Last week I wrote a blog post about the genre books that I enjoyed and found to be the best of 2013, on purpose I avoided including the best book of 2013, I had to give all the nominees another look over before I could decide which books were for me the best. After a lot of debating, scrapping and adding books, I came to the final list of books. Be aware that I am using bullet points instead of numbers, these books are the top 5 of this year.
I read the whole Broken Empire just this year, from the first page in Prince of Thorns I new this book and the whole series would a winner for me. The start of the series was dark and gritty and there were some very violent scenes in the book that got a lot of criticism however for me, looking at the whole setting, idea and goal that Mark Lawrence wanted to achieve it was just spot on, and well come on. it's fiction for pete's sake. Anyway after finishing the first book, King of Thorns didn't let me down at all, the story never faltered and Mark Lawrence only stepped up his game even more, showing just what you want to see in a sequel, now with two amazing books written, it all had to come to show in the third and final book of the Broken Empire series, Emperor of Thorns. Well, I can he, he's done it again. Just as when you thought you had seen it all, Mark Lawrence completely managed to transform his series in the end. Yes there is still the dark and gritty texture to the story, but writing that last compelling part to conclude the series. Wow, words do fall short when describing that moment. This is greater than great epic fantasy, that you should definitely be reading.
Make sure you dont forget to preorder the next book of Mark Lawrence: Prince of Fools the opening book to the The Red Queen's War series, set in the world of the Broken Empire which is out June 2014.
Three was a book that completely managed to escape my attention when I went through the catalogue of Angry Robot's books. Luckily I am a proud member of the AR army and
got offered to review, and well what can I say? The book wouldn't be on
the list if I hadn't liked it right. Three was on the list for both best SF and best Debut, the book follows the story of a lone gunman named Three. Now I have read several post apocalytic stories but Three was something quite different. It doesn't say where and when the story takes place, the world feel utterly destroyed and with Jay Posey's engaging writing style it feel like you yourself are walking in Three's party and navigating through the harsh surroundings. Moreover is the fast of a lot of "hard" SF elements like implants and other stuff, it's great to think about how to visualize the world that must once have been full of prosperity and now is in ruins, but it is not only the world that makes Three interesting, the character are spot on and only further help make this story a winner. And to top it all of the WEIR!!! yes yes yes.
Be sure to check out Morningside Fall which is out in May 2014 by Angry Robots
Three Parts Dead, the first book of Max Gladstone and the start of the Craft Sequence has been on my to read list for quite some time. I read Three Parts Dead and Two Serpents Rise right after eachother and well this is kick ass, genre bending breaking urban fantasy that you don't want to miss. Two Serpent's Rise can be read as a stand alone book but trust me you don't want to miss out on the experience that Three Parts Dead offers. In Two Serpent's Rise Max Gladstone introduced the reader to a lot of cool things and doesn't shy away from doing something daring and different in his writing, the action that feature in the book is pretty tight and when the Craft comes out to play, it puts a smile on my face. The whole world that is envisioned in Two Serpents Rise is just immaculate and I wish I had the chance to visit one of these places.
The third book in the Craft Sequence, FUll Fanthom Five, will be out spring 2014 by Tor
Tad Williams has been on the top of my favourite authors list for a pretty long time. I have read The Dirty Streets of Heaven was published in 2012 and the sequel Happy Hour in Hell saw it's release this year. Happy Hour in Hell continues the "successtory" of Bobby Dollar, who now ventures into Hell, but this sounds much easier than that it actually is.... What makes the Bobby Dollar series so successful for me is that first of all Tad Williams knows HOW to write a story, he has experience though perhaps not in UF, well now he does, but the story itself feel rich and his way with wrods makes the storyline readily engaging. Secondly is the protagonist Bobby Dollar himself, there are problems of epic proportions involving both HEaven and Hell, and Bobby is all nonchalance about it. This whole attitude of Bobby against the world itself and the other characters in the book lead the story into some interesting dialogues, fun, witty and sharp. Tad Williams knows how to tell one hell of a story!
almost all of his books. When I found out that he was writing a UF series I was stocked. The first book,
The third and final book in the Bobby Dollar series, Sleeping Late on Judgement Day, is out 2014 by Hodder and Stougthon.
Just like Jay Posey's Three, Promise of Blood, also featured in two genres, best epic fantasy and best Promise of Blood falls in the latter category. When I read the synopsis of Promise of Blood, I had to had to had to had read this book. And as soon as I started in it it proved to my expectations and went far above it. from the Powder mages, to the elemental ones and everything in between is just want you want to read in epic fantasy. But it isn't only that magic makes this book great, the opposing forces and showing just what they are planning added a lot of depth to the story. Promise of Blood is a powerful first story that it filled to the top with some amazing idea's that all come out to show and work, Brian McClellan even goes as far as letting the Gods walk the earth again, it's a bold move but the best thing is IT WORKS!
debut. It's like you have debuts and you have DEBUTS, let me say that
Be sure to watch out for The Crimson Campaign, the second book in The Powder Mage series out by Orbit in spring 2014
---------------------
These are for me the best reads of 2013, I am looking forward to all that 2014 will have to offer I have seen some great titles in various publisher catalogues!
