Upravo citam #2 (™Oto)

[Melkor]

Ubrzo posle toga (apartmani su imali ravan krov sa tusevima, lezaljkama i ostalom pratecom opremom, idealno mesto za citanje )

Tim Pratt - Little Gods



Pratova prva kolekcija. Preporucujem - koga zanimaju uglavnom fantasy price - i sledecu Hart and Boot and Other Stories, kao i jedini roman: The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl, koje sam vec citao. Prat mi se toliko dopada da se nosim mislju da procitam (probam) i serijal paranolmalnog urbanog ili stavec fantasy-ja koje pise pod pseudonimom T.A. Pratt.

[Melkor]

Michael Chabon - Gentlemen of the Road



Kao sto rekoh posveceno Murkoku, jos malo pa pastis. Nista specijalno, imao sam taj retro nostalgicni feeling citanja Plave ptice. Covek bi rekao da ce se roman koji je prvobitno nazvan Jews with Swords malo vise baviti verom i politikom ali se ipak mnogo vise bavi Swords tematikom. Klasican avanturisticki roman, ali obzirom da ih bas i nema puno, dobro dodje ponekad.

[Melkor]

Tim Powers - Powers of Two



Ona dvojka se odnosi na 2 prva Powersova romana The Skies Discrowned i An Epitaph in Rust skupljena u ovom izdanju. Pisani su u vreme kada je jedini nacin da bi bio objavljen bio da napise SF (zamislite to vreme) i Powers je svoju imaginaciju na silu pokusao da utera u taj kolosek. Romani, sem par bisera i brilijantnih ideja, nisu narocito dobri (sto ne znaci da mi se negde nisu i svideli) i preporucio bih samo ljubiteljima/obozavaocima lika i dela Tima Powersa - kao sto sam ja, na primer 

[Melkor]

pokusavam da finisiram listu do kraja godine, ako se iko pita sta radim

Hal Duncan - Escape from Hell!



I Duncan mi je bio odlican. Nisam se jos uhvatio romana Vellum i Ink koji su ga proslavili pa rekoh da probam sa ovim kratkim romanom. I nisam se prevario, pravo letnje citanje, dovoljno dobro napisano da ne bi bilo adolescentsko, s obzirom da zaplet koji je ocigledan, jelte. Placeni ubica, kurva, beskucnik samoubica i homoseksualac su primorani da udruze snage ne bi li pobegli iz pakla i iz Pakla.pakao je inace metropola poput NYC sve sa reality programima koji sluze za ubijanje volje mucenicima (mucenjacima?), bas slatko.  

[Melkor]

Kelly Link - Magic for Beginners



Ako je ista sto sam procitao ove godine blizu idealu Literature onda bi to bila ova, druga po redu, zbirka Keli Link. Izuzetno mi je zao sto moram ovako da protrcim kroz nju, sto nemam vremena/volje/zivaca da napisem nesto opsirnije (pismenije), posto Keli Link to zasluzuje. Takodje necu navesti price redom sa po recenicom posle, mislim da bih im time ucinio losu uslugu.

Keli Link (i njen Small Beer Press) nazivaju perjanicom slipstream-a, knjizevnosti koja vec neko vreme izbegava definicije sem onih najgrubljih. Mislim da bi Magic for Beginners mogla da posluzi kao, opsirna, definicija. Ove price nisu fantasy, horor i Sf. O istom trosku nije da nisu fantasy, horor i Sf, sto rece Audrey Niffenegger. Koliko im pripadaju toliko ih i spolja i iznutra, preispituju i polemisu sa njima. I ne daju odgovore. Traze koncentraciju i posvecenost i za vreme i posle citanja. Uznemirujuce, o da, uznemirujuce su vise nego dovoljno da bi mi poremetile san (retko nailazim na stvari posle kojih ne mogu da zaspim).

Da ne preteram, nisu bas sve price na tom nivou, ali velika vecina jeste. Magic for Beginners je, u celini jedna od najboljih kolekcija prica poslednje decenije.

[Nightflier]

Cela trilogija je dobra.

[Melkor]

Pretpostavljam da mislis na Buckella. Video sam da se prica nastavlja ali veliki plus mu je sto se, bar, Crystal Rain cita i kao standalone roman.

[Nightflier]

Da, na njega. Hajde otvori "Upravo čitam 2010.", da ti ne ulećem u teren. Hteo sam ja, pošto sam već pročitao ARC nekih sledećegodišnjih naslova, ali ne bih da se guramo...

[Melkor]

Nema uletanja u teren, ako si vec procitao nesto sto pripada 2010 slobodno pisi (iako topik nije vezan za kalendarsko pojavljivanje knjiga vez za vreme naseg citanja  ). Strasno sam usporio poslednja 2-3 meseca, ne postize se. Uostalom, vidis i sam da sam protiv blogova (bez uvrede za sve blogere) i zapisavanja forumske teritorije (bez uvrede za bilo koga ko mozda pomisli da sam njega prozvao). I smrki je otvorio one topike posto smo jos pre 2 nedelje pricali kako bi trebalo da neke teme, tipa upravo citam, nove knjige i, odvojeno, nove knjige u prevodu, dobiju opstiji karakter ne bi li, MOZDA, vise ljudi ucestvovalo i da bi se izbegao utisak da su odredjeni topici zapravo neciji teren.

[Melkor]

Haruki Murakami - Kafka on the Shore



Mislim da nije trebalo da citam Murakamija odmah posle Keli Link. Iako me je roman super vozio kraj me je ostavio poprilicno u magli i celokupan utisak, uz pomoc ova dva faktora, bio mi je nesto slabiji. Sto je bila steta posto je ovo prvi Murakamijem roman koji citam (citao sam price i prelistavao ...running..). Ali evo, proslo je vise od pola godine i sto se sve vise, u mislima, vracam na ovaj roman sve mi je bolji i imam utisak da je ovo jedan od onih romana koji funkcionise na bar 2 citanja. Steta i sto trenutno nemam volje da se icemu vracam, ali kada bih ostao bez novih knjiga (pu, pu) Kafka bio bio prvi izbor za citanje.

[Melkor]

John Scalzi - Old Man's War, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony



Tresla se gora, rodio se mis najbolje bi opisala slucaj Scalzi sudeci po ovom opitnom uzorku. Silna se graja digla po internetu o mladoj nadi, buducnosti SF-a, ova tri romana behu nominovana za Huga, sto samo dokazuje da besramna samopromocija i masivno prisustvo na netu (ring a bell?), uz malo kvaliteta neminovno zanju uspeh. Covek je cak napisao knjigu o pisanju - originalnog naziva Scalzi on Writing - godinu dana posto mu je objavljen prvi roman. Ali i nakon vise godina od kako mu je blog jedan od najposecenijih, ako ne i najposeceniji, na vascelom world wide web-u.

