Sci Fi SoundTrack

It is Thanksgiving 2009, the holiday where we Americans take a longer look at what we are grateful for in our lives. I am thankful for my two parents and my brother, who work hard and play hard. I am thankful for my best friends Dave, Kim, John, and Hayden, who are always there. I am thankful for Terry Brooks and his wife Judine, who have a way of bringing out the best in me. I am thankful for several dozen authors, editors, and publicists who call me friend for reasons I'm still not entirely sure of. At least I think they call me friend... hmm... Thanksgiving 2009 is here. It is time to eat, be merry, and tell those we care about that we do care for them. Why am I writing a post about 2010 then? With many industries, the book industry lags about a year between book completion to book publishing. Most of the books that will hit the shelves in 2010 were written in 2009, if not before. Therefore I decided I'd highlight books I already know I am thankful for in 2010: 10. The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

2009 saw some great debut novels. The Warded Man was one of them. Peter V. Brett has created a dark high fantasy with a fantastic magic system and his characters were fun and interesting. The Desert Spear is the sequel and as with many writers, I believe it is the sequel that either makes or breaks them. Once The Desert Spear is published, I have a feeling Brett will be around for a long time thereafter.

9. The Ruling Sea by Robert V.S. Redick

Here is another author who debuted in 2009 to great acclaim. The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick was a fantastic read, wholly unique in its characters and setting. I am excited to return to the great ship Chathrand as it cuts through The Ruling Seas. I have no doubt this sequel will also cement Redick in the fantasy genre as a major writer.

8. The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

The holidays are sometimes for confession. I have one. I haven't read the opus known as Malazan Book of the Fallen. Despite being friends with Steven Erikson and knowing how scarily intelligent he is, I have not started Gardens of the Moon. I have a general rule about not starting long series until they are finished and Malazan is definitely a long series—the series long in book count as well as page count. With the publication of The Crippled God, the last book in the first series, I can start reading Gardens of the Moon! I am excited to discover what everyone else loves and that discovery will take place in 2010!