2014 Reading List

Top 20 Books to Finish in 2014

After much delay, much waffling, and a final burst of determined discipline, I have birthed this year’s reading list. I figure I’ll read 80-90 books this year (I’m at 17 but have hit a slowdown), of which many will be non-fiction, randomly chosen, or taken from an increasing pile of ARCs. I have the requisite disorganized TBR mountain and many ambitious plans to conquer it. Realistically though, the following is probably the best I can hope for.

This list represents my highest priorities for the year, culled from a number of TBR lists and series in progress. They are presented without comment, save for the following. First, there are only a few 2014 releases on here and they are all sequels or conclusions. I’m sure other new stuff is very exciting, but that’s really a list for another time. Second, I am aware that this is Anglo-Saxon men on parade. I will chalk that up to my attempts to wrap up reading projects that stretch back into my insensitive, uncaring days. Please be aware that I have the usual Japanese entries coming down the pipe and am conscious of equality efforts in my other reading. In fact, I’ve been doing pretty well this year, both in completed books and in articles published. (Alternately, readers who are needlessly offended by gender- and ethnic-equality efforts can just skip that last paragraph. Thanks, and enjoy your white, male fiction.)

Finally, if this matches up with anyone else, I’d love to jump on another read along. Or a series completion project. Or a read along of something not listed at all. Or pretty much anything, since this game is much more fun when we’re all playing it. Have a good 2014, everyone.

Cibola Burn – James S.A. Corey

An Autumn War – Daniel Abraham

On the Steel Breeze – Alastair Reynolds

Shipstar – Greg Benford and Larry Niven

The Bonehunters – Steven Erikson

Manifold: Space – Steven Baxter

The Confusion – Neal Stephenson

The Straits of Galahesh – Bradley Beaulieu

David Falkayn: Star Trader – Poul Anderson

The Quiet War – Paul McAuley

The Hostile Takeover Trilogy – Andrew Swann

Prince of Thorns – Mark Lawrence

Rimrunners – C.J. Cherryh

Inversions – Iain M. Banks

Crucible – Nancy Kress

Jhereg – Steven Brust

The Neutronium Alchemist – Peter F. Hamilton

Brain Thief – Alexander Jablokov

Ancillary Sword – Ann Leckie

The Towers of Sunset – L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Best of 2013

Best of 2013

In the midst of several other writing projects, I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize some stand outs from the last year. Unlike 2012, I didn’t keep close tabs on new releases. To be honest, 2012 was a bit of an aberration, as I normally spend more time digging through archives than staying current. Add to that a dearth (to me at least) of high profile SF publications, and I find myself unable to even make a page worth of 2013 reviews. So in this, the third annual wrap up on Two Dudes, we will switch format yet again and present randomly titled awards to deserving books, in reverse chronological order (because that’s how I pulled the titles off of Goodreads).

Ultimate in Tall, Dark, and Handsome Award: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
Explanatory post is forthcoming, even though the read-along ended sometime before Christmas.

Inexplicably Still Going Strong, Even After 3000 Pages Award: Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson
I really should write a review for something in the Malazan series, but where to start? I’m now five books in and, while I’ve heard things start to peter out towards the end, Midnight Tides is still part of a remarkable run as a standard bearer for epic fantasy.

Dual Mention for Best Debut and Best SF of 2013 Award: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Great stuff here, one of the most talked about books of the year. Not everyone liked it, but it’s probably my favorite book from last year.

Omigosh Where Have You Been All My Life Award: The Anvil of the World by Kage Baker
Why didn’t I read Kage Baker sooner? I have no idea.

Seriously Intimidating But Basically Everything SF Aspires to Be Award: Cyteen by CJ Cherryh
Cyteen is as dense and claustrophobic as anything Cherryh has ever written, which says a lot, but is the Platonic form of SF. Not only is she digging deeper than almost any other SF writer out there, but the very science fictional-ness of the book allows her to take on subjects that mainstream literature can barely touch. Must read for anyone serious about the genre.

