Underrated authors

[Mordack]

Suggest some. Go on.

All this Harry Potter hype has really annoyed me in a way, because there are so many better books by so many better authors which won't recieve even a sixteenth of the recognition and praise that the arguably mediocre Harry Potter books have heaped on them. And that's sort of frustrating.

Anyway, I'm going to suggest Scott Lynch.

The book I've been most looking forward to this month, is Scott Lynch's 'Red Seas Under Red Skies.' Part two of something he's calling the "Gentlemen Bastards" sequence.

The first installment of this saga, called 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' is one of the best fantasy books I've read. It's well-written and a damn good story. I would highly recommend this book.. but nobody's ever heard of it, or its author.

[Apollo]

Mine absolute favourite author of all time is a wordsmith genius named Mark Helprin.
His prose is one step shy of poetry, he paints beautiful illustrations with his words. His best work is Winter's Tale, but all his other novels and short stories are almost equally amazing.

And -ZOMG- thanks to this post I was trying to find his bibliography to post - he has a new book out! Thanks Mordack!

[Brythalious]

I cannot stand the stupid little ********************

Personally I think Tolkein was also vastly over rated as an author, great ideas dull writer.
Gemmell Is one of the greatest,. Hopefully one day we will get a Legend Film

[Apollo]

Mordack - I just remembered.

All this Harry Potter hype has really annoyed me in a way, because there are so many better books by so many better authors which won't recieve even a sixteenth of the recognition and praise that the arguably mediocre Harry Potter books have heaped on them. And that's sort of frustrating

Didn't you have Snape as your avatar for over a year?

[Mordack]

Mordack - I just remembered.

All this Harry Potter hype has really annoyed me in a way, because there are so many better books by so many better authors which won't recieve even a sixteenth of the recognition and praise that the arguably mediocre Harry Potter books have heaped on them. And that's sort of frustrating

Didn't you have Snape as your avatar for over a year?

Haha, no, that was a friend. Not me.

I am a huge Snape fan, though. I consider his characterization in the books (especially the last one), as well as Alan Rickman's knee-weakening portrayal of him on the films, to be one of Harry Potter's main saving graces.

[Desnar]

Steven Levitt, great author and economist.