Books and authors I like

These are the genres I like reading, and the authors I like within those genres.

I'm also writing a review page for those interested in opinions rather than lists.

Science Fiction

In science fiction, I currently consider Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars series to be one of the very best. Especially 'Red Mars' and 'Green Mars' should be required reading for anyone working with colonizing the solar system since it brings up most of the problems involved both technical, social and political.

Oh, and Neal Stephenson, a definite must read if you want story and character driven computer oriented books, and away from the modern cyberpunk trend of all style, no substance, which seems so pervasive these days, where authors have drawn all the wrong conclusions from the success of William Gibsons success, causing an entier genre to degenerate into stylish candyfloss.

Everything by Zelazny, Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, Dick and Bradbury. The Berserker and Swords books by Fred Saberhagen.
Oh yes, everything I've seen so far by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.
And by Brian W. Aldiss, Piers Anthony (just not his Xanth series), J. G. Ballard, Jon Bing, James Blish, David Brin, Algis Budrys, Orson Scott Card, Philip José Farmer, Alan Dean Foster, William Gibson, Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison, Frank Herbert, James P. Hogan, D. F. Jones, Raymond F. Jones, Wonda N. McIntyre, Victor Milán, Frederik Pohl, Rudy Rucker.
Argh, they're far too many to list in a few lines.

Fantasy

J. R. R. Tolkien, Mercedes Lackey...

Humour

Mark Twain, Jerome K. Jerome, Wodehouse, Lewis Carrol and Scherfig.

Science Fiction mixed with Humour

An good early example is 'Tales from the White Hart' by Arthur C. Clarke, but I think the 'Callahan's' series by Spider Robinson is better in many ways since it is more about human and social problems and not so much about the technical problems treated by Clarke's stories.
The Retief books by Keith Laumer are definitely worth reading, 'Tik-Tok' by John Sladek is as well.

Fantasy mixed with Humour

In this sub-genre I like Roberts Asprin's books as well as John Brunner's Traveller in Black stories.
I consider the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett to be the best seen in the last couple of centuries, see also Interesting Times and Feet of Clay.

Other genres