Simultaneously Mind Blowing, Creepily Perverse, Too Long, and Thoroughly Literate Award: 1Q84 by Murakami Haruki
Many deep thoughts about this covered here.

Onward Comrade! To the Taiga! Award: The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley Beaulieu
Action-packed, raucous, Russian-esque fun. Also earned me a nod on the author’s homepage for a gamboling pandas joke.

Best Plug for Two Dudes Award: Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck
A throw-away, grossly stereotypical gag about Swedes landed me a coveted blurb here, right underneath names like “Le Guin” and “Mieville.” (!!!) I still can’t get over this one. (Also, this is a remarkable book of stories and should be read by all.)

Our Man in Havana Memorial Award: Trafalgar by Angelica Gorodischer
Gorodischer is actually from Argentina, but I prefer the movie in the award name to Evita.

Not a Great Book but Really Fun to Review Award: Parasite Eve by Sena Hideaki
Marauding, sentient lady bits? Check. Pederasty? Check. Mitochondria plotting to take over the world? Check. Must come from Japan.

Unjustly Overlooked, Hidden Gem From the Past Award: Carve the Sky by Alexander Jablokov
I am now a huge Jablokov fan and looking forward to reading and reviewing more of his books this year. This guy deserves a Scalzi-like following.

Holy Cats There Are Awesome People All Around Us Award: All of the new friends I met in the past year. This whole project is much more worthwhile because of all of you. Thank you!

2013 Reading List Results

2013 Reading List Results

My reading is pretty much charted out for the balance of the year and various holiday stresses are preventing any sort of serious book writeup, so it is time to assess my 2013 Reading List. Below are quotes from the original Reading List, followed by my updates. I will include links where available, though I only reviewed about half of what I read this year. Maybe less.

Tad Williams – Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Got to this one early in the year. The round-up, with links to individual posts, is here.

Peter F. Hamilton – Night’s Dawn Trilogy
Sorry Peter, this is too much to handle for more than one volume at a time. I reviewed the first here, and will get to the next book sometime soon.

Iain M. Banks – At least one novel, probably Excession.
Excession was the one. I am now debating whether to plow through his other books as quickly as possible, or draw it out over many years. A tough choice, now that there won’t be any more.

Steven Erikson – Whatever is next in the Malazan books.
That would be Midnight Tides, which I read just before Thanksgiving. One of these days I will write about Malazan, but it’s hard to start now that I’m halfway done.

Eric Brown – Anything
I ended up reading Bengal Station over the summer and totally meaning to review it. I also picked up Helix at a book sale, so now debating whether to read that or the Bengal Station sequel.

Bradley Beaulieu – The Winds of Khalakovo
Here. Not only that, but I have ebooks of the next two that I will start up any day now.

CJ Cherryh – Finish Cyteen. Probably read something else.
Cyteen complete! That took a long time, but was fun to write about. I also read Merchanter’s Luck and will start the Morgaine Saga next.

Haruki Murakami – IQ84
This turned into an epic read-a-thon. A round-up of posts from me and this is how she fight start is here.

Charlie Stross – Iron Sunrise, Rapture of the Nerds
Read the first, not the second.

China Mieville – The next Bas Lag books.
The Scar is here. For now, one Mieville tome per year is about right.

Something by Walter Jon Williams.
I read Aristoi last month. It was engaging and challenging, but unfortunately got lost in a mess of really great stuff and no time to write.

More LE Modesitt Jr., Stephen Baxter
I did manage Archform: Beauty but didn’t get to any Baxter.

Something in Japanese.
I read two after posting the list, but will save details for a separate article.

Mike Resnick – I should really finish the Starship series.
Struck out on this one.

Some classics.
Hmm. I read a couple, but not what I was planning on and not very many. There may be a redemption effort during Little Red Reviewer’s Vintage SF Month.

