It is that time again.
Recommend to me — us, because a whole lot of folks are reading this blog — a book.
It can be a book that’s been out.
Or a book that’s coming out soon.
Any genre. Any variant of publishing.
Tell us what it is, who it’s by, and why you recommend it.
Just. One. Book.
Not yours.
Not ten books.
A book.
Now, before I dart off, I’ll make a recommendation to you.
THE THREE, by Sarah Lotz.
“Lotz is a ferociously imaginative storyteller whose twisty plots will kick the stairs out from under you. She’s a talent to watch.”—Lauren Beukes, author of The Shining Girls
“The Three is really wonderful, a mix of Michael Crichton and Shirley Jackson. Hard to put down and vastly entertaining.”—Stephen King
Four plane crashes happen simultaneously around the world. Appearing to have different causes entirely. And yet, in three of those accidents — and maybe, just maybe in the fourth, too — one child survived the devastation. I really don’t want to give away too much more than that, but from there unfolds one of the finest, freakiest horror novels put to paper. It’s told as artifacts — documents compiled and found — and offers a world real enough (and fragile enough) to feel like our own. That’s in fact what makes this book so terrifying, to me: the fact that you can read it and despite hints of the supernatural, it feels like oh, shit, if this happened, this is how it would unfold. All of life, a big-ass Jenga tower waiting to come down.
See, for me, the best horror isn’t just about the scares. It isn’t really about the horror.
It’s about the dread that follows in its wake. And this has that ten times over.
It also has one of the more harrowing descriptions of a plane crash.
Which I read while sitting on a plane, soooooo. Oops.
(And come to think of it, I hop on a plane tonight, too. MAYBE I’LL RE-READ IT.)
My only small issue with the book — and it’s a non-issue, mostly, in that it remains effective, if jarring — is the shift for the last part of the book away from the artifacts and into straight prose. The prose there is excellent and does the job it needs to do, but after over 3/4 of the book being told in one fashion, the hard shift is keenly felt.
Either way.
Go.
Get it.
This will be a huge bestseller, I predict.
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound
connie cockrell says:
A book I’m currently reading, Ursula LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness. Written in the 60’s I’d never heard of it. Set on a planet called Winter, LeGuin does a fantastic job of world building. She explores the idea of civilization when the inhabitants are genderless. I’m lovin’ this story and highly recommend it.
May 19, 2014 — 10:26 AM
Shannon.Kennedy says:
I’ve read this, great recommendation. Certainly an interesting read.
May 19, 2014 — 3:02 PM
Melissa says:
Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch – Recently recommended to me by a friend whose taste is impeccable, it’s a bit Dresden Files-esque, but with that quirky British sense of humor that comes around and catches you on the backstroke. Particularly enjoying the fact that the main character is determined to take a scientific approach to the world of magic he’s suddenly plunged into as he makes the transition from rookie copper to apprentice wizard in modern London.
May 19, 2014 — 10:28 AM
Eileen says:
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. Mind-bending, twisty-trippy fun, riddled with conceptual sharks. Very, very different. There’s some cool typographical play, so you’d be better off getting the actual paper book than a digital version.
May 19, 2014 — 10:32 AM
Amanda Niehaus-Hard says:
“Requiem” by Graham Joyce. He’s more well-known for other works (The Tooth Fairy and Dark Sister, especially) but Requiem is in my mind his masterpiece. I read it for the mystery, and reread it multiple times for the language. The mystery is good, and it’s a piece of great storytelling, but Joyce is really a master of the English language. The story is complicated and multi-layered, but the writing itself is just sublime.
May 19, 2014 — 10:36 AM
NextInLine says:
Dirty Weekend by Helen Zahavi. Best. Revenge. Ever. Weird and twisted and succinct and horrible and brilliant all at once. Worth the trip.
May 19, 2014 — 10:39 AM
Ward Richardson says:
Oddly enough, I’ve had “The Three” sitting on my to read and in progress pile for a couple months now.
