Who is your favourite author, and why?

[Vespertilio91]

Authors Who Were Once Good:

-Anne Rice. Her last great novel was Pandora. She should have stopped writing the Vampire Chronicles after that was published and moved on to different areas of fiction. While the final few books weren't all bad (I liked Merrick and thought Blackwood Farm was okay), the series lasted longer than it should have.

-Chuck Palahniuk. Diary was awful and Haunted was an average read that could have been so much more (the "authors" sounded the same, and the stories ranged from good to awful).

-Laurell K. Hamilton. She was never an amazing writer, but I liked the world and characters she created. Sadly the books are made up of two things: trashy sex scenes and tiresome sex talk. Will that change? Since Hamilton loves the direction her series has taken, I'm not getting my hopes up.

New Favorites:

-David Sedaris. I love his sense of humor and his way of analyzing the most mundane of events. He's probably one of the funniest people alive today. The same could be said for Augusten Burroughs, who writes in a similar fashion to Sedaris.

-Jacqueline Carey. I haven't read her Sundering series yet, but I loved her Kushiel's Legacy[/B trilogy. Anyone who's looking for a distinct, intricate fantasy series should give these books a try.

-Terry Pratchett. I like his send-up of cliches and conventions that appear in the fantasy genre. His books are very addicting.

Other Favorites:

-Stephen King
-Nick Hornby
-George RR Martin
-Terry Goodkind
-Poppy Z. Brite

I am absolutely appalled that you would insult Anne Rice! She is one of the best writers in her genre ever, even if her series started going downhill late in her career, but that happens. You lose ideas.

You're right, however, about Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Series. They started out good, but after the fifth one, they plummeted into a pit of eternal darkness that they will never pull themselves out of. Hamilton will never change her books. Don't get your hopes up. Sex scenes like hers have ruined countless books that could have been ranked up with Stephen King and Anne Rice (she is still the best!) including The Book of Shadows by James Reese. If used lightly, sex can put a romantic feel into a novel, but extensive and disturbing scenes make a book an instant throw away.

 

[Anamnesis]

I am absolutely appalled that you would insult Anne Rice! She is one of the best writers in her genre ever, even if her series started going downhill late in her career, but that happens. You lose ideas.

I'm not sure how I insulted Anne Rice. If I really wanted to do that, I would make a comment along the lines of "Want to know how bad Anne Rice's new novels are? Well Stan read them and look what happened to him" (as one reviewer on Amazon.com did). I love most of her books and think she's a very talented writer. I just think some of her later vampire novels were either half as good as the earlier ones, or flat-out dull in the case of Blood and Gold and Blood Canticle.

And I understand that a writer's going to lose ideas at one point in his/her career, but if that happens the writer should stop for a while and start a different path.

 

[ValkyrieRaven88]

I am absolutely appalled that you would insult Anne Rice! She is one of the best writers in her genre ever, even if her series started going downhill late in her career, but that happens. You lose ideas.

You're right, however, about Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Series. They started out good, but after the fifth one, they plummeted into a pit of eternal darkness that they will never pull themselves out of. Hamilton will never change her books. Don't get your hopes up. Sex scenes like hers have ruined countless books that could have been ranked up with Stephen King and Anne Rice (she is still the best!) including The Book of Shadows by James Reese. If used lightly, sex can put a romantic feel into a novel, but extensive and disturbing scenes make a book an instant throw away.

Well, now that Anne Rice is a "born-again" Christian, she's too good for the rest of us vampire-lovers. T_T
As for Hamilton, the books were good until half-way through the eighth. Then I started hating them.

 

[Vespertilio91]

I'm not sure how I insulted Anne Rice. If I really wanted to do that, I would make a comment along the lines of "Want to know how bad Anne Rice's new novels are? Well Stan read them and look what happened to him" (as one reviewer on Amazon.com did). I love most of her books and think she's a very talented writer. I just think some of her later vampire novels were either half as good as the earlier ones, or flat-out dull in the case of Blood and Gold and Blood Canticle.

And I understand that a writer's going to lose ideas at one point in his/her career, but if that happens the writer should stop for a while and start a different path.

