Okay then.

I make you weak at the worst of all times. I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold, I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. What am I?

A candle?

I still recommend those authors, and for the connection between horror and Christian theology, here are several articles from deCOMPOSE regarding the subject:

http://mikeduran.com/2014/04/how-religion-makes-the-exorcist/
http://mikeduran.com/2014/09/arthur-machens-holy-terror/
http://mikeduran.com/2015/02/can-we-be-good-while-reading-writing-about-evil/
http://mikeduran.com/2015/03/the-grotesque-and-horrific-in-religious-art/
http://mikeduran.com/2015/10/are-all-ghosts-demons/
http://mikeduran.com/2010/08/on-christian-horror-and-atheist-dread/
http://mikeduran.com/2010/10/can-horror-fiction-be-redemptive-pt-1/
http://mikeduran.com/2010/10/can-horror-fiction-be-redemptive-pt-2/
http://mikeduran.com/2011/01/can-horror-fiction-be-redemptive-part-3/
http://mikeduran.com/2011/10/the-apologetics-of-horror/
http://mikeduran.com/2012/02/whats-the-difference-between-classic-and-contemporary-christian-horror/
http://mikeduran.com/2012/08/holiness-and-horror/
http://mikeduran.com/2013/05/why-do-we-read-horror/
http://mikeduran.com/2013/06/h-p-lovecrafts-darwinian-horror/
http://mikeduran.com/2013/09/cosmic-horrors-amoral-universe/
http://mikeduran.com/2015/07/is-beowulf-the-first-religious-horror-story-ever-written/


Yes, that's a lot of articles, but they're really good ones. I recommend them for an enlightening experience. Of course, you may not totally agree, and that's fine. Still, it's a fascinating viewpoint.

Fantasy is a nebulous term, and sometimes it overlaps with other genres, perhaps unintentionally in some cases. Such is the case with horror. Horror fiction itself has a long and illustrious literary history, some of the world's greatest writers often dabbling in it to great effect; it almost seems to be a natural component of fantasy, what with the numerous depictions of evil and fear in so many volumes. Hence, there are a great number of writers who may be generalized as horror writers but who have also shaped the development of speculative fiction as a whole, and here are 9 specific authors who continue to inspire fantastic visions.


J. SHERIDAN LE FANU (1814-1873)
A native Irishman, Le Fanu was the most well-regarded writer of ghost stories in the Victorian era, as well as a number of Gothic sensational novels. His work was designed to induce psychological terror rather than cheap shock, often employing an indirect approach to the subject matter which allows room for a natural explanation while keeping the door of the supernatural open. Among his most revered novels are Uncle Silas, The House by the Churchyard and Carmilla - the first great modern vampire tale; some of his most effective short stories include "Green Tea", "The Familiar" and "Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter."

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheridan_Le_Fanu)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=le_fanu_j_sheridan)
Le Fanu Studies (http://www.lefanustudies.com/)
M. R. James on J. S. Le Fanu (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveLeFanu.html)
Article on The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/aug/28/sheridan-le-fanu-two-centuries-birth-vampire-ghost-stories)
Victorian Web (http://www.victorianweb.org/books/suicide/06d.html)
Article on The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/11048229/Sheridan-Le-Fanu-the-father-of-modern-horror-at-200.html)



E. T. A. HOFFMANN (1776-1822)
The son of Prussian jurists, Hoffmann is one of the leading individuals in the German Romantic movement, as well as a composer, a music critic and a caricaturist. His stories and novels are flavored with the macabre seeping into everyday life, which would influence such later luminaries such as Dickens, Baudelaire, Kafka, Poe and even George MacDonald. He is the originator of the famous Christmas story, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", as well as suck dark tales as "The Sandman", "The Golden Bowl" and "Mademoiselle de Scuderi"; noteworthy novels include The Devi's Elixirs and The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._T._A._Hoffmann)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=hoffmann_e_t_a)
Encyclopedia Britannica (http://www.britannica.com/biography/E-T-A-Hoffmann)
NPR.org - No Sugar Plums Here: The Dark Romantic Roots of "The Nutcracker" (http://www.npr.org/2012/12/25/167732828/no-sugar-plums-here-the-dark-romantic-roots-of-the-nutcracker)
GoogleSites: German Literature (https://sites.google.com/site/germanliterature/19th-century/hoffmann)