One book I’ve recently read is called Meta by Tom Reynolds. I’m a superhero fiction junky. Good, bad or terrible, it doesn’t matter to me as long as the concept is sound. Meta is exceptionally GOOD in both concept and pace.
http://www.amazon.com/Meta-Tom-Reynolds-ebook/dp/B00GCICW6O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400510407&sr=8-1&keywords=meta
May 19, 2014 — 10:41 AM
Nicole Pyles (@BeingTheWriter) says:
I would recommend “And Then We Came to the End” by Joshua Ferris. I rarely read books twice and I had to for this one. It’s about a millennium marketing firm going under and the employees who are noisier and more invested in each other’s lives than they probably are their work. It’s one of those books that make me feel nostalgic over work, which takes a lot for anything to do.
May 19, 2014 — 10:44 AM
john freeter says:
“The Forgotten Soldier” by Guy Sajer, a young Franco-German soldier’s experiences of WW2 on the Eastern Front. It’s a really shocking account of the conditions they had to put up with there, and how the war changed him as he went from truck driver’s assistant to a member of an elite division in the army (not SS). Very interesting novel with some very intense battles and interesting reflections on war. (The man was a Nazi though, and it’s interesting to spot the parts in the novel where that shows).
May 19, 2014 — 11:05 AM
Patrick says:
Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson. I would put this in the Firefly category of genre mashing that makes you wonder if it could be any good. Set in per-revolutionary war Boston, Ethan Kaille is a thief taker and a conjurer or a witch as some name him. He uses his talents to find thieves and retrieve stolen items. When a young girl is killed Ethan sets off to find her killer. Great story and characters. It is a must read in my library.
May 19, 2014 — 11:13 AM
Steve says:
Kraken by China Mieville. The magicians, religious sects and weird underworld of London is revealed when a giant, preserved squid disappears from a natural history museum. It’s all the weirdness and bizarre ideas that you would expect from Mieville without his usual complicated prose style. Do yourself a favor and listen to the the audio book narrated by the great John Lee.
May 19, 2014 — 11:24 AM
brucearthurs says:
Adventures In Time And Space With Max Merriwell, by Pat Murphy. A meta-fictional mashup of romance, mystery and science fiction. A cruise ship has invited a writer along to give a writing workshop during the cruise. The writer, known mostly for his science fiction, also writes romances and hard-boiled mysteries under pseudonyms. Then the pseudonyms start showing up on board in the flesh. Weirdness ensues. One of the most -fun- books I read last year.
May 19, 2014 — 11:27 AM
Pat says:
THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD by Zora Neale Hurston. The woman wrote a hurricane. A hurricane, people! SHE PUT THE READER INSIDE THE STORM!! The story is up close and personal, with characters to love and vilify. Mind blowing descriptors. World building that’s not Sci-Fi/Fantasy, centered in a reality most people aren’t familiar with. The writing made me appreciate romance, though it’s not my cup of blood. It’s been at least 2 decades since I’ve read it (again) and the story still haunts the mind.
May 19, 2014 — 11:53 AM
melorajohnson says:
I never thought I’d love this book until I read it but when I did, I realized what a great writer she was.
May 19, 2014 — 4:12 PM
Pat says:
I’m actually paying a family member to read this book over the summer.
May 20, 2014 — 1:33 PM
melorajohnson says:
Wait, huh? Shouldn’t they be paying YOU?
May 21, 2014 — 3:14 PM
girlusinterruptus says:
The Seven Forges by James A. Moore. A fast paced, fun, Fighters-Out-in-the-Frozen-Wastes story with strong male AND female fighters. It has wit, cultural clashes and originality!
May 19, 2014 — 11:59 AM
Bai Shen says:
Black on Black by KD Wentworth. Great book. I really enjoyed it and it’s sequel Stars over Stars.
May 19, 2014 — 12:01 PM
Mark says:
Metrophage by Richard Kadrey. This book was published as an Ace Science Fiction Special in 1988. Kadrey offers a bleak look at a terrifying future. In some ways, what he wrote more than 25 years ago, feels like it’s happening today, making this read even more unnerving.
