(-1-)(-2-)(-3-)(-4-)(-5-)(-6-)(-7-)(-8-)(-9-)(-10-)
A bit of a surprise choice but shouldn’t be if you read my ode to Erickson, I often debate (okay not often) myself in which i prefer the most in the series, either this or the second book Deadhouse Gates. Ultimately this become my choice as it becomes the book where the patient reader finally gets a bit of a stop in the 1000 mile per hour sprint Erikson begins with the flawed (but one I still enjoyed) Gardens of the Moon, without actually slowing down. We learn more about the nature of the warrens that have fanboy magic-system junkies weak in the knees, we learn more about the nature of pantheon, the power of Quick Ben, and the humanizing (but still alien) of Anomander Rake via talk with Whiskey Jack adds to both characters. Plus, a guy carries around a hammer that can end the world - how cool is that? |
You know I was sitting here thinking what comic have I really enjoyed reading the most in this timeframe,and I think it’s vogue to try to find the msot obscure title nobody has ever heard of to annoint in this field lately, but for me it really came down to a few possibilities like DC’s Hitman, Vertigo’s Preacher (both by Garth Ennis) and Planetary, which offers the convenient-for-my-purposes Absolute Editon which is the best comic book format idea ever. Besides being a slight pain to locate, what you will find here is the first 12 issues of Warren Ellis goodness featuring a trio of super-folks who investigate mysteries and phenomena. Okay, sounds like superhero X-files, but what makes this fun is its use of bizarro-recognizable figures from comics and popular culture in general, which makes it almost impossible for a comic fan or anybody who has been alive for thw last 40 years not to enjoy - which is a mean trick Warren. Cassaday’s pencils are simply sublime. |
This is a book I have to credit reading the Mumpsimus for drawing my attention to it. First I might get some hate mail here: this is just over 120 pages and broken down into over two dozen stories (Letters), which would lead people to ask me why I didnt include some novellas that may be only slighlty less in size, and I’d lose that argument (as there is at least a Lethem work I know I’d like to include in the same mold). This (overall the other books here) gets my vote as the one book you can recommend to that person you know who truly believes in the concept of fantastic literature and you will get a call back (not an email - a real call, ringing and everything - I promise) of appreciation. Damn bugs. |
It’s strange, I think I underestimated these books when I first read them (first released separate as The Knight and The Wizard but since collected and both were released the same year so cut me some slack). The title and the synopsis imply conventional, the name of the author screams that’s not possible, the writing whispers the truth. A prime example that what elements -no matter how traditional or cliche - an author uses doesn’t have to indicate quality. A master is master, and Wolfe is wolf even in sheeps clothing. |
You can’t read this book and forget about Lionel, Lethem’s tourettes suffering protagonist that serves as an incredible vehicle for Lethem’s exploration of language hiding behind a whodunnit. |
|
|
I’m a big Swanwick fan and this book strikes me as a glorfied Faust, SF stylw that not only reworks the various well known tales of Faust, but in it’s glory gives a message about the nature of Science Fiction itself, it’s fictional martyrs, and the end game represented. Or, I can be taking books too seriously again… |
The start of one of the great space operas that suffers a bit from an ending that made the term deus ex machina vogue in the SF/F community. |
|
|
Simply an ideal modern horror novel for those that still like the idea that comedy isn’t synonymous with horror. For horroe writers who don’t know about atmosphere in writing read this book - quiet can be loud. |
First, I don’t know anything about the politics surrounding the author, and more importantly I don’t care, what we have here is kind of a Nobel laureate’s post modern, version of Queen Latifah’s movie Last Holiday (U-N-I-T-Y!). The narrator(s) travels, a semi-autobiographical account at times surreal, both physically (some 15,000 mile journey) but the meat is the journey to self, which really has no destination (but thankfulky is full of women). |
I think the presence of three Vandermeer efforts may be a surprise to some, but I mentioned Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora on this list (which came out in 2006 as well), and Shriek has to be included, because it’s the single best book I have read this year. Read the interview I conducted with Jeff earlier this year for all things Shriek. |
(-1-)(-2-)(-3-)(-4-)(-5-)(-6-)(-7-)(-8-)(-9-)(-10-)
