The Bodhisattva

…and it continues!

30. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1996)

The third book in the series (A Storm of Swords) is already on the list as what I feel is the best epic fantasy book I have ever read. In all honesty this series probably kept my love for the medium (epic fantasy) alive. I was entering that stage where I (like many others) were getting tired of reading what was essentially the same story over and over from thirty different authors and not only did this book buck that status quo it really is more than that, it’s not just the best epic fantasy of the 90’s, it’s really one of the best series I have ever read period, and its achieved a rare combination of being extremely popular (a best seller) and actually being good. This is the book that introduced me to the cast of characters - that have not only for me, but also for a mob of others - defined 90’s fantasy.

Epic fantasy can not only be good, it can rival the best stuff being written, and it’s nice of Martin to supply me with something tangible to point to when saying that.

29. Letters From Hades by Jeffrey Thomas (2003)

I’m a big fan of just about everything I have read from Thomas (and looking forward to his next effort) and one might just want to consider this entry a dual entry with his Punktown. Jeffrey Thomas gives us a view of a man who wakes up in hell, falls in love, and starts a life in hell (after graduating) and even has time to hope to be able to be able publish his book. That’s a dedicated writer.

I take solace that if I don’t make it the other way, there are small presses in hell. By the way, if I didn’t stress it enough, Punktown kicks all kinds of ass - that’s a quality purchase that will have you searching for other Thomas efforts in that setting.

28. The Inflatable Volunteer by Steve Aylett (1999)

I thought Aylett’s Lint was one of the better books I read last year, but this probably my favorite book by Aylett who has crafted wonderful locales like Beerlight in the past. What draws me to Aylett is that although many describe his work as surreal and over the top, Aylett’s characters do and act in a manner that I relate to, which may man I’m a sick bastard, or everybody else is just lying. Probably the latter.

27. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk (1999)

That guy who wrote Fight Club. This is his best book.

What? That should be enough…

26. The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons (1999)

As I pondered this list I was sure it would be Simmons\’e2\’80\’99s Ilium that would be on this list. I found that I thought less of it after reading its sequel Olympos, which I enjoyed but failed to live up to promise of Ilium. Simmons remains one of the more versatile writers out there, and his Hyperion Cantos was one of the reads that really turned me on to Science Fiction, and this book, a historical/fiction that actually makes Ernest Hemingway interesting (no small feat) is representing Simmons on this list.

25. Excession by Iain M. Banks (1996)

I love Culture - Use of Weapons is one of the best damn SF books I have read, and this my second favorite (I’m also a fan of Bank’s non-Sf work). Making humans a secondary, or at least not the sole primary perspective of Space Opera is ballsy - making it great might make you the subject of SF fan boy admiration.

24. Time’s Hammer by James Sallis (2000)

I’m quite proud of this find as I have been looking forward to some mystery books beyond the classics that I’m most familiar with (Stout, Christie etc) and this collection by Sallis (who I am otherwise not familiar with) makes me feel this is a great author to start with.
In short, I don’t know much about mystery, but I like this book.

23. Finding Helen by Colin Greenland (2003)

For a while (last couple of years) it seemed Colin Greenland became the name mentioned along with Susanna Clarke, which speaks volumes about how well received Clarke was for Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, because this guy is talented. I actually first read Greenland via a short story contribution he did in Book of Dreams, an anthology containing stories pertaining to Neil Gaiman’s Dreaming which featured authors like the aforementioned Clarke, Gene Wolfe, John M. Ford, Tad Williams, Steven Brust, Lisa Goldstein, Caitlin Kiernan, and George Alec Effinger among others. Greenland just gets it with Finding Helen; he doesn’t as much take you on a journey to his conclusion as much as he guides you to make your own (a novel idea in some fantasy corners).

It’s just a wonderful example of SF/F being the tool and not the product itself (another idea that is lost in many corners of SF/F).

22. Bible Stories for Adults by James Morrow (1996)

Okay, I’m lame, the title first made me to examine this book, but my lameness proved fruitful on this occasions as this is wonderful collection of smart satire of events not just involving the Bible, but also in regards to stories about Helen (of Troy) Ebenezer Scrooge, and Lincoln. Christopher Moore’s work never really appealled to me in the manner this effort by Morrow did.

…and God narrating a story just tickled me.

21. Endland Stories by Tim Etchells (1998)

One day I was reading an interview being conducted by some guy named Gabe Chouinard (you may have heard of him - more likely you have heard him, as Gabe is one of those personalities who seem to be able yell at you through the screen). He was interviewing M. John Harrison, and as he was asking a question he mentions Etchell’s name sandwiched in-between China Mieville and Kelly Link when referencing writers who are drawing on their own lives to create works that transcend ‘normal’ genre conventions. At the time I hadn’t read Link so the implication wasn’t as staggering as it is now, but I have one of those odd minds that recalls and ponders things of no consequence to others (like how Squirrel Girl beats the hell out of every major Marvel character - or why Condor Man didn’t become the next huge super hero after his film).

So…who the hell is Tim Etchells?

I still have no damn clue, but this collection is an intriguing and nifty cynical (which in the 21st century means realistic) look at modern values in England.

* Read 91-100 here.
* Read 81-90 here.
* Read 71-80 here.
* Read 61-70 here.
* Read 51-60 here.
* Read 41-50 here.
* Read 31-40 here.