reading recommendations, please?

[ravnsdaughter]

I got into reading science fiction and fantasy relatively late in life, though I'm familiar with a lot more authors than I've read because of working in a library for a while. So, I have two questions for my f-list in this regard:

First, what series would consider to be scifi/fantasy classics and/or must-reads?

Second, I've never read anything by Neil Gaiman, but would like to. Which book should I start with?

Third, graphic novels. What would be a good one to start with? (keep in mind I can't stand anime).

Edit: stuff I have read/really liked, off the top of my head:
copious amounts of Marion Zimmer Bradley (she's a favorite author of mine)
Lord of the Rings
Piers Anthony's Incantations of Immortality
A few books of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, I'm slowly working my way through them (and love them to bits)
Rick Cook's Wizard's Bane series (another favorite)
The Kushiel trilogy and the followups, by Jacqueline Carey (which I consider fantasy, anyways)

Comments

[dangerdean.livejournal.com]

Charles De Lint. Start with the Newford stuff, then branch out.

Guy Gavriel Kay. Pretty much anything, but The Fionavar Tapestry is a good starting point.

The Bordertown series.

Look for a group of books called The Fairy Tale Series...modern fantasy writers rewriting fairy tales in different contexts.

O.R. Melling's The Golden Books of Faerie.

and last (until I go look at the bookshelf) but not least, Thomas the Rhymer, by Ellen Kushner. Read it. Read this book.