No, nemojte me pogresno shvatiti, rekoh da je potrebno i malo kvaliteta, a Scalzi ga ima. U pitanju je ratni SF uz malo politike, diplomatije i nadmudrivanja, zabavan i pitak. Nisam 100% siguran da li cu ga ponovo citati, ali ako budem bice to u nekom kaficu na plazi.

[Nightflier]

Nema uletanja u teren, ako si vec procitao nesto sto pripada 2010 slobodno pisi (iako topik nije vezan za kalendarsko pojavljivanje knjiga vez za vreme naseg citanja  ). Strasno sam usporio poslednja 2-3 meseca, ne postize se. Uostalom, vidis i sam da sam protiv blogova (bez uvrede za sve blogere) i zapisavanja forumske teritorije (bez uvrede za bilo koga ko mozda pomisli da sam njega prozvao). I smrki je otvorio one topike posto smo jos pre 2 nedelje pricali kako bi trebalo da neke teme, tipa upravo citam, nove knjige i, odvojeno, nove knjige u prevodu, dobiju opstiji karakter ne bi li, MOZDA, vise ljudi ucestvovalo i da bi se izbegao utisak da su odredjeni topici zapravo neciji teren.

Mislim da je mrka kapa da će se više ljudi javljati. Ako ih nije bilo za dve godine, neće ni u ubuduće. A zar nismo skoro nešto pričali da teme "Upravo čitam" postanu baš kalendarske, kako bi moglo da se vidi šta se dešava iz godine u godinu i šta se čita (bar kada je reč o nama dvojici)? Mišljenja sam da više tema neće dovesti i do više diskusije, pa ni do kvalitetnije diskusije. A posetiocima koji bi samo da se informišu otežaće pretraživanje foruma. Razuđivanje će dovesti do rasplinjavanja. I do sada ste ti i Perin učestvovali u najavljivanju novih knjiga na temi koju sam ja otvorio, pa i drugi članovi kad stignu... Čitajući ovo što sam napisao, dobijam utisak da nešto branim svoju temu i podforum, što mi nikako nije namera. Valjda sam sišao s uma od posla, pa ne mogu da najbolje ubobličim misli.

Dakle, zanima me da li se ostalo pri zamisli da se ova tema zaključa kada otkuca poslednji čas 2009. i da se otvori nova? Ako nije, nema potrebe otvarati slične teme, da se ne bi pravila gužva. Ako jeste, onda je treba stikovati ili svstati u neki podforum, da je ne bi zatrpale novije teme.

[Melkor]

Nego, zasli smo u decembar i pripremam se da oko 15 januara zakljucam ovaj i otvorim novi topik (imam neki trip da ce preglednost biti bolja). Cim prodje ova nedelja krecem sa godisnjom listom i rekapitulacijom a bilo bi lepo da se sem mene i nightfilera jos poneko javi. Eto, a sad odo da bulaznim dalje od neispavanosti 

Ne bas 01.01. zelim da dam sebi sansu da zavrsim rekapitulaciju sa kojom sam kasno krenuo  , ali da, tu negde. A od cetvrtka, ili kad god, krece i novi topik za stvari koje citamo u 2010.

[Melkor]

A tek sam u avgustu (ali nema jos puno, kao sto rekoh bas sam usporio)

R. Scott Bakker - The Darkness that Comes Before, The Warrior-Prophet, The Thousandfold Thought (The Prince of Nothing trilogija)



Jako zanimljiv slucaj u kome je prva knjiga (i pisca i trilogije) bolja od ostalih. Naravno, cinjenica da je pisana 15-20 godina verovatno ima neke veze sa tim, a sledeca dva romana su prosto zbrzana u par godina 

Sta je posledica? Dobili smo izvanredan worldbuilding (u poslednje vreme kontoverzan termin), sjajno osmisljen, detaljisan i verovatan. Dobili smo promisljene likove, najvise pratimo (o izuzetku iz svega ovoga cu kasnije) sredovecnog maga i sredovecnu kurvu (i jos neke sredovecne ljude, sto jeste osvezenje)i njihovo batrganje kroz vihor dogadjaja koji obuzimaju njima poznat svet. I dobili smo Kelhusa.

Najbitnija pojava u knjigama, titularni Princ nicega je sam po sebi neka vrsta 'novuma' koji pokrece radnju. I taj 'novum' je genijalno zamisljen od strane pisca, dozvoljavajuci mu da, prakticno, sa ovim likom i uz njegovu pomoc, radi sta hoce. I tu lezi i najveca mana, ponekad je potreban preveliki leap of faith da bi se poverovalo u Kelhusove mogucnosti manipulacije kao i posledice iste, a bez toga nema ni daljeg zapleta, maltene sve je podredjeno tim mogucnostima. I kao sto Kelhus uspesno "prodaje maglu", stice se utisak da i Bakker upravo to radi citaocima.

Pogotovo u drugoj knjizi, radnja tece ali se likovi krecu kao u stop-motionu, cekajuci Kelhusa (Bakkera) da im nadje odgovarajucu motivaciju sto cesto zataji. Dok u prvoj knjizi sami likovi diktiraju zaplet, u drugoj se stice utisak da se na silu ubacaju u kalup price koju je Bakker osmislio. Takodje, druga knjiga ima i dosta praznog hoda. Treca knjiga je bolja u oba aspekta i posle pada izvlaci celu trilogiju.

Ali, Bakker je i solidan pisac, sa dobrom recenicom i odlicnim opisima, likovi jesu odlicno izgradjeni i postavljeni na scenu i, dodjavola, zanimljivo je. I bio bi odlican da nema one "prodaje magle". Abercombie mi je bolji, kad se podvuce crta, samo zbog toga iako je Prince of Nothing bolje napisan.

Prosto je steta sto se ovo nije pojavilo u vreme kada je pisana prva knjiga, makar bila i slabija jer bi u vremenu pre SOIAF ostvarilo mnogo veci splash. Ovako je jos jedan, post GRRM, gritty fantasy, koji doduse stoji u samom vrhu tog, uslovno ga nazovimo za potrebe ovog teksta, podzanra. I da, citacu jos Bakkera.

@Perin Eto Voleo bih da cujem zasto je tebi najbolji, pogotovo sto si procitao vise fantasy-ja od mene ove godine (mislim)

[Melkor]

A onda jenda od boljih knjiga ove godine i moguce otkrice novog omiljenog pisca

Catherynne M. Valente - Palimpsest



Zanima li vas kako izgleda postmoderni fantasy? Na pravom ste mestu. Zakk je vec bio odusevljen romanom sredinom godine pa je tamo malo i spojlovao (tj napisao je osnovnu premisu knjige). Jedina zamerka diljem interneta bila je da je previse posvecena dekonstrukciji zanra, ali ja nisam stekao taj utisak. Superioran stil. Koga ne zanimaju zahvati na urbanoj fantastici moze da cita i prilicno straight kao urbanu fantastiku, ali mora biti spreman na neke prilicno neuobicajene stvari. Disclaimer: nije za konzervativne ljubitelje zanra i homofobe.

