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SFX's Top 100 SF&F Authors


Werthead

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[quote]93. Olaf Stapledon

No clue what this due wrote.[/quote]

:stunned:

Okay, I haven't read him, but I do know who he is and that [i]First and Last Men[/i] is regarded as one of the most important formative books of the genre.

[quote]66. Harry Harrison

Who?[/quote]

Seriously? American comic SF writer, best-known for the [b]Stainless Steel Rat[/b] series, has latterly written some absolutely godawful alternate history that makes Turtledove look like a skilled and canny author. I wouldn't have stuck him on the list at all, but he's pretty well-known.

[quote]30. Roger Zelazny

Needs to be pimped more often.

29. Anne McCaffrey

Needs to be pimped less often.[/quote]

:lol:

[quote]26. Guy Gavriel Kay

Surprisingly difficult for me to read, perhaps because it's so close to actual historical eras that I know that I want to correct him on some of his interpretations.[/quote]

Interesting. GGK doesn't write historical fiction, but works set in a parallel world that riffs off ours but is not bound by our history. I'm fairly up on some of the historical areas he looks at (El Cid and Alfred the Great) but I didn't really have an issue with his interpretations as he never pretended to be writing straight-up historical fiction.
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I admit the Kay remark was curious. What interpretations can Kay possibly have wrong regarding his own settings?

Perhaps it's on the level on the first time I tried [i]The Golden Key[/i] and bounced off of it, because I couldn't get into the pseudo-Spanish language which was just really distracting when, you know, I speak Spanish. Wasn't a problem the second time around, though. It was a bit of a knee-jerk sort of irrationality for me.
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That's it exactly, Ran. His interpretations of the "real" cultures upon which he based his artificial ones struck me as being distracting, odd, and rather shallow precisely because I knew so much of the time in question.

And Wert, I've never been much into comics and Golden Age SF. I came into all of this via cultural history :P
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[quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1407052' date='Jun 20 2008, 01.57']And Wert, I've never been much into comics and Golden Age SF. I came into all of this via cultural history :P[/quote]

That's 'comic' as in 'humorous'. Harrison is a writer of novels and short stories. As for the 'classics' of the genre, you should really take a look if only because they mostly predate the swamping of the genre with the epic fantasies you seem to find somewhat distracting. Actually, the best thing I like about the list is how it mixes the subgenres up a lot and it does have a lot of 'the classics' on there rather than being swamped with cookie-cutter cheesy space opera and epic fantasy writers.

I also did some digging by, erm, checking the front of the list and the total, combined number of votes including emails and snail mail entries for this poll was [b]three thousand[/b]. That's quite a lot (six times as many people who vote for the Hugos). Although the value of popular mass votes is debatable, it's an interesting snapshot of the public book-buying taste of UK SF&F authors and I find it quite encouraging on that score. Yeah, Gene Wolfe should be Top 5, but on the basis of it being a 'mass prole vote' him being in the Top 35 isn't too bad.
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I'm slowly exploring some of those authors, but I've found my tastes lately have been more towards "cross-genre" or non Anglo-American literary traditions, which makes for quite an eclectic mixture. Just received the new Rushdie and I have high hopes for that one, but I might want to read the other book in that package first, Adam Roberts' [i]The History of Science Fiction[/i].

As for comic/comics, my misunderstanding, although in many ways most "comic" SF novels don't seem to appeal to me that much.
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[quote name='Werthead' post='1407082' date='Jun 20 2008, 02.42']That's 'comic' as in 'humorous'.[/quote]

Although, of course, many of the [i]Stainless Steel Rat[/i] books were actually adapted into comic-strip form. :)
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I wonder if I can name more than a dozen that i have read from this list :stunned:

