My 2015 Top Three

Jeffe and I have different processes for how to judge our favorites.

Why? Because I'm far too lazy for spreadsheets.

So here's how it works. if I REMEMBER a book I've read, it's going in the right direction.

If it sticks with me after I've finished it, definitely a plus.

My top three are:


1) Tim Lebbon's THE SILENCE

Dark, haunting, beautiful filled with extreme violence, and ultimately a story of hope. When creatures buried underground are accidentally released they spread and populate at an unholy rate, and the one thing these creatures have going for them is an insatiable appetite. In a matter of hours the world is panicked. In days governments collapse. This is one family's tale, told in first and third person to powerful effect. If THE SILENCE does not win a few awards this year than Lebbon is getting robbed.

2) Joe Abercrombie's HALF THE WORLD

Abercrombie got on my Radar with his THE FIRST LAW trilogy. I then read everything he'd written because to me his voice is fresh and his writing is crisp. He tells ugly stories beautifully.  The SHATTERED SEA trilogy is arguably young adult, but I think the level of sophistication in the telling of the tale is nearly machiavellian. HALF THE WORLD is the second book in the trilogy. All three are amazing, but the story of Thorn is the strongest for me.

3) Christopher Golden's DEAD RINGERS and Sarah Pinborough DEATH HOUSE (Yes, it's a tie.)

DEAD RINGERS is a ghost story. Only it isn't. It's also a mystery. And a powerful tale of several people and how they react when they meet people who are just like them.only some of them seem to be doing a better job of being them then they are.

So far Amazon has had 16 reviews from verified purchasers. So far the only review that wasn't a five star was a four star. Publisher's Weekly, The Washington Post, Starburst Magazine All have given extremely positive reviews, as evidenced below.

"Golden delves deep into the realm of psychological and supernatural horror for this nightmarish novel set in the streets and alleys of present-day Boston. The mystery unfolds over several days, with various well-developed characters taking turns narrating the creepy events. Deeply disturbing and studded with ghastly imagery, this beautifully written narrative will inspire shudders with every turn of the page."
--Publishers Weekly 

Sums it up pretty nicely, I think. 

THE DEATH HOUSE: What can I say? Pinborough has always been a talented writer. I've read her stuff since she started, but I think she's just blown my expectations out of the water and I may never look at one of her books the same way again. THE DEATH HOUSE is lyrical, moving, brilliant, tragic and utterly amazing. She just keeps getting better. 

There you have it. My three (Okay, four) picks for the best of 2015. As far as I am concerned every last one of those volumes is a five out of five. That's the sort of writing I aspire to.