Ten Books that Stay With Me

Ten Books That Have Stayed With Me

I was recently tagged in a Facebook post that seems to be going around, inviting me to record ten books that have “stayed with me.” Beyond that vague parameter, the only direction was to “not think too hard about it.” The impossibility of constructing such an obtusely described selection led me to blow it off, until the tagging friend claimed to be “dying to see your list.” I can’t say no to that, but I have failed utterly to “not think too hard.” This blog has been filled with lists and other miscellany lately, so I feel bad posting yet another one. On the other hand, just putting the list up on Facebook without lengthy explanations and excuses is thoroughly distasteful. After all, I’m going to bare my soul a bit here; I need a chance to defend it.

A few things this list is not: it is not a list of favorite books, nor is it the best that I have read. It is not necessarily SFF. It is not balanced in any way, by any metric. It is not a list of recommended reading. It is merely the titles of books that, for one reason or another, have exercised undue influence on me, or that I find myself going back to when thinking about things. They are what bubbled to the surface with a minimum of thinking too hard. They may be good or bad, may be distasteful to some, and may very well be by a bunch of white dudes. I may not be proud of some of them. Ten years from now, I expect a healthy amount of turnover and I hope that it is not so aggressively patriarchal and Anglo-Saxon. For now, this is what I have, in no particular order.

1. The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
My parents started reading Tolkien aloud to me when I was, I think, three. I took down the whole trilogy on my own, plus The Hobbit, in either third or fourth grade, likely understanding almost none of it. These books got me in the door and remain, flaws and all, the most reread and most important in my bookish development.

2. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
I’m not going to say that Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect changed my life or anything, but it must mean something that I still remember all of the gags, lo these many years later. I will also confess to trying very hard for many years to cop Adams’ writing style.

3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert Pirsig
Not sure what to say about this that hasn’t already been said. I’m sure it helps that much of the book takes place not far from my home town, while also going on at length about aesthetics and philosophy. (Not things one normally associates with the state of Montana.)

4. Reflections of a Scientist – Henry Eyring
5. Dialogues With Myself: Personal Essays on Mormon Experience – Eugene England
Though I am neither devout nor orthodox, my upbringing in the Mormon Church forms a huge part of my identity. These two books remain foundational to my (thorny) relationship with my religion. Why and how is beyond the scope of this post (and really of this blog), but I am willing to engage the curious.

6. The Dragonlance Chronicles – Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman
Tolkien got me in the door, but Dragonlance slammed it shut behind me. (Larry Niven turned the lock.) I, uh, kind of wish that I could forget how thoroughly this series dominated my early adolescence, but I guess we all have dark secrets. David Eddings is also on this list. We should probably just move on before I say anything to embarrass myself further.

7. The Hyperion Cantos – Dan Simmons
Now we are back on firmer ground. I won’t say that this is one of the “best” SF series, but it leaves an impact crater. There are some scenes I will never forget.

8. 2312 – Kim Stanley Robinson
Last year’s Nebula winner might be the most complete extrapolation of our semi-near future that I have ever read. Robinson covers everything from the expansion into space, environmental degradation on Earth, and politico-economic development to the future of music, gender, and human evolution. This stands out as everything science fiction is supposed to be and is very near the top of my Best Ever list.

9. 3.11: Disaster and Change in Japan – Richard Samuels
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan is a charged and emotional event for me. It’s probably better to just read my post about it, since pithy summation escapes me.

10. Japan – Lonely Planet
As a young missionary in the smelly fish port of Ishinomaki, I somehow acquired a a mid-90s edition of Lonely Planet’s Japan travel guide. For several years, this was my primary source for information on Japan’s geography, demographics, food, and culture. I suppose there are worse places to learn this sort of thing.

Gateway SF Part 2

Gateway SF Part 2

A couple of weeks ago, I banged out a quick post with some suggestions for My First Sony Science Fiction. I hadn’t given it a huge amount of thought, but did want to get something up in reaction to a couple of other thought provoking lists. I had planned it to be a bit of filler in between meatier essays. To my surprise, the list generated more hits and a longer discussion than most of my other recent posts. (Thanks for the signal boost, Leanne!) The resulting conversation has pushed me to embellish the original list a bit.

