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Bump!

Not Tolkien. I appreciate that he basically jump-started the high fantasy genre and all, but his writing style makes reading the books a chore.

On the other hand:
Weis & Hickman - the Dragonlance series are good, but I personally think the Deathgate cycle is their best work.
L.E. Modesitt jr - quite the prolific writer, also does some sci-fi along with fantasy. I really enjoyed The Corean Chronicles.

Edit:
Also not what I'd call a strong cypher

Bump!

Bump.

Gene Wolfe, China Miéville, Patricia A. McKillip, Ursula LeGuin, Jeff VanderMeer, CS Lewis, Jack Vance, Michael Shea, Mervyn Peake, Neil Gaiman. It's impossible to pick - so many good ones around.
Thank you for the puzzle and the train :)

Bump!

Thank you for the puzzle and the train, although I didn't enter. Since people mention other authors, I want to mention R. Howard, one of the founders of the genre, but for me personally Tolkien №1.

I haven't re-read them since childhood but Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain are underrated.