I know it's a new one, but I was suprised not to see Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind. I can't say enough positive things about it and can't wait for day 2.
- Status
This list was originally compiled before The Name of the Wind came out. Took me a while to get my act together & post it 
Perhaps we should be updating? Book recs of 2007 & 2008, perhaps...
Perhaps we should be updating? Book recs of 2007 & 2008, perhaps...
If updating is being done, we should delete these posts, start a new thread, and put up a single compilation post. This is supposed to be all signal no noise.
I can't do the compilation from a thread this time, though.
I can't do the compilation from a thread this time, though.
At Shweta's suggestion, I'm making this thread to open the door for more "Best Read" recommendations.
Please view the original thread, Master book recommendation list in order to avoid duplicates.
Please view the original thread, Master book recommendation list in order to avoid duplicates.
Last edited:
Emma Bull, Territory.
Secret magical history of the wild west. Makes a lot more sense if you have some idea of who Wyatt Earp is and what the whole OK Corral thing was about, but if you're like me, it's fun anyway and that's what wikipedia is for.
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon and sequels.
Napoleonic war. With dragons.
Need I say more? Okay. It's also made of awesome.
Stephen Hunt, Court of the Air.
Mad crazyquilt medley of every pulp genre there is wrapped around an insanely fun adventure. Not the most character-driven of books but that is so not the point. It's fun! It has steam men. With parallel processors. And voodoun.
Frances Hardinge, Fly By Night.
Okay this one is technically a kids' book -- but who can resist a sweet little kids' book with chapter titles like A is for Arson, B is for Blackmail, C is for Contraband...?
Delia Sherman, Changeling
Also a kids' book. Also wonderful. You get to see the total-new-yorker Green lady of Grand Central Park... and there's a sequel coming out soon.
Ellen Kushner, The Privilege of the Sword
This book buckles a whole bunch of swash. With murky murky depths under the shiny because hey, this is Ellen Kushner.
There are more but that'll do for a start
Secret magical history of the wild west. Makes a lot more sense if you have some idea of who Wyatt Earp is and what the whole OK Corral thing was about, but if you're like me, it's fun anyway and that's what wikipedia is for.
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon and sequels.
Napoleonic war. With dragons.
Need I say more? Okay. It's also made of awesome.
Stephen Hunt, Court of the Air.
Mad crazyquilt medley of every pulp genre there is wrapped around an insanely fun adventure. Not the most character-driven of books but that is so not the point. It's fun! It has steam men. With parallel processors. And voodoun.
Frances Hardinge, Fly By Night.
Okay this one is technically a kids' book -- but who can resist a sweet little kids' book with chapter titles like A is for Arson, B is for Blackmail, C is for Contraband...?
Delia Sherman, Changeling
Also a kids' book. Also wonderful. You get to see the total-new-yorker Green lady of Grand Central Park... and there's a sequel coming out soon.
Ellen Kushner, The Privilege of the Sword
This book buckles a whole bunch of swash. With murky murky depths under the shiny because hey, this is Ellen Kushner.
There are more but that'll do for a start
Last edited:
Fuyumi Ono, The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow
English translation (and a good localization!) of a Japanese young adult novel. Not a happy 'teenager whisked to another world and belonged there in the first place' story, and better off for it: Yoko's transformation from timid student to queen is brutal, both physically and psychologically, and although the book ends on a high note it avoids trotting out a deus ex machina to solve every problem.
The second book, Sea of Wind, is a stand-alone prequel and a lighter read. Other books in the series have yet to be translated.
English translation (and a good localization!) of a Japanese young adult novel. Not a happy 'teenager whisked to another world and belonged there in the first place' story, and better off for it: Yoko's transformation from timid student to queen is brutal, both physically and psychologically, and although the book ends on a high note it avoids trotting out a deus ex machina to solve every problem.
The second book, Sea of Wind, is a stand-alone prequel and a lighter read. Other books in the series have yet to be translated.
- Status