In 2017 I read 37 books (38 if I can finish my current read before midnight on the 31st) which is an average amount for me. While I didn't get anywhere near to the amount of books I wanted to read I can't complain about their quality.
Here, in no particular order, are my best reads of 2017:
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
If I had to choose my top read of the year then this would have to be it. Children of Time is an astounding space opera that will have you re-evaluate your allegiance to humanity. It’s fascinating and terrifying in equal measure with a truly fantastic ending. Space spiders have never been more captivating. Read full review.
Infinity Engine by Neal Asher
Infinity Engine is a stunning conclusion to the Transformation series. It has all the hallmarks of a Neal Asher novel - devastating technology, massive space battles and stellar destruction on the grandest of scales, but it's also a far more intimate story of growth, redemption and forging your own identity. There are a lot of intricate layers at play in the superbly woven narrative; the myriad transformations will leave you both satisfied and utterly intrigued with the implications for the Polity universe at large. A mind-blowingly brilliant read! Read full review.
The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley
The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley is space opera unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Set on, living organic world-ships, the novel is gross, unsettling, unrelenting and utterly glorious. It carries a strong social message and deals a deathblow to the notion that females are the weaker sex. These women are brutal, devious and totally badass. Be warned though, this is definitely not a tale for the squeamish. Read full review.
The Shadow of What was Lost by James Islington
The Shadow of What Was Lost is a thoroughly engaging coming-of-age fantasy tale with far more complexity than it initially appears. It shows immense promise to develop into a series worth following. Fans of The Wheel of Time series will find a lot to love here. Read full review.
Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
No list can be complete without the King. The stories collected in Bazaar of Bad Dreams are terrific, haunting delights that will stay with you long after you turn that last page. This is a perfect read for those dark nights where you come to realise that the monster might be the one hiding under the covers... Read full review.
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
I'm late to the bandwagon, but boy what a bandwagon it is. While the narration style can be difficult to get to grips with at first The Fifth Season blew me away and shook me to the core. Well worth reading!
Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
An unusual tale about love and relationship in a futuristic landscape where death doesn't necessarily mean the end. A great read, especially if you are looking for something different!
Galactic Empires edited by Neil Clarke
Galactic Empires edited by Neil Clarke is a stunning collection of short fiction dealing with galactic empires in all their varied forms. It showcases some of the best voices writing in the genre today with some remarkable stories that will stay with you for ages. A great way to test the waters of what current SF has to offer. Read full review.
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Here's to a wonderful 2018 filled with even more bookish delights and time enough to read them all!
I need to pick up that Galactic Empires collection. I like Clarke's taste in stories and the collection sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI read Love Minus Eighty the year it came out and it was on my best of the year list back then. Such a great book. I keep meaning to give it a re-read.
I really enjoyed Galactic Empires. I already read quite a few of the stories collected there, but it's well worth a read.
ReplyDeleteLove Minus Eighty really took me by surprise. It was definitely not what I expected and something very different from the SF I normally read.