BEST OF 2014 - Books

My original plan, as threatened in last week's podcast/film/music summary, was to dig into my favourite books and comics of the year in this single post. However, due to circumstances beyond my control (me banging on for too long), I am going to leave this one with just the books and return to the comics at a later date. Probably quite a soon later date, as I still harbour the ambition of getting these blog posts out before 2014 itself ends, and I still gotta do the TV as well.

If you want to see how my tastes have evolved, you can consult the 2013 equivalent of this blog post. For now, though, let's dig into the best printed prose stories of the year, most of which I read digitally.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) - Thoughts On A Book

Just finished reading The Cuckoo's Calling, the first crime effort by J.K. Rowling, best known for being written under the pen name of Robert Galbraith and concealed for a short period. Eventually, of course, the truth emerged, and although the fun ended, sales went through the roof.

But plenty already written about that, and sequel The Silkworm was released recently with the unsecret identity still in place. I read The Cuckoo's Calling as if it were a story (and in many ways, it is), how did it hold up? What thoughts did I have? (Some mild spoilers, though nothing explicit really.)

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie - A Recommendation

I am self-publishing a book soon, so will be talking about that quite a lot. You can see all the details of that venture here, but to mix things up, I thought I'd recommend someone else's books in this post.

To be specific: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings, aka The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. It's a fantasy trilogy, revolving around the politics, prejudices and (eventually) magic in a world not quite our own and it's really good. I was recommended it whilst in the midst of Thrones-fever, fancying something else in the fantasy arena, and it really hit the spot - smart, character driven action with the fantastical elements playing around the edges, sometimes screaming into the forefront.

So since those who started reading the A Song Of Ice And Fire series with the TV show are probably finishing soon, I figured I'd point this out as a next step.

Best of 2013 - Books and Comics Edition

I'm off home for Christmas tomorrow, I should be packing a bag, so it seemed an ideal time to type up the second installment of my 2013 cultural intake summary! This time: Books and Comics!

If you want to see my movies, music and podcasts of choice, that was last week. TV to follow next, once I've formed an opinion on the Doctor Who Christmas special.

But first, it's time for stories told in page format. From a wide perspective, the big development this year was my moving entirely digital in both these areas. I can comfortably read digital comics on my widescreen monitor (though if anyone wants to buy me a tablet for Christmas, don't let me stop you), and started properly using my Kindle all the time. It's great, my room is much less drowning in paper. But what was I reading, exactly?

Against A Dark Background & Cuckoo In The Nest - Some Book Reviews

Now that Many A True Nerd have snatched away my book/comic reviews, there isn't a huge amount of "original content" on this site. Yes, it's good that other people want me to write for them, but I do feel bad having my own blog be nothing but links and the occasional video of me in the garden.

In the near future, I might try and ready a post or two about where I'm at (or something less horrific-sounding), although my actual process hasn't changed much since I wrote this one, but for now - here are two books I've read recently and wanted to quickly get some thoughts down on. They have almost nothing in common with each other.

The Age Atomic by Adam Christopher – Book Review

If you enjoy novels that mash up their genres, smooshing a range of aesthetics together into a weird whole, then Adam Christopher’s The Age Atomic could be for you. At last count, it combines parallel universes, steampunk airships, superheroes, 50s nuclear paranoia and a noirish private dick together into one bizarre soup.

So, to really strain this metaphor to pieces, how tasty is that soup? Is it the same sickly green as the book cover?

London Falling by Paul Cornell – Book Review

Today’s book review is London Falling by Paul Cornell – a writer I already liked for his excellent Captain Britain And MI13 comics, as well as the Human Nature two-parter on Doctor Who, one of my favourite David Tennant episodes.

So I had expectations of London Falling, described in the authorial blurb as his “first urban fantasy novel”. It’s the beginning of a mooted Shadow Police series, introducing a team of enjoyably grounded police folk, who find themselves thrust into the messy world of supernatural evil lurking beneath the surface of the one they already knew.

A Storm Of Swords by George R.R. Martin – Untimely Thoughts

Last week, I finished A Storm Of Swords, the third book in George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire series. Of course, these are among the most prominent fantasy books in existence right now, thanks to their TV adaptation Game of Thrones, so I doubt I’m alone there.

Having read the other two books after watching their screen equivalents, I thought I’d try this one the other way round. So, how was the experience? Has it affected my expectations of the upcoming series?

SPOILER WARNING: If you’re following the TV show, haven’t read the books and want to remain totally unspoiled for events beyond season two, best not read this.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey – Untimely Book Review

A book blogger I know claims many of them end up reviewing books ages after they come out, so calling these “Untimely Book Reviews” doesn’t say much. Ultimately, I’m not as much of a precious little snowflake as I’d like.

Which leads me neatly into The Snow Child! Set in 1920s Alaska, written by authentic Alaskan Eowyn Ivey, this novel re-imagines a Russian fairy tale about a childless older couple who fashion a child out of a snow and, seemingly through hope alone, find she has come to life. But how long will she be able to stay?

Monkeys with Typewriters by Scarlett Thomas – Timely Book Review

Monkeys With Typewriters by Scarlett Thomas came out in October 2012, making this less untimely than most of my book reviews, and features the popular novelist and creative writing lecturer setting down, in a mere 400 pages (plus footnotes and appendices), her secrets to good writing.

There are, you may have noticed, a lot of books on writing out there. So, as someone who has already done a whole Masters on the subject, did I get anything extra out of Thomas's contribution to the genre? Well, yes and no.

Genus by Jonathan Trigell - Untimely Book Review

My book reviews will rarely be prompt, as I read painfully slowly and pick most novels up in the Kindle sale. Nonetheless, I did recently finish one: Genus by Jonathan Trigell. After taking a month to read it, I should get some thoughts down before I forget them, so let’s go! (Trying to whip up some energy!)