While a couple of the questions wondered about my lack of classic SF or stealth books that might ease a reader in gently and covertly, I consider these to be valid (and intentional) editorial decisions and stand by them. Less forgivable, and by this I mean hopelessly derelict, was the complete exclusion of female writers from my list. I made a token nod towards non-Anglos, but nary a woman crossed my mind. I owe a thank you to the esteemed Joachim Boaz for calling me to task; somehow I failed utterly to notice. What this says about the state of gender balance in SF is neither positive, nor within the scope of this post, but I am determined to right the wrong somewhat. Thus, some additions to my Gateway SF List.

I will say that there are two immediate reasons for my oversight. First is that I am woefully under-read in female-produced SF. This is something I have started to take concrete steps to remedy, but I am behind the times. It was not an intentional slight (like most, I think), but it was real and I am on a quest to discover books I might have overlooked. (To my benefit, I might add. I’ve read some great stuff lately.) The second reason is that many of the women I have read do not, to my mind, qualify as gateway books. CJ Cherryh, for example, is one of my favorite writers, but I haven’t read anything by her that I would give to a neophyte. I considered Catherine Asaro’s first Skolian Empire book, but then remembered the insane physics taking turns with the romance. Pat Cadigan is amazing, but also a bit like starting one’s recreation drug use with a double hit of LSD.

My brain continues to churn, but for now, here are some suggestions:

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang – Kate Wilhelm
I just barely finished this (one reason this post is later than I had hoped) and think it might be worthy. It’s a Hugo and Locus winner, so the establishment likes it, it has clones and a post-Apocalypse setting, so it’s real live SF, but the book is mostly about people. There is science, but it is quiet science, and the focus remains always on the characters. Look for more about this in January.

Earthsea – Ursula LeGuin
My LeGuin knowledge is sadly lacking, but I really like the Earthsea books. It’s more fantasy, though they might get readers in the back door. All three of the trilogy deal elegantly with race, growing up, confronting one’s demons and/or impending death, the responsibilities of power, and other such literary stuff.

Vorkosigan Saga – Lois McMaster Bujold
This is one of the most popular series in modern SF, so I assume that they would appeal to more than just the usual dorks. I’ve read a few. I mentioned it in passing on the first list, but wasn’t sure which book to recommend first. I still don’t, but I’m sure somebody out there has an opinion.

Dragonflight – Anne McCaffery
I had my issues with this, but seem to be in the minority. The Pern books also have to rate as one of SFF’s most popular. (They seem fantasy, but the author always maintained that they are pure SF.)

Scattered Along the River of Heaven – Aliette de Bodard
This is a short story, not a novel, but it’s a fantastic introduction to de Bodard. (Her novels are more on the fantasy tip, while much of her short story output is SF.) This too is about people, families, nations in turmoil, and poetry. Can’t say enough about it. This could be set in 1950s China, or in outer space, which is why I give it a nod for El Gateway.

The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
Haven’t actually read this, but two people recommended it in the comments for two different reasons. I’ll trust their opinions (they are smarter than I) and list it here.

Beggars in Spain – Nancy Kress
I really want to get Kress on this list, and not just because she also lives in the Northwest, but nothing I’ve read so far struck me as introductory. Beggars is her most famous work, so on the list it goes, despite me not having read it yet.

Other worthy writers present themselves: Connie Willis, Karen Traviss, Elizabeth Bear, but I haven’t read enough yet. Maybe I will update this a year from now. As it stands, I hope that this mea culpa will suffice. Sorry women of SF! I won’t be a clod again!

Sixteen Series to Finish

Sixteen Series to Finish

While keeping tabs on my 2013 To Read list and planning for the 2014 edition, I’m starting to build a list of series I have started. I don’t necessarily plan to finish every saga that I’ve begun, but there are some that definitely deserve more attention. Here are the most blatant offenders, in no particular order. Ideally I would knock out another book in each over the coming year or so.

