Favorite Reads: 2007
Well, this is obscenely LATE. Sorry about that folks, but my brain has refused to function properly for a few months, and I don't see that correcting itself any time soon. However, I've FINALLY sat down to figure out my top ten list for 2007, so you should be happy, right? Right?
Now, you have to remember two things:
1) it's really hard 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.
2) I base my list on the stuff I read during the calendar year 2007, which does not necessarily include the latest and greatest releases (to see what I was pulling from, just check out my list here).
I picked the stuff that REALLY excited me and engaged me on an emotional level. And I cheated a wee bit: if it was part of a series, they got lumped together onto one line if I loved the books equally.
Also, I decided not to do a top-ten of short stories this time. For starters, I got burnt out on magazines really fast last year, so my selection isn't as wide, but I also read a few anthologies, and those anthologies speak for themselves.
TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2007
1) The Orphan's Tales: Volume I: In the Night Garden (2006)
The Orphan's Tales: Volume II: In the Cities of Coin and Spice (2007)
Writer: Catherynne Valente
Genre: Fantasy
These books are probably the most important and beautiful thing I read in 2007. The language is beautiful, the storytelling haunting and compelling. The books seem so simple at first glance: stories within stories, familiar tales, but the more you read, the more you realize just what a masterpiece Valente as created. The stories are quite influence by The Arabian Nights in both telling and culture, and to say they have a feminist bent is an understatement. There's just so much to love. People often make a tradition out of reading J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings every year. Me, I think I'd rather make a tradition reading The Orphan's Tales instead. They're THAT good. That important.
2) Wicked Lovely (2007)
Writer: Melissa Marr
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Who knew I would fall so hard for a YA novel? Once I heard about it online, I couldn't resist the gorgeous cover, and the blurb was just too intriguing to pass up. Admittedly, I'm no expert on YA fiction and what it should or shouldn't be, but this book is a wonderful urban fantasy that handles real teen issues in a realistic and believable way, and the romantic elements don't end traditionally, and that's something else that sets this book above the rest.
3) The Name of the Wind (2007)
Writer: Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Epic Fantasy
I kept getting turned off from this book by the covers (there were two, one which scared me and the other that bored me), but I kept hearing great things about it, and when my fiancé decided to pick it up, I decided I could afford to read it. I fell hard for this book. The writing is musical and solid, and Rothfuss weaves a fantasy world that just captures you with its confidence. The first of a trilogy (or perhaps a series), this book is no big action-adventure epic fantasy, but it is the quiet kind that really pays off, and the voice is fantastic.
4) In War Times (2007)
Writer: Kathleen Ann Goonan
Genre: SF Alternate History
Reading this book taught me more about the Second World War and the Cold War that followed than my twelve years in the public school system. Admittedly, this IS an alternate history, and I don't know quite enough to know each instant where Goonan split fact and spun fiction, but I knew enough to recognize the some of the differences. Another book told with quiet confidence, I was captivated by the way she wove the sciences of jazz and physics, and the book is hopeful in a way I never expected but find beautiful.
5) Someplace to be Flying (1998)
Writer: Charles de Lint
Genre: Urban Fantasy
This book was captivating and complex, one of the more unique urban fantasies I've read, and I'm glad to have finally read one of the masters. In some ways, I was reminded of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but yet this book (which was published first) is still something very different. The human relationships are real and heartbreaking, and the layers of storytelling and mythmaking here are fascinating. And the world-building here is just fantastic, one of the best I've seen.
6) Wings to the Kingdom (2006)
Not Flesh Nor Feathers (2007)
Writer: Cherie Priest
Genre: Horror
I'd forgotten just how much I loved Four and Twenty Blackbirds until I picked up Wings of the Kingdom, and I was so enchanted and excited by Priest's character and story that I immediately read Not Flesh Nor Feathers afterwards, and then--if this doesn't tell you anything, nothing will--I turned around and re-read Four and Twenty Blackbirds. The fact that Priest uses what is for me a rather local setting is just icing on the cake. Her protagonist is funny, realistic, and the monsters and ghosts we meet are never random, but thoroughly tied to the history of the setting, which makes the books unique. Trust me, you won't regret reading this trilogy.
7) A Game of Thrones (1996)
Writer: George R.R. Martin
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Finally got around to reading this, and boy am I glad I did. The size of this book was daunting, but once I got started, I never found myself confused. The pages turned easily thanks to Martin's thorough characterization, confident voice, and detailed world-building. And that's saying something, considering just how many characters there are to keep up with, but each is unique in his/her own right, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the series progresses.
8) Keeping it Real (2007)
Writer: Justina Robson
Genre: Science Fantasy
This was so much fun to read I could hardly stand it. SF meets fantasy in a modern setting where the barriers between various realms have been destroyed by a major quantum event. Robson's use of pop culture adds a fantastic note of humor in this book, especially regarding the elves, which get so much flack in fantasy anyway. And here we have an elf rockstar, which isn't quite as corny as it sounds, but then again, unless you have a fondness for elves, you probably won't like this book. Lila Black, cyborg-bodyguard extraordinaire, is a realistic woman whose emotional journey is the real meat on the bones of this solid adventure.
