The Best of Fantasy: TOP TEN Authors Who Stun You with Their PROSE

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

What is prose, you ask? Well, some of you asked . . . So, here is an answer: To begin, many people will make the distinction between prose and poetry, with the latter following various conventions of meter and including various devices like rhyme, alliteration, assonance, etc. In other words, poetry is writing that doesn't attempt to capture the way we talk. That's what prose is. Prose is writing that attempts to capture the natural flow and rhythm of speech and more or less obeys grammatical structure. Ordinary language. The word "prose" even comes from a Latin word that means, more or less, "ordinary speech." However, I prefer not to think of this as an either/or situation, but as more of a spectrum, because there is no rule that says prose cannot use the same techniques that poetry uses. So, some writers will have prose that is "poetic" or "lyrical." In fact, many people divide prose into different types: non-fiction, fiction, heroic, and prose poetry, for example, with each type tending to be progressively more poetic. You will note in this video that I have a preference for writers who sometimes stray toward poetry in their prose. Also, I mention "range" in the video. This is because there are, in fact, many different ways of speaking in the same language and many different levels of formality. I love writers with enough versatility in their prose to capture these different levels and styles. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. That said, I invite anyone so inclined to expand on this attempt at a definition of "prose" by replying to this comment.

[@ACriticalDragon]

Am I going to have to do another video on this topic?😂😂

[@DoUnicornsRead]

Looks like you have to, A.P. But then, he is your nemesis and who better to spur you on to do a video?😁​@@ACriticalDragon

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@ACriticalDragon I confess that I am fervently hoping for exactly that result, and I assume that you have started filming it. 😁

[@duffypratt]

If there ever were clear lines between the two, they have completely blurred with the advent of free verse, on the one hand, and prose-poems on the other. Now, at the edges, I think it’s simply a matter of how the author identifies his work. (If Martin truly insisted that his unfinished series is a “song,” would it matter?) Etymology doesn’t help that much. Prose comes from Latin as you say, meaning ordinary or direct speech. But prose is writing and not speech, and it’s clear that a lot of prose is simply not meant to mimic speech. Poem on the other hand comes from Greek, meaning to make or create, and I don’t see how that helps at all. You may know better about this, but I understood that in many books in the Middle Ages, prose would be written without spacing and with very little margins, largely to save on margins. Poetry on the other hand was verse, which means “turn.” Thus, the lines had specific length, and each new line would start on the right. This created room for illuminations, which were done because poetry was seen as more beautiful and more valuable, and thus worth expending the paper on. This is probably an oversimplification, but it’s part of what remains from what I learned in an Old French class.

[@Jistarii]

​@ACriticalDragon Please do. This a topic that's so interesting and book defining for so many people. Maybe pull some strings and get Philip, Steve and Cam for a ultra sweet video!!!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

I won’t argue with any of Erikson, Le Guin, Hobb, Tolkien, Kay, or Clarke-awesome choices! They do indeed have the power to transport me with their words and transcend the mundane. I actually just finished A Song for Arbonne by GGK and think it had the most beautiful prose I’ve ever experienced-and for the first time in a long time I was really slowing down to bask in that beauty.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Ben! I will be diving back into GGK's writing later this year and can't wait!

[@Olphas]

I am relatively new to Steven Erikson. Just finished Memories of Ice yesterday. And I already am a huge fan of his prose.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m delighted to hear it! To me, nobody has range like Steven Erikson.

[@JLchevz]

yeah he's good

[@Whiskeyjack_]

Out of the many authors I've read, I don't think I've ever read prose that is as powerful as that of Mervyn Peake. Titus Groan and Gormenghast both managed to bring me to tears with nothing but the sheer power and beauty of Peake's prose. If you're looking for breathtaking prose, you owe it to yourself to read Mervyn Peake.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

On my list! Thanks for your contribution to the conversation!

[@_jared]

Aside from the fact that it just makes for a better reading experience, one thing I like to emphasize when I say I value prose is that prose is a crucial part of world-building and storytelling. Wolfe, I think, is the master of this. The story and how he chooses to tell it are inseparable. Le Guin is very good at it, though it is hard to compete with Wolfe. Butler's ability to change her prose style for the story really shines. Kay's love of history surely helps his prose style for novels like Tigana. Neal Stephenson is not often thought of in these discussions (in part due to the fact that you don't talk much about science fiction), but he is also extremely versatile depending on what the story demands.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for these additions, Jared! By the way, I am hoping to start reading some of Le Guin's science fiction later this year (in the second half) and would love to chat with you about The Dispossessed and The Left Hand of Darkness if you're up for it. Cheers!

[@745cc]

I've really been slept on the best fantasy recommendation on KZbin. It's also kind of poetic that your One Piece review brought me here. Recommending fantasy books based on what the authors/books do best is such a genius idea! I’ve been binging your Top 10 Fantasy playlist. Thank you so much for these great recommendations!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m so glad you’ve found the lists helpful! Cheers!

[@Johanna_reads]

I love the thumbnail so much! 😂 Wonderful list! I think you perfectly described Hobb’s prose as being efficient while evoking truth and beauty. That’s a strength that can easily go unnoticed. Tolkien was the first author to make me pause in awe at the arrangement of words in a single sentence. Erikson would be hard to beat based on technical mastery and range. You do an amazing job describing fantasy prose styles!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Johanna! I think I might have freaked out a few people with that thumbnail (including my younger daughter!), but I had fun with it. Beautifully said about Tolkien and Erikson!

[@TomOrange]

Nice to see Martin on the list. I feel like that part of his ability is often over looked. Another great list!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Tom! GRRM has some serious skills!

[@Talking_Story]

What a list! My copy of Assassin's Apprentice arrives today and I will be picking up Red Sister in April

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ah, such greatness in your future, John!

[@PalmerPickering]

I love this video. I agree with every word of your Janny Wurts section. Such a distinctive voice, so many stunning moments, so much dictionary seeking! Many others on your list I have not read yet. Ahhh, so many masterpieces, so little time. And others whom I had never heard of, so thank you for that.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m so glad you enjoyed the video, Palmer! Yes, Janny Wurts has such a distinctive voice, and I love how her prose immediately sends me to Athera.

[@JLchevz]

I'm just a massive fan of George's (GRRM ASOIAF) prose. I think his prose isn't as poetic or beautiful as other authors' but his word choice is spot on. He always chooses the right words for conversations, adjectives, etc. His books feel alive and I think it's because of how he writes scenes and then he blends beautifully exposition with dialogue, descriptions, and inner thoughts. I understand why he isn't higher up but I just wanted to share my love for his writing! Fantastic video as always.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Beautifully said! I agree that GRRM's prose is effective and compelling. For me, he makes it just archaic enough for me to feel I'm in another world without making the prose too stilted. It's a difficult balance to achieve.

