Book Recommendations
From 2003 until 2007, I posted monthly book recommendations to my journal and website, on
the theory that it was more useful to point people at the good stuff than to spend time
tearing down the bad stuff. Limiting myself (mostly) to fantasy, though, and often
recommending an entire series in one go -- not to mention the self-imposed requirement of
"only the good stuff" -- made that difficult to keep up, even with the 2005 addition of
"folklore recommendations" (more like "classic literature," now collated at the bottom of this
page). In 2008 I went to an irregular schedule, and then I stopped. These days, I post
capsule reactions to everything I read each month, which can be found under this tag on my
journal. But I figure these old posts are more useful in alphabetical order than
chronological, so I've reordered them for your convenience.
Alphabetical by author
- The Secrets of Jin-Shei, Alma Alexander
- War of the Gods, Poul Anderson
- The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle
- Blood and Iron, Elizabeth Bear
- The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, Galen Beckett
- War for the Oaks, Emma Bull
- Avalon High, Meg Cabot
- Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey
- Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
- The Dark Is Rising, Susan Cooper
- The Secret Country Trilogy, Pamela Dean
- Tam Lin, Pamela Dean
- The Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett
- The King of Elfland's Daughter, Lord Dunsany
- Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
- Stardust, Neil Gaiman
- Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
- Celestial Matters, Richard Garfinkle
- The Book of Ash Quartet, Mary Gentle
- The Difference Engine, William Gibson and Bruce
Sterling
- Mortal Love, Elizabeth Hand
- Goblin Quest, Jim C. Hines
- The Fox Woman, Kij Johnson
- Archer's Goon, Diana Wynne Jones
- Eight Days of Luke, Diana Wynne Jones
- Fire and Hemlock, Diana Wynne Jones
- The Homeward Bounders, Diana Wynne Jones
- Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
- The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones
- The Dark Tower Series, Stephen King
- The Fall of the Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia
Sherman
- Night Watch, Sergei Lukyanenko
- A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin
- In the Forests of Serre, Patricia McKillip
- The Outlaws of Sherwood, Robin McKinley
- Sunshine, Robin McKinley
- Lud-in-the-Mist, Hope Mirrlees
- A Companion to Wolves, Sarah Monette and Elizabeth
Bear
- The Continuing Time Series, Daniel Keys Moran
- The Silent Gondoliers, Simon Morgenstern (or maybe
William Goldman)
- The Princess Bride, Simon Morgenstern (or maybe William
Goldman)
- Silverlock, John Myers Myers
- His Majesty's Dragon, Naomi Novik
- The Darkangel Trilogy, Meredith Anne Pierce
- On Stranger Tides, Tim Powers
- Monstrous Regiment, Terry Pratchett
- His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
- Pavane, Keith Roberts
- The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell
- Sky Knife, Marella Sands
- Old Man's War, John Scalzi
- The Secret History of Moscow, Ekaterina Sedia
- Poison Study, Maria V. Snyder
- The Family Trade, Charles Stross
- The 13 Clocks, James Thurber
- Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
- To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis
- Dealing with Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede
- Sorcery and Cecelia, Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline
Stevermer