Because the amount of people with whom I've discussed fantasy IRL (not counting people I met through wotmania/RAFO in the first place, obvously) is rather low - fairly sure I can count them on less than the fingers of one hand. But here at this site and wotmania, Kay has always been named often by people, when they discussed what they were reading, when people asked for recommendations, and so on. We even had a Tigana Book Club at one point, iirc. I think he'd easily make it onto a top ten of favourite authors if we polled everyone at this site. Whether he's also among the top ten most discussed authors, well, probably not, but he shouldn't be too far behind.




Yes (obviously).

Fionavar Tapestry, which is a bit hesitant at first but very good as a whole. Not very original, granted, but poignant and powerful all the same. And Tigana, of course. I actually believe that might be all... somehow every time I want to read Song for Arbonne or Lions of al-Rassan, something comes up.

Tigana and the Lions of al-Rassan (by all accounts, I haven't read it as I said) are likely among his best works, yes. That doesn't mean you'd be disappointed in his other books, though, at least not in all of them. I've heard mixed reviews of Ysabel and Last Light of the Sun, and in Fionavar Tapestry you may have to do some effort to get through the early parts as I said above. Still more than worthwhile, though, and I've heard nothing but good about Sailing to Sarantium (and sequel) and Song for Arbonne.

Haven't read enough of them to say.