[angel011]

Konačno pročitala "Okorelu zemlju čuda i Kraj sveta" Murakamija, zanimljiva knjiga, ali mi nije legla nešto posebno. Smorilo me je to što nam glavni lik saopšti maltene svaku svoju misao ili asocijaciju, i tako na 400 strana. Mislim, opravdano je što je tako urađeno, s obzirom na ono što se dešava takav postupak je savršeno logičan, ali nisam bila raspoložena za to.

Pročitala i "Mrtva si, veštice!" Kim Harison. Laka literatura, zabavna fantastika koja mi je, za razliku od Bučera, stvarno bila zabavna. Jeste kliše, ali ima nekih zezancija koje vas nasmeju. Dobra knjiga za plažu ili za momente kad vam mozak ne funkcioniše najbolje.

[Nightflier]

Konačno pročitala "Okorelu zemlju čuda i Kraj sveta" Murakamija, zanimljiva knjiga, ali mi nije legla nešto posebno. Smorilo me je to što nam glavni lik saopšti maltene svaku svoju misao ili asocijaciju, i tako na 400 strana. Mislim, opravdano je što je tako urađeno, s obzirom na ono što se dešava takav postupak je savršeno logičan, ali nisam bila raspoložena za to.

Pročitala i "Mrtva si, veštice!" Kim Harison. Laka literatura, zabavna fantastika koja mi je, za razliku od Bučera, stvarno bila zabavna. Jeste kliše, ali ima nekih zezancija koje vas nasmeju. Dobra knjiga za plažu ili za momente kad vam mozak ne funkcioniše najbolje.

Moja velika zamerka upućena je prevodu naslova. Potpuno je zanemarena namera autorke i baš je izvršeno prevdilačko nasilje u tom pogledu.

[Melkor]

Alastair Reynolds - Zima Blue and Other Stories



Izdanje iz 2006. Night Shade Books dopunili su Raynolds i Gollanz ove godine da bi dobili jednu od relevantnijih kolekcija (u kombinaciji sa Galactic North istog autora) teske naucne fantastike. Dok je GN, uslovno receno, tematski posto se sve price odnose na Raynoldsov Revelation Space, Zima Blue je raznovrsnija i sadrzi price razlicitog karaktera. Raynolds je, mozete misliti, astrofizicar i jedan je od isturenijih clanova britanske nove space opere i, uglavnom, pise romane. Ovo malo prica sto je objavio nisu bile dostupne siroj javnosti posto su izlazile u Interzone-u i nekim drugim, opskurnijim engleskim magazinima. Raynolds je pisac koga svakako treba pratiti ako vam ta vrsta fantastike lezi pri srcu.

[Tripp]

Stiven Kingovih top-10 knjiga za 2009:

10. ROUGH COUNTRY, by John Sandford
King's thoughts: "This tale is rich, satisfying, and frequently hilarious."
About the Book: "Rich with the brilliant plotting and compulsively readable prose that are his hallmarks, Rough Country is another immensely satisfying tale by one of our very best suspense writers."

9. RAVENS, by George Dawes Green
King's thoughts: "When Green isn't making you laugh, he's making you bite your nails down to the bleeding point."
About the Book: "The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the Georgia State lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives."

8. GONE TOMORROW, by Lee Child
King's thoughts: "Child's writing is lean and wiry."
About the Book: "New York City. Two in the morning. A subway car heading uptown. Jack Reacher, plus five other passengers. Four are okay. The fifth isn't. In the next few tense seconds Reacher will make a choice--and trigger an electrifying chain of events in this gritty, gripping masterwork of suspense by #1 New York Times bestseller Lee Child."

7. DROOD, by Dan Simmons
King's thoughts: "This is a beautifully realized historical novel, but it's also a modern tale that chronicles the descent of a great mind into dope-fueled madness."
About the Book: "On June 9, 1865, while traveling by train to London with his secret mistress, 53-year-old Charles Dickens--at the height of his powers and popularity, the most famous and successful novelist in the world and perhaps in the history of the world--hurtled into a disaster that changed his life forever. "

6. SHATTER, by Michael Robotham                             
King's thoughts: "The most suspenseful book I read all year."
About the Book: "In Michael Robotham's latest thriller, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin tries to prevent a suicide and finds himself locked in a deadly duel with a very clever killer. With pitch-perfect dialogue, believable characters, and intriguingly unpredictable plot twists, Shatter is guaranteed to keep even the most avid thriller readers riveted long into the night."

5. 2666, by Roberto Bolano
King's thoughts: "This surreal novel can't be described; it has to be experienced in all its crazed glory."
About the Book: "Three academics on the trail of a reclusive German author; a New York reporter on his first Mexican assignment; a widowed philosopher; a police detective in love with an elusive older woman--these are among the searchers drawn to the border city of Santa Teresa, where over the course of a decade hundreds of women have disappeared."

4. MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN, by Salman Rushdie                                           
King's thoughts: "This epic social comedy follows one of them through a lifetime of adventures worthy of Dickens."
About the Book: "Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India's independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence."

3. HOLLYWOOD MOON, by Joseph Wambaugh                                           
King's thoughts: "The best of Wambaugh's Hollywood Station novels."
About the Book: "Wambaugh once again masterfully gets inside the hearts and minds of the cops whose jobs have them constantly on the brink of danger. By turns heart-wrenching, exhilarating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Hollywood Moon is his most thrilling and deeply affecting ride yet through the singular streets of LA."

2. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, by Richard Yates
King's thoughts: "Skip the DVD; read the book."
About the Book: "In the hopeful 1950s, Frank and April Wheeler appear to be a model couple: bright, beautiful, talented, with two young children and a starter home in the suburbs... they have always lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. But now that certainty is about to crumble."

1. THE LITTLE STRANGER, by Sarah Waters,                                             
King's thoughts: "Several sleepless nights are guaranteed."
About the Book: "Abundantly atmospheric and elegantly told, The Little Stranger is Sarah Waters's most thrilling and ambitious novel yet."

[Melkor]

Zanimljiv spisak, samo sam 2666 imao u vidu za nabavljanje.

