When I first started reading (which was not too long ago) my favorite author was John Steinbeck for reasons I don't really know why; it was just exciting to read. Now my favorite would have to George R.R. Martin and how real everything feels when you're reading him (I'm reading his "A Clash of Kings" right now). Although his books are really long, you get to the end and you still feel its not enough which is surprising. If this is not the right place for this, can a mod move it or can you tell me where to move it? Thanks.
I love reading Dean Koontz. His descriptions are so vivid, they grab me by the throat and drags into his fictional world - he's a master of horror and suspense. A style I try to eliminate in my own work.
("...well I'm going to risk being honest with you now..." started the goblin, continuing "...the authors I like are those who actually write upon forums in posts, why, because like most forum-goers these days I don't have time for the 3% anymore, simply there isn't the time in my day to read at length, no I prefer interaction, and moreover, increasingly this is your reality too, the on-line readership that is, so if anyone can point me to someone who writes in their posts for the forum goer now, as opposed to either those talk down to the reader blogs or non interactive books, just let me know then, as that's what I want to read and to interact with too...")
I would have to say Wilbur Smith, and sometimes Stephen King is brilliant. Right now I'm reading the Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, and I can tell you that i'm really digging it.
Joseph Conrad - I like his style, and his subjects still seem exotic over a hundred years after he wrote about them. Rudyard Kipling - He was a genius at narrative and had a phenomenal imagination. James Joyce - There has to be room on this list for a guy who was basically in it to see how far he could push the language. Turns out it was pretty far! Anthony Burgess - A sort-of follower of Joyce in that he was a genius with language, and he also had a wicked sense of humor. John Steinbeck - The comfort food of literature. There's something warm and deep about his stories. Ernest Hemingway - A master stylist with a genius for drawing characters economically.
Thomas Pynchon - the man is quite literally a genius. I'd be scared meeting him. I have a high IQ, around 130, but I'd feel stupid around a guy like Pynchon. Joseph Conrad - his style is amazing. Heart of Darkness is one of the best novellas ever written. George Orwell - He's the best example I know of of what someone can do with a good level of intelligence, humanity, and intellectual honesty while not being a genius. He also gave us our darkest warning against totalitarianism. James Joyce - much the same reason as minstrel to be honest. Seamus Heaney - The best poet of our age? I think so. Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy. Nuff said. The greatest love poem and epic adventure ever written.
Robin Hobb is a favorite of mine. She creates such elaborate worlds without info dumping, and pulls your heartstrings, hard, without always having to do drastic things like kill off characters. Her ability to write in 1st person but still get you to feel for and understand the other characters is impressive; not to mention empathy for the antagonists.
I don't really have favorites per se. I do go through cycles where I read everything I can lay hands on from one or two authors.
My top two would have to be Lian Hearn and Brian Falkner, not necessarily in that order. Lian Hearn wrote the Tales of the Otori series, in case you don't know. I love Japanese culture, so this got a big tick from me right off the bat, but also her writing style is so descriptive. It was the first time I read a book, looked at my own work, and thought 'I've got to do something about this.' That was pivotal in a major period of growth as a writer for me, a couple of years back, so I also have some sentimental attachments to the series. I love Brian Falkner's writing because it is so exciting. Fast-paced, gripping. He's actually the only New Zealand writer whose work I've read and liked. Loved. It gives me hope for the literature of this country.
Robert Louis Stevenson. H.G. Wells George Orwell John Stiembeck Raymond Chandler Robert A. Heinlein Ray Bradbury Dodie Smith Frank Herbert Ross MacDonald Douglas Adams Dean Koontz James Crumbley Elmore Leonard P.D. James James W. Hall J.K. Rowling Robert Crais Val McDermid James Lee Burke Because, they all have had an influence on my writing. *Edit: I can't believe I left out Jack Kerouac. Smacks himself on the head with On the Road.
My favorite Author right now is James Patterson. I like his writing style because it is fast paced and easy to read. I'm not very interested in his thriller books, but I did enjoy his Maximum Ride series, Daniel X, and Zoo. The Wizard and Witch series sounds like a typical teen rebel story, which threw me off. But still, I admire how he allows his readers to understand his stories with easy words to follow.
I liked pretty much Dostojevskij for a long time, because he can keep really long story interesting by pointing out some stuff everytime. I don't really like it today, but the sense of seeing people around and their manners, as something he has always opinion about everything they does, is just great. It really got me off the shallow ways. But he makes it too much, its not the stuff you can think about and keep your dayjob at the same time
Let's see, the ones that jump out to me at the moment are: Michael Ondaantje, because his writing style is so melodic and lyrical that I sometimes feel like I'm reading poetry in a dream. Kurt Vonnegut, for his acerbic, witty, wildly imaginative stories that underscore the tenderness and frailty of the human comedy. William Faulkner, who introduced me to dimensions of prose I would never have imagined possible before reading 'The Sound and the Fury'. Willa Cather, because I grew up in Nebraska, and I relate to and empathize with manly women who moved to the city but look back on a provincial past with bittersweet nostalgia. Junot Diaz, because I am an immigrant, have a lying cheater's heart, and curse a lot.
Lee Child. He's a competent writer, rather than accomplished or even good. But in terms of suspense he's the best! And I like Kazuo Ishiguro for his usage of the English language
Markus Zusak (The Book Thief) Aside from having brilliant plots, the writing itself is so beautiful that every other chapter makes me want to cry, even when its not a sad part (and I mean that in a good way!). I could go on and on about him, but I'll just say: he is completely amazingly brilliant.
Terry Pratchett. A lot of my literary interests come from my father, we used to take lots of trips to England, (I live in Northern Ireland) and my parents refused to fly so we had to drive. He'd always play Terry Pratchett audio-books, my favourite being Pyramids when they would claim that the only curse the people of this strange world could afford to put on a pyramid was, "bugger off." Ever since then i've been in love with the Discworld and was quite happy to hear that Pratchett's daughter intends to carry on the franchise!
George Orwell Ray Bradbury H.G Wells Frank Herbert Emily Dickinson Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Really I fall in love with certain books and only have a few authors I read all the time. Like Flowers for Algernon, which I loved, but I haven't read anything else by Daniel Keyes so I didn't put him with the others.
Steven Brust, (Vlad Taltos Series) because I enjoy the pacing, twisting plots and snappy dialouge. Recently I've been reading Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Series). Interesting characters and plots, and good dialouge that keeps things moving.
There are many but Tolkien comes to my mind first. He created a whole new world ( which I know others have done too but he just did it so well and made it believable) and there was something very nice about the way he placed his words.
Tolkien - Grandmaster of Fantasy Clive Cussler - Grandmaster of Adventure Robert Asprin - Grandmaster of Comedic Fantasy
Mary Renault and Anchee Min because historical fiction focusing on the ancient world hits my buttons. Also, I also have a fondness for Steinbeck for his insight into human psychology, characterization, and not being afraid to change up his writing style.
Raymond Carver. His prose is strong, clear, and simple. He relies on dialogue, the right nouns, and verbs, and he is amazing at showing the reader his character's personalities through their actions.
