NationStates Jolt Archive

I wanted to have this thread alongside the "Best Living Author" thread. A lot of people give contemporary literature a bad rap, saying that it is the decline of the novel. I don't find this entirely true. I see a new trend. A lot of people deriding contemporary literature point to two authors: Dan Brown and Michael Crichton. Both of them have wafer thin books. Yet they weave in so many facts that one needs a PhD to not enjoy them. Readers these days want to be educated, and not just read for the hell of it. It's not much yet, but I'm betting that it'll turn into something.
Anyhow, my favorite is Steven King.He has an incomprehensible mind, and is little more than a writing machine, though a damn good one at that. JK Rowling is up and coming, I think, but she really doesn't have a wide output. I mean, she's hinted at writing other novels after Harry Potter, and while I doubt they'll be bad, I want to see her out of her element.

There is no one like Chuck Palahniuk. That guy's work is absolutely insane.

Anne Rice.

Jared Diamond

Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

Just about the only thing I read. Yay for me.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter.......



No, just no.

James P. Hogan. Amazingly amazing.

George R. R. Martin

Followed shortly by Orson Scott Card

(Yes I'm and SF/Fantasy junkie)

Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Author of such masterpieces as:

One Thousand Years of Solitude
Love in the time of Cholera
The Autumn of the Patriarch
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Strange Pilgrims
Love and Other Demons
and his latest: Memories of my Melancholy Whores

He is a Nobel prize winner, the founder and central figure of the "magic realism" movement of writing, and the author of what has been called the greatest novel ever written ("One Hundred Years of Solitude"). I think Marquez wins hands down. He is the greatest author of our times.

Ann Coulter



JOKING!! :p

Jared Diamond
He's got an interesting mind, but he's a bit repetitive as a writer, I think. Love ihis books, no question. Along those lines, I highly recommend Robert Wright.

Robert Jordan...his new book comes out next week!

Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Author of such masterpieces as:

One Thousand Years of Solitude
Love in the time of Cholera
The Autumn of the Patriarch
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Strange Pilgrims
Love and Other Demons
and his latest: Memories of my Melancholy Whores

He is a Nobel prize winner, the founder and central figure of the "magic realism" movement of writing, and the author of what has been called the greatest novel ever written ("One Hundred Years of Solitude"). I think Marquez wins hands down. He is the greatest author of our times.

Agreed.

I'm also a fan of Rushdie, McEwan and Vonnegut.

Michael Crichton, pretty much the only author publishing today that I read.

"The Best Author Publishing Today"

I take it you mean fiction. How about Anne Coulter? :D

Anne Rice.

Me too

Bentley Little

ME! My book goes to print this weekend. ;)

ME! My book goes to print this weekend. ;)
Sweet. I'm going to make entries on behalf of my friend, a lit professor in an effort to exagerate my image as well read because I have actually read these authors (but am still not qualified to make the claims I'm about to)

Italio Calvino
Jose Saramago
Paul Auster

Pretentious by proxy. Go me.

About the only modern author I've read was Gary Jennings (historical fiction). He's alright. I like epics, and his series held me over for a short while. I normally have to dig way the hell back a hundred years or so to fing great epics.

Not a fan of Orson Scott Card.. I read his first three in the Ender series, and got sick of them about halfway through #4.. I'll read Micheal Creighton or Stephen King if I'm stuck at an airport.. that's about it.

Italio Calvino
Jose Saramago
Paul Auster

Pretentious by proxy. Go me.

Woah, you ain't kidding. Especially Italo Calvino.. I had to read Invisible Cities in school.. :(

*sings* Neeeeeeeeeeil Gaaaaaaaaaimaaaaan!

Not a fan of Orson Scott Card.. I read his first three in the Ender series, and got sick of them about halfway through #4..

I fully understand. He got at me earlier still.

His short story "Dog Walker" is a masterpiece, but that was written before he saw the Light. Seeing the Light apparently doesn't improve your talents.

( Just found the anthology it's in: Maps in the Mirror, volume 1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/external-search/026-5159582-0629244?keyword=Maps+in+a+mirror&mode=blended&tag=pauladriaenss-21 )

Woah, you ain't kidding. Especially Italo Calvino.. I had to read Invisible Cities in school.. :(

Except that hes been dead for 11 years, so he doesn't qualify as an author who is still publishing today.

