# Who Are Your Top 10 Fantasy Authors



## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

I almost hate to do this, since I'm about to force myself to pick ten names. But in the Top 100 authors thread, lots of people have noted (rightly, in my view) that some authors don't belong on the list and others were left off who do. 

So...if you have to come up with your top ten favorite fantasy authors, with no wiggle room to squeeze in just one more, who would you list?

Granted, for me this list might change on any day you ask me. Right now, in no particular order:

1. Mervyn Peake
2. Guy Gavriel Kay
3. Steven Erikson
4. Gene Wolfe
5. Michael Moorcock
6. Steven Brust
7. Joe Abercrombie
8. Angela Carter
9. Tanith Lee
10. Robert E. Howard

Also, if you think I'm insane for leaving someone off the list or, alternatively, for having someone on it, feel free to say.


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## Ireth (Aug 13, 2013)

1. JRR Tolkien
2. Terry Pratchett
3. JK Rowling
4. OR Melling
5. Brian Jacques
6. CS Lewis
7. David Clement-Davies
8. Kenneth Oppel
9. Justin Somper
10. Piers Anthony


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## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

Thanks, Ireth. Very interesting that we don't share a single pick (although I do like many of the authors you list quite a lot!).


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## Ireth (Aug 13, 2013)

I don't think I've read a single author on your list. XD Some of them I hadn't even heard of.


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## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

Ireth said:


> I don't think I've read a single author on your list. XD Some of them I hadn't even heard of.



Guy Gavriel Kay you might like, particularly things like his Fionavar Tapestry (Tolkien-style fantasy) or Tigana, or A Song for Arbonne. He actually worked for the Tolkien estate on getting the Silmarillion ready for publication at one point. Plus he's a Canuck


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## Ireth (Aug 13, 2013)

Sounds cool! I'll look for him next time I'm in a bookstore.


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## Ankari (Aug 13, 2013)

*My Picks*

In no particular order:


Steven Erikson
R. Scott Bakker
Robert E Howard
Joe Abercrombie
Glen Cook
George RR Martin
Jacqueline Carey
Robert Jordan
Ian C Esslemont
Stephen Donaldson


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## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

Damn. I can't believe I left Glen Cook off my list! I like all of those, Ankari.


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## C Hollis (Aug 13, 2013)

Hmm, let's see if I can do this.

No particular order:

1. Robert Jordan
2. George R.R. Martin
3. J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Douglas Niles
5. Dan Parkinson
6. Brandon Sanderson
7. R.A. Salvatore
8. Piers Anthony
9. Robin Hobb
10. Terry Brooks


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## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

C Hollis: I've read at least one work by each of those except for Dan Parkinson, who I don't recognize.


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## C Hollis (Aug 13, 2013)

Steerpike said:


> C Hollis: I've read at least one work by each of those except for Dan Parkinson, who I don't recognize.



I probably stepped on the out of bounds marker on that one.   He's likely better known for his westerns back in the 80's and 90's, but I got hooked on him because of the five Dragonlance novels he did about the dwarves.  He's also done some sci-fi.  I pretty much soaked up all of his works before he passed in '01.


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## ThinkerX (Aug 13, 2013)

Hmmm....

In no particular order...

1. Raymond E Feist
2. HP Lovecraft
3. Glen Cook
4. Kate Elliot
5. Clark Ashton Smith
6. Terry Pratchet
7. George RR Martin
8. Fritz Leiber
9. JRR Tolkien
10. Ursula LeGuin

I believe I've read all of those on Steerpikes list except maybe Angela Carter (or maybe I have and just don't remember the titles right off.)

I've only read about half the names on Ireths list, though I've heard of a couple of the others. (And saw some of the movies, in the case of Rowling).

As to Ankari's list...I believe I've read works by all of them except Jacqueline Carey and Robert Jordan.


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## Steerpike (Aug 13, 2013)

I've read each of those authors, ThinkerX. Nice list. Angela Carter wrote mostly short stories. _The Bloody Chamber_ is probably her most famous collection of these.

C Hollis: I googled Dan Parkinson after you mentioned him on your list. I'm going to order one of his books. Looks like some interesting stuff.


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## Philip Overby (Aug 14, 2013)

I think my list is probably very similar to Steerpike's and Ankari's. Great minds think alike? 

1. Joe Abercrombie
2. Robert E. Howard
3. Fritz Lieber
4. George R.R. Martin
5. Andrzej Sapkowski
6. Richard K. Morgan
7. China Mieville
8. R. Scott Bakker
9. Steven Erikson
10. Peter V. Brett

These are just some current favorites that have been my current favorites for a pretty long time. I'm pretty sure all of these were mentioned on the top 100 list? I think Sapkowski wasn't listed maybe.


