I suppose it is
time to do a wrap-up for 2024. These are my favorite books of the past 12
months. These are books that I read in 2024. That does not mean they came out
in 2024 (most of them didn’t). I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, but
I read other things too, so these are the best books I read in 2024 in no
particular genre and in no particular order. Again, these are just the books
that I liked. You may have hated some of these books and that’s okay. This is my
list. I had difficulty narrowing it down to five. That is why this top five list
inexplicably contains six. It is also
why there are honorable mentions afterward.
Service
Model by Adrian
Tchaikovsky
Comic
existentialism in robot form. Who could imagine such a thing? Well, the
brilliant Adrian Tchaikovsky, that’s who. Don’t let the “E” word scare you off.
I promise, it’s funny.
The Dog
Stars by Peter
Heller
A
post-apocalyptic story about an airplane pilot and his dog who partner up with
a half-crazed survivalist. There are very few people left alive and most of
them, you don’t want to meet . . . yeah. Still, there is always a desire for
human contact.
Steel
Beach by John
Varley
A good
old-fashioned sci-fi yarn. Varley is always fun, but give me characters
not-so-loosely based on The Front Page, with snappy dialog and acid wit,
and I am all in.
Mirrored
Heavens by
Rebecca Roanhorse
A satisfying
ending to a wonderful fantasy trilogy. It is a fantasy that not based on medieval
European sensibilities, but more akin to the indigenous peoples of the
Americas. It also has some badass female lead characters.
Silver
Nitrate by
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A combination
of cinematic schlock movie history and a bit of horror. Plus our protagonists
have to outwit NAZIs. It is also a story about friendship and growth. The main
characters of Montserat and Tristan are both down on their luck, but that
doesn’t mean they can’t find it in themselves to be heroes.
The Dutch
House by Ann
Patchett
A rich cast of
characters carries us through the life of Danny and his family, through good
times, bad times and really bad times. Danny and his sister find ways to
navigate the obstacles and cope. The characters in the book are given choices.
Many of them have, or will choose a path to wealth. But the characters who
choose a different path seem to be happier.
Honorable
mentions:
It Takes a
Village edited by Eric
Klein
Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton
Lessons in
Chemistry by Bonnie
Garmus
Making it So by Patrick Stewart
The Snow
Child by Eowyn Ivey
44 Scotland
Street by Alexander McCall Smith
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