Having now read the book, I can state the following: Williams presents a very interesting story concept with a strong protagonist at its core. The pace of the story is relatively quick, and Williams does a great job of keeping the reader engaged throughout the book. TINAG was fun to read and I’ll definitely be checking out Williams’ other novels in the future.

The story follows Dagmar Shaw, an Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG) game designer from Los Angeles. In the first third of the story, Dagmar is trying to flee from Jakarta after an economic collapse brings about a violent revolution to its streets. The rest of the novel takes place in L.A. and explores the relationship between an online gaming community and their impact on a real murder investigation.

If I was to find one fault with the novel, it would be the somewhat predictable nature of the ending. I had a suspicion TINAG would end the way it did, but this didn’t take away from my reading experience. In this regard, Williams is a good story teller. He makes you turn the pages to see what happens next.

I’m a fan of role-playing games, so I have to admit that I felt right at home reading this book. That being said, there’s a bit of something for everyone in TINAG – action, murder, suspense – so I encourage anyone to check it out!

• China Mieville – Perdido Street Station

• Neil Stephenson – Anathem

• Sean Williams – The Crooked Letter

• Alastair Reynolds – House of Suns

• Gene Wolfe – Pirate Freedom

Comments and/or suggestions are welcome!

Neverwhere is a great read. Many people have described it as an “Alice in Wonderland for grownups”, and that depiction isn’t far off the mark. Neverwhere takes place in London, or more specifically in London Above and London Below. London Above is what people would see walking around in modern-day London. London Below is where the magic happens. London Below is filled with fantastic elements, residues of London Above from days long gone. It is a hodgepodge of cultures, history and eccentricity. In a word, it’s wonderful.

The story’s protagonist, Richard Mayhew, gets drawn into the world of London Below after saving a young girl’s life on the streets of London Above. Little does he know that the young girl, named Door, will shape the events of the story in ways he never dreampt possible.

Neverwhere has a bit of everything: action, humour, mischief, suspense. At around 350 pages, it’s a quick read, but a very satisfying one. Highly recommended.

Around the same time, I also finished Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1. I had read Moore’s Watchmen last year (as many people did, I suspect), so I was excited to read something else of his.

TLOEG was very different in tone and scope than Watchmen. I wasn’t expecting the same kind of read, but I was expecting a strong story with a varied cast and a good pace. TLOEG delivered on all three counts.

League’s cast is drawn from various works of 18th and 19th Century literature. Dr. Jeckyl, Mr. Hyde, Captain Nemo, Allan Quatermain, The Invisible Man and Minna Murray are brought together to help defend Britain during her hour of need. The story takes place at the end of the 19th Century, and Moore and O’Neill do a great job of depicting a world that is both realistic and fantastic.

As mentioned, the pace of the story is quick, and the motley group is constantly being launched from one setting to the next. Moore interjects dry humour throughtout the tale, which means there is hardly a dull moment to be had! I should also mention that Kevin O’Neill does a fantastic job with the artwork. His style really helps bring the story to life. I can’t imagine anyone else drawing this book.

I’ve heard that TLOEG isn’t as strong as some of Moore’s other works, including Watchmen and From Hell, but I thought it was perfect for the mood I was in. At the end of the day, getting enjoyment from the book you’re reading is the most important thing. I highly recommend The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to everyone!

After finishing Dune, I started Joe Abercrombie’s Last Argument of Kings, and I am currently at the halfway point of that story. The third and final volume in Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy is definitely living up to my expectations. I expect the ending will be nothing short of fantastic (and possibly bloody)!

I’ve also taken the time to catch up on my comic book reading this month. I’ve managed to make my way through Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers (Volume 4 in the series), Astro City: Life in the Big City (Volume 1 in the series), and I am finishing up Y: The Last Man: Unmanned (Volume 1 in the series). These are three very strong series and I would recommend each of them to anyone who isn’t already reading them. They explore serious themes and are as poignant as anything currently in publication.

Up next on the comic front, I’ll be tackling Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Kevin Baker’s Luna Park.

Here’s the end result:

• Kage Baker – In the Garden of Iden (first in larger series)

• Robert Silverberg – The Face of the Waters (stand-alone)

• Glen Cook – The Black Company (first in larger series)

• Brandon Sanderson – Mistborn (first part of trilogy)

• Stanislaw Lem – Solaris (stand-alone)

• Orson Scott Card – Ender’s Game (first in larger series)

• Gene Wolfe – Soldier of Sidon (third in series / stand-alone)

• John Scalzi – Old Man’s War (first in larger series / stand-alone)

• R. Scott Bakker – The Judging Eye (first part in series’ second trilogy)

• Philip K. Dick – Flow my Tears, the Policeman Said (stand-alone)

• Patrick Rothfuss – The Name of the Wind (first part of trilogy)

• Ben Bova – Venus (part of larger series / stand-alone)

• Scott Lynch – The Lies of Locke Lamora (first in series)

• C. S. Friedman – Feast of Souls (first part of trilogy)

• Brian Ruckley – Winterbirth (first part of trilogy)

• Carlos Ruis Zafon – The Shadow of the Wind (stand-alone)

• S. M. Stirling – The Sky People (first part of trilogy)

• Scott Bakker – Neuropath (stand-alone)

• L. E. Modesitt Jr. – The Order War (fourth in larger series / stand-alone)

• Jo Walton – Farthing (first part of trilogy)

• Martin, Dozois & Abraham – Hunter’s Run (stand alone)

• Joe Abercrombie – Before They Are Hanged (second part of trilogy)

• Steven Erikson – The Lees of Laughter’s End (third in larger series of novellas)

• Ursula K. Le Guin – The Left Hand of Darkness (stand-alone)

• Lovecraft and Derleth – The Lurker at the Threshold (stand-alone)

Standouts

• Gene Wolfe – Soldier of Sidon

• R. Scott Bakker – The Judging Eye

• Patrick Rothfuss – The Name of the Wind

• Scott Lynch – The Lies of Locke Lamora

• C. S. Friedman – Feast of Souls

• Carlos Ruiz Zafon – The Shadow of the Wind

• Joe Abercrombie – Before They Are Hanged

Given the number of quality books I read in 2009, it wouldn’t be fair to name one “best book” from the past 12 months. The above list of standouts all had their merits and I enjoyed each of them for varying reasons.

