Abercrombie/Lynch/Rothfuss/Abraham/Ruckley

[Icylin]

1) Abercrombie

2) Ruckley

small gap

3) Rothfuss

gap

4) Lynch

5) Abraham

The enjoyment level on the books while reading were almost the same for all of them, but I rate them on how much I'm looking forward to their next books.

Already counting the days/ weeks for the release of Last argument of kings and Bloodheir.

I will probably pick up Rothfuss next one when it comes out since I think it will be great and I am somewhat curious on what is going to happen.

Lynch and Abraham have both released their second books some time ago, and I have still not picked them up. Both Lies and shadow were quite nice and entertaining while it lasted but it didn't leave an impact. I don't feel the need to find out what will happen to the characters in the next book. Will read them if I find them in the library, on sale or if I run out of other books to read.

[Myshkin]

1) Abercrombie

2) Lynch

3) Rothfuss

4) Ruckley

5) Abraham

All are very much worth reading imo.

[Werthead]

Joe's head is going to get even bigger when he reads this thread. What have we all done? What have we done!!?

God, you really love to shove that in my face, don't you?

Sorry

[beniowa]

I hate to compare books and authors, but pressed I'd choose,

1. Abercrombie

2. Lynch

3. Abraham

4. Ruckley

5. Rothfuss

Abercrombie and Lynch and are my clear favorites (I'm really looking forward to Last Argument of Kings). The last three all seem pretty close to me, though each have different styles and different strengths and weaknesses.

Joe's head is going to get even bigger when he reads this thread. What have we all done? What have we done!!?

Made him a god?

:bow: Abercrombie

[Candre]

1. Abercrombie

His books are even sold in Germany, despite him being a good author. He surely has to be a genius.

2. Lynch/Abraham

gap

4. Ruckley

5. Rothfuss

Now don´t get me wrong I will most certainly buy his next book. I think there were some major flaws in his debut novel though. The pacing, the whole "I am poor" stressing again and again, the dracus scene, the similarities to HP. Still I read the book in two days, so it was very enjoyable.

[Xray the Enforcer]

Having finally read all of these authors, I'd have to say that to date, Abraham in the writings of his that I've read shows the most range of storytelling modes - collaborative, short story, and of course a full novel in a series. I think he has quite a bit of potential in creating interesting characters, and his Jonathan Hive character in the about-to-be-released Wild Cards: Inside Straight shows quite a bit of character development.

I'd agree with this. Of all the choices, I inherently like Abraham the best, because he explicitly doesn't mine the same area as the other four, plus he's tried (and mostly succeeded) to do the most with the tools he's given himself. Lynch and Abercrombie win for chutzpah and dialogue.

[CryHavoc]

1. Abercrombie

2. Abraham

3. Lynch

I haven't read either Rothfuss or Ruckley, so they're not on here. I really enjoy the works of all three authors, and there isn't much space between them. Abercrombie was the easiest to place for me; though The Blade Itself started a little slow, it turned out wonderful. I enjoy both Lynch's and Abraham's writing pretty much equally, so the thing that separates them (for me, at least) is that TLOLL and RSURS, while they were wonderful books, weren't really the kind that make you think very much when you're done with them. They were great books, but when they were done, they were done. I think Abraham's stick around with you a little longer, and that's why I gave him 2nd.

[williamjm]

I'd say that out of Lynch and Abercrombie, I thought the first Lynch book was better than the first Abercrombie book, but then the second Abercrombie book was better than the second Lynch book. Therefore I'll wait until the third books are released before deciding which author is better.

It's difficult to rate Abraham compared to the other two because I've only read Hunter's Run by him, and although I did think it was good, I don't know how much of that is due to Abraham or to his co-authors. I've not read Rothfuss or Ruckley yet.

[RedEyedGhost]

My order would be:

1a. Abercrombie

1b. Lynch

3. Abraham (almost 1c.)

4. Rothfuss

I haven't read Ruckley, yet.

I liked tLoLL better than tBI, but I liked BTaH better than RSURS so that why Joe gets the nod over Scott.

Abraham would have been right there as well, if there was a little more action in his books. His writing, story, and prose are all fantastic, but a few more blood pressure raising moments would have been appreciated. I imagine we'll get those in An Autumn War though.

I'll get to Ruckley eventually, but I'm a bit burned out on Epic-fantasy at the moment.