May 19, 2014 — 12:03 PM
Bonnie says:
Feed by Mira Grant. The whole Newsflesh series is great, but Feed is my favorite of the bunch. It’s a zombie story (not my normal thing), but also a political thriller. I got so into the story I started looking for blood testing panels by doors and thinking about boarding up our windows and sliding glass door. Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) has become one of my favorite authors.
May 19, 2014 — 12:07 PM
Ben Dodge says:
Seconded. It also really captures the grind of a press corps on the campaign trail. I could not put it down.
May 19, 2014 — 2:04 PM
D. Moonfire says:
Minion of Evil by Shannon Ryan. This is a silly book about satanic telemarketers and a guy who finds out he is working for them. The cast of characters are amusing and quirky not to mention a surreal WTF that just goes along with the stories. And the sadistic car mechanic girl is fun too.
May 19, 2014 — 12:10 PM
Jana Denardo says:
While it’s the latest book I’m really thinking of, this is one mystery series that really needs to be read from book one. What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris. It’s a regency era mystery with a flawed but fascinating hero. Sebastian St. Cyr, the Viscount Develin, has been scarred mentally by war, but has a quick-witted intelligence that makes him perfectly suited for the job of detection.
May 19, 2014 — 12:16 PM
SmithCassidy says:
Megan: Breadcrumbs for the Nasties.
Simple, well told story. Good characters. Poetic language.
May 19, 2014 — 12:21 PM
Brian C Hall says:
“Grunts!” by Mary Gentle. It’s a highly irreverent hodge-podge parody of high fantasy, war movies, and sci-fi. It doesn’t always work, but when it does it’s great. Essentially, the big battle between good and evil is coming and good will assuredly win. But then a bunch of orcs find a stash of weapons kept by a time traveling dragon that contain a bunch of guns and USMC manuals. The bad guys end up winning the war because of the Orc marines and eventually aliens attack…. Like I said, it doesn’t always work but it’s a very entertaining book nonetheless. I recommend it often.
May 19, 2014 — 12:25 PM
churnage says:
“The Lime Twig” by John Hawkes. Still reading it actually, but it’s written in a very impressionistic style. Lots of weird little details that stick with you.
May 19, 2014 — 12:28 PM
miceala says:
I unexpectedly and unabashedly came to adore CINDER by Marissa Meyer. It’s part of her series, The Lunar Chronicles, which I expect will wind up a quartet. CINDER at its bare bones is a steampunk retelling of the Cinderella story, except Meyer really only uses the backstory as a springboard, rather than making it her focal plot. She fleshes out her own overlay of story amazingly well. While the “what” of reveals is often predictable, the “how” is very much not, and what made the book so worth reading.
May 19, 2014 — 12:35 PM
Joseph says:
All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Super fast paced and fun. John Scalzi says “reads fast, kicks ass, and keeps on coming”. It is being made into a movie under the name Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise. Not sure how close of an adaptation the movie will be, but the book is awesome.
May 19, 2014 — 12:36 PM
murgatroid98 says:
Holly Lisle published Hunting the Corrigan’s Blood some years ago. It starts with the heroine, Cadence Drake, waking up in a locker and cuffed to a corpse. It’s a roller coaster ride from there. It is set in a universe where people navigate across the universe using “Origami” points. Cadence and her partner track a stolen ship from world to world while trying to avoid some folks who don’t want them to find it. There is a HUGE conspiracy—and engineered vampires. The sequel, Warpaint, picks up where the first one ends. It’s really, really, really good.
May 19, 2014 — 12:38 PM
thomaspierson says:
‘Isms & ‘Ologies: The 453 Basic Tenets You’ve Only Pretended to Understand
By: Arthur Goldwag
There are butt loads (measurement of wine, 1 butt = 105 gallons) of philosophies, ideals and beliefs in the world and they all sort of swim together and get mixed up with each other. That is where this book comes in. What is the actual difference between solipsism and radical empiricism? What’s the big deal with Existentialists? Is there a connection between String Theory and Moore’s Law? This is the book that will tell you. it contains the 453 tenets it claims, organized by type (Politics&History, Philosophy & the Arts, Science, Economics, Religion, Sexual Perversions(!!!!!) and Eponyms, Laws, Foreign Words), as well as an alphabetical list of terms in the front of the book, and a very good index in the back.
