Okay, I have to say that I really struggled with this week top ten list. For example, one issue I have is that some authors I love are well known in Sci-Fi or Fantasy circles but are unknown outside of readers of that Genre. So, defining a level of recognition is rather difficult.
Anyway, I shall do what I can!
1) Stephen Donaldson (The Gap Series)
To be honest, I suspect that Stephen Donaldson is quite well known, in Fantasy circles due to the Thomas Covenent series. However, I think he deserves more recognition on the Science Fiction front for The Gap series of novels. This series is my all time favourite Sci-Fi collection and sometimes I find that Stephen Donaldson gets forgotten about amongst the followers of Peter F. Hamilton, Alistair Reynolds, Iain Banks, etc. So to any Sci-Fi reader out there, go give The Gap series a chance. I also think any other who can create a character like Angus Thermopyle and make you feel something for him as I discuss here deserves huge credit.
I know quite a few people who have read the Empire Series that she co-wrote with Raymond E. Feist. However, I think her individual work can get forgotten about at times. The Wars of Light and Shadow is a superb series of epic fantasy novels that any fantasy lover should try and read.
3) Michael Grant
I am assuming that plenty of YA readers have heard of this author although I have rarely seen it mentioned around blogs so maybe he isn't ever than popular amongst YA readers. Either way, his Gone series is a superb set of novels that I found hugely enjoyable. I try my best to make sure that other people do try and read them. It can be hard though because a lot of the people I know tend to see a book being defined as YA and think it will be a very juvenile story, which I think is far from the truth.
4) Robert RankinI find his style of humour and wackyness to be very similar to Terry Pratchett and therefore I am always surprised that hardly any of my Pratchett reading friends have actually heard of him. Anyone that writes a novel about a Time Traveling Brussels Sprout called Barry really needs to be read by more people!
5) Stephen King
Recognition here is not in regards to the recognition of his name as I think plenty of people have heard of Stephen King. I just seem to hear lots of people poo-hoo his stories, they imply that he just churns out standard horror books with little thought etc. Well I am sorry but he deserves way more recognition than that for some of the books he writes. "The Stand", "Under The Dome" & "The Dark Tower" collection are all complex and compelling reads that are much more than just a mundane horror novel.
Recognition here is not in regards to the recognition of his name as I think plenty of people have heard of Stephen King. I just seem to hear lots of people poo-hoo his stories, they imply that he just churns out standard horror books with little thought etc. Well I am sorry but he deserves way more recognition than that for some of the books he writes. "The Stand", "Under The Dome" & "The Dark Tower" collection are all complex and compelling reads that are much more than just a mundane horror novel.
Okay I have made it to 5 and now I am going to give up as I am struggling to think up some more. This is the first top ten list I have failed to complete and that annoys me but I can't spend my entire lunch break thinking about what else to add. I do have to eat after all!
Anyway, as always let me know if you can think of any authors that deserve more recognition. If you do have any interesting ones I may have to go check them out myself and maybe help you try and get them read by more people.
I read The Gap series back when I read sci fi almost exclusively. I agree that most people don't realise that Donaldson wrote anything other than the covenant series. It's sad as it's so good. I can't make a comparison though as I haven't read his fantasy books.
ReplyDeleteI have also read Robert Ranking but only the Hollow Chocolate Bunny of the Apocolypse. Very much enjoyed it at the time and I always meant to read more.
The Stand is possibly my favourite King novel. The others I have heard of but haven't read. I think you are right though that they are probably exclusive to sci fi fans and there fore deserve a wider sphere of recognition.
http://bookworldinmyhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/top-ten-tuesday_28.html
True, I also struggled with it too although I came up with only one list. Thanks for sharing your list.
ReplyDeleteI adore sci-fi and fantasy but can't say that I read a lot of it or am really a part of the community of readers because I haven't heard of ANY of these authors, except Stephen King. So thanks for sharing! I'll definitely be looking into them! And I never thought King was my cup of tea but after reading your post (combined with another blogger who loves him) I think I'm gonna have to finally read something by him. Any recommendations for which King book to read first?
ReplyDeleteRecommendations for a Stephen King book to try first.... well you say you love Sci Fi and Fantasy so the books I would say to possibly try are
ReplyDeleteUnder The Dome
The Tommyknockers (Ignore the terrible Mini-Series based on this book)
The Stand
The Dark Tower series is good but I think at times it can be very quirky.
Hi,Killie
ReplyDeleteI found your blog via Book blog discussion
of blog design and I decided to stop by I am not only impressed but your newest follower
Great list. I adore Steven King. One of my favorites is Connie Willis, and she doesn't get much attention, though she's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)