Top Three Reads of 2018

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

What were your favourite three books you read this year? It can be a buddy read or not, with this group or not. Was 2018 a good reading year for you?

[Ahdam]

Harry Potter- so happy I read this

Emperors blade- this was phenomenal I’m still shocked

1984- Holy shit I love this book

Honourable mentions

Stone of farewell

Steel heart

Animal farm

[Bill]

Honestly I read so many great books this year it’s hard to chose. So everything on this list I could swap something else in.

Series
1. Kushiel Universe - in particular the Phedre and Imriel trilogies.
2. The Traitor Son - I had read the first 2 when they came out and now reread them and continued the series. Just an amazing series. Reading the last book now and can’t wait to see how it ends.
3. Liveship Traders - Fitz was so depressing that I found it hard to get enough enthusiasm to continue RotE but Liveship has me pumped for more.

Standalones
1. Midnight Robber + Brown Girl in the Ring - Hopkinson’s Caribbean flavor to her stories is fantastic. Got another of her books on my list for 2019.
2. Forgotten Beasts of Eld - McKillip has a hopeful feel to her books that I really enjoy.
3. Master of Whitestorm - it feels like a sword and sorcery book taken to another level.

[Kathrine]

I think my top three reads this year was:


1. The Secret History: I'll never get over this book...
2. The Little Prince: A classic and for a good reason. This book was amazing. Read it in one hour and cried for another hour afterwards.

I'm having a hard time picking 3, but I think it'll go to:
3. The Bear and the Nightingale: I really liked this book; its setting and characters were amazing, and despite a slow start, I was entertained throughout the book. Can't wait to read the rest of this series!

Honourable mentions to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom and A Wizard of Earthsea

2018 was the best reading year I've ever had, I think. 59 books read (a personal best!) and it was also the year I discovered this wonderful group :D

[Kirsten]

Scarpia by Piers Paul Read
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

I hope to read more sci-fi and fantasy this upcoming year. But these were my favorite reads this year.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

In no particular order:

The Poppy War

The Mirror’s Truth

Kings of the Wyld

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Excluding parts of my Malazan reread.

1. John Nyquist books 1-2 A Man of Shadows The Body Library

2.Conqueror books 4-5 Khan: Empire of Silver Conqueror

3. Poppy Ware book 1 The Poppy War

[Julia]

Didn't read too many books this year... lots of movie companions, really, but here are my top three:

The Name of the Wind

The Wise Man's Fear

The Princess Bride

[Julia]

Kathrine wrote: "I think my top three reads this year was: ..."

I love The Little Prince! I read it in French class in grade 10 or 11. This discussion page on it might interest you: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bea]

Is it ok to name my favorite series of the year? I just can't decide on 3 single books...

In no particular order

- The Manifest Delusions

-The Moontide Quartett

-The Nightrunner series

Honorable mentions:
The First Law Trilogy and the Nevernight Chronicles

[Jeffrey]

I hope this doesn't get me kicked out of the group. Two of my favorite 2018 reads are not sff!

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Hawk is Dying by Harry Crews

The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell

[Graeme]

I find it impossible to highlight single books, there were three series that delighted me this year.

Number One for me this year has been the 'Malazan, Book of the Fallen series.' which I've started this year and I'm about 1/2 way through the main narrative line of books. I'm counting that as one book because I can't separate them out....

and

Number Two would be my re-read of Harry Potter, although I think the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort sucked, and in general JFRs dumbing down of Voldemort at the end was a disgrace, there's no denying the emotional power of the books.



Number Three was my re-read of the Feist/Wurts collaboration for the Empire books.



The common thread with all these books is their power to capture my emotions and move me, plus high-concept world building with strong, effective characters.

[Kathrine]

Julia wrote: "Kathrine wrote: "I think my top three reads this year was: ..."

I love The Little Prince! I read it in French class in grade 10 or 11. This discussion page on it might interest you: https://www.go..."

Thank you, will have to check that out asap!

[Tammie]

1. The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter

2. The Death of Dulgath

3. Magic Triumphs

[Narilka]

1. Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb. This book sucked me in big time. I hope the whole series is this way.

2. The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham. Such a different kind of fantasy! Who knew banking could be so interesting.

3. Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. I think this is my current favorite UF :) We'll see if the Catalina books hold up next year.

[Soo]

1) The Acts of Caine Books 1 & 2 - I had no idea what I was getting into when I started Heroes Die. While not perfect, I really loved the books. There are two more in the series and I plan to read them next year.

2) The Forbidden Door Jane Hawk #4 & Killing Pretty Sandman Slim #7 - Both were excellent additions to each series. Instant favs.

3) The Grey Bastards, The World of the Five Gods series and the Illuminae Series - Each of the books were not quite what I expected and ended up being great reads. I had read the first book of the World of the Five Gods a long time ago. It ended up being even better on the re-read. I enjoyed it so much that I read the rest of the series and had a great time. =)

[Shae]

Some good surprises this year :-)

1. Night (Wiesel) - possibly the saddest yet most important book I've read this year.

2. The Poppy War (Kuang) - had no idea what to expect, couldn't put this down!

3. Senlin Ascends (Bancroft) - amazing writing, each sentence is beautifully crafted :-)

[Seán]

Not necessarily in any order.

