Book Recommendations
Any time somebody asks me to recommend a book to them, I generally just point them at this page. Here you can find several years of accumulated recommendations, mostly of fantasy, of less-well-established authors when I can manage it. Also, in 2005 I started a thrice-yearly "folklore recommendation," which is to say, a primary source that I think might be of interest to writers of fantasy. Note: as of Feb. 2007, I've started making the cover images referral links to Amazon, so if you like how the book sounds, it's easy to buy! I'll go back and retrofit the rest when I have time.
- 2003
- January: The Book of Ash Quartet, Mary Gentle
- February: Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey
- March: The Black Jewels Trilogy, Anne Bishop
- April: Tam Lin, Pamela Dean
- May: The Darkangel Trilogy, Meredith Anne Pierce
- June: The King of Elfland's Daughter, Lord Dunsany
- July: Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
- August: On Stranger Tides, Tim Powers
- September: Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
- October: The Fox Woman, Kij Johnson
- November: The Dark Tower Series, Stephen King
- December: Sunshine, Robin McKinley
- 2004
- January: The Silent Gondoliers, Simon Morgenstern (or maybe William Goldman)
- February: The Princess Bride, Simon Morgenstern (or maybe William Goldman)
- March: A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin
- April: Sky Knife, Marella Sands
- May: His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
- June: The Fall of the Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman
- July: The Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett
- August: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
- September: War for the Oaks, Emma Bull
- October: Sorcery and Cecelia, Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
- November: Fire and Hemlock, Diana Wynne Jones
- December: The 13 Clocks, James Thurber
- 2005
- January: Mortal Love, Elizabeth Hand
- February: The Continuing Time Series, Daniel Keys Moran
- March: In the Forests of Serre, Patricia McKillip
- April: Folklore recommendation - Beowulf
- May: The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle
- June: The Secrets of Jin-Shei, Alma Alexander
- July: War of the Gods, Poul Anderson
- August: Folklore recommendation - The Canterbury Tales
- September: Lud-in-the-Mist, Hope Mirrlees
- October: The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones
- November: The Secret Country Trilogy, Pamela Dean
- December: Folklore recommendation: the Old Testament
- 2006
- January: Dealing with Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
- February: The Outlaws of Sherwood, Robin McKinley
- March: Stardust, Neil Gaiman
- April: Folklore recommendation: the Iliad
- May: Silverlock, John Myers Myers
- June: His Majesty's Dragon, Naomi Novik
- July: The Family Trade, Charles Stross
- August: Folklore recommendation: the Odyssey
- September: Pavane, Keith Roberts
- October: Night Watch, Sergei Lukyanenko
- November: Eight Days of Luke, Diana Wynne Jones
- December: Folklore recommendation: the Aeneid
- 2007
- January: Blood and Iron, Elizabeth Bear
- February: Celestial Matters, Richard Garfinkle
- March: Monstrous Regiment, Terry Pratchett
- April: Folklore recommendation: the Poetic Edda
- May: Poison Study, Maria V. Snyder
- June: Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
- July: The Dark Is Rising, Susan Cooper
- August: Folklore recommendation: the Prose Edda
- September: Avalon High, Meg Cabot
- October: The Difference Engine, William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
- November: The Homeward Bounders, Diana Wynne Jones
- December: Volsunga saga et al.