As seen across the blogosphere, we all enjoy various lists of 2013's favorite books. This year was a rough one in terms of my dad’s health and so I wasn't able to match my earlier reviewing output. Thankfully he’s well on the way to recovery from cancer and all of its vast complications. So to all those authors whose books I read and couldn't review (after saying I would do so), kindly accept my deepest apologies. All I can say is that I really did try to write the reviews but medical matters took precedence. Moving on here are my top picks among all the books which I did manage to read this year.



As has been the case with previous lists, almost all of the reviews are from this site and are done by Liviu, Casey, Cindy or me. I have linked a few reviews of books which I enjoyed but could not review over here for the aforementioned reasons. The main reasoning for choosing these titles are the varied milieu of the plots, excellence in prose, characterization and the overall enjoyment they provided. And so without further ado, here are my choices...





TOP TEN NOVELS OF 2013 :

1) The Grim Company by Luke Scull – After a lot of thinking, I came to the conclusion that this debut by Luke Scull was my top choice among all the debuts that I read in 2013. Partaking elements from the school of Grimdark and then giving them a twisted epic fantasy feel, The Grim Company is one heck of read featuring fascinating characters, SF elements and a complex magic system that begs to be explored. An absolute must have and must read, Luke Scull's debut will leave you hooked!



2) No Return by Zachary Jernigan – You got to hand it to Zachary Jernigan, he knows how to catch your attention. Featuring a very curious mix of science fiction and fantasy, Zack showcased an alien world with its myriad characters and races and customs. No Return is a stellar book that straddles fantasy and SF genres seamlessly and makes itself into a jewel faceting both fields.



3) The Thousand Names by Django Wexler – Django Wexler has written a fabulous story that along with Promise Of Blood have heralded a new type of fantasy; Flintlock Fantasy. With The Thousand Names, Django gives us a epic story viewed by two extremely likable protagonists and so I’m hooked for the future volumes of this series.



4) Generation V By M.L. Brennan – Generation V is a very frank and different take on Vampires that is obviously different from the crowded urban fantasy sub-genre. With some terrific touches of horror to the story, M. L. Brennan presents a tale of a vampire who doesn't want to be one. Extremely charming and with a rich world settings, this story was a vastly different urban fantasy that deserves special attention.



5) The Lives Of Tao by Wesley Chu – Wesley Chu was the hidden surprise from Angry Robot books, giving us a story that mixes comedic, UF, thriller and SF elements into a smooth cocktail. The Lives Of Tao would have been in my top two if not for the extremely exciting predecessors.



6) Promise Of Blood by Brian McClellan – Promise Of Blood along with The Thousand Names is going to be a future classic and easily showcased why Brian McClellan is rare talent who will only get better with time. Featuring a gorgeous cover and a complex narrative, this debut is another one that shouldn't be missed.



7) The Heresy Within by Rob J. Hayes – This indie debut is one that I wish had gotten more coverage, following in the footsteps of Joe Abercrombie, Rob J. Hayes gives us a lurid storyline focusing on three characters who are as grey as they come. Topping the story with a multivariate cast of psychotic and sociopathic characters, Hayes excels with deft characterization and makes the reader care for them. As far as I’m concerned this guy is another gem like Anthony Ryan and the sooner the publishing world & fantasy readers discover him, the better it would be for the fantasy genre.



8) The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch – This was an interesting debut which I couldn't review due to time and family constraints. The author gave us a unique world wherein promises and knots share an enigmatic bond and focusing the story on a young warrior, Amy McCulloch completely enthralled with this story set in a desert landscape. Highly looking forward to the sequel and the epic conclusion that is promised.



9) Six-Gun Tarot by R. S. Belcher – Six-Gun Tarot is an epic debut if you consider all of its ingredients. Author Rod Belcher really deserves all the credit for attempting such a complex storyline in his debut and nearly pulling it off in the end. The author has to be saluted for enmeshing plotlines and character arcs in a confusing and addictive mosaic that the writers of Lost often aspired to but ultimately failed.



10) The Red Knight by K. T. Davies – Okay this book originally was published in 2012 but I only read in 2013 and because of its narrative strength and deft characterization, I believe it’s a strong contender for this list. The author’s strength is her characterization and it shows in this debut vehicle in regards to her main protagonists. If you enjoy a good medieval fantasy story that is smoothly written, you shouldn't’t miss this one.





NEW AUTHORS TO LOOK OUT FOR -



Every year I’m on the lookout for newer authors who match my reading interests. This year was an exciting one especially in the epic fantasy genre. As I've discovered many authors and quite a few excellent books. So here are the authors whom I'm most excited to have discovered within the last year (in random order):



Luke Scull – This guy is quietly flying under the radar but for me he was the one whose debut wowed me entirely. Mixing high magic with solid characterization, his Grim Company series is a fabulous one for which I have very high expectations for the future volumes to come.



Rob J. Hayes – There’s something about the British, last year there was Anthony Ryan and this year there are Luke Scull and Rob Hayes. His books take grey-toned characters three steps further than Joe Abercrombie does and yet they retain their vitality. Highly addictive reads that showcase a gritty world, I’m shocked as to how he has not been noticed by the SFF world so far.



Victoria (V.E.) Schwab – While this lovely lady is no debutante, I was only recently introduced to her work and what an effort Vicious was. Simply put, her characterization skills would cause most others to swoon. I’ll be sure to start on her Archived series and I’m hoping many others do so as well.



Allen Zadoff – Another writer who is not a debutante but based on the amazing book he wrote, he’s fast becoming one to watch out for. If you haven’t read Boy Nobody yet then you are missing out on one of the best thrillers released this year & the kicker it’s a YA book that manages to enthrall an adult audience along with the young readers. Seriously give Boy Nobody a shot to see why Sarah (Bookworm Blues) and me are such raving fans of Allen Zadoff.



