New Poll: Fantasy Fantasy League: Who is your favourite author of epic fantasy novels?

[Dudley]

I have to try China Melville.

Which book should I read?

[Tanky]

Dudley:
Start with Perdido Street Station, then read The Scar

[Mudcrab]

Hmm, I reckon my favourite (so far, still much to read) if Raymond E Feist, although the latest ones have been a bit weak. Highlight was the Serpentwar (4 books).

I'd have voted for Donaldson but Moorcock was there.

Tolkein would be near the bottom of the list I'm afraid. Great stuff I know, but Hobbits are rubbish.

On Eddings, I think he's (they're) great. Easy going stuff but great characters. Heads above the Belgariad and the Mallorean are the 2 prequels, Belgarath and Polgara's life stories. They're superbly done.

Just read Otherland (Tad Williams) recently, which was superb and feckin huge. [Cyber]punk's not dead! Plus one guy's Barbarian sim is called Thargor, which I liked.

Link: http://www.tadwilliams.com/volume1.html" target="_blank">Otherland

[Richmond Clements]

Haven't read Tad Williams, though I recently picked up a copy of War of the Flowers.

[Tiplodocus]

"Well, you could just click on "other" and tell us why Gor is better than the collective works of all those other writers..."

I would but my right hand is sort of occupied now that I've mentioned Gor.

I forget most of the author's names now (I pretty much stopped reading fantasy books about twenty years ago) but I used to devour Conan books (Howard and others) like a barbarian would feast upon the sliken flesh of a pampered princess and Grey Mouser books I quite liked as well.  And I loved my Stephen Donladson (and his gibuous moons).

Does Herman Hesse count - stick a dragon somewhere in the middle of "Narziss and Goldmund" and you'd have the perfect fantasy book (monks, murder and picaresque travels through blood, lust, plague and storms - if I remember the back cover blurb).

[soggy]

You left out George RR Martin

His song of ice and Fire series is by far the best ongoing fantasy series.

Se?n

[Steamboy]

Songs of Fire and Ice is cool except I havent seen a book in the series for more than 2 years, whats the name of his latest?

CU Krestel

[soggy]

Songs of Fire and Ice is cool except I havent seen a book in the series for more than 2 years, whats the name of his latest?

Can't remember the but the next book is with the printers at the mo.

[Mr C]

A Feast for Crows.

Looking at Amazon, the one after that appears to come out shortly after.

Mind you it is Amazon.

[Steamboy]

Thanking you, I will keep an eye out for this. Might I mention again for anyone thats a fan of Epic fantasy like Robert Jordan or George RR Martin to try out Steven Eriksons Malazan, Book of the Fallen series 'EPIC' even in capitals doesn't begin to decribe how massive this series is.

CU Krestel

[KingPhone]

the thought of fantasy novels fills me with inertia, but I'd go for Ursula LeGuin, who wrote some very intelligent books and Mervyn Peake, who wrote the completely brilliant Titus Groan as well as at least one great children's book.