If you haven’t picked up all the Christmas gifts (for yourself or others) yet, perhaps some ideas of interest can be found on our little list of books that we wouldn’t have minded getting (except for the fact that we already have them all).
Dreamsongs
Last year, Voyager’s edition came out. This year, its Bantam’s edition, so now you have a third chance to pick up this brilliant collection first put together by Subterranean Press. We’ve seen the opinion put forward that GRRM’s work in the 70’s was the best SF short fiction of the decade, and we’re inclined to agree; and we believe you’ll agree, too, when you read stories such as, "A Song for Lya", "The Second Kind of Loneliness", "Sandkings", "The Way of Cross and Dragon", and more. This collection also includes later fiction, such as his World Fantasy Award-winning horror novella, "The Skin Trade", and the Ice and Fire-related novella, "The Hedge Knight". Each section of the collection, divided up in chronological order, includes a lengthy introduction by GRRM which reveals a lot about his personal history, the genesis of the various stories, and the process by which he works. It really is one of the finest SF/F story collections ever put together.
The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
The first two of the four planned novels in Stephen Donaldson’s the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are now available. We’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed the first one, The Runes of the Earth, but Fatal Revnant is still sitting on the shelf, waiting for us to have enough time to dig into it. From the preview chapters we have read, we expect another great installement in one of the best fantasy series of all times.
The Orphan’s Tales
In The Orphan’s Tales Catherynne M. Valente has created a wonderful set of original fairy tales with a distinctly Arabian Nights-influenced flavour but which also incorporates elements of other fairy tale traditions. The stories are skilfully woven together in a multi-layered tale held together by a framing story and the writing is lush and exquisite.
Temeraire
Naomi Novik’s alternate history with dragons now consists of four novels (with yet more to come). The latest entry is Empire of Ivory, which sees Laurence and Temeraire face several new threats (in addition to the ever-present danger of Napoleon) to Britain as well as her dragons. If you haven’t tried the series at all yet, its time to get started. The books tell the story of what happens when a naval captain ends up partnered with a very special dragon whom he names Temeraire. And it is the latter who is the most important and most entertaining character in the books. Temeraire is a delightful creation, combining a polished and very proper behaviour (which makes him seem very British) with some rather startling revolutionary thoughts about the place of dragons in the world.
The House of Niccolo
There is simply no author who compares to Dunnett when it comes to bringing the late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance alive in her decades-spanning series. The House of Niccolo starts with the rise of the titular character, from humble dyer’s apprentice to influential master of a business empire that finds itself involved in greater politics of the world as the feudal past begin to gives way to mercantilism. Fans of political intrigue and complex interpersonal relationships will definitely enjoy this one.
Age of Bronze
Now that the third collection of Age of Bronze is finally out, Eric Shanower’s much-acclaimed retelling of the Trojan war gets to be part of the list again. Considered to be one of, if not the, best writer-artists in the business, his thorough research, his painstaking attention to detail, and his writing brings humanity and life to the world’s oldest surviving epic.