Daily Archives: Thursday, January 1, 2009

Feature Article

Article | Novels of the Year (2008)

By Aidan Moher January 1st, 2009

I struggled with doing a ‘Novel of the Year’ post for a while. Frankly, I haven’t read nearly enough of the novels published in 2008 to make any sort of blanket statement about which was the ‘best’ of them all.

I came to a happy medium by deciding to go through the books I did read in 2008 and pick my very favourites from among them. I’ve split the award into two categories – Favourite Overall Novel and Favourite Novel Published in 2008 –to allow for a bit more variety.

Without further adieu, here’re my favourite novels I read in 2008!

Favourite Overall Novel

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

I bought The Shadow of the Wind over 3 years ago, when the praise for the novel was just starting to eke its way to my ears. Despite my excitement for the novel, it sat on my shelf for months and months, sorely neglected until my recent travels to Europe. Knowing I’d be a fool not to bring it with me, I tossed it in my backpack and gave it the change it deserved.

Part of the reason I think it say on my shelf for so long was that I was certain it could never live up to the hype. How could a novel that’s so universally adored possibly not be a let down? In some ways I figured that the anticipation of reading it would be better than the actual act. An hour into my plane ride I realized just how wrong I was.

From the very first pages, The Shadow of the Wind enraptured me in a way that few novels have since childhood. I few into civil war era Spain and was reluctant to leave every time I had to put the book down. Lucia Graves (who translated the novel from its original Spanish language) did an absolutely phenomenal job and deserves every bit as much credit as Zafón for successfully keeping the beautiful language intact through the translation process.

Not only was The Shadow of the Wind the best book I read in 2008, it maybe very well be my favourite novel of all time. I eagerly look forward to the sequel, The Angel’s Game, which will finally see an english release later in 2009.

You can find my full review HERE.
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News

An Aside | Wertzone Covers the Books of 2009

By Aidan Moher January 1st, 2009

Adam over at The Wertzone has compiled a huge list of upcoming novels for 2009. just taking a brief look at the list has me confident that we won’t have nearly as many bloggers bellyaching at the end of the year about the supposed quality of released (2008 has been much maligned in the past several weeks….)

A few of the standouts for me:

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan
Gollancz (UK): out now
Del Rey (USA): 20/01/09
Richard Morgan’s first fantasy novel is a gripping, taut and visceral story with some brilliant worldbuilding and terrific ideas. Expect more criticism of the explicit sex and violence when the book hits US stores, but this is a first-rate novel, although admittedly not Morgan’s best work.

Drood by Dan Simmons
Little, Brown (USA): 09/02/09
Quercus (UK): 05/03/09

Simmons’ new novel is a mammoth historical tome about the end of Charles Dickens’ life and his incomplete final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The SF&F elements are reportedly minor, but this should prove to be an interesting read regardless.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett
HarperCollins Voyager (UK): out now
Del Rey (USA): 10/03/09

The US publication of Peter Brett’s much-acclaimed debut novel, which was published last year under the title The Painted Man. A vivid and interesting premise and world give rise to a story with plenty of excellent twists and turns.

The City and the City by China Mieville
Macmillan (UK): 15/05/09
Del Rey (USA): 26/05/09

Mieville’s new book is a stand-alone noir thriller set in a fictional pair of eastern European cities. His publishers are extremely excited about this novel, naming it his best work to date. This is easily one of my most eagerly-awaited books of the year.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Tor (USA): 09/06/09

Sanderson’s new stand-alone following his acclaimed Mistborn trilogy has been developed in full public view on his website, with new full drafts of chapters and the entire book published upon completion so readers can follow the writing process. The published novel will likely be another big success for him, and raise awareness of his name ahead of the publication of the final Wheel of Time novel – which he is completing – at the end of the year.

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton
Tor (UK): 12/06/09

SF&F blogger and commentator Newton’s debut novel and the first book in his Legends of the Red Sun series is already generating some pre-release buzz, and should be well worth a look when it comes out.

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Gollancz (UK): 18/06/09
Orbit US: 29/07/09

Abercrombie’s follow-up to the First Law trilogy is a stand-alone set in the same world, although expect a few cross-overs from minor characters. It is a tale of mayhem, blood and murder set in the lands of Styria, and should be an interesting change of pace and focus from Abercrombie’s debut work.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
HarperCollins Voyager (UK): 01/07/09

Hobb returns to the world of the Six Duchies with this stand-alone novel set in the Liveship Traders mileu.

Shadowrise by Tad Williams
DAW (USA): November 2009
Orbit Books (UK): tbc

The epic conclusion to Williams’ Shadowmarch Trilogy.

Quite a list, eh? Adam also has other major releases like Patrick Rothfuss’ The Wise Man’s Fear, George R.R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons and Scott Lynch’s The Republic of Theives, but I’ll have to be holding copies of those in my hands before I truly believe they’re coming. If even two of the three make it out in 2009, we’re sure in for a hell of a treat.

Make sure you check out Adam’s whole list (because I haven’t touched on even half the novels on there) HERE.