I use this book when writing pretty much anything from letters (I was once commissioned to write a business letter to a Millenarian for a small bank concerning his claims that Y2K would destroy the bank and make money free.) to RPG scenarios (I was at a loss for a bad guy for a modern supernatural RPG, and with a flip of the book I realized that she was a priestess of Mithra who was searching for the first temple of Ahura Mazda because she resented the ascension of Zoroastrianism), to short stories (working on a post apocalyptic tale about a society that has survived under the rule of a rather twisted version of Nihilism).
Plus it’s a good read in it’s own right. The author is very informative, but casual and personable at the same time and that makes for a nice, well informed read.
May 19, 2014 — 1:02 PM
Chris Tygesen says:
Expiration Date by Tim Powers. Fans of Blackbird/Mockingbird/Cormorant will probably dig the groove.
May 19, 2014 — 1:03 PM
June says:
Part of a trilogy, which is in my top-10 books ever read!
May 19, 2014 — 3:12 PM
TheMariaLima says:
It’s the 20th anniversary of Christopher Golden’s Shadow Saga, which began with Of Saints and Shadows. It’s a fascinating take on the vampire mythos with excellent characters & fabulous writing.
May 19, 2014 — 1:13 PM
Todd Lucas says:
All Tomorrows’ Parties by William Gibson. I don’t know what happened to this book in the public’s perception (it disappeared, can’t even buy a copy of it without hunting; guess I should probably research this), but I’ve read all of Gibson’s work, I’ve enjoyed it all, but this one volume, the conclusion of the so called “Bridge Trilogy” (which, BTW, does not require you to have read Virtual Light or Idoru, and in fact, is only deepened slightly by having read them first), rises above being just my favorite Gibson book, but is my favorite book of all time (I don’t think I’ve read any book more than maybe 3 or 4 times, but have literally read a hard back copy of Parties to pieces, have typed myself a digital copy of the thing, wore out a paper back copy enough that I was fine with loaning it out with no intention of recovering it and read a library copy of it on at least 3 occasions that I can recall).
Basically, this is Gibson at the height of his narrative powers, IMO. Sure, he may still be growing his facility with the language in the Pattern Recognition books that followed (and they were wonderful to read just for the language contained, if nothing else), but this was the first, and so far, the last time I ever saw Bill just write a balls our adventure, with narrative tension that wasn’t just “gee, I as the POV character, really wishes I knew what in the bloody blue blazes was going on, but since I don’t, I’m just going to Kevin Flynn the whole deal,” but doesn’t devolve into any gratuitous action (yes action, but no, never enough to pull itself out of the author’s voice, which, when it comes right down to it, is still the main attraction of this book).
Besides, I freaking love the Bridge as a set. Even from its first appearance back in Virtual Light, I’d seen the place as exactly what Bill meant when he finally got around to saying it in Parties where Rydell thinks of the place as a “very long, very home made subway car” where people where trying to jostle past in both directions while others just stood there, trying to sell you churros. As a reader, I love the characters and the world. As a writer, I love the fact that he plays with person and tense and I wasn’t even consciously aware of what was going on the first few times I read through it, as well as being jealous of how well every word of his spare text seems to pull multiple duties while seeming effortless and easy to read at the same time.
Again, no clue why this one William Gibson book among his entire catalog is so hard to find, but if you can get access to a copy, I can’t imagine you wouldn’t enjoy it.
May 19, 2014 — 1:20 PM
dangerdean says:
Bought it in hardcover the week it came out. 🙂
May 21, 2014 — 10:30 PM
Ouranosaurus says:
The Death of the Necromancer, by Martha Wells. One of the first books I ever read that dragged secondary-world fantasy out of the middle ages and into a world of trains and revolvers. It’s a gaslamp fantasy with drugged-out wizards, faerie magic, ancient liches seeking to return to life, and the whole thing is set in a city that mashes up late-Victorian Paris and London. And the protagonist is a vengeance-seeking gentleman thief, and of course the world’s greatest consulting detective and his doctor friend are on our anti-hero’s tail, even as the fate of the city hangs in the balance. It’s just amazing. Go read it. Now.