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
98. Sara Douglass
97. Charles Stross
96. Terry Goodkind
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
89. Jonathan Carroll
88. Scott Lynch
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
83. Theodore Sturgeon
82. J.V. Jones
81. Joe Abercrombie
80. Joe Haldeman
79. Simon Clark
78. George Orwell
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint
75. Julian May
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
73. Robert Silverberg
72. Susanna Clarke
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance
[b]66. Harry Harrison[/b]
65. Marion Zimmer Bradley
64. Richard Matheson
[b]63. Dan Simmons[/b]
62. Elizabeth Haydon
61. Terry Brooks
[b]60. Richard Morgan[/b]
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
57. Mercedes Lackey
56. CJ Cherryh
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. Mervyn Peake
[b]47. Jules Verne[/b]
46. Alastair Reynolds
45. Neal Stephenson
44. Clive Barker
43. Jim Butcher
[b]42. Tad Williams[/b]
41. Kurt Vonnegut
40. Trudi Canavan
39. Michael Moorcock
[b]38. David Eddings[/b]
37. Alan Moore
36. Orson Scott Card
[b]35. Stephen Donaldson[/b]
[b]34. Gene Wolfe[/b]
[b]33. China Mieville[/b]
[b]32. Raymond E. Feist[/b]
31. Lois McMaster Bujold
[b]30. Roger Zelazny[/b]
29. Anne McCaffrey
28. Steven Erikson
27. William Gibson
[b]26. Guy Gavriel Kay[/b]
25. CS Lewis
24. Diana Wynne Jones
23. John Wyndham
22. Philip Pullman
[b]21. Robin Hobb[/b]
[b]20. Stephen King[/b]
19. Ray Bradbury
18. Arthur C. Clarke
[b]17. Robert Jordan[/b]
[b]16. JK Rowling[/b]
[b]15. Robert Heinlein[/b]
[b]14. Frank Herbert[/b]
13. Peter F. Hamilton
[b]12. David Gemmell[/b]
[b]11. Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
[b]9. HG Wells[/b]
8. Philip K. Dick
7. Iain M. Banks
6. Isaac Asimov
5. George RR Martin
4. Douglas Adams
[b]3. Neil Gaiman[/b]
[b]2. JRR Tolkien[/b]
1. Terry Pratchett


WOW! Almosy two dozens! 23!
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It's really not necessary to reprint the entire freakin' list every time, people.

I've read 75 of those... but some of them I wouldn't read again. :P
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[quote name='Voyevoda Jan' post='1406893' date='Jun 19 2008, 23.24']Voice of Our Shadow is in the Gollancz Masterworks range. One of the most disturbing fantasy novels i've ever read.[/quote]

Thanks, I'll check it out in Forbidden Planet when I'm next in London :)
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100. James Herbert
99. [u]Gwyneth Jones[/u]
98. [b]Sara Douglass[/b]
97. [u]Charles Stross[/u]
96. [b]Terry Goodkind[/b]
95. [b]Brian W. Aldiss[/b]
94. Ken MacLeod
93. [u]Olaf Stapledon[/u]
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
89.[u] Jonathan Carroll[/u]
88. [u]Scott Lynch[/u]
87. [u]David Weber[/u]
86. M. John Harrison
85. [u]Jacqueline Carey[/u]
84. [b]Kim Stanley Robinson[/b]
83.[u] Theodore Sturgeon[/u]
82. [u]J.V. Jones[/u]
81. Joe Abercrombie
80. [u]Joe Haldeman[/u]
79. Simon Clark
78. [b]George Orwell[/b]
77. [b]Samuel R. Delaney[/b]
76. [u]Charles de Lint[/u]
75. [b]Julian May[/b]
74. [b]Edgar Rice Burroughs[/b]
73. [b]Robert Silverberg[/b]
72. [u]Susanna Clarke[/u]
71. [u]Stanislaw Lem[/u]
70. [b]Larry Niven[/b]
69. [u]Alfred Bester[/u]
68. Katherine Kerr
67. [u]Jack Vance[/u]
66.[b] Harry Harrison[/b]
65. [b]Marion Zimmer Bradley[/b]
64. Richard Matheson
63.[b] Dan Simmons[/b]
62.[u] Elizabeth Haydon[/u]
61. [b]Terry Brooks[/b]
60. [u]Richard Morgan[/u]
59. [u]Stephen Baxter[/u]
58. [u]Jennifer Fallon[/u]
57. [b]Mercedes Lackey[/b]
56.[b] CJ Cherryh[/b]
55. Harlan Ellison
54. [u]Jasper Fforde[/u]
53. [b]Octavia Butler[/b]
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. [b]Sherri S. Tepper[/b]
49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. [b]Mervyn Peake[/b]
47. [b]Jules Verne[/b]
46. [u]Alastair Reynolds[/u]
45. [u]Neal Stephenson[/u]
44. [b]Clive Barker[/b]
43. [u]Jim Butcher[/u]
42. [b]Tad Williams[/b]
41. Kurt Vonnegut
40. [u]Trudi Canavan[/u]
39. [b]Michael Moorcock[/b]
38. [b]David Eddings[/b]
37. Alan Moore
36. [b]Orson Scott Card[/b]
35. [b]Stephen Donaldson[/b]
34. [b]Gene Wolfe[/b]
33. [b]China Mieville[/b]
32. [b]Raymond E. Feist[/b]
31. [b]Lois McMaster Bujold[/b]
30. [b]Roger Zelazny[/b]
29. [b]Anne McCaffrey[/b]
28. [u]Steven Erikson[/u]
27. [u]William Gibson[/u]
26. [b]Guy Gavriel Kay[/b]
25. [b]CS Lewis[/b]
24. [b]Diana Wynne Jones[/b]
23. John Wyndham
22. Philip Pullman
21. [b]Robin Hobb[/b]
20. Stephen King
19. [b]Ray Bradbury[/b]
18. [i]Arthur C. Clarke[/i]
17. [b]Robert Jordan[/b]
16. [b]JK Rowling[/b]
15. [u]Robert Heinlein[/u]
14. [b]Frank Herbert[/b]
13. [u]Peter F. Hamilton[/u]
12. [b]David Gemmell[/b]
11. [b]Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
9. HG Wells
8. [b]Philip K. Dick[/b]
7. [u]Iain M. Banks[/u]
6. [b]Isaac Asimov[/b]
5. [b]George RR Martin[/b]
4. [b]Douglas Adams[/b]
3. [u]Neil Gaiman[/u]
2.[b] JRR Tolkien[/b]
1. [b]Terry Pratchett[/b]

