Literally Geeky discussion

Clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in, and the year is coming to a close.

What are the best books of your year? They don't have to be recent publications, just something you've stumbled across during 2014.

I'm close to the end of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, which came out in the early 90s.

In terms of influence, I reckon there's a hell of a lot in Ready Player One that owes itself to this book; it's another sort of 'enter the Matrix' thing where you put goggles on and go into the Metaverse, but it's a tense thriller which basically has a massive go at organised religion, so I'm down.

Also stylistically and considering when it was written it reminds me a whole lot of Microserfs too, the way the characters speak to each other and the attempted descriptions of the future we'll live in. I've got an awful feeling the ending will let me down, but fingers crossed - so far it's the best book I've read all year.

I've read a lot of decent books this year, but very few that really knocked my socks off. Predominately this turned into the year of rogues, capers and spies - I started reading John Le Carré and I haven't stopped. Spy-craaaack!

So....

I'm nutty about The Pirates! Especially The Pirates! In Adventures with Communists. I roared a hearty pirate laugh on nearly every page, and am now cultivating a beard as a result of Pirate-Captain envy.



I devoured The Name of the Wind and The Wiseman's Fear (twice! Oh, my stars! The foreshadowing, the conspiracies and, and, and... PM me and let's mull together). I loved both books but prefer the former, possibly due to ...(view spoiler)[ concerns about Kvothe getting riddled with the clap. If on the third day 'little Kvothe' doesn't drop off, I'll be very surprised (hide spoiler)].



Sue Townsend's paean to the Welfare State - Mr Bevan's Dream reminded me that almost nothing has changed between now and the 1980s, except the politicians have gotten shinier, proving that you can indeed polish a turd.



Simon Sebag Montfieore's Jerusalem is thoroughly researched and a well balanced history of the city, there's a lot that can be gained by sitting down to process this very elegant brick of a book. However, in terms of historical non-fiction, I was charmed by Stephen Alford's Watchers: Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I. PLOTS! - The Pirates! In Adventures with Elizabethan Plotters! Oh... how I wish.



Lastly, a special mention to The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes, which might not be as beautifully written a caper as the Lies of Locke Lamora (very good indeed, superlatively good in fact, capering galore), but The Palace Job doesn't take itself very seriously, and I liked the randy unicorn. Pairs well with fizzy wine, sipped from that pint glass you stole down the pub.



There you go. I heartily endorse all these books.

Literally Geeky-wise, my favorite picks this year have been Ready Player One and Little Brother.

As far as non-book club material goes, I haven't read anything this year that really knocked my proverbial socks off (sorry, Pat Rothfuss). Although there have been some great graphic novels such as East of West and the Locke & Key finale. Saga continues to be excellent as well.

I haven't read anything this year that has totally blown me away. The third and final Daughter of Smoke and Bone book came out, which I loved but it wasn't the best of the series. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the Dragon Age books, not the best pieces of fiction in the world but the story adds so so much to the games. Highly recommended to any fan of the DA world.

When it comes to the book club, I'm in agreement with Aaron. Ready Player One and Little Brother have been the books of the year for me.