Da nastavim:

Jon Courtenay Grimwood - End of the World Blues



Grimwood je veoma zanimljiv pisac, jedan od onih koje ili volite i citate dalje ili sa gadjenjem bacate knjigu u nekom trenutku i, ako je niste previse ostetili, poklanjate nekom ko vam uopste nije drag. Nisam siguran koliko ga volim, ali ovo je vec treci roman koji citam (Stamping Butterflies, 9Tail Fox).

EotWB je fantasticni krimic koji bi mogao odlicno da funkcionise i bez fantastike, ali mu ona dodaje odredjenu sprecificnu Grimwood aromu. Desava se na relaciji Tokijo-London, jakuze i irska mafija, japanska mitologija i Dying Earth uplitanje. Dobio je BSFA nagradu 2006.

[angel011]

Konačno pročitala "Okorelu zemlju čuda i Kraj sveta" Murakamija, zanimljiva knjiga, ali mi nije legla nešto posebno. Smorilo me je to što nam glavni lik saopšti maltene svaku svoju misao ili asocijaciju, i tako na 400 strana. Mislim, opravdano je što je tako urađeno, s obzirom na ono što se dešava takav postupak je savršeno logičan, ali nisam bila raspoložena za to.

Pročitala i "Mrtva si, veštice!" Kim Harison. Laka literatura, zabavna fantastika koja mi je, za razliku od Bučera, stvarno bila zabavna. Jeste kliše, ali ima nekih zezancija koje vas nasmeju. Dobra knjiga za plažu ili za momente kad vam mozak ne funkcioniše najbolje.

Moja velika zamerka upućena je prevodu naslova. Potpuno je zanemarena namera autorke i baš je izvršeno prevdilačko nasilje u tom pogledu.

Primetila sam nespretan prevod, mada su i Dead Man Walking trapavo prevodili sa "Mrtav čovek hoda". Kako bi ti preveo?

[Nightflier]

Harisonova svakim naslovom čini omaž nekom poznatom filmu. Na prevodiocu i uredniku bilo je da iznađu rešenje. Sad, nezahvalno je davati alternativna rešenja prevoda kuće za koju radiš, a ja sada ponovo radim za "Lagunu", tako da ne bih dalje komentarisao. Premda imam zamerki na nivo pažnje koju u poslednje vreme posvećuju fantastici, kao i opšti stav kod nekih iz PR sektora. Ali sada žurim na put, pa me neće biti do 15. januara. Srećna svima Nova godina!

[Melkor]

ed Jonathan Strahan - Eclipse One



Upravo sam izmerio visoku temperaturu pa necu/ne mogu mnogo da davim. Lepo je biti u mogucnosti da se isprati neki projekat od pocetka pogotovo sto mnogo dobrih stvari, zbog godine proizvodnje, moram da citam retroaktivno. Eclipse 1 je cak predstavljala malo razocarenje ali vec Eclipse 2 vadi stvar te zeljno iscekujem i Eclipse 3. Ali ima ovde stvarno dobrih prica i steta je sto ima i nekih koje su me bas iznervirale.

Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse - Andy Duncan
Bad Luck, Trouble, Death and Vampire Sex - Garth Nix
The Last and Only, or Mr. Moscowitz becomes French - Peter S. Beagle
The Lost Boy: A Reporter at Large - Maureen F. McHugh
The Drowned Life - Jeffrey Ford
Toother  - Terry Dowling
Up the Fire Road - Eileen Gunn
In The Forest Of The Queen - Gwyneth Jones
Quartermaster Returns - Ysabeau S. Wilce
Electric Rains - Kathleen Ann Goonan
She-Creatures  - Margo Lanagan
The Transformation of Targ - Jack Dann & Paul Brandon
Mrs Zeno's Paradox  - Ellen Klages
The Lustration  - Bruce Sterling
Larissa Miusov  - Lucius Shepard

[Melkor]

Tad Williams  - Otherland, Volume One: City of Golden Shadow
                   - Otherland, Volume Two: River of Blue Fire
                   - Otherland, Volume Three: Mountain of Black Glass
                   - Otherland, Volume Four: Sea of Silver Light



Nisam tada brojao ali ova kvadrilogija ima blizu 4000 strana (u paperbacku) i uopste nije lako izboriti se sa njima. Skromnog sam misljenja da ta borba vredi, da Williams isporuci na kraju sta treba ali razumem da ce retko ko odluciti da se uopste upusti u ovakav poduhvat. S druge strane jedan sam od retkih koje znam da im se dopao i Memory, Sorrow and Thorn pa sam pretpostavljao sta me ceka. A sacekao me je amalgam razlicitih i naizgled nespojivih zanrovskih pravaca, ali Williamsova postavka sve to opravdava, samo sto je sve dozlaboga sporo i ne pamtim kada sam nesto, uz izuzetak Pamuka i Cosicevih Korena, duze citao. Ne znam da li bih ikom preporucio ove knjige, potrebno je vise zivaca no sto nas vecina ima da bi dosli do srecnog kraja - po citaoca.

[Melkor]

ed Jonathan Strahan - Eclipse Two (2008)



The Hero - Karl Schroeder
Turing's Apples - Stephen Baxter
Invisible Empire of Ascending Light - Ken Scholes
Michael Laurits is: Drowning - Paul Cornell
Night of the Firstlings - Margo Lanagan
Elevator - Nancy Kress
The Illustrated Biography of Lord Grimm - Daryl Gregory
Exhalation - Ted Chiang
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom - David Moles
The Rabbi's Hobby - Peter S. Beagle
The Seventh Expression of the Robot General - Jeffrey Ford
Skin Deep - Richard Parks
Ex Cathedra - Tony Daniel
Truth Window: A Tale of the Bedlam Rose - Terry Dowling
Fury - Alastair Reynolds

Kao sto rekoh #2 je mnogo mnogo bolja zbirka i stvarno ima i dobrih i odlicnih prica i sasvim pristojno prezentuje raznolikost danasnje "zanrovske" fantastike.

[zakk]

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom - David Moles

wtf, zar se ovako ne zove i Doktorovovljev roman?!

[Mica Milovanovic]

Jesi li ti čuo za postmodernizam?

[Melkor]

Another standout is David Moles's "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom," which borrows its title—but little else—from the novel by Cory Doctorow. The story brings us into the world of an absurdly cliched high-fantasy MMORPG populated by indentured posthumans, who are forced to say things like "What portion of our hoard remains?" when they mean "How screwed are we?" (p. 128). The story's parodies of gamer culture are hilarious, but Moles also raises the stakes by forcing characters into moral quandaries, in which they must decide whether they're acting rightly or merely playing a game.

David Moles, a wonderful, up-and-coming sf writer, did me the honor of writing a story called Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (this is, of course, the title of my first novel) -- inspired, in part, by my ongoing experiment of writing stories with the same titles as famous sf books (so far: "Anda's Game," "I, Robot," "True Names" -- and, in progress, "Martian Chronicles" -- "The Man Who Sold the Moon" is on the drawing board).

