Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Fantasy Authors

It's time for Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish that features a different book/reading theme each week.   This week's topic is:

Top Ten Favourite Authors in the Fantasy Genre 

(Genre selected for this post is the Blogger's choice)

Even though most of the books I read fall within the historical fiction genre (and most of my blog posts fall in this genre as well), I've decided to mix things up with this post and list my favourite fantasy authors instead.   Although I've been fortunate to have read a number of great fantasy novels over the last several years,  I haven't actually blogged all that much about them.  This post will give me the opportunity to showcase the authors I think every fan of fantasy should read.    

(1) George R.R. Martin.   I doubt there are many fans of the fantasy genre who wouldn't include Martin on their list of favourite fantasy authors.   A Song of Ice and Fire is a fabulous series that I recommend to everyone (fantasy fan or not). 

(2) Michael J. Sullivan.  I recently read and loved Sullivan's three-volume Riyria Revelations trilogy.  I can't wait to read more from Sullivan.

(3) Kristen Britain.   Britain is the author of one of my all-time favourite series, Green Rider.   Like many of the other authors on this list, Britain's books have the ability to evoke strong emotions from readers, which I consider the mark of great writer.

(4) Brandon Sanderson.   The Mistborn trilogy is a fine example of just how great Sanderson is at creating unique fantasy worlds, and I've included him on my favourites list for this reason. 

(5) Robert Jordan.   I haven't yet reached the half-way point of Jordan's long, complex Wheel of Time series, but so far I've thoroughly enjoyed every book I've read.  

(6) Maria V. Snyder.   I've included Snyder on my list of favourite fantasy authors because I loved her Study trilogy and really enjoyed her Glass trilogy.  

(7) Robin Hobb.  I think Hobb is one of the masters within the fantasy genre.  Her Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies are absolutely fantastic and I consider them to be must reads for fantasy fans.  I would expect to find Hobb's name on any list of fantasy greats. 

(8) Guy Gavriel Kay.   Although the fantasy aspects of Kay's novels are quite subdued, I've enjoyed the few novels of his I've read, especially A Song for Arbonne, and look forward to reading more.

(9) John Flanagan.  Flanagan is the author of The Ranger's Apprentice series.  Even though this series is geared to young adults, I think it would appeal to adult readers as well.  I certainly am enjoying it. 

And last, but certainly not least, 

(10) J.K. Rowling.   I read the Harry Potter series as an adult and the novels were my stepping stone into fantasy fiction.  I've read the entire series many times and love every single page.   Rowling's magical world is simply, well, magical.