From: Hunt, Jonathan <Hunt.Jo>
Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 08:17:54 -0700

Here are the best fantasy books I've read in the past couple years--
  THE KING OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner . . . So far, this is my favorite book of 2006. I'm a big fan of the previous two books, THE THIEF and THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA, and Turner doesn't disappoint here. I love political intrigue in my fantasy and this book has it in spades.
  PTOLEMY'S GATE by Jonathan Stroud . . . This is a close second to KING OF ATTOLIA for me. One of the rare fantasy trilogies in which the stories are closely linked, but each successive volume gets stronger. No weak middle volume here.
  AIRBORN by Kenneth Oppel . . . This book pays more attention to character than many in the genre, and thus it should satisfy those plot-driven genre readers as well as those who normally aviod fantasy. I'm reading SYBREAKER now and it's just as good.
  THE ORACLE BETRAYED by Catherine Fisher . . . I loved the first volume, but need to pick up THE SPHERE OF SECRETS so I'll be ready for DAY OF THE SCARAB when it's published.
  BIRDWING by Rafe Martin . . . This one didn't get very much attention last year, but I still thought it was one of the best fantasies of the year. I know Monica also really liked this one a lot, too.
  IN THE COILS OF THE SNAKE by Clare Dunkle . . . The concluding volume of the trilogy begun with THE HOLLOW KINGDOM and continued with CLOSE KIN. Enmity between men, elves, and goblins drive these wonderful novels.
  PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale . . . I know Hale's earlier books, THE GOOSE GIRL and ENNA BURNING, have lots of fans, but I do think this one is her best. For one thing, there's more humor here. And for another, the setting, indeed her entire world-building, seems more vividly realized to me. I got lost in the middle of GOOSE GIRL (I'm sure I'm the only one), but this one held my attention throughout.
  POISON by Chris Wooding . . . If you're tired of commiting to multiple volume trilogies in order to read excellent fantasy than look no further than this talented young author. POISON is a terrific standalone fantasy with some dark fairy tale elements, while his earlier book, THE HAUNTING OF ALAIZABEL CRAY, with it's Victorian setting and equally clever imagination, is even better. THE STORM THIEF comes out later in the year, and needless to say, I can hardly wait.
  BLOODTIDE by Melvin Burgess . . . Okay, picture this scene. I'm sitting in the audience at one of the final BBYA sessions while they're making their impassioned last pleas to help or hinder various books. It's always fun to see which books committee members will argue for. This particular year, at least a third of the committee had chosen to spend this time pleading for BLOODTIDE by Melvin Burgess, a gloriously brilliant reworking of the ancient Volsunga saga. The book needed nine votes to make the list. Some hadn't finished it yet; others had, but weren't budging. It was going to be close--and it was. BLOODTIDE got eight votes, and missed the list. But it's the only book that committee inspired me to hunt down and read. And I was not sorry. The second volume, BLOODSONG, is out in England now and I hope it makes its way to our shores soon.
  Jonathan
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Received on Mon 08 May 2006 10:17:54 AM CDT