Sell me on these authors (or not)

Here's the deal: I list well regarded authors I have not been able to get into. You recommend a starting place (or you can tell me not to bother) and I'll try it. I will give each author two attempts to catch my interest. If after two books*, which I have not already read**, I remain unsold, then they are off my list forever.

I'll add to this list as I recall more names.


My initial list for recs:
Gene Wolfe
Mary Gentle
Catherynne M. Valente
Iain M. Banks
Guy Gavriel Kay


* I will not promise to read any book beyond 25 pages if it's not grabbing me. You may want to keep that in mind and not recommend things that get good around 100 pages in.

** If it's been a long time since I've read a book I might be convinced to give it another try.