Personally my fave authors are R.A. Salvatore and David Eddings, what about the rest of you guys?

Here is my top three:

3: Katherine Kerr
2: R.A. Salvatore
1: The late great one and only : J.R.R Tolkein.

And the worst?
All i can say is:
PHILIP ATHANS MUST DIE DIE DIE!!

Understand that long books is the only way t go! Short stories are too short!

David Eddings, David Gemmel and R A Salvadore since i just finished reading the dark elf trilogy through to the spine of the world at work.
And yes, Philip Athans is a terrible writer, who must be properly put to death for his works. Slowly, and so painfully. It is the only book i'm ashamed i bought.

Tolkien, who else ;)

1.Tamora Pierce
2.I'd have to say C.S. Lewis
3.I'd probably say J.R.R. Tolkien.

1. Tolkein
2. Greenwood
3. Pratchett

Honestly I have to say that I haven't read most of the authors you have posted but mine are:
Tolkien
C.S. Lewis
Tie: Robert Jordan and George Martin

I suppose it would have to be Tolkien. I haven't read too many books in this genre, either. (I vaguely remember reading something of Hickman/Weiss, but the fact that I can't even remember the title kind of speaks for itself...)

Category "serious":

1 J.R.R. Tolkien
2 David Eddings
3 Ed Greenwood

Category "not so serious":

1 Terry Pratchett
2 C.S. Gardner
3 Piers Anthony

1. Robert Jordan the best of them all.
2. George RR Martin going up, damn these are good.
3. Robin Hobb if you feel happy read this, you wont be happy afterwards.

1. Tolkien (like that has to even be
mentioned)
2. Stephen R. Donaldson (except the sci-fi stuff)
3. C.S. Lewis (ah... back in the day)

1. Tolkien / C.S. Lewis
2. Terry Goodkind
3. The Rest, in no Particular Order ...
Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Weiss/Hickman, Ann McCaffry, Elizabeth Moon, Piers Anthoney (for his Blue Adept series & Xanth), David Duncan

Never sure who to put first, but here goes:

1. Tolkien
2. T.H. White/C.S. Lewis
3. Connie Willis (SF more than Fantasy)
4. Pratchett
5. Feist
6. Heinlein
7. Julian May

Followed by a slew of others. The above are not really in any particular order (changes based on my mood :))

I am not even going to try to put my favorite authors in any sort of order, its just too hard. Here they are - Tolkein, Terry Pratchett, Robert Jordan, David Gemmel, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brookes, David Eddings, Raymond Feist, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Tad Williams, Isobelle Carmody, Melanie Rawn, Guy Gavriel Kay, Stephen Donaldson, Marion Zimmer Bradley, C.S. Lewis, Roger Zelazny, C.J. Cherryh, Julian May, Martin Middleton, (ARRGGGGHHH my fingers are going numb!) think I'd better stop, but the list just goes on and on :)

:EDIT: Oh and how could I forget George R.R. Martin and Katherine Kerr?!? umm...and Anne McCaffrey and L. Sprague De Camp and Michael Moorcock and (BAD fingers, stop typing NOW!! :D )

[This message has been edited by Creslyn (edited September 12, 2001).]

poor mr J.R.R Toliken was my fave. Until he went to the great ring in the sky. who knows, his fantasy might come true up there...
Terry Prattchet is cool too! I like Mort.

[This message has been edited by The Grim Ripper (edited September 12, 2001).]

Raymond E. Feist beats all others hands down. I'd mention Michael Moorcock too, if I wouldn't be afraid of being flamed to death (oops, mentioned him).

I only read the Tolkien books, and those are great. I would love too read more books from other writers, but the problem is I don't have enough time. So, my favourite writer is Tolkien.

My favorite auther is Dargorn

*Blushes*

Methinks.. Tolkien the guy who started it all kindve like Motley Crue to the 80s hair metal scene and Michael Moorcock is pretty good..

He said "Moorcock"!!!! LOL Sorry, needed that!

Tolkien is the undisputed master of fantasy!
Robert Jordan is good...But let's pick it up a bit!
I liked Piers Anthony was I was younger...Still good though.

I really liked the Dragonlance Chronicles too!

My top 3 are:
1. Robert Jordan (anybody who can write in a way that makes me read a 800+ page book in 2 days is my no1)
2. Pratchett
3. Tolkein.

I cannot believe how many of you rate Jordan so highly!!!!! Refer to previous rants about how he had a good story (and I agree, it WAS), spun it on into the longest drivel I can recall from any writer towards probably the end of book 4/5. The story really should have been completed in 5 volumes or so. AND his style of writing is by now just annoying.

