As a big fan of Salvatore’s DemonWars novels, it saddens me to name The Ancient by R.A. Salvatore as the lamest novel I finished all year. It completely misses the point of what made the early novels so damn good and was a huge letdown after its predesscor, The Highwayman. There’s not much more to be said (that isn’t in my review) except that I hope the next novel in the cycle, The Dame, can get things back on track.
Read my full review (if you dare) HERE.
When John first created the SF Link-up meme, he certainly never expected a song to be written about it. Well, that’s exactly what John Anealio from Sci Fi Songs did!
Sci-Fi Song #14 was inspired by the Book Reviewers Linkup Meme started by John Ottinger III of the Grasping for the Wind blog. This meme really helped to unite and galvanize the Sci-Fi and Fantasy community. I’ve been writing and recording music for Sci-Fi Songs since this past summer. In that time, it seems that something happens every few weeks that causes the SFF blogging community to become even more vibrant than it was before. John’s meme is a perfect example.
“Grasping for the Wind (The Linkup Meme Song)” is a tribute to all of the blogs that I read and to the wonderful people who I have had the pleasure of connecting with since I started Sci-Fi Songs.
A Dribble of Ink being included in the song makes me just downright giddy. Check out John’s (the musical John) blog to hear the song and find out more about the process that went into writing and recording it.
You can find the song HERE.
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!
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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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.