WILLIAM HOPE HODGSON (1877-1918)
Author, photographer, bodybuilder and soldier, Hodgson was an early practitioner of "cosmic horror" with his two most famous novels - The House on the Borderland (in which the signature abode transports an unnamed narrator to another dimension) and The Night Land (a vision of the future of humanity in a time where the sun has gone out and the world is teeming with horrors). His other two novels (The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" and The Ghost Pirates) and many of his short stories draw from his experiences as a sailor, associating the ocean with haunting dread. He is also known for creating the occult detective Thomas Carnacki and the smuggler Captain Gault. His carrer was cut rather short due to his death in WWI.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hope_Hodgson)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=hodgson_william_hope)
Alan Gullette on William Hope Hodgson (http://alangullette.com/lit/hodgson/)
WordPress blog devoted to Hodgson (https://williamhopehodgson.wordpress.com/)
Great Science-Fiction and Fantasy Works (http://greatsfandf.com/AUTHORS/WilliamHopeHodgson.php)
TV Tropes page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/WilliamHopeHodgson)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers in the Great War (http://fantastic-writers-and-the-great-war.com/the-writers/william-hope-hodgson/)



ALGERNON BLACKWOOD (1869-1951)
Hailed as one of the finest early writers of the weird tale, Algernon Blackwood's work is comprised of chilling ghost stories and explorations of the awe of nature, as well as some science fiction subjects (he believed humans have latent psychic abilities). Aside from creating one of the best known occult detectives, John Silence, his best known stories are "The Willows", in which two men discover unseen forces crossing over into our dimension, and "The Wendigo", where a party in the wilderness is visited by the eponymous creature.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algernon_Blackwood)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=blackwood_algernon)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/blackwood_algernon)
Article on Weird Fiction Review (http://weirdfictionreview.com/2013/01/wfrs-101-weird-writers-19-algernon-blackwood/)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/AlgernonBlackwood)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers in the Great War (http://fantastic-writers-and-the-great-war.com/the-writers/algernon_blackwood/)



ARTHUR MACHEN (1863-1947)
Machen (pronounced MACK-en), a Welshman, was convinced that the material world around us is only a veil behind which a larger spiritual world of ecstasy and terror awaits; this philosophy informs much of his fiction, such as the fixup novel The Three Impostors and the legendary novella The Great God Pan. Some of his other important works include the story "The White People" and the partly autobiographical novel The Hill of Dreams; he is also primarily responsible for the British legend of the Angels of Mons. He is regarded as one of the finest writers of modern horror and fantasy by many scholars today, having influenced may of the greatest writers in the field(s).

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Machen)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=machen_arthur)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/machen_arthur)
The Friends of Arthur Machen (http://www.arthurmachen.org.uk/)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers in the Great War (http://fantastic-writers-and-the-great-war.com/the-writers/arthur-machen/)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/ArthurMachen)
Victoria Gothic - Arthur Machen: An Ecstasy of Fear (http://www.victoriangothic.org/arthur-machen-an-ecstasy-of-fear/)
Christ & Pop Culture - "In Memoriam Arthur Machen: Celebrating 150 Years of Horror and Ecstasy" by Geoffrey Reiter (http://christandpopculture.com/in-memoriam-arthur-machen-celebrating-150-years-of-horror-and-ecstasy/)
Article on The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/sep/29/arthur-machen-tartarus-press)
Barnes & Noble Review - "Beyond the Veil: The Fiction of Arthur Machen" by Michael Dirda (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/review/beyond-the-veil-the-fiction-of-arthur-machen)



M. R. JAMES (1862-1936)
Medievalist scholar and provost of both King's College at Cambridge and Eton College, James is known to world at large as one the greatest writers of ghost stories ever put to page; his deliberately constructed antiquarian tales - collected originally in four volumes and meant as Christmas Eve entertainments - eschew much of the of Gothic trappings for a contemporary setting, relying on a slow build of dread to an unsettling climax. His works are so well regarded that they are regularly adapted by the BBC for radio and television.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._R._James)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/MontagueRhodesJames)
Ghosts & Scholars - online magazine devoted to James (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GS.html)
Thin-Ghost.org - full text of stories plus film/TV listings and book illustrations (http://www.thin-ghost.org/)
The New Yorker - "Fright Nights: The Horror of M. R. James" by Anthony Lane (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/02/13/fright-nights-2)
New Statesman - "How M. R. James's Ghost Stories Became a Christmas Institution" by John Sutherland (http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/12/come-all-ye-fearful)