L.E. Modesitt, Jr. – Recluce Saga
I’ve only read the first book (of sixteen?), but it was one of my favorite fantasies of 2012. I have several follow-ups in my home library that have slowly risen to the upper reaches of my To Be Read pile. My fantasy reading time is somewhat limited though, and other books muscled their way ahead during 2013.

Mike Resnick – Starship
I’ve taken down four out of five in this series; so close to wrapping it up! Unfortunately, a recent flap in the SFWA over needlessly misogynistic comments from Resnick has soured me a bit on reading his stuff. I’ll get over it eventually I suppose, since the guy has enough Hugos to sink a proverbial battleship and I feel obligated to see what the fuss is. The Starship books are light and funny, never quite deep enough to be favorites, but sufficiently entertaining to want to finish.

Dan Abraham – Long Price Quartet
I really have no excuse for not finishing this. I’m a big Abraham fan, but somehow I’ve let the remaining three books linger far too long.

Steven Erikson – Malazan
Book Five of this insanely long epic is on tap for later in the month. I’ve been hitting these at about a one per year pace; at this rate I should wrap up the series by 2020. The Malazan books are arguably the best fantasy out there right now, in my humble opinion.

Poul Anderson – Polesotechnic League
Nicholas Van Rijn is a fairly disgusting character, but somehow this is one of Anderson’s more readable series. Baen has edited the whole of the Van Rijn sequence into sequential volumes; much easier than pulling the stories out piecemeal from ancient, fragmenting collections. The Flandry books are also classic, but some of Anderson’s less savory politics seep heavier into those.

Steven Baxter – Manifold
I read the first book in this dense, Hard SF trilogy, while the second sits glowering on my bookshelf. My only excuse for not reading it is that hardbacks are heavy and I don’t like taking them on the bus. I shall have to man up soon.

Greg Benford – Galactic Center
I’m three books into this one, but have yet to really catch on fire. Sometimes Benford works for me, sometimes he doesn’t. Still, this is listed as a must-read, far-future, space war on a massive scale. One or another of the books ought to grab me.

Edgar Rice Burroughs – Martian Tales
This is more for a history lesson than anything else, though the first two books were fun.

George Alec Effinger – The Audran Sequence
When Gravity Fails is the book everyone talks about, but there are two more set in the Budayeen. My ongoing cyberpunk reclamation project demands that I read them.

Eric Flint – 1632
I have read far more in Flint’s signature universe than is perhaps healthy, yet am still just scratching the surface. My enthusiasm for the whole affair probably peaked in the second book of the main sequence, 1633, but I remain impressed by the work Flint has done with his alternate history. I’m also amazed at the fan community and their constant outpouring of fiction and research. It would probably take a month at least for me to catch up on everything that Baen as published in this universe.

M. John Harrison – Kefahuchi Tract
I still haven’t written a review of Light. Something about it defies my ability to create a witty summary. There are two more following, including the Coode Street Podcast’s choice for best book of 2012. If it beats out my pick, 2312, I’d better read it.

Jack McDevitt – Academy
I’ve read all but the newest Alex Benedict book, so have dug into the Academy series for a change of pace. The first two books were good, but he’s just hinting at the deeper potential in this “implacable menace from deep space” concept. I have high expectations.

Neal Stephenson – Baroque Cycle
Oh my. I read the first of these back in 2007 or so. Stephenson’s books are intimidating, much as I enjoy them, so I somehow keep putting this off. Ebooks should help, since my Kindle doesn’t weigh nearly as much as the dead tree tome. 2013 had a lot of dense paperweights on the Reading List; Stephenson may take his turn in 2014.

Timothy Zahn – Quadrail
Zahn’s stuff is more of a light snack between meals. I enjoy his books, even if I don’t remember much about them afterwards.