9) Outlander (1991)
Writer: Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historial Romance
Another book I'd been meaning to read for a while that I finally got around too. I know there's some controversy, even from Gabaldon herself, about this book being pegged a "romance" (it used to be shelved in romance, but is now found in fiction), and no doubt, to simply dismiss this book as a romance is a big mistake, because while the romance is the driving force behind the character's actions and motivations, the story is about so much more. Claire is a believable and likeable heroine who makes tough choices and has to pay for them, and the historical detail involved in this book is just mind-boggling. Gabaldon raises serious questions and themes during the course of this novel that I look forward to seeing how they play out in the rest of the series.
10) Old Man's War (2005)
Writer: John Scalzi
Genre: Science Fiction
Last, but not least. This book was too much fun to put down. With a premise that nabbed me from the start and a fantastically fun narrative voice, this is a space opera that's easy to read with some nice characterization on the bones as well. John Perry, while bordering on the line of being a "Mary-Sue," is a hero worth rooting for, because he's more than just a soldier, and his actions reflect that.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! FOR THE WINNER, PLEASE CLICK HERE!!!
And now, a SURPRISE!
I had a lot of fun running the Pyr Book Giveaway, and I wanted to do some kind of regular contest in this journal. At first, I thought about doing a monthly thing, where people would enter to win one of the books I'd read in a given month, and I'd buy the winner the title of their choice. But there's 12 months in a year, and that could get expensive.
But then I remembered this list, and thought it might be a safe place to start for now. So here's the deal: you may enter to win the book of your choice, but your choice must come from my above top ten list. As with the Pyr Book Giveaway, if you select a title that is not the first in a series and you want to read the FIRST in the series, I'll send you that book instead. Also, I reserve the right to buy you the cheapest version possible. That doesn't mean I'll buy you a used copy, but it does mean that if a mass paperback copy is available, that's what you'll get.
1 entry per person.
1 winner. 1 book.
To enter:
Comment with the following:
1) Your real name.
2) Your working email address.
3) Choice of book.
4) Where you heard about this giveaway.
5) Place of residence. You don't have to give me your complete snail mail, but I'd like to know city and state, or where in Canada.
That's right, North American entries only. Anyone who qualifies may enter, whether you're on LJ or not, provided you FOLLOW THE RULES. If you do NOT follow the rules, you will not be entered in the giveaway.
You have until Thursday, February 14th to enter. I'll announce the winner on Friday, February 15th. Clear as mud?
You're also more than welcome to pimp the giveaway in your blogs, on your websites, wherever. The more the merrier.
All comments WILL BE SCREENED. If you have any questions, just let me know.
Cheers!
Now, you have to remember two things:
1) it's really hard 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.
2) I base my list on the stuff I read during the calendar year 2007, which does not necessarily include the latest and greatest releases (to see what I was pulling from, just check out my list here).
I picked the stuff that REALLY excited me and engaged me on an emotional level. And I cheated a wee bit: if it was part of a series, they got lumped together onto one line if I loved the books equally.
Also, I decided not to do a top-ten of short stories this time. For starters, I got burnt out on magazines really fast last year, so my selection isn't as wide, but I also read a few anthologies, and those anthologies speak for themselves.
TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2007
1) The Orphan's Tales: Volume I: In the Night Garden (2006)
The Orphan's Tales: Volume II: In the Cities of Coin and Spice (2007)
Writer: Catherynne Valente
Genre: Fantasy
These books are probably the most important and beautiful thing I read in 2007. The language is beautiful, the storytelling haunting and compelling. The books seem so simple at first glance: stories within stories, familiar tales, but the more you read, the more you realize just what a masterpiece Valente as created. The stories are quite influence by The Arabian Nights in both telling and culture, and to say they have a feminist bent is an understatement. There's just so much to love. People often make a tradition out of reading J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings every year. Me, I think I'd rather make a tradition reading The Orphan's Tales instead. They're THAT good. That important.
2) Wicked Lovely (2007)
Writer: Melissa Marr
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Who knew I would fall so hard for a YA novel? Once I heard about it online, I couldn't resist the gorgeous cover, and the blurb was just too intriguing to pass up. Admittedly, I'm no expert on YA fiction and what it should or shouldn't be, but this book is a wonderful urban fantasy that handles real teen issues in a realistic and believable way, and the romantic elements don't end traditionally, and that's something else that sets this book above the rest.
3) The Name of the Wind (2007)
Writer: Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Epic Fantasy
I kept getting turned off from this book by the covers (there were two, one which scared me and the other that bored me), but I kept hearing great things about it, and when my fiancé decided to pick it up, I decided I could afford to read it. I fell hard for this book. The writing is musical and solid, and Rothfuss weaves a fantasy world that just captures you with its confidence. The first of a trilogy (or perhaps a series), this book is no big action-adventure epic fantasy, but it is the quiet kind that really pays off, and the voice is fantastic.
