Though two-thirds of the month of December remain, I have found myself contemplating and structuring some of the year end posts that I so love to write and to read: best books, favorite films, best SFF cover images, the announcement for the annual SF Experience non-challenge, resolutions for the new year. And while contemplating those largely book-based discussions I have started thinking about authors that I haven’t read but for one reason or another are on my list of authors I would like to read.
And that got me to thinking about who it is that you may not have read but would like to.
I imagine we all have authors whom we’ve had every intention of reading but time and other book and non-book demands have worked against that happening. With the recent death of Anne McCaffrey, an author whose work I have talked about reading for years, this once again came home to me.
In these heady days of the closing of one year and with the optimism of a new year on the horizon, I thought it might be fun to discuss the authors we want to try to read in the next year. With the approach of two science fiction related reading experiences my list is probably going to be SF-heavy, but please don’t think this post is just about SFF authors. I would love to know which authors have been hovering over your shoulders for years just waiting for you to discover their work and if there are any recent ones that have caught your eye but have yet to catch you opening one of their books.
Andre Norton. I can hear you saying now, “didn’t you show on your Currently Reading list that you were reading Andre Norton?”. And you would be correct. I did start reading Star Born but soon decided that I wanted to hold off reading it until January. I remember when Andre Norton was still alive she was on my list of authors I really needed to try. And we’ve seen how that worked out. 2012 will be the year.
Michael Moorcock. I am two authors in and I’m already cheating. I have actually read a more recent short story collection by Moorcock, but as I haven’t read any of his Elric books and I have one good friend (Jeff) who grew up with these and another (Cameron) who a few years ago starting devouring them and I would like to be able to discuss at least a few of the novels with them.
James P. Hogan. I mentioned in a recent post that I had picked up a nice copy of his book, The Gentle Giants of Ganymede, to replace my more beat up copy. My reason for possessing this book in the first place is that it sat on my uncle’s SF shelf when I was a child and I have the corny idea of wanting to try to read all of those books I can recollect being there sometime before I pass. I have this book and the one that goes before it, Inherit the Stars, sitting on my shelf.
A.E. van Vogt. I know him as a name, but little else. However my desire to experience a wide range of the classics of science fiction grows stronger every year and I am happy to say that he is one of the choices for next year’s reading for the Classic Science Fiction Book Club. I already have the book, The War Against the Rull, waiting.
James Tiptree, Jr. I have been interested in him ever since I first heard about “him” being a “her”. Her life sounded very intriguing and I’ve heard good things about her short fiction.
Terry Pratchett. This may also be a cheat as I’ve read his book Good Omens that he and Neil Gaiman co-authored. I suspect I will really enjoy his sense of humor and I have had a copy of Thud! since its release, it was a Christmas gift from a blogging friend. Might be nice to actually get around to reading him while he is still alive.
Glen Cook. I’ve seen him at local shows, have heard stories about him from my friend Jerry who has a long history in the SFF book convention circuit, and have yet to read him. I do have a copy of his book The Dragon Never Sleeps that Night Shade Books sent to me a few years ago that I have heard interesting things about. I would also like to try his Garrett P.I. books and his Black Company series have such great covers by Raymond Swanland.
Otis Adelbert Kline. He was a contemporary with Burroughs and hit is reported that he had a long literary feud with Burroughs. I enjoy these pulp style adventure books and it would be fun to give Kline a try.
Lois McMaster Bujold. Several of the active members of the Classic Science Fiction Book Club swear by her Vorkosigan Saga. One of her works is a selection for next year’s reading list so this is one that I hope to be able to accomplish with the group.
Poul Anderson. I have read a few short stories but no novels and his Flandry series sound like something I would probably like. And we share a last name. You’d think I could be a little more supportive!
Robert Silverberg. Every time I pick up an issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine I enjoy his editorials. High time I read some of his short fiction.
Well, that is my list. No doubt I will not succeed in reading something from each of these authors next year. But I will get to some. I am pleased to look back over 2011 and see that I got to several authors who had previously been on my to-read list: Keith Laumer, Frank Herbert, James White, Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher.
What about you?
Who do you want to, or hope to, read for the first time next year?
I loved Glen Cook’s Black Company series! Finally found all of them and got them all together, another in the long list of re-reads I want to do.