H. P. LOVECRAFT (1890-1937)
A name so synonymous with horror that it has became a subgenre unto itself, Lovecraft is considered to be the spiritual successor of Edgar Allan Poe and one of the most influential 20th century authors of horror and fantasy. Drawing on the older traditions as well as modern discoveries, his major contribution was creating horrors on a cosmic scale, with ancient beings from deep space - regarded as "gods" by older peoples - awaiting the opportunity to reclaim the earth for themselves, with humanity an insignificant bystander in the grand scheme. While his prose could often become purple, and his materialistic philosophy and strong racist views are problematic for both Christian and secular audiences, his importance to the development of speculative fiction cannot be overstated.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._P._Lovecraft)
The H. P. Lovecraft Archive (http://www.hplovecraft.com/)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=lovecraft_h_p)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/lovecraft_h_p)
The Wall Street Journal - "Here's Why H. P. Lovecraft Matters More Than Ever" by Michael Calia (http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/10/13/heres-why-h-p-lovecraft-matters-more-than-ever/)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/HPLovecraft)
Christ & Pop Culture - "From Cthulhu to Christ: Why H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Despair Is Still Worth Reading" by Geoffrey Reiter (http://christandpopculture.com/from-cthulhu-to-christ-why-hp-lovecraft-cosmic-despair-still-worth-reading/)



ROBERT E. HOWARD (1906-1936)
Being a close friend of Lovecraft through literary correspondence, there is a streak of cosmic horror in his work, but the legendary Texan pulp writer - the creator of one of the most iconic characters in pop culture, Conan the Barbarian - is best known for nearly singlehandedly creating the subgenre of sword and sorcery with his tales of high adventure in exotic "historical" periods; filled with a grand eloquence and breakneck pacing, Howard's stories are outstanding exercises in mythopoeia, and while many have imitated him, he is rarely equaled. From the splendor of the ancient lands of the Atlantean exile Kull, to the last stand of the last king of the Picts, Bran Mak Morn, against the invading Roman legions, down to the moody crusades of the Puritan wanderer Solomon Kane, Howard's works have lost none of their original fire. And his poetry isn't half bad, either.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard)
The Robert E. Howard Foundation (http://www.rehfoundation.org/)
Texas State Historical Association: Robert E. Howard (https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fho92)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/RobertEHoward)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/howard_robert_e)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=howard_robert_e)
REH: Two-Gun Raconteur - The Definitive Robert E. Howard Journal (http://www.rehtwogunraconteur.com/)



CLARK ASHTON SMITH (1893-1961)
Alongside Lovecraft and Howard, California native Smith is one of the best writers for the influential pulp magazine Weird Tales, weaving tales of wildly exotic locations with both cosmic horror and a sense of humor. He was also an accomplished poet, painter and sculptor. However, his fame has never reached the heights that Lovecraft and Howard attained, though that is not to say that he was disregarded entirely. His ornate construction of language and his total immersion in the wildness of his locations have won him as many admirers as there are detractors.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Ashton_Smith)
Alan Gullette on Clark Ashton Smith (http://alangullette.com/lit/smith/)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/ClarkAshtonSmith)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/smith_clark_ashton)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=smith_clark_ashton)
Black Gate - The Fantasy Cycles of Clark Ashton Smith: Part I (https://www.blackgate.com/the-fantasy-cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith-part-i-the-averoigne-chronicles/)
Black Gate - The Fantasy Cycles of Clark Ashton Smith: Part II (https://www.blackgate.com/the-fantasy-cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith-part-ii-the-book-of-hyperborea/)
Black Gate - The Fantasy Cycles of Clark Ashton Smith: Part III (https://www.blackgate.com/the-fantasy-cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith-part-iii-tales-of-zothique/)
Black Gate - The Fantasy Cycles of Clark Ashton Smith: Part IV (https://www.blackgate.com/the-fantasy-cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith-part-iv-poseidonis-mars-and-xiccarph/)
Christ & Pop Culture - "Dream Builder: Recognizing Clark Ashton Smith's Legacy in Fiction" by Geoffrey Reiter (http://christandpopculture.com/dream-builder-recognizing-clark-ashton-smiths-legacy-fiction/)



I know it's a lot of material. This is a particular instance where I am rather under-read in these authors, so I fear that my brief descriptions may not be doing them justice. The overabundance of offsite resources is meant to compensate for this. I apologize if it's too much. I'll try to cut down on it next time.

