Quote Originally Posted by thekarens View Post
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Tolkien is my all time favorite author. I read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for the first time when I was 8 and read the series almost once a year every year.

I admit I only read for entertainment. I get plenty of reality in my life and appreciate the break from it when I have the time to read.
This! What movies I watch are for the same reason - so I love fantasy/sci-fi/fun/satirical/historical drama films. I've not found many contemporary fantasy authors I care for, the authors I've read have been too...well...dark for me though that may simply be a sign of the times with all of the real world events over the last decade. In my younger years I loved dark fantasy/horror fiction but not these days. Lovecraft and Ambrose Bierce were two of my favorites - though I must admit to still having a soft spot for Lovecraft when I am in the mood. He was certainly original! I will check out the two authors you mentioned - all of the contemporary fantasy authors CAN'T be dark!