Dan Abnett – Eisenhorn
I don’t read many tie-ins. I make an occasional exception for Warhammer 40,000 though, just for old times’ sake, and I definitely make an exception for Eisenhorn. I think these are the consensus pick for Best Warhammer Books Ever.

Brad Beaulieu – Lays of Anuskaya
Winds of Khalakovo was one of my favorites of the year (so far). I was going to read the next books anyway, but Beaulieu was kind enough to send review copies to me. Now I’m definitely going to read them (soon) and probably say glowingly positive things after.

Moms in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Moms in Science Fiction and Fantasy

I took a random and perfunctory look at lists of mothers in SFF, what with today being Ma Day and all. (My grandma’s term for the holiday.) Below are the three that I found. I even dove into the comments sections, hoping to avoid the usual twits and get some more ideas, but there were more of the former than the latter. Unfortunately, most of the lists start with Star Trek and end with Harry Potter, usually with a stop in between at Sarah Connor and/or Eleanor Ripley. Not a lot beyond a very superficial and commercial collection. I will give credit for those that suggest Lady Atreides (Dune) and the Wired list that includes Cordelia Naismith (The Vorkosigan series).

This got me to thinking, “What other moms are there worth mentioning?” I couldn’t think of very many. This may be a reflection of my reading habits, or it may be that SFF is low on moms. I have a lurking suspicion that fantasy might have more than science fiction, especially the Hard SF and space opera that I favor. It may just be that the sorts of epic adventures SFF tends to focus on are generally undertaken by those without a reason to stay at home. Perhaps I can revisit this question on Ma Day 2014 and see if my list has expanded. For now:

1) Hiroko in Robinson’s Mars Trilogy – While there were plenty of moms in that one, Hiroko and her brood may have had the greatest influence.

2) Eunice Akinya in Reynolds’ Blue Remembered Earth – Technically a grandma by the time of the book, Eunice overhauled science, built a commercial empire, and made at least two or three of the biggest discoveries of that book’s era.

3) Chrisjen Avasarala in Corey’s Caliban’s War – Another grandma here, but grandmas were moms once too! Avasarala is a foul-mouthed, high-ranking UN officer from South Asia who holds the fate of billions in her hand, but is also a very nice grandma.

4) Several characters in Aliette de Bodard’s short stories – a number of these count, so I recommend picking up pretty much anything out there. Any Nebula nominee list from the last couple years will have a few.

So there’s an assortment of mothers that stood out in my recent reading. I’ll have to think more deeply about this next year, as I’m sure there’s an actual worthwhile post buried in here somewhere. Finally, the other lists I found:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/05/top-10-mothers-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy-wayback/

http://buzzymag.com/top-10-sci-fi-moms/

http://www.lbgale.com/2012/01/20/best-science-fiction-fantasy-mothers-not-defined-by-motherhood/

 

2013 Reading List

2013 Reading List

So this is a little late, and probably of less interest to the readership than my usual book reviews, but I want to get a list of titles down to reduce aimless confusion time at the library. As a bonus, I can check this later and shake my head sadly at all the failures. Good times. So in no particular order, with occasional commentary, this is my list of Stuff I Oughta Get Through This Year. (Note: I will add links as these get written up.) I may add or subtract to this list as the year marches on.

Tad Williams – Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
This is an easy one, since I’m already almost done with Book Two.

Peter F. Hamilton – Night’s Dawn Trilogy (Or at least some of it)
This just seems like something any self-respecting space opera buff would have read.

Iain M. Banks – At least one novel, probably Excession. Possibly more.
I am making my way through the Culture, roughly one book per year.

Steven Erikson – Whatever is next in the Malazan books. I think number five.

Eric Brown – The first of whatever series I can get my hands on. My library branch only has sequels. Boo.

Bradley Beaulieu – The Winds of Khalakovo

CJ Cherryh – Finish Cyteen. Probably read something else Alliance-Union as well, though her books are so heavy. It takes a certain fortitude to dive in.

Something in Japanese. I will likely start with The Girl Who Leaped Through Time, but I’ve got some more ambitious stuff on the shelf.

