Fantasy authors

[cipherdecoy]

I'm about to attempt Tolkien, Pratchett and Charles De Lint.

Speaking of Charles De Lint, I've actually read one of his books about two to three years ago, and I loved it, but my tastes may have changed since then. If you've read any of his books, do share your views about his writing, and recommendations of fantasy books/authors are very much welcome.

[Pecksie]

I liked Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea books.

[PeterL]

If you are interested in Fantasy writing in general, then I would suggest that you tray some of the late 19th and early 20th century authors and see how the sub-genre has evolved. Lord Dunsany was one of the great founders of the whole thing in recent times, and some of his writing was excellent. Conan-Doyle, not the Sherlock Holmes stories, but some of his other writing was excellent. Although Lovecraft is considered mostly a horror writer, much of his writing was in the Fantasy vein. If you are interested in the "Sword & Sorcery" variety, then Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian is essential. L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter continued the Conan series and wrote other fantasies on their own. Then you would get to Fritz Leiber, whose Fafhrd and Mouser series continued into the 1980's, and he wrote other Fantasy and Horror. In the 1980's the Fantasy sub-genre went to Hell, and the stuff since then is a waste of paper and ink. There were many other authors, including le Guin, and some works by writers in other sub-genres.

[Joreads]

You should also have a look at the fantasy forum you can access this from the top of the page

[shakespere]

thanks