(urth) If I already like ...

Daniel Petersen danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com
Tue Apr 17 16:27:11 PDT 2012


Let's see, what's left?  I'm only just starting to check out Michael
Bishop, but he looks like he could be of interest to those into the cluster
of authors we're talking about.  Walker Percy - a sort of existential
Catholic novelist - try his *Love in the Ruins* - fairly science fictional,
though a contemporary setting - great novel.  Actually, did anyone mention
Flannery O'Connor?  She's a must.  I'm honour bound to add Cormac McCarthy
- I don't believe he's been mentioned.  He, I think, has lots of regional
sort of overlap with Lafferty (and somewhat with Wolfe in that regard with
his Texas background).  Start with his *The Road* for a gripping tale
that's slightly science fictional.  Then try* No Country for Old Men* for a
brisk-paced but philosophical thriller, then *Blood Meridian *for something
shocking and apocalyptic now that you've been shown the ropes.  He's one of
the few that stand up well in terms of prose-craft next to the likes of
Lafferty and Wolfe for me.  (And don't worry about trying to 'understand'
it all - just let it flow over you and get what you get on the first read,
not unlike Wolfe.)  I don't think anyone's mentioned John C. Wright, whom I
haven't read yet, but is supposed to be a recent Catholic convert with a
very erudite and original approach to s.f.  William Hope Hodgson is great
background to some of Wolfe's horror elements - I'm loving getting familiar
with him.  (Lovecraft goes here too, of course.)  Also, Lord Dunsany who is
a huge precursor to some of what Wolfe's doing, especially his pseudo Sword
and Sorcery sort of elements.  I don't think we've mentioned Neil Gaiman, a
devoted fan of Wolfe, whose influence you can see on his work - I recommend
*American Gods* and even more so *Anansi Boys*.  Dan Simmons I think can be
quite good - but more on the level of Tim Powers than Wolfe.

-DOJP

On Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 6:47 PM, Antonin Scriabin
<kierkegaurdian at gmail.com>wrote:

> Wolfe, Lafferty, Powers, MacDonald, and Tolkien, what else will I like?
> This email list has good taste, and I was wondering what other hidden
> authors you guys might enjoy, given preference for those mentioned.  I
> initially discovered Lafferty through this list some time ago, for
> example.  I know there has to be more!
>
>
>
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