[@JLchevz]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I agree completely. Thanks for taking the time to reply to both my comments, love your channel.

[@dubhmoore575]

Hi Philip, thanks so much for including Mary Stewart in this video, I was given all her books as a young teenager and I am still re reading them today. Malazan is now on my to do list thanks! I also love Diane Setterfield and Bridget Collins for beautiful writing ❤

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the additions! Mary Stewart definitely deserves more recognition.

[@pappywinky4749]

Christopher Ruocchio is probably my favourite right now in terms of prose. He just brings you to a different world, lots of good humour too. But makes me feel the complexity of every choice, the depth of emotions. He captures each scene vividly and with such humanity.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m very much looking forward to starting Sun Eater later this year!

[@doomfable3378]

I’ve only read Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente, but I do recall enjoying her prose in that book.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the suggestion!

[@andrewgarrison7485]

Can't possible express how happy I was when you got to #4. As soon as I saw the title to this list her name was the first to pop into my head. I was all ready to comment that she would be in "my personal" top 5 but you beat me to it, and as soon as you said her name I gave an involuntarily cheer lol. Great list as always. Still 3 or 4 on here I haven't gotten around to reading yet.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m glad to have given you something to cheer for, Andrew! I hope you’ll enjoy those three or four you haven’t yet read when you get to them!

[@MicheleMeekelay]

I can't tell you how many times I've googled this question while looking for my next read! Personally I find that prose is half the enjoyment. I value your opinion and so I've written your list down, I will go back to it in the time of need. Thank you very much.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for watching, and I hope you get some great reads from it!

[@arselanehadjslimane2582]

Love this series of videos !

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much!

[@KingCrusoe]

Christopher Ruocchio - especially in later entries of Sun eater, is amongst the best in my books easily. You mentioned being sent to the dictionary often by Wurts; Ruocchio has me learning new words almost every time I read anything he's written, usually even once per chapter, but it never feels "wrong"; often he is just displaying his gift of knowledge of the language and the construction of it. Similarly, never does his writing ever feel overly poetic so as to be purple. Within the main series especially, Hadrian as a narrator is just the most immersive of narrators to me because of this balance.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, KC! I’m excited to start Sun Eater later this year!

[@gryftkin]

Thank you for sharing all 13 of your top ten books :D

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

😁 I’d like to add a few more to round it to an even ten.

[@JoriamRamos]

Great list! Got me so curious about that first line hahah Also you got me thinking about this correlation between good prose and time as an unavoidable ingredient there. Thanks :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes, I think great prose comes as a result of serious effort toward the craft of writing. Cheers!

[@digitaldutchboy2822]

The short stories in Toll of the Hounds by Erikson were unexpected but oh so beautiful composed🥲. Those insignificant characters in the big picture given heart and soul is just amazing.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Erikson has a gift that way, doesn’t he? Cheers!

[@Stillnothereanymore]

Nice selection! In my own list, I would certainly include Adrian Tchaikovsky (in particular for the breathtaking writing in Guns of the Dawn and Cage of Souls, as well select parts of City of Last Chances and Children of Memory) and Shelley Parker-Chan as well.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much for your candidates -- much appreciated as I'm always on the lookout for recommendations!

[@paulthomassen5007]

I'd love to hear your take on Stephen Donaldson, Katherine kurtz, and the Alvin maker series by orson Scott card.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@paulthomassen5007 I hope to cover Donaldson on the channel in 2025 or 2026, and Kurtz is very much on my radar. Cheers!

[@DoUnicornsRead]

Great video, Philip! Our top five are the same but Lawrence only under honourable mentions? What?!!!!😲 At least you mention Mary Stuart and share my love for Le Guin, so I might just about forgive you.😁 And what a thumbnail! There is something quite disturbing about it. All the best, Philip!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Yes, my daughter told me the thumbnail was super creepy but also effective. Cheers, Angela, and see you in a few hours!

[@DoUnicornsRead]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Can't wait! But please, don't do this with your jaw.😆

[@davidhayes6491]

I highly recommend Clive Barker. While renowned for his horror, he wrote some amazing stories in fantasy settings like Weaveworld, Imajica and Gaililee. In the latter, there is a passage that takes place at sea aboard a sailboat written so beautifully, I was stunned as a writer by a level of prose I knew I would never attain.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@Existomalus]

"I love when she stretches me." Interesting choice of words lol

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! I come up with some real gems while just blabbing away.

[@RedFuryBooks]

I continue to enjoy this series of lists! I was shocked Hobb wasn't number 1, but I'll allow it lol. I am very excited for you to delve into GGK - I daresay he'll make many of these lists obsolete! :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m fully expecting GGK to stir up things near the top! Cheers, Josh!

[@stevehoran6011]

I love this series of videos. At the start of the video I was guessing #1 was Robin Hobb, but then I haven’t read Erikson, but at least she is high on the list. I was also thinking of some guy named Chase!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Hobb is perhaps not quite as noted for her prose as some of the others here, but I think it's beautiful in an understated or less visible way. She certainly knows her craft! If you try Erikson's books, I hope you'll enjoy them, and thank you for the kind words, Steve!

[@tyghe_bright]

One of my favorite writers is John Crowley--and his novel Little, Big is my favorite book. I don't know why no one seems to talk about him anymore, but his writing is stunning. “Love is a myth.' 'Love is a myth,' Grandfather Trout said. 'Like summer.' 'What?' 'In winter,' Grandfather Trout said, 'summer is a myth. A report, a rumor. Not to be believed in. Get it? Love is a myth. So is summer.”

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Crowley has come up several times in the comments here, so obviously I need to read Little, Big! Cheers!

[@BrianBell7]

Apart from being terrified by your thumbnail, I loved this video! It really is a "who's who" of the best prose the genre has to offer. I'm excited to begin my Janny Wurtz books journey this year! Would you count Shakespeare as fantasy or is he something unique altogether?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Sorry to traumatize you, my friend! As for Shakespeare, I don’t object to counting some of his plays, notably A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, as fantasy. Other plays, such as Hamlet and Macbeth, have fantasy elements at least. Cheers, and hold on to your jaw!

[@henriettel.n9626]

Love your list! And im so happy to see Hobb listed again❤ I think I have seen Hobb listed in all your new list series - and it makes me so happy😄 it really shows the recognition of her writing and that what ever you are looking for in a book- Hobb has it! She deserves her spots - she is amazing!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

She definitely is amazing! There might be a list or two she won’t make for me, but Hobb is absolutely one of my very favorite writers of all time.

