Favorite IRL authors

[XerXesXu]

One of my favourites is Dorothy Dunnett. She doesn't do "show, don't tell" so much as "create a picture and let the reader do the thinking", She also has a very subtle way of presenting breaks in dialogue to let the reader guess the speaker's thoughts and feelings without explicitly naming them.

It's a style that's hard to shake once you see how it works, but unfortunately not a very popular one. I keep finding myself having to say things explicitly that I feel are implied.

None of the above.

But you certainly know how to sell a book. I've obtained a review copy. Opening line: 'Men with bifocal glasses: I spit.'

I'm going to read on.

 

[cdstefi]

The best book I will never, ever read ever again.

Kind of how I feel about Blood Meridian. A book so extreme on first reading that going back to it would feel strange. It's supposed to be in the stages of movie adaptation but I can't really imagine how a film could capture the feelings of the poetry of horror, revulsion and inhumanity of the book.

 

[CyranoJ]

I need to read more Butler, and I loved Binti.

Butler's body of work is bracing and sometimes difficult, but worth it. Okorafor is writing some of my favorite speculative fiction right now.

I also wouldn't hesitate recommending Jemisin's Inheritance Trilogy to anyone. The City We Became is also a pretty awesome entry in the urban fantasy genre.

 

[StillStunned]

None of the above.

But you certainly know how to sell a book. I've obtained a review copy. Opening line: 'Men with bifocal glasses: I spit.'

I'm going to read on.

Is that one of her Dolly books? I must admit, I've never read them. I was referring to her historical novels: the House of Nicolo, the Lymond Saga and King Hereafter.

 

[XerXesXu]

Is that one of her Dolly books? I must admit, I've never read them. I was referring to her historical novels: the House of Nicolo, the Lymond Saga and King Hereafter.

Rum Affair, a Dolly Mystery.

 

[StillStunned]

Does Portnoy complain about being portly? Sorry, that's bad.

I always assumed that Portnoy's Complaint was a report of a grievance about nuisance caused by machinery in the harbour.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

J.R.R. Tolkein
Mary Stewart
Anne Rice
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Raymond Feist
Douglas Adams
Richard Bach
Jack London
Edgar Alan Poe
Arthur Conan Doyle

 

[onehitwanda]

Patrick Rothfuss

I wish he'd just finish the Kingkiller Chronicles.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

In a week or two, this list will probably look really different. I've been on a fantasy kick lately.

If you like Arthurian type themes, I recommend Mary Stewart. Her Merlin Trilogy is, as the name suggests, all about Merlin, his life and travels aside from the obvious Arthur stuff. But she did a lot of other historical fiction too.

MZB was an awesome fantasy author in my opinion.

 

[Handley_Page]

Alexander McCall Smith
Terry Pratchett
Bernard Cornwell

 

[RelentlessOnanism]

Stephen King.

 

[Northstar4695]

CS Forester
Patrick O'Brien
David Weber
Bernard Cornwell
Ellis Peters

Edit:
How could I forget my fantasy favorites?
Tolkien
Rothfuss
GRRM

 

[SimonDoom]

Patrick O'Brien

I just recently discovered Patrick O'Brien, having read the first of the Aubrey-Maturin novels. I was surprised at how well-written it was. He's a good storyteller but also a good stylist. I'll definitely read more.