Authors you'd recommend

[SteveDallas]

At one time I'd have said Anne Rice. I can't stand her newer stuff.

Robert Heinlein... I cut my teeth on his "juvenile" science fiction. You could do worse than to start with The Man Who Sold The Moon.

Lois McMaster Bujold... Her Vorkosigan series is excellent. Her fantasy series are, to me, OK, but they suffer from not being Vorkosigan.

Terry Pratchett. Funny. Puns. Social commentary. My favorite has been "Going Postal."

Richard Russo. Most famous for Empire Falls (which I think is his most recent) but his earlier novels are well worthwhile. My favorite is Straight Man, which is an academic novel featuring a protagonist who's a congenital smartass, much like myself.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

A
Lois McMaster Bujold... Her Vorkosigan series is excellent. Her fantasy series are, to me, OK, but they suffer from not being Vorkosigan.

my favorite series OF ALL TIME! Whenever I'm in need of comfort, I pull out "A Civil Campaign" or another one in the series, and re-read.