So this week, we each get to decide on what genre we want to highlight ten favorite authors from. One of my favorite genres is fantasy. But even though that is so, I find it hard to
As usual, the Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. And did I mention this is the fifth week in a row I’m participating in Top Ten Tuesday. And there are a lot of us, check out The Broke and the Bookish blog to see the links to the other participant’s blogs.
- Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman: Weiss & Hickman introduced me to fantasy as an adult. Their DragonLance books are a great series of light fantasy with some great characters. This group of heroes – Tanis, Goldmoon, Riversong, Raistlin, CameronTas, Flint, Tika, Laurana – are wonderful and I love them. Chronicles
- Adrian Tchaikovsky: Tchaikovsky has taken a very normal fantasy theme – the unlikely heroes banding together against the big bad – and turned it into something new and exciting by creating insect kinden. Basically, various groups of people resemble various types of insects.
- Phil Pullman: I loved His Dark Materials. I thought it was both exciting and intelligent – and I so badly wanted my own dæmon!
- J.K. Rowling: Well, of course you can’t make a list of fantasy authors without mentioning Rowling and the Harry Potter series.
- J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Rings – need I say more?
- Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was one of my favorite books as a young teenager and I also liked the Dirk Gentry books. I really want to reread Hitchhiker!
- Jasper Fforde: Literary fantasy – in the sense, that this fantasy involves literature. Thursday Next is a literary detective solving literary issues – that sometimes do involve traveling in books.
- Susanna Clarke: I wish Clarke would write more books. I loved Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I haven’t read The Ladies of Grace Adieu yet because I’m not that much into short stories but I will read it and I really hope she will publish another novel real soon.
- Neil Gaiman: Even though I so so so need to read more of Neil Gaiman’s works but I love The Graveyard Book, the Sandman and Death series. I plan on reading American Gods and Neverwhere very soon.
Making this list has made me realize, that I have to read more fantasy. I feel so behind – there is so much fantasy I want to read, on top of the list authors like George R.R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss and Robin Hobb.
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The Literary Bunny 
Very nice list! Please tell me that you have read Diana Wynne Jones. If you haven’t, go out and find her books right now.
I haven’t … I have Dogsbody on my wish list though. Can you recommend any other of her books?
I have read Ursula Le Guin – does that help?
😀 Le Guin is great, but she and DWJ are not very alike. I generally tell people to start with the Chrestomanci books because they’re the easiest to start with, but since you’re an advanced fantasy reader anyway there are lots of things you could do. Howl’s Moving Castle might be a good place to start. My very favorite is Fire and Hemlock, but it’s definitely one to save for later on.
I’ve heard that Neil Gaiman pretty much followed her around like a puppy a lot. Here’s one thing he said about her: “She was witchy, yes, and in charge of a cauldron roiling with ideas and stories, but she always gave the impression that the stories, the ones she wrote and wrote so very well and so wisely, had simply happened, and that all she had done was to hold the pen.”
I’ve only read one Neil Gaiman book. I really need to change that, yes? I would also love to give Jasper Fforde’s books a try. Great list!
My Top Ten
Yes, I think you do. And the same with Jasper Fforde. Both are worth it.
Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz are two amazing fantasy books. Very readable and utterly delightful.
Here’s my Ten Ten Favorite Travel Writers. I hope you’ll stop in!
Is this the time to admit that I have never read or watched Wizard of Oz? And I’m not sure if I have read Alice in Wonderland – if I have, it’s probably an abridged version as a kid. I do own that though and I promise I will read both these books.
Great list! I never got into Weis & Hickman’s Dragonlance series, but I love the Death Gate Cycle.
And Douglas Adams? *swoon*
The only other fantasy author I would add is Daid Eddings.
*David Eddings
Oh! And Octavia Butler.
Okay, I’m done. Haha!
I have added Octavia Butler’s Kindred to my wish list. I really want to read that one.
I just read Kindred, and it was so good.
I haven’t read the DeathGate Cycle – but I want to read that as well as the Sovereign Stone Trilogy. I haven’t read anything else by them than their DragonLance stuff so I really need to dive into their other works.
I haven’t read any David Eddings books. Can you recommend any?
I’ve only read two of his series (which are connected)– the Belgariad and the Malorean. I would recommend The Belgariad for sure (I really enjoyed it), but people seem to either love or hate the Malorean (which comes after the Belgariad and is connected to it).
Great list! I would add Terry Pratchett to the fantasy list, and also Roald Dahl! There are so many phenomenal fantasy writers out there!
Check out my Top Ten Favorite YA Contemporary Authors HERE!
Also, I have a FANTASTIC giveaway of a SIGNED copy Lauren Oliver’s new book, THE SPINDLERS, going on HERE!
OMG how did I forget Terry Pratchett??? He’s one of my favorite authors…! How did I not include him on my list?
I’ve never read Roald Dahl but I loved the movie version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp version.
What animal would you choose as your daemon – this was the ice breaker question we had at a tutorial group last week. It’s quite fun to try and guess what people will choose.There were lots of cats but the oddest was this rather large man who chose a mouse. Not sure what message that sent us!
Indeed, what is a fantasy list without J.K Rowling :D?
TTT fairytale authors @thedailyprophecy