Tam is in the market for books (make that: boooooooks*) to read. Got any ideas? Drop by her place and let her know. (Note: I think we can safely assume that she's through with the Dark Materials trilogy, though.)
* Yes, I did count the number of o's so that it would match. Of course I did.
While I'm not sure that I have so many recommendations that would fit her particular tastes, I thought her zombie call was a good reason to go into my book-logging software (BookBag Plus) and dig out the books I gave the highest rating (5 stars) to. This doesn't really mean that I think all of these books are of the same, absolutely superior level of quality, but these are all books that I enjoyed reading quite a lot and/or thought were pretty much excellent.
Since the main purpose of the software is to keep a list of books I want to read, it mostly contains ratings of books I checked out from the library in the last couple years. A lot of great books won't be in this software, so an omission should be taken neither as evidence for my having not read any specific book nor finding a non-mentioned book wanting in any way.
If a book you would recommend is not on the list (and there will be a lot of them), feel free to add to the list in the comments.
Since the SF and fantasy list is the shortest (and probably the most Tam-compatible), I thought I'd start there. Some of this may overlap previous discussion of favorite SF and fantasy.
Alas, Babylon - Pat Frank
The Cold War goes hot when the USSR attacks the US with nuclear weapons. It is a straightforward post-apocalyptic novel, but very engrossing.
A Fire Upon the Deep / A Deepness in the Sky - Vernor Vinge
He is a brilliant developer of alien culture and characters.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clark
Old-school storytelling of two English magicians during the Napoleanic Wars.
Perdido Street Station / The Scar - China Mieville
A haunting and bizarre universe with monsters, dark magic, and weird technology.
Waking the Moon - Elizabeth Hand
Makes you re-think all that moon goddess stuff.
A couple other notable (5 star-worthy) selections:
The Gap Series - Stephen Donaldson
This is a controversial choice, particularly given that the first book of the series is pretty weak. Seriously intense, unpleasant, but ultimately very powerful despite the author's long-windedness and inordinate love of the word "exigency." I just re-read the series on my NC vacation and yeah, it kicks some ass.
Tuf Voyaging - George R. R. Martin
It is basically impossible for me to imagine a person who likes SF who would not enjoy this book: the delightful, clever doings of the large, bald, reclusive, intelligent, cat-loving trader Haviland Tuf as he wins a formidable "seedship" and uses it to solve all kinds of problems. (Haviland Tuf is one of the most enjoyable SF characters ever.) If you find a copy, you should keep it forever; it's a great book to dip into over and over again. Man, despite just getting a bunch of appealing books at the library this weekend, I'm tempted to read this book again right now.
4-star books:
Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman
Candle - John Barnes
Cassini Division, Stone Canal - Ken MacLeod
China Mountain Zhang - Maureen McHugh
Confidence Game - Michelle Welch
Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Uncharted Territory - Connie Willis
Girl in Landscape - Jonathan Letham
Iron Council - China Mieville
Island in the Sea of Time - S. M. Sterling (probably a real 3 but bumped up for hitting my personal buttons)
Nemesis - Bill Napier
Plowing the Dark - Richard Powers
Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson (controversial)
Raising the Stones, True Game - Sherri Tepper
Reflex (sequel to 5-star Jumper), Wildside - Steven Gould
Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds
Sea Came in at Midnight - Steve Erickson
Snow Queen - Joan D. Vinge
Sphere - Michael Crichton
Trader - Charles DeLint
Windhave - George R. R. Martin & Lisa Tuttle
Winter Rose - Patricia McKillip
Wooden Sea - Jonathan Carroll
World Without End - Molly Cochran
Years of Rice and Salt - Kim Robinson
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1 comment:
Thank you!
Oddly (perhaps), we read Alas, Babylon in my 9th grade English class. I read it several times in later years and remember it quite well.
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