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The absolute essential books for one genre bookseller #03
Dark Tower: Dark Tower v. 7Dark Tower: Dark Tower v. 7 by Stephen King
Buy used from: £2.82
King's magnum opus comes to an end of sorts. Whether you dig it or not, it's up to you. First half of the book features some of King's best writing.
Singularity SkySingularity Sky by Charles Stross
Buy new: £4.99 / Used from: £0.34
Interesting and smart space-opera from a self confessed Scottish geek. Gotta love a colony which reverts all technology and takes the social structure of 19th century communism!
Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a GenerationPlanet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation by Chris Turner
Buy new: £1.50 / Used from: £0.01
A smart and funny commentary on The Simpsons and its impact. Goes overboard a bit in its interpretation, but it's mainly a book worthy of a "Woo Hoo!"
The Praxis (Dread Empire's Fall)The Praxis (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams
Buy new: £2.97 / Used from: £0.74
A solid and well-written space opera with a cracking look at class systems and a very original alien race.
The Sundering (Dread Empire's Fall)The Sundering (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams
Buy new: £5.49 / Used from: £2.80
Continues the fast paced action that ends with a very exciting Halo-esque attack on the capital.
A Storm of Swords: Book Three of a Song of Ice and FireA Storm of Swords: Book Three of a Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Buy used from: £0.33
Third book features more deaths than the previous 2 combined, the epic power struggles continues, and yet we still have no idea how it's going to pan out! Bloody brilliant.
Century Rain (Gollancz S.F.)Century Rain (Gollancz S.F.) by Alastair Reynolds
Buy new: £9.35 / Used from: £2.50
Ambitious hybrid of hard sci-fi, alternate WWII history and Euro-noir pot boiler that fizzles at the end a bit. Still, most of it is captivating.
Olympos (Gollancz S.F.)Olympos (Gollancz S.F.) by Dan Simmons
Buy new: £10.44 / Used from: £2.26
A stunning conclusion to the tale which began with "Ilium". This is speculative fiction at its best.
The Endymion Omnibus: Endymion, The Rise of Endymion: "Endymion", "The Rise of Endymion" (Gollancz S.F.)The Endymion Omnibus: Endymion, The Rise of Endymion: "Endymion", "The Rise of Endymion" (Gollancz S.F.) by Dan Simmons
Buy new: £10.49 / Used from: £5.95
The concluding half to the Hyperion Cantos ups the ante and delivers with its fantastical future society, humanistic themes and enjoyable battle sequences.
Judas UnchainedJudas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
Buy new: £13.29 / Used from: £0.47
Over the top space opera at its most enjoyable. Big and fat, but reads like a charm.
Blood CrazyBlood Crazy by Simon Clark
Buy used from: £26.23
Draws influences from "Dawn of the Dead", "War of the Worlds" and "Lord of the Flies" to produce a well thought out and genuiniely terrorfying tale of zombie horror.
Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall)Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams
Buy new: £6.89 / Used from: £1.46
The thrilling conclusion to the trilogy sees an impressive takeover of the captured capital. After that the space battles seems anti-climatic in comparison. Be prepared for a sequel series though.
Full Dark HouseFull Dark House by Christopher Fowler
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £0.25
A quirky mix of Scooby Doo, Agatha Christie and Monty Python.
Pushing Ice (Gollancz)Pushing Ice (Gollancz) by Alastair Reynolds
Reynolds does Arthur C Clarke as he turns the dial for wonder past 11.
A Feast for Crows (Song of Ice and Fire)A Feast for Crows (Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin
Buy new: £6.99 / Used from: £4.00
Really a half part installment to the series, more pretenders to the throne rock up and we still have no idea where things will go. But it's all so much fun
Old Man's WarOld Man's War by John Scalzi
Buy used from: £0.45
A perfect blend of "Starship Troopers" and "The Forever War" but with the author's own touch. Career establishing novel.
The Ghost BrigadesThe Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
Buy new: £4.07 / Used from: £1.40
Definition of engrossing: demolished this novel in one go on a flight to Japan. Like the novel before, hard action with a surprising soft side in exploring love and humanity. Ah.
Spook CountrySpook Country by William Gibson
Buy used from: £143.06
The narrative never gets into gear properly but the characters, ideas and dreamlike setting of our contemporary world is still brilliant.
Dreaming Void, TheDreaming Void, The by Peter F. Hamilton
Does the job for a first novel in a series but somewhat unsatisfying. Still, Hamilton has improved with better developed characters.