Authors who never miss for you

[A.T. Parkinson]

Authors who never missed?

Number one on my list would have to be David Gemmell, I loved all 30 of his books, still missing his Ross Harding one.
Close second Joe Abercrombie, an awe inspiring author!
Also Brent Weeks and Peter V. Brett. Douglas Hulick looks like a promising candidate aswell.

 

[kennychaffin]

In regard to the O.P. I think every author has bad stories or books so I don't believe anyone is a "Never Miss" some are close. Best I can say is that certain authors I will buy there books with very little to recommend them other than reputation.

Ted Chiang
Ray Bradbury
Nancy Kress
Ursula K. Leguin
T.C. Boyle
John Irving
Margaret Atwood
Bill Bryson
E. L. Doctorow
Mary Roach
Carl Zimmer
Cormac McCarthy

and many who are not longer producing new books as they are no longer with us.

And then there are those I've tried multiple times and will not buy unless they get extraordinary recommendations.

And there are many in the middle of this shifting spectrum of literature.

 

[JONK]

I've never read anything by Dan Simmons, Donaldson, or Abercrombie. I think I'm going to start with Simmons because of Bob Gray's recommendations on another thread, but of the other two, what are some of everyone's favorites??

For me I can only say Steven King. I want to say Clive Barker, but I didn't like Sacrament at all, and I didn't really like Galillee either. Everything else (I think I have read them all) I really loved so I guess that still counts? I have liked everything I've read by Anne Rice, too. Also R.A. Salvatore (especially The Dark Elf stuff).

 

[kennychaffin]

I loved Donaldson's Thomas Covenant Chronicles. Many do not though.

 

[k1w1taxi]

Given that Never is such an uncompromising word. Let's just say those I would read based purely on the authors name.

Vernor Vinge
David Feintuch
David Weber
China Mieville
Ian McDonald
Elizabeth Moon
Neil Gaiman
David Gemmell
Laurell K Hamilton
CJ Cherryh
Jack Campbell
Lois McMaster Bujold

Michael Connelly
Lee Child
Alexander Fullerton
Sarah Paretsky
Simon Winchester
Scott Turow

Cheers
Lee

 

[Starson]

I'm surprised that two of my favorite authors were not mentioned:

Nelson DeMille
Ken Follett

I also some of the other authors mentioned like:

Robin Hobb
Daniel Silva
JK Rowling

Of course, every author mentioned above will have one book that is less than stellar, but I will always buy thier books without even reading the synopsis.

 

[Awesomov]

I've mostly read bits and pieces of a wide variety of authors, but of those whom I've read plenty of, the only two author I haven't read anything from that I haven't disliked overall are Philip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov.

 

[hawkeyye]

Joe Abercrombie and Iain M Banks. Consistently awesome.

 

[Cirias]

Joe Abercrombie
Patrick Rothfuss
Tolkien (Of course)

Very few authors never miss for me.

 

[jennlawrence]

Hi

So far for me: Vinge & Scalzi but then I have teh habit of not readind too many books by the same authers. Not by intent but by chance.

 

[Snikt5]

For me:

Robert McCammon
Stephen King
George R R Martin
Bernard Cornwell
John Connolly
Joe Abercrombie
Karin Slaughter.

 

[CarlAlves]

I would have to go with Graham Masterton. Haven't been disappointed yet.
Carl Alves

 

[simonm]

Jorge Luis Borges. I think I've read all his fiction.

Umberto Eco would be a close second.

Apart from those two, I prefer to read authors I haven't read before.

 

[ian_sales]

Gwyneth Jones
Paul Park
Mary Gentle
Kim Stanley Robinson
Bruce Sterling

 

[CarlAlves]

I would go with Graham Masterton, Lisa Scottoline, Vince Flynn

 

[CharlotteAshley]

Having now started Quicksilver I'm going to add Neal Stephenson to my list.

I have enjoyed every individual word Stephenson had ever wrote until REAMDE. That was just... wtf, Neal.

 

[CharlotteAshley]

Umberto Eco would be a close second.

Yes, Eco! But I also haven't read all his work yet! It's close - but not yet.

Others:

Robertson Davies. Love ALL his stuff. And can say so fro the authoritative position of having actually read it all.
Michael Chabon (Though I did not love Gentlemen of the Road)
Salman Rushdie - (though I didn't like Haroun and the Sea of Stories.)
Alexandre Dumas (Two Dianas was BORING but not him, in all likelihood.)
Mervyn Peake (cheating, I know.)
Philip Pullman
Frances Hardinge - so far!

See above about Neal Stephenson - I'm seriusly bitter about REAMDE. Betrayed.

 

[Vorian1]

Phillip K. Dick is and always will be my can't miss, even the few times I haven't really loved or understood a book or ss once I go back and re-read I find something I missed and get engrossed...brilliant writer