Authors you may have missed but shouldn't have

Reviewed by: Karne (Wyrmtongue, Oct. 1999)

C J Cherryh

Space Opera is what C J Cherryh does best. In particular, the 'Chanur Saga' reads as an elegant cross between Star Wars and an essay on alien mentalities. Very stylishly written, with complex plots and brilliant characterisation. I strongly recommend her work.

Graham Edwards

A relative newbie in the field, Graham Edwards now has four paperbacks under his belt with another on the way. Unique in his unwillingness to use humans in his work, nearly all the main characters are dragons, with a light scattering of others. In addition, he has a strong sense of the plot arc and doesn't attempt a 'nice' ending. A new breed of fantasist this one - read!

Alan Dean Foster

Better known for his movie novelizations, Foster's own work is superb. In particular, the 'Spellsinger' books - a sort of epic/animal fantasy spoof where old rock 'n roll songs have strange magical effects and otters spend large amounts of time in brothels. An excellent way to spice up a slow week/month/term.

Mary Gentle

Extremely hard to describe, Mary Gentle's writing is likely to stay with you for a very long time. She builds a sort of baroque fantasy world that combines convoluted plots with extremely beautiful writing. In contrast to the norm, characters remain constant but the backdrop does not - although most have an 'oldee London' feel to them. Best of her work is probably Rats and Gargoyles - this book rewards repeated reading.

Daniel Hood

Cute fantasy mysteries with the added attraction/detraction of a miniature telepathic dragon. Hood's work is easy reading but great fun.

Jeff Noon

Vurt, his début novel, was a great success and is probably his best work so far. Using an odd mixture of drugs, VR and pop culture, Jeff Noon paints an extremely odd but somehow fascinating vision of the future. Not for everyone but I liked it a lot.

Michael Swanwick

Fairy and science fantasy in a sort of alternate-modern world, The Iron Dragon's Daughter is strongly recommended. This isn't a cheerful or a particularly nice book. Like much of Michael Swanwick's writing, it has something of the post-apocalyptic about it. Elves, fighter/bomber mechanical dragons and 1984 paranoia, all tightly intertwined. If you like more serious sf fiction then try this.

Steven Brust

Little known this side of the pond for some reason but this is completely undeserved. Steven Brust is best known for his 'Taltos the Assassin' series, a blend of medieval fantasy, detective novel and gangster warfare. Unexpectedly it works well and his novels make good, if lighter reading.

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