Favorite Reads: 2008
It's that time again: my top ten for the year. As always, there's a couple of things you need to remember about my list:
1) It's hard as hell for me to make top ten lists, let alone RANK the books in the top ten list. I read a LOT of great books last year, and it's tough not to include them all. But if I did, this list would be INSANELY long. In fact, this year, I'm including the runners-up, because I read so many great books this year it's hard not to give them SOME kind of shout-out! :)
2) I base the list on the stuff I read during the calendar year 2008, which is no big surprise. However, I do need to remind people that what I read in 2008 does not necessarily include the latest and greatest releases OF 2008, so don't expect as much. If you'd like to know what I'm pulling from, you can check out my full 2008 list here.
3) I pick stuff that REALLY excited me or engaged me on an emotional level, and I also cheat: if the book is part of a series, and I read more than one book in that series during the calendar year and I love said books equally, they get lumped together into one slot.
So, are you ready?
1) Sharp Teeth (2008)
Writer: Toby Barlow
Genre: Fiction
Werewolf poetry. Need I say more? For those readers looking for the "definitive" werewolf novel, this is it. Barlow mixes beauty and readability with an expert touch, and I can't get over how easy it is to read the verse poetry. The rhythm of the book is easy to fall into and the story is complex and engaging, and I loved every minute of it. Missing this book would be a loss, no doubt, so I'm glad to have put aside my fear of the verse in order to read it.
2) The Terror (2007)
Writer: Dan Simmons
Genre: Horror
I never intended to read this book but I'm so glad I did. Simmons does a beautiful job crafting the characters, the time-period, and the setting of this book, so much so that you feel as though you're THERE on the expedition, and you can't help but drown in details, and in this case, that's a wonderful feeling. It's horror, but it's also historical fiction and a survival story. While it's deliberately set at a glacial pace, there's a true sense of wonder and a quiet, driving tension that keeps you turning the pages.
3) Passage (2001)
Writer: Connie Willis
Genre: Science Fiction
This is another book that I really, really wish had won the Hugo and/or the Nebula. It's not often that you come upon such a SIMPLE SF-nal premise that is so realistically driven by the characters and the situation at hand. It's a fast read because it's compelling, because you're so invested in what's happening and what the characters are trying to do. It almost made me cry, and that's saying something. I'd forgotten that Willis is one of my favorite SF authors, but that's not a mistake I'll make again.
4) Spin State (2003)
Writer: Chris Moriarty
Genre: Science Fiction
This is a wonderfully complex, detailed book that SF fans should eat up. It forces you to slow down to really take your time in reading, but every detail is worth it, to the mystery, to the action, to the human element and beyond. It kills me that this book didn't win the Hugo or Nebula in its time, because it's just that good. This is the kind of complex SF I can root for and promote, because it's smart and intelligent but doesn't ignore its own humanity.
5) Ysabel (2007)
Writer: Guy Gavriel Kay
Genre: Fantasy/Modern
I've always wanted to read Kay's work, so I'm glad I started with his latest, which was simply a beautiful tale both familiar and different. Kay handles his characters and plot with a delicate hand, letting the story unfold organically and never withholding information to simply be coy. The characters are human and realistic, and Kay does a beautiful job with atmosphere. This is the kind of fantasy for both fantasy and NON-fantasy readers alike.
6) Grimspace (2008)
Writer: Ann Aguirre
Genre: Science Fiction
This book got so much attention that I had to give it a shot upon its release, and I ended up absorbing it. It's a space opera/romance with a fantastic, very urban-fantasy-esque voice to the heroine. It's a fun read with fantastic use of tension, and the characters are human and grow and you can't help but root for them, even when they piss you off. The story's solid too, and it's a fantastic start to a series that I look forward to reading more of.
7) The Veil of Gold (2008)
Writer: Kim Wilkins
Genre: Fantasy
This was what I was looking for when it came to Russian folklore, and the irony of it all is that the author is Australian. But still she crafts a world and magic and characters that seem so organic, and the tale is rich, seductive, entertaining yet educational. The prose is lovely and the story itself, while epic in a modern way, is simply lovely. It's a great find and definitely worth the read.
