Who do you consider a Great Author of the last 50 years or so (first well-known work after 1970)? I'd like to get a feel for who's who in modern literature. Any language/culture. Fiction only.
Bonus points for any books you believe are classics from that time period. Any language, but only fiction please.
I always enjoyed reading Michael Crichton.
He might not have been the greatest novelist, but I liked his ideas and always learned a ton reading his books.