In the next few weeks:
Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair Reynolds
Redshirts: A Novel of Three Codas by John Scalzi
2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Railsea by China Mieville
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Baciagalupi
We've already seen the release of:
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Arctic Rising by Tobias Buckell
Triggers by Robert J. Sawyer
In the coming months we'll have:
The Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton
Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujols
The Hydrogen Sonata by Ian M. Banks
Not to mention some high profile authors diving back in with co-wrtiers:
Bowl of Heaven by Larry Niven and Gregory Benford
The Cassandra Project by Jack McDevitt and Mike Resnick
I haven't even typed out the titles for new books from these authors:
I guess what I'm saying is that there seems to be a disproportionate number of exciting science fiction titles this year. Some of the best selling and critically acclaimed authors all seemed to be publishing something in 2012.
So I ask you, fair reader, is it my imagination or are we in the midst of a special year for SF?
Admittedly, who knows if any of them are any good? I've only read a handful.
The Cassandra Project by Jack McDevitt and Mike Resnick
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxyer
Fate of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner
I haven't even typed out the titles for new books from these authors:
Neal Asher, Charles Stross, David Weber, Eric Brown, James S.A. Corey, Hannu Rajaniemi, C.J. Cherryh, Jack Campbell, Kameron Hurley, Daniel H. Wilson, and Ken MacLeod
And woe be to anyone who forgets the phenomenally interesting debuts of:
Rob Reid, John Love, Christopher Bennett, Paul Tobin, and E.J. Swift, among others
I guess what I'm saying is that there seems to be a disproportionate number of exciting science fiction titles this year. Some of the best selling and critically acclaimed authors all seemed to be publishing something in 2012.
So I ask you, fair reader, is it my imagination or are we in the midst of a special year for SF?
Admittedly, who knows if any of them are any good? I've only read a handful.
11/22/63 was last November, I think.
ReplyDeleteBut no, I disagree, I think we're in a typical year for SF. This year, to me at least, is a year of sequels - namely Fire Season by David Weber & Jane Lindskold and Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey/Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck. Little seems exciting or new to me, but then again I'm absolutely miserable :p
2012, for me at least, is a year of continuation and climaxes. A lot of series I've been following end this year and some others continue, but very few start.
Oh ya, good point. It was released on November 11. I'm kind of stupid.
DeleteYeah big year indeed. As Kathryn says, many series books, but a year with new Reynolds, Banks, Hamilton, Scalzi, Brin, Bujold, Niven, Stross, Weber and Sawyer is big indeed.
ReplyDeletea big year for SciFi? well, that Mayan thing is right around the corner. . . ;)
ReplyDeleteI've heard Redshirts is cute but forgettable, Arctic Rising was okay, John Love's Faith was f'ing incredible, Kim Stanley Robinson's 2312 is quite good and only he would write something like this, and I have an incoming copy of Railsea.
I'm also looking forward to David Brin's new one, he hasn't put anything out in ages!
Yeah I think it's a hefty year from SciFi and thank God for all those brilliant Brits. We'd be lost without them.
ReplyDelete