[@michaelwhite1552]

This video is very timely for me. Everyone says Brandon Sanderson doesn't have the best prose, and previously I hadn't really thought of it one way or the other. But I've been reading one of his stormlight books recently, right after finishing book 2 of Malazan, and it was such a stark contrast it was somewhat jarring. I have thought to myself on more than one occassion over the past week, "Wow, Sanderson's prose isn't as goos as I remember". Just goes to show how masterful Erikson is.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Sanderson deliberately tries to make his prose as “transparent” or accessible as he can. He has made a strategic decision to go for the widest possible audience he can, and it’s worked very well for him. He himself admires writers like Guy Gavriel Kay, and I think Sanderson is savvy enough to know that writers like Kay, while brilliant, will appeal to a smaller audience because many people don’t want to work hard or be challenged so much when they read. I’m glad there are writers, like Sanderson, who appeal to a broad audience and bring people into fantasy. I’m also glad there are people, like Kay and Erikson, who hone their craft and give me a rich and memorable experience when I read their books. The genre needs all sorts of writers with different strengths. Cheers!

[@verosnotebook]

What a list! Many are favourite authors while the others are on my TBR.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you’ll love the ones on your TBR, Vero!

[@DanExploresBooks]

It isn't fantasy but I get the same feeling of sinking into the lines when I read Herman Melville's Moby Dick. I can completely see how the plot wouldn't be for everybody but I find the that book to be one that really makes me appreciate the artistry of writing. Would agree that Steven Erikson is my #1 as well. There are moments where you just get floored by the the art of his writing. But with a lot of these authors with beautiful writing, I think you only get out what you are willing to put in. For me it means slowing way down and appreciating it rather than seeing the book as a sprint to be completed as quickly as possible. For that I appreciate people like you and AP for championing the cause of GOOD reading over fast reading. Great list. A few notable ones I need to get to.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s a great point, Dan. In general, not only does the artful writing take longer to craft, but it also takes longer to read.

[@thefantasythinker]

What a tough list to put together! I would have Gaiman and Wurts higher on my list as well as adding Stephen Donaldson and Robert Howard. Honorable mentions would be Esslemont and Salmon Rushdie. Of course, I haven't read a few of those others you've mentioned yet, so everything is fluid when it comes to these type of things and my head spins just trying to put anything into an order. Seems like you're having fun though, so keep 'em coming!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Wonderful additions, Jarrod!

[@JLchevz]

Outside of the genre there are few that can even come close to Cormac McCarthy. I get why some people don't enjoy his writing because it can be highly stylistic like in Blood Meridian but my god that is an astonishingly impressive use of language.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I've only read The Road, but even from that I can say that McCarthy's prose is distinct. I hope to read more by him someday.

[@JLchevz]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy yeah he’s very interesting, I think you might like Blood Meridian even though of course it’s very violent. But that book has layers upon layers of meaning and the descriptions are jaw dropping sometimes.

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

@@JLchevz You've stellar taste, sir. _Blood Meridian_ is the greatest American novel ever written. However, passages from _All the Pretty Horses_ hit me in such a way, that I put it just above _Blood Meridian_ in my heart. Also, _Outer Dark_ is simply fantastic. Pastoral, Americana, Appalachian fantasy noir, anyone? Yes. Cormac McCarthy would have been the best fantasy novelist ever...imagine it. Goddamn.

[@JLchevz]

@@jasonuerkvitz3756 yeah I intend to read more McCarthy for sure, I’m so excited

[@LaughingStockfarm1]

Great list, many of my favorites here. An idea for another top 10…short stories collections. I love me some Theodora Goss and Ted Chang. I’ve got Gene Wolfe’s collection Peace on my shelf awaiting my attention as well.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! I also appreciate the suggestion -- I'm always looking for new ideas to keep the conversations going!

[@David-ql1si]

Great stuff as always. You can really just pencil in a spot for Erikson on all of these lists. There are so many great novels and series, but his books stand alone for me. He is a master of tying multiple elements together. Thanks for doing these, really fun stuff!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, David! I heartily agree with you about Erikson - he’s a vastly talented author on many fronts.

[@chucklitka2503]

I admire witty, clever, playful language, and for that Jasper Forde is a master in SSF. Just finished reading his Red Side Story after a 13 year wait. Outside of SSF it's Raymond Chandler and P G Wodehouse.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions! Thank you, Chuck!

[@thewatchfemme4051]

I love Jasper Fforde! I knew he was doing a sequel to Shades of Grey but didn’t know it was out! Can’t wait to get my hands on it.

[@chucklitka2503]

It just came out in Feb. and is available in the US. I had mine on pre- order from Amazon UK. It has all the wit and invention of Shades of Grey, but it is a much darker story, still, I enjoyed it. @@thewatchfemme4051

[@thedrownedkingdomsaga7847]

Incredible video Philip! I am absolutely loving your ‘I-don’t-like-top-10-videos’ videos! Lol! They are outstanding! Knowing me, you know you pulled a real chord with me in this one! Prose is the gateway to book enjoyment for me. Your list is fabulous! One can quibble on the order, or who is on the list, based on subjective tastes, but it is indeed a marvellous list of very deserving writers. My current list for Top 10 prose (like yours, subject to change as my reading expands) is as follows: Janny Wurts; Guy Gavriel Kay; Bernard Cornwell; R. Scott Bakker; NK Jemisin; JRR Tolkien; Tessa Gratton; Steven Erikson; Anna Smith Spark; Ken Liu . My honourable mentions would be Miles/Christian Cameron, Natania Barron, Ricardo Pinto, Madeline Miller. Looking forward to the next top 10 video of yours!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much, PL! I love your list too, and I intend to read Anna Smith Spark’s books at some point late in the year. Ha ha! I love your description of this series!

[@faville]

Interesting list. Wolfe is my favorite, Gaiman I have never connected with, I love Jonathan Strange and need to read Piranesi. As you got towards no.1 I thought to myself “phew, nice to see no Erikson on a list like this” and then you dropped that bomb. I do not understand what people see in his writing. I have a couple new authors to try, so thanks!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Sorry about the Erikson bomb, but I do love his prose in all of its forms, not to mention his poetry! Different strokes for different folks, I suppose, but I do hope some of these others will land for you!

[@faville]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Well, someday perhaps I will take another run at Malazan! It’s certainly an impressive and important set.