Authors I’d like to read: Patrick Rothfuss, I’ve picked up ‘Name of the Wind’ several times from the library & always end up returning it without reading. Now that the 2nd books out, I really have to quit doing that.
Ekaterina Sedia & Nina Kiriki Hoffman; I’ve got several of thier books laying around the house, now to just pop the cherry and actually read them! 😀
Guy Adams Restoration trilogy, Mark Hodders ‘The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack’, Stephen Fry, I love him as an actor & conversationalist, now to just read one of his books!
and so, many more that don’t spring immediately to mind. So many of the past masters like you have listed to discover….
Don’t get me started on re-reads, that list would be miles long I think.
You could wait until the third and last book of Rothfuss is out and then go on a big hug Kvothe binge!!! The first book is really good though.
I’ve read one by Sedia, The Alchemy of Stone, and loved it. Very melancholy and beautiful. I have three others of hers that I need to get to.
I bet Fry would be good, he’s a favorite actor because of his portrayal of Jeeves. I’ve heard good things about Hodder’s books too.
Glad to hear that about Cook’s Black Company books.
Big huge binge is correct, his 1st book started off huge & the 2nd is even bigger! sorta like the ‘Wheel of Time’ books. My dad asked for those, took a look at the stack I brought him and decided he didn’t actually think he wanted to read those after all. 😀
It’s strange that the ‘Black Company’ books were the only ones of Cook’s that I could get into. I loved the character of Croaker and the workings of the mercenary company, don’t remember what I had read preceding those that made me pick them up, but, they were well worth it.
I can empathize with your dad. I started reading them when they first came out and eventually gave up as I got tired of the waiting. And the bigger they got the less appealing they became.
ya know.. that might make a good Challenge! to re-read at least 2 favorite books in two months ..or something like that lol
Yes! I’m actually starting off the year with a re-read as I am hosting a group read of Foundation by Isaac Asimov to coincide with our reading of it in the book club. Can’t wait to go back to it. Its been long enough that I’ve forgotten a lot of the details.
I didn’t know Anne McCaffrey died 🙁 That’s SO sad! She’s such a pioneer in the fantasy world and I know she’s Pat’s favorite. You MUST read some Terry Pratchett soon!!! May I suggest you start with The Wee Free Men? AMAZING stuff! Nation is really incredible too. There are far too many authors that I haven’t read yet that I want to. Hope all is well with you Carl! Been meaning to email you just to catch up but I’ve been a total friend failure all around recently 🙁 Just know that it’s not because I don’t want to be in touch! Hopefully things will calm down after the holidays.
Oh no, I’m sorry Chris. It has been a few weeks and I assumed everyone knew. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Thanks for the Pratchett suggestions.
All is well, and no need to apologize. I know, and I think we all know, just how easy it is to get busy with the day to day affairs of life. I completely understand, and I hope for your own sake that things calm down BEFORE the holidays so that you can enjoy them.
You are gonna LOVE Robert Silverberg, and the Michael Moorcock Elric books! and everyone else on your list!
Wonderful idea for a blog post by the way, it’s got all your readers thinking thinking thinking and planning planning planning, and our “books we want to read” lists are all exploding.
I too want to read A.E. Van Vogt, I’ve two of his books, and haven’t picked up either. I also want to read Brent Weeks, Tanya Huff, K.J. Parker, James Tiptree Jr, C.J. Cherryh, I guess I better make a point of reading some new-to-me authors next year!
I’ve got this really cool Silverberg collection on my wishlist, so if it doesn’t come from family, friends or Santa, it will be something I buy really quickly after Christmas.
And thank you, the idea of who I wanted to read in January especially during your event was rolling around in my head and I couldn’t help but post about it.
Hopefully you can join us in the book club read of Van Vogt. Did you ever get signed up?
I have to admit you have pulled up names from out of the past lol.. back in the days when I was reading Eddings and Terry Brooks lol However, those were the days in which the shelves were filled with Andre Norton, Poul Anderson and Robert Silverberg! But ever faithful I stuck with the authors that were “similiar” to Tolkien with their “band of friends” helping to save the world lol…back then I probably read as many Dungeon and Dragon books (mostly Weis and Hickman) as I eventually did with Pern books!
The Weis and Hickman references remind me of the first few years of my marriage, when I was working part time at a Waldenbooks store in a mall in Tulsa, OK. It seemed that one of their books was constantly coming out and I remember the frustrations of trying to shelve them in the too tiny SFF section we had in that store.
