"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
American Author. (AD 1951 Aug. 28 - )
Attracted to fantasy from an early age after reading The Wizard of Oz her first published book, The Time of the Dark (1982), was in this genre. She is not just a swords and sorcerers writer though. She has written several pieces of historical fiction, including Search the Seven Hills (retitled The Quirinal Hill Affair in paperback) published 1983, and the ongoing Benjamin January Mysteries.
Personally she is one of my favorite authors. Whether writing fantasy, historical fiction, or even mass-market space opera like the Star War books I like the way she views her characters. One of my criteria for good characterization is being interested in where they are going, in meeting the person, even if they are evil or whatever. So I am desperate to turn each page and find out what happens next. I also find her plots very believable, with few extraneous bits. Though she still puts in more than enough neat details giving an impression of the history of each character. Also enjoyable are the various Easter eggs that I have noticed in the text, pointing to other books and authors. (Like planet Neelgamon in Children of the Jedi.)
The first book of hers that I read was The Silent Tower followed up by The Silicon Mage. Soon afterwards I read what I still think is her finest book, Dragonsbane. I have been a devoted fan ever since. Recently I learned that she also wrote three episodes of one of my favorite childhood cartoons, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.
In no particular order her books:
- The Windrose Duology (Officially The Dog Wizard Series now)
- The Silent Tower
- The Silicon Mage
- Sequel
- Dog Wizard
- The Darwath Trilogy
- The Time of the Dark
- The Walls of Air
- The Armies of Daylight
- Sequels
- Mother of Winter
- Icefalcon's Quest
- Sun-Wolf and Starhawk
- The Ladies of Mandrigyn
- The Witches of Wenshar
- The Dark Hand of Magic
- Sun-Cross Duology
- The Rainbow Abyss
- The Magicians of Night
- Benjamin January Novels
- A Free Man of Color
- Fever Season
- Graveyard Dust
- Sold Down the River
- Die Upon A Kiss (Most Recent)
- James Asher/Vampire Series
- Those Who Hunt The Night (Titled Immortal Blood in the UK)
- Traveling With The Dead
- The Winterlands Books
- Dragonsbane
- The Winterlands Sequel Trilogy
- Dragonshadow
- The Knight of the Demon Queen
- Dragonstar
- Stand Alone Works
- Stranger at the Wedding
- Bride of the Rat-God
- Search the Seven Hills/The Quirinal Hill Affair
- Fading of the Light
- Magic Time
- Star Wars Books
- Children of the Jedi
- Planet of Twilight
- Star Trek Books
- Ishmael
- Ghost-Walker
- Crossroad
- Beauty and the Beast Novels
- Beauty and the Beast
- Song of Orpheus