If you haven't noticed, I'm rather an aficionado of horror. I don't really understand why it fascinates me so, but I feel there's just as much material to mine there as there is in fantasy. Maybe it's worth its own separate topic...but I can only speak for myself, of course. For now, fantasy's the thing, and I like it that way.

A sundial?

I'm stumped. I want to say "a fly," but it doesn't match up. I have a feeling that it's not a living thing like an animal. It's probably some type of object or concept.

Well, I would say that you SHOULD write what you would want to read. If you just try to please everyone, you'll get nowhere.

Personally, I get a lot of my names from lists - that is, I look for popular compilations of what experts and fans have deemed to be the best. Normally, these titles have stood the test of time and/or have proved to be of significant influence for both the time it was written and for the future. Perhaps you can never measure how good something is except in hindsight.

As for self-publishing, the website I pointed out in a separate topic - deCOMPOSE - is run by a self-published author, and he often gives tips on the writing process. Here's a few blog posts that may be worth something:
http://mikeduran.com/2011/04/does-traditional-publishing-validate-an-author/
http://mikeduran.com/2012/03/heres-why-you-should-wait-before-self-publishing-your-novel/
http://mikeduran.com/2015/01/indie-publishing-and-the-meat-grinder/
http://mikeduran.com/2013/04/self-publishing-as-principled-cop-out/
http://mikeduran.com/2016/01/the-slow-and-steady-approach-to-building-readership/

Now this might not be what you're looking for, but you could always contact him through his email link. OR I could share your thoughts with him (I've spoken a couple times to him) and relay his message.

As for the narrative effect, that might take a bit more time.....

I think there's still a place for tradition. These new forms may even be used as a form of marketing for the original sources.

As for the rise, it may be just another bubble, and when that pops, everything else will keep rolling along as it always does.

I can't say for sure, hence why my response is rather short.

No, but is a special type of person, and this drink does boil - metaphorically - in certain instances.

Yes, it is. Here's another article I've been holding onto, regarding the spiritual connections of punk rock, of all things:
http://christandpopculture.com/punk-rocks-prophetic-profane-outsider-community/

One of the most interesting developments with fiddles is the way rock bands can incorporate them into the act without sounding disjointed. Take, for example, the progressive rock band Kansas (I'm big into progressive rock):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q-9P0Y0e2s

Shame, because it's directed by John Landis, and his stuff is usually funny. Granted, I've never seen Animal House, but The Blues Brothers was excellent, and An American Werewolf in London is a classic. Heck, even Oscar is pretty good (and that got horrible reviews).

Really? Well, that's upsetting. Doesn't it just get pumping when that happens?

Again, O'Brien's book is one I have a copy of but have yet to pick up. I don't doubt that it's good - the animated adaptation (Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH) may be one of the best animated children's films out there, though it's still pretty loose. As for Jacques, I read the first Redwall novel and enjoyed it. It's a sequel I'd definitely continue.

As for others, maybe you've heard of these (if not, you do now).


DAVID GEMMELL (1948-2006)
After working through several jobs including journalism, Gemmell came onto the scene with Legend, which told of the defense of a large fortress from barbarian hordes and of an aging axeman called to make one last stand. From there on out, he was a master of pseudo-historical fantasy dealing with themes of honor, loyalty and age. His work is considerably violent, though he attested his Christian beliefs to providing an anchor for him. Legend became the first novel in a series about the entire imaginary nation and the great men within it. Today, an award named after him is still given out to outstanding work in heroic fantasy.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gemmell)
Drenai.com - A Guide to the Drenai Saga (http://www.drenai.com/)



GUY GAVRIEL KAY (1954- )
One of the most successful Canadian fantasists, his career began when he was hired by Christopher Tolkien to assist in editing The Silmarillion while he was still a university student; during the process, he drew ideas for his own work, studying Tolkien's style in order to assimilate his strengths while filtering out some of his weaknesses. The result became The Fionavar Tapestry, an amalgam of Tolkienian high fantasy, Anglo-Saxon mythology and Arthurian folklore in which five ordinary students are drawn into "the first of all worlds" and find themselves pitted against the mad god - the Unraveller - who wished to destroy that world, thus unmaking all worlds. The three books which comprise it (The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road) have been praised as being near equal to Tolkien's work and not simply another ripoff. His other single novels are historical fantasies of considerable acclaim set in various counterparts of Western and Eastern culture.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Gavriel_Kay)
TV Tropes page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/GuyGavrielKay)
Bright Weavings: The Worlds of Guy Gavriel Kay (http://www.brightweavings.com/)



