Tuesday 21 April 2015

Top Ten All Time Favourite Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by the wonderful folks over at The Broke & the Bookish

This week is a tough one. Like really crazy tough, because there are so many authors that are favourites. Those who have written incredible series and bring out book after book of wonderfulness, and those who have written a single standalone that stays with you. And there are some who maybe their books aren't in your top favourites, but they are such wonderful kind and fabulous people that they sneak in anyway. They all deserve recognition and that makes it incredibly hard to narrow it down to just ten.
But I'm going to try... So here, in no particular order are my top ten all time favourite authors.

Deanna Raybourn
I finished reading a Gail Carriger book and went on Amazon to see if they could recommend me anything similar and 'Silent in the Grave' the first book in the Lady Julia series popped up. I devoured it (and the following two books) in record time and so began a love affair with Deanna Raybourn's books that I have never looked back from. I know that if Raybourn has written it, it is going to be supberb. She has the rare and dangerous gift of being able to create wonderfully real characters and put them into worlds so real you can almost taste them. When I dive into one of her books I know I am going to be immersed in an incredible story with wonderful and evocative writing. She researches so thoroughly that every story feels as though it is real and as though you are truly stepping into the country and time period depicted. No matter the story, Raybourn's books will always be a favourite and her a favourite author.


Maggie Stiefvater
I came to Maggie late, discovering her only with the publication of 'The Scorpio Races'. Nothing I have read comes close to what Maggie does with her tales. They are full of subtle magics, incredible characters and books that pull you in and make you fall in love until they become a part of you. 'The Scorpio Races' and then 'The Raven Cycle' are utterly stunning books, ones that always take my breath away. I am utterly in awe and cannot even put into words how incredible these books and Maggie's writing is. I adore them, and I couldn't ever do without them.

Kristin Cashore
The first time I read Graceling I disliked it. Then I waited a few years and read it again and fell in love, followed swiftly by Fire and Bitterblue and all three rocketed straight up into all time favourite books. For some reason reading Graceling for the first time I was in completely the wrong frame of mind, and I am so, so glad that I went back and re-read it because I cannot imagine not having these three books in my life. I listen to the audiobooks regularly (currently my go-to audiobook is Fire) and also go and check out Kristin's blog. Her blog is a fascinating mix of writing and editing and random things and pretty pictures and I love hearing each update from her corner of the world. I'm eagerly awaiting her follow up book to The Seven Kingdoms series, but in the mean time I more than love checking out the blog posts and re-reading these favourites.
Sarah Rees Brennan
I first found Sarah's work when she was writing Harry Potter fan-fiction. And it was brilliant. It was witty and sarcastic and brilliant and fleshed out characters in whole new ways and introduced me to this idea that writing could be fun. Then she went to do an MA in Creative Writing and I couldn't believe it. The idea of studying writing at uni had never crossed my mind before that point and she introduced me to the idea that maybe I could write. And then she got her books published and she blew me away all over again with how incredibly wonderful her writing was. It was everything I had fallen in love with all those years ago when I read her fan fic, but polished, refined and with her own incredible characters and plots. Her writing is incredible, it remains some of the funniest and most bittersweet and her characters are some of the most complex. But as well as all that she will always be the person who showed me that achieving my dream of writing was actually possible, and I will always remember that.


Tamora PierceI first discovered Pierce's books when I was 11 and desperately seeking any sort of distraction from the books in the school library. None of them were particularly great and then I discovered Alanna in The Song of the Lioness Quartet and I fell in love. Pierce's books always have magic in them and they always feature fantastic characters. Strong women who aren't afraid to fight for what they want and be who they were meant to be, regardless of what society thinks they should do. And strong men who are loyal and kind and aren't afraid to show weakness, frailty, or love. I got lost in these books, I wished I could live in these books, and I still love going back and re-reading them to this day. They are wonderful and full of such brilliant depths of imagination and that is what makes her one of my favourite authors.



J. K. Rowling
Do I really need to say anything? Like pretty much every other Potter fan, I fell in love with Harry and Ron and Hermione and never looked back. Rowling created a world I wanted to live in, Hogwarts is somewhere I can never wait to return to, and I was one of the lucky generation who grew up with Harry. With each new book I was older, so was he, and the world got darker and more dangerous as we explored it. Rowling did the extrordinary, she created a world that bridges language and country. Everyone who has fallen in love with Hogwarts is connected by these books and the love of reading they inspired, and I adore her for that.

Neil Gaiman
If Tamora Pierce introduced me to fantasy as a child, Neil Gaiman introduced
me to a whole new breed of fantasty as an adult. Gaiman's books are incredible with such vivid and terrifying imagination filling each page. I started with Neverwhere and fell in love with London, moved on to Stardust and found a whole new type of fairytale with heroines who swore and hero's who weren't really hero's at all to start with, and moved onto American Gods and wept from the sheer brilliance and scope of the story. Gaiman's stories in turn delight and terrify and he is such a kind and generous author, both with his stories and his time. If you ever get the chance to go to a talk of his, I highly recommend it.
Julia Quinn
Quinn introduced me to the idea of romance and true love. I mean I'd discovered it in fairytales and other such things, but this was my first foray into true romance and I loved it. Quinn's stories are always fresh and funny, brilliantly written and featuring wonderful characters. She reminds me again and again that happily ever after's are indeed possible and that true love really does exist, even when the world is a terrible place I know that Quinn will provide a ray of sunshine and I love her and her books for that.

