Top 10 Books of the Year
Since this has been an amazing year for good books, I decided to do my own "top 10" list. Fair warning, I am long-winded as hell about this.
Disclaimers - These are not all books that have been published this year, just books that I happen to have read this year. Also, this is my personal top ten, not necessarily anyone else's. My rankings are based on how I felt about the books, as well as how impressed I was by the story, characters, and setting.
And just what gives me the right to make lists and decide what books are best? I'm so glad you asked, totally fictional troll who has now allowed me to brag. According to Goodreads, where I have been tracking my reading this year, I read 81 books this year, for a total of 34341 pages. So yeah. Let's do this.
Methods - Originally, my plan was to pick my top 16 books (because narrowing them down was a problem) and run them through a double-elimination tournament bracket to pick out my winners. This... did not work out very well. For one thing, while that method pulls out the top 3 or so pretty clearly, it gets pretty muddy after that. Also, at least one book that I felt should be in the top 10 didn't make it, by virtue of being pit against two really amazing books right off the bat. So that didn't work. However, what it *did* do, was help me sort out some of the chaff - books that I enjoyed, but know aren't really all that good, in the greater scheme of things. So, from that list, I could then put together a much better top ten list, and figure out rankings between them much easier.
The List:
10. Snuff, by Terry Pratchett - If you haven't ready any Pratchett, then you absolutely should. It is delightful. I wish I had gotten into his books sooner. Snuff continues the story of Vimes of the city watch, and was a hell of a lot of fun.
9. Words of Radiance, by Brandon Sanderson - This was a very hard book to place. Second in Sanderson's Stormlight Archive, this book continues the story with brilliantly written characters, a fascinating and baffling world, and a typical Sanderson plot - that is, one which laughs at you every time you think you know what is going on. It is also the longest book I read this year, and I now have to wait until probably 2017 for the next installment. This frustrates and delights me. Another bonus for this book is the delightful artwork, which helps to bring the world alive.
8. River of Stars, by Guy Gavriel Kay - A follow-up to a previous book, but not really a sequel, as it takes place four centuries later. Kay continues to be the best at writing historical fiction all dressed up. The sheer scope of this book is mind-boggling, and I love the complexity of the characters. As always, Kay makes me cry while reading.
7. The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson - If I made a second list, of my top 10 best young adult books, Rithmatist would be near the top of that list. This book is inventive as hell (damn you, Sanderson, and your very-specific and totally fascinating magic systems!), hooked me right at the beginning, and had me running to the end wanting more. It also has diagrams and charming little pictures in the margins, making it feel partially like a notebook. Maybe I'm just a sucker for pictures.
6. The Aeronaut's Windlass, by Jim Butcher - Honesty moment; though I love the Dresden Files, I never got into Butcher's other series, and I was a little skeptical going into this book. I was worried that it would be a sort of half-baked Steampunk world, and wouldn't feel all that original. I am very pleased to be proven wrong; the world certainly wasn't what I was expecting. What really made this book shine, however, were the characters. There are 6 main characters... and I fell in love with every single one of them. I heartily look forward to the next book.
5. Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson - Holy mother of god. This book had me good. I needed to know what was going to happen, and how the characters were going to handle it. I was happy for them. I cried for them. I got seriously mad at some of them. And I laughed with them. That being said, this book would have made a higher spot on the list... except for some issues. Such as the second part of the book and Stephenson's complete inability to write a goddamned ending. Also, some science bullshit has been had. Probably more than I noticed, but definitely some in areas which I am familiar with. Overall though, great book.
4. Uprooted, by Naomi Novik - So, Naomi Novik is a new author for me this year. I was introduced to her through her Temerare series, which is good times, but was not sufficiently amazing to make this list. However, when I saw she had this other book, I thought I would give it a go, because I had been enjoying her work. And hot damn. Very few fantasy novels are inspired by Polish folklore, but maybe it should be a thing. I liked the main character a lot; for one thing, she made sense. She wasn't dumb, she wasn't crazy, and she had flaws, oh my yes, but she could also recognize them and work with them. Also, tough ladies. I dig that.
3. The Martian, by Andy Weir - I am not sure I have ever been so scared, or laughed so hard, while reading a book. I was absolutely sure, every page, that things were about to go horribly wrong. If you have already watched the movie version - c'mon back and try the book, it is different, and in my opinion better (though that was also a good movie adaptation). If you have not yet watched the movie - I suggest reading first. Either way, it was amazing, and odds are good I will be re-reading this book sooner than any other book on this list.
2. Shades of Grey, by Jasper Fforde - Not Fifty Shades. That's something else. This is a book about a world where not everyone can see all the colors. It was fascinating. It was weird. It was dystonia future with a nice touch of mystery and romance. The ability of Fforde to describe things in a way which makes sense and is also color-less is amazing. Supposedly, there are two other books planned for the series, though I am honestly not sure if I want them or not - I felt like this one ended fairly succinctly.
1. The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch - This was one of the first books I read this year. I said when I read it that it was probably going to be one of the best books I read this year, and apparently, I was right. This book had all the bells and whistles. It was adventure, and suspense, and crime, and drama, and swashbuckling, and fantasy. Others have described the book as part "Robin Hood" and part Ocean's Eleven, and that's true, more or less... but only if it's also set in alternate-universe Venice, complete with magical towers, creepy magic, and sharks. But really, this one earned the top spot by virtue of having it all - the best laughs, the best "oh fuck, you are all screwed" moments, the coolest setting, the most fascinating characters, and some impressive twists and turns.
So there you have it. Happy New Year, go read some books.