Best of 2014

It’s that time of year when, as we have done for the last decade or so, we have dragged ourselves from the revelries here at SFFWorld to try and put some sort of order to our favourite (and not so favourite!) stuff from 2014.

The second part, on Science Fiction books is HERE and the third part on Genre Film & TV is HERE.

And so, in the finest traditions of trying to reduce our lists to five in each category, here’s the first part of our attempt to show what we liked (or didn’t) this year. Taking part are Rob Bedford (Rob), Mark Chitty (MarkC), Nila (N.E.) White (Nila) and Mark Yon (MarkY).

Part 1: Fantasy / Horror

In no order, Mark Y’s top 5 (Yes: I can’t count!) Fantasy/Horror books for 2014:

The Incorruptibles – John Hornor Jacobs

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

The Three by Sarah Lotz

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie

Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan

Station Eleven by Emily St. James Mandel

Rob’s top 5 Fantasy books for 2014:

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

Fools Assassin by Robin Hobb

The Shadow Throne by Django Wexler

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley

Breach Zone by Myke Cole

Nila’s Best Fantasy books for 2014:

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb

The Emperor’s Edge series by Lindsay Buroker

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Tracks by K. M. Tolan

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch (a 2013 release)

Mark C’s best Fantasy books for 2014:

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

Revival by Stephen King

Breach Zone by Myke Cole

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

Fantasy/Horror Books in Detail

The Incorruptibles – John Hornor Jacobs

MarkY says: This one is relatively short, yet striking. A nice mix of baroque Western, Romanesque gladiator novel and occult buddy-story, with characters that were unusual enough to be memorable. Dark, but (according to the author) not grimdark. This one’s stayed in the memory since the summer: not easy to do.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

MarkY says: Another one that’s short, yet very memorable, emphasised by its sheer oddness. What stands out most is the sublime quality of the prose, something that has been honed here to something quite unique. Weirdly endearing, even if it is a tale where nothing much happens.

MarkC says: Much as MarkY said, this one was rather odd, but beautifully written and a joy to read. I like Patrick Rothfuss’ novels anyway and this, while one strictly for fans, highlights just why he’s held in such high regard.

The Three by Sarah Lotz

MarkY says: My favourite horror of the year. Some nice twists and turns here and there, which gave a definite chill. I liked the quite different voices from the characters throughout – though admittedly there are places that verge on stereotypical cliché. Kept me guessing, on the whole.

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie

MarkY says: “Less is more”, I said when I reviewed this one. A book with the Abercrombie tone but without bloat or meandering side-plots. Still cleverly immersive, and a killer cliff-hanger ending.

Nila says: Half A King was very enjoyable for me too. This was the first Abercrombie book I’ve read and I thought it a great introduction to his work. His style of writing is clear and engaging, while giving us story and plot worthy of our attention. I thought it especially astute to feature a less-than-perfect protagonist.

Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan.

MarkY says: An eagerly anticipated return to the world of the Unified Realms, which read just as easily as the first. Solidly entertaining, traditional Epic Fantasy, with few frills, but plenty of thrills. I can’t say it was too surprising overall, but it is probably my favourite Epic Fantasy of the year, which delivered what was expected.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

MarkY says: A stunning novel, about a global killer-flu pandemic and the consequences afterwards. Told around the lives of the members of The Travelling Symphony, a peripatetic group (to me rather like the circus troupe in Silverberg’s Valentine’s Castle) the book is astonishing in its matter-of-fact exposition of life-changing events. It made me realise just what we would lose and also what was important in life, should such horrible events occur. Despite its grim matter, there’s humour and optimism there too. This one just made it into my list, being the last book of the year I expect to read for review, but once picked up, un-put-downable. Hence my sixth choice (out of five) this year.

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

Rob says: Every five or ten years, a novel will come along in the fantasy genre that remixes what came before in a powerful resonant fashion so as to seem newly sprung into the world (Books like A Game of Thrones, Perdido Street Station, The Blade Itself); watershed novels that evoke a perfect symmetry of resonance and freshness. In such novels, the writer works familiar elements together with previously unused elements and crafts an original vision unseen or unread before. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett is one such novel; it was an immensely enjoyable and powerful novel that will stay with me for a very long while.

