A list of great (or at least enjoyable) books and authors, bold text indicates all-time favorites.
Author: Roger Zelazny • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Chronicles of Amber, Lord of Light, Eye of Cat, Roadmarks, Creatures of Light and Darkness
Author: C.J. Cherryh • Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Books: The Chanur series, the Foreigner series, the Fortress series, the Morgaine Cycle, the Ealdwood series, the Russian trilogy, The Paladin, The Goblin Mirror, Faery in Shadow
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay • Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Novels
Books: The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan, the Sarantine Mosaic series, Ysabel
Author: Hal Duncan • Genre: Modern Fantasy
Books: Vellum, Ink (The Book of All Hours Duology)
Author: William Gibson • Genre: Speculative Fiction, Modern Fantasy
Books: Neuromancer, Pattern Recognition, Idoru, Count Zero, Zero History, Burning Chrome, Virtual Light
Author: Peter S. Beagle • Genre: Fantasy, Novels
Books: The Last Unicorn, A Dance for Emilia, Tamsin, The Inkeeper's Song
Author: Robin Hobb •
Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Tawny Man trilogy, the Farseer trilogy,
The Liveship trilogy, Rain Wilds series
Author: Raymond Feist • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Riftwar/Midkemia Cycle (esp. Magician Apprentice, Magician Master, Silverthorn, The King's Buccaneer), Faerie Tale
Author: Dennis L. McKiernan • Genre: Fantasy
Books: Faery series, Mithgar series
Author: George R. R. Martin • Genre: Fantasy
Books: A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones)
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold • Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Books: The Vorkosigan Saga, The Spirit Ring, the Chalion series
Author: Patrick Rothfuss • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Kingkiller Chronicle (Name of the Wind, The Wise Man's Fear)
Author: Scott Lynch • Genre: Fantasy
Books: Gentleman Bastard series
Author: Greg Keyes • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Briar King
Author: Robert Jordan • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Wheel of Time series
Author: Lisanne Norman • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: The Sholan Alliance series
Author: Morgan Llewelyn • Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Books: Druids, Finn MacCool, Lion of Ireland
Author: Jack Vance • Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery
Books: The Lyonesse trilogy, the Demon Princes series
Author: Stephen R. Donaldson • Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery
Books: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Mordant's Need series, the Man Who... detective series
Author: Mike Jefferies • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Loremasters of Elundium series, the Heirs to Gnarlsmyre series
Author: Diane Duane • Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books: Book of Night with Moon, To Visit the Queen, the Tale of the Five series
Author: Diana Wynne Jones • Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books: The Chronicles of the Chrestomanci, the Castle series (esp. Howl's Moving Castle), Derkholm series, the Dalemark Quartet
Author: Edward Rutherfurd • Genre: Historical Fiction
Books: London, Russka, The Forest, Sarum
Author: Chaim Potok • Genre: Novels
Books: My Name is Asher Lev, Davita's Harp
Author: Ayn Rand • Genre: Novels, Philosophy
Books: The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, Anthem, We the Living
Author: Andre Norton • Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Books: The Witch World series, Mark of the Cat, Star Ka'at, The Jargoon Pard
Author: H. Beam Piper • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: The Fuzzy series
Author: John Steakley • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: Armor
Author: Lawrence Block • Genre: Mystery
Books: The Bernie Rhodenbarr series
Author: Neil Gaiman • Genre: Fantasy
Books: Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys
Author: Ann C. Crispin • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: The Han Solo trilogy
Author: Brian Daley • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: The Han Solo Adventures
Author: Timothy Zahn • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: The Thrawn trilogy (Star Wars Universe), the Cobra series, Night Train to Rigel
Author: Marcia J. Bennett • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: Where the Ni-Lach, Seeking the Dream Brother
Author: Fred Saberhagen • Genre: Fantasy
Books: Books of Swords, Books of Lost Swords
Author: Poul Anderson • Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Books: Three Hearts and Three Lions, Dominic Flandry series, The Star Fox, the Last Viking series
Author: Niel Hancock • Genre: Fantasy
Books: Circle of Light series, Dragon Winter, Wilderness of Four series, Windameir Circle series
Author: Helen MacInnes • Genre: Mystery/Espionage
Books: Assignment in Brittany, Pray for a Brave Heart
Author: Patricia McKillip • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, Song for the Basilisk, The Book of Atrix Wolfe, the Riddle-Master trilogy, the Cygnet duology
Author: Jack McDevitt • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: Time Travelers Never Die, Alex Benedict series (esp. Seeker), Academy (Priscilla Hutchins) series
Author: Steven Brust • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Vlad Taltos series, the Khaavren Romances, Brokedown Palace, To Reign in Hell, My Own Kind of Freedom (Firefly fanfic)
Author: Agatha Christie • Genre: Mystery
Books: The Hercule Poirot series
Author: P.G. Wodehouse • Genre: Humor, Mystery
Books: The Jeeves and Wooster series
Author: Margery Allingham • Genre: Mystery
Books: The Inspector Campion series
Author: S.S. Van Dine • Genre: Mystery
Books: The Philo Vance series
Author: Jonathan Gash • Genre: Mystery
Books: The Lovejoy series, Dr. Clare Burtonall series
Author: Joan Aiken • Genre: Novels, Young Adult, Humor
Books: If I Were You, Arabel's Raven, Arabel & Mortimer, the Dido Twite series
Author: Roald Dahl • Genre: Young Adult, Humor
Books: The BFG, Matilda, Danny the Champion of the World, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach
Author: David Lubar • Genre: Young Adult, Humor
Books: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, Sophomores and Other Oxymorons, Hidden Talents
Author: Lloyd Alexander • Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books: The Prydain Chronicles, Time Cat, the Westmark trilogy, the Vesper Holly series
Author: Kenneth Grahame • Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books: The Wind in the Willows
Author: Beverly Cleary • Genre: Young Adult, Humor
Books: Socks, Ralph S. Mouse, The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Author: John Scalzi • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: Old Man's War, The Ghost Brigades
Author: W.A. Hoffman • Genre: Historical Fiction, Pirates
Books: The Brethren series
Author: Patrick O'Brien • Genre: Historical Fiction, Nautical
Books: The Master & Commander series
Author: C.S. Forester • Genre: Historical Fiction, Nautical
Books: The Hornblower series
Author: Eric Hiscock • Genre: Non-Fiction Sailing Adventure, Biography
Books: Around the World in Wanderer III
Author: Robert Heinlein • Genre: Science Fiction
Books: Stranger in a Strange Land, The Door Into Summer, Starship Troopers
Author: Robin McKinley • Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books: Sunshine, Beauty, Rose Daughter, the Damar series, Spindle's End, Chalice
Author: Colleen McCullough • Genre: Historical Fiction
Books: The First Man in Rome
Author: Alan Dean Foster • Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Books: The Flinx & Pip series, Commonwealth series (esp. Midworld), the Icerigger trilogy, Spellsinger, Star Wars, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Glory Lane, Cat-A-Lyst
Author: C.S. Lewis • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, Surprised by Joy (memoir)
Author: Ursula K. LeGuin • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Earthsea series, the Hainish Cycle
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien • Genre: Fantasy
Books: The Lord of the Rings trilogy