Who is the greatest modern fantasy author?

Tolkien.

 

Tolkien?!? We hates it, we hates it!!!!!!

Really, am I the only one who just couldn't read LotR? It was just so boring.... I dreaded reading it. Eventually I just stopped when I realized I wasn't having fun. Oh well, I'm content with the movies.

 

Tolkien

He's rather good, if I might say so myself .

_PSK_

 

I had to put other- I love Stephen Lawhead- his "Song of Albion" series is just brilliant reading. And his take on the King Arthur legend is refreshing to read. He's an Oxford scholar who pours historical accuracy into his books without bogging them down with details.

He's a wonderful writer!

 

Tolkien - most writers after him have copied him.

 

I voted Terry Pratchett

Ornen: I agree completely, the only reason I finished LOTR was because I always finish what I start reading. But it was torture, with every page I prayed for the boredom to end. It didn't 'til the last page.

 

I voted "other". I like Raymond E. Feist author of the Riftwar saga, and helped to write another saga (Servant/Daughter/and Mistress of the Empire) with Janny Wurts.

 

Card, by far. Not only for "Ender's Game" but "Songmaster", "Seventh Son", "Wyrms", "Pastwatch" and "Lost Boys". That's not including the Ender cycle, which include "Ender's Shadow", "Shadow of the Hegemon" and "Shadow Puppets". His words are beautiful and appeal to all -- "Ender's Game" is one of the few books on my high school's Required Reading list that everyone enjoys.

 

Tolkien of course, he created something amazing.

I would say that Stephen R. Lawhead would rank as my second favourite author, I'm reading Byzantium at the moment and it is just amazing. Any of you who love historical fantasy fiction, go and find his books! They are amazing!

Many of the other authors listed in this thread I am yet to check out, but I do indeed to.

 

I haven't read the works of everyone on your list, but judging from the criticism given to the authors whose works I have not read, Tolkien does not even deserve to be recognized on this list, much less considered a real author.

If you give a pipe-smoking, British monkey a typewriter...


Anywho, Robert Jordan has created an entire world and filled it with real characters, so he gets a thumbs-up from me.

GRR Martin, however, has crafted some incredible works, and also is tugging for my vote.

BTW, where is JK Rowling? You have left off probably the most influential modern fantasy writer, alive or dead.

 

I have read LOTR, but it bored me almost to tears. I'll watch the movies instead.

Pratchett is one of my favourite authors, but I'll have to go with David Eddings. All the Tolkienites (and haters) out there should read Mr. Eddings' novels. He actually bothers with character development, the plots are exciting and intense and he's pretty funny while he's at it, too.

Tolkien might have started the ball rolling, but others have picked it up and run with it.

Oh, and JKR deserves a mention

 

why did you leave out R.A. Slavatore, possibly the greatest Fantasy author of our era after J.R.R. Tolkien, and maybe that would be debateable. Read the Dark Elf Trilogy and you will be instantly hooked on the Forgotten Realms saga, and ask anyone about Drizzt D'ourden of D'aermon N'shazzerbon and they will tell you he is the most beloved fantasy character of all time making Frodo look like a puddy cat

 

Yet another thread that makes me lose faith in humanity,

 

spring_warm,

You said it.

 

Tolkien

 

Sometimes i think these forums suck whatever life is in me right out,

it's like when you hear idiot 13 year olds saying how boring shakespeare is, sigh

 

Like, Tolkien, man. No one else comes close, except maybe H.P Lovecraft.

 

Tolkien is modern?

Tough choice, but I picked Tad Williams, primarily for his Otherland series. Fantastic books.

 

I just started reading George RR Martin's A song of Ice and Fire.... they are MOST enjoyable. I just picked up the third one today, i am sure I'll be done with it in a week or maybe two at the msomost

 

I would have voted for Tolkien, but the poll asks about "modern" fantasy authors and last time I checked Tolkien was listed in the "late" category.

If we looked at the non-late category, I would think that Michael Crighton would be one of the top picks. After all he is the author of such titles as the Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park and Airframe and the originator of E.R.

 

Bob Salvatore or Mike Stackpole

 

Sara Douglass (The Wayfarer Redemption)

EDIT:

Sorry, I just have to remark on something 6-6-6 said...

Anywho, Robert Jordan has created an entire world and filled it with real characters

Ahem, I couldn't even finish the book because it disgusted me. Jordan copied Tolkien! Did anyone other than me see the similarities in Tolkien and Jordan?

 

I'd say Tolkien, though I think I liked the movies more ...

though the Shannara series is cool too

 

The only reason I picked Pratchett over Tolkien...is because he's still alive...(hence my rationale for being "modern")

 

R.A. Salvatore. Tolkien is a close second, but his books were too slow half the time.