Still, I'll pick it back up when it's complete I suppose. With 2 years between books, I suppose that might be in about 2009.

Back to the question:

1. J.R.R. Tolkien without a doubt.

2. Most of the time whatever I'm reading at the time. Honourable mentions to Steven Donaldson (and I really did enjoy the GAP series too), Piers Anthony (particularly the Adept trillogy), and George R.R. Martin.

3. Many I've enjoyed, but can't remember the names of right now.

4. NOT Robert Jordan :)

Micheal Moorcock, without a doubt.
His tales of Elric are amazing, as are the stories about the other Eternal Champions.

Tolkien, Pratchett and Jordan. They all ROCK!

Well, my top list would have to be:

1. Raymond Feist
2. David Eddings
3. Robin Hobb

Of course there are heaps of other, most of whom have been mentioned by others here.

Well, with some people pitching for Michael Moorcock, I guess I'll have to look him up. :wave:

I'm a more an SF kind of guy than fantasy, so my choices would be limited. My favorite fantasy guys (no particular order):

1. T.H. White
2. Tolkien
3. David Eddings
4. Stephen Donaldson
5. Katherine Kurtz (the Deryni Chronicles)
6. R. A. Salvatore
7. Robert Jordan

If you would consider an SF/fantasy combo, 'd include Frank Herbert too for Dune. Julian May would also fall into this category.

On another note, the fantasy milieu of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is also great reading. :grin: But it loses its comparative color if you don't read his other work (what with all the other allusions to his other characters), so at best horror fans would have a greater sense of enjoyment from this series. I hope he doesn't die before the series finishes, :nolinke: though it's rumored he's actually done but he hasn't decided how to put in all the other touches.

Robert Jordan up to the Dragon Reborn was marvelous reading. I agree with those who think he should have finished the series in five books. His later books fall short in pace and overall quality, so he doesn't top my list. Tolkien as the seer and prophet of this age is still tops, but what with his son probably pitching for his da to win, the newer books don't measure up to Lord of the Rings-Hobbit. :aww:

:idea: Going back to all of this, reading up on Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur (or a variant would be John Steinbeck's incomplete "The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights") would be a boost, since the Quest for the Holy Grail is the recurring theme for most fantasy novels. The Arthurian legend bred so many archetypes, but you'd have look in Celtic lore or Norse sagas for a truer sense.

Greek mythology is also great, but with all the things we have available now (and subsequent applications, alternate realities, etc.) the tales become less engaging.

See you around . . .:)

Greetings folks!

Here's mine, no particular order:

Salvatore
I don't think I've ever encountered someone who can describe close combat and swordplay so vividly. At times, I find myself enacting (or trying to) the moves his characters execute.

Greenwood
I love the realms. And Elminster was a great break for an arch-mage, especially that "old fart Mordenkainen". hehehe. :grin: That part was from a book by Gygax, "Gord the Rogue".

Robert Jordan
He has the ability to combine huge, worldshaking events without losing the substance of his characters, major and minor.
Dear God! I hope he finishes the Wheel of Time!:confused:

Terry Pratchett all the way... ALL THE WAY!

,FSFunky

Hobb
Jordan
Modesitt

Pratchett's Discworld clearly is the best among fantasy short stories then, allthough they're more like a parody on fantasy and it seems like Pratchett tries to make fun of us who are addicted to this.

J.R.R. Tolkien, He started it all!

Te best is Tolkien, no doubt. The most unique is Robin Hobb. And the best fantasy world is Feist's Midkemia. Moorcock and Pratchett are also very good.

1. Tolkien (duh?)
2. Robert Jordan (he needs more books though, I read all of his in 3 weeks :)!!)
3. George Martin (his next one is coming out christmas next year!!!!)
4. Salvatore
5. Weis (only above Hickman because of Soulforge)
6. Hickman
7. All the rest, including Douglas Niles, C. S. Lewis, et cetera

1. Tolkien, naturally

2. Robert Jordan; I agree with some remarks on how he drags on -- but the fact that even with that I devour his books within a couple days demonstrates his incredible talent. I have to say though, he should get over his childlike fascination with nudity.

3. David Eddings; I really want to finish his series on Sparhawk, but can't seem to find them in this rural area of Arkansas.

4. Terry Brooks. I have the feeling some are going to disagree, as he hasn't been mentioned much heretofore. Eh, flame away.

5. George Lucas. Check out the Shadow War Chronicles. Also, I think the Star Wars trilogy was initially as much fantasy as sci-fi.

