The ULTIMATE (and somewhat bloated) Best Of 2008 List [part 3]

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This is the third article in the series of "The Ultimate Best of 2008 List" articles; you can find the disclaimer and part 1 here, and part 2 here.

You can find Kristen's Fantasy Cafe's 2008 favorites announced and explained here. "Ink and Steel" and "Hell and Earth" were Kristen's favorite books published in 2008 (among runner-ups are "Shades of Dark" by Linnea Sinclair, "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman, "Wanderlust" (Ann Aguirre) and "The Alchemy of Stone" by Ekaterina Sedia). Most ambitious book she read in 2008 was the original "Dune" by Frank Herbert. Her favorite new author is Sarah Monette with Elizabeth Bear running a close second. "Use of Weapons" (Iain M. Banks) had the best ending in her opinion, "Ink and Steel" and "Hell and Earth" are lavished with 'the best prose', "The Graveyard Book" was the most creative book she read and Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" series had the most unique magic system Kristen encountered in 2008. For the rest of the list follow the link to her site.

John Ottinger III and his noteworthy blog Grasping for the Wind has it's own top ten list to 'boast' with: (1) "The Prodigal Troll" (Charles Coleman Finlay), (2) "Goblin Hero" (Jim C. Hines), (3) "Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse" (ed.John Joseph Adams, short story collection), (4) "Infoquake" (David Louis Edelman), (5) "The Name of the Wind" (Patrick Rothfuss), (6) "The Court of the Air" (Stephen Hunt), (7) "Heaven's Net Is Wide" (Lian Hearn), (8) "Old Man's War" (John Scalzi), (9) "Acacia:War With the Mein" (David Anthony Durham) and (10) "Destroyermen: Into the Storm" (Taylor Anderson). "A Darkness Forged In Fire" (Chris Evans) was the most surprising read of 2008 for John (follow the link to find out why), "The Excalibur Murders" by J.M.C Blair was the worst book he read, "Bloodheir" (Brian Ruckley) was the best fantasy book he read and "Hunter's Run" (George R.R.Martin,Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham) was the best sf novel he read, "Shadowrealm" (Paul S.Kemp) was the best tie-in (Forgotten Realms) novel he read, "Goblin Hero" by Jim C.Hines was his funniest read of 2008, "Fast Ships, Black Sails" (ed.Ann and Jeff Vandermeer) was his most disappointing read among the books that were the most hyped in 2008, "Empress" (Karen Miller) is the most underrated novel of 2008, Orbit is John's favorite publisher of the previous year, Tobias Buckell is (again!) the most improved author as John sees it, and Pamela Freeman ("Blood Ties" and "Deep Water") is the best new author he read last year...more.

Aidan's 'novels of the year' are (link)... His favorite overall novel is "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (runner-up: "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman) and his favorite novel published in 2008 is "Last Argument of Kings" by Joe Abercrombie (runner-up: "The Born Queen" by Greg Keyes). Follow this link for his favorite videogames of 2008 (he omitted WoW: Wrath of the Lich King, what kind of list is this anway! *pfffft*). A few days after his 'best of 2008' list Aidan posted his reflections on 2008 which are also well worth reading, go to his page - A Dribble of Ink - and find out what transpired for him the last year.

Vote for your best fantasy book (you don't have to sign up) over at The David Gemmel's Award for Fantasy site... (I'll link up the winners when they are made known)

Guys at Fantasy Book Critic invited a lot of guest pens to write their 'best of'...you can find the link to all the posts of the guest authors here. The names - as of this moment - are as following: Lou Anders, Tom Lloyd, Kevin J. Anderson, Peter V. Brett, Kristen Britain, Eric Brown, Mark Chadbourn, Michael Cobley, Jack McDevitt, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Patrick Ness, David Farland, Tim Pratt, Mike Resnick, Ekaterina Sedia, Darren Shan, Conrad Williams, David Anthony Durham, Stephen Deas, Jonathan Barnes and many others (there are more names being added every day). Some of the books mentioned are (I'm editing the list although It's not the wisest thing to do): "The Quiet War" (Paul McAuley), "Sir Hereward and Mr Fitz" (Garth Nix, short stories collection), “The Terror” (Dan Simmons), “Absolution Gap” (Alastair Reynolds), “Wolf Star” (R.M. Meluch), “Child 44” (Tom Rob Smith), “Duma Key” (Stephen King), “The Graveyard Book” (Neil Gaiman), “Victory of Eagles” (Naomi Novik), “The Name of the Wind” (Patrick Rothfuss), “Soon I Will Be Invincible” (Austin Grossman), Tad Williams' "Otherland" series, “Hello Summer Goodbye” (Michael G. Coney, first released in '75), “The Turing Test” (Chris Beckett, short story collection), “Stealing Light” (Gary Gibson, space opera), “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier” (Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill), “Firestarter” (Stephen King), “Brasyl” (Ian McDonald), "First Law" trilogy (Joe Abercrombie), “Other Times Than Peace” (David Drake, short story collection), “Marseguro” (Edward Willet), “Galactic North” (Alastair Reynolds, short story collection), "The Mistborn Series" (Brandon Sanderson), “Ender’s Shadow” (Orson Scott Card), “Therefore, Repent!” (Jim Munroe), “Fables: The Good Prince” (Bill Willingham), "Ink and Steel" and "Hell and Earth" (Elizabeth Bear), “The Born Queen” (Greg Keyes), “A Betrayal in Winter” (Daniel Abraham), “Pandemonium” (Daryl Gregory), “Superpowers” (David J. Schwartz), “A World Too Near” (Kay Kenyon), “Cauldron” (Jack McDevitt), “Aristocracy’s Outlaw” (Sylvia Lynch), “John the Balladeer” (Manly Wade Wellman), “Society’s Child” (Janis Ian), “Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned” (Walter Mosley), “The Traitor” (Michael Cisco, horror), "Anathem" (Neal Stephenson), "Halting State" (Charles Stross), “The Mount” (Carol Emshwiller), "The Dreaming Void" (Peter F. Hamilton), “In the Cities of Coin and Spice” (Catherynne M. Valente), "In The Court of Crimson Kings" (S.M.Stirling), “The Explosionist” (Jenny Davidson, YA alternative history), “The Graveyard Book” (Neil Gaiman), “Bloodtide” (Melvin Burgess) and a few of Cormac McCarthy's novels: “No Country For Old Men”, “Child of God” and “Blood Meridian”. For more comprehensive list please follow the link I've posted above, not only is the list more complete, but every choice is explained upon and contextualized.

Ana & Thea's (The Book Smugglers; their fancy new domain can be found here) 'most excellent books of 2008' [Thea's list] "The Graveyard Book" (Neil Gaiman), "The Outlaw Demon Wails" (Kim Harrison), "Heir to Sevenwaters" (Juliet Marillier), "the dead & the gone" (Susan Beth Pfeffer), "Clockwork Heart" (Dru Pagliassotti), "Fables volume 10: The Good Prince" (Bill Willingham), "Iron Kissed" (Patricia Briggs), "Joker" (Brian Azzarello), "The Living Dead Anthology" (ed.John Joseph Adams); [and Ana's list] "King of Sword and Sky" (C.L. Wilson), "Demon Bound" (Meljean Brook), "The Duke of Shadows" (Meredith Duran), "The Two Dukes of Wyndham" (Julia Quinn), "Your Scandalous Ways" (Loretta Chase), "Ink Exchange" (Melissa Marr), "Hostage to Pleasure" (Nalini Singh), "The Graveyard Book" (Neil Gaiman) etc. For the extensive list and thoughts that acompany the choices please visit their site.
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To be contiuned...
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