Who are your favorite authors?
 

Any reading fans out there? Who do you like? What books do you recommend?

My personal favorites are as follows:

Fantasy
David Eddings (Belgariad and Malloreon series')
JRR Tolkein (of course)
Stephan R. Donaldson (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and Mirror of her Dreams series')

Legal
David Baldacci (all his books)
John Grisham (earlier books are much better, especially his first, "A Time to Kill")

Medical
Robin Cook
Michael Palmer

Action/Suspense
Tom Clancy (any Jack Ryan book)

Horror
Steven King (earlier books, esp. The Stand)

Miscellaneous Authors
Ken Follett
Michael Chricton
Patricia Cornwell

How about you guys?

Steven King for sure. ;)

Only Stephan King, man Nick, we gotta get you reading more :nono: !

Predators

You are my identical reading twin !

I love Eddings (although the later books like Polgara and Atalus are nothing in comparison to Belgariad etc)

Have you tried some of the newer Fantasy Stuff by people like Robin Hobb and George RR Martin.

Re: Who's your favorite auther?
 

JRR Tolkein
Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time Series)
Tom Clancy (Jack Ryan books)
Michael Cricton
Elizabeth Moon (Deed of Paksanarian series)
Renshai Cronicals (don't remember who wrote them)
Frank Herbert (Dune series)
Isaac Azimov

Thats all I can think of at the moment...I am sure there is more.

I agree with you on Eddings later books like Polgara and Belgarath, but you know his wife was involved in both those writings. Haven't been able to get into his other seriers, but the Belgarion books are great.

As for Hobb and Martin, haven't tried them. Any specific books you'd recommend trying first?

Predators

Three must reads for fantasy fans.

Robin Hobb - Assissin's Apprentice - Part 1 of the Farseer Trilogy

George RR Martin - A Game of Thrones - Part 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire

Robert Jordan - The Eye of the World - Book 1 of the Wheel of Time (as recommended by Skippy)

I am also a big fan of Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts, Dale Brown etc.

Fans of the Technothriller might like to try Eric L Harry "Arc Light" and "Protect and Defend"

I have lost weekends to each of these books.

I likes em Bill Hicks, but he's a comedian, and doesn't write, and doesn't comediate anymore, as the government killed him, but that's another story, but he has this hilariouss story about being in a waffle house one morning, reading a book, and the waitress asks him "Watcha reading for?" after which he goes off on a rantangent about hilbillies and and illiteracy and the like, he's from Texas, but he han't write a run0-on sentence like I can, I'm from upstate New York, but I like them Dallas Cowboys, so shoot me now;)

Fave author: Robert Anton Wilson

You asked for "Favorite" not "Favorites" so :****you:

I love Eddings also. I've re-read the Belgriaad and Mallorean series many times. I have to go with a classic, the Dragonlance Chronicles by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. I loved the Test of the Twins and the Next Generation. Their current trilogy War of Souls is very entertaining too. The last book is due out later this year I cant wait!

I've heard so many good things about the Wheel of Time but I was never able to get into it.

Thanks Steven, I'll check them out this summer. Always looking for some good reads!

Joe, I think I've read those 12 Eddings books (5/series plus Polgara and Belgarath) 3 or 4 times a piece. Great series. For some reason, however, he's never recaptured the majic for me in his other writings. Maybe I'm just too biased towards his original works.

I like your style Skippy. I enjoy most of those authors.

Jordan is easily my favorite. King and Koontz are good. I also like Robert Heinlein.

I just read James L Halperin's The Truth Machine , an excellent read.

Jordan
 

Jordan is my favorite also. He needs to get another book out soon. Driving me nuts having to wait.

:mad: :mad:

Agreed. I just have one complaint. The last 3 books seem to not go anywhere (don't get me wrong they are still good reads). I know he is setting it up for a big climax, but HURRY UP.

I have probably read that series 5 or 6 times. Here is a real good site Wheel of Time FAQ . I have spent hours there.

Edited to change the link.

jordan
 

I have read the books a bunch. Usually I read the series again before each book comes out.

I thought the last one was a little better, but they have been slowing down a bit. He just needs to end the series.

For Info

Amazon.co.uk has a November 2002 release date for the next wheel of time book entitled Crossroads of Twilight

great to hear
 

Good to know Stephen. Tor's website sucks and they never update it so I have been wondering when the next book would be coming out.


I just remembered another author I really like:

L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (Order War series)

Let's see not so much authors but books...

Catcher and the Rye by JD Saligner

Have a Nice Day and The Real World is Faker than Wrestlng by Mick Foley

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

and can't think right now.

My all time favorite is John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men
Cannery Row
Travels With Charley

well since I am here and stuck with a constant reminder of FF...

may as well engage in dialogue with former league mates...

Jordan is an intersting read...

George Martin has been entertaining..not gotten to others.


Patricia Cornwell Isle of Dogs is amusing...not finished yet.

James Patterson is a quick and entertaining read...

right now on a spending freeze so end up with books 2nd hand.

and this is what I want to do about not being in FF

:kill:

Guys

For Info I just finished the latest Wheel of Time book (CrossRoads of Twillight) and it offically SUCKS.

700 pages and £18 (~$25) of nothing. No story progression until the last 10 pages. Rand is in it for about 2 chapters. Is all beautifully written and the chracterisation is excellent as always but zero plot.

My advice is to not bother buying Book10 and waiting for Book 11. If you write to me I will tell you all you need to know in two sentences.

ssshhhhhh!!!!!

I am about 3/4 of the way through it. So far I have been dissapointed. Hopefully the last 10 pages is good.

Dang it. I haven't read it yet but I was hoping it would be better than what your are describing.

Michael Chricton (dang, how DO you spell his name?)
John Grisham

[I've read a ton by both of those]

Funniest book I've read in a long, long time is "LAMB: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore. I'm an ordained minister, but this is no pious high-in-the-clouds book. It's hilarious and full of faith.

Other authors I enjoy reading, in "my line of work"...
Ken Gire ("Windows of the Soul")
Robert Farrar Capon (currently reading "Between Noon and Three")...
Frederick Buechner...

AND... J.K.Rowling! I absolutely LOVE the Harry Potter series (just heard book 5 comes out June 21!).

Oh yah, and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (does that count? What if I say I like Rick Riley's articles best?)...