My favourite author is....
Discussion
Sir Terry Pratchett.
Why?
Because his writing is funny, clever, moving, wildly imaginative and an utter, utter pleasure to read.
There are other authors whose work I really enjoy, but most of them are enjoyable because I like the character they have created or the story they tell; they don't necessarily write perfectly, but they have to write competently (cf my comments about a certain Mr Cussler's scribing ability!
)
.
IMHO Sir Pterry's books are just wonderful to read, not just for the interesting people he invents or hilarious situations he portrays but the way in which he tells us about these. Just bloody fantastic.
So whose books do you like and why?
Trace
Why?
Because his writing is funny, clever, moving, wildly imaginative and an utter, utter pleasure to read.
There are other authors whose work I really enjoy, but most of them are enjoyable because I like the character they have created or the story they tell; they don't necessarily write perfectly, but they have to write competently (cf my comments about a certain Mr Cussler's scribing ability!
).IMHO Sir Pterry's books are just wonderful to read, not just for the interesting people he invents or hilarious situations he portrays but the way in which he tells us about these. Just bloody fantastic.
So whose books do you like and why?
Trace
Pratchett is the only author whose books I preorder before they come out. Why I like them? Good question. I suppose it's because he varies his plots and characters a fair bit, and in the older ones there are often little hints at things which "come out in the wash" much later on, so you have to flip back through and find what it was referring to. The characters are often complex, sometimes very straightforward yet usually interesting in a variety of ways.
I'm 2/3 of the way through The Long Earth at the moment. Can tell it's not entirely Sir Pterry's work!
Although that said, my favourite book of his is Good Omens, the one he did with Neil Gaiman. Superb writing.
I'm 2/3 of the way through The Long Earth at the moment. Can tell it's not entirely Sir Pterry's work!
Although that said, my favourite book of his is Good Omens, the one he did with Neil Gaiman. Superb writing.
I'm a Pratchett devotee too.
Being a sci-fi nut, I used to find Robert Heinlein very good - intelligent, imaginative, philosophical and funny; Friday being a favourite. Not sure what changed whether it's society, life or just me getting older/maturing (at last) but I find them a little uninspiring now.
I also rated Stephen King highly, not for any sophistication or great prose, but the way he led me in and surprised me. Even the early stuff doesn't read well now.
Being a sci-fi nut, I used to find Robert Heinlein very good - intelligent, imaginative, philosophical and funny; Friday being a favourite. Not sure what changed whether it's society, life or just me getting older/maturing (at last) but I find them a little uninspiring now.
I also rated Stephen King highly, not for any sophistication or great prose, but the way he led me in and surprised me. Even the early stuff doesn't read well now.
Raymond Chandler.
He's American, but brought up in England so there's a real British sense of humour in his work at times.
The Philip Marlowe mysteries are best, they're enchanting.
Marlowe himself is brutish, funny, complex, and intriguing. You never really can work out the mystery of Marlowe, in contrast the mysteries he solves are relatively simple. Chandler never really rated plot, so his characters are fantastically constructed instead.
I'd recommend starting with the first Marlowe, The Big Sleep.
He's American, but brought up in England so there's a real British sense of humour in his work at times.
The Philip Marlowe mysteries are best, they're enchanting.
Marlowe himself is brutish, funny, complex, and intriguing. You never really can work out the mystery of Marlowe, in contrast the mysteries he solves are relatively simple. Chandler never really rated plot, so his characters are fantastically constructed instead.
I'd recommend starting with the first Marlowe, The Big Sleep.
Ace-T said:
Sir Terry Pratchett.
Why?
Because his writing is funny, clever, moving, wildly imaginative and an utter, utter pleasure to read.
IMHO Sir Pterry's books are just wonderful to read, not just for the interesting people he invents or hilarious situations he portrays but the way in which he tells us about these. Just bloody fantastic.
This ^^Why?
Because his writing is funny, clever, moving, wildly imaginative and an utter, utter pleasure to read.
IMHO Sir Pterry's books are just wonderful to read, not just for the interesting people he invents or hilarious situations he portrays but the way in which he tells us about these. Just bloody fantastic.
Recently finished 'The Long Earth' and loved it.
edit: STP was the author that got me back into reading books after a 10year break. He will always have my thanks for that.
rlw said:
Iain Banks
I was going to say this, I like plain Iain as well as Iain M quite a lot.However, since I finished the final (complete) book of Aubrey and Maturin saga this morning (I was as happy for capt. J on the occasion of his promotion as I have been for real people!), I think, as I favourate author, I absolutely must nominate:
Patrick O'Brian.
I would put terry pratchett up there too, though.
I find this quite hard to answer, certainly I'd agree with Animal - Carlos Ruiz Zafon has a beautiful style, one of my favourite authors.
I see there are a good few Pratchett fans here, I wonder if any of you could point me in the right direction. I've never read any of his books before, and I picked up "Making Money" from my bookshelf last night.
Should I keep reading it, or should I go to the beginning of his collection?
I see there are a good few Pratchett fans here, I wonder if any of you could point me in the right direction. I've never read any of his books before, and I picked up "Making Money" from my bookshelf last night.
Should I keep reading it, or should I go to the beginning of his collection?
i think, for me, the best pratchett book is 'night watch'. It's still a discworld book, but for me it's also a very strong 'proper novel'
reading from the beginning of the 'series' I tend to find the earlier books a bit 'nerdy' and the later ones much stronger as works of fiction in their own right compared to the earlier ones, which are good but are more about 'the discworld'. I'm not sure if that makes sense. I like all of the books but definitely prefer the later books as they start to deal with more interesting themes.
reading from the beginning of the 'series' I tend to find the earlier books a bit 'nerdy' and the later ones much stronger as works of fiction in their own right compared to the earlier ones, which are good but are more about 'the discworld'. I'm not sure if that makes sense. I like all of the books but definitely prefer the later books as they start to deal with more interesting themes.
ApexJimi said:
I see there are a good few Pratchett fans here, I wonder if any of you could point me in the right direction. I've never read any of his books before, and I picked up "Making Money" from my bookshelf last night. Should I keep reading it, or should I go to the beginning of his collection?
Use Psychology said:
i think, for me, the best pratchett book is 'night watch'. It's still a discworld book, but for me it's also a very strong 'proper novel'
reading from the beginning of the 'series' I tend to find the earlier books a bit 'nerdy' and the later ones much stronger as works of fiction in their own right compared to the earlier ones, which are good but are more about 'the discworld'. I'm not sure if that makes sense. I like all of the books but definitely prefer the later books as they start to deal with more interesting themes.
Completely agree UP. reading from the beginning of the 'series' I tend to find the earlier books a bit 'nerdy' and the later ones much stronger as works of fiction in their own right compared to the earlier ones, which are good but are more about 'the discworld'. I'm not sure if that makes sense. I like all of the books but definitely prefer the later books as they start to deal with more interesting themes.
There are themes through the Discworld books, Night watch is a 'Watch' book (the police), there are also series about Death (anthropomorphic personification of the Grim Reaper) and his grand-daughter Susan, the witches, the wizards and Moist von Lipwig who is the main protagonist in Making Money.
I would not go back to The colour of Magic or The light fantastic unless as UP says you are a bit 'nerdy' (I am
) Going Postal was Moist's first book and would probably set the scene better as to why he is given the job of 'Making Money' Trace
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
Cancer Ward remains my all time favourite book.
This is way up towards the top of the list for sure. Did you also read First Circle? Possible just as good.Cancer Ward remains my all time favourite book.
I'd also like throw in a nomination for Lious De Berniers, apart from the Correlli nonesense. The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, that sort of thing.
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