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[ellestra]

Seems like everyone’s making a best of 2007 lists, so I decided to write about the books I liked most this year. Here it is in no particular order (with links to what I wrote about them earlier - be careful they may contain spoilers):

Milena Wójtowicz’s Wrota (Gates) – a tale about a princess (or evil witch – depending on point of view), who is freed/kidnapped from her stronghold/tower by brave and handsome/stupid and pompous prince and all that happens after.
I love Milena Wójtowicz sense of humour and I loved this book. The princess is spoiled, willful and certainly it’s not what she imagined being rescued by a prince would be. And soon it turns out it is her who has to help the prince. Not that he is very grateful. After all he is as spoiled as she is and, just like her, he thinks that his problems are the most important.
There are also demons and Gates to Hell, who unfortunately not only have their own personality but also share the headspace with the princess. There is drunken good sorceress. There are evil robbers and even more evil inquisitors.
And it’s never going to be available in English :P

Ian Cameron Esselsmont’s Night of Knives – tale of how the Emperor and Dancer were assassinated (or not).

Steven Erikson’s Reaper’s Gale – The seventh book of tMBotF I like more then the sixth. There were still parts I feel dragged – the Schilas Ruin and co trip and others that seemed disconnected (and presented serious timeline problems) – like the Awl parts. Still the Bonehunters and Tehol and Bugg made up for that. I loved the ending. And I finally warmed up to Karsa Orlong – he’s cool now.

Siergiej Łukjanienko’s Dusk (Twilight) Watch – explained more about the nature of Others and what their power is really all about. And I was almost as heart broken about the ending as Anton was.

Peter F. Hamilton’s The Dreaming Void – I loved the Commonwealth since I read Pandora’s Star, so I waited for sequel eagerly. I liked it a lot despite the very first book/setup feeling.

Ken MacLeod’s Newton’s Wake – my favourite post-human book this year.

Greag Egan's Quarantine – very clever idea and good example of evolution – survives not the best but fittest.

Justina Robson’s Living Next Door to the God of Love – I’ve just finished this and haven’t wrote my reactions, yet, but I liked the ideas – the Unity and how its agents work were very much like I imagined such beings. I liked Greg and Rita and the rest too.

Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair – was funny, fast paced alternate reality that made books superstars.

Terry Pratchett’s books – I read The Truth, Thief of Time and Wintersmith and had fun as always.

I noticed I didn’t write about all the books I read or even all that I liked. I probably because I’m lazy – I only write my thoughts down if something really excites or annoys me.