I don't really have much to say, but here are a few of my favorite authors and titles. Or at least some randomly selected ones. I'll try to select a few more every month; you could also check out my new book page (where these will probably wind up eventually).
A few writers I've been enjoying recently: Jim Mortimer; Roger Zelazny (though not the Amber books); Sarah Zettel. (1998 list: Gregory Benford; David Brin; Charles Sheffield; James P. Hogan's novels, though I'm not a fan of his short stories.)
Several of my favorite writers live locally, including Pamela Dean, Steven Brust, Joel Rosenberg, and Patricia Wrede. Emma Bull and Will Shetterly used to live in this area as well, but they moved. I lived in the same apartment building as Bruce Bethke for a couple of years.
I think Anne McCaffrey has written some very good books, though I've been less excited about her newest books (many of which are based on short stories&emdash;find those instead, if you can). But don't miss the DragonRiders of Pern series; the first two trilogies are masterpieces, and the sequels are fun to read, if not as fresh as the earlier books.
Vernor Vinge has written some good books. While Grimm's World is good, my favorites of his are surely The Peace War and Marooned in Realtime. He does a marvelous job of bringing back the sense of wonder to modern science fiction.
I enjoy Doctor Who, which is unfortunately now a show of the past. Ah well. Some of the New Doctor Who books are quite good; they have a very dark tone to them.
The classic science fiction authors, like Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and Hal Clement, are worth checking out. Try Asimov's The Naked Sun. And how can I not mention Larry Niven's Ringworld?
There are some fairly authors fairly new to me whom I've also enjoyed a lot. Connie Willis has written several, including Domesday Book and Light Raid (co-author). Melissa Scott writes of a dark technological future. Jane Lindskold weaves strange sorts of empathy into her novels, while Nancy Kress imagines some unexpected directions for genetic engineering. Enjoy!
A few writers I've been enjoying recently: Pamela Dean; Sherri Tepper; Joel Rosenberg. (1998 list: Robin McKinley; Patricia Wrede; Jane Yolen.)
Emma Bull's War for the Oaks is a wonderful fantasy set right here in Minneapolis.
Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry is one of the best fantasies of the recent past. (In my opinion, at least....)
Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser books are quiet gems of the sword-and-sorcery genre.
R. A. MacAvoy is a wonderful author. She has a good imagination, well steeped in history and mythology, coupled with a calm and unhurried writing style. My favorite book of hers is still Tea With the Black Dragon, though the Damiano trilogy is also worth seeking out. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the Lens of the World books very much.
The Riddlemaster of Hed, by Patricia McKillip, is a sweet trilogy with a mysterious and mythical air. My favorite book of hers, though, is The Changeling Sea. She has a magical way with words that makes all of her books simply a delight to read.
Andre Norton is an underrated writer, I think, though she's perhaps better in the fantasy realm than when writing science fiction. Check out The Magic Books if you can find a copy.
No list of excellent fantasy would be complete without C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The latter reflects the years of work that went into creating a realistic world with its own societies, language, myth, and history.
ABR