Cheers,
Jasper
- Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, Harper Voyager
I read the whole Broken Empire just this year, from the first page in Prince of Thorns I new this book and the whole series would a winner for me. The start of the series was dark and gritty and there were some very violent scenes in the book that got a lot of criticism however for me, looking at the whole setting, idea and goal that Mark Lawrence wanted to achieve it was just spot on, and well come on. it's fiction for pete's sake. Anyway after finishing the first book, King of Thorns didn't let me down at all, the story never faltered and Mark Lawrence only stepped up his game even more, showing just what you want to see in a sequel, now with two amazing books written, it all had to come to show in the third and final book of the Broken Empire series, Emperor of Thorns. Well, I can he, he's done it again. Just as when you thought you had seen it all, Mark Lawrence completely managed to transform his series in the end. Yes there is still the dark and gritty texture to the story, but writing that last compelling part to conclude the series. Wow, words do fall short when describing that moment. This is greater than great epic fantasy, that you should definitely be reading. Make sure you dont forget to preorder the next book of Mark Lawrence: Prince of Fools the opening book to the The Red Queen's War series, set in the world of the Broken Empire which is out June 2014.
- Three by Jay Posey, Angry Robots
Three was a book that completely managed to escape my attention when I went through the catalogue of Angry Robot's books. Luckily I am a proud member of the AR army and
got offered to review, and well what can I say? The book wouldn't be on
the list if I hadn't liked it right. Three was on the list for both best SF and best Debut, the book follows the story of a lone gunman named Three. Now I have read several post apocalytic stories but Three was something quite different. It doesn't say where and when the story takes place, the world feel utterly destroyed and with Jay Posey's engaging writing style it feel like you yourself are walking in Three's party and navigating through the harsh surroundings. Moreover is the fast of a lot of "hard" SF elements like implants and other stuff, it's great to think about how to visualize the world that must once have been full of prosperity and now is in ruins, but it is not only the world that makes Three interesting, the character are spot on and only further help make this story a winner. And to top it all of the WEIR!!! yes yes yes. Be sure to check out Morningside Fall which is out in May 2014 by Angry Robots
- Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone, Tor
Three Parts Dead, the first book of Max Gladstone and the start of the Craft Sequence has been on my to read list for quite some time. I read Three Parts Dead and Two Serpents Rise right after eachother and well this is kick ass, genre bending breaking urban fantasy that you don't want to miss. Two Serpent's Rise can be read as a stand alone book but trust me you don't want to miss out on the experience that Three Parts Dead offers. In Two Serpent's Rise Max Gladstone introduced the reader to a lot of cool things and doesn't shy away from doing something daring and different in his writing, the action that feature in the book is pretty tight and when the Craft comes out to play, it puts a smile on my face. The whole world that is envisioned in Two Serpents Rise is just immaculate and I wish I had the chance to visit one of these places. The third book in the Craft Sequence, FUll Fanthom Five, will be out spring 2014 by Tor
- Happy Hour in Hell by Tad Williams, Hodder and Stougthon
Tad Williams has been on the top of my favourite authors list for a pretty long time. I have read The Dirty Streets of Heaven was published in 2012 and the sequel Happy Hour in Hell saw it's release this year. Happy Hour in Hell continues the "successtory" of Bobby Dollar, who now ventures into Hell, but this sounds much easier than that it actually is.... What makes the Bobby Dollar series so successful for me is that first of all Tad Williams knows HOW to write a story, he has experience though perhaps not in UF, well now he does, but the story itself feel rich and his way with wrods makes the storyline readily engaging. Secondly is the protagonist Bobby Dollar himself, there are problems of epic proportions involving both HEaven and Hell, and Bobby is all nonchalance about it. This whole attitude of Bobby against the world itself and the other characters in the book lead the story into some interesting dialogues, fun, witty and sharp. Tad Williams knows how to tell one hell of a story! almost all of his books. When I found out that he was writing a UF series I was stocked. The first book,
The third and final book in the Bobby Dollar series, Sleeping Late on Judgement Day, is out 2014 by Hodder and Stougthon.
- Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan, Orbit
Just like Jay Posey's Three, Promise of Blood, also featured in two genres, best epic fantasy and best Promise of Blood falls in the latter category. When I read the synopsis of Promise of Blood, I had to had to had to had read this book. And as soon as I started in it it proved to my expectations and went far above it. from the Powder mages, to the elemental ones and everything in between is just want you want to read in epic fantasy. But it isn't only that magic makes this book great, the opposing forces and showing just what they are planning added a lot of depth to the story. Promise of Blood is a powerful first story that it filled to the top with some amazing idea's that all come out to show and work, Brian McClellan even goes as far as letting the Gods walk the earth again, it's a bold move but the best thing is IT WORKS!debut. It's like you have debuts and you have DEBUTS, let me say that
Be sure to watch out for The Crimson Campaign, the second book in The Powder Mage series out by Orbit in spring 2014
---------------------
These are for me the best reads of 2013, I am looking forward to all that 2014 will have to offer I have seen some great titles in various publisher catalogues!
Cheers,
Jasper
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