Anybody else I guess gets only honorable mention, except I'm not going to bother to mention them. :heh: Well, maybe a couple; CS Lewis, although I enjoy his apologetics more than the Chronicles of Narnia. I've only read the first two Drizz't novels, but Salvatore reads almost exactly like a DM adventure. Heh. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing...

I thought George RR Martin was sci-fi... what'd he write in fantasy? I've only read a bit of Weis & Hickman; enjoyed it, but I'm still kind of out of it when it comes to discussing DragonLance. Haven't read any other FR books than Drizz't 1 & 2 either. I'm thinking about looking at Tad Williams, as I've heard good things of him.

The older legends of Arthur (such as Malory's) were cool. :cool:

1. Tolkien (doh)
2. F. Herbert (ok, more Science Fiction then Fantasy :))
3. R.A. Salvatore

I dont understand why you all say tolkien is obviously the best.
He isnt.
Just because he was one of the first fantasy authors does not automatically make him the best.

The only books I've read that come close to matching the epic scale of Tolkien's series is Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, and as mentioned, Jordan has his own set of problems. Jordan is much better at sheer complex intertwining of plots, but I've never read anything that swept me up into the story and gave me chills like Tolkien's majestic trilogy.

In no particualar order:

tolkien (greatest books ever)
gemmel
eddings
pratchett
douglas adams (equal to tolkien)

1. J.R.R Tolkien
2. H.P Lovecraft
3. Ed Greenwood

1. Jordan
2. Eddings
3. Pratchett

My fav has to be Margeret Weis i just loved Tasselhof Buurfoot he was soo cool.
Now ill get spammed.


I think Tolkien Sucks, i felt asleep after 20 pages of the hobbit :mad:



[This message has been edited by Tasohan (edited October 02, 2001).]

Hmm.. tough one. I've read AT LEAST 1000+ fantasy books so this is hard...

1. R. A. Salvatore
2. Michael A. Stackpole
3. Terry Pratchett
4. David Eddings
5. Margaret Weis

Then there are runner-ups, Elaine Cunningham, Tolkien, Jordan, Gemmel, Adams... So many great writers. In retrospect I'll probably name several more, though.

Ara
(Odd little assassin-wannabe and general nuisance)

No order
Tolken
RA Salvatore
Ann McCaffery
A. C. Clark
Issac Asimov(SP? I hate my inability to spell)

1. Tolkien
2. Jordan
3. Pratchett (funny how he wrote as an antidote to fantasy novels)

In no particular order

Guy Gavriel Kay, George RR Martin, Michelle West, David Gemmell, Anne Bishop, Roger Taylor and Elaine Cunningham

The one, the only J.R.R Tolkien!

Robert Jordan is also a great author, i think he is finishing the world that Tolkien created.

I also like some of the David Eddings books :)

Stephen R. Donaldson
George R.R. Martin
Mercedes Lackey
Donna Gilespie (The Light Bearer)

Not ranked in any particular order.

Mercedes Lackey would be a lot better if she weren't so obsessed with sex... :rolleyes:

HA! I have to say, that I really don't mind it. I think it makes the people all the more real.

IMHO most people are obsessed with it. It's ohhh natural. :)

[This message has been edited by Satiana Fearbringer (edited October 09, 2001).]

I'll go with:

P.C. Hodgell - Fabulous trilogy (God Stalk, Dark of the Moon, and Seekers Mask - which I just bought through SP on Amazon) that has just been re-published after going out of print in the early '90s. Highly recommended for world creation/atmosphere and for having powerful female lead character.

Gordon R. Dickson - for his "Dragon Knight" series, a very tongue-in-cheek (but somehow serious) take on the S-and-S genre.

Stephen R. Donaldson - because, that's why.

Tolkein - see above.

Robert L. Asprin - The master of pulp series, including the finest in shaggy dog stories and really bad puns (see especially the Phule's Company and M.Y.T.H. series).

EDIT: :idea: Forgot my current addiction.
Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth series. Dumb, but I can't stop reading (5th book and counting

[This message has been edited by Jarona (edited October 09, 2001).]

I enjoyed Gordon Dickson's series as well. It's too bad he passed away; I wanted to see where he was going with it.

Hmph. Still nobody mentions Dennis McKiernan; how sad. I guess it's not that surprising since a lot of the listings on Amazon indicate volumes that are out of print. The Iron Tower trilogy and the Silver Call duology were his firsts (he wrote the duology first, but had it published second) and it looks like they're being republished in single volumes now.

How can you not get chills every time you hear the dwarven battle cry: "Chakka Shok! Chakka Cor!" (Dwarven Axes! Dwarven Might!) :)