# If (author)wrote it, then I'll buy it (book) list. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210 "2003-09-08T03:07:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/1 "2003-09-08T03:07:31Z")
Every one has an author that they admire and buy their books with nary a preview of what it is about since that writer has never let you down. While I know my list, primarily cheesy romances, will compale in comparison to the loftier tomes out there that you smurt dopers read, I subject you to it anyways: \*\*Lynn Kurland \*\* Her time travel /Ghost books are very engaging, humorous and her language/knowledge of the time period is well done without asphixiating the plot. \*\*Jayne Ann Krentz \*\* and **Amanda Quick** Same person. Great one day, pool side reads. She has a formula, likeable characters, tawdry sex, a thin but liveable plot. **Barbara Metzger** The best Regency writer out there in the terms of sweetness and plot development. No sex. No groping. Excellent plot and characters. **Merline Lovelace** well, I’ve only read one of her books and damn. Me like. So she is possibly on my list. **Dara Joy** great heroes and heroines. Steamy sex and some actual itty bitty parts of science and that kinda stuff woven into her plots. I mean, like, wormholes aren’t just in apples? fersure. \*\*JK Rowling \*\* Nuff said, it’s not like I have a choice. **Kevin Henkes** children’s author. Brilliant. And it looks like I will be adding \*\*Tim Powers \*\* to my list after starting _On Stranger Tides_ the other day. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/2 "2003-09-08T03:40:41Z")
I hardly ever read real books anymore. Just seems like life gets in the way. When I’m reading a book, I don’t want to be bothered by anything else. When I was doing my reading Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, and Roger Zelazny were three authors I had no problem with just grabbing something off the shelf with their name on it, only stopping long enough to make sure I didn’t have it already. ---
**Author:** ![furlibusea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@furlibusea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furlibusea)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/3 "2003-09-08T04:12:09Z")
**Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels** (I have to admit she is working her way off the list) **Sharron McCrumb** Funny and haunting stories that are vaguely mysteries. **Lindsey Davis** (writes about a private eye sort during ancient Rome) **Dana Stabenow** Mystery stories set in Alaska. The lead charactor is a strong Native American woman. ---
**Author:** ![AmbushBug](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ambushbug/32/4600_2.png) [@AmbushBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmbushBug)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/4 "2003-09-08T04:30:29Z")
For his SF and his occasional jaunts into fantasy, **David Weber** is the one for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/5 "2003-09-08T04:49:32Z")
**Kurt Vonnegut** (who swears he isn’t writing anymore) **Umberto Eco** -he probably sends me to reference books more than any other author, yet he’s not pretentious. **Karen Armstrong** -I like her simplification of very complex religious issues- she’s a good place to start a research. **Michael Shermer** - now that Carl Sagan is dead he’s my favorite skeptic. **Fannie Flagg** - yes really- I think she’s hysterical and at times profound. I think her book _Fried Green Tomatoes (at the Whistlestop Cafe)_ was many times funnier and more moving than the movie even though I liked the movie a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/6 "2003-09-08T05:06:24Z")
**David Gemmell**. His books vary from breath-takingly astounding to pretty damn good, but I’ll buy every one of them, given the chance. **Mickey Zucker Reichert**. I’ve just read the first Bifrost Guardians book and every other page I was saying “Holy crap! This is so good! Why didn’t I read it sooner?!” **Stephen Brust**. I just finished the first three Vlad books and every other page I was saying, “Holy crap! This is so good! Why didn’t I read it sooner?!” **Neil Gaiman**. I picked up American Gods because it sounded so interesting. Then it was Good Omens. Then Neverwhere. I’ve got Stardust next. I have a habit. And his blog is usually interesting. **Robin Hobb**. I found the Fitz series to be astounding, Liveship to be amazing. Haven’t started the new one yet. **Stephen King** (conditional). I’ll read his fantasy like Gunslinger and Eyes of the Dragon. And On Writing was a very good book. But the horror just doesn’t interest me. **Ann Marston**. I lurve me some Celtic fantasy. **Terry Pratchett**. If you don’t laugh at Pratchett, you’re missing a humor gland or something. **John Marco**. I just love him. **Dave Eggers**. I love the way he writes. