While I wasn’t paying attention, many worthy books were either nominated or won some nice awards. Here’re highlights from most of the awards to which we generally pay attention. Visit their sites to see full lists of nominees and winners.
2006 Compton Crook Award (from the Baltimore Science Fiction Society)
- POISON STUDY • Maria V. Snyder •
2006 Rita Award (from the Romance Writers of America)
- Best Paranormal Romance
- GABRIEL’S GHOST • Linnea Sinclair • Bantam Books
2006 Prism Award (from RWA’s Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal Chapter)
- Fantasy
- 1st • DAUGHTER OF ANCIENTS • Carol Berg • Roc Books
- 2nd • THE COMPASS ROSE • Gail Dayton • Luna Books
- Novella
- 1st • “The City of Cries” in DOWN THESE DARK SPACEWAYS • Catherine Asaro • Science Fiction Book Club
- 2nd • “The Shadowed Heart” in THE JOURNEY HOME • Catherine Asaro • ImaJinn Books
- Best of the Best
- “The City of Cries” in DOWN THESE DARK SPACEWAYS • Catherine Asaro • Science Fiction Book Club
2006 Mythopoeic Award Winners (from Mythopoeic Society)
- Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature
- ANANSI BOYS • Neil Gaiman
- Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature
- “The Bartimaeus Trilogy” (THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND, THE GOLEM’S EYE, and PTOLEMY’S GATE) • Jonathan Stroud
Upon review, I’ve only read one thing above. Would any of you care to vouch for the stories on these lists?
You ask: Would any of you care to vouch for the stories on these lists?
The Bartimaeus Trilogy was uneven. The first book was interesting; good worldbuilding, interesting characters, involving plot. In the second book, the “hero” was a complete self-absorbed jerk. The heroine was interesting and likable, but not compelling enough for me to like the book. I quickly skimmed the third book just for closure and the ending was surprising and unsatisfying. So … it’s not a trilogy I would recommend. At all. I am baffled that it won the Mythopoeic Award. By These Ten Bones by Clare Dunkle was much better. Haven’t read the other two, so can’t say whether they should have won, though I doubt I would have liked the Black (too dark for my taste).
I quite liked POISON STUDY. Maria V. Snyder is a new author to watch. If you like fantasy with lots of court intrigue, this would be a good pick.
And I always like what Carol Berg writes though this isn’t my favorite series from her. Also DAUGHTER OF ANCIENTS is fourth in the The Bridge of D’Arnath Series and I would not read it without the background of the first three.
Bunty
I read (and reread) Gabriel’s Ghost way back when it first came out as an e-book. It was fantastic then and I suspect it’s even better now, though I haven’t read the print edition which I think may have been expanded somewhat for Bantam. There’s a sequel coming which I will pick up on the day it releases.
I enjoyed Anansi Boys. Gaiman does a great job blending myth into a kind of urban fantasy. I read American Gods before I read this one and couldn’t put it down.
Ita, bummer that you didn’t think so highly of Stroud’s trilogy. I still feel residual gratefulness to the Mythopoeic Awards for indirectly introducing me to Clare Dunkle’s wonderful THE HOLLOW KINGDOM, but I guess they’re not going to uncover a gem for me every year!
Very briefly: Loved ANANSI BOYS (though it’s definitely “light” Gaiman); liked POISON STUDY (some first-novel roughnesses, but engaging); couldn’t finish GABRIEL’S GHOST (execution didn’t live up to a great premise); have heard good buzz about THE COMPASS ROSE so it’s on my TBR list now.
IMO, YMMV etc etc.
I thought POISON STUDY was an excellent first book. I particularly liked the female protagonist. And I like the Bartimeus trilogy. I agree the first book was the best, but the others were very interesting. I thought the world building was very good here.
ml
Agreed about Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. Very light and fun, so don’t read it expecting to find the same type of dramatic story as American Gods or the Sandman series.
I thought the Bartimaeous trilogy wasn’t bad at all. The first book is brilliant, witty, engaging and fast paced. The second admittedly was a little disappointing but the third managed to tie it all in together be quite brilliant. The ending was perfectly satisfying and definitely worth reading.
The Bartimaeous trilogy was brilliant. I agree parts of the series dragged on, but the premise of the book being narrated from the point of view of a djinni who has served masters throughout history is the only book of its kind (to my knowledge). The djinni’s sense of humour was wonderful and the world the author creates is very unique in fantasy literature.