8) Life As We Knew It (2006)
Writer: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Genre: YA/Science Fiction
It reads like Cormac McCarthy's The Road but aimed at YA readers. There's a similar story in the breakdown of society and what it takes to survive and how far we'll go to take care of those we love, but this is a poignant, optimistic story. While not without it's faults, the tale takes a rather simple premise and spins a rather realistic tale. It's a book worth reading whether you're YA or not, and that's saying something.
9) Shadowbridge (2008)
Lord Tophet (2008)
Writer: Gregory Frost
Genre: Fantasy
What really makes these two books stand out is the unique setting and the world-building woven into every page of each book which leaves the reader in awe. It's one of the most original, unique fantasies I've ever read, and the pace is a fast one. These books demand to be read back-to-back, and while the overall plot is a little weak, I prefer to think of it as organic, and it's the kind of story you simply can't get enough of.
10) Graceling (2008)
Writer: Kristin Cashore
Genre: YA/Fantasy
One thing I loved about this book was the heroine: a girl who's both traditional and not in regards to epic fantasy types, and a girl who grows throughout the book. It's a great story, but it's also great character development, and the romantic elements of the plot are both delightful and surprising, especially by the end. This is a great debut for Cashore, and I can't wait to see more work in this world.
And now, the runners-up, in alphabetical order.
11) Emma Bull, Territory
12) Octavia Butler, Lilith's Brood
13) Rachel Caine, Ill Wind
14) Jeaniene Frost, Halfway to the Grave & One Foot in the Grave
15) Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box
16) Kay Kenyon, A World Too Near
17) Alan Moore, The Watchmen
18) Cherie Priest, Dreadful Skin
19) Charles Stross, Halting State
20) Steve Rasnic & Melanie Tem, The Man in the Ceiling
And that's it for 2008! Last year, I hosted a giveaway along with my top ten, and I think I'll do the same this year, but in a different post. So until that post arrives, take a long look at the top ten and start figuring out which one you'll want when you enter! :)
1) It's hard as hell for me to make top ten lists, let alone RANK the books in the top ten list. I read a LOT of great books last year, and it's tough not to include them all. But if I did, this list would be INSANELY long. In fact, this year, I'm including the runners-up, because I read so many great books this year it's hard not to give them SOME kind of shout-out! :)
2) I base the list on the stuff I read during the calendar year 2008, which is no big surprise. However, I do need to remind people that what I read in 2008 does not necessarily include the latest and greatest releases OF 2008, so don't expect as much. If you'd like to know what I'm pulling from, you can check out my full 2008 list here.
3) I pick stuff that REALLY excited me or engaged me on an emotional level, and I also cheat: if the book is part of a series, and I read more than one book in that series during the calendar year and I love said books equally, they get lumped together into one slot.
So, are you ready?
1) Sharp Teeth (2008)
Writer: Toby Barlow
Genre: Fiction
Werewolf poetry. Need I say more? For those readers looking for the "definitive" werewolf novel, this is it. Barlow mixes beauty and readability with an expert touch, and I can't get over how easy it is to read the verse poetry. The rhythm of the book is easy to fall into and the story is complex and engaging, and I loved every minute of it. Missing this book would be a loss, no doubt, so I'm glad to have put aside my fear of the verse in order to read it.
2) The Terror (2007)
Writer: Dan Simmons
Genre: Horror
I never intended to read this book but I'm so glad I did. Simmons does a beautiful job crafting the characters, the time-period, and the setting of this book, so much so that you feel as though you're THERE on the expedition, and you can't help but drown in details, and in this case, that's a wonderful feeling. It's horror, but it's also historical fiction and a survival story. While it's deliberately set at a glacial pace, there's a true sense of wonder and a quiet, driving tension that keeps you turning the pages.
