Top Ten Tuesday: Authors Iโ€™ve Read the Most Books By

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Lit white candles on top of a stack of books. I’m the sort of reader who regularly jumps around between authors and among genres.

When I discover an author I really love, I might read everything from their back catalogue I can find only to go years before picking up anything else from them depending on if they’re still alive and how often they publish new novels.

That is to say, I’ve read many books from the following authors, but I can also go long stretches of time before returning to them again.

Almost everyone on my list is a science fiction or fantasy author because those are my favourite genres. I’m particular about which types of SFF I like to read, so when I find an author who has the same tastes I dive into everything I can find from them.

Do any of you follow similar patterns?

My list:

Stephen King

L.M. Montgomery

Margaret Atwood

Ursula K. Le Guin

Douglas Adams

Neil Gaiman

Octavia E. Butler

Robert J. Sawyer

Sheri S. Tepper

Jean M. Auel

132 Comments

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132 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Authors Iโ€™ve Read the Most Books By

  1. I think it is interesting that most of your most-read-authors are science fiction writers.

  2. A completely different list from mine, though I have read a few of those authors.

    Great post.

  3. I haven’t thought about Auel in years, but I read her entire clan of the cave bear series. Well..I think I didn’t bother with the last one. They’d gotten to be caveman soap operas!

  4. I’ve just read The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin. It’s a thoughtful short story for me. I think I should try to read more books from her.

  5. I’ve read several from L.M. Montgomery back in the day.

  6. That is a very impressive list, wow!

  7. Once I discovered Elin Hilderbrand I immediately started to collect any book I could find by her. I totally get it! Love your list!

  8. Itโ€™s been many years since I read anything by Stephen King but he used used to be one of my mainstays.

  9. Quite a list. I’ve heard of some of them and even read some of their work. Most of the posters on this site I’m at a loss, and they even have pictures.

    • It looks like we commented on each other’s posts at almost the same time! ๐Ÿ˜€ And, yeah, there were a lot of authors I didn’t recognize this week, either. It’s fun to be exposed to them.

  10. Oh these are all wonderful authors! And I’m always happy to see so many in the SFF genres ๐Ÿ˜€ mine definitely follow a pattern too!

  11. Great list! You’ve got a lot of my favorites including Atwood, LeGuin, Gaiman, Butler, and Sawyer. They did’t make my top ten list, but Atwood is close and I’m sure I’ll read more of them in the future.

  12. Vee_Bookish

    I need to read more of Neil Gaiman’s books!

  13. Love seeing Neil Gaiman on the list! <3

  14. I was very surprised to discover my top-read author is one I haven’t read in several years. Now I’m anxious to pick up a book by them and see if I still feel the same way about their writing. ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. If I love an author Iโ€™m always tempted by their back list!

  16. Yes if I find an author I like I do buy their backlist. Getting around to reading it is proving to be the problem! ๐Ÿ˜„

  17. I love that LM Montgomery is on your list with a bunch of SF/F authors. ๐Ÿ™‚ She is a classic.

  18. It’s always nice to have those go-to authors you can return to even years later. Great list! ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. Your post reminded me of a couple authors I completely forgot about!
    I’m ashamed to say I’ve never anything by Neil Gaiman. Which of his books would you recommend the most?

    • It’s always cool when that happens!

      Since Neil writes for both kids and adults, I’ll recommend one children’s book from him and one adult book from him.

      “Good Omens” is his best book for an adult audience.It’s about an unlikely friendship between an angel and a demon over many millennia. (And it was made into an amazing mini-series last year, too!)

      As much as I enjoyed “Coraline,” “The Graveyard Book” is honestly his best YA book. It’s about a boy who was raised by spirits and other supernatural creatures in a graveyard.

  20. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never read an Octavia E. Butler novel. I’m hoping to remedy that before this year ends.

  21. Great list. I really need to read more Gaiman, he’s been on several lists today!

  22. Fun list! I also have a lot of SFF authors on my list this week, but for me that’s partly because I read more SFF series than any other genre. So just by finishing the series, I end up reading a lot of books by one author.

