End of the Year Roundup Tag

 

Thanks to @blogspells and @suebavey for the tag. This was one that had me thinking long and hard about the various different categories.

Good evening Fantasy Book Nerds

Right let's kick this off this end of the year roundup and see what we have for ya

1. The most badass character

I had to think hard on this one. It was a toss up between a number of people really, so I have narrowed it down to Tau Solarin. Tau is an unforgettable character and not without his faults. He is major league badass with those two swords of his. Both Rage of Dragons and The Fires of Vengeance were amazing books this year.

2. The weirdest or most unique story

Without a doubt, The Fisherman. I loved this weird tale from John Langham. Who would have thought a story about two fishermen could be this riveting, but it was!

3. The coolest world building

Well that goes hands down to Gareth Hanrahan in The Shadow Saint, the second book in The Black Gods trilogy. I read this in what seemed like an age ago, back in February. The setting for this book is amazing, part steampunk/part fantasy/wholly original.

4. The best fictional animal

I don’t think that I am going to be alone on this one, but I have only read one book with a fictional animal in it. 

So, if you can’t guess, Mephi, from Andrea Stewart’s ‘The Bone Shard Daughter’.

5. The book you just couldn’t put down

Do you know, 2020 has been chock full of them this year and it is going to be hard to pick just one. But if I have to do it, then it will be Matthew Ward’s Legacy of Steel. This is a thick tome of a book (about 750 pages I think!). I loved this book and devoured it in about three days (may have been four, I will have to check!)

6. A character you loved to spend time with

I think this is going to have to be a choice between two, I cannot decide. But I adored Elma York in the Calculating Stars. I think she has got to be one of my all-time favourite characters. And the other one was DCI Peter Grant in the Rivers of London Series.

7. The one that hits you in the feels

Definitely ‘Call of The Bone Ships’ by RJ Barker. Oh my goodness, this one tears you to shreds. I think I need therapy after that one.

8. The villain you love to hate

Don’t judge, but in a lot of cases I really like the villains. I know, I know there must be a little bit wrong with me. But sometimes, I just can’t help it. Sometimes I want the villain to win. However, these next two posts are going to jump into each other. And I have to say, I did not like this villain (I would be a bit worried if I did) at all, but Darus from ‘We are the Dead’ is definitely - that villain you loved to hate.

9. The 5 Star read you weren’t expecting

Again, I have had a slew of books that I thought were 5 star books, from Sam Hawke’s Hollow Empire to Matthew Ward. However, the one for me that I was not expecting, well two really, was Mike Shackle’s ‘We are the Dead’ & ‘ A Fool’s Hope’. These went past 5* ratings and placed themselves firmly on my all-time favourite list. The first is a visceral depiction of war and oppression and the second, well what can you say about the second one? Utterly blew me away and I was not expecting that at all