What's more, David's story is superb, a spectacular and weird and smart story about theme parks, singularity, and humanity. Originally published in Nightshade Books's Eclipse Two, it is also now available as a free, Creative Commons licensed download.

[Perin]

@Melkor: Oprosti - nisam kući, pošto sam napokon izganjao papire i otišao u Hr na par dana, nisam visio na netu (nije da ga ovde nemam, nego...pa, devojka je važnija no net, zar ne?) tako da nisam pratio dešavanja na ZS. Elem, dve opaske - ja sam Kafku na Žalu upravo pročitao, u hrvatskom prevodu, i ako zanemarimo da se kroz čitavu knjigu reč neće piše kao ne će, odmah mogu da kažem da je ovo jedno od NAJBOLJIH Murakamijevih dela (a pročitao sam ih dosta, sve što je izdano u Hr i u Srbiji). Ti bi trebao ponovo pročitati Kafku na Žalu - mada se generalno slažem sa tobom žšto se tiče kraja - Murakami je pisac kojik u većini dela ne izvuče kraj kako treba i to mu je, pored stereotipa glavnih junaka jedna od najvećih mana.

Što se tiče Bakera, ja sam princa ničega čitao u ebook, i svideo mi se zbog toga što je interesantan svet, PRELEPE rečenice (što mi je u to bilo odlično, jer nisam mogao više da čitam te kvazi pisce koji ne mogu da sastave ni dva opsia niti metafore kako treba). Sada Bkera imam u kompletu u izdanju hrvatskog Algoritma, prelepo izdanje, druga dva dela sam dobio na poklon tako da ću ih uskoro isčitati.

Što se tiče moga čitanja, Kupio sam si u Algoritmu par izdanja na engleskom, uglavnom SW knjige tako da se bavim time. Pored toga, nabavio sam i poslednji deo trilogije Priče o Otoriju, tako da ću i to pročitati uskoro (mada sam je pročitao već u ebooku)

[Melkor]

nadam se (zbog tebe) da je nesto ostalo od tih lepih recenica 

[Nightflier]

Konačno pročitala "Okorelu zemlju čuda i Kraj sveta" Murakamija, zanimljiva knjiga, ali mi nije legla nešto posebno. Smorilo me je to što nam glavni lik saopšti maltene svaku svoju misao ili asocijaciju, i tako na 400 strana. Mislim, opravdano je što je tako urađeno, s obzirom na ono što se dešava takav postupak je savršeno logičan, ali nisam bila raspoložena za to.

Pročitala i "Mrtva si, veštice!" Kim Harison. Laka literatura, zabavna fantastika koja mi je, za razliku od Bučera, stvarno bila zabavna. Jeste kliše, ali ima nekih zezancija koje vas nasmeju. Dobra knjiga za plažu ili za momente kad vam mozak ne funkcioniše najbolje.

Moja velika zamerka upućena je prevodu naslova. Potpuno je zanemarena namera autorke i baš je izvršeno prevdilačko nasilje u tom pogledu.

Primetila sam nespretan prevod, mada su i Dead Man Walking trapavo prevodili sa "Mrtav čovek hoda". Kako bi ti preveo?

Ne znam. Nisam ni razmišljao. Recimo "Kad veštica bude mrtva i bela", na prvo lupanje. Najpre bih pogledao sve naslove svih romana i pohvatao zajedničku nit, a onda bih uporedio te naslove najpre s filmovima na koje aludira (ovde očigledno na "Mrtav čovek hoda"), a potom bih razmislio o nekim drugim filmovima - možda domaćim. "Veštica trči počasni krug" je rogobatno, ali ilustruje moj pristup tom prevodu.

[Perin]

@melkor: Ma mogu ja čitati hrvatski prevod, nije meni frka

[Melkor]

Mogao sam i ja, nekada 

Nego, znas sta mi nije jasno. Razumem da mnogi ljudi u Srbiji nece da nabavljaju knjige iz inostranstva jer, ipak, cene su jos uvek nize i nemas maltretman ucenja citanja na stranom jeziku. Ali, ti kupujes hrvatska izdanja koja nisu nesto jeftinija od engleskih i ne opravdavaju zajebanciju sa prevodiocima a stekao sam utisak i da ti je engleski dovoljno dobar da mozes citati originale. Pa, zasto to radis?

[Perin]

Hahaha, ali kupujem ja i engleska izdanja Čak štaviše, kupujem ih redovitije sada, jer me ispadnu dosta jeftina. Ali - u slučaju Bakera - izdanje je eleganto, tvrdokoričeno, prošiveno i vredi tog novca. Hr, Sr, Bs - koji god jezik, meni je kao maternji. Engleski takođe. Fora je što sam dosta knjiga na Hr jeziku (Kafku, 2 dela Bakera...) dobio kao poklon od devojke   Nije da ih ne bih kupio na Hr, svejedno. Sjaj Mjesečine od Lian Hearn, poslednji deo priča o otoriju sam kupio zbog toga što je narodna knjiga propala, a izdala je samo  dva dela, stoga nisam imao izbora do da kupim u Hr prevodu Ali generalno, meni nimalo ne smeta čitati na bilo kom od ovih pomenutih jezika. Ono što me nervira, to je loš prevod, i onda to zamenjujem knjigom na izvornom jeziku, to jest, engleskom.

[Melkor]

I jos jedan favorit za listu najboljih knjiga procitanih u 2009.

China Mieville - The City and The City (2009)



Mieville se igra na racun fantastike. Potpuno drugacije od svega sto je do sada napisao. I opet mi se svidja. Para-urban fantasy preko grbace krimica.  Grad i Grad je izazvao dosta rasprava diljem interneta, dosta njih misli da je podbacio u onome sto se nameracio da uradi, ja mislim da sve to pije vodu u kontekstu da je i napisan tako da nije uopste zedan. Na istom putu kao i Pamimpsest ali iz potpuno drugog ugla. Treba ga gledati i u kontekstu literarne politike koju, izmedju ostalog, zastupa Mieville. razumem i da mnogima nece leci, ali treba pokusati.

[Melkor]

A onda, favorit za listu najgorih knjiga procitanjih u 2009.

Charles Stross - Saturn's Children (2008)



Ponovo Stross uspeva da upropasti vise nego zanimljivu pocetnu premisu (za nas gikove  ). Ukratko: sta bi radila Cherry 2K u svetu bez ljudi. Ali problem je, mislim, sto je ova premisa idealna za late night kafansku pricu i polupijano sta bi bilo kad bi bilo gikovanje (candles not included). Njena uspesna realizacija u 400 strana romana (pb) koji pokusava da ima nekakav smislen narativ potrosi se odmah posle prezentacije iste i ostavlja mesto za gomilu nebuloza kojima se popunjava word count. Isterao sam je do kraja samo iz inata. 

