Mc is for McMagic

When I read McKinley's Beauty
for the first time, this was the
edition I borrowed from
my cousin Jennie.

Continuing with M authors, specifically Mc authors:

McCaffrey, Anne: I read dozens of her Pern books when I was younger: What it is with girls and dragons? My students are continually trying to get me to watch Game of Thrones, a show in which I have little to no interest despite its fantasy premise. Surprised at my balking, one of my young female students declared, "There are DRAGONS" in a tone of voice that suggested that the presence of dragons should be enough to captivate the interest of any real aesthete!

McCall Smith, Alexander writes wonderful, tender-hearted books. I especially recommend the Mma Ramotswe series (#1 Ladies' Detective Agency). He not only tells an endearing story with believable characters that could walk off the page and shake your hand. He captures the feel and sense of a place (with very little description--excessively descriptive writers take note!). His descriptive passages have a lyrical, almost magical feel to them.

McCourt, Frank: Not a fantasy writer, and I haven't read Angela's Ashes, but I did read his very amusing Teacher Man. Technically, McCourt is non-fiction, but I put him in this list anyway. The link is to his obituary.

McDonald, George: Technically, I should probably put George McDonald in the children's list (coming soonish). But I associate him most with Sir Gibbie, one of those shows-up-in-both-sections-of-the-library books (like Alcott's Under the Lilacs), and Phantastes, an adult fantasy book. My mom read me the former; I've never read the latter, but for you Narnia fans, the latter is the book that C.S. Lewis names as the creative catalyst for his conversion to Christianity (C.S. Lewis was a nominal Christian as a child and teen but always regretted that he underwent Anglican confirmation since he did it only to satisfy his father; he considered himself a pagan agnostic until well into his adulthood).

McKinley, Robin: Robin McKinley is one of my favorite fantasy authors. She writes mostly for YAs. Her best-known books include Beauty, The Hero and the Crown series, and several short story anthologies. Deerskin and Sunshine, two of her adult novels, are excellent. The first is based on a fairy tale that will NEVER become a Disney movie.

Book 2 in McKillip's series.

McKillip, Patricia is the author of one of my favorite series: The Riddle-Master of Hed. She also wrote Forgotten Beasts of Eld and Fool's Run, both unique fantasy/sci-fi novels. I haven't read many of her latest books--though they get excellent reviews. She uses lots of poetical exposition, and a little bit of exposition goes a long way with me.