Here are my top authors in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres.
Sci-Fi:
Ben Bova (Samm Gunn, Mars, and Orion stuff)
Jules Verne
Robert Heinlein
Stephen Donaldson
George R. R. Martin (Windhaven and Wildcards, I can't stand A Game of Thrones)
Alfred Bester
Ray Bradbury
Orson Scott Card
Iain Banks
Fantasy:
Robert E. Howard
J. Robert King (Gotrek & Felix)
Jim Butcher (only the Dresden Files)
Clark Ashton Smith
Lord Dunsany
And those who fall somewhere inbetween:
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Henry Kutner
C. L. Moore
Leigh Brackett
A. Lee Martinez
Kat Richardson
And to those who notice the lack of women on my list (with the notable exceptions of Moore, Brackett, and Richardson) this is not intended as a slight to women authors, it's just that there are very few that make my favorites list, those I re-read continually. I find that most modern women authors in the fantasy genre (especially Urban Fantasy) tend to focus too much on the romantic entanglements of the characters and not enough time focusing on the adventure, mystery, or what not. This is all well and good, but it's not my thing.
I am shocked that nobody mentioned Stanisław Lem!He was very good but lost to those I like more.
Also, he got negative points for arguing with my grandfather which led to them stopping talking to each other which prevented me from meeting him in person. To be just, knowing my grandfather stubbornness it is quite possible that it was my grandfather's fault. Almost sure, in fact.
Hee hee! Do you happen to know what they argued about?
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I wish I could quit my job and just read all these books. :(
If we're just listing fantasy sci fi, as opposed to fantasy or sci fi, then I'd be going with:
E.E. "Doc" Smith (Pulp and Sci Fantasy are almost one and the same)
Philip Jose Farmer(Have Riverboat - Will Travel)
Spider Robinson (some great short story work)
John Wyndham (who wrote about more than just grumpy orchids)
Alan Dean Foster(Assuming ghost writing counts!)
Several others come close, but when your fiction becomes reality, the fantasy label goes out the window - yes Mr Gibson, I'm looking at you...
Reggie
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William S Burroughs, Bob Howard, HP Lovecraft, Michael Moorcock and Fritz Leiber.
Starting to get into Philip K. Dick.
oh; and Tim Powers
Entropyrat, I assume you are aware that Margaret Weis is, in fact, a woman.For me my go-to authors tend to be:
Elizabeth Moon
Emily Gee
Kristen Britain
Mercedes Lackey
Maria v. snyderAt least thats the bulk of what fills my bookcase :)
WOMAN AUTHORS.
I assume you've never read anything by a man.
Glen Cook
William Gibson
China Mieville
Margaret Weis
Brandon Sanderson
Iain M. Banks
Dan Abnett
FFS are you serious?! Margaret is a woman's name?! Thank you for showing me the light!
Yes, I'm aware. I enjoy authors of both genders, at no point in my post did I say my favorite authors were only men.
In Texas, there are no uniquely womens' names.
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Lots of Sarahs, Jessicas, Lauras and Sallys are unhappy about this.
I asked the 700 Jessicas I know.
They, like, don't care, oka?
Depends on where you draw the line between sci-fi and fantasy.
My list that combines both, like they do in most book stores:
Roger Zelazny
Douglas Adams
John Steinbeck
Terry Pratchett
Miguel Cervantes
Mary Shelley
Isaac Asimov
Frank L. Baum
C.S. Lewis
JRR Tolkien
Jim Butcher
Harlan Ellison
Michael Moorcock
H.G. Wells
William Gibson
Steven Brust
.
(off the top of my head...)
.
my all time favorites are
jrr tolkien
roger zelazny
david gemmel
more recently I'm reading mostly books by
peter Hamilton
jim butcher
joe abercrombie
raymond feist
george rr martin
robert heinlein
margret weis
and I'm also trying to read all the pathfinder tales novels
Have ya'll tried Paul Edwin Zimmer?
(Marion Zimmer Bradley's brother)
Heinlein
David Weber