Kurt Vonnegut jr.

Except that hes been dead for 11 years, so he doesn't qualify as an author who is still publishing today.

Didn't know that. I guess I wouldnt've trashed him if I did.. y'know, superstitions being what they are and all..

*sings* Neeeeeeeeeeil Gaaaaaaaaaimaaaaan!

*Sings along* annnd Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerry Pratchett!

Italio Calvino Oh man! I love Calvino! Too bad he's dead and thus doesn't qualify.

My favourite author currently living would have to be Umburto Eco.

Jose Maria Olazabal
Mo Hayder
Bernard Cornwell

Dan Brown? Don't make me laugh, I read the Da Vinci code when it was first published, and granted, it's good, but he merely satiates conspiracy theorist in his novels, his theory's are by no means viable.

I hate to say this,

But, R.K Rowling.

Terry Pratchett.

And Im also, surprisingly enjoying "The War of the SpiderQueen" series by the guy who wrote all the books about that Drizzt Do'Urden fellow, whos name I cant for the life of me remember at the moment.

Robert Jordan, Jean Auel
I like Dan Brown too but wish the books were a little longer.

For a more "fleshed out" take on post-apocolypse (similar to King's "The Stand") try Robert McGammon's "Swan Song".

I hate to say this,

But, R.K Rowling.

Terry Pratchett.

And Im also, surprisingly enjoying "The War of the SpiderQueen" series by the guy who wrote all the books about that Drizzt Do'Urden fellow, whos name I cant for the life of me remember at the moment.

For sheer narrative and erudite satire, Pratchett is the best author I have ever read, I'm simply in a more pretentious mood then ever today.

Terry Goodkind

Phantom is due out sometime around Feb/Mar. :)

It's not very high-brow, but I read fiction for pleasure... and I really enjoy:

David Weber's military SF

John Grisham's legal thrillers

(some) Tom Clancy naval warfare stuff

(agree on) Michael Crichton's technological thrillers

...course, these are all particular areas of interest to me.

I wonder where I could find political stuff like the West Wing stuff written by Aaron Sorkin?

Except that hes been dead for 11 years, so he doesn't qualify as an author who is still publishing today.

Well, dead for 20+ years, but his last posthumously published work was as near 11 years ago as makes damn all difference. Love him.

My favourite author currently living would have to be Umburto Eco.

Pity that The Island Of The Day Before was such a waste of dead trees after the promise shown by his two earlier novels.

Several kick ass
Terry Pratchett (Discworld)
Jim Butcher (Dresden Series, Codex Alera)
Robin Hobb (Assasins Trilogy, Tawny Man)
David Gemmell (Drenai, Jon Shannow)

Not original as based in Warkammer 40K but still awesome
Dan Abnett (Eisenhorn, Gaunt Ghosts)
William King (Trollslayer, Ragnar Blackmane)

Terry Goodkind

Phantom is due out sometime around Feb/Mar. :)

That's after Chainfire I presume

There is no one like Chuck Palahniuk. That guy's work is absolutely insane.


everything prior to chuck is obsolete and everything after is pointless as if its worth thinking about chuck will have done it

Oh man! I love Calvino! Too bad he's dead and thus doesn't qualify.

My favourite author currently living would have to be Umburto Eco.
You like Eco? A good friend of mine is his new translator--did his last book. Haven't read it yet.

Phillip Pullman

I can't believe no one mentioned Ian McEwan!

Oh, and its a tie with Alan Moore! "But he writes comics!!" So what!?

And one more thing, Dave Whateverhisnameis couldn't write his way out of a paper bag! hahahaha

Seriously, that Da Vinci Code is so flawed that its an insult to anyone with the intelligence of say a six year old. Insult definitely intended to anyone who promotes that piece of shit. :)

Don't forget to tell your Mommy I said Hi!

Mark Helprin (Winter's Tale, A Soldier of the Great War, etc.). Can't stand his politics, but, man, can that guy write!! Gorgeous, beautiful, love it.

I dig Paul Auster, also for his style.

