Fantasy Faction's Best Books of 2018

[ScarletBea]

It's live on the main site:
http://fantasy-faction.com/2019/fantasy-factions-best-fantasy-books-of-2018

I have to admit that I've only read less than a handful of them (literally: I've read 4). I recognise a few more names, there are some titles that I'm waiting for the paperback to read, but the others are completely new, which feels quite surprising.

Note to self: no, don't let this make you frustrated and think you'll never have time to read everything to the point of not enjoying properly the current book

[Alex Hormann]

I've read 11 of them, and agree with all but two being in the list, albeit higher up. (Winter Road and City of Lies weren't to my tastes)

I think that as self published books become more popular, I'm going to recognise fewer and fewer of these lists.

[ScarletBea]

I think that as self published books become more popular, I'm going to recognise fewer and fewer of these lists.

I got that impression too, that it was the decision of a close-knit group of online book reviewers who have basically been reading SPFBO books in the last years and all know each other.

I'm not questioning the quality of those books, just that their opinion and knowledge can be very different from the "average" reader.

[Peat]

I read 2 of them. I'd love to be more up to date with the more expensive releases but that's expensive compared to keeping up with self-published/reading through older works, and my finances are moderately unforgiving right now.

I recognise two-thirds as in I've heard of them though. I'm not sure how many of the ones I don't recognise are SP - that is something I keep a reasonable eye on, largely due to having a few friends in that community.

[Alex Hormann]

I think that as self published books become more popular, I'm going to recognise fewer and fewer of these lists.

I got that impression too, that it was the decision of a close-knit group of online book reviewers who have basically been reading SPFBO books in the last years and all know each other.

I'm not questioning the quality of those books, just that their opinion and knowledge can be very different from the "average" reader.

Pretty much, yeah. It does feel a little clique-y. I think for the 'average' reader like myself, the SPFBO might turn into a two-edged sword. I can't day I'm that interested in a lot of the books on the list, but I still feel like I'm missing out on something.

[tebakutis]

I don't read nearly as much as you folks (I think I've literally read one book on that entire list!) but that one book was Bloody Rose, and given I am a massive fan of both Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose, I was pleased to see it in the top spot. Plus, Nicholas Eames is a super nice guy (got to know him at Worldcon recently) so it's been nice to see him get some spotlight.

[DrNefario]

I don't tend to read so much brand new stuff - it'll normally be at least a couple of years old by the time I get to it - so, oddly, I will often be more up-to-date on self-published books, where I can borrow them for "free" as a side-effect of my Amazon Prime membership. (And, I feel I should use my kindle loans to get the best value for my subscription.)

I think the only trad-published 2018 book I read in 2018 was Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence, which was an opportunistic library loan. Mostly I feel like I ought to be working on the hundreds of unread books I already own.

[cupiscent]

Hmm. I mean, yes, there are books on there I've never heard of. But I've read four on that list, but there's another fifteen that are on my "eagerly looking forward to but haven't made it there" list, and another eight that are later works in series or from authors that I tried but didn't like that much so won't be reading further. There are definitely unorthodox inclusions, but there's plenty of well-known, traditional-source reads too.

Given the annual scuffle about where the line is drawn between paranormal romance/fantasy romance and "straight" fantasy, I was amused to see Karen Marie Moning on the list.

[Jeni]

I read / listened to approx. 85 books last year and only managed one from that list. I am reading (listening to) a second one at the moment, and have a further dozen-ish of them languishing somewhere in my tbr pile.
A lot of them seem to be sequels to series that I haven't started yet, and may not get around to for a while.