Kevin's Watch

I've read a couple of McKillip's books because my wife's a fan of hers, and I just read Erikson's "Gardens of the Moon" on Donaldson's gushing recommendation. I don't see what Donaldson sees in them. McKillip annoyed me by glossing over important events with way-too-subtle passages, and Erikson just didn't make me care about his characters.

I guess the fact that I'm a fan of SRD's doesn't mean that our tastes are similar. If I ever wrote a book, it certainly wouldn't be anything like his. But, it doesn't give me much hope that I'll like that Tim Powers book I requested from the library...

Has anyone found that they like the authors that SRD does?

I bought a book because SRD gave it a good reveiw
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5786

Thanks to Gart I'm just about to start the Third book...I think they're great!!

I've read most of Erikson's Malazan books, and I couldn't disagree more. But you're entitled to your opinion, so I won't argue the point (although I will mention in passing that Gardens is his weakest book...)

I've also read McKillip's Riddle-Master series, which I found enjoyable, but much lighter fantasy than I prefer.

I started reading Cherryh's books because of SRD recommendations; they are great!

SRD has mentioned that he also likes Sean Russell's stuff, though I found that out after I'd gotten into Russell myself.

It seems as if he's not that well-known as compared to other fantasy authors but I've read and enjoyed most of his stuff.

I just read Tim Powers' "Last Call," and I enjoyed it pretty well, especially since it took place in Las Vegas. I looked up in my street map, and the Venus avenue one of the characters lived on actually exists. I assumed he'd made that one up. The book made me want to visit the original Flamingo as well, which still existed when the book was written in '90, but apparently it got torn down a few years ago.

I don't know the names, since I haven't read the book myself, but my girlfriend recently bought a collection short stories by various authors selected by SRD. I may steal it and have a read.

That would probably be 'Strange Dreams' an anthology of 28 short stories selected by SRD.

Here's the listing, for those who are interested:



First time published: 1993, Bantam Spectra

The Aleph by Jorge Luís Borges (trans. by Norman Thomas di Giovanni)
Lady of the Skulls by Patricia A. McKillip
As Above, So Below by John M. Ford
Eumenides in the Fourth-Floor Lavatory by Orson Scott Card
Narrow Valley by R. A. Lafferty
The Dreamstone by C. J. Cherryh
The Storming of Annie Kinsale by Lucius Shepard
Green Magic by Jack Vance
The Mark of the Beast by Rudyard Kipling
The Big Dream by John Kessel
The House of Compassionate Sharers by Michael Bishop
The Fallen Country by Somtow Sucharitkul
Strata by Edward Bryant
And Now the News... by Theodore Sturgeon
The White Horse Child by Greg Bear
Prince Shadowbow by Sheri S. Tepper
The Girl Who Went to the Rich Neighborhood by Rachel Pollack
Consequences by Walter Jon Williams
The Stone Fey by Robin McKinley
Close of Night by Daphne Castell
Hogfoot Right and Bird-Hands by Garry Kilworth
Longtooth by Edgar Pangborn
My Rose and My Glove by Harvey Jacobs
With the Original Cast by Nancy Kress
In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka
Jeffty Is Five by Harlan Ellison
Air Raid by John Varley
The Dancer from the Dance by M. John Harrison

I find it pretty interesting that there's an OS Card story in there, given that SRD now says he refuses to read OCS's writing.

Well, that book was in the past. You did say he now refuses to read OSC's writing.

The House of Compassionate Sharers by Michael Bishop
With the Original Cast by Nancy Kress

I think both these stories in STRANGE DREAMS are wonderful. I went out and bought Kress's Probability trilogy on the strength of this one story.

Edge wrote:I find it pretty interesting that there's an OS Card story in there, given that SRD now says he refuses to read OCS's writing.

It's a pretty impressive story, if you like horror. It certainly falls under SRD's criterion of "unforgettable".

I don't know if these are Donaldson's favourite authors, but he likes David Drake, Michael A. Stackpole, Fred Saberhagen and David Gemmell.

"David Drake's work... is original, engrossing, and instantly credible. Quite Wonderful."

"Michael A. Stackpole is incapable of writing a book that isn't imaginative and intelligent."

"One of the best writers in the business."

"Has everything a fan of heroic fantasy could desire."

Erikson's Malazan books are among my favorite books of all. I hadn't even heard of them when this thread began, and didn't read them until at least a year of Lucimay going on and on about them.

Absolutely extraordinary stuff, imo.

NO ONE'S MENTIONED RICHARD WAGNER? Ok, he's a playwright, not an actor, but still...

Picking through the gradual interview unearths a huge list of writers Donaldson likes.

From April 14, 2004, a list of SRD's "favorite fiction from any genre."

With all due respect, I have to say that "top ten" lists are too subjective to be explained. And--at least for me--such things change constantly. So, without explanation, here's today's list in no particular order:
1) Faulkner's Snopes trilogy
2) Erikson's Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
3) Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"
4) Scott's Raj Quartet
5) Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"
6) McKillip's "Book of Atrix Wolfe"
7) Powers' "Last Call"
Meredith's "The Egoist"
9) James' "The Sacred Fount"
10) Cherryh's "Downbelow Station"

Not only is he a fan of Paul Scott (above list), he also cites Walter Scott as a major source of the language he uses. He's also a fan of China Mieville, and Mervyn Peake (who China Mieville seems to see as a major influence). He likes ER Eddison. I believe Donaldson has identified Mervyn peake . He's also named Ford Maddox Ford. Joseph Conrad and Dostoevsky are two of many authors he's named as having a strong influence on him.

Of the authors I've read that Donaldson has, I would say I'm a big fan of Erikson, Eddison, Peake, Conrad, Faulkner, Dostoevsky. In the case of Erikson, Eddison, and Peake I am indebted to Donaldson for the suggestions. I did not particularly care for Powers or Cherryh (I only read one book by each - Powers' Last Call and Cherryh's Down Below Station). Mieville I am somewhat in-between on. I have never even heard of Ford Maddox Ford. I will probably buy and try a McKillip book over winter break.

Of all his favorite authors, IMO Peake is the most unique and singular to me. I would consider reading him just because there isn't anything I can think of that's very similar. Probably sounds weird but that's just how I feel.

I dunno. I thought Erikson did a great job of investing my emotions in the bridgeburners and rallick and murillio's plot, at the very least.

Wagner wrote plays??? I thought they were "music dramas."

Librettos, please!

Nah, he did the whole shabang!!

Well, yes, but we were talking about writing plays, like, words on paper, or lines spoken. That part of it.

Quibbling to my heart's content.

All of Tim Powers stuff is....interesting.... but the only one I think is a classic is Anubis Gates.

As for Erikson, he has his moments and some amazing characters and situations, but I begrudge trawling through kilopages of fluff for a couple of chapters of quality.

*running*










(*sharpers and cussers buried in my wake*)

Holsety wrote:NO ONE'S MENTIONED RICHARD WAGNER? Ok, he's a playwright, not an actor, but still...

Wagner is awesome! I'm watching Die Walkure right now for the first time (I've heard it before but never seen a DVD of it until now), and it is amazing!

I checked out the Omnibus of the Riddle of the Stars by Patricia McKillip from my library last week. I"m about 150 pages into it, but so far, not really loving it. Her writing style is super; quite lyrical and descriptive, but the story does not have me hooked. I have not read Harry Potter books, but I would guess these are along the same lines depth-wise. Maybe I need to read some of her later stuff; these are from the mid-70's. I read in the GI that SRD said some great stuff about her and that she was his personal friend. So far I'm not dying to read a hundred pages a day of it.