This year – aside from all the great books I read as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards, and specifically not including any of them, here is my 2016 list of wonderful books. (Alphabetical by author.)

A God in Ruins, Kate Atkinson.

• Deep and subtle characterizations
• Profound insights
• Plot pacing and through line.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven, Chris Cleave

• Evocation of WW2 London
• Stakes
• Deft and deep writing

A Green and Ancient Light, Frederic S. Durbin

• Intensely evocative writing
• Tender coming of age story
• Characters and relationships

How It All Began, Penelope Lively

• Wry and witty writing
• Twists and turns of plot
• Characters

The Red, Linda Nagata

• Military SF with heart
• Memorable near future milieu
• Superb balance of action and characters

 

Unquiet Land, Sharon Shinn

• Lovely ensemble casting
• Smoothly flawless prose
• Addictive 5th book in series