I love horror fiction (grew up on it instead of fairy tales), but I'm very picky:

Anne Rice is a very good writer, but I wish her stories were scary.

I have serious issues with Stephen King -- I think he's a lazy writer who wastes good premises with trite plots and flat characters. He can do well (Dolores Claiborn), but in books like The Stand and The Shining, you can actually find the spot (about halfway through) where he stopped trying.

My favorite SF writer is Stanislaw Lem, who I believe is still working, though it's been a few years since his last book.

Terry Pratchett wins the internet.

Kurt Vonnegut jr.
He's modern. I want contemporary.

Depending on what mood I'm in, either Terry Pratchett (most moods - chiefly desiring amusement and good stories), Orson Scott Card (desirous of sci-fi, intrigue/craziness [shadow saga/ender saga] etc) or David Gemmel (heroic fantasy, hacky-slashy etc - especially Legend. My favourite Gemmel book)

Phillip Pullman i quite like

Garth Nix i luurve

Terry Pratchet (ive only read monstrous legion all the way through)

Jilly Cooper ( if youve read Score you know why)

There was this book called the redemption of althalus by david and leigh eddings which i thought was cool too

anyway Garth Nix is my hands down fave

Living:
Stephen King (Apt Pupil, one of his shorter stories, scares the crap out of me, maybe because its about Nazis and I'm Polish)

Dead:
Douglas Adams (Will always be better than Pratchett, IMO)

Worst:
Dan Brown (Only fits under the category of writer by a technicality)

I don't much enjoy the whole Sci-Fi/Fantasy thing, so Orson Scott Card goes on the list...

I've been reading King since I was 7, and I own almost all his books and about half of the movies made thereof... so I'm a bit biased :P We do love the King!

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Laurell K Hamilton yet, but maybe she's not as big in real life as she is in my head.

Neil Gaimen, Piers Anthony, George R. R. Martin and I'm gonna give a little prop to Douglas Adams and Tolkien cause I wish they'd had a longer stay, but their works will be around forever.

My husband really likes Terry Pratchet and Peter F Hamilton, but I've not gotten around to reading anything from them myself.

Oh man! I love Calvino! Too bad he's dead and thus doesn't qualify.


I knew I should have checked. That's what I get for being a poser (I could of swore that my friend had talked about new Calvinos...my mistake)

Terry Pratchet (ive only read monstrous legion all the way through)

Go, read more. Monstrous Regiment is possibly the worst of the Discworld books.

Jilly Cooper ( if youve read Score you know why)

ROTFLMAO! I hope you're not serious.

There was this book called the redemption of althalus by david and leigh eddings which i thought was cool too


Yeah it was, but David Eddings also writes a fair bit of crap.

I think I would go for Pratchett as the best, but George RR Martin and Robert Jordan are close seconds.

Fantasy for teh win!

Italio Calvino
Jose Saramago
Paul Auster

Pretentious by proxy. Go me.

If On A Winter's Night A Traveller would have to be the most frustrating book I've ever read.

I like Neal Stephenson - The Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, The Baroque Cycle, etc..

I wanted to have this thread alongside the "Best Living Author" thread. A lot of people give contemporary literature a bad rap, saying that it is the decline of the novel. I don't find this entirely true. I see a new trend. A lot of people deriding contemporary literature point to two authors: Dan Brown and Michael Crichton. Both of them have wafer thin books. Yet they weave in so many facts that one needs a PhD to not enjoy them. Readers these days want to be educated, and not just read for the hell of it. It's not much yet, but I'm betting that it'll turn into something.
Anyhow, my favorite is Steven King.He has an incomprehensible mind, and is little more than a writing machine, though a damn good one at that. JK Rowling is up and coming, I think, but she really doesn't have a wide output. I mean, she's hinted at writing other novels after Harry Potter, and while I doubt they'll be bad, I want to see her out of her element.


Dan Brown? Weaving facts into his novels??? :rolleyes:
Try reading Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, if you want to know what a well-researched book is.