Haruki Murakami – IQ84
This has been sitting on the shelf far too long. It may jump off and attack me soon if I don’t read it.

Some classics: Heinlein, Anderson, Aldiss, Silverberg, etc. I’ve got a bunch of college syllabus type stuff waiting for me.

Something by Walter Jon Williams.

More LE Modesitt Jr., Stephen Baxter

Charlie Stross – Iron Sunrise, Rapture of the Nerds

China Mieville – The next Bas Lag books.

Mike Resnick – I should really finish the Starship series, and maybe something else. I’ve only been picking at the first for about four years now.

Best I Read in 2012

Best I Read in 2012

If my records are accurate, I read just over 80 books during 2012. Only a few of these were published this year, so rather than make a Best of 2012 post, I just listed all of them here. Of the remaining 70 or so I wrote down the titles that jumped out the most when I looked over them, compiling these into my Best of 2012 Not Published in 2012 list. I didn’t really plan on a certain number, but ended up with twelve. Titles are listed in reverse chronological reading order.

Spook Country – William Gibson
Gibson delivers, reminding me once again that he has to be one of the most important writers we have.

The Magic of Recluce – L.E. Modesitt Jr.
This book is still demanding a lengthy post, but it got bumped by urgent, end of the year type articles. Easily one of my favorite fantasy novels in quite some time.

Spin – Robert Charles Wilson
This was not at all what I expected, and probably better for it. As it is one of the major books of the 2000s, I should really get a post up about it soon.

The Ware Tetralogy – Rudy Rucker
Weird, weird cyberpunk. Probably not for everyone, but a must read for anyone trying to fully grasp cyberpunk as a movement.

House of Chains – Steven Erikson
I don’t even know where to start on a Malazan post. I’m still not half way through the series yet, let alone anywhere close to figuring out what’s going on and what Erikson will eventually accomplish. Still, if I’m going to read fantasy, I might as well go all the way, since Erikson seems intent on turning it up to eleven.

Warchild – Karin Lowachee
Seething, intense debut novel that is not for the faint of heart. I remain surprised that Lowachee went straight into something this harrowing for her first book.

Terminal World – Alastair Reynolds
I mentioned Mr. Reynolds in the same sentence as Steely Dan in this review, which garnered a happy tweet from him, which in turn led to the Two Dudes single day hits record. I would recommend this book anyway though.

City of Pearl – Karen Traviss
I was surprised to find a novel of this complexity from someone who primarily writes Star Wars and Halo tie-ins, though apparently those are fairly dark and complicated as well. I’ll have to try the Halo books once I get further into the games.

Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights – Mitsuse Ryu
I can’t say that this is my favorite book, but I’m glad that I read it. Often listed as one of the top two or three SF novels of all time in Japan, I’m ecstatic that Haikasoru got it into English.

The Quantum Thief – Hannu Rajaniemi
There is a widening divide between SF focused primarily on engineering and physics, and SF focusing on information and computing. Rajaniemi is writing what cyberpunk might have been if the 1980s had our current information technology.

Embassytown – China Mieville
I’m genuinely surprised that this got shut out of the major awards for 2011. This probably has something to do with him winning a bunch in the past, though I don’t begrudge the year’s winners. Mieville’s foray into straight up SF was my pick of 2011, though I am woefully under-read for the year.

Lord of Light – Roger Zelazny
A classic from days of yore, still pioneering and relevant.

Books of 2012

Books of 2012

I think 2012 will go down as a major year in science fiction. Unlike 2011, when only a few books stood out to me, the last twelve months have been a gold rush. Past masters like David Brin and M. John Harrison released new books, high profile writers of the current generation like Alastair Reynolds and John Scalzi published eagerly awaited novels, big time collaborations like Stephenson – Bear, Stross – Doctorow, Baxter – Pratchett, and Benford – Niven caused heart palpitations throughout nerd-dom, and follow ups to some of 2011’s best kept interest at a fever pitch. I’m sure my greater engagement and awareness this year added to the euphoria, but I still think that the 2012 haul of SF is one of the best in recent memory.