Ditto Robert Silverberg for me too ( I have To Open the Sky and At Winter’s End on my tbr mountain) *and* Lois McMaster Bujold. I don’t know why I’ve never read anything by them. Cherie Priest I want to try and Patrick Rothfuss. The list is endless. Terry Pratchett is very much to be recommended, as is Anne McCaffrey. I remember reading a lot of A.E. van Vogt as a teen, and Clifford Simak. I must revist some of these sci fi classics at some stage.
Other, non sci fi or fantasy, authors I want to try next year include Willa Cather, Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Steinbeck. Hugely looking forward to next year’s reading.
I just tried Priest a couple of years ago, Boneshaker, and I was really impressed. I want to get to the rest of the books in that set. I almost put Simak on my list but I thought it was getting too ambitious and so I stopped with what I had.
I want to pick up some Steinbeck next year myself. I read some of his books as a kid for school and listened to an excellent audio version of his book Travels with Charley this past summer.
why don’t I have a list of want-to-read authors? such a great (and obvious) idea because I see authors who I’ve yet to read and think I should. no one comes directly to mind at the moment other than Joyce Carol Oates because someone reviewed yet another of her works and I thought, I always mean to read something by her.
now there are a lot of sci-fi/fantasy writers i would like to try, as most of that realm is new to me. I need to peruse that list of books I’ve been keeping. John Scalzi is one I can recall. another blog I follow is a huge fan of Bujold, so I should add hers as well.
great blog post idea/conversation Carl!
Your mentioning Oates reminds me that I need to pull out this older paperback short story collection I have that is Christmas themed. If I recall correct there is a really good Oates story in it.
Wow, you haven’t tried Scalzi yet? Oh, you simply must!
I was really surprised to find so many Bujold fans in the book club and around the net. Have got to try her out.
I am really excited to see Lois McMaster Bujold on your to-read list for next year. I am a huge fan of Vorkosigan saga and I think you’ll enjoy it too. There’s nothing better than having other people read books you’ve enjoyed before 🙂
“. There’s nothing better than having other people read books you’ve enjoyed before”
That is so true, Maria. And it is an extra thrill when they enjoy them too.
Wow, you’ve got a lot of good books to look forward to, Carl. I’m jealous! 🙂
I can’t think of any authors that I’ve been meaning to read, myself. But Charles Stross was one, until I finally started reading him this year.
Well, I’ve got a bunch of suggestions of mystery authors which I mean to try sometime. But I don’t read mysteries all that often, not nearly as much as I do science fiction.
I don’t read as much mystery either, but I do read some during the year. I just read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for the first time last year, and some Raymond Chandler last year and this. I’ve listened to Agatha Christie on audio but have yet to pick up one of her books to read for myself, which I would like to do one day.
I’m also a Bujold fan so I hope you’ll love her books! I’ve also enjoyed most of Moorcock’s books I’ve read. Pratchett is great, if you like his humor.
There are a lot of authors I’d like to try such as Tanya Huff, Scott Lynch, K. J. Parker, and Laurie King. I have at least one book from all of them in my mountainous TBR shelves. I’m going to focus on my TBR next year so hopefully I’ll get around to reading them. I also have Moorcock’s Earl Aubec, too, still unread.
I hope so too, Mervi. And I do like that kind of British humor, so I don’t think it is much of a gamble to give Pratchett a try.
I hope you enjoy Huff when you read her. I need to focus more on the books I own next year.
Tiptree and Pratchett are both on my list. Diana Wynne Jones is there too along with Philip K. Dick and Jo Walton. I’m determined to get to Among Others soon! 🙂
I’ve only read one Diana Wynne Jones book and it wasn’t the greatest, but that was pretty much a consensus view and I’ve gotten some good suggestions on other books of hers I need to try.
I do so hope you love Among Others.
I haven’t read too much Philip K. Dick, but I have enjoyed what I have read.
I have only read Terry Pratchett before, sooo.. good list! I could follow it myself because I have books by most of those authors on my TBR. So many authors; so little time!
Isn’t that the truth! Hopefully I’ll get some of these off my list with group reads next year. That helped me read Dune and Way of Kings and without the group reads I doubt I would have gotten to them this year. And my reading life would be less rich because of it.
