I read a lot. Any
writer who doesn't read is at a huge disadvantage. Now, I will probably part ways with my
brothers and sisters on this blog. I
don't read much crime fiction. I like
the unusual and quirky. The fantastical
and in probable. In short, I want to get
away from the crime fiction I write and the crime fact I live. So let me clue you into a few books off the
beaten path and certainly not associated with crime fiction.
I just finished a book by the science fiction/fantasy
imprint of the Hachette Book group. Red
Hook only has a couple of books out, but one is named Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon. It is a historical fiction based set
Now I have switched gears slightly and I'm reading a fantasy
by Felix Gilman called the Rise of Ransom City, which is a sequel to his
excellent the History Of The Half Made The World To put it simply the books cannot be
classified or summarize. I just like
them.
For real, old school science fiction, I love John Scalzi's series that
started with the Old Man's War. Despite
the awkward title, it is a military tale of war and regret in the
far future. The sequels are all of the same high caliber with a new one just released.Science fiction breeds loyal fans and attracts smart, discerning readers. Scalzi deserves the praise and success he had found.
A classic, which is required reading for many high school
students, and has as many different covers as Seth Macfarland has animated shows is Alas, Babylon
by Pat Frank. I've noticed this is a
particular favorite among some of my survivalist friends. In short, it is a simple tale of survival of
the family outside of Orlando after a nuclear attack in the 1950s. No giant spiders or mutants, just an important tale told from an interesting perspective.
And finally, to prove I don't read just read fantasy, I'd
like to point out the excellent historical novel, Cain at Gettysburg by Ralph Peters. Peters is a retired Army colonel and I can
recall reading one of his novels about the future of warfare more than 20 years
ago called War in 2020. But this novel
about actual events with many real people makes you feel like you're part of
the great battle that occurred in western Pennsylvania in the summer of
1862. I heard Colonel Peters speaking on
book TV and he explained that nonfiction tells you about an event while fiction
makes you experience that event. Good
book, good writer. You can go wrong with
that combination.
If these books tend to skew towards the Tor/Forge line you
have to remember that they are one of my employers and I tend to get a lot of
free books from them. That doesn't
diminish my appreciation for books whether they're given to me or, (God
forbid), I pay for them. I hope you have
time this summer to try one of these gems.
What about you guys?
Any hidden finds in the book world?
Until next time, which obviously I have no idea when that
will be,
your loyal servant,
Jim.
from Jacqueline
ReplyDeleteI read at least two books that aren't mystery for every one that is - and those books are a blend of non-fiction and fiction. I love collections of essays, and have just read the new book by David Sedaris, which of course cracked me up. But I'm also deep into background reading for my next book, which is not a mystery! It was time to do something different. I've recently finished reading a novel, "Old Filth" by Jane Gardham, and after reading it, I bought the remaining two books in the trilogy. One of my favorite books this year has been Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter - what a terrific book! I think it's important to stretch your reading well beyond your usual writing domain - kind of like cross-training, which is equally important when it comes to writing. I must confess, though, that I have never been drawn to "fantasy" - and I did so much early English history in school that I come out in hives (my mother lives close to Hastings in Sussex, and one of my favorite coffee shops is in Battle, so we know all about those Normans!!!)
Mr. Born, your reading list is somewhat of a surprise to me. Fantasy? Who knew? You are truly a Renaissance man.
ReplyDeleteLast year I read nothing but crime fiction because I was the chair of a major awards committee. The year before I read nothing but non fiction, including: the biography of President James Garfield and Catherine the Great of Russia, Unbroken, Eric Larson's In the Garden of Beasts, just to name a few. All of them were as compelling as any novel.
This year I'm reading a mix of everything. At the moment my nose is deep into Kim Fay's The Map of Lost Memories, which is set in Cambodia in the 1920s and which was nominated for a 2013 Best First Edgar. Steamy jungles. Steamy romances. Hidden treasures. Revolution. Something for everybody.
I read everything but these are fairly recent and therefore stuck in my head.
ReplyDeleteI do read crime fiction,just not all the time.
Jim
I loved Old Man's War! It came in a book bundle (have you heard of those? They're great!). Need to read the sequels yet.
ReplyDeleteI recently finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on audio book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I too am all over the place with my genres, though I seem to have a soft spot for British writers from almost any era.
My favorites outside the crime genre are Neal Stephenson and Naomi Novik. Stephenson's books are an amazing mix of sci-fi, fantasy and contemporary issues, and Novik writes about the Napoleonic Wars, only with dragons.
ReplyDelete