Who do you think is the most memorable author of our era?

[Johnn Johnston]

...Jeffrey Deaver.

Ah, how could I have forgotten him? I only finished his latest book a few week ago.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

There are a shitload of Scifi/Fantasy authors here...

What about Ernest Hemingway? Profoundly influential in his sentence structure and diction. Short, crisp, pithy sentences were practically invented by the guy.

 

[iain62a]

I don't think anyones mentioned George Orwell

 

[Johnn Johnston]

I don't think anyones mentioned George Orwell

Probably for the sole reason that they may not classify him as being of "Our Era". He is truly a great author.

 

[JMeganSnow]

1.) Ayn Rand
2.) Robert Heinlein
3. or 4.) Neal Stephenson
3. or 4.) Terry Pratchett

I think Stephen Brust certainly deserves an honorable mention.

 

[pigeon_of_doom]

I don't think anyones mentioned George Orwell

Probably for the sole reason that they may not classify him as being of "Our Era". He is truly a great author.

People are claiming Tolkien as being the best of this era in this thread, so as Orwells two defining novels came out around the same time I'd say he's a valid call. Orwell would definitely be near the top of my favourite list of authors, modern era or otherwise.

I don't understand why so many people like Neil Gaiman's novels so much, I like his comics work but I read American Gods and found it to be bloated and not particularly interesting despite the premise.

 

[.Ricks.]

Well as for me i would have to name, J.R.R. Tolkien ( no brainer here ;P), Dan Brown, Stephen King an J.K. Rowlling ( what? I liked harry Potter xD )

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Dan Brown,

Bring out yer dead! Bring out yer dead!

 

[Reasonable Doubt]

I say Stephen King followed by J.K. Rowling who is followed by Christopher Paolini.

 

[crepesack]

well george orwell if that counts i loved animal farm and 1984 also loved steinbecks works, like of mice and men truly beautiful works of art i cried at the end of mice and men and when boxer died in animal farm.

 

[Ancalagon]

For me, and depending on what you consider my era to constituted by, probably Vladimir Nabokov or Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

 

[TheBadass]

Terry Pratchett/Philip Pullman.

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

But ofcourse the four book trilogy of the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a must.!

You mean the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy of five.

Oh I just remembered-

<spoiler= J. W. O. Lennon>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_His_Own_Write
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Spaniard_in_the_Works
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skywriting_by_Word_of_Mouth

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Dissing Gaiman after reading some of his stuff.

May I point you towards Stardust, Anasi Boys, Sandman, Good Omens, Neverwhere, Mirrormask, Babylon 5, Batman, Beowulf, Signal to Noise, Death, Harlequin Valentine, Now we are sick, SimCity 2k amongst others.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Neil Gaiman - Stories are random, have all been done before, are without a lesson or point, and above all his work is highly overrated. Did I mention this guy has no prose?

*takes you outside and shoots you* Especially as you said H.P.Lovecraft didn't do this.

Lovecraft was good, influential, his short stories painted pictures, he was a tortured genius, he spoke of concepts no else had done before at the time. Gaiman just inserted random polytheistic gods here or there into stories.

Although to be fair, I've only read American Gods and a few comics by him. However it doesn't change the fact that the man is treading on water which has already been treaded upon. I have yet to see anything new or original by him. Also his words are boring. Very, very blatant is his writing. It's on a very easy to understand level without depth and I also for one, found the majority of his stories unrealistic.

It has to be said that American Gods is my least faviourt of his books (though it is pritty good). I would say read Netherwhere, for the love of god read Netherwhere. But, when you say you've read a few comics, is Sandman one of them. If you've read a Sandman comic and still don't think he's a genius then being shot is a bit lenient

 

[Jamash]

(This is my first topic start, so go easy on me: Searched and couldn't find a topic like it)

In this thread, I would like to hear who people think the "Best" author of our "era" is.

In popular literature, great classics such as Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien),Dune (Frank Herbert), Lord of the Flies (William Golding) and The Princess Bride (William Goldman) are contemporary pieces read by most nowadays. What I would like to do, is try to sum up who, in recent years, has proved themselves to be able to write with distinction, as well as portraying the genre they so chose.

It can be any Fiction author, I first thought to try and put in a poll but figured that would constraining against all of the possible people.

Question: why can't non-fiction writers be considered good?

Answer: Their lack of imagination? (not my opinion, just saying...)

I really like the novels of Brian Lumley. I think his Necroscope saga is brilliant & I also love his Cthulhu Cycle Deities & Dreamworld stories, he carries Lovecraft's torch well (and occasionally douses it with rocket fuel).

In my opinion his work is some of the best I've read in the science fiction/horror genre.