Amph Best of Lists for 2009

Here's Pat from Pat's Fantasy Hotlist Best of 2009:

TOP 10 SPECULATIVE FICTION TITLES OF 2009

1- Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson (Tor Books/Bantam Press)
2- The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker (The Overlook Press/Orbit)
3- The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Doubleday/Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
4- Wings of Wrath by C. S. Friedman (Daw Books/Orbit)
5- Fall of Thanes by Brian Ruckley (Orbit)
6- Twelve by Jasper Kent (Pyr/Bantam Press)
7- Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit/Gollancz)
8- Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald (Pyr/Gollancz)
9- A Magic of Nightfall by S. L. Farrell (Daw Books)
10- The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Nightshade Books)
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11- Thousandth Night & Minla's Flowers by Alastair Reynolds (Subterranean Press)
12- The City & the City by China Miéville (Del Rey/Pan MacMillan)
13- City Without End by Kay Kenyon (Pyr)
14- The Burning Skies by David J. Williams (Bantam Spectra)
15- The Eternal Prison by Jeff Somers (Orbit)
16- The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor Books/Orbit)
17- Imager by L. E. Modesitt, jr. (Tor Books)
18- Suicide Kings edited by George R. R. Martin (Tor Books)
19- Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin's Griffin/Gollancz)
20- Muse of Fire by Dan Simmons (Subterranean Press)

 

Pat is very well read - I've only read one book on that list Though I recognize a lot of those authors.

What do you guys have on your top ten lists?

 

I've heard of some of those, but I haven't read any of them. I don't think I read any books that came out in 2009 though, I have a habit of reading books a few years after they come out. Heck, I waited until last spring to finish the Harry Potter series.

 

I'm with Nat - only read one of those. Same one, too

Though its nice to see Modesitt make that list, and I'm certain that I'll read Imager before too long (I don't think its in paperback yet, and I'll probably get it and read it shortly after it is in PB)

 

I too, surprisingly have only read The Gathering Storm. I found Pat's site to be pretty helpful in most aspects, just thought I post it.

My top books of the year off the top of my head:

- The Gathering Storm
- Anathem by Neal Stephenson (although the ending is maybe a little weak)
- Lamentation by Ken Scholes
- Transition by Iain M. Banks

 

I've given up trying to read Erikson, since I've forgotten WTH is going on by the time the next book comes out. I'll get Dust of Dreams and Crippled God then reread the whole series...probably take me 6 months or more.

Best book I read in the last year was Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss....that's also the only newish one I read. My only other fantasy reading has been Heroes Die and the Mistborn series.

 

In no particular order:

The Gathering Storm, obviously
Warbreaker (obviously - gee, I don't like Sanderson or anything
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore


I think those are the only three newly released books I read this year, actually - everything else was a reread or catching up on older books.

 

Name of the Wind is probably my favorite new novel of the last 5 years or so.

 

It really is excellent. Now if Wise Man's Fear would hurry up (though at least we know a draft of that has been submitted and is in editing.)

 

I like The Age Of Wonder By Richard Holmes