It Must Be Mine! Or not.

[madbaker]

I was discussing "must-buy" authors at the Bujold signing. I don't have very many anymore, where I will buy whatever they write without reading a borrowed copy first. I've dropped some because I've gone off their writing (Terry Goodkind), their writing has gone off (Laurell Hamilton), or I just don't think I'll re-read all their books (Dan Simmons, Tad Williams).

This is not necessarily an indictment; there are still authors that I buy after reading a library copy (Christopher Moore, David Brin). And there are authors who I buy certain series unread (Stephen Brust, the Vlad Taltos books; George RR Martin, the Ice and Fire doorstops).

So, here's a quick list of authors I consider good enough and consistent enough that I'll buy whatever they choose to write. This year, anyway.

1. Lois McMaster Bujold

What can I say? She does excellent characterization as well as space opera.

2. Dave Duncan

I don't have many of his earlier works (and I don't plan to buy them), but his books in the last ten years have been outstanding. A Man of His Word quadrology, in particular.

3. Neil Gaiman

Um... yeah. Go read his blog.

4. Tim Powers

Someone who is not afraid to change genres (historic supernatural fantasy, supernatural thriller, supernatural horror) but whose voice stays consistent. (IE supernatural.)

5. Neal Stephenson

It'll be interesting to see where he goes next; the Baroque Cycle series was hard to read, but I got more into it as I re-read it.

How are your lists different? Or are there any similar authors on your list?
Discuss.

What I'm reading: Syne Mitchell, End In Fire (I still have library books to finish before I can devour Hallowed Hunt...

Comments

[tshuma]

Your last three are on my list, although Tim Powers isn't always to my taste, but he's consistently good.

I'd add two fluffy fantasy authors for my own list: Charles DeLint and Robin McKinley....although DeLint is starting to sound repetitive after all these years.

For science/socio-political fiction, I'd have to add Ursula LeGuin. Thought-provoking stuff.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I agree re Powers -- I've never been into Le Carre-type political thrillers, so Declare was slow for me. It got better the second time around, though.

[albionwood.livejournal.com]

1. Neal Stephenson (I could easily become a "fan")
2. Neil Gaiman (no explanation necessary)
3. C. J. Cherryh (though I have fallen waaay behind in recent years)

...

Guess I'm just not obsessive enough.

[albionwood.livejournal.com]

4. Sharan Newman. Best historical fiction I've found so far.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I use the local libraries extensively. So far this year, I've only bought five or six fiction books.

My general criteria: if it's good enough to re-read, it's probably worth buying. But if it isn't good enough to choose to buy in hardcover, is it really worth buying at all?

[tsgeisel.livejournal.com]

Absolutes: Terry Pratchett, George RR Martin, Neil Gaiman.

Brust is close to that, but I still don't have the latest Interregnum cycle book, so I can't really add him to my list. And I don't know if I'll buy anything by Rowling after she finishes the current series, but she's got a perfect record with me so far...

Terry Pratchett!

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

Neal...haven't seen anything from Tim in a while. But yeah, that's the list.

Re: Terry Pratchett!

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

I admit I don't read as much SF/Fantasy as y'all do. The only authors that came to my mind were Lois and Terry Pratchett. But then I realized that I *don't* buy everything by them. I am a huge fan of Pratchett when he writes about The Watch/Vimes, and enjoyed Moster Regiment and Going Postal, but I'm luc-warm (sp?) on the Witches and I can't stand Rincwind.

With Lois, I've gotten all the Chalion books in HC, as soon as they came out. But I never bought Diplomatic Immunity--borrowed it, and didn't think it worth buying.

Gaiman is interesting, but he and I see the universe very differently, so I don't enjoy him as much as the rest of you.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Lois McMaster Bujold and Neil Gaiman are on my list. Also Barbara Hambly (except her Star Wars novels, because I don't like Star Wars that much) and Laurie King, and there are some mystery series that I regularly buy the next book of. I also buy my friends' books.

[caprine.livejournal.com]

Bujold, Gaiman and Powers are on my list. I add China Mieville, Terry Pratchett, Garth Nix, Philip Pullman, and Jacqueline Carey.

[loup_noir]

I had to think about this.

I used to buy a lot of authors obsessively. That was then. Now, it's Gaiman and I can't think of anyone else.

I do have most of the Discworld books, but they need to be read in bits and drabs. Luckily, I read them out of order; had I known that Rincewind showed up so often, I would have never gotten beyond the first one. The novels where his characters do stuff are great; his "concept" ones are dulldulldull.

At one time, Larry Niven was my favorite, but then he started writing with Pournell and I lost interest. Harlan Ellison is still a favorite, but he hasn't produced much for a very long time. CJ Cherryh, when she's writing from an alien's perspective, can't be beat, but she bored me with her big Merchanter sprawl. Maybe they got better? Probably won't know. Like Hambley's mysteries, but I think her fantasy/sf stinks. Far too precious for me. I like Bujold, but it's just a like, not a passion.