SF Signal: Pick JP's Bookshelf!

Pick JP's Bookshelf!

That's right, you, the loyal SFSignal reader, get to decide what will go on my bookshelf over there on the right. I've got a lot of books in the 'to read' pile, and I can't decide what I should read. That's where you come in. I'll list three books each in the 'Science Fiction' and 'Fantasy' categories. The top vote getter in each category will go on the shelf, as well as the book receiving the most votes that isn't one of the top two. I'll even read them in vote order. How's that for listening to our readers? So, on with the list!

Science Fiction

Cowl by Neal Asher
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn
Counting Heads by David Marusek

Fantasy

House Of Chains by Steven Erikson
Fugitives Of Chaos by John C. Wright (raving SFSignal fanboy)
The Blood Debt by Sean Williams

That's them. In your replies, list one SF and one Fantasy title. I'll tally the votes and figure out what I'll be reading over the Christmas break. Oh, and act fast, quantities are limited. In other words, this is a limited time offer, as I'm looking to start reading the new book sometime on Friday or Saturday. So get cracking!

Cowl.
Or Counting Heads.

I found Cowl to be better over all. Counting Heads has some great characters and fantastic world building but... well, I don't want to say to much since you haven't read it yet. Don't know anything about
Eifelheim.

I don't read a lot of fantasy but c'mon.... gotta read John C. Wright. I'm feeling like a punk myself for not being familiar with his work. The man definelty has good taste in SF sites

Posted by Daniel on Wednesday December 13, 2006 at 5:31 PM

Just wanted to add something... You guys ever set up a "Our Readers Recommend" post? Think it would be interesting as a thing to go back to every so often. I know I've found some great reads thanks to the reviews and discussions.

Posted by Daniel on Wednesday December 13, 2006 at 5:34 PM

Counting Heads. You won't regret it. I reviewed it for Interzone; take a look, it's nothing short of awesome. Don't know any of the fantasy authors, so I'll vote Counting Heads again. That may be cheating, but I don't care.

Posted by Armchair Anarchist on Thursday December 14, 2006 at 8:17 AM

For SF, I vote for Counting Heads. I've read Cowl, and it was pretty good, though not quite up to the level of his Polity novels.

For fantasy, you've got to read House of Chains. The other 2 look good, but Malazan is better.

Posted by Atit on Thursday December 14, 2006 at 11:25 AM

SF: Eifelheim - it's dense and dark but worth if you like philosophical SF or say Name of the Rose
I liked Cowl insofar I like 2 way time travel SF (my least favorite subgenre because it falls so easily in solipsism - boom, the hero moved through time and a new universe appeared/dissapeared), but N. Asher has so many better books, Cowl is the weakest by far. Polity Agent, well it would be a diffrent recommendation then.
Counting Heads stays on my bookshelf since publication, I cannot get into it though I tried 2 times. Maybe the third time...

Fantasy: Fugitives of Chaos - if you read Orphans which is a must, this one is a winner
Blood Debt seems fun but I did not get seriously into it since I have too many books to read, but I will read it at some point since I like S. Williams' style
I tried to read S. Erikson, but never got beyond half of the first novel in his series

Posted by Liviu on Thursday December 14, 2006 at 12:28 PM

I vote EIFELHEIM by Mike Flynn. Flynn is a simply masterful writer, and I am surprised he is not more widely known. (Have you reviewed WRECK OF THE RIVER OF STARS?)

The big drawback of FUGITIVES OF CHAOS is that it ends in a cliffhanger. There is a next book in the series TITANS OF CHAOS due out next year. Obviously this Wright person--if that is even his real name--is trying to milk us of our hard earned fantasy-buying dollar. He is evil! EVIL! And he looks like George Kennedy!

Posted by John C. Wright on Thursday December 14, 2006 at 2:44 PM

I've read Cowl and Counting Heads. I thought Cowl was the better book. Counting heads was good but jumped so much from character to character it was hard to tell where the focus was. Who is the protagonist of the book? It also seemd like the introduction to a much longer multivolume series.

Go for Cowl.

Posted by drxray on Friday December 15, 2006 at 12:07 PM

And the results are in! (Mostly because I'll be leaving for home shortly and the books are here at work.)

1. Eifelheim
2. Fugitives Of Chaos
3. Counting Heads
4. Cowl
5. House Of Chains
6. Blood Debt

Thanks to all who participated. Keep an eye out for reviews of these books in the coming weeks. Be warned, I don't read fast. Not for lack of reading ability, more due to lack of time because, frankly, sleep will win out over reading. At least at my age (and no cracks from the peanut gallery [looks at Scott]).

Posted by jp on Friday December 15, 2006 at 3:15 PM