It is most interesting. Jim Butcher became one of my favorite authors as I was introduced to him back when he was already on Dreden vol #5. I was able to quickly start the series and buy all his books as a result. I loved the Codex Alera novels. Jim was putting out 2 books a year. He was hot. The pace noticeably slowed down after Alera was over, but still 13-16 months for the next Dresden novel was still a good pace. Then it started to falter. It reminded me greatly of the pace drop off of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.
Fortunately I never got into GoT ... but I sympathize with those readers. Just as I sympathize for the wait for the 3rd book of P.R's Name of the Wind series. I love these authors, I know they work hard and also need to enjoy life, but I miss their stories. I miss the characters they have brought forth.
That being said, it was/is Jim's long absence that has opened my reading to new authors. I've bought over 100 books to read in these past 4 years and if you're interested in new reading I prepared a list for the wait. Believe it or not, I'd not known of these author's prior to 2013. I'd always gone to the book store to buy hardback/paperback books, and since 2013 I've been using an Ipad because well, I have 100lb boxes of books in my basement just laying about and 4 bookshelves in the house all full of hardbacks for my favorite authors. (I have all of Jim's books in hardback collecting dust on one
)
Anyways, here for your enjoyment and if you like any of the books and haven't read some of the others in the category, then more than likely you'll really enjoy it as well.
Fantasy - Urban Trope
Anything by Brandon Sanderson. Dude is a stud.
Patricia Brigg's "Mercy Thompson" Series
Kim Harrison's "The Hollows" series
Chloe Neill's "Chicagoland Vampires" series
Diana Rowland's "..of the Demon" series
Elizabeth Moon's "The Deed of Paksenarrion" <--amazing
SciFi
Jay Posey's "Outriders" series
Thomas DePrima's "A Galaxy Unknown"
David Weber's "In Fury Born", "Honor Harrington series", and the amazing "safehold" series. <--amazing author
Mike Shepard's "Kris Longknife" books
Andy Weir's "The Martian"
Dave Bara's "Lightship Chronicles"
Rachel Bach's "Heaven's Queen" series <--also amazing
Jack Campbell's "The Lost Fleet" series
Mystery/Thrillers
Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" novels
John Sandford's "Prey" series and "Virgil Flowers" series. This guy puts out 2 novels a year. Writes faster than Brandon Sanderson.
David Balducci "King and Maxwell" series, "Will Robie" series, "Amos Decker" series. Another amazing writer.
Brad Thor's "Scot Harvath" series ... phenomenal.
Michael Connelly - pick up anything he writes, simply a great suspense writer.