[@paulwilliams6913]

This, Philip, THIS video is why you need to read John Crowley’s Little, Big. As my best friend put it: “Crowley makes mad, passionate love to the English language!” I’ve never read anything that could match it for its overwhelming prose poetry - only Le Guin and Blood Meridian has competed in terms of intensification of language. (Side note, I love Le Guin’s definition of poetry as “intensification of language.” Best definition I’ve encountered, myself.) Well, another competitor would be A Stranger in Olondria, but I would still rank is beneath Crowley’s accomplishments. It’s such a mesmerizing work, and I look forward to when you get around to it. Shout out to Sean Stewart, who is about as close as anyone can get to Le Guin in terms of achieving a perfect balance between lyricism and efficiency/clarity. I agree with you about Tolkien. When I returned to Middle-earth in 2018 I was shocked by the quality of his prose. He’s not elegant like Le Guin or supercharged like Wolfe, but there was a legitimate poetry to the writing, something I never could have noticed as a teenager. I’m nearing the end of my dissertation, and that means Hobb is on my horizon. I didn’t catch much in her prose when I read Assassin’s Apprentice several years ago, but I’m gonna keep my eye open this time round :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'll get to Little, Big eventually just on the strength of your recommendation, Paul. That's another excellent Le Guin quote -- "the intensification of language"! I very much hope you'll love Hobb's writing when you get there, and best wishes for the end of the dissertation!

[@paulwilliams6913]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy thanks! Just a few thousand more words and then revisions. Hoping to defend in April!

[@tyghe_bright]

@@paulwilliams6913 Ha! I just mentioned Crowley, and specifically Little, Big. I re-read it just a couple of months ago to see if it's still my favorite book and was struck at how beautifully romantic it is as well as a clever tale, well-written. Now I need to re-read his Aegypt cycle.

[@paulwilliams6913]

@@tyghe_bright Always wonderful to encounter another Crowley fan; I salute you! So far I’ve read LB (wrote a chapter of my MA thesis on it), Ka, and The Translator (under appreciated, in my opinion). I’ve got Lord Byron’s Novel, Otherwise (omnibus if The Deep, Beasts, and Engine Summer), and a complete set of the Ægypt Cycle that he gifted to me a few years ago when I randomly asked on Facebook where I could find them. Still need to get Four Freedoms, Flint and Mirror, and the story collections. Oh, and my anniversary copy of Little, Big arrived a few months ago :) Good luck to you on your Ægypt reread!

[@imokin86]

Olondria was one of my best reading experiences last year, and this year I read Samatar's second novel and started my journey across the Aegypt cycle. I was stunned by both authors. So much freshness in their writing.

[@RaduAndrei91]

Great video, Dr. Chase! I love this series you are doing. Completely agree with Erikson at #1 - I was hooked on his prose, and the series, after reading Deadhouse Gates. Also, considering how exceptionally dense the Malazan books are, I don't feel that he gets enough recognition of the relatively short amount of time it took him to write the entire 10-book series. He's awesome and I hope you can do more chats with him in the future 😄

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s a great point - he wrote those ten books at an incredible pace. Of course, he spent years honing his craft before that. Cheers!

[@ZOMGfantasy]

Love prose and love this video! Thanks for putting it together! LeGuin absolutely floored me when I read her, I really do think she is the master wordsmith. That said, I also feel like Joe Abercrombie belongs on this list. He's not known for his prose, but his writing is so punchy and it so perfectly crafts his world. It's so readable and is such a pleasure to listen to (hence atleast half the sucess of his audiobooks imo)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

As a huge fan of First Law, I’m not going to disagree with you. After all, you have to be realistic about these things. 😁 Cheers!

[@liviajelliot]

Neil Gaiman's prose is something; to me, it's also very distinguishable, and American Gods is soooo good! Janny I'm reading one of her standalones, and damn she can write! I'm always fascinated how she uses the rhythm of the words to convey mood--it's just incredible. Wolfe, hands down, beyond definitions; he was just great. I know that you focus on fantasy, but Greg Bear, who wrote a lot of scifi, always struck me as having a readable yet gorgeous prose for the genre. Thanks for sharing!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I haven’t read anything by Bear, so I appreciate the recommendation, Livia! Cheers!

[@ulysses17_]

Great list Philip. I agree with a lot of your choices. I would echo others and strongly recommend you try Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast series. He rocketed straight to the top of my prose list after I read him. He has the most masterful and inventive use of language I've ever encountered. As for GGK, it was very obvious to me after reading his Fionavar Tapestry that he had a lot to do with the Silmarillion. It's one of his less popular works but he wrote it not long after working on the Silmarillion and it has a lot of Tolkien-esque elements. It's a real homage to the master and I loved it.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! Peake is rocketing up my TBR as we speak (or type). As for Kay, after I reread Tigana, I think I’ll proceed to Fionavar. All the best!

[@claptropisme9514]

Gene Wolfe impressed me like no other author ever has. His prose in the Book of the New Sun is weird, surreal, mysterious, and above all supremely beautiful. Some passages made me feel like I was experiencing a dream, and this is not an exaggeration. It's just layers over layers of meaning, reality, poetry. Also a lot of it feels like a confused haze, for example we don't really know if certain things are real or not. We are constantly questioning the reality of this world, and this is another reason why I love it so much.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Well said! The "confused haze" was definitely part of my experience of The Book of the New Sun, and of course that's deliberate on Wolfe's part considering the nature of the story and the narrator's relationship to it, not to mention his current "state". Cheers!

[@MattVickers]

Great list, quite a few I haven't sampled but want to. I'm surprised you didn't have Bancroft in here. Even when I wasn't loving the series I did enjoy the writing. Yet to read his newest entry though. Rothfuss would be on most people's list also, but not sure if you have read his works.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I have indeed read everything Rothfuss has published except for his recent novella. I’m a fan (I included him in authors who make me cry), but, unlike many, I admire his storytelling more than his prose. You’re right about Bancroft - I should have included him in my honorable mentions! Another oversight. Thank you for watching!

[@davisashura1422]

Absolutely fantastic list. For me, my favorite Janny Wurts series is actually her Empire Trilogy that she cowrote with Raymond Feist. There is a brilliance to that series, especially Mara's strength of will and genius. I would also want to place Josiah Bancroft as an honorable mention at the least. He is as poetic an epic fantasist as I've ever read. His use of metaphor and simile is simply gorgeous.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Good call in regard to Bancroft - definitely an oversight on my part. Cheers, Davis!

