Amph Who do you consider the dinosaurs of science fiction and fantasy publishing today?

Modern people. Living names. Who do you consider the excaliburs of modern sci fi and fantasy publishing today?

It got me thinking, having just perused Kevin Anderson's site in researching his Saga of the Seven Suns series, that his bio lists a number of astonishing achievements. He's aparently signed the largest fiction contract in publishing history, to write a prequel trilogy to Frank Herbert's classic SF novel Dune, coauthored with Brian Herbert. Bantam Books paid over seven figures per book in this trilogy! Reader feedback aren't too raving about his Dune works, though, from what I've seen. 16 million prints since '93. He's written many diverse books under pen names, even a Starcraft one.

Then there's little known Sean Russell, whose Swans' War trilogy I didn't think much of. But rights were sold to Germany and the UK for six figures each.

Or Salvatore, a veteran of fantasy, who's publishing credits extends to the dozens.

I've not mentioned the famed Erikson or Martin. The former is still relatively little known and especially in America, who publishers initialy thought his series too complicated for readers; while the latter may be world famous, and I don't know his book sales, but it's still just 4 books.

I'm at a disadvantage, unable to read all that cliche trite you fellas love, so who else are Dinobots in the SF & F genres? Try and give stats with names.

 

Modern people. Living names. Who do you consider the excaliburs of modern sci fi and fantasy publishing today?

Hmm, I?m not exactly sure what you?re asking. If you?re going into territory purely based on sales and contract sums, well, obviously, it?s not difficult to see what constitutes a ?big name." Look no further than Jordan, Goodkind, etc. Most of the huge sellers don?t hold up well to the critical community of speculative fiction, however, although of course this isn?t a rule. Gaiman, for instance, has huge name appeal, yet the man can write.

If you?re asking of living legends, as in those authors who are generally regarded to have earned a canonical standing when naming the genre?s most trenchant modern works, then I can tell you a few names you?ll most often, including Gene Wolfe, Michael Moorcock, M. John Harrison, Alan Moore, and Ray Bradbury.

For younger up and comers that appear capable of carving eventual places of greatness of their own, I?d say Jeff VandeMeer, Jonathan Lethem, and China Mieville stick out. All three have produced the best novels I?ve read to have been published in the past ten years.

 

Raymond Feist and Terry Pratchett maybe.

 

I'd say Pratchett too.

 

Um, Howard? Conan?

Modern fantasy owes as much to Howard as it does to Tolkein!

E_S

 

True, but for reasons beyond Rand Al'Thor, every industry "reviewer" feels compelled to compare you to him. I'm finding it increasingly dispicable, that humanised thinking could be so lacklustre.

 

I'd agree there, I'm not a fan of Pratchetts stuff but he certainly has plenty out on the shelves and Feist has a long running catalogue of novels thats getting larger by at least one a year.

 

Raymond Feist and Terry Pratchett maybe.

They're among the living Dinosaurs - their day is past for the most part in my opinion, but they keep writing.

RJ, not sure about. I don't think that he's really been writing long enough to be a Dinosaur. Weis and Hickman probably count as dinosaurs though. Michael Moorecock and Gene Wolfe are probably the most dinosaur-like out there.

 

Anne McCaffrey. She's been writing for nearly 50 years, and since the mid-90s the quality of her stories has been steadily deteriorating. I'll never stop reading old favorites, but some of her most recent works aren't exactly anything to write home about.

Arthur C. Clarke is still writing, and a new solo book is coming out before Christmas or early next year.

 

Is this thread limited to folks who are still alive?

 

Ray Bradbury just had a book released: 'Farewell Summer'. It's not up to his usual standards, but then again Bradbury's raised his personal bar so high even his 'mediocre' books transcends most 'good' sci-fi novels.

Kevin J. Anderson, a dinosaur? Part of me doesn't want to believe it . . . but yeah, he's been writing for a long time and hasn't really stopped.

Larry Niven can also be included in this, he's even written a number 1 bestseller about alien invasion in the Cold War called Footfall with somebody I've never heard of. But a lot of his modern works leave something to be desired . . . ever since Destiny's Road his books have been slowly crumbling into something bad, very bad.

And I can't believe no one's mentioned Greg Bear yet. He's amazing, although, again, his books have been suffering a lapse in quality as of late . . .

Anne McCaffrey. She's been writing for nearly 50 years, and since the mid-90s the quality of her stories has been steadily deteriorating. I'll never stop reading old favorites, but some of her most recent works aren't exactly anything to write home about.

That's what I think too. Doesn't help that her co-authors (including her son Todd) aren't anything special themselves.

Then there is Harry Turtledove, but his books almost always seem rushed. He has too many contracts to fulfill . . .

And finally I think I should add Stephen Baxter, the ultimate idea-novelist whose name isn't Clarke, to this list. His stories and characters are as flimsy as the paper his books are printed on, but man the guy has amazing ideas . . .

 

Neil Gaiman anyone? American Gods, etc? Steven Baxter, Alistar Reynolds, Orson Scott Card?

 

Well, last I checked, Ray Bradbury was still alive, so I would consider him a cornerstone pieve of Sci-Fi publishing. I also have to agree with Anne McCaffery. (And while I may not totally enjoy her writing style, I won't deny Ursula K. LeGuin needs to be on the list.)

As for my personal favorite? Michael Moorcock has bridged many period gaps, and has helped develop new sensibilities in Fantasy, so I gotta nominate him as a living legend.

 

I've not mentioned the famed Erikson or Martin. The former is still relatively little known and especially in America, who publishers initialy thought his series too complicated for readers; while the latter may be world famous, and I don't know his book sales, but it's still just 4 books.

Martin has published many more books than 4.

 

A group of authors more that a single person - the Forgotten realms writers.

 

Eh, they don't really make any waves though - hardly any best sellers and nothing from critics there.

A couple others to add: Charles Stross, Karen Traviss and Richard Morgan - all produce some fantastic literature and have build up a nice critical/fan base for their works.

 

Turtledove is so NOT Science Fiction. I HATE that Alternate History always seems to be included under that.

 

I'm very surprised that no one's said anything about J.K. Rowling. Because of her books, which are probably still on the bestseller lists, she's one of the richest women in the world.

 

Alternate History is fantasy, at least to us. So it counts.

 

I second J. K. Rowling.
I might add Terry Brooks, Raymond E. Fest, David Eddings and R. A. Salvatore. And Weis & Hickman, possibly.

 

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman for sure. They've been doing their thing for decades and are now considered "the establishment" imho.

 

I think that depends. If its something like Eric Flint's Assiti Shards Multiverse or Harry Turtledove's Worldwar novels, then yes AH would fall under the genre of sciece fiction or fantasy, but if its something like Robert Harris' Fatherland, then I would call AH a subgenre of historical fiction.

 

Also sticking Philip Pullman on the list - he's got some of the best fantasy novels out there.

 

QFT. I'm currently working my way through His Dark Matarials. Its epic.

 

The ones that always get recommended to new fantasy/sci-fi readers are Terry Brooks, Arthur C. Clarke, David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Robin Hobb, Ursula K LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey, Michael Moorcock, Terry Pratchett, and possibly Kim Stanley Robinson and Tad Williams off the top of my head.

If we were including dead authors I'd also add Douglas Adams, Philip K Dick, David Gemmell and Frank Herbert.

(Note: I'm not neurotic but I do maintain a very tidy section. )