Authors who haven't disappointed..

[Michelle]

I was thinking yesterday about some of my favourite authors, and the handful which have never disappointed. For me, these are:

 

Maggie O'Farrell - I have honestly loved every single book of hers. Even My Lover's Lover, which had a very different feel to it, I still enjoyed her style of writing. She's one of the few authors whom I would buy straight away in hardback!

 

Linda Gillard - Three different books, but all great. I have a list of preference, but would still recommend every one.

 

Sam Hayes - Again, I have a list of preference, but still love every book. She seems less well known, but her books are excellent emotional thrillers.

 

Rick Riordan - I haven't read all of his, but I'm immersed in the world of Percy Jackson at the moment, and also loved the first in his new series. I'd like to catch up on some of his other books, and would try anything he brings out.

 

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell - The Edge Chronicles are a great set of books, I think aimed at different ages as they go along. I also enjoyed the first WyrmeWeald book, even though it had a different feel to it.

 

I was also thinking about those who have fallen off this list. The two which come to mind are:

 

JD Robb (In Death series) - at one point I rushed to read the latest, but they are now too much alike, and I've pretty much given up.

 

Stephen King - I love his earlier books, but can't get on with his later ones.

 

How about yours?

[Lucybird]

I guess I could say JK Rowling has never disappointed me. Although as all her books are part of the same story I'd be interested to see if that remains with a different storyline. I've also enjoyed everything I've read by Sebastian Fawkes although I found the biography he wrote a little more difficult. I've loved everything Jasper Fforde has written that I've read too, although I'm far from reading all his books.

 

As for dropping off the list? Jodi Picoult I loved some of the first books I read by her but I've found her a bit hit as miss lately.

[Pixie]

I like this thread.

 

Authors I can think of who have never disappointed me are:

 

Paul Auster (so far)

Ray Bradbury

John Crowley (so far)

Charles Dickens (so far)

Fyodor Doestevsky (so far)

Mark Helprin

Robin Hobb (so far)

Patricia McKillip

Vladimir Nabakov (so far)

Tad Williams

 

The ones with the "so far" next to them are authors I have read quite a few of, but not most of all of their collection yet.

 

Authors who I used to like, but felt their writing deteriorated or became repetitive are:

 

Charles De Lint

Stephen King

Dean Koontz

J.K. Rowling

Edited August 17, 2010 by Pixie

[chesilbeach]

I agree with Lucybird about Jasper Fforde - I've read all his books and all have been great.

 

In my review of the latest Kelley Armstrong book I mentioned that she'd never disappointed me, so I have to include her in my list.

 

Annie Sanders (actually two women who write together under a single name) chick lit books seem to have grown up with the genre and I've loved every single one of them, whereas nearly all the other chick lit-ers have disappointed at one point.

 

On a more serious note, all the Peter Ackroyd and Jose Saramago books I've read have been incredible, and from the classics I'd have to include E. M. Forster as well.

 

I can't think of many more authors who I've read enough of their work to make that claim about them, to be honest, but there are some I've started who I'm hoping wont disappoint me as I work my way through their back catalogue ... William Boyd, Rose Tremain, Colm Toibin and Sebastian Faulks spring to mind.

[Mac]

Apart from his latest release (which doesn't count, because it was the first one he wrote and it was rejected first time) Harlan Coben and others would be:

 

Elizabeth Kostova

Audrey Niffenegger

Michel Faber

Glen Duncan

Jeff Lindsay

Stieg Larsson

Haruki Murakami

J A Kerley

Michael Marshall

Iain Pears

Iain Banks (well, once maybe)

 

Ooooh, there's too many!

[SaraPepparkaka]

Linda Gillard

Haruki Murakami (so far)

Selma Lagerlöf

Terry Pratchett (so far)

Anne Bishop

 

.. wait, I'm seeing a pattern here- I REALLY REALLY like reading about complicated people. This is an epiphany.

-note that even though they're two of my favourite writers ever, neither Neil Gaiman nor Kelley Armstrong appear on the list. The books about Nadia Stafford weren't as good as I'd expect from Kelley Armstrong, and for some reason, "American Gods" wasn't a hit with me.

[Kell]

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell - Faves of mine! I've saved the entire Edge Chronicles for Xan to enjoy when he gets a little older. No disappointments there.

 

Kelley Armstrong - Love her, love her, love her! Both her supernatural and non-supes series are great.

 

Simon Scarrow - I've only read his Romans series, but I'm, like, 10 books in now and they've all been absolutely fabulous! I have his Napoleani wars series waiting to be read...