[@shankbooks]

Aha! This is the video I was waiting for in this series! I'm so happy you hone in on prose. I agree that it MAKES writing the art that it is. I've read books by most everyone here except Steven Erickson...and you're definitely bumping him up my TBR! Also, you mentioned Josiah Bangcroft as an author who made you think, and his first paragraph of "Senlin Ascends" drew me into the book because I thought his language of the train ride to the Tower was so beautiful. The next time you dig into Guy Gavriel Kay, I highly recommend you try "Under Heaven!" That was the first book of his I read, but I saw it profoundly change my writing...it felt like I was attending a masterclass in creative writing! His language is so vivid, beautiful, and captivating.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Well said about Bancroft! I hope you’ll enjoy Erikson’s writing when you get to it. For me, it has the range, depth, and power of a symphony at times, and other times it’s gentle, comic, and any number of other things. All the best, Morgan!

[@shankbooks]

Another favorite of mine is Nicholas Eames. In a different video, you mentioned that you have yet to read his books, and I can't wait for you to try them! They are full of some wonferfully poetic prose, and "Kings of the Wyld" boasts my favorite line in literature. There's a scene where someone dies while it is snowing, and he describes the snow as "falling as soft as a benediction." Lines like these are what make me cherish novels! ​@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@shankbooks That’s a lovely line, indeed! I look forward to Kings of the Wyld!

[@stephenmorton8017]

In my mind the Fall of the House of Usher has one of the best opening lines. I was waiting for you to mention Poe. Perhaps he falls outside the definition. Otherwise, noted! I'll keep an eye out for all these authors. My problem is I get sidetracked. I'm currently making my way through Ohenry and Joseph Conrad. Hooked! I'm waiting for the next volume of the southern reach series. I love that fusion of genetic plague and intelligence agency. Perfect.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

You could make a good argument for including Poe in fantasy, though I think he normally is not. Perhaps "Gothic" literature is the closer fit, but it's related to fantasy, I think. Anyway, I agree with you about the impact of his writing!

[@BookishChas]

So many great authors on this list Philip! Le Guin, Hobb, and Tolkien are definitely favorites. Gaiman too of course. I’m hoping to start my GGK journey this year.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope we’ll both enjoy GGK’s books, Chas! Thank you, and all the best!

[@kirstendickinson1361]

I was always reluctant to read The Lord of the Rings because everyone always complains about pages and pages of descriptions. Finally started to read them this year, and I am loving them. I don't actually see any issue with the amount of descriptive work because it's done so well. 🤷‍♀️

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! I could read those descriptions all day. Cheers!

[@Kellen81]

Prose can be so powerful in setting the atmosphere and create immersion for me. Some of my tops I've read have been Hobb, Gene Wolf, Tad Williams and Christopher Ruocchio

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Well said about the power of prose, and I like your candidates! I’ll be reading Ruocchio’s books later this year.

[@mirkoeinhorn09]

Very good list and I love your comments on Hobb, Tolkien and Le Guin. You speak from my soul and hit the nail on the head. I'm glad that Clarke and Wolfe made it into your top 10. If you read Mr. Norrell again one day, or maybe even Wolfe's Wizard Knight at some point, they might even rise in your esteem. And once again, no disagreement, but two additions: For me, Patrick Rothfuss must also be mentioned. And less obvious, but therefore all the more important to mention: Mervyn Peake! Nobody has ever written like him. You can touch his figures, even smell them, even if you would perhaps rather not. 😂

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions, Mirko! Both Rothfuss and Peake are seeing some love here in the comments!

[@mirkoeinhorn09]

I hadn't read any comments yet, but all the better if they are mentioned. Now that I've read the other comments, I've realized that I've forgotten someone else, but luckily others have stepped in for us: Peter S. Beagle! 👍

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@mirkoeinhorn09 Another worthy addition!

[@jasonep2]

I mentioned John Crowley in the comments to your Top 10 Authors Who Make You Think video and he definitely fits this list, too. Just a stunning wordsmith (reading comments, I see others mention him too). Another author I'd include on my list would be Catherynne M. Valente. Beautiful, lyrical prose. I love her novel Habitation of the Blessed, a story inspired by tales of Prester John. Her alt history pulpy space opera Radiance is an all time favorite.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes, Crowley is getting some love here! Thank you for adding Valente too!

[@esmayrosalyne]

Couldn't agree more with you on Gaiman, Clarke, and Hobb! And I really want to do a reread of LotR someday, because I have a feeling that older me will appreciate the series much more now. Some of my personal favourite prose styles come from Sarah Chorn, Anna Smith Spark, Krystle Matar, Laini Taylor, and Ken Liu. And outside of fantasy, Akwaeke Emezi and Tia Williams have really wowed me! Great topic for a list again ;)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m really looking forward to reading Dandelion Dynasty (saving it for late in the year so I can savor the wait 😁), but I’m also itching to find room in my TBR for Anna Smith Spark. Those are all excellent suggestions! Cheers, Esmay!

[@core.author]

Well, thanks for filling up my tbr list (as if it wasn’t already long enough 😂) I regret that I haven’t read some of these yet. Very cool insights, Philip 💪🤓

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

The great things about not having read all the books we want to read is that we will never run out of them! My best for all your reads to come!

[@danielbujdos]

RJ Barker! His ‘Tide Child’ trilogy is written in such an unusual and beautiful style that it almost feels like poetry. One of the most unique present-day fantasy writers :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Daniel! I haven’t yet read Barker’s books, but that’s a lovely endorsement!

[@andreasb.7467]

Wonderful list of authors. Some of my favorite voices in fantasy. Thank you. I would add John Crowley as well. His language is just wonderful. I was also missing Peter S. Beagle, whose characters are so distinct, that I can hear them speaking… I would also add Patricia McKillip, who creates beautiful worlds and tales mostly through her prose..

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Crowley and Beagle have seen a lot of love in the comments! Thank you for adding McKillip to the conversation!

[@hishamhasan1026]

Hi Phillip loved the video! Im always a huge fan of beautiful prose. The thumbnail gave me a scare lol 😅

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Sorry for the scare!

[@akellerhouse83]

Prose isn't something that makes or breaks a book for me. But your list reminded me that I should read something by Susannah Clark. She's the only author you mentioned that I haven't read yet. I feel like most of what I read these days has pretty straightforward prose.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you'll enjoy Clarke's books, Amanda!

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

Glad to see some love for R. Scott Bakker! He's my favorite, though I'm already planning to read Janny Wurts, so we'll see! One author I think you might want to add to your list someday is Robert Victor Mills, author of Man of Swords and other books. His prose is poetic, lyrical, and it's right up there with Homer (he of The Iliad and The Odyssey, I mean, not The Simpsons 😉). Cheers!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I actually like both Homers, so it would work either way, Michael! 😁 Thank you for the recommendation!

[@Dantrag123]

I read it in translation, but "Dragonsbane" by Barbara Hambly has the most memorable prose for me in all fantasy.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Great to have it mentioned here! Thanks so much!