Gene Wolfe and Carlos Ruiz Zafon have some of the most fluid prose I have read and I would consider both to be master storytellers. They drag you in and don’t let go until the final pages are turned.

The concept behind C. S. Friedman’s new trilogy is one of the best I’ve seen in years. She is the author I am most pleased to have discovered last year.

Joe Abercrombie’s gritty, dark-humoured tales rank among the strongest currently in publication.

Patrick Rothfuss and Scott Lynch create protagonists you can’t help but cheer for. Both stories are very strong page turners.

I can’t get enough of R. Scott Bakker. His Prince of Nothing series completely blew me away a few years ago and the continuation of the main storyline is just as strong. The final sequence in The Judging Eye (a nod to the Mines of Moria perhaps?) was an absolute pleasure to read.

On the horizon for 2010

I’m currently halfway through Frank Herbert’s Dune, and have the following books on my immediate “to read” shelf:

• Alastair Reynolds – House of Suns

• Neil Stephenson – Anathem

• Joe Abercrombie – Last Argument of Kings

• Ken Scholes – Lamentation

• Gene Wolfe – Pirate Freedom

In terms of reading goals, I am going to try and keep pace with my 2009 levels, but I think 20 books is a realistic goal for this year. There are some hefty works that I want to get through in 2010 [Anathem (928 pp), Sanderson-Jordan’s The Gathering Storm (784 pp), Erikson’s Toll the Hounds (1280 pp) and Dusk of Dreams (likely 1000+)], which means that my overall count will likely come down. Regardless, I can’t wait to savour what 2010 has to offer!

In terms of continuity, this novella is the logical continuation to Blood Follows, the first novella in the series.

The Lees of Laughter’s End employs the same formula that made Blood Follows and The Healthy Dead so enjoyable. The 120-page tale is filled with action, humour and wild banter between the main and secondary characters.

In my opinion, Erikson is one of the best for bringing his characters to life. While Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and Emancipor Reese were already well fleshed out from the previous two novellas, The Lees of Laughter’s End adds another dimension to their near “famous” status. In short, you can’t help but turn the pages to see what is going to happen next!

While Erikson’s novellas might lack the scope and grandeur of his Malazan books, there are few stories that are as enjoyable to read as these. Highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of his previous works!

My totally arbitrary score: 4 out of 5

Before They Are Hanged picks up where The Blade Itself left off, and follows three separate plot lines: Sand dan Glokta and his work in Dagosta; Logen Ninefingers, Jezal dan Luthar, Ferro and Bayaz’s journey to a remote corner of the world in search of a powerful, ancient relic; and the struggles of Colonel West and the remnants of Ninefingers’ crew against invading forces in Angland.

Abercrombie’s prose is filled with dark humour and epic battles. Thinking back, I think I enjoyed Before They Are Hanged more than The Blade Itself. Everything takes place on a much grander scale than the first novel, and the characters really come into their own. This is especially true for Ninefingers, Luthar, Ferro and West. They all have a depth of character that might not be evident at first glance.

Abercrombie also does a good job of setting the stage for the series finale, Last Argument of Kings. There are very few resolutions at the end of Before They Are Hanged, and I’m dying to find out how the various plotlines are going to play out. Needless to say, Last Argument of Kings is already sitting on a shelf at home, and it won’t be long before I crack it open!

If you haven’t read Joe Abercrombie yet, I strongly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Blade Itself and give him a try!

My totally arbitrary score: 4.25 out of 5.

The conversation between the two can be found on Jeff VanderMeer’s website.

Abercrombie’s writing is filled with dark humour and grit, and he has an uncanny ability of drawing you into the world of the novel’s characters. If you’ve never read Abercrombie, I strongly recommend that you give him a try

Farthing is set in an alternate reality in 1949 Britain. In this tale, Britain negotiated a peace accord with Nazi Germany in 1941, and with this, removed itself from the conflict of the Second World War. The architect of the peace, Sir James Thirkie, becomes a hero overnight and begins an affiliation with the “Farthing Set”, a collective of wealthy and influential families residing in the English countryside.

Fast-forward to 1949, and Walton’s tale begins with the grisly murder of Thirkie. The narrative is told through the eyes of Inspector Peter Carmichael, a Scotland Yard police officer assigned to the case, and Lucy Khan, daughter to Lord Eversley and owner of the estate where Thirkie’s murder takes place.

While Carmichael tries to put together the pieces surrounding the murder, Khan becomes increasingly suspicious that someone is trying to pin the murder on her husband David.

Walton’s characters are extremely believable, and the dialogue is quite sharp. She also does a great job of portraying the “upper crust” of English society, snobbery included

Farthing checks in at a lean 320 pages, which makes for a nice read. If you haven’t checked out Jo Walton already, I encourage you to do so. You won’t be disappointed!

My totally arbitrary score: 4 out of 5