When we asked Neil Hollands, author of Fellowship in a Ring, to provide a “best books” list, we gave him the option of listing books of all types and genres, and he took us up on it! Here, then, a “grab bag” of 2009’s bests, as chosen by Neil.
Genre: Memoir/Overcoming Adversity
David Small–Stitches: A Memoir
My very favorite of the year 2009. I’m not very visual, so graphic novels usually don’t grab me, nor do narratives of abusive childhoods, but this remarkable memoir with its creepy Grant Wood meets Edvard Munch drawings perfectly told the story
of a young voice almost stolen and how it came back.
Genres: Mainstream Fiction/Character-driven; Historical Fiction/Literary Historical Fiction
E. L. Doctorow–Homer and Langley
Creating an epic historical novel and sympathetic psychological portrayal from the hermetically-sealed, yet still deteriorating lives of two of history’s great misers is a remarkable achievement, even if Doctorow did have to play with the truth a little.
Genre: Science Fiction/Technology
Cory Doctorow–Makers
This won’t play to fans of big explosions, but for readers interested in science fiction about the future of work, particularly creative work, this will hit the spot. And it works as a character-driven drama just as well.
Genres: Mainstream Fiction/Story-driven; Historical Fiction/Historical Fantasy
Christopher Moore–Fool
Humor so bawdy and silly that it can’t help but send your inner naughty boy or girl into spasms. Moore’s best since Lamb is part history and part fantasy; part Shakespearean comedy and part tragedy; and all funny.
Genre: Fantasy/Sword and Sorcery
Joe Abercrombie–Best Served Cold
Yet another great new author of dark, epic fantasy. Abercrombie serves up a standalone treatise on every aspect of revenge with a slew of fascinating characters that beg to be read about, quoted, and filmed.
Neil Hollands is a readers’ advisor and collection development librarian for fantasy and science fiction, Williamsburg Regional Library, Virginia, and a lifelong SF and fantasy fan. He is the author of Fellowship in a Ring: A Guide for Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Groups and the critically-acclaimed Read On Fantasy Fiction: Reading Lists for Every Taste.