MarkY says: I have bought a copy on the strength of Rob’s review: just haven’t had chance to get to it. I have only just caught up on American Elsewhere this year, which didn’t get a UK release.

MarkC says: Much like Rob, I too enjoyed this, though perhaps not to the same level. The worldbuilding was intricate, the characters interesting, and the story deep and involved. It appealed to me very much, even though I’m not a big fantasy reader/fan, so I can fully appreciate Rob’s expert view on it!

Fools Assassin by Robin Hobb

Rob says: I come to this novel as a very big fan of the previous novels featuring FitzChivalry Farseer so reading Hobb’s prose/Fitz’s voice was most welcome. It was akin to chatting with a friend I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed over the years….

What this novel turns out to be is multifaceted. On one hand, we’ve got a man in Fitzchivalry / Tom Badgerlock looking to finally have a more relaxed life after such a troublesome, harrowing life. There’s also the element of father and child relationship, and perhaps a child of special needs. Furthermore, longing for a past friend takes up much of the emotional weight of the novel.

Nila says: I can’t put into words how much I loved being back in Fitz’s head and then with Bee! Ms. Hobb will continue to break all our hearts with Bee. For me, this book is everything I want to see in a fantasy, or any novel. Ms. Hobb immerses the reader in a story world that is nothing but enchanting, dangerous, and unexpected.

MarkY says: I did enjoy Robin’s novella The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince this year, although that’s the closest I got to this one. Fool’s Assassin I’ve saved for a rainy day…

The Shadow Throne by Django Wexler

Rob says: One of the things that Wexler does so well in both of these novels is to really lay down a level playing field for gender and sexuality. The groundwork was laid in The Thousand Names with Winter’s character and again, the theme continues when she is reunited with her friend / companion / lover Jane, whom she last saw in the women’s prison from which she escaped prior to the beginning of The Thousand Names. What I found most effective in this point is how matter-of-factly Janus works with Winter and Jane to bring their female-only battalion into the military fold. In fact, Winter is the one who made the biggest deal out of it and was surprised at how amenable (and frankly figured into his plans) Janus was to Winter’s plan. Janus places the same rules and restrictions as he would on any military unit, but adds the caveat that the men alongside whom they serve may not be as friendly.

MarkY says: I caught up with The Thousand Names this year, and liked it a lot. I am looking forward to this one, when I get to it.

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley

Rob says: Hurley is one of the most brutally honest writers spinning words in the genre today whom I’ve read; nothing is safe in her fiction (or her non-fiction for that matter). The world is uncompromising to a degree surpassed only by some of the more steadfast characters in the novel (Zezili, I am pointing my finger at you, and don’t think I’ve forgotten how much you are sticking to your guns with your promise to your mother Lilia). The world building here is nothing short of imaginative and eye-opening. In addition to the recast genders, Hurley leaves no leaf unturned. Well, rather, some leaves are best left unturned in this world because they’ll eat you, the plant life gets hungry. Some leaves and plant life are fashioned into swords and other weapons; bears are used as draft and mount animals, dogs are used as mounts, too.

MarkY says: There was a buzz around this one at WorldCon this year. I suspect that this won’t be the last we’ve seen of this novel, although for me it was another one that was trying too hard. Not for me, I’m afraid!

Breach Zone by Myke Cole

Rob says: Breach Zone works on many levels; one of which is overriding themes of character evolution in the face of conflict and a globally changing environment. Each of the four primary characters – Britton, Bookbinder, Scylla, and Harlequin are not the same characters they were at the novel’s beginning and more drastically, at their introduction in Control Point. That’s an easy line to map out, characters change, but the true mark of the writer’s skill is illustrating in a believable fashion how characters change and evolve. On both the book level of Breach Zone and the trilogy level of the Shadow OPS series, Cole has exhibited great skill in making me believe in these characters: their motivations, their reactions to events that affect them, and their ultimate evolution because of these things.

MarkC says: I don’t think I can add much to what Rob says about this book, and the Shadow Ops series as a whole. It’s a great Military Fantasy read that I thought got better with each novel, and I fully recommend these books. Myke Cole is an author to keep an eye on, that’s for sure.

