The Big Misses of 2014



So I know I'm not the fastest reader on the block and I take time to really soak in and enjoy my books - and so a lot of really good titles that came out in 2014 sadly got relegated to the TBR pile - which incidentally has been growing to be higher than the Himalayas.

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
The Biggest and most anticipated book for me, like a million others was the epic continuation of the Stormlight Archive - picking up after the spectacular beginning in The Way of the Kings. I got the giant tome and I never got the courage to check it out. I know with Sanderson's incredibly engaging manner of writing the 1000-pages would fly by faster than 300. But sadly I haven't yet got a chance to crack it open. Open it I will, A promise to go back to the hopeless war against the mysterious Parshendi and the fates of Kaladdin and others entwined with that of the world on the brink of a desolation. 2015 is the year it will happen.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

 I have a confession/fear. A somewhat unnatural one. One that stops me from reading the last volume of a series by the authors I love. Mark Lawrence is somebody I revere and completely worship. He works magic with his words - the maxims about life as is gleaned by Jorg's dark mistrusting outlook on life are absolutely stunning. Pure gold. And so the Broken Empires series - one of the best finds for me in 2013 - still remains unfinished. I was elated when I heard about the new series set in the same world as the Broken Empire. But I must get past my fears and finally bid adieu to Jorg before I embark on the Red Queen's war. So Jalan and his fate will be read only in 2015. Soon. I promise.

City of Stairs by Robert Bennett Jackson

 Okay since we're in the mood to completely come clean, I might as well confess that I haven't read anything by Robert Bennett Jackson. But with City of Stairs, the highly talented author turning his hands to epic fantasy and doing so in grand resounding style and success, I must hurry and get a read. Fortunately I have a copy of this book. And it's sitting pretty right on top. another big miss from what I hear about the book. It's supposed to another game changer, like how Joe Abercrombie did with his First Law. Can't wait!!

Ancillary Justice/Sword by Ann Leckie

 Another book/series that promises to burst with goodness. What with having swept every other award possible in the history of SFF genre books, I am sure it amounts to something. I dont intend to be left behind. Got a copy - somewhere buried deep within that pile. Sigh. I would think by April I should have got around. Kidding. I will read this ASAP. ( until that next big shining book snares me into a trap and I get swept away...)

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley

 Another big mover and shaker in the world of SFF - with her unabashedly bold approach to writing and her tremendously well-imagined epic fantasy Mirror World having taken the world by storm - I have resolved to read this early this year. From what I hear - delicious rumors of sentient bloodthirsty plants, insane world building, blood magic - this is going to one hell of a romp. While the bug-punk fantasy series - Bel Dame Apocrypha - is something I am yet to wrap up. I liked book one. Book two holds promise. I just got Rapture. So well, It might take some time before I get to the mirror worlds.

These are the top of my anticipated list that sadly I never got around to reading. There are lots outside of this that got published in 2014 - the excellent Dagger and Coin series by Daniel Abraham - my go-to-author whenever I feel I miss GRRM is still on. I haven't gone past book 2. Widow's House came out last year, I think it being book-4.

I am on-track with the Gentleman Bastards' having read Republic of Thieves last year and waiting eagerly for the Thorn of Emberlain. So no regrets there. I haven't even got started with Elizabeth Bear's excellent eastern influenced "silk road" fantasy trilogy, Eternal Sky. So I wouldnt miss that Steeles of the Sky came out in 2014 marking an end to that. Military Fantasy being given a fillip - Black Hawk Down Meets X-men in Myke Cole's fascinating debut series, Shadow Ops concluded last year with Breach Point. I am stuck on book # 2. Luckily I got an ARC for his next, The Gemini Cell which promises to be even better. So I might cheat and start on that one.

Robin Hobb makes a winning comeback to her original series with the Fool's Assassin. I am not sure of this one. I have only started off with her original book, Assassin's Apprentice. While I found the book pretty enjoyable, it did take me ages to plod through the slow burning plot. I will let it stew on my TBR before I come back.

So there are the top few of the BIGGIES of 2014 that have made their way into my 2015-read-urgently-or-die-trying list. I hope I make good the resolutions. Wish me luck !!

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