GFTW’s Best of the Year, 2008

And now, I present to you…
THE GFTW END OF THE YEAR POST!
Like so many others out there, I though I might wrap up my reading for the year by giving you some of my favorite reads of the year, some awards I think people should get, and general commentary. Unlike others though, I waited till the actual end of the year (I’m looking at you Amazon!) and I’m basing all my commentary on what I read this year, no matter its publication date.
So let’s look at the facts first.

• In 2008, I read 108 books. That averages out to about 9 per month.
• Of those, 8 were non-genre.
• Only 3 were non-fiction genre-related books. Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels; This Gaming Life by Jim Rossignol; The Essential Batman Encyclopedia by Robert Greenberger. (I would like to read more of non fiction genre books actually).
• 14 were anthologies and/or magazines.
• 4 were Forgotten Realms novels, and 1 was an Eberron novel.
• And I listened to my first non-dramatized genre-related audiobook with Shadowmagic by John Lenahan. It promted me to go to Podiobooks.com for lots more.

MY TOP TEN FAVORITE READS: (in no particular order)

1. The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay – this story of a troll who tries to do things differently from the way they have always been done was thoroughly entertaining.

2. Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines – this novel was quite funny and came at me at just ht right time. I was feeling depressed and this novel perked me right up.

3. Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams – best set of apolcalyptic stories I have ever read. Beyond that, it is the most well constructed and thourough collection I have ever read.

4. Infoquake by David Louis Edelman – as a business person, this novel stuck a particular cord with me, and Edelman’s depiction of the ruthlessness of his CEO protagonist is stellar.

5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – epic fantasy as it should be. Long, creatively constructed, and with past and future intertwined and with a really cool magic system.

6. The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt – steampunk / flintlock fantasy novel that seems like it shouldn’t be very good, but then comes out strong. Also provides good satire of UK politics.

7. Heaven’s Net is Wide by Lian Hearn – I originally though that the Tales of the Otori were not well-written novels. I have learned differently, and this is the novel that convinced me. Japanese based fantasy can be as entertaining as Western European romantic medievalism.

8. Old Man’s War by John Scalzi – proof positive of Scalzi’s ability to write. A long time Whatever follower, this was my first dive into his fiction. Absolutely fabulous, and full of Scalzi’s trademark wit.

9. Acacia by David Anthony Durham – a strangely complete first book in a trilogy. Durham writes high fantasy not as popular fiction, but as “high” literature.

10. Destroyermen: Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson – a novel of alternate universes, this military SF/Lost World style novel was surprisingly good. The characters are interesting, the WWII era battleship-meets-wooden-boats battles are realistic and exciting.
MOST SURPRISING READ:
A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans – I wouldn’t have though this book would be as fun as it was. I know it seems to be a love it or hate it book, based on other people’s reactions, but I have to say I loved it.
WORST NOVEL:
The Excalibur Murders by J.M.C Blair – truly, truly awful.
BEST FANTASY:
Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley – with some many awesome battle scenes and gitty characters in a frozen north, what is not to like?
BEST SCIENCE FICTION:
Hunter’s Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham
BEST MEDIA-TIE IN:
Forgotten Realms: Shadowrealm by Paul S. Kemp
MOST HUMOROUS NOVEL:
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
MOST HYPED YET DISAPPOINTING:
Fast Ships, Black Sails edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer
Some of the stories were okay, some made me wonder why they were included, and others made me wonder if they even qualified as a story.
BEST NOVEL BY NON-MAJOR PUBLISHER:
In Her Name by Michael R. Hicks
MOST UNDERRATED NOVEL:
Empress by Karen Miller – this book makes a female villain into the primary protagonist. That’s daring, and Miller deserves more credit for tackling it than she gets.

BEST ANTHOLOGY:
Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
BEST FAIRYTALE:
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
MOST SURREAL READ:
The Mirrored Heavens by David J. Williams
BEST PUBLISHER:

Orbit – for being willing to publish so much epic fantasy that is cutting edge and/or traditional when other publishers in the market are doing considerably less.
MOST IMPROVED AUTHOR:
Tobias Buckell – he was good to begin with, but he gets even better each time.
BEST AUTHOR WHO BLOGS:
John Scalzi – though I think this is sort of a chicken and egg situation.

BEST NEW AUTHOR I READ:
(As in, I will be reading all their works.)
Pamela Freeman, author of Blood Ties and Deep Water.
BEST AUTHOR I MET IN PERSON:
Robert Buettner – he gave me three of his books, no questions asked.
MOST PHILANTHROPIC AUTHOR:
Patrick Rothfuss – for his Heifer fund drive.
BEST COVER ART:
Multireal by David Louis Edelman
Art by Stephan Martiniere

BEST AUTHOR OF THE YEAR:
Orson Scott Card – for publishing a brand new Ender novel.

Related posts:

1. A Year of Reading 2008
2. 2008 Hugos and Campbell Announced
3. Free Fiction: storySouth’s Million Writers Award Notable Stories 2008
4. TWO Blurbs for GFTW!
5. A Year of Reading 2009