May 19, 2014 — 1:30 PM
Kyra Dune says:
I recently read Gone by Michael Grant, a YA fantasy novel. This one of the weirdest books I have ever read. And that’s saying something. It takes a while to get into things because there are so many characters to get to know, but once things really get rolling it’s one bizarre situation after another. Kids with supernatural powers, teleporting cats, flying snakes, talking coyotes, and some kind of sinister being lurking in the background are only part of it.
The characters are interesting and diverse and the story is unlike anything I ever read before. It’s sort of like Lord Of The Flies, Under The Dome, and X-Men all rolled into one with a splash of IT added in for good measure. If you’re a fan of Stephen King, as I am, this certainly feels like something he might write. Only toned down a little. As in no sex or cursing.
May 19, 2014 — 1:35 PM
Noel says:
Maybe you’ve all already read it, but Lev Grossman’s The Magician King is basically my favorite thing ever.
It’s a sequel to The Magicians, but I was never able to get into the original. (Too unstructured for me, characters too incapable of ever being happy, etc. The characters have grown just enough (and I think Grossman grew a great deal as a writer) that I think the Magician King is a vastly better book.) A friend who loves both books eventually made me skip the first one and just read the Magician King … and like I said above, favorite thing ever. It spoils the first one, but you don’t actually need to have read the first one–I hadn’t at the time. The writing and characterization are utterly gorgeous, and it’s a really thoughtful, fascinating take on fantasy.
(Discovering I’m awful at blurbing this–so here’s the description from Amazon:) “Quentin Coldwater should be happy. He escaped a miserable Brooklyn childhood, matriculated at a secret college for magic, and graduated to discover that Fillory—a fictional utopia—was actually real. But even as a Fillorian king, Quentin finds little peace. His old restlessness returns, and he longs for the thrills a heroic quest can bring.
Accompanied by his oldest friend, Julia, Quentin sets off—only to somehow wind up back in the real world and not in Fillory, as they’d hoped. As the pair struggle to find their way back to their lost kingdom, Quentin is forced to rely on Julia’s illicitly-learned sorcery as they face a sinister threat in a world very far from the beloved fantasy novels of their youth.”
Incidentally, does anyone have any “If you liked this, you might like…”‘s for me? I’ve been trying to find more really good books in the overlap between enjoyable fantasy-with-real-world-setting and thoughtfully literate books, and I’ve had very little luck. I’m not sure even what to call this genre … I keep thinking it might be part of urban fantasy, but U.F. seems to be more oriented towards plot/adventure/action/romance, and I’d really like something that’s more themes/complex characters/literary/thoughtful, that still manages to be a good story. If anyone has any recs, that would be *amazing.*
May 19, 2014 — 1:35 PM
coganbooks says:
Hanover Close by Anne Perry. I absolutely loved it! It’s a Victorian mystery with lots of tea and crumpets. I’ve read about a bajillion mysteries so I’d fingered the doer by about page 200. However, when it came to the motive? It’s been a long time since I’ve ready a mystery and said “Wow. I did not see that coming!”
May 19, 2014 — 1:59 PM
dragonofid says:
Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. I consider myself a connoisseur of Stephenson, and this is my favorite. It’s often overlooked in favor of Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, and the Baroque Cycle, but it’s a fun and compelling look at our future.
May 19, 2014 — 2:00 PM
Cynthia says:
Hello. My recommendation is “The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi. Once you start reading it is hard to put it down. It is about a nightmarish future of our own making. Bioengineered people, food, and diseases created by the super rich corporations, control this future.
May 19, 2014 — 2:06 PM
quartermouse says:
“He Drank, And Saw The Spider” by Alex Bledsoe. Story of a sellsword who gets wrapped up in the life of a girl he saved 18 years before. Nice blend of fantasy and pulp detective styles. Well worth a peek.
May 19, 2014 — 2:18 PM
Brent McGuffin says:
As long as my TBR list is I know I’ll put it all on hold when Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes comes out on June 3. So, since it’s coming soon, I’m recommending it. Why? Because it’s Stephen fucking King!!