Great topic. There are so many authors I want to read, the list would take a few pages. Scalzi is one I’d like to get to next year. I’ve read a lot of glowing reviews and for some reason I don’t have any of his books.
I tried to read one of the Pratchett’s Discworld books but couldn’t get into it. Everyone tells me I don’t know what I’m missing. So I got a copy of the first book and will try again.
I see you have Michael Moorcock on your list. I read the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy three times and also read some of his short fiction. Not sure why I loved those so much as I’m not a huge fantasy reader but they are some of my favorites.
I can’t recommend Scalzi enough. If you start with Old Man’s War then you’ll have three more wonderful books in the series to read. Four if you check out the free online novella Sagan’s Diary, which is also well worth reading between the second and third novel of the series.
I have yet to have anyone tell me to start with the first Discworld book. It sounds like you can jump around some with them and like most authors he probably has improved with time.
I haven’t heard of that Moorcock trilogy, thanks for the mention.
I just recently finished Snuff by Terry Pratchett and I loved it so I’m totally on board with reading more Discworld novels. And for those authors I haven’t gotten around to, and hope to soon, they are:
Heinlein
Capote
Rushdie
Asimov
And I’m looking forward to the SF Experience. Heinlein and Asimov will be my go-to guys for it.
Glad to hear that about Pratchett. And yes, you must get to Asimov and Heinlein. You should join us for the group read of Foundation in January! And if you read Heinlein, PLEASE check out the list of his juvenile novels on Wikipedia and try one of those first. Don’t try his later novels first. I’d recommend Farmer in the Sky, The Rolling Stones, Star Beast, or for a non-juvenile, The Puppet Masters or Podkayne of Mars. Starship Troopers is also very good if you like military SF.
I really enjoyed Asimov’s The Currents of Space last year when I read it. Definitely on my list to re-read at some point.
Thank you for the recommendations! And I’m totally down for the group read in January 🙂
Glad to hear it! The announcement will be going up soon.
Erin Hoffman, Bujold, Michael Connelly, William Tappley, Johnston McCully, believe me, that’s barely scratching the surface. By the way, reading Van Vogt, his The Weapon Shops of Isher is perhaps the best place to start. Novelette length (all his stuff is fairly short) gives you a good idea of his style, and is available in any of several collections.
Thanks Richard. Dorothy Hughes is also on my list based on that book I shared the link to the other day. Sounds really interesting.
I think you will love Silverberg and Anderson. As for me I need to finally get to reading van Vogt and Bujold along with John Scalzi and Connie Willis.
I’ve only read Willis in short story form, but I was impressed. And I hope I do love them both. 🙂
You have mentioned a lot of authors that I am unfamiliar with. I look forward to your reviews! As for me there are a few authors that I intend to explore at some point, including but not limited to Margaret Atwood, Stephen King (ok I’ve read one of his works but he has so many), Dostoevsky, Haruki Murakami, and just for you, Gaiman.
Murakami is a good one, can’t wait to see what you think.
And same with Gaiman. You should hold off though until I host a group read of one of his books, probably during the Once Upon a Time Challenge. That way we can discuss it as you read it.
I’ve heard wonderful things about Murakami. I wonder why I’ve never read any.
I’ll do my best to join the Gaiman group read. I need to get a library card. I should put that on my things to do this week. Or if there is enough advance notice I might be able to track one down in a used bookstore. They sell books everywhere here, in stores, in the parks, along the Thames. You’d love it!
I probably wouldn’t have by now myself if one of my close friends wasn’t such a big fan and if blogger Dolce Bellezza didn’t consistently talk him up while hosting her Japanese Literature Challenge every year. Once you dip in, I think you’ll be a fan. His novel After Dark is a nice short one to start with and one I particularly enjoyed. But with any author that is as obsessively followed as is Murakami, everyone has differences of opinion.
And I’m jealous yet thrilled of your access to wonderful used bookstores. 🙂
On my wishlist to read is the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Like the books written by Orson Scott Card I had them on my list of books to read, but somehow they fell of the radar.
These authors I discovered last year, and I hope to read some of their work in 2012.
Peter V. Brett
Blake Charlton
Maggie StiefVater
Sharon Green
Catherynne M. Valente
I re-read Asimovs Foundation last year and enjoyed it.
Gaiman is on my re-read list. Neverwhere and American Gods are two of my favourites from his work.