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

Nila says: Ben’s fourth book in his Peter Grant series was another fine urban-fantasy read this year. Though it was published in 2013, I just got to it in 2014. Lucky for me, Foxglove Summer, fifth in the series was released in 2014, and I look forward to reading it in 2015. A year late, but better late than never! The series is staying true to its core interests: magical mayhem within a police procedural with a lot of local London flavor thrown in. I don’t get into very many urban fantasy series because the stories just don’t stick with me, for some reason. But with this series, it is so unique and well written and fun to read, I predict I’ll come back for more.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Nila says: Though I have read some of Mark’s short stories, I am afraid I have not read his debut series featuring the caustic character of Jorg. While that first series did not appeal to me, the first of the Red Queen’s War series, Prince of Fools did. There’s a lot of action, some great humor, and an unexpected friendship. A good read for any fantasy reader looking for a likable rogue.

Tracks by K. M. Tolan.

Nila says: From the small presses, a stand out novel for me. This is an Americana Fantasy that takes depression-era hobo mythology and turns it into something dangerous, suspenseful, and cathartic. It’s a personal story of one man facing his demons and family. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

The Emperor’s Edge series by Lindsay Buroker (2011 – 2014)

Nila says: This self-published series was whacky fun. It encompasses eight and a half books (published from 2011 to 2014), chronicling the insane antics and adventures of a female enforcer turned criminal and her posse of misfits. Think one part MacGyver, one part The A-Team, and plenty of The Three Musketeers in a fantasy setting somewhat reminiscent of the Roman Empire. The author is a former member of the U. S. Army and it shows. Expect a lot of push-ups. And explosions. Along with a lot of wackiness. I don’t think the series is for everyone, but it is a lot of fun if you just go along for the ride, and you might even find yourself caring for each of the lovable rogues Ms. Buroker has created.

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

MarkC says: The Dresden Files have quickly become one of my favourite series out there, and Skin Game met just about every expectation I had. My not-quite-a-review really says it all, and this tied as my top read of the year.

Revival by Stephen King

MarkC says: I felt that Revival was one of those novels that just pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. Jamie, our main protagonist, is a character we follow from a young age, and one that enables the story to have a deeper effect because of how real he feels. The subject – electricity and its power – is fascinating, and in the end King delivers what only he can: a novel that gives you chills up and down your spine, and one that isn’t easily forgotten.

As you can see, some of us had difficulties reducing the list to just five. Here’s some that very nearly made it:

MarkY’s Honorary Mentions: Django Wexler’s The Thousand Names (caught up with this one), and Lev Grossman’s The Magicians (ditto). Also Retribution by Mark Charan Newton, whose deceptively easy prose made this one read like a charm. A Fantasy novel by-the-back-door, perhaps for those who say they don’t normally read it.

Rob’s Honorary Mentions: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson, Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick.

And now to the ones we were less keen on, or just didn’t get to.

MarkY didn’t get to: Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb, Django Wexler’s The Shadow Throne, The Widow’s House by Daniel Abraham, Brian McLellan’s The Crimson Campaign, The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett. And yeah, no Urban Fantasy, not even Dresden.

MarkY didn’t like: Son of the Morning by Mark Alder, though I think it was more me than the book. It is a huge, complex tale and at the time of reading I wasn’t at my best. I suspect if I try it again at some point I will like it. However, The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes still reads as Young Adult to me – not always a bad thing, at all, but in this case it frustrates me in that there’s a good book in there somewhere that doesn’t seem to reach me. Perhaps File under ‘Not for me’, along with Brent Weeks and some Brandon Sanderson. (So: what do I know?)

Rob didn’t like The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Seems every year there’s one book that sweeps many genre readers off their feet only to leave me confused as to why. This was the one in 2014 to fit that bill for me.

MarkY says: Despite Rob’s comments (and we don’t disagree very often) I still want to give this one a go. I have ordered a copy for the New Year, so I guess I’ll see whether I like or dislike then.

MarkC didn’t like: The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance) – what started off very interesting with Annihilation just went downhill. There was no feeling of resolution by the end either, which I felt was a shame.

And that’s it for Part 1.

Next up: Science Fiction books.

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