May 19, 2014 — 2:21 PM
Mike W. says:
It’s hard to pick just one, but I’ll go with “The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack” by Mark Hodder. I seem to recall you saying you’re not really a huge Steampunk fan, but I think this book (and the sequels) stand out from the usual Steampunk stuff. It has alternate history, real history, adventure, SF, and foul-mouthed parrots, among other things. Overall, it has kind of an “Anubis Gates” vibe to it, but it definitely stands on its own.
May 19, 2014 — 2:35 PM
Ryan Anderson says:
The Last Kingdom, by Bernard Cornwell. This is the first in a series of historical fiction novels set in 9th century Britain. Uhtred is the son of a Northumbrian lord, but is captured by Danes (Vikings) and raised as one of them. Uhtred ends up a warrior of dubious loyalty, helping Alfred the Great fight against the Danes.
The books in this series are action packed and quick reads, and Uhtred’s narrative voice is great. Great gateway books for fans of fantasy interested in trying out historical fiction.
May 19, 2014 — 2:48 PM
Gabryyl Pierce (@Gabryyl) says:
‘Cursed’ (Stoker award finalist) by Jeremy C. Shipp:
Your life is no longer recognizable, every detail corrupted by unknown forces. The harder you struggle, the more you suffer. Your words mean nothing, your actions backfire, and one by one everybody you know is sucked down with you.
You are: 1) Nick 2) cursed 3) afraid all the time
That’s because: a) someone or b) something is after you with a vengeance. Even with the help of other cursed people, you don’t stand a chance because you’re all, you know, cursed. That means you and everyone you know will: 1) suffer 2) die 3) amuse your tormentor That is, unless you figure out how to manipulate the person behind this and turn their power against them. Check your list a second time because they’re probably on it. The only thing left to do is scratch them
*****
Cursed is the best mind-fuck of a novel I’ve ever read. Between the lists of crazy, conversations about eating smurfs and trapping killer tomatoes, and the insane style it’s…just…yeah.
May 19, 2014 — 2:51 PM
boydstun215 says:
I’m reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s (non-fiction) Eating Animals. It’s an amazing and shocking journey across the vast plane of ethical, economic, cultural, and social issues that determine what we eat and how we eat it. Foer does a nice job of writing about the politically charged issues of things like animal rights and dietary choice in a non- polemical fashion, frequently soliciting readers to draw their own conclusions based on the facts.
If you care about the environment, the food you put into your body, the roles of corporations and our governments in determining and regulating food production, and the ethics that determine how our food is handled, then you should consider reading Foer’s book.
May 19, 2014 — 2:55 PM
Terri Herrington says:
Not sure if this YouTube link will work here but it’s pretty cool so just in case – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adUV6qZgZdQ
I recommend “Reboot”. It’s billed as a YA and I’m a woman fully grown, but I love YA since I don’t have to be embarrassed to read them out in public or around my family. This book is not your mother’s zombie apocalypse! It’s just begging to be made into a movie. I just finished the sequel and I’m thinking/hoping there may be another in the series as well. Ü
May 19, 2014 — 2:55 PM
Terri Herrington says:
Ooops sorry, forgot to mention the author is Amy Tintera.
May 19, 2014 — 2:57 PM
June says:
Not new, but Brian Lumley’s Necroscope blew my mind at a time that I needed both escapism and a good scare. I read it in the late 1990s but due to my frequent re-reads, this book has still got “it”. Both the hero and the villain(s) are fully realized, the storytelling is top notch and if you like it, this book is the intro to many, many other books. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but it involves vampires that neither sparkle nor can they tolerate the sun. And government agencies attempting to use paranormal abilities for espionage purposes. And a delightful and tragic orphan named Harry.
May 19, 2014 — 3:09 PM
lucky7 says:
Joe Abercrombie’s “The Heroes” it’s a very dark story of war which gives you the feel of a world full of conflict and hatred, even though the entire novel is set in one valley. It’s fast paced and visceral, and I really truly recommend it.
