So all the "best of 2012" book lists are coming out, and I've contributed to two of them: this one at Strange Horizons, and this one at Weird Fiction Review. Of course, I read everybody else's recs and my TBR list got even longer! It's so long now that I'm not even going to say "I will read these books in 2013," I'm just saying that they're on the list, and that if I keep hearing about them from people I admire they will eventually find their way to the top, and I will read them.
Lost Everything by Brian Francis Slattery seemed to really impress people, so that's on the list. Also this one:
... thought I'm a little bit worried because it's the third in a trilogy which started with Light, which would not go into my head. Then somebody mentioned this one, not as a best-of-2012 but in connection with something else, and it went on my list because a couple of friends have raved about it:
These are the books at the top of my list right now:
And these are the ones I'm reading:
8 comments:
Is The Bioregional Imagination any good? I've been dabbling in some ecocriticism recently.
I can't recommend the Octavian Nothing books highly enough. Truly some of the most remarkable, heart-rending fiction I've ever read.
I haven't read Empty Space (I have a copy but I think I want to reread the first two books first), but I found Light and Nova Swing stunning, so I have high expectations. I'm also very fond of Harrison's other books, particularly The Course of the Heart and Climbers.
Hey Niall! Yeah, it's pretty good. Includes essays on Le Guin, Frank Herbert, and (my main reason for picking it up) Ben Okri. I also like the way it pays attention to the margins of ecocriticism--urban living, nomadic societies, migration, people who can't "go back to the land" or don't want to. Recommended.
See, I'm sure you'll love Empty Space! I love pretty much every Harrison short story I've read, but struggle with the novels for some reason. Time to give it another try.
I thought Lost Everything was brilliant, though it was also bleak enough at times that I think I still prefer Liberation.
I really need to get myself a U.K. copy of Empty Space, since I think I'm feeling a bit dubious about the U.S. version appearing.
Uh-oh. Good point about the Harrison. I see there's a Kindle version for ₤6.99...
You could also try Book Depository if you'd prefer a hardcopy, as they appear to have both the trade and hardcover versions of the Gollancz edition.
http://www.bookdepository.com/Empty-Space-John-Harrison/9780575096318
Thanks!
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