The bolded ones are the ones I have read a book by. Arthur C. Clarke is in italics because I've never read a book by him, but have listened to one of his books on tape. I've read short stories or novellas that were part of collections by Kurt Vonnegut and Stephen King, but not a whole novel. The underlined authors are those I own books by that I haven't gotten around to reading yet, which shows I am a slow reader with not much time to read fiction, and that I'm a compulsive book buyer. :)

And the authors on the list that I don't recall ever having heard of are Robert Rankin, John Wyndham, Simon Clark, and Michael Marshall Smith.
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[quote name='Morba the Greek' post='1405590' date='Jun 19 2008, 05.11']Actually lots of people on these forums like Moorcock. There are one or two who don't and are vocal about it, but you should never mistake the presence of a couple of vocal nay-sayers for the general feeling of a forum. ;)[/quote]

Hehehe.

[quote name='Isis' post='1405717' date='Jun 19 2008, 08.28']I don't have any issues with Pratchett being so high anyway.[/quote]

I hadn't meant it as a criticism. I am a Pterry fan myself. His work simply has a very wide appeal, much more so than many other writers. I notice Neil Gaiman is also very high, I think for roughly the same reason. I never bought comics before (or since lol) Sandman and this is true of many Sandman fans that I know. Some writers just a have a cross-genre appeal. Even people who never buy comics bought Sandman and now even if they don't really read fantasy they still buy Gaiman books.

P.S. Gaiman and Pterry collaborated on a book, Good Omens, check it out if you like either or both of them. :)
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Just to show I fail utterly in reading more SF &F:

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
98. Sara Douglass
97. Charles Stross
[b]96. Terry Goodkind[/b] -- [s]wait, THIS MAN DOES NOT WRITE FANTASY[/s].
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
[b]90. Christopher Priest[/b]
89. Jonathan Carroll
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
[b]83. Theodore Sturgeon[/b]
82. J.V. Jones
[b]81. Joe Abercrombie[/b] -- Yay?
80. Joe Haldeman
79. Simon Clark
78. George Orwell
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint
75. Julian May
[b]74. Edgar Rice Burroughs[/b]
73. Robert Silverberg
[b]72. Susanna Clarke[/b]
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance
66. Harry Harrison
[b]65. Marion Zimmer Bradley[/b]
64. Richard Matheson
[b]63. Dan Simmons[/b]
62. Elizabeth Haydon
[b]61. Terry Brooks[/b]
60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
57. Mercedes Lackey
56. CJ Cherryh
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
[b]49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. Mervyn Peake
47. Jules Verne[/b]
46. Alastair Reynolds
45. Neal Stephenson
[b]44. Clive Barker[/b]
43. Jim Butcher
42. Tad Williams
41. Kurt Vonnegut
40. Trudi Canavan
39. Michael Moorcock
[b]38. David Eddings
37. Alan Moore[/b]
36. Orson Scott Card
35. Stephen Donaldson
34. Gene Wolfe
33. China Mieville
32. Raymond E. Feist
[b]31. Lois McMaster Bujold[/b]
30. Roger Zelazny
29. Anne McCaffrey
28. Steven Erikson
27. William Gibson
26. Guy Gavriel Kay
[b]25. CS Lewis[/b]
24. Diana Wynne Jones
23. John Wyndham
22. Philip Pullman
21. Robin Hobb
[b]20. Stephen King[/b]
19. Ray Bradbury
18. Arthur C. Clarke
[b]17. Robert Jordan
16. JK Rowling[/b]
15. Robert Heinlein
[b]14. Frank Herbert[/b]
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
11. Ursula K. LeGuin
10. Robert Rankin
9. HG Wells
8. Philip K. Dick
7. Iain M. Banks
6. Isaac Asimov
[b]5. George RR Martin[/b]
4. Douglas Adams
[b]3. Neil Gaiman[/b]
2. JRR Tolkien (I know, I'm a heretic)
[b]1. Terry Pratchett[/b] (a few chapters on one book)
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I think Mormont's right, we need to find a way of listing this thing so people don't have to repeat all 100 books every other post. And yeah, I know I started it :)
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I figured, to make this interesting, I'd pare the list down to only those authors I'd even heard of. The bolded ones are those I've actually read.

98. Sara Douglass
97. Charles Stross
[b]96. Terry Goodkind[/b]
90. Christopher Priest
89. Jonathan Carroll
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
[b]87. David Weber[/b]
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
[b]82. J.V. Jones[/b]
[b]81. Joe Abercrombie[/b]
78. George Orwell
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint
75. Julian May
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
[b]73. Robert Silverberg[/b]
72. Susanna Clarke
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
[b]67. Jack Vance[/b]
66. Harry Harrison (Didn't recognize this guy til Wert pointed out he wrote Stainless Steel Rat)
65. Marion Zimmer Bradley
63. Dan Simmons
[b]61. Terry Brooks[/b]
60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter
[b]57. Mercedes Lackey[/b]
[b]56. CJ Cherryh[/b]
55. Harlan Ellison
51. Robert E. Howard
49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. Mervyn Peake
[b]47. Jules Verne[/b]
45. Neal Stephenson
44. Clive Barker
[b]42. Tad Williams[/b]
41. Kurt Vonnegut
[b]39. Michael Moorcock[/b]
[b]38. David Eddings[/b]
[b]37. Alan Moore[/b]
[b]36. Orson Scott Card[/b]
[b]35. Stephen Donaldson[/b]
[b]34. Gene Wolfe[/b]
[b]33. China Mieville[/b]
[b]32. Raymond E. Feist[/b]
30. Roger Zelazny
[b]29. Anne McCaffrey[/b]
[b]28. Steven Erikson[/b]
27. William Gibson
26. Guy Gavriel Kay
[b]25. CS Lewis[/b]
24. Diana Wynne Jones
[b]23. John Wyndham[/b]
[b]22. Philip Pullman[/b]
[b]21. Robin Hobb[/b]
[b]20. Stephen King[/b]
[b]19. Ray Bradbury[/b]
[b]18. Arthur C. Clarke[/b]
[b]17. Robert Jordan[/b]
[b]16. JK Rowling[/b]
[b]15. Robert Heinlein[/b]
[b]14. Frank Herbert[/b]
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
[b]11. Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
[b]9. HG Wells[/b]
8. Philip K. Dick
7. Iain M. Banks
[b]6. Isaac Asimov[/b]
[b]5. George RR Martin[/b]
[b]4. Douglas Adams[/b]
3. Neil Gaiman
[b]2. JRR Tolkien[/b]
[b]1. Terry Pratchett[/b]
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Are we gonna do the whole list thing each time? I've read most of them. If by reading you mean both actual reading as well as "scanning a few pages and then dropping the book, never to be picked up again."
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[quote]And the authors on the list that I don't recall ever having heard of are Robert Rankin, John Wyndham, Simon Clark, and Michael Marshall Smith.[/quote]

For Michael Marshall Smith, check out [i]Only Forward[/i].