 

Stuart Macbride - Hasn't hit a duff note yet. I even liked his sci-fi crime novel and his American crime novella.

 

Christopher Brookmyre - Yes, I like some more than others, but not a bad one among them.

 

Terry Pratchett - Out of more than 30 Discworld novels (almost 40 if you count his young adult ones), I can only name 3 I didn't like and one further I didn't think much of but didn't hate. (Colour of Magic, Light Fantastic and Eric = didn't like / Unseen Academicals = not keen). The rest are all marvellous (to varying degrees, but all pretty fab!).

[Echo]

I have consistently enjoyed reading books by:

 

Stephen King

Jane Austen

Haruki Murakami

Neil Gaiman

John Sandford

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

J.R.R. Tolkien

Amy Tan

 

No wonder these are all my favorite authors!

 

I also love Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens, but there were a few books I couldn't get into (For Whom the Bell Tolls, Great Expectations, Pickwick Papers).

 

I have grown very bored with:

 

Anne Rice

John Saul

Dean Koontz

 

I only like their earlier books.

[Kylie]

John Marsden

PG Wodehouse

JK Rowling

Jane Austen

Charles Dickens

Jasper Fforde (seems to get better and better the more I read)

Bill Bryson

Arthur Conan Doyle

[AbielleRose]

Avoiding the ones that have already been mentioned (there are so many great authors y'all have listed!)

 

Robin Jones Gunn (her books are engrossing and heart wrenching, both adult and YA)

Cassandra Clare (the Mortal Instruments is genius, can't wait for her new series!)

Charlene Harris

Rachel Caine

Alyson Noel

Ben Sherwood (everyone must read The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud AND see the movie. Fantastic story. Have 2 of his books and can't wait to read more!)

[BookJumper]

Off the top of my head...

 

Authors who have never disappointed me:

 

- Douglas Adams

- Jasper Fforde

- Terry Pratchett

- Neil Gaiman

 

Authors who have disappointed me:

 

- J.K. Rowling

- Stephen King

[chesilbeach]

Just started reading Hotel World by Ali Smith, and realised that she is another author who has never disappointed me so far. Not only have I loved all the books of hers I've read (and I've thankfully still got a few more to go), but I've also loved all the books she's written foreword/introduction for, or the anthologies of others work she has edited/collected.

[Janet]

I don't tend to read lots of books by the same author as I like to vary my reading, but those who have not disappointed me include:

 

George Orwell (only two of his books left to read, and then it's on to his essays for me)

Emily Barr (I don't 'do' chick lit normally but, for me, these have more depth to them)

Shakespeare (although I've only read six so far, I've really enjoyed them all so I have high hopes for the rest!)

Bill Bryson

W J Burley - formulaic, but a guilty pleasure.

 

I also have high hopes for Danny Wallace - I've loved the three of his I've read so far.

 

 

Authors I have gone off:

 

Dick Francis - I used to love his books but they are also very formulaic. I haven't read him for about 16 years now so I might pick one up again one day, just for old times' sake.

Marian Keyes - I loved her earlier books, especially Rachel's Holiday, but I tried This Charming Man and gave up after 100 pages because It was dreadful. It put me off ever trying her again, but then my tastes have changed since joining a reading group and then discovering BCF.

[chesilbeach]

Time for an update of this thread methinks...

I agree with Lucybird about Jasper Fforde - I've read all his books and all have been great.

 

In my review of the latest Kelley Armstrong book I mentioned that she'd never disappointed me, so I have to include her in my list.

 

Annie Sanders (actually two women who write together under a single name) chick lit books seem to have grown up with the genre and I've loved every single one of them, whereas nearly all the other chick lit-ers have disappointed at one point.

 

On a more serious note, all the Peter Ackroyd and Jose Saramago books I've read have been incredible, and from the classics I'd have to include E. M. Forster as well.

 

I can't think of many more authors who I've read enough of their work to make that claim about them, to be honest, but there are some I've started who I'm hoping wont disappoint me as I work my way through their back catalogue ... William Boyd, Rose Tremain, Colm Toibin and Sebastian Faulks spring to mind.

Since I posted this, I've sort of gone off chick lit, so Annie Saunders isn't really on my radar anymore.

 

I've enjoyed every Kelley Armstrong book I've read since this post, although some haven't been as strong as her earlier books, particularly in the Women of the Otherworld series, maybe 4/5 instead of 5/5, but nothing to actually disappoint me.

 

I was a bit disappointed by one of the Sebastian Faulks I read recently, so I'd probably remove him off the list, along with William Boyd if I'm honest, but I'd definitely keep Colm Toibin here and having just read another Rose Tremain I can confirm she definitely retains her spot in this illustrious thread!

