The Library
The library, you note, is divided into two sections of fiction: realistic and fantastic. The latter side is the larger of the two, but no more grand than the first. The shelves are subdivided by author. For visiters, the lady of the house has included a brief opinion/description of each author and of especially good (or bad) books.
Fantasy
Mercedes Lackey: She was once a very good author, but recently the quality of her work has gone down considerably. Of her books, I recommend only the Valdemar series and the Free Bard series.
Robert Jordan: Again, we experience a problem in quality. The only books I have had the chance to read -- the first seven of the Wheel of Time series -- were excellent. The characters are dynamic and life-like. His plot line is complex yet still understandable. The world itself is extremely well-developped and fascinating in itself. However, I hear from a fairly reliable source that the eighth book is a bitter disappointment.
Orson Scott Card: He is mostly called a science fiction author, but his books are as fantasy-like as they are sci-fi. Ender's Game is an especially good read, mostly for intelligent adolescents. The sequels are worth reading, but not as good.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman: I mention the two as a pair only because I have yet to read their individual works. I would imagine, based on their performance together, that the other books are worth reading. Together they have written the Death Gate Cycle, Rose of the Prophet, and the Darksword trilogy. All feature the same classic theme of good vs evil, but with amusing and intriguing plot twists and excellent characters.
Terry Brooks: His better-known books are the Shanara stories, but I have personally enjoyed Magic Kingdom for Sale: Sold! more. The series is more humorous than thoughtful, and rather ridiculous. An entertaining, light book.
Irene Radford: I mention this lady only to warn you away from her. Her stories are entertaining to a point, but everything about her books seems shallow and uncreative. Not worth your money or your time.
J.R.R. Tolkien: The only reason I include this well-known fantasy giant is for the sake of owning his work. Every true fantasy reader has read Tolkien and marvelled. I, however, have not marvelled and therefore offer this advice: read Tolkien only for the sake of knowing his work. His stories and, more importantly, characters and world, are unoriginal and dull. I admit his setting is well-developed and admirable, but he does not present it well.
Realistic Fiction
Cynthia Voigt: Her writing applies to a younger audience, but it's worth reading nonetheless. Some of her books are fantasy style, but her better series is the Tillerman Cycle.
Maeve Binchy: By far, she is my favorite. Binchy is best known for her novel Circle of Friends, also a movie, but as usual, the book is much better. Her characters are realistic and more "human" than any other heroes I've read, and her stories are more like pieces of people's lives than a set story. She presents the impression that her characters live beyond the book, and their began before and end after her stories.
Rebecca Wells: Her two most famous (and as far as I know, only) books are Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Alters Everywhere. Wells sets her novels in Louisiana, a place I am very familiar with. Her style more than the actual stories is the attraction. She switches between first and third person for variety and depth, yet the changes are clear. The tales support her characters more than visa versa, creating a unique effect. Definately worth your time.
Kaye Gibbons: I first read Gibbons in school, so you can imagine my first impression was less than favorable. However, taken out of that context, I find the effect of her style similar to that of Wells. The two books I've read by her, Ellen Foster and A Virtuous Woman, were both in first person and focussed more on her character development. She writes memorable people.
Mentionable
Books
Stranger in a Strange Land: (Heinlein) When I saw the back of the book, I thought the friend who recommended it was crazy, or just fooling with me. Never trust the synopses. It's worth reading, both for the plot line and the message. I've heard there's actually a cult based on this book, which is taking it a little far, but Heinlein's ideas deserve thought.
Contact: (Sagan) The book was obviously much better and more meaningful that the movie. The conflict between religion and science is thought-provoking. Carl Sagan presents an unbiased arguement, despite his reputation as a scientist. Aside from this, the story is both realistic and creative.
Sophie's World: (Gaarder) A wonderful introduction to philosophy. Gaarder covers the most important Western philosophers and explains their ideas so that you can follow their train of thought. The story line begans slow, rather silly, and without any purpose save explaining philosophy (I didn't get past the second page the first time I tried reading it) but the meat of Sophie's World is philosophy, not story-telling.
Gone With the Wind: (Mitchell) Of course, I must include Gone with the Wind. It's hopelessly romantic, with beautiful descriptions. Scarlett and Rhett are openly selfish and human. However, this is obviously not an accurate portrayal of the South and only to be read for plot. This is a beautiful story, but nothing else. (If you have problems with the differences between the book and the movie, I do not recommend the sequel, Scarlett (Ripley). It's a good story in and of itself, but not as a sequel to Gone With the Wind.
