
I've been fighting getting an ereader, but I'll keep it in mind.

Hang in there, Olga--old users are happy to give tips, and I find the more I learn about it, the more I enjoy using Goodreads and get what I want out of it.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

.....I prefer "experienced user" or "veteran user" to, "old user"....

[Olga]

I added my review of Troubled Waters, but I wonder how can other people see it? And how can I see other people's reviews?