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## Filk (Aug 14, 2013)

In somewhat particular order:

1. Robin Hobb - still gets first place even though _The Rain Wild Chronicles_ was kind of a let down.
2. George RR Martin
3. Raymond E. Feist
4. Robert Jordan
5. Brandon Sanderson
6. John Marco
7. JRR Tolkien
8. Troy Denning
9. Megan Lindholm (I may be cheating here hehe)
10. Piers Anthony


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## Steerpike (Aug 14, 2013)

Filk said:


> In somewhat particular order:
> 
> 9. Megan Lindholm (I may be cheating here hehe)



Yes, you are 

Nice list, though. I've read everyone on it. Reading _Starfinder_ by John Marco right now.


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## Steerpike (Aug 14, 2013)

Phil the Drill said:


> I think my list is probably very similar to Steerpike's and Ankari's. Great minds think alike?
> 
> 1. Joe Abercrombie
> 2. Robert E. Howard
> ...



Great list. I haven't read Richard K. Morgan. I've read all of the others. I couldn't get into the first Brett novel for some reason. I'll have to revisit it.


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## Drakhov (Aug 14, 2013)

1. Terry Pratchett
2. Douglas Adams
3. George R R Martin
4. David Gemmell
5. Dan Abnett
6. Graham McNeill
7. Not so much an individual author, but GW/Black Library's Trollslayer series (William King, Nathan Long, Josh Reynolds et al)
8. Michael Moorcock
9. Mary Gentle
10. Sandy Mitchell

I really need to diversify my reading list, Black Library are so prolific that by the time i've read one book they've released a dozen others and I don't want to fall behind with the adventures of Gotrek & Felix, the misadventures of Ciaphas Cain, the twists and turns of the Horus Heresy and the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

I made a point of reading Martin's Song of Ice & Fire books, and managed to track down a couple of old anthologies for the Dunk and Egg short stories (Hedge Knight / Sworn Sword / The Mystery Knight) and will be ordering the Dangerous Women anthology (due out Dec 3) for the prequel short Dance of the Dragons. I also want to check out Joe Abercrombie's stuff, Glen Cook's Chronicles of the Black Company, and the Simon R Green Hawk & Fisher novels (i remember browsing one or two of them many years ago but didn't pick any up).


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## Steerpike (Aug 14, 2013)

Drakhov said:


> 1. Terry Pratchett
> 2. Douglas Adams
> 3. George R R Martin
> 4. David Gemmell
> ...



I've read each of those authors except that I haven't read any of the Josh Reynolds Felix & Gotrek books. Are they any good?


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## Drakhov (Aug 14, 2013)

Steerpike said:


> I've read each of those authors except that I haven't read any of the Josh Reynolds Felix & Gotrek books. Are they any good?



He only has the one full lenght novel so far - Road of Skulls which i really enjoyed - gives a tantalizing glimpse of Gotrek's earlier life. He has some short stories in various anthologies - Charnel Congress, Berthold's Beard which you can get individually as ebook versions from the Black Library website, and A Cask of Wynters, which i think is only available as part of the Gotrek & Felix anthology


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## Philip Overby (Aug 14, 2013)

Steerpike said:


> Great list. I haven't read Richard K. Morgan. I've read all of the others. I couldn't get into the first Brett novel for some reason. I'll have to revisit it.



I think Brett was hard for me to get into also at first. But once I stuck with it, I sort of liked the simplicity of his style. He's definitely not someone I'd normally read, so his inclusion is sort of like "one of these things it's not like the other."

Morgan is probably better known for his sci-fi work, but his fantasy is very good as well. He reminds me of Abercrombie in some ways, but with a fouler mouth.


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 15, 2013)

1. Roger Zelazny
2. Steven Brust
3. Kevin Hearne
4. Michael Moorcock
5. Stephen R. Donaldson
6. Fred Saberhagen
7. Barbara Hambly
8. Terry Brooks
9. C. Dean Andersson (Asa Drake)
10. C. S. Lewis

Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Boyer, Poul Anderson, Sterling E. Lanier, Laurell K. Hamilton, me (hey, I like my published works pretty well  )


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## Steerpike (Aug 15, 2013)

TWErvin2 said:


> 1. Roger Zelazny
> 2. Steven Brust
> 3. Kevin Hearne
> 4. Michael Moorcock
> ...



I like your top ten. I've read everyone on it except C. Dean Andersson (Asa Drake). I'll have to look up some of his stuff.


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 15, 2013)

Steerpike said:


> I like your top ten. I've read everyone on it except C. Dean Andersson (Asa Drake). I'll have to look up some of his stuff.



Here's a link: C Dean Andersson

I really enjoyed his Bloodsong Saga. It's soon to be re-released (originally published in the late 1980s.) He also read an ARC of Flank Hawk and provided a blurb.


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## Steerpike (Aug 15, 2013)

Oh, those Bloodsong books look very interesting. I'm going to have to get those. Thank you!


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