The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham: Highly trained poets have the ability to create andat, the literal embodiment of an idea. Quite the finest fantasy series I've read to date. A four book series, now republished in two-book omnibus form. The series has an original setting, a brilliantly simple magic system, great characters and a plot that derives entirely from these elements. It is one of those rare books where the prologue is not simply relevant, but the crux of later events. My reviews of: Shadow and Betrayal Seasons of War
Stormlord Trilogy by Glenda Larke: In a land desperately short of water, the stormlords have the power to move water from the oceans to create rain. But only one remains. Another work with an original setting, a brilliantly simple magic system, and a tight, character-driven plot, with an elegantly understated writing style. A terrific, readable series, exactly what fantasy should be. My reviews of: The Last Stormlord Stormlord Rising Stormlord's Exile
The Medair Duology by Andrea K Höst: In the midst of war, a woman sets out to find a magic gizmo to achieve victory, but when she returns, five hundred years have passed and the enemy is now the establishment. Not a high-action story, but deeply introspective and absorbing, with a mass of unpredictable twists. Quirky, original, intelligent and thought-provoking, a truly character-driven story. My reviews of: The Silence of Medair Voice of the Lost
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells: Moon is a Raksura, a shapeshifter alternating between humanoid and winged reptilian forms, and has been in hiding since his family were killed. When he meets others of his own kind, both sides find it hard to adjust. A fine story built entirely around non-human characters. First part of a completed trilogy. My review.
The Demon of Cliffside by Nathan Fierro: A stunningly original world, and a compelling alchemypunk story featuring a non-human protagonist. My review.
Thorn by Intisar Khanani: A retelling of the fairytale of the goosegirl, this is an unusually thought-provoking YA book with an unexpectedly mature ending. My review.
Champion of the Rose by Andrea K Höst: Featuring a magically evil rose bush with an agenda of its own, this is a highly original character-driven story. My review.
Cloak of Magic by Sue Rule: A clash of cultures between an egalitarian society of communal farmers and a militaristic hierarchical empire, with a brilliantly charismatic main character. First part of a completed trilogy. My review.
The Wandering Tale by Tristan Gregory: A linked series of four short stories, each one perfectly formed but even better when read as a series. My review.
Havenstar by Glenda Larke: A stunningly original world with islands of stability separated by ever-changing areas of chaos, where the skills of mapmakers are essential to make travel possible. Wonderful characters in a story that twists and turns as unpredictably as the setting. My review.
The Light of Kerrindryr by H Anthe Davis: A truly exceptional debut fantasy, with complex characters, awesome world-building and a pacy plot that twists and turns in a million unpredictable ways. Vividly written, with lots of humour and some genuinely spine-chilling moments of horror. My review.
Some of these are self-published, but for those still wondering about the quality of such books, author Michael J Sullivan has compiled a list of 20 best-sellers for The Ranting Dragon blog here.
For more books that I enjoyed, check out my review of 2011 or my review of 2012.