JAMES STEPHENS (1880-1950)
An Irish novelist and poet, Stephens's witty retellings of native fairy tales and verse are well regarded, though his most famous and reprinted work may be The Crock of Gold, in which a philosopher tries to save the woman Cáitilin Ni Murrachu from Pan himself.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stephens_(author))
Encyclopedia Britannica entry (http://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Stephens-Irish-writer)



L. FRANK BAUM (1856-1919)
The most famous children's author in his day, Baum produced a remarkable output of fantasy stories, such as The Master Key, Queen Zixi of Ix and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Of course, his most treasured creation is the Land of Oz and that original classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Despite the film having permeated popular culture, the original story is extremely enjoyable and unforgettable in its own right, having lost none of its charm and warmth; 13 sequels followed, though the original was intended to be a self-contained story.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum)
The International Wizard of Oz Club (http://ozclub.org/)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Website (http://thewizardofoz.info/)



J. M. BARRIE (1860-1937)
He wrote a great number of successful plays focusing on the current society, and some of those works are still being printed. However, Barrie is known at large for one story - the legendary Peter Pan. While his other work shouldn't be neglected, the story of Pan and Neverland is genuinely good, simply told for children and yet still engaging for adults. At its most basic element, it's simply a fun tale, though there may be some hidden messages beneath the narrative which lead to a rather bittersweet interpretation.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._Barrie)
Official website authorized by Great Ormond Street Hospital (http://www.jmbarrie.co.uk/)



That's all for now.

I almost forgot to express my own admiration for The Neverending Story - it's definitely one of my personal favorites, and I rather wish that Ende had written a sequel or a related collection of short stories. Of course, I sometimes wonder if he was challenging the reader to finish those stories himself/herself. So many images strike me, a lot of them from the movie (which is a GREAT fantasy and family film, but as an adaptation......yeah, it gets the broad strokes for the half of the book it adapts well, but if hairs must be split, it misses little details which increase the magic of the original story). Others, like Grogramon the Many-Coloured Death, the door without a knob that only opens when you've forgotten why you needed it opened in the first place, the self-propelled sword Sikanda, Bastian becoming drunk on power and starting a war, are pure Ende.

Now here are a few more recommendations.



WILLIAM GOLDMAN (1931- )
A talented novelist and screenwriter, Goldman is responsible for the scripts to such classic films as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and Misery; one of his most famous novels, which he also adapted to the screen, is the taught thriller Marathon Man. Probably his most fondly remembered work - and I think I speak for everyone when I say this, let alone fantasy fans - is The Princess Bride (which, again, he also wrote the screenplay for). Despite some minor changes which may feel less memorable than Rob Reiner's wonderful film, the book is still just as charming and whimsical as what lies in the public consciousness.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Goldman)



HOPE MIRRLEES (1887-1978)
Author of two historical novels and a set of poetry (which has recently undergone a reevaluation), this friend of Virginia Woolf is best remembered for her underrated third novel, Lud-in-the-Mist, a tale of a city on the border of the world of Faerie and the results of the interaction with its inhabitants. It is highly regarded as a forgotten masterpiece.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Mirrlees)
Hope Mirrlees on the Web (http://hopemirrlees.com/)
The Lady Who Wrote Lud-in-the-Mist - by Michael Swanwick (http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/introduces/mirrlees.htm)



URSULA K. LE GUIN (1929- )
One of the most influential voices in science fiction, tackling environmental and sociological themes, she is also famous for the Earthsea Cycle, a young adult series situated in a watery world filled with numerous islands and a unique magic system based on the balance of nature; it is held by some fans just as fondly as Middle-Earth and Narnia. The series currently consists of A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu and The Other Wind, plus a collection of short stories. Ged Sparrowhawk, the protagonist of the first book who journeys from naïve child to experienced wizard, figures in roles of various importance in most of the books.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursula_K._Le_Guin)
The Official Website of Ursula K. Le Guin (http://www.ursulakleguin.com/)
Biographical Sketch (http://www.ursulakleguin.com/BiographicalSketch.html)