Fantastic book, if you like them fast-paced, bizarre, and twisty. It's a first novel, so it's a little rough around the edges, but I was too engrossed to notice on the first reading.

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
[b]98. Sara Douglass[/b] (Once. Never again.)
97. Charles Stross
96. Terry Goodkind
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
[b]92. Michael Marshall Smith[/b]
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
89. Jonathan Carroll
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
[b]85. Jacqueline Carey[/b]
[b]84. Kim Stanley Robinson[/b]
83. Theodore Sturgeon
[b]82. J.V. Jones[/b]
81. Joe Abercrombie
[b]80. Joe Haldeman[/b]
79. Simon Clark
[b]78. George Orwell[/b]
[b]77. Samuel R. Delaney[/b]
[b]76. Charles de Lint[/b]
75. Julian May
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
[b]73. Robert Silverberg[/b]
[b]72. Susanna Clarke[/b]
[b]71. Stanislaw Lem[/b]
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance
66. Harry Harrison
[b]65. Marion Zimmer Bradley[/b]
64. Richard Matheson
63. Dan Simmons
[b]62. Elizabeth Haydon[/b] (Embarrassed as I am to admit it, I read the whole first trilogy at an age when I was really old enough to know better.)
[b]61. Terry Brooks[/b]
60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
[b]57. Mercedes Lackey[/b]
[b]56. CJ Cherryh[/b]
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
[b]53. Octavia Butler[/b]
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
[b]50. Sherri S. Tepper[/b]
49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. Mervyn Peake
47. Jules Verne
46. Alastair Reynolds
[b]45. Neal Stephenson[/b]
44. Clive Barker
[b]43. Jim Butcher[/b]
[b]42. Tad Williams[/b]
[b]41. Kurt Vonnegut[/b]
40. Trudi Canavan
[b]39. Michael Moorcock[/b] (If getting halfway through the first Elric book counts.)
[b]38. David Eddings[/b]
37. Alan Moore
[b]36. Orson Scott Card[/b]
35. Stephen Donaldson
[b]34. Gene Wolfe[/b] (If getting halfway through [i]Shadow of the Torturer[/i] counts.)
[b]33. China Mieville[/b] (If getting halfway through. . .look, let's just accept I'm an easily distracted reader. I'll go back to it. Some day.)
[b]32. Raymond E. Feist[/b] (I think I only got six pages into his first book, but what the heck.)
[b]31. Lois McMaster Bujold[/b]
[b]30. Roger Zelazny[/b]
[b]29. Anne McCaffrey[/b]
28. Steven Erikson
[b]27. William Gibson[/b]
[b]26. Guy Gavriel Kay[/b]
[b]25. CS Lewis[/b]
[b]24. Diana Wynne Jones[/b]
23. John Wyndham
[b]22. Philip Pullman[/b]
[b]21. Robin Hobb[/b]
20. Stephen King
[b]19. Ray Bradbury[/b]
[b]18. Arthur C. Clarke[/b]
[b]17. Robert Jordan[/b]
[b]16. JK Rowling[/b]
[b]15. Robert Heinlein[/b]
14. Frank Herbert
13. Peter F. Hamilton
[b]12. David Gemmell[/b] (Another "I gave up a chapter in" one.)
[b]11. Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
9. HG Wells
[b]8. Philip K. Dick[/b]
[b]7. Iain M. Banks[/b]
[b]6. Isaac Asimov[/b]
[b]5. George RR Martin[/b]
[b]4. Douglas Adams[/b]
[b]3. Neil Gaiman[/b]
[b]2. JRR Tolkien[/b]
[b]1. Terry Pratchett[/b]

54. Conclusion: I read a lot more than I think I do.
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I've only read 24. Of those, the choices I unequivocally agree with in rough order of preference:

Wolfe
Donaldson
Peake
Gaiman
Moorcock
Moore
Martin
Erikson
Tolkien
Mieville
Delany

And one more list of authors on the list I'd most like to get to eventually:

Zelazny
Vance
Carroll
Kay
Harrison

I won't bother with my "hell no - merely good" range.
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I'm just listing those I haven't read

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
98. Sara Douglass
95. Brian W. Aldiss
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
89. Jonathan Carroll
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
83. Theodore Sturgeon
80. Joe Haldeman
79. Simon Clark
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint
75. Julian May
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
66. Harry Harrison
65. Marion Zimmer Bradley
64. Richard Matheson
62. Elizabeth Haydon
58. Jennifer Fallon
57. Mercedes Lackey
55. Harlan Ellison
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
44. Clive Barker
43. Jim Butcher
40. Trudi Canavan
38. David Eddings
37. Alan Moore
35. Stephen Donaldson
31. Lois McMaster Bujold
27. William Gibson
23. John Wyndham
13. Peter F. Hamilton
11. Ursula K. LeGuin
10. Robert Rankin

So 45 I haven't read, more than I thought, but the latter half is overrepresented.

