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Tuesday, January 3, 2023

2022 Review / 2023 Preview - Łukasz (FBC Crew)



I love Top Ten lists! Not that there's anything wrong with Top Five or Top Twenty lists. It's just that I can highlight many books with ten places without feeling that I omit anything noteworthy.

Without further ado, here are my ten favorite reads of 2022. Not all were published last year. I see no reason to limit myself this way.


1. King of Shadows by Robert McCammon - McCammon's characterization skills are amazing, and Matthew Corbett's series is one my favorite series ever written. I can't recommend it highly enough. King of Shadows, the eighth book in the series, is brilliant. And King of Shadows is, hands down, the best book I read this year.


2. The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee - I was late to the party and only read, no DEVOURED, it this year. The Green Bone Saga shines with great ideas, excellent execution, and unforgettable characters. 


3. An End to Sorrow by Michael R. Fletcher - that's how you end the trilogy. I loved everything about this book. Now, I know some readers are angry it doesn't offer closure, but I think that's what makes it brilliant (read the beginning and the end of the story - it's fitting).


4. The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu - this book blew my mind. It's effortlessly readable, with a great story and compelling characters. I absolutely loved it.


5. Patternmaster series by Octavia E. Butler - it was a bleak, minimalist, and unforgettable reading experience. 


6. Priest of Crowns by Peter McLean - Priest of Crowns provides a fitting (if brutal) ending to the series. It offers an excellent conclusion to Thomas Piety's story but leaves plenty of room to explore the world of the Rose Throne. If you love classic gangster movies, dark fantasy, amoral politics, and sympathetic anti-heroes you sometimes despise, you can't miss it. It ranks right up there with the best the genre has to offer.



7. Glitteratti by Oliver K. Langmead - I loved Glitterati; it’s probably the craziest book I read this year. And the most fun. I recommend it to anyone looking for a wild read that doesn’t take itself seriously and makes entertainment its priority. Great prose and Langmead's vivid imagination make it a pleasure to read.



8. In Theory, it Works by Raymond St. Elmo - I'm a committed fan of St. Elmo's imaginative and unique writing. In Theory, It Works was a delight to read and think about. I found the story satisfying, intelligent, and the ending excellent and uplifting. Plenty here for fans of the whimsy.


9. Ithaca by Claire North - Wow. Just wow. As a huge fan of Claire North's writing, I had no doubt that I would enjoy Ithaca. But the sheer brilliance of this retelling exceeded my wildest dreams. The story is intimate, emotional, and full of drama.




10. Eversion by Alastair Reynolds - If you're into science-fiction stories that require attention to detail and a certain interest in mathematics, you'll love Eversion. If you don't, you should still be able to appreciate its emotional core. Highly recommended.


GRAPHIC NOVELS


1. The Sixth Gun series by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt - Western horror. Do I need to add anything more? It's fun, well-paced, and addictive in the best way possible.


2. Serial by Terry Moore - Pure awesomeness, but I'm biased. I love Zoe. I love Terry Moore's art. The story here has some flaws and omissions, but I didn't care, I'm too invested in this world.


3. Harrow County by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook - Harrow County is one of the most enjoyable comics I've ever read. Its character-focused storytelling and intriguing mix of horror and fantasy never cease to entertain.

OTHER MEDIA

I don't play games, but I tend to binge TV Series from time to time. The ones that thoroughly impressed me this year were:



Sense 8 - an amazing (if rushed in the end due to cancellation) series about closeness. The pictures are stunning, the characters instantly likable, and the action great. I loved it!


1899 - I love beautiful pictures and sceneries and all things weird/mind-boggling. There's no surprise I enjoyed this one.



The OA - it was truly something special. A series unlike any other. A pity Netflix canceled it after only two seasons.


ANTICIPATED in 2023

  • The Book That Wouldn't Burn s by Mark Lawrence - I'll read anything Mark Lawrence writes.
  • Seven Shades of Evil by Robert McCammon - if it's published in 2023.
  • The Shattered Sphere by M.D. Presley - Sol's Harvest comes to an end. I'm beyond excited to read this.
  • Light Bringer by Pierce Brown - I can't wait to see how the series ends.
  • Anything Craig Schaefer writes. I need to feed my addiction.
  • Anything by Michael R. Fletcher, Raymond St. Elmo, Richard Nell

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