  23. I’ve read a few books by Stephen King and the main 8 Anne of Green Gables books by LM Montgomery, but I still need to read some of LM Montgomery’s other books (now that I know she has others).

    • You totally should branch out into her other books! She’s written some great ones that aren’t quite so well know. I’ll give you a suggestion or two if you want!

  24. Now that’s a really good list, some of my favs on there too. Have to admit I haven’t read any King or Gaiman. I know, I know, I really should. But the rest? Oh yes, plenty.

  25. RS

    That’s interesting that you do deep dives. With the exception of the detective series on my list — and I really don’t read that much detective fiction in general, it’s just that when I find a good one it’s GREAT — as an adult, I very rarely read a lot of one author at once. 3-4 books at most, and then I need a change of scenery for a year or five, even if they have diverse themes (and if all their books follow a similar pattern, then I can’t go beyond 2 in a year, or I will burn out and they’ll blur together). The perils of having a super-huge TBR, I suppose.

    The only one I’ve actually read from your list is Montgomery — I read the complete Anne series, but somehow never found my way beyond that, despite several appealing titles.

    • Very interesting to see the differences between our reading habits, RS!

      Montgomery wrote so many books outside of the Anne series, including some for adults that were excellent. I’ll give you a suggestion or two if you want!

  26. I just discovered Margaret Atwood this past year. And, of course, Stephen King is a classic.

  27. I do not know your authors… Other than the obvious Stephen King

    I will have to check them out. Thanks for stopping by My Tuesday Post

  28. Now that’s a great list. I even found a few authors I haven’t tried before ๐Ÿ˜€

    Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday.

  29. Interesting lists! I should read something from Ursula K. Le Guin.

  30. The only one of these I’ve read is Stephen King. I’m not really into the genre, though. I’m glad you have found several authors to be devoted to.

  31. I enjoy L.M. Montgomery’s books.

    My TTT list!

  32. I jump around a lot too with authors and genres. I’ve read a little Le Guin and I want to read Auel and Adams. And same- I feel that way about authors too, I have certain tastes and get excited when I find an author that works!

  33. Every time I see Stephen King on a list I think to myself that I really ought to read more of his books. I am a chicken about reading horror but I know all his books aren’t in that genre. Thanks for visiting.

  34. I largely read romance, but I fall into that same pattern. If an author writes in the subgenre I love and has strong characters, I’ll read all of their works.

  35. So many greats on your list! I think I’ve read 4 Octavia Butler books, but absolutely need to read more. Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, and Neil Gaiman are all favorites, and I only discovered the joy of L. M. Montgomery last year when I finally read the Anne books. ๐Ÿ™‚

  36. Hmm, Neil Gaiman should probably make it on my list as well, thinking about it… particularly since I’ve read all the Sandman comics as well as his novels! ๐Ÿ™‚

  37. Denise @ Life With No Plot

    So many authors on this list that I need to read more of. Thanks for sharing!

  38. I love Douglas Adams. He’s a family favorite in our house. I just adore his quirky mind.

  39. I do love L.M. Montgomery. I’ve been wanting to re-read all her books as an adult for a long time

  40. I used to read a lot of Stephen King, but not so much lately. L.M. Montgomery is another favorite. Thanks for sharing.

  41. I don’t read much SFF, so I haven’t read anything from most of these authors. Stephen King is an exception – I’ve read at least ten of his, although not recently. I’m too big of a wimp to read him nowadays! I’ve also read a few of Gaiman’s books. I especially love STARDUST.

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  42. Jean M. Auel! Yes, I read almost her whole Clan of the Cave Bear series, except the last one (or two)! But I never reviewed them on my blog. Butler and Le Guin are two I’d like to get to know, although I think Le Guin might be too… SFF for my taste!

    • Honestly, the last couple of books in the Clan of the Cave Bear series weren’t that great, although I am glad to know how it ended. I hope you enjoy Butler and Le Guin if you read them, though.