Jasper Fforde
I was a precocious reader as a child, and as a result I found a lot of books and authors that I didn't fully appreciate until revisiting them when I was a bit older. Jasper Fforde is one of those authors, and whilst I loved him when I was younger, his books are utterly fantastic reading them as an adult. They are brilliantly imaginative, twisted and hilarious. His debut novel 'The Eyre Affair' plays with tropes and expectations so brilliantly, and I adore his haphazard and genius thought process that produces such ingenious books.
Gail Carriger
My first dip into steampunk, Gail's covers grabbed my attention and her witty and sharp writing kept me entertained for hours. She is still my favourite steampunk author and if I want a melodrama of manners with tea, pesto, vampires and werewolves she is my go to author I love - and she has the most awesome blog and twitter presence. There's always something new and exciting to see if you go on her blog or follow her and I love seeing the strange, weird and wonderful things that pop up. 

So there you have my top ten favourite authors. Can you manage to pick only ten of your favourites? If so tell me in the comments below! You can also check out interviews with Deanna Raybourn, Sarah Rees Brennan & Gail Carriger in the author interviews tab at the top of the page.

30 comments:

  1. Great list! I still need to read something by Gail Carriger and Jasper Fforde - I've heard wonderful things about their books. :)

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    1. They're both fab! I recommend starting at the beginning with both of them 'The Eyre Affair' for Fforde and 'Soulless' for Carriger. Such good books!

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  2. I actually haven't read any of your authors besides JK Rowling - Will definitely have to check them out!

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    1. They have a whole host of really amazing books between them! Would love to know who you read and what you think! Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I am a budding fan of Maggie Stiefvater!I've read her Raven Boys and I am anxious to read more from her.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog Rosy!

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    1. Raven Boys is SO GOOD. I am forever torn between those and The Scorpio Races for my favourite Stiefvater. You're welcome, I loved your list! Thanks for coming by!

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  4. Love seeing J.K. Rowling on everyone's list, and also am a newish fan of Kristin Cashore and Maggie Stiefvater. Great list!

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    1. I think there's an unwritten rule for Rowling to appear on every list! I hope you enjoy Cashore and Stiefvater's books, I cannot get enough of them!

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  5. Great list! I've only read A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn but I absolutely loved it, I've been meaning to read more books from her.

    My TTT

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    1. Deanna's books are INCREDIBLE. I adore them. A Spear of Summer Grass is wonderful, but not a patch on Lady Julia. Would love to know what you think of them!

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  6. Nice to see Deanna Raybourn on your list! I've read two of her books (and thought they were great), but haven't read the Lady Julia books at all. Nice to see Tamora Pierce, Jasper Fforde and Gail Carriger on your list! Great selections.

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    1. Oooo so much recommending for the Lady Julia books! Her other books are fantastic, but my heart will always be with Julia! <3

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  7. This is like the most beautiful list of authors ever.

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    1. <3 Thank you. I should add that it is your fault I picked up The Scorpio Races in the first place on reading your review. I feel I should send a bouquet of book flowers for introducing me to such a book.

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  8. This list AMAZING! I found Maggie Stiefvaters around the time Shiver came out. I was so in love with her writing that I just continued to support her till this day!

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    1. Her writing is incredible, I've never read anything like her work. Thank you so much for stopping by!

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  9. Great list! I really like Kristin Cashore's novels, though not as much as my friend who's crazily in love with her works. Maggie Stiefvater has been one of my favorite authors for a long time and I love her works to this day.
    Lovely list. :)

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    1. Thank you so much! When I first read Kristin Cashore's novels I wasn't fussed, but they've grown on me over time and now they're favourites to come back to. I adore Stiefvater's books! I'm terrified about how distraught The Raven King is going to leave me!

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  10. I debated putting Neil Gaiman on my list. I have read several of his books. Let's say 6... loved 3, didn't like 3. So he is truly the middle of the road for me!

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    1. It can be a bit strange with him. My husband loved several of his and then wasn't fussed on American Gods which was one I loved. I'm not as keen on his short stories, but I love his novels.

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  11. What a fun list! I love all the variety.
    Oh, The Eyre Affair was a good one. I forgot how much I enjoyed that series.
    I need to check out the Lady Julia books....

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    1. It's such a great series! I adore Jasper Fforde's brain! And the Lady Julia books are AMAZING!

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  12. Gosh I need to finish the Harry Potter series. I haven't read all of Maggie Stiefvater's books but I'm a fan of the Wolves Mercy Falls series. And I need to read more of Neil Gaiman's books because THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE was magical, and I liked CORALINE when I read it as a kid like a million years ago.

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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    1. Neil Gaiman is incredible. I recommend going back to him through 'Stardust' - such an amazing and innovative book. Stiefvater's writing continues to get even more amazing, The Scorpio Races and The Raven Boys blew me away even more than the wolves series. I hope you enjoy them!

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  13. Lots of new names for me, very exciting! Off to the library, I think ... :-)

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    1. I really hope you enjoy! Would love to know what you think of any you pick up!

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  14. Maggie Stiefvater and JK Rowling were both on my list this week too.

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    1. They both have such incredible imaginations!

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  15. I don't even want to admit to not reading anything from these lovely authors! I read the first HP book, but that's it. I know, it's awful! Most of them ARE on my TBR though! Especially Maggie Stiefvater, I hear such amazing things! Great list :)
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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    1. Start with Maggie, her writing is utterly incredible. All of them have fantastic books though! I hope you enjoy them when you get to them and discover some new favourite authors and books!

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