Summer 2024 Reading Recommendations
If you’re looking for ideas on which books to take on holiday then this is the post for you. I’ve enjoyed some great books over the past year, as summarised below. These are listed purely in reading order but I’ve also singled out my favourite overall right at the very end. If any pique your interest then you’ll also find links to my full reviews over on Page Chewing or in a couple of cases the Goodreads listing.
Pawn’s Gambit by Rob J Hayes
Hayes’s Never Die was my favourite read last year and Pawn’s Gambit was right up there as a contender once more this time round. Hayes is such a talented writer and I completely lost myself in his Wuxia-inspired Mortal Techniques world. This tale centres on a competition to determine which god will rule for the next hundred years, yet ultimately it’s a story about the strength ordinary people find within themselves when placed in extraordinary circumstances. It’s a wonderful novel and Hayes now has a firm place as one of my favourite writers.
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Rosewater is unlike any other book I’ve read and I can see this is going to be hailed as a sci-fi classic in years to come. An alternate future history of Earth set in Nigeria after contact has been made with alien life, this novel is bursting with brilliant ideas and mind-boggling concepts.
Stars and Bones by Gareth L Powell
Powell’s Stars and Bones is an entertaining sci-fi romp, proudly displaying its influences, which include Star Wars, Alien, Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse. If you’re a fan of those movies and TV shows then you’ll find lots to enjoy in this novel.
Privilege by Bharat Krishnan
Set in 2020, Privilege is an alternative history satire, taking aim at issues such as American politics, the legal system, cultural identity, racism and police violence. Although on the face of it Privilege is a thriller, centring around a planned heist, Krishnan ably weaves in a well-written romance and a second sub-plot involving the seductive nature of crime to add depth to the story. A highly unusual book by a writer with a very distinctive voice, this is a series I plan to explore further.
The Iron Crown by LL MacRae
The Iron Crown is an excellent fantasy novel, full of confident world building, rich description, wonderful prose, interesting magic, dragons and other magical creatures galore. This was a fun read, and MacRae’s immersive writing style gives epic fantasy a welcome and refreshing modern twist.
The Anatomy of Fear - Various
This is the first of two anthologies I’m featuring where I have to confess I’m one of the contributing authors. However, since The Anatomy of Fear includes the work of eleven other writers I highly rate I still want to recommend it to you. This fantasy horror anthology explores our innermost fears, with each author providing their own unique tale drawing inspiration from different parts of the body.
The Advent of Winter - Various
The concept of The Advent of Winter was to release a fantasy short story on each day during the season of Advent in December last year. The twenty-four tales found in this collection take the theme of winter as their inspiration, and I loved how from that simple idea each author produced something totally different. I was lucky enough to be involved in this project and I loved reading the tales written by the other authors last Christmas.
Essentially a who’s who of rising and established stars in indie fantasy writing, this superb collection goes on general release later this year.
The Dex Legacy: Season One Collected Scripts & Commentary by Emily Inkpen
I think Emily Inkpen has done something very special with her sci-fi audio drama The Dex Legacy. Clearly a growing number of people agree since the series won a BSFA Award earlier this year. You can find out how it all began in this book, which gathers together the full scripts from Season One and includes commentary and reflections on the creative process behind the scenes.
Rise Red Kingdom by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero
In Rise Red Kingdom we return to the fantastic fantasy world of vying kingdoms and vivid contrasting elemental magic created by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero. If you’re looking for beautifully written imaginative fantasy by an author equally comfortable with thrilling action scenes and intimate character work then the Burn Red Skies series is for you.
A Lion’s Pride by PL Stuart
Stuart’s A Drowned Kingdom Saga is a hugely ambitious fantasy series, distinctive because we perceive events through the viewpoint of the flawed protagonist King Othrun. The fourth novel in this seven book series is a huge turning point in the saga, setting up a fascinating premise for the remaining three books.
The Devil in Derbyshire: Weird Tales of Argana Zeit Volume 2 by Owain Oakwood
These cosy mysteries of the magical and arcane combine folk history, legend and the real setting of the Peak District in England. The result is something which is both refreshingly different but at the same time comfortingly familiar, allowing you to relax and unwind in the company of Argana and her faithful dog Max as they set out on another series of adventures in this collection of short stories.
Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie
I think Leckie’s writing will appeal to readers who enjoy cerebral sci-fi books with an emphasis on dialogue and nuanced societal manners. If you’re not too bothered about the absence of action and like a simple plot and a relaxing read, this series might be for you.
Age of the Dryad by Jacob Sannox
The Dark Oak Chronicles series explores the theme of nature turning upon humanity. This is really thoughtful and original fantasy and I think what elevates Sannox’s writing is his capacity to surprise you as the reader. At no point was I able to guess what was going to happen next in this novel. I now need to read the final book, The Devising, to see how the whole series ends.
Raw Spirit by Iain Banks
Banks’s fusion of travelogue, political commentary, autobiography and, occasionally, whisky guide is a delight. This was a reread for me and the book had a big impact this time round, perhaps because I’m getting older. Both reflective and riotous fun, this could have been my top recommendation of the past 12 months. However, one title pipped it at the post…
The Hallows by HL Tinsley
I’ve enjoyed so many fantastic books over the past twelve months. Picking my favourite wasn’t easy but fantasy standalone The Hallows stands out because it’s such a distinctive book. Tinsley has always had an fabulous voice as a writer but in this novel the 1920’s themed world setting and the beautifully written characters really shine. Despite the dark themes there’s a genuine and natural warmth to the various relationships and lots of dry humour and wit to lighten the mood.
With its unusual and unique use of magic, strong sense of place, intelligently explored themes and varied and memorable cast of characters, The Hallows is a fantastic story. Tinsley is a gifted writer and I think this is her best novel to date.