May 19, 2014 — 4:00 PM
mangacat201 says:
The girl who saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson. Incidentally, I read this one before his freshman bestseller ‘The Hundred Year Old Man…’ and I know they’re structurally very similar which may add or detract from the enjoyment for people who’ve read the first one. However, I still want to recommend it because it was a laugh-out-loud-book for me (the scale of my personal uncaring of being caught with droves of laughter over reading in any public or non-public place is a great indicator of all around awesomeness) and more importantly it sports an African female heroine of exceptional intelligence and the most ridiculous luck imaginable, some of unbelievable twists of fate, but most of her own making. That alone would have sold me on the premise. But the narrative style is just so nonchalantly blasé about the impossible things that happen that you have to just roll with it. I reached the end of it with a very satisfied and positive feeling and that is what reading good books is all about.
May 19, 2014 — 4:02 PM
Kaleb Russell says:
I recommend Blood Song by Anthony Ryan! It’s one of the best books I’ve read so far in my life. It is the story of Vaelin Al Sorna as he is abandoned by the gates of the Sixth Order by his father to spend the rest his ,life fighting for the Faith of his people and their King. It has five stars on amazon with over one thousand reviews, but for some reason I’ve never heard any other author speak of it. You will not regret reading this book. It’s the first in a trilogy. Tower Lord, the sequel, comes out on July 1st. Look forward to it!
May 19, 2014 — 4:03 PM
melorajohnson says:
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I listened to Neil Gaiman read this book on audio CD and it was brilliant! Then I received the hard copy so I could write a review and stared at it in shock. This is a very small book, but it certainly didn’t seem that way when I listened to it. (Okay, then I listened to it again.) It’s only 178 pages, probably somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 words. The story begins with the narrator returning to visit his childhood home on the day of a funeral. I don’t think the author ever directly tells us who the funeral is for. I surmised that it was for the father but we never really know for certain. Then we move back into the main part of the story when the narrator was but a little boy of seven or so. When no other children arrive for the party, he goes upstairs to read his new set of Narnia books. It is is not exactly what I would call a horror book though there are horrors, all the more sinister and horrible for how close to home they are. It reminds me most of the Madeleine L’Engle fantasy books I read in my middle school years, though a bit more adult. The good witches come in threes, just like the three witches in A Wind in the Door. The setting is so well realized – the author never overdoes the details but each detail adds to the suburban/rural setting with a large yard and garden, perhaps a bit overgrown, goldenrod and heather growing where they please, and a small farm down the lane. It’s a fairy tale and a bit of a horror story and all too real in places. When you get to the end, you might just find yourself going back and reading it again, like I did.
May 19, 2014 — 4:18 PM
Michanne says:
It is usually next to impossible for me to pick just ONE title to recommend. (I work for one of … okay, THE largest publisher in the universe and I’m the luckiest woman in said universe as I have access to a gazillion titles in tsunami proportions prior to their hitting the public as well as long after.)
At this exact, precise moment in time, however, I can resoundingly sing the praises of Cynthia Bond’s debut novel “Ruby”. I found it to be along the lines of Toni Morrison, but I also got a bit of a William Faulkner feel from it. Very RAW. Very REAL. Definitely gritty.
It draws you in. It keeps you in. It IS breathtaking.
May 19, 2014 — 4:21 PM
springinkerl says:
Anathem by Neal Stephenson. It’s coming of age novel, travelogue and space opera all in one, wrapped up in clever brainjerk.
And if you don’t like it, it’ll still make a fabulous doorstopper.
May 19, 2014 — 4:25 PM
Angie Arcangioli says:
Sick Puppy by Carl Hiassen:
was a NYT besteller in 2001; described as howlingly funny by New York Post. I love Hiassen’s use of language; all active verbs, unusual writing, zero cliché expressions.
May 19, 2014 — 4:33 PM
1klmercer says:
The White Mountains by John Christopher. YA SF/Dystopian, written in 1967 but stands up pretty well among today’s novels. Features a thirteen-year-old protagonist who screws up in believable ways and manages to remain sympathetic. Short, fast read, and is the first book in the Tripods trilogy.
May 19, 2014 — 4:36 PM