Tricky one this. I don't have a single favourite author in the same way I could never pick a single favourite film or a single favourite musician or band. However, authors I do like are... Richard Adams - I love Watership Down. I still find it amazing that not only did he write a story about rabbits that was adult and one that you could empahize with, but he also create a mythology for the rabbits. Anyone who has read will know that the main story is broken up by chapters where the rabbits tell each other stories about their 'God'. Absolutely amazing book. Stephen King Although the force of his invention has waned and a lot of his output of the last fifteen years or so has been dross (maybe with the exception of Bag O' Bones and Insomnia), I do think that his late seventies output, and a lot of his eighties novels were very good. The Stand and IT in particular are two that I can re-read and enjoy just as much the second or third time around. I still can't believe he wrote and published 'Cell' which was such a lame re-invention of the apocolypto type of novel that he already covered so well with 'The Stand'... Roger Zelazny His novels featuring the world of Amber are remarkable. And, something that often gets overlooked, one of the few mainstream authors that consistently wrote in first person perspective. If any of you have not read 'Nine Princes In Amber' then I urge you to do so. It is a slim, easy to read book but it's ideas, invention and pacing with seduce you. Emily Bronte Wuthering Heights. N'uff said Richard Dawkins Zoologist. His 'The Blind Watchmaker' was a revelation to me. Suddenly, the world made more sense to me and I became in awe of the majesty of evolution. Since then I have acquired all of his books and devoured each one with relish. Douglas Adams *sighs* The first and only writer of comedy that really found a place in my heart. The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy had such a huge influence on me as a kid. I have several letters from Douglas, replies to my gushing, over-enthusiastic fan-letters that I wrote to him in the eighties. He is sadly and forever missed. Others I like are J.R.R Tolkien, H.P.Lovecraft, James Herbet, Robert Heinlein, Daphne Du maurier, Anne Radcliffe and many many more...
For a lighter read I love Jacqueline Wilson and Phillipa Gregory- for something more interesting I like Shakespeare, and George Orwell. It all depends on my mood. OH and Lewis Carrol who is possibly the most quirky, obscure children's author of all time
Ditto on Cormac McCarthy. Did the Road do.. something to you? I can't think of the word. It is downright eerie, but not in a scary way. Made me shudder. He is that good with words. I've read almost everything the man has written, I'm not sure if the Road is my favourite, it is the one I enjoyed the most but Blood Meridian is maybe 'better' in some sort of objective sense.
The man most definitely has a way with words. The Road was certainly very eerie and touching, in a way.
When i first started reading "The Road" i thought it was written in an odd style. Just the fact that he does not use Quotation marks and some of the other things in there. But it only took a few pages before i was hooked. It has made it's way to the top of my list.
Stephen King by a country mile at this point in my life, I slightly obsess and am a self-admitted fan boy. But I'm getting into Anthony Burgess and H.P. Lovecraft material and I must say I'm enjoying it an incredible amount!
Stephen King and Robert Jordan were my gateway authors. I can still read the Wheel of Time and enjoy it (I’m looking forward to the new books by Sanderson) but I have trouble with King books--they tend to bore me after a few chapters. He’s far too cookie-cutter for my tastes these days. A few authors I’ve been finding my way back to often this year have been Bradbury and Pratchett. While I don’t have a favorite author, those two come closest for the time being. Also, I agree with the people who like George R. R. Martin (GRRM). Has there been any news on his next novel?
A Dance With Dragons is supposed to come out this year. I hope very soon, becuase GRRM has ruined other fantasy novels for me.
I adore Oscar Wilde. His writing...absolutly beautiful. There have been several times when reading Wilde, Ive stopped, and reread a particular passage, just because I was in awe with his talent. Also, as mentioned a few times, Toliken is a goody. And honestly, I think Rowling, with her Harry Potter series, has a great mind and eye for writing epic tales that appeal to someone in each age demographic. Hate on her if you want. But I think shes pretty awesome. Ayn Rynd, while I dont agree with her philosophy shes trying to teach, is still a magnificent writer. She tends to get a bit...drawn out...from time to time. She definitly likes hearing herself talk. But her stories are beautifully written, nonetheless. Then again, shes russian, and I went through a russian literature obsession for quite a while. I guess it goes without saying that I like Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin. Oh...And Douglas Adams. That man can turn a phrase so quick it will make your head spin.
My favourite writers are H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Don Delillo, Stephen King, Seabury Quinn, and Thomas Pynchon. I'm REALLY getting into Robert E. Howard, Pushkin, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Cormac McCarthy... Cormac McCarthy because he has the best approach to dialogue since Hemingway (only the former is a genius while the latter was an extremely talented drunk). McCarthy leaves the imagry to the narrative, which is why his novels translate so well to film. But my two favorite novels of all-time are Great Expectations and Dune. No writing has as much heart as a Dickens novel. I guess that's why he was Dickens. Frank Herbert, like Cormac McCarthy, was another genius mind. Although I like most of his novels, Dune was by far the most accessible while having a philosophical reach worthy of Plato or Sun Tzu. _________________________________________________________________ "The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul." -- From the Leonard Cohen song The Future
Second on Oscar Wilde, I've got his complete works and love reading it over and over, such wit! Him, and Donna Tartt are my favorites. Didn't really enjoy The Little Friend, but the Secret History was so amazing it doesn't matter.
Matthew Reilly! He’s an Aussie author. I finished reading his latest book about a month ago, The Five Greatest Warriors- it was the final in a trilogy. I did like it but some of the characters like the twins, if you've read it you'll know who I'm talking about, annoyed the hell out of me! I didn’t like the banter between the two of them I found it distracting. Apart from that Go MR!!
I have a few favourite authors, for various reasons: J.R.R Tolkien: In my opinion, the master of fantasy. The Lord of the Rings books are among the greatest novels I have ever read. With a gripping storyline full of twists, an interesting back-story, a well-developed set of characters, and a unique writing style, the Lord of the Rings had it all. Stephen King: Like the above, but for the genre of horror. His novels use a pacing and character development that really bring his stories alive. Roald Dahl: As a small child (A few years ago), Roald Dahl was my favourite author. Stories such as the BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are perfect for kids (and adults) to relate to, with a simple but effective writing style. Other notable authors include: - J.K Rowling - William Shakespeare (For the hundred of writers he has inspired) - Dan Brown (Purely for his action-packed storylines) - Anthony Horowitz
I like Harlan Ellison, Edgar Allen Poe, Chuck Palahniuk (before his books started incorporating magic), Ambrose Bierce and Franz Kafka. Although I say that wishing I had the money and time to explore more authors. I tend to go for non-fiction simply because it's generally less of a gamble whether or not I will like it.
I have many favorite authors (and posted some a long time ago) but I'm not sure if I mentioned one of my favorite authors, Brad Meltzer. And I've also become a huge fan of David Baldacci's books. (Both authors write action-packed thriller novels.)
A lot of my favorite books are written for a younger audience. Those are the books that got me through childhood, and always appeal to me more than a lot of novels written for an adult audience. Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, J.K. Rowling, Brian Jacques, Michael Hoeye, and Lewis Carroll are all some of my favorite authors. Whoever wrote Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was also a fantastic writer. Jack London's work as well has held a special place for me for years. Also, I like work by Bernard Cornwell, Nancy Kress, Ray Bradbury, and Pat Conroy.