I would say the greates writers publishing today are:

Margaret Atwood
Kazuo Ishiguro
Umberto Eco
Gao Xinjang
Ian MacEwan
Guenter Grass
Assja Djebar
Paul Auster
Salman Rushdie

I've read Foucaults Pendulum and thought it was precocious crap. The guy's wife was the only one with any sense in the entire book. But it was well written, which you can't say about Dan Brown's efforts.

For comedy and satire I'd go along with Terry Pratchet. Every book has laugh out loud moments, and generally great plots.
For depth of character and making you 'invest' in the reading emotionally I'd go for Stephen Donaldson. He's written the best Fantasy and the best SF series I've every read.
Also Tad Williams's Sorrow and Thorn Fantasy was excellent.

Robin Hobb's Assasin series was great, not read anything else by her, but I didn't like the ending.

Robert Jordan is the Mill's and Boon of fantasy. Pulp fiction.

J K Rowling is also an easy read, but nothing outstanding.

I've got to say Arthur C Clark must be the greatest living SF author. Can anyone recommend a younger SF author. I've read Alastair Reynolds and Peter Hamilton, they're both very good.

I'd vote for Palanhuik [sp] or Vonnegut.

Iain Banks

And Im also, surprisingly enjoying "The War of the SpiderQueen" series by the guy who wrote all the books about that Drizzt Do'Urden fellow, whos name I cant for the life of me remember at the moment.

Bob Salvatore wrote all those books about Drizzt, and not one of the War of the Spider Queen books. He served more as an editor and story advisor, IIRC.

Am I the only one who's still a bit surprised at the immense prerelevance of Fantasy author nominations?

I wanted to have this thread alongside the "Best Living Author" thread. A lot of people give contemporary literature a bad rap, saying that it is the decline of the novel. I don't find this entirely true. I see a new trend. A lot of people deriding contemporary literature point to two authors: Dan Brown and Michael Crichton. Both of them have wafer thin books. Yet they weave in so many facts that one needs a PhD to not enjoy them. Readers these days want to be educated, and not just read for the hell of it. It's not much yet, but I'm betting that it'll turn into something.
Anyhow, my favorite is Steven King.He has an incomprehensible mind, and is little more than a writing machine, though a damn good one at that. JK Rowling is up and coming, I think, but she really doesn't have a wide output. I mean, she's hinted at writing other novels after Harry Potter, and while I doubt they'll be bad, I want to see her out of her element.


*coughs, splutters*

Facts, come on. You don't need a Phd not to like Brown. All you need is a semi-rational brain and a decent grasp of history.

And that's just for the "facts."

A decent diet of literature would show Brown up for the third rate hack he is. One dimentional characters, predictable plot "twists," no character developement, hackneyed stereotypes, terrible writing and run of the mill technique.

He's basically the bastard child of Robert Ludlum and brain hemoragged monkey.

Seriously, that Da Vinci Code is so flawed that its an insult to anyone with the intelligence of say a six year old. Insult definitely intended to anyone who promotes that piece of shit.:)

OMG, I think I love you :p

/jk

*on topic*

Don't know about the best, but a couple of my favourites are Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Read Thud! in a day (the shame, I was supposed to be writing an essay :( ), and have Anansi Boys on order for cheap. Yay!

Afew others:

Alan Moore (Does he count, if not he should though I haven't read as much as I'd like of his stuff)
Umberto Eco (as much I am loath to say it, his first two gave me high expectations of his others and let me down. Haven't read his latest offering later.)
Tom Holt (Good for some irreverent humour)
Robert Rankin (Good for just general weirdness, and humour)
Koji Suzuki (OK, I admit, I have only read two of his books. But he writes very good SF imo)
Iain [M] Banks (Also very good SF, read a lot more of his stuff too so I can say it with confidence, even his non-SF stuff is good, but I prefer SF)

I think that is all I can think of.

(Actually could someone pick Ludlum, I know he is dead, but new books of his keep on appearing :confused:, not that I would pick him though. but he is far better then a lot of writers doing similar schtick).

Am I the only one who's still a bit surprised at the immense prerelevance of Fantasy author nominations?

Yep.

Not suurprised at all.

Not suprised about Pratchett ruling the roost-he must be the 2nd best living aurthor, but where are all the Pullman fans? Surley he must be in most of yous top ten? Yet he's only on 2 lists....WHY!!