  43. I need to read more Stephen King!

  44. Great list! I need to read more Neil Gaiman and Ursula K Le Guin!

    (www.evelynreads.com)

  45. In recent years I have found I am the same – I find an author I like, read a couple of books but then I am the kinmd of reader who gets distracted by other awesome authors and books and it’s ages before I return to authors. I’m so glad I have company now with that habit!!

  46. There are a few authors on here that I am not familiar with. I will be doing some research this week on the many authors on these lists that I do not know. My list has authors that I have read, but do not read anymore. In five years, it would be very different.

  47. Oh I adore L.M. Montgomery – do you have a favorite book of hers.

  48. Also love Margaret Atwood and Octavia E. Butler! I can also read one book by an author, love it, and then wait a whole year before buying three more books by that author.

  49. I’m like that as well, I can go years after binging an author before I read another book from them. Great list!

  50. It took me a minute to find out how to comment because I’m such a non-visual person I ignore pictures without words on them and I didn’t notice that the number was a quote bubble! Stephen King is the only one of your authors I had on my list. I have read a few of Neil Gaiman’s books and a couple by Octavia Butler. Both are authors I intend to read more of, though! I’ve read one Douglas Adams — you can guess which! ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Thanks for visiting my blog!

  51. This is a great list. King is one of my fave authors, though I have not read tons of his books. It is kind of a weird thing to say, but it is true.

  52. Stephen King and Margaret Atwood are top 2 on my list. Iโ€™m slowly working my way through everything theyโ€™ve written.

  53. Fantastic list with some favorite authors – Tepper, Gaiman, and LeGuin. I reread The Left Hand of Darkness so many times I’ve had to buy a new copy twice now.

  54. Really want to try reading Neil Gaiman’s works.

  55. I don’t think I’ve read books by any of these authors except for Neil Gaiman. I’m not a huge science fiction reader though either. I do eventually want to read a Stephen King novel (specifically, Pet Sematary). Surprisingly, I don’t really tend to favor or stick with any particular author. I just sort of read whatever series I’m interested in and may or may not decide to read other series by them.

  56. Good list. I really need to read my Ocatavia E Butler books – she’s been on my TBR for a while now but I get distracted by other things.

  57. Mareli @ Elza Reads

    Hi Lydia!

    Stephen King made my list as well! I haven’t read all his books, but the ones that I did read, I loved.

    Also a big LM Montgomery fan. Wonderful childhood memories.

    You left a question on my blog regarding Agatha Christie and where to start – my suggestion will be to start with And then there were none. It’s one of the few stand alones. If you like her style, hop on to the Poirot series before Miss Marple.

    Thanks for visiting and happy reading!

  58. Hurrah for the similar authors!

  59. Lots of overlap, though I have yet to read any Sawyer and have only read a graphic novel version of Butler’s Kindred. I read a lot more backlist before I started blogging, because I wasn’t as informed about current and upcoming books, I think.

  60. I’d like to read Ursula K Le Guin, I haven’t read anything by her before

  61. Lydia, I also love Douglas Adams, but sadly not read enough by him (yet!) for him to make my list. ๐Ÿ™‚

  62. Great list of authors here. I used to do that when I found a new favorite author, but since I’ve been blogging, I tend to buy everything I can find for new favorite authors but then never get around to actually reading them because I’m so busy reading and reviewing new releases.

  63. Neil Gaiman is one of my most read authors as well. He writes so many different things.

  64. Great list! Octavia E. Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin and Jean M. Auel are all authors I need to try, and I’d like to read more of Margaret Atwood’s work, too.

  65. Well, I’m happy to see someone else had Stephen King on their list!! I just read my first Octavia Butler and LOVED it! Love Margaret Atwood as well ๐Ÿ™‚

    Neil Gaiman I have never read and believe I need to try…

  66. I should read more by L.M. Montgomery – someday. Pretty sure all I’ve read by her is “The Blue Castle” despite loving and growing up on the 80s ‘Anne’ movies. ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for the visits to Finding Wonderland.

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