Provisional Top 5 of 2009

Can't quite believe that half the year is already gone. . .

So if you are looking for great books to read this summer, here's my provisonal Top 5 of 2009. But with a few heavyweights coming out before the year is out, this may change come December. As always, feel free to disagree!;-)

TOP 5 of 2009



1- The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker (Canada, USA, Europe)

2- Wings of Wrath by C. S. Friedman (Canada, USA, Europe)


3- Twelve by Jasper Kent (Canada, USA, Europe)



4- Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (Canada, USA, Europe)



5- Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald (Canada, USA, Europe)

Although I have yet to write my review, I just wanted to point out that Brian Ruckley's Fall of Thanes ( Canada, USA, Europe) will trump every title but the first two on this list. Also, I'm about 100 pages into Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Angel's Game (Canada, USA, Europe), and it looks as though it will be right up there!

14 commentaires:

Adam Whitehead said...

Interesting. Mine at the moment would go:

1. Best Served Cold
2. Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding
3. The Judging Eye by Scott Bakker
4. The City and the City by China Mieville
5. The Strain by Guillermo del Toro

Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson looks like it could be something special as well, as could Al Reynolds' Terminal World.

Unknown said...

Hopefully mine will look like

1) Wise Man's Fear*

2) Republic of Thieves*

3) Twelve

4) City and the City

5)To be Read*

Best book of 2016 will clearly be Dance With Dragons

Adam Whitehead said...

@ Scott

No, it won't ;-) THE WISE MAN'S FEAR has definitely dropped to 2010 (although it's finished and handed in). THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES hasn't been handed in yet, so again it will be 2010.

Cecrow said...

*cough* Dust of Dreams *cough* Oh wait, January 2010 - dang

Aidan Moher said...

Pat,

Why not take a couple more minutes to tell us why these books made your list, rather than just tangentially throwing them together?

~Aidan
A Dribble of Ink

Patrick said...

Aidan: Well, I feel that if you read the review each title is linked to, then you'll know!

Mike said...

It's good to hear about Fall of Thanes. I read a review or two somewhere, it's gotten some negative reviews. Looking forward to seeing the review. Any quick thoughts on that one?

KP said...

Reading Best Served Cold right now and liking it a lot. Have Judging Eye and Wings of Wrath but have not started them yet (usually wait for the whole series).
Fall of Thanes is one of my favorites this year, bleak, (relentlessly so) but very good with a superb end.

Adam Whitehead said...

I forgot there's Daniel Abraham's THE PRICE OF SPRING as well, which could be a serious contender to blow all the others out of the water.

The Mad Hatter said...

Hmmm. My list is probably:
1. The City & The City by China Mieville, because I am in awe of his writing ability.
2. Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie, because he kicks ass.
3. The Patriot Witch by C.C. Finlay, because it is almost strange enough to be true.
4. The Magicians by Lev Grossman, because it reminded me of my childhood.
5. Midwinter by Matt Sturges, because it was a fun ride. I know not everyone agrees.

Fall of Thanes was a close one as well. It had a fitting end that stayed with you, but I try to base my favorites on which I think I'll read again and I doubt I will FoT. The last 2 will probably get pushed down the list though as I'm sure The Angel's Game and Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim will live up to expectations. Plus there is a new Walter Moers coming. This doesn't include any older books I read this year such as the 4th Thursday Next, which I just finally read.

Cheers,
The Mad Hatter
http://booktionary.blogspot.com/

Cory said...

You've got to put Warbreaker up there.

Greyweather said...

Am I losing my mind or was Kay Kenyon's book up there before?

Anonymous said...

I think that even if I did see what mine are at the moment it would definitely change by the end of the year. Some of the books I'm most looking forward to don't come out until September onwards.

Still, I've read some good ones and strangely enough two fantasy titles would take the top two spots at the moment: The Painted Man and The Name of the Wind.

ediFanoB said...

Twelve and Best Served Cold are on my to buy and to read list.

So far I have one top read and several number two reads.
My number one so far is the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. I read all three books in a row and I have been blown away.

Now I'm 200 pages in the German edition of ACACIA by David Anthony Durham. I "found" the book in the back of my shelf. I must admit it is awesome.
A bunch of characters and each of them is neither black nor white. A well described world. No dragons, no mages. A question of power and betrayal....