End of year and I see that everyone is discussing what the best reads of the year are and what they've enjoyed the most, etc. Though a fun exercise, I always found it to be a daunting task. Among many factors that makes this exercise difficult for me, one of the main ones is once I look at my "to read" pile and notice an abundance of unread books that seem at least on the surface worthy of consideration and discussion of being among the top reads of the year in whatever category I have in mind. Also adding to that fact, books published during December that seemingly get ignored often for these types of considerations (unless you have done some advance reading).
So with that in mind, I compiled a list of books that fit into this preoccupation of mine; books that now at the end of the year I'm tracking down so I may read them. Needless to say, that it was quite a long list and quite obviously an impossibility to accomplish reading them all particularly in this short span of time.
Is anyone else facing similar dilemmas?
Here's my list of books that I've yet to read, but would like to or would've liked to have read by year end (I had to cut it a bit since it was ridiculously long, and might have overlooked some):
- Awakenings by Edward Lazellari
- Aloha from Hell by Richard Kadrey
- Dead Mann Walking by Stefan Petrucha
- Germline by T.C. McCarthy
- Infidel by Kameron Hurley
- Miserere by Teresa Frohock
- No Hero by Jonathan Wood
- One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire
- Sea of Ghosts by Alan Campbell
- Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla
- Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin
- The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham
- The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams
- The Guardians of the Desert by Leona Wisoker
- The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
- The Iron Jackal by Chris Wooding
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The Sea Watch by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
- The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
- Zero Sight by B. Justin Shier
Here's Mihir's list:
- Carte Blanche by Jeffrey Deaver
- Infidel by Kameron Hurley
- Miserere by Teresa Frohock
- Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin
- Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep
- The Goblin Corps by Ari Marmell
- The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
- Trance by Kelly Meding
Personally I've read nearly 90 books this year (low number I'd say), so it rankles me a bit that I didn't manage to read many of the books I was highly anticipating for one reason or another. Next year I think I'll need to re-organize my reading habits. Oh well, that just means that I may just have a lot of good reading ahead of me, so very much looking forward to that. Already read a 2012 book, Control Point by Myke Cole which I really enjoyed, so looks like I'm off to a good start.
At least 5 books on your list that will make my best debut or best book of the year short list.
ReplyDeleteJust illustrates how inadequate I am at the moment for this, though I'm comfortable with my Urban Fantasy reading, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteRemoved The Desert Spear, had included it by mistake. That's a 2010 title.
No love for R. Scott Bakker??? The White Luck Warrior was the highlight of the year for me...
ReplyDeleteWell, if it's not on the list it's because I might have read it already.
ReplyDeleteBut in this case, I'm just not up to date in that series, so not worth mentioning at the time being, for me at least. Though I guess it should have been mentioned regardless.
The only book on either list that I've managed to read was No Hero by Jonathan Wood, and I really liked it!
ReplyDeleteI only read one (The Heroes) from Mihir's list, although I have read a number on yours, there are others I would like to read, but there are only so many hours in one's life that you can devote to reading. Last year I was only able to fit 4 into my best of the year category, this year I've got 5, and I could even expand it if I wished, but I think unless something momentous happens between now and December 31, it will stay at a top 5.
ReplyDeleteI meant no offense bastard, (that sounds wrong lol) I didn't know this was your personal list!
ReplyDelete90 books this year by this post!?! Eeer, I'm really slow at reading. I have many of these books on my list/shelves here to read. I really look forward to them and many more next year. :)
ReplyDelete@Melissa Most came early in the year when I was tackling thin UF books, like the Simon Green series. But last year I went around 120 or so, it was ridiculous for me. Very much doubt I'd get at that pace again.
ReplyDelete@Cursed Amanda No worries, I didn't take it as such. Was simply clarifying a bit since I know readers will jump to the list without really looking what the list is about. In any case, it's a book that should've been included.
@Elfy Yo'... assuming I end up doing a best of sort of thing, I got quite a few I want to include. Most of them are coming in the later half of the year, at least reading wise for me.
@Spaz Going to make an effort to read No Hero within the next couple of weeks. It keeps staring and me wondering when I'm finally going to pick it up, but something else always comes up.