3) Passage (2001)
Writer: Connie Willis
Genre: Science Fiction
This is another book that I really, really wish had won the Hugo and/or the Nebula. It's not often that you come upon such a SIMPLE SF-nal premise that is so realistically driven by the characters and the situation at hand. It's a fast read because it's compelling, because you're so invested in what's happening and what the characters are trying to do. It almost made me cry, and that's saying something. I'd forgotten that Willis is one of my favorite SF authors, but that's not a mistake I'll make again.
4) Spin State (2003)
Writer: Chris Moriarty
Genre: Science Fiction
This is a wonderfully complex, detailed book that SF fans should eat up. It forces you to slow down to really take your time in reading, but every detail is worth it, to the mystery, to the action, to the human element and beyond. It kills me that this book didn't win the Hugo or Nebula in its time, because it's just that good. This is the kind of complex SF I can root for and promote, because it's smart and intelligent but doesn't ignore its own humanity.
5) Ysabel (2007)
Writer: Guy Gavriel Kay
Genre: Fantasy/Modern
I've always wanted to read Kay's work, so I'm glad I started with his latest, which was simply a beautiful tale both familiar and different. Kay handles his characters and plot with a delicate hand, letting the story unfold organically and never withholding information to simply be coy. The characters are human and realistic, and Kay does a beautiful job with atmosphere. This is the kind of fantasy for both fantasy and NON-fantasy readers alike.
6) Grimspace (2008)
Writer: Ann Aguirre
Genre: Science Fiction
This book got so much attention that I had to give it a shot upon its release, and I ended up absorbing it. It's a space opera/romance with a fantastic, very urban-fantasy-esque voice to the heroine. It's a fun read with fantastic use of tension, and the characters are human and grow and you can't help but root for them, even when they piss you off. The story's solid too, and it's a fantastic start to a series that I look forward to reading more of.
7) The Veil of Gold (2008)
Writer: Kim Wilkins
Genre: Fantasy
This was what I was looking for when it came to Russian folklore, and the irony of it all is that the author is Australian. But still she crafts a world and magic and characters that seem so organic, and the tale is rich, seductive, entertaining yet educational. The prose is lovely and the story itself, while epic in a modern way, is simply lovely. It's a great find and definitely worth the read.
8) Life As We Knew It (2006)
Writer: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Genre: YA/Science Fiction
It reads like Cormac McCarthy's The Road but aimed at YA readers. There's a similar story in the breakdown of society and what it takes to survive and how far we'll go to take care of those we love, but this is a poignant, optimistic story. While not without it's faults, the tale takes a rather simple premise and spins a rather realistic tale. It's a book worth reading whether you're YA or not, and that's saying something.
9) Shadowbridge (2008)
Lord Tophet (2008)
Writer: Gregory Frost
Genre: Fantasy
What really makes these two books stand out is the unique setting and the world-building woven into every page of each book which leaves the reader in awe. It's one of the most original, unique fantasies I've ever read, and the pace is a fast one. These books demand to be read back-to-back, and while the overall plot is a little weak, I prefer to think of it as organic, and it's the kind of story you simply can't get enough of.
10) Graceling (2008)
Writer: Kristin Cashore
Genre: YA/Fantasy
One thing I loved about this book was the heroine: a girl who's both traditional and not in regards to epic fantasy types, and a girl who grows throughout the book. It's a great story, but it's also great character development, and the romantic elements of the plot are both delightful and surprising, especially by the end. This is a great debut for Cashore, and I can't wait to see more work in this world.
And now, the runners-up, in alphabetical order.
11) Emma Bull, Territory
12) Octavia Butler, Lilith's Brood
13) Rachel Caine, Ill Wind
14) Jeaniene Frost, Halfway to the Grave & One Foot in the Grave
15) Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box
16) Kay Kenyon, A World Too Near
17) Alan Moore, The Watchmen
18) Cherie Priest, Dreadful Skin
19) Charles Stross, Halting State
20) Steve Rasnic & Melanie Tem, The Man in the Ceiling
And that's it for 2008! Last year, I hosted a giveaway along with my top ten, and I think I'll do the same this year, but in a different post. So until that post arrives, take a long look at the top ten and start figuring out which one you'll want when you enter! :)