[pontalba]

I suppose even my favorite authors have at some point been less than I expected, or hoped for.

Vladimir Nabokov, John Banville, Diana Gabaldon, James Lee Burke, C.J. Sansome are some that I can say have not truly disappointed me. Maybe one of their books didn't come up to the rest IMO, but that isn't truly a disappointment. I guess Harlen Coben and Henning Mankell could be added to my list as well. Most of Paul Auster that I've read has been fantastic as well. I've liked the William Boyds that I've tried, not many true, the the 3 I think it is have been fine.

[Ruth]

Sarah Waters have never disappointed me; I've loved every single one of her books (I only have The Little Stranger left to read).

 

Another author I have always enjoyed reading is Paullina SImons - obviously I have preferred some of her books to others, but I've never not enjoyed a book by her.

 

Philippa Gregory - only read about 3 of her books, but loved them all.

 

Andrea Camilleri - I love his Inspector Montalbano series. I always kind of know what to expect, but they are always a good read.

[frankie]

I can only think of Augusten Burroughs and Sue Townsend, oh and J. K. Rowling.

 

I can't say

- Jeffery Deaver, because I've only read two of his books.

- Jeff Lindsay's third Dexter novel was a disappointment, and so I can't add his name to the list above no matter how much I've loved his other Dexter novels.

- I've never liked Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.

- Nick Hornby's Slam was ... not great.

 

Oh. I can add Erich Segal's name to the list! He's never disappointed me so far

 

This is a pretty tough question to think about! I didn't know I was so ruthless a reader.

 

Edit1: Oh, and Charlaine Harris has never disappointed me so far. I've to read the two latest Sookie Stackhouse novels, though, I think.

 

Edit2: Oooh, and Astrid Lindgren never fails!

 

Edit3: Or Sofi Oksanen.

 

Edit4: Or Karin Slaughter or Kathy Reichs. (Yes, I'm going through my books in alphabetical order... )

Edited April 12, 2012 by frankie

[Chrissy]

I think my number one would have to be Carol O'Connell, but I would additionally throw into the ring Val McDermid, Peter Robinson, Jeffrey Deaver and Angie Sage, although I have more of each author to read.

 

I would have to agree with JK Rowling, although it took a re read of 'The Tales Of Beadle The Bard' to appreciate that it was a worthy addition to the Potterverse rather than just a money spinner.

 

There are a number of authors I will always seek out, so I think I will have to give this topic further thought and submit a definitive (to date!) list!

[lauraloves]

for me it would be

• J. K. Rowling - for obvious reasons
  
• Jodi Picoult, I love picking up her books
  

I thought there would be more but theres not! However there are lots of authors on my TBR shelf that I hope wont disapoint!

[Karsa Orlong]

Top of my list would be Guy Gavriel Kay. I've read five of his books so far and they've all been wonderful, to the point where reading one of his books has become (capitalised) A Special Event. Just behind are Bernard Cornwell, Neal Asher, Jo Nesbo - I've read five books by each of them, and David Gemmell (six books so far).

[julie]

This one takes some thinking . I honestly can't think of very many authors that I loved every single book they have written . I have a couple of Bill Bryson's yet to read,and must say he could write the lingo on a cereal box and I'd find it entertaining .

I think maybe because he writes almost like he is talking to you. He's so funny and entertaining . I can't think of any of his I haven't liked,although some have been better than others .

I'd also have to put Dickens in this same category . I have lots of his yet to read,but of the ones I have,they all follow that same theme of putting a LOT of memorable characters who he describes so well,you can picture each one in your head. It also never fails to amaze me that he is so FUNNY . From his picture, he looks kinda like an old fuddy-duddy ,but his true personality comes through in his books .

[Timstar]

I have only been reading a lot recently and have therefore started many authors but not read all or even a majority of there stuff. So it is difficult to say, but I would agree with Bernard Cornwell but still only read about a quarter of his books.

[RaeLea]

Sorry to be all 'Chick' about this, but I will toss Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb into the mix. She has always entertained me with her characters and story lines.

[ian]

It's a difficult one for me, as some of my favourite writers have written at least one I couldn't quite get along with.

 

Stephen King (if I ignore Bag of Bones)

Dean Koontz (yes, some later ones are repetative, but still entertaining. But I have to ignore Breathless)

Julian May

Jeffrey Deaver (so far)

Ian Rankin (except perhaps Doors Open)

Jane Austen

Steig Larrson

 

Actually, that got easier as I wrote them down!