Of those I have read there are some I'm more embarrassed about than others, like #81.
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100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
98. Sara Douglass
97. Charles Stross
96. [b]Terry Goodkind[/b]
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
89. Jonathan Carroll
88. [b]Scott Lynch[/b]
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
83. Theodore Sturgeon
82. J.V. Jones
81. Joe Abercrombie
80. Joe Haldeman
79. Simon Clark
78. [b]George Orwell[/b]
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. [b]Charles de Lint[/b]
75. Julian May
74. [b]Edgar Rice Burroughs[/b]
73. [b]Robert Silverberg[/b]
72. [b]Susanna Clarke[/b]
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. [b]Larry Niven[/b]
69. [b]Alfred Bester[/b]
68. [b]Katherine Kerr[/b]
67. [b]Jack Vance[/b]
66. Harry Harrison
65. [b]Marion Zimmer Bradley[/b]
64. [b]Richard Matheson[/b]
63. Dan Simmons
62. Elizabeth Haydon
61. [b]Terry Brooks[/b]
60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
57. Mercedes Lackey
56. CJ Cherryh
55.[b] Harlan Ellison[/b]
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
49. [b]H.P. Lovecraft[/b]
48. [b]Mervyn Peake[/b]
47. [b]Jules Verne[/b]
46. Alastair Reynolds
45. [b]Neal Stephenson[/b]
44. Clive Barker
43. Jim Butcher
42. [b]Tad Williams[/b]
41. [b]Kurt Vonnegut[/b]
40. Trudi Canavan
39. [b]Michael Moorcock[/b]
38. [b]David Eddings[/b]
37. [b]Alan Moore[/b]
36. [b]Orson Scott Card[/b]
35. [b]Stephen Donaldson[/b]
34. [b]Gene Wolfe[/b]
33. China Mieville
32. [b]Raymond E. Feist[/b]
31. Lois McMaster Bujold
30. [b]Roger Zelazny[/b]
29. [b]Anne McCaffrey[/b]
28. Steven Erikson
27. William Gibson
26. [b]Guy Gavriel Kay[/b]
25. [b]CS Lewis[/b]
24. [b]Diana Wynne Jones[/b]
23. John Wyndham
22. [b]Philip Pullman[/b]
21. [b]Robin Hobb[/b]
20. [b]Stephen King[/b]
19. [b]Ray Bradbury[/b]
18. [b]Arthur C. Clarke[/b]
17. [b]Robert Jordan[/b]
16. [b]JK Rowling[/b]
15. [b]Robert Heinlein[/b]
14. [b]Frank Herbert[/b]
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
11. [b]Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
9. [b]HG Wells[/b]
8. [b]Philip K. Dick[/b]
7. Iain M. Banks
6. Isaac Asimov
5. [b]George RR Martin[/b]
4. [b]Douglas Adams[/b]
3. [b]Neil Gaiman[/b]
2. [b]JRR Tolkien[/b]
1. [b]Terry Pratchett[/b]

Hmmm, I got about 50 of them under my belt, though some through novellas and short stories, and I could only get halfway through Goodkind's first book.

I was very pleased to read the top 5. Aside from Douglass, those are my four favorite authors! (#5 spot would have to go to either King, LeGuin, or Lewis, depending on my mood)
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These are the ones I haven't read at least one book by:

[b]99. Gwyneth Jones
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood[/b]
90. Christopher Priest (saw the movie)
[b]89. Jonathan Carroll[/b]
85. Jacqueline Carey
[b]79. Simon Clark[/b]
76. Charles de Lint
62. Elizabeth Haydon
[b]58. Jennifer Fallon[/b]
53. Octavia Butler
50. Sherri S. Tepper
40. Trudi Canavan
[b]10. Robert Rankin[/b]

The bolded authors are the ones I've never heard of or know nothing beyond their names.
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