[@heidi6281]

Professor you sold me at “POV of Merlin” so The Crystal Cave is now on my TBR. As I was watching this video, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell became available on my library audio app. I will take that as a sign from the book gods.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you'll love them, Heidi!

[@ev3261]

Well, I guessed your #1 before I started watching the video, but as I agree with, I didn't mind :-) I would also add the list Mervyn Peake and his "Gormenghast" books, and Richard Adams and his books (mainly, for this purpose, "Maia" and "Shardik"). Great video, as usual, thank you!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the additions, and I'm glad we agree on #1!

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Tigana is the only one ive read and that was just two months ago. Brilliant. Instantly a favorite author ❤

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope to reread Tigana later this year.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy just don't make my mistake and read it right after Sword of Kaigen 🤦‍♀️ I was a wreck 😬😫

[@Wintermute136]

Totally agree on George R R Martin with accessibility balanced with the archaic. The first chapter does this perfectly with the Others encounter and phrases like ‘taking the black’ and ‘in his cups’. It’s not too forced but just has enough depth to let you know you are in expert hands.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Being immersed in Martin’s prose means I rarely notice how effectively he does that, but I can see when I step outside the story. Cheers!

[@Panagiotireads]

Just finished this newly released, original collection of fairy tales, entitled 'Sillies, Fancies, and Trifles' - it was phenomenal and just perfect for the season. You guys would love it! What's everyone else reading, I want some more recommendations to add to the lovely ones here. Keep up the beautiful videos :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

_Watership Down_ by Richard Adams is simply one of the best novels I've ever read in my life. Gorgeousness upon gorgeosity. And, if you want incredible fantasy prose, read Stephen Donaldson's _Lord Foul's Bane_ . Stellar writing by a world class writer that George R.R. Martin consider the best fantasy ever written. And, if you want stuff that lingers with you like the memory of a favorite deceased relative, read Cormac McCarthy. I highly recommend his novel, _All the Pretty Horses_ .

[@tracejefferson3169]

I'm really enjoying Christopher Ruocchio's prose. Ive just finished Dreaming the Serpent Spear by Manda C Scott and loved the prose in that series too. We are living in a wonderful time where there is such choice for all of us 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That is so true about the times we're in! I'll be reading Sun Eater later this year and also have Manda Scott's books in my sights. Cheers!

[@stevewestenra1881]

I love the idea of making more specific top ten lists like this and when this popped up I was super excited as prose is huge for me (and, I think, sometimes undervalued). I've meant to read R. Scott Bakker for so long. Really need to get on that. So many greats on your list--GRRM, Gene Wolfe, Gaiman, Tolkien, Le Guin, Susanna Clark! Piranesi is one of my favourite books. I enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell much less, but the prose itself was so impressive and the skill she desplayed on all counts extremely impressive. I saw someone else mentioned him, but Mervyn Peake's another one who'd make my list (and probably be number one). Peter S. Beagle's also big for me. RE what you had to say about Hobb--I loved how you put it. Sometimes very strong prose is strong because it lets you sink into the story and so you forget to mark the prose as something distinct from the rest of the experience. It takes a lot of skill to pull that off. I'd never thought of Erikson's prose! I feel like that's just a matter of both me having read the first two books ages ago and also having been focused on other aspects of the work (wordbuilding, etc). Now I want to go back and do a prose-read. Have you ever read any Jo Walton? Her prose is beautiful and some of the authors on your list make me think you'd enjoy her work. Among Others was my personal favourite (and has the bonus of being a love letter to SFF). There's also Nalo Hopkinson's Midnight Robber. Absolutely stunning prose and voice.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendations! Yes, Peake has been mentioned several times, which means I need to prioritize him sooner rather than later. Cheers, Steve!

[@ThrivingWithKat]

I always trust your top lists Philip! 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Kat! 😊

[@greekvvedge]

These are all understandable choices, and I have to say I am so happy to see Gene Wolfe on here. I am wondering if you have given any time to Jack Vance's Dying Earth series? I assume you have judging by this video. That psychedelic picaresque has never left my psyche.., much like Wolfe.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I actually have not read Vance’s books yet - a big gap (among others) in my reading that I intend to rectify someday. Thank you for adding him to the conversation!

[@nataliethompson5266]

Great list. I agree on Gaiman, Kay, Hobb, and Clarke. I would add Tad Williams.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Williams is an excellent addition! Cheers, Natalie!

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

Really love Tad Williams. Re-read his first 100-200 pages of _The Dragonbone Chair_ and in it you'll find some very George R.R. Martin-esque passages. Martin claims it was Tad's series that inspired him to write _A Saga of Ice and Fire_ .

[@StoicTheGeek]

Tried to read some Tad Williams (what's the one where they go into the virtual fantasy realm?) but it was so boring and pointless, I couldn't do it. I but him in the same bucket as Robert Jordan. So many words that makes me imagine nothing, feel nothing, think nothing. Is his other stuff any better?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@StoicTheGeek I’ve read only Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, but from that I would definitely say that Williams has better command of the written language than Jordan had. The latter was capable of some poetic moments too, though.

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

@@StoicTheGeek I really enjoyed _Memory, Sorrow and Thorn_ but, yes, he is long winded.

[@krishbohra5536]

I'm getting a feeling that you need to reread Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams once 😂 Seriously though, I put Tad Williams in atleast top 3. Such beautiful descriptions, such a way with words to get the reader to love characters. I adore that

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It’s been about thirty years since I read Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn - I’m definitely overdue for a reread!

[@krishbohra5536]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy You most certainly are! This year is the best time not only for a reread but also to continue with the sequel series, which is getting the final book this year

[@kirstenholmes6]

I thought the same thing? Where’s Tad Williams? I love Memory Sorrow and Thorn.

[@julien4327]

Ray Bradbury is my #1. While his fantasy work is not what he's best known for, he still wrote some, specially some short stories, and his prose is still unmatched in my opinion.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Bradbury is an excellent choice!

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

Amazing list. I felt your pain in whittling it down 🙈.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It was indeed painful! Somehow, I’ll carry on. Cheers, Al!

