Numerous
Blind Guardian!
meh, authors: Tolkien, Feist, Jordan, Asprin, Adams D., Adams S., Lewis, Robbins, Heilein, etc. (This list is WAY shorter than all their books.)
Jhonen Vasquez, Roman Dirge, most those authors previously listed, Rae, and the Red Dwarf crew. But, above all others, my hero is Dirk Gently. (Anyone who knows who that is gets a cookie.)