Other authors?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

Oh, recommendations: not classic "fantasy," but Watership Down is one of the greats. Ursula LeGuin is superb, although most of her work is SF. For a much better cynical take on deities than Pullman's read Gaiman's American Gods. If you like your fantasy decidedly wierd, in a brilliant sort of way, Gene Wolfe is your man. And if you want to laff till your sides split, try any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.

Avoid: Brooks, Eddings, Jordan. Stephen Donaldson has some interesting ideas but executes them terribly. George R R Martin is OK but overrated, and starting to fall victim to Jordanism.

I agree regarding Watership Down (particularly when you discover you can comprehend expletives in Rabbitish). As far as Stephen R. Donaldson, I thought the first four books of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant were excellent (but do not pass the fourth, for you shall regret it); derivative, but excellent nonetheless.

But I am not much interested in the current crop of fantasists. It seems I read less and less fantasies as the years pass. Once one has read T.H. White and Tolkien, the rest seem rather blase'.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

But I am not much interested in the current crop of fantasists. It seems I read less and less fantasies as they years pass. Once one has read T.H. White and Tolkien, the rest seem rather blase'.

Oh come on - its not that bad - John Crowley's 'Little, Big' is excellent & Hope Mirlee's 'Lud in the Mist' is quite beautiful. Poul Anderson's 'The Broken Sword' is also well worth reading. And let's not leave out Dunsany, Eddison & Peake. Trouble is Tolkien set too high a standard.

[Lalwendë]

I think the lesson is not to try to ape Tolkien in any way, shape or form. All these writers like Brooks and Jordan have done that to a greater or lesser extent, i.e. followed the 'Tolkien model' and while they may provide great entertainment (which they must do or they would not have sold by the bucket load) they also attract a lot of criticism, most of it along the lines of "not as good as Tolkien", "Tolkien rip-offs" etc.

Do your own thing instead, like Peake (who was before Tolkien anyway, so that was easier for him ) or like Gaiman, Pullman or Clarke. One of the joys of really, really good fantasy and sci-fi is in discovering new worlds and if they're carbon copies of another one, those worlds aren't quite as much fun to explore