What would be the best example of their work? And what sub-genres do they write in? Feel free to list more than one.
I personally would put:
J. R. R. Tolkien (High/Epic Fantasy); "Lord of the Rings"
Orson Scott Card (Science Fantasy); "Enchantment," "Enders Game"
Terry Brooks (High Fantasy, Urban Fantasy); "Druid of Shannara," "Angel Fire East"
Elizabeth Moon (Military Sci-Fi); the "Vatta War" series
There's some other awesome authors out there, but those are the ones I would label as the ultimate masters of the trade. What about you?
2007-03-19 18:44:41 · 12 answers · asked by Free Ranger 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I like the ones you picked.
JRR Tolkien, ( one of the first that got me into it )
Mercedes Lackey ( high fantasy ) Arrows Flight, etc
David Eddings ( high fantasy and comedy ) The Belgariad
Tad Williams The Dragonbone Chair, Otherworld.( Fantasy and Sci Fi )
Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time and Terry Goodkind ( Epic Fantasy )
Madeline L'Engle, A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Orson Scott Card ( sci fi)
Ray Bradbury ( sci fi )
The StarGate SG 1 Series - best sci fi series.
Yes I do like Elizabeth Moon's series too. I've read hundreds or thousands and have many many books I have loved over the years.
You can check out the soon to be published book "Only Giants Live Forever" that my fiance has just finished it should be published soon more of a comic veined sci fi fantasy.
My own series is not at the publishers yet but the first book is almost done!
2007-03-19 19:05:44 · answer #1 · answered by inzaratha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only good fantasy author today is George RR Martin. I enjoyed Eddings and Brooks and to some extent Goodkind, but after reading A Song of Ice and Fire books 1-4, everything else just seems lame and boring.
As far as sci-fi, I am not too familiar with the genre, as the only real sci-fi I have read is Phillip K. Dick.
Let us not forget that Martin has been labeled by critics "The American Tolkien", so that should tell you something.
2007-03-19 22:41:04 · answer #2 · answered by johngrobmyer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" and "Friday" by Robert Heinlein are both great. "Friday" is very close to today's technology, just the political situations are not here yet. Friday is a woman who works as a secret courier, hiding documents in a cybernetic pouch located in her stomach. Some of the sci-fi stuff mentioned are space stations connected to the Earth by elevators and passenger jets flying in parabolic arcs. "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" is a bit more futuristic; but it did predict a lot of the computer technology we have today. The moon has become a penal colony and grows food for an over populated Earth. Being a government operation, the computer was just added to and added to until it became self aware. The only person who knows this secret is Manny, the computer repairman. Unfortunately, the computer's convinced that rebellion against the government is only way to save both the moon and Earth. Heinlein wrote the story back in the mid 60's and to be honest most of the AI stuff was really out there until about 10 years ago. For realistic fantasy, try Jenny Nimmo's Charlie Bone series (start with "Midnight For Charlie Bone"), or Bill Pullman's His Dark Materials series ("The Golden Compass").
2016-03-29 07:37:03 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1/- Isaac Asimov. Both Foundation Trilogies, for a start. Followed by the Robot ones
2/- Frank Herbert. Dune Trilogy. and others in the series
3/- Edger Rice Burroughs. Mars Series, (not Tarzan Series)
4/- J.R.R. Tolkien.
5/- Arthur C Clarke. 2001 A Space Odyssey. 2010 Odyssey Two
2007-03-19 19:24:56 · answer #4 · answered by Murray H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are different sub-genres within the genre of sci fi. Personally I like cyber punk. William Gibson's Neuromancer and Neil Stephenson's The Diamond Age are the ultimate in cyber punk. I would also include A Clockwork Orange as one of the best in that category.
Other people have mentioned a lot of great names in more traditional sci fi but one that is largely overlooked is Harlan Ellison. Brilliant author - I've never seen him mentioned here. . C.
2007-03-19 20:08:47 · answer #5 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My current favorite is Jim Butcher who writes both urban fantasy(Dresden files book series) and conventional fantasy(Codex Alera series).The latter series is set in a world very similar to the ancient Roman empire.
Mercedes Lackey's Dragonjouster series gave a new twist to the dragons by setting them in ancient Egypt.Her 500 Kingdoms book series give a new meaning to the old fairy tales.
Time-Master series by Louise Cooper gives a new twist to the chaos-order conflict.An additional attraction is a hero who is a God as well as somewhat gray.Not conventional but fascinating all the same.
And we should not forget Edgar Rice Burroughs who wrote the Mars series as well as the Venus series.I don't know if his books are sci-fi or fantasy.
2007-03-20 05:07:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jack Vance -(sci-Fi) Tale of the Dying Earth Series
Raymond Feist - (Fantasy) The first 4 books of Midkemia series
David Zindell (Soft Sci-Fi) -The Broken God series
David Wingrove (Soft Sci-Fi) - Chung Kuo series
Iain banks
Gene Wolfe
These are probably the biggies that I can read again and again.
2007-03-19 18:47:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're right about Tolkien, Card, and Brooks. I'd also add Philip K. Dick ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"), Robert E. Howard (of "Conan the Cimmerian" fame), Ray Bradbury ("The Martian Chronicles"), and H. P. Lovecraft (and his associated "Elder Gods" writers). Issac Asimov (of "I, Robot" fame) also ranks up there, as well as H.G. Wells ("War of the Worlds").
Oh, and of course Edgar Rice Burroughs, who created both "Tarzan of the Apes" and the John Carter "Mars" series.
2007-03-19 19:03:19 · answer #8 · answered by Bael 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Robert Heinlein - Sci-fi - "Starship Troopers", "Stranger in a Strange Land"
Marion Zimmer Bradley - Sci-fi and Fantasy - "The Mists of Avalon", all of her sci-fi
Isaac Asimov - Sci-fi - "I, Robot"
George R.R. Martin - Fantasy - "A Song of Ice and Fire"
Larry Niven - Sci-fi - "Ringworld" trilogy
Roger Zelazny - Sci-fi and Fantasy - "The Chronicles of Amber", "Home is the Hangman"
That's all hubby and I can think of right now.
2007-03-19 18:57:08 · answer #9 · answered by alimagmel 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You choices are find for "mod" popular authors. But they are by my standardshardly greats.
Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster, Poul Anderson were very good at what they did. And the earlier Robert Heinlein and John Campbell, Henry Kuttner and H. Beam Piper among others are very good.
2007-03-19 18:51:05 · answer #10 · answered by Robert David M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