[@claytonhomer3096]

Another excellent video and list, Philip. I completely agree with your number one. Erikson is a master of writing in the English language. His versatility is unmatched to my personal taste. If it is just constructing amazing sounding sentences I think Wurts might be the prettiest writer I have read. I have only read the first book, but Bakker blew me away with his gorgeous writing. Similarly, Joe Abercrombie writes such delicious characters and dialog, and somehow writes scenes that can feel gritty and dirty and yet oddly pretty. Two that you haven't read that I expect will challenge for this list, if you ever make another, are Ken Liu and Christopher Ruocchio.Ruocchio has the potential to reach the highest of heights, considering his amazing writing at such a young age. Liu's versatility is absolutely incredible. The range and diversity of his short stories are impressive, and shockingly, might be outdone by the masterpiece that is The Dandelion Dynasty. I have really been enjoying the recent lists. Cheers!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions, Clayton! I'm so excited to be reading Liu and Ruocchio later this year!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

Prose style is an obsession of mine, so I enjoyed this very much, Philip. I'd add a few older authors to the list: Lord Dunsany, Clark Ashton Smith, Jack Vance and Mervyn Peake. Outside the fantasy genre: P.G. Wodehouse is the Mozart of humorous prose.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions, Johan! Understanding what makes great prose is an obsession for many of us who strive to express our visions in words. Cheers!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

​@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasyI'd like to add another author: M. John Harrison, whose 'Viriconium' has a very individual Dying Earth vibe and is written in a just as striking, poetic, aphoristic style. Recommended!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@JohanHerrenberg Added to my impossible but inspiring TBR!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'm sorry, Philip (more or less)!

[@mattkean1128]

Some other favorite fantasy prose stylists: John Crowley, Peter S. Beagle, Patricia Mckillip. I'll be reading Sofia Samatar soon, and i have high hopes.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions! I hope to get to some of those soon too!

[@Thomas.R.Howell]

Patrick rothfuss? Where does he rank? He’s one of my favorites!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Rothfuss is top twenty for me in terms of prose, so pretty high. I actually enjoy his storytelling more than his prose, but I still think he’s excellent. I know many of his fans adore his prose, and I wouldn’t argue that point. The opening to The Name of the Wind is especially beautiful.

[@berserker8884]

I have to completely agree that Erikson is largely overlooked for his prose. Malazan is famous, and for some infamous, for its breadth of ideas, number of characters and complexity. The list of intimidating factors is so long that Erikson's stylistic prowess rarely comes up. But yes, his command of the english language is one of the main four or five reasons why he is my favorite author. The thing about Erikson's prose is, like you allude to, that he can perfectly choose and craft a sytle that he needs for a specific scene. He does this in a smooth manner that doesn't read like a jarring transition and rather develops seamlessly, almost suprising the reader. The main result that I want to focus on is that the scenes have an enormous weight behind them, in many ways thanks to the style, which is usually very precisely chosen to instill specific images, emotions or ideas. My go-to example is the prelude to Forge of Darkness. I will never read a more powerful beginning of a novel. It's beautiful, evocative and provocative all at the same time!

[@berserker8884]

I just realised that "surprising the reader" can be interpreted as being jarring. I just want to clarify that this is not the case. What I meant is simply that one will reflect on how a chapter reads and be surprised how seamlessly it went from marines fooling around to a beautiful emotional scene in the span of a dozen pages or so.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I could not agree more with you in regard to Erikson!

[@SheWasOnlyEvie]

Nice Keats reference! And in relation to Robin Hobb! Susanna Clarke’s chameleon like versatility as a writer, in story and in style, is truly remarkable. My favorite prose authors, in no particular order, are Robin Hobb, Josiah Bancroft, Stephen Graham Jones, Octavia E. Butler, John Williams, Glen Cook, and, of course, Simon Jimenez. I’m about 100 pages into Titus Groan, and Mervyn Peake may take the top spot for me when it comes to prose, but I’ll wait until I finish the book before I make my decision officially!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent list, Evie! I really need to read Peake too! And Jimenez, of course . . . 😁

[@heathmotley9675]

Hi Philip. Love your channel and ranking. Erikson is my top as well. I think you will bump someone from this list once you check out Neal Stephenson's The Baroque Cycle. Now it's historical fiction but the writing is some of the best you'll ever read.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll look up Stephenson’s books - much appreciated!

[@heathmotley9675]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy You're welcome

[@HistoritorJimaldus]

Hyped for Aspect Emperor! ❤

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Me too!

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

Martin's prose splices metaphor, dialogue, and scene so beautifully, the reader feels like a courtesan in the room, a fly on the wall, or a dying soldier upon the field. He weaves tension and suspense like a tailor specializing in custom clothing. It's as if he unlocked the algorithm of, One size fits all, such is the popularity--the accessibility--of his work. Can we not all agree it's a sad state of fantasy that such a titan as Martin has set his axe head to the ground and leans heavily upon its haft simply to rest? Well, sir, you have impeccable taste. I couldn't agree more with your picks. Is it fair to say we are kindred spirits? I think it's fair to say. All the best! (Kindle incoming...your works I soon will read.) And last, to anyone, if you are a lover of fantasy, but even more, a lover of prose, I recommend the following authors: Cormac McCarthy, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, and Richard Adams. All weave a bit of fantasy into their works, and their styles evoke the most beautiful, most woeful, most terrible of worlds, leaving their readers enchanted, dazed, recollecting their passages in rhythmic gyres, tearful and lorn. These writers are geniuses all. Thanks, Philip, and here's an ethereal cup of your favorite drink. Cheers!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Beautifully said in regard to Martin’s prose! Also, thank you for the recommendations, Jason, and for including The Edan Trilogy in your reading plans - I’m truly grateful!

[@andrewhanson405]

Great list! I haven't read Janny Wurts yet but hope to fet to her sometime this year. Everyone else on your list would definitely be candidates for mine. I think R Scott Bakker is my favorite but I was more impressed with his writing in The Aspects-Emperor than I was in Prince of Nothing. 3 other writers that would be candidates for me to consider for my top 10 would be Clive Barker, John Crowley and Tad Williams.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions, Andrew! Crowley and Williams are getting lots of love in the comments.

[@GrimLordofOregon]

An author whose prose I adore is Nicola Griffith. The two books of hers that I have read, Hild and the sequel Menewood, are historical fiction books set in 7th century Northumbria.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for bringing Nicola Griffith to my attention!

[@BBall4TheWin1809]

Currently reading the first earthsea trilogy and just finished the tombs of atuan (in german i must say). I loved the first two stories so much. I mostly read epic fantasy and scifi and it is so great to see, that i don't need violence and big battles to be entertained.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Le Guin is the first example that springs to my mind when thinking about great fantasy that has minimal violence. When the violence comes, it’s all the more impactful. All the best!

[@BBall4TheWin1809]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Oh yeah. Also Susanna clarkes piranesi kind of opened my eyes in this regard I guess. Loved this novel too. :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@BBall4TheWin1809 Agreed!