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/7 "2003-09-08T05:39:53Z")
**Iain (M) Banks** - his latest, _Dead Air_, is a great return to form **Ian McEwan** - _Enduring Love_ was so great I’ll read anything by him now **Jack Vance** - lyrical SF and fantasy, wonderful stuff ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/8 "2003-09-08T05:42:51Z")
Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/9 "2003-09-08T05:49:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\*Douglas Adams. \*\* I got some bad news for you, dude … ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/10 "2003-09-08T11:22:05Z")
**Christopher Moore** is consistently hilarious. **Tom Robbins** is always mandatory, even though there are disappointing parts of his latest novels. ---
**Author:** ![HDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bb73d2/32.png) [@HDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HDS)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/11 "2003-09-08T12:05:26Z")
Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, J. R. R. Tolkien, Douglas Adams. Spider Robinson was on that list until he threw me off in Callahan’s Key. Yuuurrrgg. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/12 "2003-09-08T12:14:11Z")
Agree with **furlibusea** about **Lindsay Davis** Her Falco novels (and the other ones) about ancient Rome are great. Also agree with **cstamets** about Heinlein. I have everything he wrote, aside from a few hard-to-find bits. **James Burke**. I’ve got all of his books. He hooked me with the first Connections series, and I’ve followed everything since. **Dave Barry** , until his most recent novel. Barry should stick to his essays, I think. **L. Sprague de Camp** – SF writer,fantasist, historical novelist, historian, biographer. He ought to be as well-known as his friend and contemporary, asimov. Great stuff. **Stephen Jay Gould** – I’d kill to be able to write essays as he did. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/13 "2003-09-08T13:17:55Z")
Anything Max Lucado writes! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/14 "2003-09-08T13:27:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AndrewT \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > > Douglas Adams. > > I got some bad news for you, dude … \*\* Did anyone say it had to be a living author? I was gonna cite **Anthony Burgess**. Not my fault that he suddenly stopped putting out new stuff ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/15 "2003-09-08T14:01:05Z")
Andrew Vachss, Kinky Friedman, Stephen and Tabitha King, Richard Bachmann, Ed McBain, Evan Hunter, Peg Bracken and Lora Brody (the last two being cookbook authors who can actually write). ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/16 "2003-09-08T14:03:42Z")
Douglas Coupland ---
**Author:** ![toque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9e8a1a/32.png) [@toque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toque)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/17 "2003-09-08T14:39:22Z")
David Foster Wallace, David Sedaris, Dan Savage, Jonathan Franzen. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/18 "2003-09-08T14:43:50Z")
**Peter S. Beagle** for fantasy. Yes, he’s written stuff besides **The Last Unicorn**. Some of it’s quite good too. Someday I’m going to start a thread about **The Innkeeper’s Song**. I second (or is it third?) **Neil Gaiman**. Good stuff, though I didn’t like **American Gods** as much as I’ve liked some of his other stuff. I’ve been reading **Nalo Hopkinson’s** books pretty consistently lately. I like her way with fantasy too. I’m also pretty fond of **Robert Holdstock** ( **Mythago Wood, Lavondyss** ). ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/19 "2003-09-08T14:57:28Z")
**James Ellroy** ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210/20 "2003-09-08T15:31:35Z")
There’s only really one for me. I’ll _read_ everything Steven Brust, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, etc. puts out, but I won’t actually _buy_ everything. I’m a poor college student and even used books strain my budget. Thank God for the public library system. However, I _will_ buy **everything** Diana Wynne Jones writes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-author-wrote-it-then-ill-buy-it-book-list/200210.md?page=2)