Kirkus Reviews: Best SFF of 2011


The lists of best SFF titles of 2011 are starting to appear, and here's the one from Kirkus Reviews:

- The Cold Commands by Richard Morgan
- Embassytown by China Miéville
- With Fate Conspire by Marie Brennan
- The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe
- The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi
- Rule 34 by Charles Stross
- Scholar by L. E. Modesitt, jr.
- Snuff by Terry Pratchett
- Spellbound by Blake Charlton
- When the Saints by Dave Duncan

I've only read the Miéville and the Rajaniemi on this short list and both were far from what I'd consider the year's best. . . :/

14 commentaires:

Kai said...

I liked Charlton's Spellbound. It was a step forward from his debut and it was a well written novel that left me wanting more.

ghayenga said...

I've read 4 of them. _Snuff_, _Spellbound_, _When the Saints_, _The Hum and the Shiver_, but only _Snuff_ would I consider one of the years best. The other three were good, but not great.

Ludwig Van said...

No "Dance with Dragons"? Instead, "The Cold Commands"?
Embarrassing.

Ludwig Van said...

But then again, their supposed review of Martin's novel was a travesty itself. What can you expect...

Russ said...

Didn't read a single one on this list....Guess I should turn in my SFF card.

Zafri Mollon said...

Yeah pretty much can't agree with anything on this least if only because neither Martin nor Abercrombie or Rothfuss are on there.

henrythefifth said...

The Cold Commands was a disappointment to me. Slow, meandering, inconsequential. Ringil is a conflicted Sith Lord...that's about all I got out of it.

Obdigore said...

Snuff was ok, not up to the standards of some of his other work. It felt like he had already done this story with Orcs.

Scholar was also a letdown.

The Cold Commands was good, but not like The Steel Remains or the Kovacs novels.

Anonymous said...

Pat, the only ones I've read are The Cold Commands and Quantum Thief, so by default I think they're the best of 2011. Actually, I did enjoy both. Hint: The Cold Commands takes place in the the Altered Carbon and Takeshi Kovacs Universe (Kovacs=skydweller Takavach). As for Martin, Abercrombie and Rothfuss this year - nah. Very disappointing books.

Joe J. Bailey said...

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I would like to send you a Review request but can't find an email address on your site, if you're interested I would love to send you some more information.

joe@blippublishing.com

Anonymous said...

Way of Kings? Best book I read.

ghayenga said...

Re: Obdigore said...

See, I thought _Unseen Academicals_ was one of Pratchett's lesser works. Which only makes it very good. I thought _Snuff_ was much better.

But there seems to be a large group who agree with you about _Unseen Academicals_, as well as a large group who agree with me, so it's very much a YMMV.

I don't think that's the case with any of the other books on the list though. None of the books I would expect to see on a years best list are on there.

Anonymous said...

This reads like a list of what you're *supposed* to think the best of the year are. Y'know, to sound literary.

Not what you *actually* thought the best of the year are.

shirow said...

Glad to see Dave Duncan on the list. He is by far my favorite fantasy author.