1. The Court of Broken Knives - loved the vibe and story here, it ticked all of the right boxes for me.

2. Ninefox Gambit - really imaginative sci-fi, this one blew me away.

3. Veins of the Earth - it's a tabletop RPG book but has enough imaginative content to be read and enjoyed entirely on its own. An absolute gem of a book.

[Mel]

1. The Last Unicorn - A reread with the group. I had forgotten the humor and poignancy of Beagle's prose. So quotable.

2. The Riyria Revelations series. The series got me out of a book slump with its bantering adventures, with each installment better than the last.

3. Captive Prince series. A surprise hit for me. Similar to Kushiel's Dart, I was prepared for a low-grade guilty pleasure, and got complex characters and court machinations that exceeded my expectations. So... high-grade guilty pleasure. :P

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

They were all Malazan.

1. - that ending just blew me away. Plus it did still leave a couple of questions in my mind too about some characters.
2. - the buildup kept me on the edge of my seat. Unputdownable.
3. - or should I say Weeper's Gale. Characters that departed in this one made me think how Erikson really can kill of any character. The deaths in this one really saddened me.

[Seán]

Angela wrote: "They were all Malazan."

Now that is how to do a top three :D

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Thanks Sean. 😀

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Angela wrote: "They were all Malazan.

1. - that ending just blew me away. Plus it did still leave a couple of questions in my mind too about some characters.
2. [bookcover:Dus..."

I think DoD is the most underrated book of the series. TCG I cannot wait to reread. My head was spinning by that point in the series and I felt fatigue setting in from trying to keep everything straight. I have a feeling the second time around will be amazing.

You liked Weaper's Gale better than TBH?

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Yes I did. The more I think about it, I did like Reaper more.

DoD was just so good. I agree that by that stage there was a lot of information to try to keep clear. So many plot lines played out in this one and I was pretty satisfied where characters sat by the end.

I'm sure you are enjoying the reread and knowing past connections between characters must be fascinating.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Angela wrote: "Yes I did. The more I think about it, I did like Reaper more.

DoD was just so good. I agree that by that stage there was a lot of information to try to keep clear. So many plot lines played out i..."

RG was in the bottom half for me. Until you hear Midnight say (view spoiler)[They are here on our shore. The Malazans have landed on our shore. The book was a bit tedious for me and I never warmed to the Awl or Patriotists/Liberty Consign storylines, (hide spoiler)]

The first time through DHG, MOI, TBH and TCG were all in a tie for first. The second time around it was clearly TBH, MOI, DHG with TCG yet to come. DoD will be interesting because I would have said MT was better the first time around but I have a feeling DoD will surpass it this time around.

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

It would be I interesting to see you new rankings once you've read TCG again. I think being up to date plus change how I'll rank books too. Especially when I think of those characters I want to pay closer attention to.

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

What do you think put TBH above MOI and DHG for you?

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Angela wrote: "What do you think put TBH above MOI and DHG for you?"

A large combination of things I hadn't picked up on the first time but especially these two quotes. (view spoiler)[
‘When I was a child,’ Apsalar said, ‘I believed that there were cities there, but no wars. Just beautiful gardens, and the flowers were ever in bloom, every season, day and night, filling the air with wondrous scents… you know, I told all of that to someone, once. He later said to me that he fell in love with me that night. With that story. He was young, you see.’

And the god spoke, ‘I’ll find him, Apsalar. I swear it. I’ll find the truth.’ Truths, yes. One after another, one boulder settling down, then another. And another. Blotting out the light, darkness closing in, grit and sand sifting down, a solid silence when the last one is in place. Now, dear fool, try drawing a breath. A single breath. There were clouds closed fast round the moon. And one by one, gardens died.
(hide spoiler)]

Those broke my heart and I fell in love with her as a character after that.

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

:( that is so sad. SE has a way with words. So poignant.

[Bea]

Scott wrote: "Angela wrote: "Yes I did. The more I think about it, I did like Reaper more.

DoD was just so good. I agree that by that stage there was a lot of information to try to keep clear. So many plot lin..."

To be honest I struggled quite a bit with DoD and TCG the first time round. I think it's partly because of the language. I had to switch to english because they were not yet translated. Starting to read english books (after a long break) with such a complex series is tough.
I'm pretty sure I will like them a lot more on reread.

Scott wrote: "Angela wrote: "What do you think put TBH above MOI and DHG for you?"

A large combination of things I hadn't picked up on the first time but especially these two quotes.
"

That's the quote you referred to in the GotM thread, right? It really does make that GotM quote a lot more meaningful 😢

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Bea wrote: "That's the quote you referred to in the GotM thread, right? It really does make that GotM quote a lot more meaningful 😢 .."

Yes epically so.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Angela wrote: ":( that is so sad. SE has a way with words. So poignant."

It crushed me.