LOL, with all the recommendations here, I have a TBR pile that will last to 2015, if not longer. 🙂
I’m reading the first one now, Faith, and am enjoying it. I’ve heard that the second book gets much better, so if that is the case I am sure to keep reading this series.
Neverwhere is my favorite Gaiman book, one I hope to host a group read of this year as I am aching to read it again and to discuss it.
The author that immediately came to mind was Peter S. Beagle. I have GOT to pick up one of his books soon, especially since I watched The Last Unicorn a million times when I was a kid!
If you like short stories, you should try his latest collection, Sleight of Hand. It has several really beautiful stories in it.
Authors I’d like to read in 2012:
Chris Wooding, James White, Keith Laumer, Andre Norton, Jack Vance, Lois McMaster Bujold, A.E. von Vogt, Otis A. Kline, Arthur C. Clarke, Tanya Huff, Scott Lynch and Alastair Reynolds.
I will try to join you on some reads of these authors where we crossover.
To all the Bujold fans which book is the best one to start with and/or read in her Volks… series. I’ve tried to figure it out on the net and the time is confusing.
I loved Glen Cook’s Black company series as a teenager. I even drew the cover for book one of series as an art project in high school and I got an A on it. It’s funny I read the first few books in the series as they came out then I went off to college and never returned to the series. Now there are so many books in the series it’s overwhelming to think about getting caught up. I loved the early books back when I was a teen though. I even bought a copy a few years ago from Mr Cook at a convention just so he could autograph it for me which I still have.
Carl – Another idea for a post. Which authors do you want to return too in 2012? I know I’m looking forward to reading some more from my always growing list of familiar authors. 🙂
Chris Wooding, definitely on my list, and may be one of the ones I try to even get back into either right at year’s end or early in the new year.
I too have several more James White novels on my list, although I have read one.
I know I’ve had this conversation with you before, but for some reason I had thought you actually read the first Huff book in the Valor series. Not the whole book, but that first story. Obviously I am wrong. Will be fun to talk to you about the end of that one when you get to it.
There are several Bujold fans on the book club site and it seems to me that what I remember from that conversation and in looking online, there are two books Shards of Honor and Barrayar that have to do with the mother of Miles, who appears to be the central character of all the novels after that, beginning with The Warrior’s Apprentice. I actually have “Cordelia’s Honor” on my wishlist, which is a novel containing both of these books. I plan to start there unless I’m given a real convincing argument to start with the first Miles-centric book.
And yes, that is a good post idea. There are no royalties, I’m afraid, for suggesting post ideas, so don’t get your hopes up. 🙂
Yes. I want to read Chris Woodring soon as well. Of course there are about 20 books vying for that next to read honor. 🙂
Glad to see you have that Bujold knowledge. I had read about Cordelia’s Honor on amazon as well. That sounds like a good place to start to me then.
Yes. I started the first Tanya Huff Valor book but only got about 20 pages in before being carried off on some other group read I’m sure you conned, I mean I happily joined in with you. 😉 LOL! Seriously I need to get back to it. I don’t think I want to read it right after On Basilisk Station though because of the comparisons with Honor Harringtion I’m sure I would be making.
I’m glad I read a few things between the last Valor book and On Basilisk Station. It was recent enough that I am having a good time comparing the various types of military SF, but distant enough that I don’t feel I am in a reading rut.
Your list, and thoughts on the authors, made me laugh, Carl! Authors who have died who thought you would read while they were still alive….it’s uncanny because I have the same kind of list! I also put my hand over heart and swear that I have bought two Poul Anderson books to read, Half-Krok’s Saga and The Tempest, for my own personal World Fantasy Challenge – to read every winner, and possibly every nominee. Have I read either? Nope. I have some Lois Bujold too – for the same Miles Vorkosigan reasons that you do…..still not read, and I did read a short story featuring him some time ago and really enjoyed it. Robert A Heinlein. Isaac Asimov….oh, there are so many authors I want to get to! though, as you said, this is also a year where I was able to cross some off, too. I think I might do a post about this, and if so, I’ll link to yours. Wonderful and funny post, Carl!
Sigh. I have Retribution Falls too, on my shelf, based on Chris’s excellent review last year. Maybe we could do a reading group since we all want to read it?? lol 😀
I’m on that idea Susan.
That is a good idea. Maybe starting February 1st? I think I’ll include that in my Foundation group read post.
thanks Susan and Jeff!