Sunday, June 14, 2015

26 Books of Note (More Flash Reviews)

Science Fiction and Fantasy


1. The Familiar, Vol. 1, One Rainy Day in May





Mark Z. Danielewski
The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May…

5 STARS

Perhaps Danielewski’s most accessible work to date. Nine lives destined to intertwine… But at what cost?


2. The Name of the Wind                                    
(Kingkiller Day 1)                                                      
Patrick Rothfuss
The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss


5 STARS


Best pure fantasy series I’ve read in a very long time. Harry Potter for adults.


3. The Wise Man’s Fear                                       
(Kingkiller Day 2)                                                      
Patrick Rothfuss
The Wise Man's Fear: The Kingkiller…


5 STARS


4. The Slow Regard of Silent Things                           
(Kingkiller Novella)                                                            
Patrick Rothfuss
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick…


5 STARS


5. The Long Earth (Long Earth 1)                             
Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett


5 STARS


Good story, fast paced read, unique premise. Millions of Earths ready to be explored.


6. The Water Knife                                                       
Paolo Bacigalupi


The Water Knife: A novel by Paolo Bacigalupi


5 STARS


Water shortage wars between the states of Nevada, California, and Arizona. Believable, frightening, and perhaps, prophetic.


7. Seveneves                                                                                  
Neal Stephenson
Seveneves: A Novel by Neal Stephenson


6 STARS


The best hard science fiction I’ve read in 20 years. And yes, that’s a six start rating! What happens when the moon is fragmented into seven pieces by a wormhole?


8. Flowers for Algernon                                            
Daniel Keyes
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes


5 STARS


A classic worth the time to re-read. What is intelligence?


9. The Dead Lands                                                              
Benjamin Percy


The Dead Lands: A Novel by Benjamin Percy


4 1/2 STARS


Lewis and Clark in post-apocalyptic America.


10. The Pilgrims (Pendulum 1)                                        
Will Elliott


The Pilgrims: A Novel (The Pendulum Trilogy)…


4 1/2 STARS


A strange door into a fantasy world filled with intrigue and war.


11. Lexicon                                                                                    
Max Berry
Lexicon: A Novel by Max Barry


5 STARS


Sticks and stones may break your bones… but words can annihilate you!


12. Station Eleven                                                                
Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven: A novel by Emily St. John…


5 STARS


Excellent post-apocalyptic quest.


13. Revival                                                                          
Stephen King
Revival: A Novel by Stephen King


5 STARS


The fine line between good and evil. Crossed, over and over again...


Western and Weird West


14. The Last Kind Word Saloon                                   
Larry McMurtry
The Last Kind Words Saloon: A Novel by Larry…


4 STARS


Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday ride again.


15. The Revenant                                                      
Michael Punke


The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael…


5 STARS


Revenge has a long memory… and one fur trapper is on the trail of those who left him to die.


16. The Winter Family                                               
Clifford Jackman
The Winter Family: A Novel by Clifford…


5 STARS


A rare western as seen by the perspective of the outlaws.


17. The Son                                                                           
Philipp Meyer
The Son (Pulitzer Prize in Letters: Fiction…


6 STARS


The best “western” I’ve ever read and another of the rare six star ratings I’ve given. Generations of Texans survive the difficult trials of the west.


18. The Big Sky                                                                        
A. B. Guthrie Jr.
The Big Sky by A. B. Guthrie Jr.


5 STARS


Excellent historical novel about mountain men who prefer the great expanses of the west over city life.


19. Dead of Winter                                                             
Lee Collins


Dead of Winter by Lee Collins


4 STARS


Western-paranormal-urban fantasy with a twist…


20. One Night in Sixes                                                 
(Children of the Drought 1)                               
Arianne ‘Tex’ Thompson
One Night in Sixes (Children of the Drought)…


5 STARS


A dark and intense fantasy western filled with both supernatural and natural elements. Very good series.


21. Medicine for the Dead                                            
(Children of the Drought 2)                                  
Arianne 'Tex' Thompson

Medicine for the Dead (Children of the…

5 STARS

22. Dead Man’s Hand: An Anthology      
John Joseph Adams (Editor)
Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird…


5 STARS


Over twenty short, weird western stories by some of the greats, including Joe Abercrombie, Orson Scott Card, Kelly Armstrong, Elizabeth Bear, Ken Liu, Tobias Buckell, Tad Williams, and Jonathan Maberry.


23. The Good the Bad and the Infernal                    
(Heaven's Gate 1)                                                                      
Guy Adams
The Good the Bad and the Infernal (Heaven's…


5 STARS


Excellent supernatural western series. 


24. Once Upon a Time in Hell                       
(Heaven's Gate 2)                                                                      
Guy Adams
Once Upon a Time in Hell (Heaven's Gate…


5 STARS


25. For a Few Souls More                                
(Heaven's Gate 3)                                                                      
Guy Adams
For a Few Souls More (Heaven's Gate Trilogy)…


5 STARS


26. Black Hat Jack                                                             
 Joe R. Lansdale
Black Hat Jack by Joe R. Lansdale


5 STARS


The old west as told from the perspective of a black buffalo soldier.