I'm sorry. I totally took your post differently than I should have. I really like Anne Rice because she opened the door to the vampire lovers genre. ME!!!!

I haven't read all of her books just because I have finals at school and have to study. (what a drag!) The two you mentioned are the only two I haven't read yet. Sorry!

p.s. I am very melodramatic. Don't take everything I say personally.

 

[Vespertilio91]

Well, now that Anne Rice is a "born-again" Christian, she's too good for the rest of us vampire-lovers. T_T
As for Hamilton, the books were good until half-way through the eighth. Then I started hating them.

Why is the world so cruel? Why can't she be an abnormal creature of the night like us? She was awesome. T_T T_T SAD ME!

Hamilton yuck. I started reading Guilty Pleasures you gave me and noticed a lot more sex than I thought.

 

[tinkerbell]

My favorite authors at the moment are sherrilyn kenyon (love those dark hunters) jr ward's series

 

[whitetrash]

my fav writters are E.E knight,Terry brooks,Steven Erikson,and Clive Cussler

 

[Rain]

My Favorite Authors

My favorite authors have to be:

V.C. Andrews
Alice Walker
Maya Angelou
Harper Lee
John Steinbeck

 

[steffee]

Alice Walker
Maya Angelou
Harper Lee

Great authors! My favourite book (at the moment) is The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Haven't read any others of hers though.

 

[Anamnesis]

I started reading Guilty Pleasures you gave me and noticed a lot more sex than I thought

Really? The books were always violent, but I don't remember any sex scenes taking place until the sixth book, The Killing Dance. Where did you find them?

 

[Lenessa]

Neil Gaiman is definetely right up there...he's a brilliant writer, and he mixes genres really well...also i really like french author Daniel Pennac, i read his books over and over...for authors i think thats it, but there are a ton of good books i like...it's so hard to choose!!

 

[actonbell]

I'm glad to hear the endorsement of Neil Gaiman, since I'm determined to read one of his sometime this year! There are lots of authors I admire--
David Foster Wallace
Joyce Carol Oates
Richard Russo
Margaret Atwood
Michael Chabon
Terry Pratchett
Jane Austen
Charlotte Bronte...

 

[savvyambrose]

I currently love the author Chuck Palahniuk. His writing style is very unique and I love the dark humor. He's the kind of author where you finish the book and think: "Where does he come up with this stuff?" Very excellent.

I also like Jane Austen. I was a bit skeptic at first, since I'm not very into romance, but I liked her book Pride and Prejudice all the same. I'll be reading Sense and Sensibility soon enough, I hope.

 

[Shelly]

Patrick Suskind
E.A.Poe
Anne Rice

 

[Kelvi]

Ian Irvine

I like to read books by ian irvine, I love his writing style.

 

[reading]

Bently Little (for now)

My favorites keep changing. But I've stuck with Bently Little the longest. And in another genre, although he hasn't writen alot, I was really impressed with Wally Lamb (""Shes Come Undone" and " I Know This Much is True")

 

[Mattyj]

My favorites keep changing. But I've stuck with Bently Little the longest. And in another genre, although he hasn't writen alot, I was really impressed with Wally Lamb (""Shes Come Undone" and " I Know This Much is True")

I just finished She's Come Undone; I was impressed as well. I picked it up at a library sale not knowing what I was buying. I finished it in two nights and I have I Know This Much is True ordered. Wally Lamb is one of my favorite authors at this moment.

 

[reading]

Where are U now Wally Lamb??

Indeed matty, I agree. Wally Lamb is a marvalous writer. I wish he would bring us another gem. He doesn't seem to be writing anything now

 

[reading]

I love Grisham and so many others mentioned and unmentioned. My favorites change. As I said, I love Bently Little. Right now I'm reading Robert McCammon (Boys Life [/I ] First time I've read RM and I'm leaning on he as my new favorite. Always will love Bently L. too.

 

[Anamnesis]

reading,

Did you start Brite's Drawing Blood yet? I noticed in the Bentley Little thread you mentioned ordering that book; just wanted to know if you started it (or if you even got it yet).