Charles de Lint and Patricia McKillip are both amazing stylists, Guy Gavriel Kay might be the best fantasist of the 90’s(I am aware that his Fionavar novels read like Tok-clones, but he’d just finished the work he did on the Silmarilion, so I give him a pass. His work deserves it.) , and Bujold as mentioned above is truly superb. Each has flaws of course, but they are all truly gifted writers as well.

Among the grittier versions of the genre, I like “hard fantasy” as a description, I have recently read, and very much enjoyed James Clemen’s Shadowfall.

I think that I am cautiously optimistic about the future of the genre right now, as there are some amazing younger writers out there. I recently read a first novel by a guy named Jay Lake, called Mainspring, that was inventive, and fascinating, and far superior to much that has been written in the last 30 years. The late 80’s and early 90’s will I think in the long run, be viewed as the low water points for fantasy. Right now if you want brainless tok-clones, they are out there, but there is also a lot of intelligent and insightful writing written in genre. -TJ

You may want to try “The Knight” part of the Wizard Knight (two books). It’s a very approachable Wolfe.

Also, try his short stories–they’re all very good. It’s when he approaches novel-length that the singularity usually starts to fold–for good, if you like that kind of stuff, or ill, if you don’t.

I like Gene Wolfe, but have a difficult time chewing through his novels. But his short stories–and The Knight–I devour happily.

A fairer criticism is that his politics are pretty objectionable, from the perspective of the left-of-center law professor. But he generally doesn’t hit you over the head with them.

I’ve read a lot of fantasy in my youth, and while I still have a fondness for it, I’m much more choosy about what I read (ie, GRRM), and my tastes have moved toward other genres and non-fiction.

I don’t really do fantasy anymore. I tried to pick up Song of Ice and Fire a couple months ago. But you’re right: the sex and brutality are definitely there. After a while, I just didn’t feel like wallowing in human filth over a genre I suddenly realized I didn’t care about anymore. I didn’t even get through the first book.

I’ve been going for historical non-fiction mostly. But I still wish I could find a good piece of fantasy writing that didn’t make me feel like pond scum after reading it. You’re summary of current literary trends is not exactly encouraging.

It’s good to know that fantasy is moving in the “right” direction and that there are others with similar tastes.

I don’t read much epic fantasy to be honest. I don’t even read sci fi, which I prefer to watch on TV with special effects (Star Trek TNG, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica). But lots of my English grad student buddies, people I generally respect usually high falutin’ literary tastes love science fiction fantasy as beach reads. I’m intending to take up their suggestions this summer if I make it to the beach in between conferences.

The general consensus is that you can’t go wrong with the Victorianist trained sci fi author (and lit professor at the University of London) Adam Roberts: http://adamroberts.com . Start with Salt, then On, then Stone.

Or Octavia Butler, who unfortunately died last year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_Butler

Kindred is a sci fi exploration of slavery, supposed to be very good, as are the Parable of the Sower series.

They’re both highly rated as readable, intelligent, and well-written sci fi fantasy.

Anyway, that’s what I’m reading this summer. Although Jim Chen gave me some historical fantasy for Christmas, “Freedom and Necessity” by Steven Brust and Emma Bull, and I’ve still yet to read that.