Zachary Jernigan – I was simply amazed at the epic scope of No Return, it was a story that simply mixed science fiction and fantasy elements and out came a story that was true to both. The world created within is a complex one but the author doesn't make it obtuse. This dude is seriously talented & I’m very interested to see where he takes his career next.



Kate Danley – I've read only The Woodcutter but that book utterly captivated me and now I count myself as a fan of her eclectic work. She has a previous urban fantasy series that I plan on reading but top most on my reading horizon is her newest book focusing on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and the most mercurial fairy of them all, Queen Mab! Give her work a try if you like read books that are hard to define genre wise and have stunning stories.



Lastly I would like to highlight an author for his amazing online presence; be it Goodreads, Reddit, Facebook or any other mediums. He’s been a shining example of how to be friendly and courteous without being overzealous IMHO and so a special shout-out goes out to Michael J. Sullivan for his online efforts and overall amiable nature in dealings with one and all. Kudos to you sir. After a lot of thinking, I came to the conclusion that this debut bywas my top choice among all the debuts that I read in 2013. Partaking elements from the school of Grimdark and then giving them a twisted epic fantasy feel,is one heck of read featuring fascinating characters, SF elements and a complex magic system that begs to be explored. An absolute must have and must read,'s debut will leave you hooked!You got to hand it to, he knows how to catch your attention. Featuring a very curious mix of science fiction and fantasy,showcased an alien world with its myriad characters and races and customs.is a stellar book that straddles fantasy and SF genres seamlessly and makes itself into a jewel faceting both fields.has written a fabulous story that along withhave heralded a new type of fantasy; Flintlock Fantasy. Withgives us a epic story viewed by two extremely likable protagonists and so I’m hooked for the future volumes of this series.is a very frank and different take on Vampires that is obviously different from the crowded urban fantasy sub-genre. With some terrific touches of horror to the story,presents a tale of a vampire who doesn't want to be one. Extremely charming and with a rich world settings, this story was a vastly different urban fantasy that deserves special attention.was the hidden surprise from Angry Robot books, giving us a story that mixes comedic, UF, thriller and SF elements into a smooth cocktail.would have been in my top two if not for the extremely exciting predecessors.along withis going to be a future classic and easily showcased whyis rare talent who will only get better with time. Featuring a gorgeous cover and a complex narrative, this debut is another one that shouldn't be missed.This indie debut is one that I wish had gotten more coverage, following in the footsteps ofgives us a lurid storyline focusing on three characters who are as grey as they come. Topping the story with a multivariate cast of psychotic and sociopathic characters,excels with deft characterization and makes the reader care for them. As far as I’m concerned this guy is another gem likeand the sooner the publishing world & fantasy readers discover him, the better it would be for the fantasy genre.This was an interesting debut which I couldn't review due to time and family constraints. The author gave us a unique world wherein promises and knots share an enigmatic bond and focusing the story on a young warrior,completely enthralled with this story set in a desert landscape. Highly looking forward to the sequel and the epic conclusion that is promised.is an epic debut if you consider all of its ingredients. Authorreally deserves all the credit for attempting such a complex storyline in his debut and nearly pulling it off in the end. The author has to be saluted for enmeshing plotlines and character arcs in a confusing and addictive mosaic that the writers of Lost often aspired to but ultimately failed.Okay this book originally was published in 2012 but I only read in 2013 and because of its narrative strength and deft characterization, I believe it’s a strong contender for this list. The author’s strength is her characterization and it shows in this debut vehicle in regards to her main protagonists. If you enjoy a good medieval fantasy story that is smoothly written, you shouldn't’t miss this one.Every year I’m on the lookout for newer authors who match my reading interests. This year was an exciting one especially in the epic fantasy genre. As I've discovered many authors and quite a few excellent books. So here are the authors whom I'm most excited to have discovered within the last year (in random order):This guy is quietly flying under the radar but for me he was the one whose debut wowed me entirely. Mixing high magic with solid characterization, hisis a fabulous one for which I have very high expectations for the future volumes to come.There’s something about the British, last year there was Anthony Ryan and this year there areand. His books take grey-toned characters three steps further thandoes and yet they retain their vitality. Highly addictive reads that showcase a gritty world, I’m shocked as to how he has not been noticed by the SFF world so far.While this lovely lady is no debutante, I was only recently introduced to her work and what an effortwas. Simply put, her characterization skills would cause most others to swoon. I’ll be sure to start on herand I’m hoping many others do so as well.Another writer who is not a debutante but based on the amazing book he wrote, he’s fast becoming one to watch out for. If you haven’t readyet then you are missing out on one of the best thrillers released this year & the kicker it’s a YA book that manages to enthrall an adult audience along with the young readers. Seriously givea shot to see whyand me are such raving fans ofI was simply amazed at the epic scope of, it was a story that simply mixed science fiction and fantasy elements and out came a story that was true to both. The world created within is a complex one but the author doesn't make it obtuse. This dude is seriously talented & I’m very interested to see where he takes his career next.I've read onlybut that book utterly captivated me and now I count myself as a fan of her eclectic work. She has a previous urban fantasy series that I plan on reading but top most on my reading horizon is her newest book focusing onand the most mercurial fairy of them all,! Give her work a try if you like read books that are hard to define genre wise and have stunning stories.Lastly I would like to highlight an author for his amazing online presence; be it Goodreads, Reddit, Facebook or any other mediums. He’s been a shining example of how to be friendly and courteous without being overzealous IMHO and so a special shout-out goes out tofor his online efforts and overall amiable nature in dealings with one and all. Kudos to you sir.