Jose Saramago has some great books that really explore the human condition.
this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
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Marilynne Robinson! "Housekeeping," "Gilead," absolutely stunning writer.
Anyone mentioned John Boyne yet?
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas was really a YA book, but some of his other stuff is world class. A Ladder to the Sky, Heart's Invisible Furies etc
Lots of great sf/fantasy authors mentioned already, including some I'd argue for as great writers regardless of genre (Ursula K. Le Guin, Gene Wolfe, N. K. Jemisin).
I have three more to suggest in this genre and from this period:
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C. J. Cherryh (Cyteen, Foreigner series, lots more) uses the lens of alien societies -- just different enough from ours -- to make us look critically at the structure of our own;
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Sheri S. Tepper (Grass, Raising the Stones, The Gate to Women's Country) carries one or another of the dark currents underlying our culture to its horrifying conclusion, and shows us what we get;
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Lois McMaster Bujold (Vorkosigan saga) gives us a hilarious and improbable hero who utterly transcends his disabilities, in the end perfectly embodying what it seems he could never hope to be.
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Sarah Waters
Oh, and for funny books, Tom Sharpe of course
Agree with plenty of the ones mentioned here, like: Stephenson, Egan and Murakami.
A very observant author is Peter Carey.
His wonderful book, Bliss was written in 1981 and felt like someone in 2010 looking back at the debauched mid 80s. Amazing foresight.
Robert Munsch
off-beat:
- Vikram Seth (polyglot) – A Suitable Boy
- Ryszard Kapuściński (journalist)
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Roddy Doyle. Written as mainly dialogue, but with fabulous world building. Many of his books were made into movies, but they are more well known in Ireland than elsewhere. The commitments found international success. Plot wise, they’re not ground breaking, it’s his creation of characters and tackling some tough subjects.
Zadie smith. Again, slice of life, but with more of a point.
Dan brown, but only for energising thriller mysteries.
To me, it has to be Steven Erikson. Malazan series is simply amazing.
Andy McNabb
To add one I haven't seen: Jane Smiley. I really enjoyed The Greenlanders, A Thousand Acres and Horse Heaven.