[godclone]

Hm , meni je , sto se Strossa tice, i dalje najbolja Merchant Princes serija....

[Melkor]

To je nenabavljivo na UK Amazonu. Valjda ce izdati neke omnibuse sad kad je zavrsio sa sestom knjigom.

[Nightflier]

To je nenabavljivo na UK Amazonu. Valjda ce izdati neke omnibuse sad kad je zavrsio sa sestom knjigom.

Ja sam svoje nabavio u Kanadi. Doduše, samo prvih četiri romana. Meni su sjajni.

[Melkor]

Oporavljajuci se od Strossa

Patricia A. McKillip - Od Magic (2005)



Njeno pisanje vec dugi niz godina vise vuce na poeziju u prozi i bajkovitost no na bilo sta sto bi ocekivali kada kazemo fantasy. Najveci problem je sto prilikom izbora epiteta kojim bih okarakterisao ovu knjigu "lepo" ne samo sto iskace u prvi plan vec i kompletno zasenjuje sve ostale. Za uzrast od 7 do 77 

Brenden Vetch's unique gift for connecting with the agricultural environment has brought him to the attention of the enigmatic wizard Od. Recruited as a gardener, Brenden suddenly finds himself at the wizard's school in Kelior, where every potential mage is required by law to serve the Kingdom of Numis.

But unknown to the rulers of Numis, Brenden is far more than he seems-and his presence just may tip the balance of power back into the hands of the wizard community.

I ne, hvala bogovima, wizard's school nema nikakve veze sa onim klincem sa lenonkama.

[Perin]

Meni je Riddle of Stars bio ok

[Melkor]

Meni je ona uvek OK ali pokusavam da napravim razliku izmedju knjige koja mi se dopada i stvarno dobre knjige. Da je ima u prevodu odmah bih je dao zeni kao odlican primer da SF&F nisu samo ono sto je mogla da vidi na TV-u  2008. sam citao  Harrowing the Dragon koji mi je, u svakom pogledu, bio odlican.

[asja]

radoslava petkovica - savrseno secanje na smrt. podjednako vredno ne samo jednog citanja, kao i sudbina i komentari, sennke na zidu... pored danojlica, kisa, basare, pekica; za mene i neki moj senzibilitet, najbolji domaci pisac.

[Perin]

@melkor: Stvarno mi je čudno da njeni romani nisu prevedeni kod nas nikada....lepo bi bilo kada bi se počelo od trilogije Riddle of Stars

[Melkor]

ne vredi, vec sam ga previse udavio, a mnogo sam se ulenjio.. da ne duzim, evo konacnog spiska za 2009. da zakk moze da zakljucava...

David Mitchell - Black Swan Green
ed Jonathan Strahan - The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year vol. 2
Jeffrey Ford - The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque
Ian McDonald - Brasyl
Tim Powers - The Bible Repairman
Stephen King - Just After Sunset
Roger Zelazny & Jane Lindskold - Lord Demon

Nick Harkaway - The Gone-Away World
Charles de Lint - Dingo
Michael Swanwick - Vacuum Flowers
Emma Bull - Territory

Joe Hill - 20th Century Ghosts
Ian M. Banks - Matter
Maks Bruks - Svetski rat Z

ed Ann & Jeff VanderMeer - Fast Ships, Black Sails
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself      (First Law)
Joe Abercrombie - Before They Are Hanged   (First Law)
Joe Abercrombie - Last Argument of Kings   (First Law)
Richard Morgan   - Black Man

Matthew de Abaitua - The Red Men
Charles de Lint - The Blue Girl
ed Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois - Dark Alchemy
Neil Gaiman, John Romita Jr. - Eternals
Vernor Vinge - Rainbows End
Guy Gavriel Kay - Ysabel
Howard Waldrop et al. - Custer's Last Jump and Other Collaborations

39. ed George Mann - The Solaris Book of New Fantasy

Tobias S. Buckell - Crystal Rain
Tim Pratt - Little Gods
Michael Chabon - Gentlemen of the Road
Tim Powers - The Skies Discrowned
Tim Powers - An Epitaph in Rust
Hal Duncan - Escape from Hell!
Kelly Link - Magic for Beginners
Haruki Murakami - Kafka on the Shore
John Scalzi - Old Man's War
John Scalzi - The Ghost Brigades
John Scalzi - The Last Colony

R. Scott Bakker - The Darkness that Comes Before   (The Prince of Nothing)
R. Scott Bakker - The Warrior-Prophet      (The Prince of Nothing)
R. Scott Bakker - The Thousandfold Thought      (The Prince of Nothing)
Catherynne M. Valente - Palimpsest
Alastair Reynolds - Zima Blue and Other Stories
Jon Courtenay Grimwood - End of the World Blues
ed Jonathan Strahan - Eclipse One

Tad Williams - Otherland, Volume One: City of Golden Shadow
Tad Williams - Otherland, Volume Two: River of Blue Fire
Tad Williams - Otherland, Volume Three: Mountain of Black Glass
Tad Williams - Otherland, Volume Four: Sea of Silver Light
ed Jonathan Strahan - Eclipse Two

China Mieville - The City and The City
Charles Stross - Saturn's Children
Patricia A. McKillip - Od Magic
R. Garcia Y Robertson - The Moon Maid and Other Fantastic Adventures

Caitlin R. Kiernan - Treshold
Caitlin R. Kiernan - Alabaster
Joe Haldeman - Camouflage

[Melkor]

Jeff VanderMeer's best of 2009

[Melkor]

SF Site's Readers' Choice: Best Read of the Year: 2009

Honourable Mentions

      As you may have noticed, our top 10 list this year contains more than 10 books because of a few ties. And of course there are many, many more books worth reading that appeared in 2009. What follows are a few more that nearly made it onto the Top 10 for 2009, which should also be considered as what your fellow readers regarded to be among the best reading of the past year:

    * The Red Tree, by Caitlin R. Kiernan (Roc, September 2009)
    * Palimpsest, by Catherynne M. Valente (Spectra, February 2009)
    * Dust of Dreams, by Steven Erikson (Bantam, August 2009)
    * The Judging Eye: The Aspect-Emperor, Book 1, by R. Scott Bakker (Orbit /Overlook, January 2009)
    * Wake: The WWW Trilogy, Book 1, by Robert J. Sawyer (Ace, April 2009 / Gollancz, November 2009)
    * The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood (McClelland & Stewart / Bloomsbury, September 2009)
    * Peter V. Brett's The Painted Man: Demon Trilogy, Book 1 (HarperVoyager, September 2008 and January 2009), also titled The Warded Man for the US release (Del Rey, March 2009)
    * The House of Suns, by Alastair Reynolds (Gollancz, April 2008 and March 2009 / Ace, June 2009)
    * The Ask and the Answer, by Patrick Ness (Walker, May and September 2009 / Candlewick, September 2009)
    * Price of Spring: The Long Price Quartet, Book 4, by Daniel Abraham (Tor, July 2009)
    * The Other Lands: Acacia Trilogy, Book 2, by David Anthony Durham (Doubleday, October 2009)
    * Lifelode, by Jo Walton (NESFA, February 2009)
    * The Magicians, by Lev Grossman (William Heinemann, May 2009 / Viking, August 2009 / Penguin, September 2009 / Random House UK, October 2009)
    * The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart, by Jesse Bullington (Orbit, November 2009)
    * Return of the Crimson Guard, by Ian C. Esslemont (Bantam, September 2008 and June 2009)
    * Ark, by Stephen Baxter (Gollancz, August 2009)
    * Seeds of Earth: Humanity's Fire, Book 1, by Michael Cobley (Orbit, March 2009)
    * The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Definitive Retrospective of His Finest Short Fiction, by Gene Wolfe (Tor, April 2009), also titled The Very Best of Gene Wolfe (PS Publishing, July 2009)
    * The Strain: The Strain Trilogy, Book 1, by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan (HarperCollins / William Morrow, June 2009)
    * Sandman Slim, by Richard Kadrey (Eos, August 2009)
    * Green, by Jay Lake (Tor, July 2009).

[Melkor]

No. 10 (tie)
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley
(Gollancz, October 2009)

In this sequel to The Quiet War (see #6, below) we examine the aftermath of the war, in which the Outers and their once glorious cities and gardens are exploited by the conquerors. But the victory won by Earth over the colonists on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn is tenuous at best, threatened by plots and counterplots among the victors. At the same time, rebellion bubbles just below the surface in the outer reaches of the Solar System. A final battle could forever change the future of humanity.

   
No. 10 (tie)
The Makers by Cory Doctorow
(HarperVoyager, October 2009 / Tor, November 2009)

Perry and Lester are inventor geeks, converting technological cast-offs into desirable techno-commodity-oddities, like seashell robots that can make toast for you. Their brilliance is unbounded, as ideas come fast and furious, including a cure for obesity, and the most popular theme parks ever. Their vision for a new economic system reinvents the nation -- for a while. Then it all starts to implode. The author describes this as "a book about people who hack hardware, business-models, and living arrangements to discover ways of staying alive and happy even when the economy is falling down the toilet."


No. 9
Transition by Iain M. Banks
(Orbit / Little, Brown, September 2009)

From the author's web site: "A world that hangs suspended between triumph and catastrophe, between the dismantling of the Wall and the fall of the Twin Towers, frozen in the shadow of suicide terrorism and global financial collapse, such a world requires a firm hand and a guiding light. But does it need the Concern: an all-powerful organisation with a malevolent presiding genius, pervasive influence and numberless invisible operatives in possession of extraordinary powers? On the Concern's books are Temudjin Oh, an un-killable assassin who journeys between the peaks of Nepal, a version of Victorian London and the dark palaces of Venice; and a nameless, faceless torturer known only as the Philosopher. And then there's the renegade Mrs Mulverhill, who recruits rebels to her side; and Patient 8262, hiding out from a dirty past in a forgotten hospital ward. As these vivid, strange and sensuous worlds circle and collide, the implications of turning traitor to the Concern become horribly apparent, and an unstable universe is set on a dizzying course."

   
No. 8
The Gathering Storm: The Wheel of Time, Book 12 by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
(Tor/Orbit October 2009)

When Robert Jordan died in 2007, countless fans of his Wheel of Time series were distraught -- both at the loss, and at the thought that their beloved series begun nearly 20 years previously would remain forever incomplete. However, Brandon Sanderson was awarded the daunting task of wrapping up the series based on the work that Jordan had left unfinished. The present novel is the first in the final three books that will at long last bring the series to its conclusion and end the struggle against the Shadow. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, attempts to reforge alliances in an effort to frustrate the northward advance of the Seanchan. But his dubious allies are further terrified by the shadow they see growing within the Dragon Reborn. Now Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, is at hand. And mankind is not ready.

No. 7 (tie)
Finch by Jeff VanderMeer
(Underland Press, November 2009)

In his latest, Nebula-nominated novel, VanderMeer returns to the city of Ambergris. The events in this noir mystery take place about a century after those described in Shriek, although no previous knowledge of this world is required. If you are familiar with the world of Ambergris, then you'll know what it means that the grey caps are now in charge. Humans are herded up and kept under strict control using psychedelic mushrooms. Rebellion seethes just below the surface, and the threat of anarchy is very real. Among all this chaos, the challenge of detective John Finch is to solve an impossible double murder, the victims being one human and one grey cap. But whether or not Finch can uncover the truth, the future of Ambergris hangs in the balance.

   
No. 7 (tie)
Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
(HarperVoyager, August 2009 / Ballantine Spectra, December 2009)

This multiple award-winning author now brings us an engrossing novel of the dawning of the modern era and the possible paths for humanity to follow at this fascinating time. The story, as the title suggests, follows Galileo in his struggle with science and the church, both on a personal level as well as on a wider scale. In Renaissance Italy, Galileo's telescope shows him the marvels of other worlds. But Galileo is also shown a vision of the future, in which in the inhabitants of the Jovian moons reach back into the past to contact this great man at a pivotal point in history. In this future, different factions grapple with the possible pasts in an effort to fix one that will affect their future. Galileo is caught in the crossfire, destined either to die as a heretic for his scientific beliefs, or sacrifice science to his faith.


No. 6 (tie)
Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts
(Gollancz, January 2009)

Roberts' latest novel is a BSFA award nominee. From the author's web site, quoting a review by Eric Brown: "It's 1945. Stalin calls together a group of science fiction writers and orders them to produce a scenario of alien invasion; he perceives the American threat to be on the wane, and the Soviet state needs an enemy against which to rally. No sooner have the writers developed a scenario than Stalin demands they forget the idea on pain of death. Skip to 1986, when Konstantin Skvorecky, ex-SF novelist and world-weary alcoholic now working as a translator, is approached by an old colleague who tries to convince him that their long-forgotten scenario is in fact coming to pass: aliens appear to be invading the world. What follows is in part a droll comedy of manners parodying the fall of Soviet communism, part an intellectual inquiry into the idea of multiple quantum realities and part an attempt to discover why, despite the ubiquity of reported sightings, UFOs have never been proved to exist. As ever with Roberts, the writing is impeccable and the ideas riveting."

