Which fantasy writer do you think has the best prose?

[maarsen]

I sometimes have mixed feelings about some of M. John Harrison's storytelling (I liked some of the Viriconium stories a lot but others I didn't understand at all) but his prose is excellent.

I really like Roger Zelazny's prose as well, particularly in Creatures of Light and Darkness even if it isn't the most coherent of stories.

I think Kay probably has the best prose of the modern Epic Fantasy authors.

Roger Zelazny could outwrite anyone when he was on his game. I still think A Rose For Ecclesiastes is his best work. Lord Of Light is still a novel that makes me shiver with delight when I remember parts of it. Glad to see that he is not forgotten.

[Stanczyk]

Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ellen Kushner, Jane Yolen, Nalo Hopkinson, Charles de Lint, and Guy Gavriel Kay about covers it.

I find Valente goes way too purple for my tastes. Jared from Pornokitsch described her writing this way: "like being beaten to death with an arrangement of dried flowers. Or slow-roasted over an incense bonfire." Total agreement, there.

[Darth Richard]

Well, not to be harsh, but I've always been of the opinion that MJ Harrison sucks donkey dicks.

[wolverine]

Roger Zelazny could outwrite anyone when he was on his game. I still thinks A Rose For Ecclesiastes is his best work. Lord Of Light is still a novel that makes me shiver with delight when I remember parts of it. Glad to see that he is not forgotten.

I just read that on the computer the other day for the first time and I thought it was brilliant. I am not normally much of a short story guy.

I actually really like Bakker's prose. I also am impressed by how much Jack Vance could say in so few words.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Not a single mention of Clark Ashton Smith? You heathens. :P Read the likes of Necromancy in Naat: http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/151

Anyway, my other votes would be Wolfe, Peake, and McKillip. Tolkien has his moments in The Silmarillion.

Martin's prose is better in his short-stories. In ASOIAF it's serviceable, though it has fallen away in the last two novels, and becomes embarrassing at points.

[Essan]

Terry Pratchett - knocks spots off all the rest ;)

[Captain Sheepf*cker]

Well, not to be harsh, but I've always been of the opinion that MJ Harrison sucks donkey dicks.

That's not being too harsh, donkeys are majestic and well-endowed. It's an honor really. Harsh would have been chicken dicks or squirrel schlongs. Or handjobs to gofers. That's just downright slutty.

[Datepalm]

I do think GRRM does go overboard with his descriptions sometimes. I tend to skim some of the lists. I don't like having to sift through the 20 people standing in a room to pick out the important one (that's what this board is for ;) ).

I quite like his lists - he can set a good sense of worldbuilding and atmosphere with a recitation of flags or meals or outfits (lots of authors really have kind of a tin eye for that. Take Jordan or Cecilia Dart-Thronton, who are also big on describing what everyone is wearing or eating but it just ends up feeling mundane.)

I too find Kay and Valente on the purplish side, thought when Valente is restraining herself just a little I think the results can be spectacular. (Deathless vs. The Orphan Tales.) Agreed with Peake and Zelazny. Rothfuss I miss the love for entirely.

[thecryptile]

+1 for Gene Wolfe

[Stanczyk]

Not a single mention of Clark Ashton Smith? You heathens. :P

Can't believe I forgot Clark Ashton Smith. He was one of the few writers who could do purple prose well. Ditto Lord Dunsany.

[Arya kiddin']

+1 for Gene Wolfe

+2 :)

[Gigei]

Roger Zelazny

Ursula Le Guin

Daniel Abraham

I'm trying to think of anyone else. Mostly, I think sf had the best authors. GRRM was (and hopefully still is) an sf writer. Gene Wolfe has a lot of good stuff but what I liked are all sf.

Kay is kinda not my favorite since there are a lot of "tricks" or gimmicks that he uses which I think are too much. I mentioned it in this thread http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/16827-march-reading-thread/page__st__20__p__687105&#entry687105

[David Selig]

Roger Zelazny

Ursula Le Guin

Daniel Abraham

I'm trying to think of anyone else. Mostly, I think sf had the best authors. GRRM was (and hopefully still is) an sf writer. Gene Wolfe has a lot of good stuff but what I liked are all sf.

How is Le Guin fantasy but Martin sf?

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

I'm by no means an expert in the Fantasy genre, but I think that Patrick Rothfuss and Robin Hobb have an artistry to their work.

[Suttree]

Always have thought Bakker's prose holds up very well. Also haven't seen anyone mention John Crowley.

[NogrodtheGreat]

Bakker's prose is usually pretty polished. I find it very "baroque" - heavily ornamented almost to the point of absurdity in places, but I think it dovetails nicely with his "baroque" world. Ursula le Guin is probably the most 'literary' prose stylist writing in the fantasy genre that I've encountered, although I think Tolkien is also very skillful in several different registers, from the children's Hobbit, the multpile registers of the Lord of the Rings to the sparse and minimalist Children of Hurin.

[buff daddy]

Out of modern fantasy authors, I think Bakker has the best prose. He has an interesting, distinctive style that doesn't get too dense or convuluted and his plot/story doesn't suffer at the expense of it either.

[Wilbur]

For clean, direct prose, I would nominate C. S. Lewis.

For elevated prose language, Jack Vance.

For descriptive tone, Roger Zelazny.

[sologdin]

"eye of argon" for the win:

"From where do you come barbarian, and by what are you called?" Gasped the complying wench, as Grignr smothered her lips with the blazing touch of his flaming mouth.

The engrossed titan ignored the queries of the inquisitive female, pulling her towards him and crushing her sagging nipples to his yearning chest. Without struggle she gave in, winding her soft arms around the harshly bronzedhide of Grignr corded shoulder blades, as his calloused hands caressed her firm protruding busts.

"You make love well wench," Admitted Grignr as he reached for the vessel of potent wine his charge had been quaffing.

[Gigei]

How is Le Guin fantasy but Martin sf?

Ah, I just worded it wrong.

GRRM's best work is his sf. He only has one fantasy work that I know of which at this time is unfinished. I am also unhappy at his most recent fantasy output so when I think of the "best fantasy writers" list, his name gets passed over. Good sf; fantasy not so good.

If this thread had been in 2001 I would of said GRRM since I thought (yes, past tense) he was a damned good fantasy writer but at this time, no.