4) In War Times (2007)
Writer: Kathleen Ann Goonan
Genre: SF Alternate History
Reading this book taught me more about the Second World War and the Cold War that followed than my twelve years in the public school system. Admittedly, this IS an alternate history, and I don't know quite enough to know each instant where Goonan split fact and spun fiction, but I knew enough to recognize the some of the differences. Another book told with quiet confidence, I was captivated by the way she wove the sciences of jazz and physics, and the book is hopeful in a way I never expected but find beautiful.
5) Someplace to be Flying (1998)
Writer: Charles de Lint
Genre: Urban Fantasy
This book was captivating and complex, one of the more unique urban fantasies I've read, and I'm glad to have finally read one of the masters. In some ways, I was reminded of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but yet this book (which was published first) is still something very different. The human relationships are real and heartbreaking, and the layers of storytelling and mythmaking here are fascinating. And the world-building here is just fantastic, one of the best I've seen.
6) Wings to the Kingdom (2006)
Not Flesh Nor Feathers (2007)
Writer: Cherie Priest
Genre: Horror
I'd forgotten just how much I loved Four and Twenty Blackbirds until I picked up Wings of the Kingdom, and I was so enchanted and excited by Priest's character and story that I immediately read Not Flesh Nor Feathers afterwards, and then--if this doesn't tell you anything, nothing will--I turned around and re-read Four and Twenty Blackbirds. The fact that Priest uses what is for me a rather local setting is just icing on the cake. Her protagonist is funny, realistic, and the monsters and ghosts we meet are never random, but thoroughly tied to the history of the setting, which makes the books unique. Trust me, you won't regret reading this trilogy.
7) A Game of Thrones (1996)
Writer: George R.R. Martin
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Finally got around to reading this, and boy am I glad I did. The size of this book was daunting, but once I got started, I never found myself confused. The pages turned easily thanks to Martin's thorough characterization, confident voice, and detailed world-building. And that's saying something, considering just how many characters there are to keep up with, but each is unique in his/her own right, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the series progresses.
8) Keeping it Real (2007)
Writer: Justina Robson
Genre: Science Fantasy
This was so much fun to read I could hardly stand it. SF meets fantasy in a modern setting where the barriers between various realms have been destroyed by a major quantum event. Robson's use of pop culture adds a fantastic note of humor in this book, especially regarding the elves, which get so much flack in fantasy anyway. And here we have an elf rockstar, which isn't quite as corny as it sounds, but then again, unless you have a fondness for elves, you probably won't like this book. Lila Black, cyborg-bodyguard extraordinaire, is a realistic woman whose emotional journey is the real meat on the bones of this solid adventure.
9) Outlander (1991)
Writer: Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historial Romance
Another book I'd been meaning to read for a while that I finally got around too. I know there's some controversy, even from Gabaldon herself, about this book being pegged a "romance" (it used to be shelved in romance, but is now found in fiction), and no doubt, to simply dismiss this book as a romance is a big mistake, because while the romance is the driving force behind the character's actions and motivations, the story is about so much more. Claire is a believable and likeable heroine who makes tough choices and has to pay for them, and the historical detail involved in this book is just mind-boggling. Gabaldon raises serious questions and themes during the course of this novel that I look forward to seeing how they play out in the rest of the series.
10) Old Man's War (2005)
Writer: John Scalzi
Genre: Science Fiction
Last, but not least. This book was too much fun to put down. With a premise that nabbed me from the start and a fantastically fun narrative voice, this is a space opera that's easy to read with some nice characterization on the bones as well. John Perry, while bordering on the line of being a "Mary-Sue," is a hero worth rooting for, because he's more than just a soldier, and his actions reflect that.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! FOR THE WINNER, PLEASE CLICK HERE!!!
And now, a SURPRISE!
I had a lot of fun running the Pyr Book Giveaway, and I wanted to do some kind of regular contest in this journal. At first, I thought about doing a monthly thing, where people would enter to win one of the books I'd read in a given month, and I'd buy the winner the title of their choice. But there's 12 months in a year, and that could get expensive.
But then I remembered this list, and thought it might be a safe place to start for now. So here's the deal: you may enter to win the book of your choice, but your choice must come from my above top ten list. As with the Pyr Book Giveaway, if you select a title that is not the first in a series and you want to read the FIRST in the series, I'll send you that book instead. Also, I reserve the right to buy you the cheapest version possible. That doesn't mean I'll buy you a used copy, but it does mean that if a mass paperback copy is available, that's what you'll get.
1 entry per person.
1 winner. 1 book.
To enter:
Comment with the following:
1) Your real name.
2) Your working email address.
3) Choice of book.
4) Where you heard about this giveaway.
5) Place of residence. You don't have to give me your complete snail mail, but I'd like to know city and state, or where in Canada.
That's right, North American entries only. Anyone who qualifies may enter, whether you're on LJ or not, provided you FOLLOW THE RULES. If you do NOT follow the rules, you will not be entered in the giveaway.
You have until Thursday, February 14th to enter. I'll announce the winner on Friday, February 15th. Clear as mud?
You're also more than welcome to pimp the giveaway in your blogs, on your websites, wherever. The more the merrier.
All comments WILL BE SCREENED. If you have any questions, just let me know.
Cheers!