Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic.  Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by  The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here.  This week’s topic is:

Freebie

So, a couple of weeks ago the topic for TTT was ‘Auto Buy Authors and I went for an all female list and undertook to do a separate list for male authors.  This week being a ‘freebie’ therefore seems like the perfect opportunity to make that list.  Here are my ‘go to’ male authors.  In some cases I’ve actually gone for fairly ‘new to me’ authors but only where at the moment I feel absolutely certain that I’ll want to read more. Like with my last list I may have accidentally cheated and chosen 11 authors. To be clear – this is not a full list of author’s that I love – just ones that I’m always on the look out for news.  Here’s my list:

Mark Lawrence – I’ve probably read at least 14 books by Mark Lawrence so far which is quite staggering when you consider Prince of Thorns was only released in 2011.  Three complete series down the line – The Broken Empire, The Red Queen’s War and The Book of the Ancestor, plus two books into his Impossible Times Sci-Fi time travelling, 80s adventure – I think I can safely say that I haven’t yet read a book by this author that I didn’t love. So, wow.  If I was to choose a favourite I’d probably want to say Prince of Thorns because this was my first introduction, but having thought about it I think The Wheel of Osheim has been my absolute favourite – although Red Sister…. bah, who can choose.

Neil Gaiman – similarly, I’ve read quite a number of Mr Gaiman’s books.  Off the top of my head, Coraline, Stardust, Neverwhere, The Graveyard Book, American Gods, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Smoke and Mirrors, at least the first five instalments in the Sandman series (which I do intend to complete eventually), The Sleeper and the Spindle, Hansel and Gretel, The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains, Good Omens (written in conjunction with Terry Pratchett) – so maybe 15 books give or take.  This is an author who can go from fairytale retellings to quite dark fantasy.  My favourite to date is probably The Graveyard Book.

Sebastien de Castell – my introduction to this author was the first book in the Greatcoats series – which I really enjoyed, but, coming from a point of already being quite disastrously behind with the series I never seem to have found the time to catch up.  His most recent series however, Spellslinger – I’ve read the first five in the series and can’t wait to catch up with the final instalment – Crownbreaker – sounds kind of ominous!

Robert J Bennett – my first introduction to Mr Bennett (which I confess gives me a kick every time I type it – every. time.  Mr Bennett! – was the Troupe.  I loved it and in fact went and read his backlist on the strength of it.  So, Mr Shivers, The Company Man, American Elsewhere, the first two books in The Divine Cities trilogy – **note to self to add the third book to 2019 rewind challenges list! And, finally, the first book in the Founders series – Foundryside – which was brilliant.  If I had to choose an absolute favourite I would go for the Troupe, it just holds that spot in my heart for being the book that brought this author to my attention in the first place.

John Gwynne – now, this is a fairly new to me author.  I never read Malice or the other three books in the Faithful and the Fallen series but I was really excited to pick up a Time of Dread which is set in the same world as that series but a few years further down the line.  I loved that book and in fact A Time of Blood was equally as good if not better.  Mind = blown.  One can only hope that there is plenty more goodness yet to come from this world – and, in case you haven’t seen the recent news I understand that Mr Gwynne has recently signed a new 3 book deal for an exciting new series.  Details here – but briefly, – a Norse inspired saga from a war torn land.

Joe Abercrombie – again, and don’t beat up over it, I’ve not read all Lord Grimdark’s books – I know, I do feel the shame of it, believe me.  But, I’ve read the start of his Shattered Sea trilogy (which I do intend to return to and complete) and I’ve just picked up the first in his new Age of Madness series, A Little Hatred – I loved it and can’t wait to read more.  My review will be up in a few weeks.

RJ Barker – another fairly new to me author but I loved the first two in the Wounded Kingdom series and intend to listen to the third book on audio to complete the series.  On top of this I’m hoping to pick up Bone Ships in the next few weeks – the first instalment in The Tide Child series – check out the gorgeous cover.

Andrew Mayne – what a surprise this author is.  He writes a mystery series starring Professor Theo Cray as the main pov.  Theo is a little bit detached in some ways, he finds it difficult to connect to others, but his mind is a thing of beauty.  The Naturalist series got started with The Naturalist and moved on to Looking Glass and Murder Theory.  I’ve loved all three instalments so far and so I’m really excited that No.4 is due out fairly soon.  Dark Pattern – excitement am I.

Peter McLean – I’m loving his War for the Rose Throne series.  A dark fantasy with a strong gangster theme, Priest of Bones and Priest of Lies to date.  I also read this author’s Burned Man series – a very dark urban fantasy including Drake, Dominion and Damnation.  The series isn’t concluded yet but I think a fourth may be planned?

Brandon Sanderson – I’ve not read all of this author’s books, in fact sometimes I find the amount of series he’s written so far a little daunting.  But I’ve read his Mistborn series, the first two from the Words of Radiance (I’ve a copy of Oathbringer on audio – NGL 55 hours – wow, just wow, that is a little bit overwhelming and yet I know I will be completely absorbed once I start.  So, what else – ohh, I loved the Emperor’s Soul, just loved it and I recently started the Skyward series and enjoyed it so much I gave it a very strong 5* rating

Scott Lynch – ahh, the Gentleman Bastards.  This author has to be on the list of my auto buys – anyone who writes a series this good and brings to me one character in particular that I just love – Jean Tannen – then, this gets my vote (plus the other characters are also amazing – but Jean!).   I’ve read four books (including No.0) and just can’t wait for The Thorn of Emerblain.  I will be reading this as soon as it is published.  I will be the first in the queue.  I will.  (And, between you and I, I could absolutely swear that I saw something very recent about Mr Lynch submitting his draft – don’t quote me though because I can’t find anything now I’m looking so perhaps it was a dream or something!)