POUL ANDERSON (1926-2001)
Much like Le Guin, Anderson's reputation rests mostly on his science fiction works, filled with heroic blustery characters and high adventure. His smaller fantasy work, however, is still considered just as outstanding, two novels in particular regarded as definite classics. The Broken Sword (published around the same time as The Lord of the Rings) is a Nordic tale set during the encroachment of Christianity which recounts the life of Skafloc, a mortal raised among the elves, and his changeling counterpart Valgard, as they are inevitably drawn into the war between the elves and the trolls, into which plays a strange sword broken in two which will set in motion the events leading to Ragnarok. The other is Three Hearts and Three Lions, in which an American-Danish engineer during WWII is pulled into a fantasy world in which the Matter of France is true and conflict is rising between the forces of Law and Chaos.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Poul Anderson (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/anderson_poul)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy: Poul Anderson (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=anderson_poul)
FantasyLiterature.com - A summary of Poul Anderson's works (http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fantasy-author/andersonpoul/)
TV Tropes entry (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/PoulAnderson)



PETER S. BEAGLE (1939- )
Author of the screenplay of the late 70s animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, he also wrote the introduction to the Del Rey editions of the books. However, I have found that he is also a respected writer in his own right, penning such works as A Fine and Private Place (greatly regarded by many), The Innkeeper's Song, The Folk of the Air and Tamsin. But his most famous work, one of the most beloved works in the fantasy genre, is The Last Unicorn, a comical, thoughtful, somewhat self-aware and ultimately bittersweet story of a unicorn who sets out to discover the mystery of her kind's disappearance and the wild and wonderful characters she meets along the way. Its animated adaptation is probably the best thing ever put out by Rankin/Bass (yes, the puppet holiday special company).

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle)
The Unofficial Peter S. Beagle Website [old - will be redesigned] (http://www.peterbeagle.com/index2.shtml)
TV Tropes page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/PeterSBeagle)



MERVYN PEAKE (1911-1968)
Born to missionary parents in China and influenced by the works of Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson, he began work as a painter and illustrator, eventually adding nonsense poetry to his repertoire. The work for which he is most appraised is a surreal Gothic fantasy-of-manners trilogy detailing the life of Titus Groan, 77th heir to the Earldom of the ancient city of Gormenghast, a monolithic stone structure filled with bizarre inhabitants, governed by ancient customs and traditions which have long since lost their meaning; while the family squabbles over their petty differences, a shrewd, manipulative kitchen boy schemes to overthrow the system. It was meant to part of a larger cycle, but Peake's deteriorating health and ultimate death from dementia and Parkinson's put an end to it. The trilogy - Titus Groan, Gormenghast and Titus Alone - has sometimes been compared to Tolkien's work for its status within the genre.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mervyn_Peake)
Mervyn Peake, the Official Site (http://www.mervynpeake.org/)
TV Tropes entry on Gormenghast (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/Gormenghast)



EVANGELINE WALTON (1907-1996)
Much like T. H. White, Evangeline Walton is best known for retelling an ancient legend for the 20th century - in her case, the Mabinogion, the entirety covered in four books: Prince of Annwn, The Children of Llyr, The Song of Rhiannon and The Island of the Mighty (arranged chronologically). Other noteworthy titles include the horror novel Witch House and the historical The Cross and the Sword. Many of her works remain unpublished, though her estate is working on rectifying the situation.

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangeline_Walton)
Official website (https://evangelinewalton.wordpress.com/)



RICHARD ADAMS (1920- )
Richard Adams has an interesting body of work, but his fame really stems from one novel, his first - Watership Down, one of the best written animal fantasies ever made, concerning a warren of rabbits and their search for a new burrow after the old one is destroyed by land development. Part of the fantastic element comes from the rabbits having their own mythology about the creation of the world and the rise and adventures of a precocious folk hero. His other work includes The Plague Dogs (a pair of dogs escape a laboratory and are subsequently pursued), Shardik (a bear in a fictional empire is taken to be the representation of the power of God, but his hunter still pursues him) and Traveller (a historical recount of the exploits of Robert E. Lee told from the viewpoint of his horse).

Offsite resource:
Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Adams)
Encyclopedia of Fantasy: Richard Adams (http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=adams_richard)
Encyclopedia Britannica entry (http://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Adams)



I'll stop there for now. I may have more tomorrow or even another day. I don't mean to say you should read all these immediately, of course. They're mostly just for fun as well as future reference. I apologize in advance if it's too overwhelming.