Gladius Hispaniensis Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) Salve I don't know how many fiction readers we have in this forum, but I'm curious to know who your favourite fictional authors are. My favourite among the Classics is Dickens, beyond shadow of doubt. Among the modern 20th Century authors, I like Frederick Forsythe and J.R.R Tolkien. You? Edited September 23, 2007 by Gladius Hispaniensis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Manicus Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) Nelson Demille, hands down. Funniest author I've ever come across. "The Gold Coast" be Demille is my favorite novel of all-time. The Augusta would like it ... involves a couple who lives on Long Island in NY whose world is turned upside down when a Don Gotti-esque mafia Don moves in next door. Edited September 24, 2007 by G-Manicus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Not Tolkien. Actually, we've had something similar to this topic, and you may want to check it out here. But this included non-fiction as well as fiction. Wish I could say I have a favorite author of fiction, but I tend to read more non-fiction than fiction, and I guess my favorites in fiction depend on who I'm currently enjoying -- which can be a wide range, from the delightful children's historical fiction of Caroline Lawrence to the black humor of Chuck Palahniuk. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Gods - as an avid reader, I would be here all day if I listed all my favourites. So, let's stick to historical fiction. Without a doubt it remains Mary Renault - after twenty-odd years! She will never be surpassed, and my only regret is that she did not write about the Roman world. This woman is THE historical novelist; the only writer who takes us fully into the world we are reading about. There are some who have come close in recent years, but no-one has yet surpassed her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 My two favorite modern books are by Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose and Baudolino. When he hits...man, the books just grab your attention! However, I hate most of his other books--in particular Foucault's Pendulum and The Island of the Day Before...way too long, boring, and inane. There are three American writers who always have my attention: Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, and John Steinbeck. Their short stories are awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) I'm a bit like The Augusta in that I've got that many favorites too, but seen as though this is an historical site I'll mention a few historical authors. Steven Saylors' Roma Sub Rosa series starring Gordianus the Finder is excellent, as is Simon Scarrows' Eagle series. Another favorite is Manda Scotts' Boudica series. There's a few people here at UNRV who don't speak very highly of Conn Iggulden but I thoroughly enjoyed the Emperor series, as far as historical accuracy goes it's pretty woeful but if you can ignore that and just enjoy the story then it's certainly an entertaining read. I've just finished his latest book Wolf of the Plains which tells the story of Genghis Khan and must say that it was excellent, I'm no expert on Genghis Khan but from what I can tell Iggulden is much more accurate with the truth than in the Emperor series, can't wait for the next installment. Here's a great site on fiction books, just click on the initials of your favorite authors and you'll get a list of all the books they've released or are about to release. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ Edited September 23, 2007 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Roman - Robert Harris Non-Roman - George R.R. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Haven't read non-fiction in quite a while. As far as "high literature" I enjoyed a great many things in Russian lit such as Dostoevsky and Chekhov, a great many things in English lit such as Shakespeare, and of course the true classics of Greco-Roman civlization. Can't get into American lit as much, though "The Raven" is one of my favorite poems. As far as popular fiction, probably the last thing I read was the second book of G. R. R. Martin's fantasy series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladius Hispaniensis Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Haven't read non-fiction in quite a while. As far as "high literature" I enjoyed a great many things in Russian lit such as Dostoevsky and Chekhov, a great many things in English lit such as Shakespeare, and of course the true classics of Greco-Roman civlization. Can't get into American lit as much, though "The Raven" is one of my favorite poems. As far as popular fiction, probably the last thing I read was the second book of G. R. R. Martin's fantasy series. Dostoevsky's great. I especially enjoyed the way he explored the relation between crime and living conditions in "Crime and Punishment". I feel the same way about American lit as you do. I think it's O.K but I prefer British lit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 SalveI don't know how many fiction readers we have in this forum, but I'm curious to know who your favourite fictional authors are. Sergio Aragones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 My favourite has to be Jack Vance. He's a great storyteller, very influential in the fantasy genre, produces some extraordinary characters in his tales, and always provides a colourful and interesting world to read about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I don't read much fiction this years. I use to love the russian classics, but now I dislike them strongly. South americans have a nice style (except Coelho). Eco it's great and "Pendulo di Foucault" it's a favorite of mine. From the US I like Jack London and Hemingway's short stories. Huxley it's great at this short pieces. Popular fiction writers that I like are often from older science-fiction: Asimov, Herbert, Klein etc. I also like LOTR and Harry Potter series. When I was a teenager I liked Dostoievsky, now, in my 30's, I read Tolkien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Manicus Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Popular fiction writers that I like are often from older science-fiction: Asimov, Herbert, Klein etc. I also like LOTR and Harry Potter series. I loved the Dune series. They got a little weird in the later books, but the first 3 were great IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladius Hispaniensis Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 (edited) I use to love the russian classics, but now I dislike them strongly Why is that? I loved the Dune series I read the first one and liked it. I could not finish Dune Messiah. Edited September 25, 2007 by Gladius Hispaniensis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Manicus Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 I use to love the russian classics, but now I dislike them strongly Personally, the only Russian "classics" I liked were by Chekov (The Cherry Orchard and The Three Sisters) I read the first one and liked it. I could not finish Dune Messiah. I can understand that. With each novel in the series the "weirdness" factor tended to multiply and, well, you can imagine how things were shaping up by, ohhhhhhh, book #5 or so! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.