Note: works listed are not necessarily all works, but may simply be particularly famous, or "key" writings.
Born: 1924
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Born: 1931
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Born: 1898
Born: 1824
Born: 1948
Born: 1834
Born: 1912
Born: 1897
Born: 1892
Born: 1916
Born: 1937Alexander, Lloyd
Died: still living
Web site: fan site - fan site
Fantasy books written: The Book of Three (1964), The Black Cauldron (1965), The Castle of Llyr (1966), Taran Wanderer (1967), and The High King (1968).
Notes: Lloyd Alexander’s chief fantasy series, and the reason he is included in this list, is the excellent Prydain series, based on Welsh mythology, which details the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-keeper in a magical world threatened by Arawn, the embodiment of evil.Anderson, Poul
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: The Broken Sword (1954), Three Hearts and Three Lions (1961).
Notes: Poul Anderson’s works are mainly mythological epics, The Broken Sword being a Norse epic and Three Hearts and Three Lions being about medieval Europe, which borders on the world of Faërie (why the book was included).Anthony, Piers
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: A Spell for Chameleon (1977).
Notes: Piers Anthony’s only fantasy book is about a world in which very few "nonmagical" people live for more than 25 years, and an apparently "nonmagical" man discovers that he has a unique magical talent.
Arnason, Eleanor
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Sword Smith (1987).
Notes: This high fantasy is notable in its treatment of dragons- they are the most humanlike of all fantasy dragons.Baum, L. Frank
Died: 1919
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and 13 other Oz books.
Notes: This children’s story was followed by 13 others (too many to name here). It was one of the very first fantasy books (see The History of Fantasy for more information).
Beagle, Peter S.
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Last Unicorn (1968).
Notes: This charming high fantasy is about a unicorn, the last of its kind, who is looking for a way to restore her kindred, the guardians of nature and goodness.Brooks, Terry
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Sword of Shannara (1977).
Notes: This magical story set in the far future is highly derivative of Tolkien.Chant, Joy
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: Red Moon and Black Mountains: The End of the House of Kendreth (1970), and The Grey Mane of Morning (1977).
Notes: These fantasy books, the first one involving travel between worlds, the second pure high fantasy, are about a place called Vanderei and chronicle the adventures of the nomadic Khentors.Cherryh, C. J.
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: Gate of Ivrel (1976), and Well of Shiuan.
Notes: Science fiction fantasy books so closely resembling high fantasy as to be nearly indistinguishable from it, these tell the tale of Nhi Vanye and Morgaine, who are trying to find the legendary "Wells" to escape their dying world.Dickson, Gordon R.
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: The Dragon and the George (1976), several others in the series.
Notes: This somewhat humorous series presents the adventures of Jim Eckert, who has accidentally become a dragon in a war where The Dark Powers will use anything- or anyone- to upset the balance between Chance and History.Donaldson, Stephen R.
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: Lord Foul’s Bane (1977), The Illearth War (1977), and The Power That Preserves (1977).
Notes: These three books make up the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, a multidimensional entity, who moves from antihero to hero who must eventually fight the evil Lord Foul.Goldman, William
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: The Princess Bride (1973).
Notes: This book, later made into a movie, features some of the craziest heroics of all time.Kurtz, Katherine
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: Deryni Rising (1970), Deryni Checkmate (1972), High Deryni (1973) Camber of Culdi (1979), and Saint Camber (1978).
Notes: The Chronicles of the Deryni is a high fantasy that details the adventures of Morgan and MacLain, two members of an ancient race of sorcerers called the Deryni. The Chronicles of Camber is a prequel to the first series, and concerns Camber MacRorie.Lee, Tanith
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: Volkhavaar (1977), and East of Midnight (1978).
Notes: These myth-based fantasies have much heroism and excitement.Le Guin, Ursula K.
Died: still living
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), The Tombs of Atuan (1971), and The Farthest Shore (1972).
Notes: These novels tell the story of the young wizard Ged, who traverses the detailed and fantastic land of Earthsea, an archipelago in a world of water.Lewis, C. S.
Died: 1963
Web site: official site
Fantasy books written: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950), Prince Caspian (1951), The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" (1952), The Silver Chair (1953), The Horse and His Boy (1954), The Magician’s Nephew (1955), and The Last Battle (1956).
Notes: These books together make up the Chronicles of Narnia, a wonderful whole that tells of English schoolchildren being transported to the magical land of Narnia, where they have many adventures.MacDonald, George
Died: 1905
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Princess and the Goblin (1872), and The Princess and Curdie (1883).
Notes: These books detail the relationship between Princess Irene and Curdie, a miner boy who must constantly deal with wicked goblins.McKillip, Patricia A.
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Riddle-Master of Hed (1976), Heir of Sea and Fire (1977), and Harpist in the Wind (1979).
Notes: These books make up the Riddle of Stars series. The books are very interesting in that the reader is dropped into them, making the books themselves very much like riddles as the reader tries to figure out what’s going on.Morris, William
Died: 1896
Web site: official site
Fantasy books written: The Sundering Flood (1898).
Notes: William Morris wrote many excellent fantasy like books, but this is the only true fantasy. In it, a young man goes on a quest for his lover across The Sundering Flood.Norton, Andre
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: Witch World (1977) and many, many other related novels and short stories.
Notes: The Witch World is a place where magic is possible, but is only practiced by the Estcarpian witches, who fight the Kolder invaders.Pratt, Fletcher
Died: 1956
Web site: none
Fantasy books written: The Well of the Unicorn (1976).
Notes: This story tells of the revolt of Airar Alverson and his companions against the Vulking invaders and seems to be related to the Norse world.Tolkien, J. R. R.
Died: 1973
Web site: fan site - official related site
Fantasy books written: The Hobbit; or, There and Back Again (1937), The Fellowship of he Ring (1954), The Two Towers (1955), The Return of the King (1955), The Silmarillion (1977), and numerous other works edited and published posthumously by his son, Christopher Tolkien.
Notes: The original High Fantasies, these books form the core of the world of Middle-earth, where dwell wizards, dragons, trolls, ents, and more (see The History of Fantasy for more information).Vance, Jack
Died: still living
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: The Dying Earth (1950), and The Eyes of the Overworld (1966).
Notes: Both of these books about a future earth are highly fragmented, and both are science fiction fantasy, but they deserve a look.Zelazny, Roger
Died: 1995
Web site: fan site
Fantasy books written: Nine Princes in Amber (1970), The Guns of Avalon (1972), Sign of the Unicorn (1975), The Hand of Oberon (1976), and Courts of Chaos (1978).
Notes: These stories tell of the world of Amber, where Oberon the creator reigns supreme and his family, the Royal Family, fights for the crown. (It should be noted that the first book is far inferior to the rest of the series, and should be avoided at all costs by the squeamish.)
If you feel that this is not a comprehensive list, or you think you have found incomplete or erroneous information, contact us. Subject: "Famous Authors."