[The Wolf Maid]

1. Abercrombie

2. Lynch

3. Ruckley

4. Rothfuss -- I'm sorry, but Name of the Wind just bored the Hell out of me.

(I haven't read any of Abraham's)

[Decius]

1. Lynch

2. Abercrombie (not far behind, I'd say Before They Are Hanged was even a bit better than Red Seas Under Red Skies)

3. Ruckley

4. Rothfuss (very entertaining, but some very visible flaws)

haven't read Abraham yet.

[Thrashalla]

I haven't read Rothfuss or Abraham yet, but here's the ranking thus far:

1) Abercrombie

2) Ruckley

3) Lynch

No contest win for Abercrombie despite me enjoying the others quite a bit.

Lynch and Ruckley are pretty close in the running, but at the end of the day Winterbirth stuck with me more than Lies of Locke Lamora (LoLL was more "fun", but I thought Winterbirth was the better story and I like Ruckley's prose better) and I was pretty disappointed with Red Seas Under Red Skies, so we shall see how things stand when Ruckley's next one is released.

[The Iceman of the North]

OK, I did a sum up giving points based on how many authors each ranked. If they ranked all 5, the top ranked get 5 points, the bottom 1. With 4 ranked, the top get 4 points, etc. For those that are ranked the same, I have split the points (so if two authors share the top spot among 5, they get 4.5 each).

After 31 entries we then have this list.

1) Abercrombie 115 p

2) Lynch 90.5 p

3) Abraham 53 p (not ranked by 9)

4) Rothfuss 44.5 p (not ranked by 7)

5) Ruckley 44 p (not ranked by 9)

[MinDonner]

1) Abercrombie (just edging ahead of Lynch by the awesomeness of LAoK)

2) Lynch

3) Ruckley

4) Rothfuss (knocked into last place by the boring Draccus sequence).

Haven't read any Abraham.

[needle]

1. Abraham ( by a mile)

2. Lynch

3. Rothfuss

4. Abercrombie

Haven't read Ruckley - looked like another generic fantasy, didn't appeal.

[zollo]

I have only started Abraham a little while ago, so I can not comment on his work just yet. I have not read Rothfuss.

1. Abercrombie

2. -

3. Ruckley (not a grand debut, but promise)

4. Lynch (couldn't get through LoLL, maybe a 2nd attempt will do the trick)

[oneeye]

1)Abercrombie

2)Lynch

10)Ruckley

[john]

Lynch - Very TV-Land, vividly cartoonish. This is a good thing.

Abercrombie - Nicely knowing. Subverted clichés are still clichés though.

Rothfuss - Quite gripping. Really silly in retrospect, but a page-turner in epic fantasy is not to be sniffed at.

Abraham - Very well written but i don't care about any of the characters.

Ruckley - Good, workmanlike fantasy but maybe not inventive enough.

I won't buy any more Ruckley. I'll still happily read it, given the chance. I will buy the rest of the others current series, although that’s obviously subject to change for Lynch despite the fact I rated him highest.

[abattawolf]

All the authors listed are a credit to the fantasy market. It is great time to be fantasy reader will all the young talent in the industry.

1. Abercrombie -- Based on the Blade Itself. I can't wait until Before They are Hanged is released in the US. With the advanced praise that LAoK is getting on the board, I think I will be ordering that overseas.

2. Lynch -- Lies of Locke Lamora was brilliant. Red Seas Under Red Skies was not as strong, however it still was a enjoyable read.

3. Rothfuss -- Toss up between Name of the Wind and Winterbrith. I went with the Name of the Wind because I enjoyed the characters a bit more.

4. Ruckley -- Very solid debut. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Have not read Abraham yet.

[gyrehead]

1.Abraham

2.Rothfuss

3.Ruckley

Lynch doesn't make the list and Abercrombie is so generically Dragonlance bad that I feel I am insulting the rest of them even mentioning his name in the same group.

My rounded out list of five of high fantasy new authors would be:

4.Sarah Micklem -- following the one book out and more on the way, she packs a punch that puts her on par with Ruckley if not Rothfuss. Of course as she has a vagina she probably scares every readeer whose testicles haven't quite descended yet and still hit falsetto when startled.

5.Lane Robins. dOes what Abercrombie and Lynch like to think they do. Actually create a character whose is morally ambiguous at best and severely flawed in a way that is interesting and compelling and at time sjust plain fun.