ON MY BOOKSHELF - MY FAVOURITE AUTHORS

Stephen Donaldson (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)
A masterpiece of torment which continues with the 2006 release of the Last Chronicles, perfectly in the style of the previous two trilogies. His characters grapple with deep psychological issues, there's more to his story-weaving than just action-adventure. He's also written some brilliant short stories. His treatment of magic is unsettling, as it should be.

Terry Pratchett (Thief of Time, Monstrous Regiment)
Every book I've read of his has many hard jabs of humour to the belly and then a moment of such brilliant wit that I crack up. His books have matured in recent years and have some very insightful themes and social commentary. He produces two Discworld books a year, at times. He's a magician.

Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy)
A delightful writer who explores the feelings and relationships of her characters, everything that I felt lacking in Tolkien's saga-style of writing.

Ursula le guin (Earthsea Quartet)
Le Guin has an amazing ability to make you feel immense anticipation of the thing that is just about to happen, and yet it never really happens. I can't put my finger on how she does it, but I remember being disappointed in the lack of action and yet I enjoyed her writing because I was intrigued all the way through.

JRR Tolkien (Lord Of the Rings)
At first I didn't enjoy it. It's a stodgy book to get through, and the plot leaves you stranded for so long on one story that when you return to the other plotlines you're left wondering who the characters are. The four interchangeable hobbits have no distinct personality. But the scale of his creation, the world-building is immense and fantastic, and I've probably read this book five times. It's a strange, unforgettable work.

Richard Bach (Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Illusions)
Two very short books that are just beautiful. 

John Krakauer (Into Thin Air)
One of the most memorable climbing disaster accounts I've ever read, puts you right up there on Everest.

Okay, a confession. I'm a fantasy writer because I'm a fantasy reader. I've chosen a job where I can stay immersed in fantasy. I don't know why it's so compelling, I just now that life is richer when I'm hooked on fantasy and duller when I lose that vision. I guess it's a kind of magic.