[@noteuser15]

Excellent video Phillip! I love great prose, and it’s one of my favorite things about reading. I also love what you said about how fantasy has a special ‘license’ to play with prose, because of the fantastical worlds and magic. Very true, and I read mostly fantasy, so I’m not even too sure how I would feel branching out a bit more and sacrificing that good fantasy prose. Although I’m a huge GGK fan, and I think I do have to yell at you a little bit for only making him number 7😂. But if it’s because you’ve only read one of his books I suppose I can allow it lol. Also I haven’t read a lot of books on your list, so I’d be interested to read more and maybe I’ll live them more! But I would put GGK at number one, or if not him, maybe Christopher Rauchio actually, the author of Sun Eater. His prose is jaw-dropping, and I would say it’s at least as good as Kay’s if not better. I know you’re planing on reading that so I’m excited to hear what you think!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes, I’m very excited to start Sun Eater later this year! Also, I’ll be reading more GGK eventually too. Cheers!

[@imokin86]

Thanks, this was a very eloquent presentation! I wholeheartedly agree with how you describe Hobb's writing. She is, in my view, one of the most consistent writers style-wise in the genre and maybe across all genres today. And this understated beauty is very special. To add my own suggestions to this list, I must name two younger writers here, Sofia Samatar and Simon Jimenez. Both are incredibly talented and do unexpected and beautiful things on the page. Samatar is very special in how she builds her world through language and detail, making it immediate and real. And Jimenez just does things no-one else does, and I leave it at that, because I really hope you will read his novels, especially The Spear Cuts Through Water, and experience that surprise. And one older author, John Crowley. His The Solitudes was an incredible experience for me this year. It's a cross between an intellectual "university novel" and historical fantasy, so expect more of a mainstream literary style, but anyway his writing is masterful. He is virtuosic in his long sentences and has a range that spans from trippy magic to crystal-clear landscapes. And outside of the genre, please do yourself a favour and read Ada Palmer's Terra Ignota cycle. She plays wonderful games of mirrors with the reader and weaves in learned literary allusions, but also creates scenes of real weight and powerful emotion, and is equally brilliant with suspense and puzzly detective plots.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the excellent additions and the recommendation, Igor! Much appreciated!

[@Stillnothereanymore]

Simon Jimenez is great!

[@ladyfox6705]

Mervyn Peake!!!🙌 I love his Gormenghast trilogy a lot👌🏰

[@krazykillerhippo]

Peake is an anomaly in being a bit of a "writer's writer" in the vain of Sebald or Faulkner, where even if you don't vibe with them, their probably a favorite of an author you do like. I know Gaimen, Moorcock, Le Guin, and China Miéville are fans. Martin even gave him an entire house in ASoIaF

[@ladyfox6705]

@@krazykillerhippo It's a shame not many talk of Peake here on Book Tube. He was so talented and his early death was incredibly sad 😢

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

He was a genius. As an illustrator, he understood tone and color of language, of scene and tension, in a very special light. He gave manifest to Gormenghast with his lilting, gorgeous prose. Thanks to wounded souls like you, his memory is kept alive, and through your good works, others might discover the passion and sensitivity of that weird, beautiful man and his sprawling labors in word.

[@michaeldobbins9962]

Just missing Ken Liu... Patiently waiting for you to get to Dandelion Dynasty :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’ll get there, though it will likely be late in the year, perhaps September or October. I’m excited for it!

[@michaeldobbins9962]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy looking forward to your thoughts!

[@Why_do_I_do_this.]

I think Joe Abercrombie's prose in his First Law books if very underrated ..... Sure most of the time his writing is basic and effective .... But often he would come at you with beautifully written parts (usually with amazing quotes) ... I think it is maybe because we are so deeply invested in his character work that we dont really think about the writing itself 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I agree -- Abercrombie is highly quotable!

[@unfamoustalent]

Just wanted to say I’m new to the channel, this was the first time I’ve come across one of your videos, I really enjoyed it! I will definitely be picking up some of these books based on your descriptions and commentary! Also, I was a little surprised to not see Patrick Rothfuss or Joe Abercrombie on this list! Just curious, are you not as much of a fan of theirs? Or are you just not overly familiar with their work? Thanks again for the awesome recommendations!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! I’m a fan of both Abercrombie and Rothfuss, for sure. They’ve been on other videos in this series - Abercrombie even took the number one spot in one, and he’ll come up again. And I do enjoy their prose - I just had to make painful choices for the format. All the best!

[@unfamoustalent]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy absolutely understand! Thanks for the reply, I don’t envy the cuts you had to make to this list!

[@heidi6281]

Boudica :Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott blew me away with her prose. When you read Wurt’s Daughter of the Empire, you will see that her prose is beautiful and easy breezy at the same time. That book had a perfect balance for me.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'm excited to read Manda Scott's books!

[@BMB57]

When I think of writing as an artform the first thing I think of is prose. Any person with general education can write. It takes a true artist to master prose but still be clear. For me I appreciate good prose, but sometimes it can create a barrier of entry. Which is fine, every author has their audience.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s an important point! Depending on your experience and taste, you may or may not be ready for a specific author’s prose. As a gross generalization, the more complex the prose, the smaller the audience gets, and yet many experienced readers crave some level of complexity in prose. Cheers!

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

❤ Ursula ❤ I adore Christopher Buhelman, Rhett C. Bruno and Richard Kadrey. I still love Alan Dean Foster and Anne McCaffrey ❤ I haven't read half of the ones on your list 😳 I might have to put Ray Bradbury at the top of my list 🤔

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent additions to the conversation! Thank you!

[@ayarezk8684]

Awesome picks! Ursula Le Guin's talent to weave stories through prose is so beautiful it even shows in her children's books (I still sometimes reread catwings 😅). Since you mentioned Suzanna Clarke, I think the closest prose style to hers in the fantasy realm is Max Porter's. So dreamy, fantastical and poetic! A different dream-like style (or better nightmare, bad trip-like) style might also fit Mo Yan? His prose is wonderful and hella funny in a twisted way, but I cannot place him in a certain genre. This is how he was described upon winning the Nobel Prize "for his work as a writer who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary". I never understood the strong love connection between the Nobel committee and Realism (I mean come on guys! Speculative literature has a lot of beautiful writing and is capable of addressing complex issues!) Since Mo Yan was among the very few exceptions to their unspoken rules, I got very curious about his work. It's gruesome and amazing! Sorry for the long blabbering, I tend to get too excited!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Wonderful comments, and I could not agree more with you concerning the bias against the fantastic in literature. It's a silly bias. I will have to check out Mo Yan's writing -- thank you!

[@PrincessZ1]

Phillip looks Canadian in the thumbnail. All seriousness, great video and nice suggestions

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! I’m actually 1/4 Canadian. 😁 I’m glad you enjoyed the video!