   
No. 6 (tie)
The Quiet War by Paul McAuley
(Gollancz, October 2008 & September 2009 / Pyr, September 2009)

Taken from the author's web site: In the 23rd century there exists a fragile detente between the Outer cities, on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and the dynasties of an Earth now ravaged by climate change. This balance is threatened by the ambitions of the rising generation of Outers, who want to break free of their cosy, inward-looking pocket paradises, colonize the rest of the Solar System, and drive human evolution in a hundred new directions. On Earth, many demand pre-emptive action against the Outers before it's too late; others want to exploit the talents of their scientists and gene wizards. Amid campaigns for peace and reconciliation, political machinations, crude displays of military might, and espionage by cunningly wrought agents, the two branches of humanity edge towards war.


No. 5
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
(Tor, September 2009)

In an effort to accelerate profits flowing out of the northwest during the gold rush, a Russian mining company hires inventor Leviticus Blue to build a machine that will access the richest vein of Alaskan gold yet discovered. However, in testing his invention, Blue inadvertently destroys half of Seattle and releases a toxic gas that turns anyone exposed to it into the living dead. A wall is built to contain the resulting horror. Now, sixteen years later, Blue's teenage son Zeke leaves the relative security of the shanty town that has evolved around the disaster area to enter the forbidden zone in an effort to redeem his father's memory. This novel represents the first in a new steampunk world Cherie is calling the Clockwork Universe, and it's already generating quite a lot of positive attention, including a Nebula nomination.

   
No. 4
Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America by Robert Charles Wilson
(Tor, June 2009)

Expanded from his 2007 Hugo-nominated novella, Julian: A Christmas Story, this novel is a story of a future America in which technology and values have reverted to those more closely resembling the 19th century. Religious freedom is severely limited, state censorship is the rule of the day, indentured servitude is the new norm, representation in the Senate is based on wealth and property, and the presidency is now hereditary. Julian Comstock is a free-thinking radical, who also happens to be the nephew of the current president. He befriends a young writer, and the pair travel, adventure in and explore the world, while Julian strives to make it a better place than he found it. Many years later, his writer friend will recount all these adventures -- but how much is truth, and how much is fiction?


No. 3
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
(Gollancz, April 2009 / Orbit, July 2009)

This author is well known to SF Site readers, who placed his The First Law novels prominently on our previous annual Top 10 lists, for his dark, gritty, and very bloody fantasy. Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel that takes place in the same world as his previous books, but one that doesn't require any previous knowledge of what has come before. I don't think I'll spoil anything by telling you this is a book about vengeance. Monza Murcatto, horribly disfigured and left for dead when her brother is murdered, dedicates herself to tracking down her brother's killers. In describing his work, Abercrombie said: "If forced to sum it up I'd probably call it a fantasy thriller, light on the magic and heavy on the blood, treachery and poison, with the usual hefty portions of dark grey characters and black humour." His characters are certainly dark grey at best -- fascinating and realistic portraits of people you'll be glad not to have as your neighbours, but whose adventures you'll follow with avidity.

   
No. 2
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
(Night Shade Books, September 2009)

Bacigalupi won a Theodore Sturgeon Award for "The Calorie Man" (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October/November 2005). He returned to that same world with "Yellow Card Man" (Asimov's Science Fiction, December 2006) and received a Hugo nomination for his efforts. Visiting that world once again, this time with a full-length novel, he's been nominated for a Nebula. The Windup Girl is not quite human. Emiko is "an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe" (quoted from the publisher's web). This is a novel that will surprise you, even as it disturbs, horrifies and delights you.

No. 1
The City and the City by China Miéville
(Macmillan / Pan / Del Rey, May 2009 /Subterranean Press, August 2009)

Miéville has been a favourite with SF Site readers and staff since his multiple award-winning Perdido Street Station captured the #1 spot in the SF Site Editor's Choice awards for 2001. He's appeared several times before on the Readers's Choice top 10, but this is the first time you've chosen his work above all others -- and it was an uncontested win, easily surpassing your other selections.

The City is Beszel and the City is Ul Quoma. The two cities overlap physically, but are in different nations with different languages, customs, styles and laws. The ultimate crime in either city is to Breach -- to cross illegally from one to the other. But since citizens of each city may find themselves walking down two different streets that are in reality only one street, Breach could happen simply by acknowledging a citizen of the city you are not legally in. And acknowledgement can be as simple as reacting to a car backfiring, smiling at someone, or even to be caught seeing them. Life in this environment is very stressful, and particularly challenging for outsiders. Investigating a murder in which the victim is found in Beszel is complicated when it is discovered that the murder itself took place in Ul Quoma. Things get even more interesting when the victim is found to have been a foreigner researching the existence of an alleged third city that exists (if it exists at all) only in the in-between places, those zones that Ul Quoma and Beszel each believe to belong to the other...

Certainly one of Miéville's best works to date (and that's saying something!), this is the book that SF Site readers recommend most highly as the pick of 2009. It's also nominated for the Nebula, so you're not alone in your good opinion of this book.

[Nightflier]

Ljudi, je li ovo obilje tema zbunjujuće još za koga, ili samo za mene? Imamo "Upravo čitam", "Šta čitamo 2010", "Nove knjige", "Nove knjige u prevodu", "Čekajući nove knjige"... Nema potrebe za tolikim temama. I ja sam se zadžebao što sam otvarao u svom podforumu onoliko obavjesti, kad je sve moglo da se strpa na manje mesta. Sad ću da gnjavim Žarka da mi to pospremi. Dajte da i ovde objedinimo teme. Biće lakše za praćenje i pretragu nego ovako.

[smrklja]

ne treba ništa da se sprema ova tema je za prošlu godinu, šta čitamo 2010 kao što samo ime kaže šta smo pročitali 2010, pa će sledeće godine da se kači nova,   nove knjige daju informacije o dobrim i zanimljivim knjigama na engleskom koje će se ili su se već pojavile( ti okačiš mnogo najava knjiga od kojih jedno tek desetak posto interesantno, nema toliko ljudi koji  prate sve to što okačiš) a poslednja treba da bude čisto informativna znači ime knjige i izdavača, po mogućstvu cena i to je to, ja sam bio lenj pa nisam proverao šta je sve izašlo no popraviću to, kod tebe je brate papazjanija ne može čovek da pronađe informaciju kad mu nešto treba plus ljudi imaju pitanja, ima komentara, rasprave što je super ali smatram da treba da psoatoje teme sa sažetom informacijom da ljudi znaju šta je izašlo i gde ima da se kupi a da dobiju na jedan klik(za prevode), ova za prošlu godinu treba da bude zaključana i sl.tako da ne vidim nikakav problem što sve ovo postoji