The following list is everything I read in the last year, with links where applicable, so it leaves out several prominent books that I just haven’t gotten to yet. I will probably add some later edits as I finally read things, but for now I can only guarantee completeness on my own terms. Also, this is almost entirely SF; I know there have been lots of heavyweight fantasy books published this year, but I’m either too far behind in the series (Erikson), ignorant of, or apathetic about (Wheel of Time) to read. Apologies for my limitations, but I hope this is still somewhat entertaining or informative. Titles are listed in the order I read them, not by an arbitrary ranking.

The Navidad Incident – Ikezawa Natsuki
This was published in the early 1990s in Japan, but finally saw an English translation this year. One of the best books of the year, though more fantastic realism than speculative fiction. Difficult to condense into a four sentence blurb, but this is a unique portrait of the world, and especially Japan, at the end of the Cold War.

Death Sentences – Kawamata Chiaki
Another older Japanese book, Kawamata wrote this in the mid 1980s, with the University of Minnesota Press finishing the translation this year. Kind of a Phil Dick meets The Ring, Death Sentences is another essential Japanese SF novel.

Redshirts – John Scalzi
Scalzi is a science fiction rock star, so there isn’t much about Redshirts that hasn’t been hashed out already. Anytime someone as popular as Scalzi takes on Star Trek, The World will take notice. I will hopefully get a review of this up soon, since it’s definitely a book worth talking about, a must read for anyone trying to stay current in SF.

Armored – ed. John Joseph Adams
I don’t read a lot of short fiction, but as a long time Battletech fan and recent convert to Japanese giant fighting robot anime, I couldn’t miss this collection. Lots of interesting and varied takes on power armor from a mix a rising stars and old timers.

2312 – Kim Stanley Robinson
My vote for the best novel of the year goes to 2312.

Caliban’s War – James S.A. Corey
This is Corey’s follow up to 2011’s Leviathan Wakes, a well regarded, throwback space extravaganza. Caliban’s War largely escapes middle book syndrome, despite the fact that most of what happens is just laying the ground work for the next book. Very enjoyable, if less ambitious than Robinson and Brin.

The Mongoliad Book One and Two – Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, et al
The Subutai collective published the first two volumes of their alternate history retelling of the Mongol invasions this year. There is much background on both the story and the mechanics of writing it that are almost as interesting as the tale itself. I am interested to see how everything wraps up in Book Three, as well as what else they have in mind for this alternate Earth.

Existence – David Brin
In the absence of 2312, this would get the nod for the best of the year. Between the two of them, Robinson and Brin accounted for an estimated 78% of the amazing ideas, 56% of net coolness, and 83% of the thinking immediately applicable to our time. I may or may not have just made all that up, but if someone were to read just two SF novels this year, they should be Existence and 2312.

Bowl of Heaven – Gregory Benford and Larry Niven
Benford and Niven was the most anticipated collaboration of the year for me. Bowl lacks some of the Right Now relevance of other novels published this year, but did more to revive Big Mysterious Object stories circa 1972 than any other book. Unrelenting fun for Hard SF fans.

Ashes of Candesce – Karl Schroeder
And if someone were to read just three novels this year, Ashes of Candesce should be the third. This is the final volume of Schroeder’s Virga series, which I wish more people were talking about. I am encouraging all and sundry to check this out so I have someone to natter with.

The Fractal Prince – Hannu Rajaniemi
Pretty much what I expected: mind-altering, half incomprehensible Hard SF. Not necessarily for the casual fan, but a grognard like myself will savor this like a plate of Godiva chocolate. (Preferably paid for by others.)

Blue Remembered Earth – Alastair Reynolds
The quality one expects from Reynolds with a more down to earth setting. 2012 was truly the Year of the Solar System. Blue Remembered Earth joins the top four or five list for the year.