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Best Fantasy Books of 2009

Posted Feb. 3, 2010

In the world of fantastic literature, transition is always evident. The trend away from science fiction to fantasy continues, and on best selling lists and book shops, fantasy novels predominately out number science fiction titles.

Fantasy often takes the form of fairy tales for adults, and such tales often take place in a never-never land of the present or a mythical past. Feudalism is a prime background for much of this - knights and dragons, kings and princesses, the legends and lore of a thousand years ago. This simple escapism is also very prone to romanticism, to romance, or to daring feats of courage displayed by heroes who do not resemble the real types of today's heroes.

The best fantasy books of 2009 are a collection of first time debut novels from unknown authors to the climatic conclusions of long time building series' in the genre from well established authors.

The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time book 12) by Robert Jordan

The Gathering Storm is the twelfth book in the Wheel of Time series, published after Robert Jordan's death in 2007 and completed by Brandon Sanderson.

The Dragon Reborn, Rand al’Thor, strives to unite a divided structure of kingdoms in preparation for the Last Battle. His allies watch in horror the shadow that appears to be festering within the heart of the Dragon Reborn, as he tries to hold back the Seanchan encroachment northward.

If you like any other book in the Wheel of Time series, you will love this one. Arguably the best book published in the series. Many major plot lines and questions are finally resolved.

Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson

The ninth Malazan book written by Steven Erikson, Dust of Dreams is nearing the end. Erickson explains in the foreword that this final installment is so large that it needed to be split into two volumes.

Adjunct Tavore, commander of the condemned Malazan army, begins his march into the eastern Wastelands, a brutal and unforgiving expanse. Fighting for an unknown cause against an unknown enemy. In a distant land "The Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen" are coming to a culmination, as the only distinguished army of the Malazan Empire is in search of one last battle in the name of redemption.

Dust of Dreams ends on a cliffhanger, the first book in the series to do so, with "The Crippled God" forming the second and final half of the story.

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington

Bullington's debut follows two brothers across Europe and the Middle East in 1364. The Grossbart brothers are descended from a long line of grave robbers and they are set on following that path, as they seek for ever-richer graves to rob.

Hegel and Manfried Grossbart will have to brave dangerous unknown lands and keep company with all manner of desperate travelers, merchants, priests, and scoundrels alike. In addition to robbing, torturing and murdering innocent peasants, the brothers dispatch demons and imitation popes while debating theology and the nature of mercy.

The Brothers Grossbart are about to discover that all legends have their truths, and worse fates than death await those who would take the red road of villainy.

The Other Lands (Acacia, Book 2) by David Anthony Durham

"A few years have passed since the conquering of the Mein, and Queen Corinn is firmly in control of the Known World. With plans to expand her empire, she sends her brother, Daniel, on an exploratory mission to the Other Lands. There Daniel discovers a lush, exotic mainland ruled by an alliance of tribes that poses a grave danger to the stability of the Known World."

The focus in the book is on Queen Corinn. She is a morally questionable figure, fiercely guarding her secrets of magic, willing to drug her subjects to restrain dissent and sacrifice her own siblings for power.

While book one in the series "Arcacia" was strongly plot driven, this second book is a much more character driven novel, focusing on inner workings of the cast while revealing more of the world around them.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

In his debut novel, Brett launches readers into an action-packed journey set on the backdrop of a high fantasy environment. Where demons rise from the ground at sunset and the human population lives in constant fear and seclusion.

Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer, the main characters, are introduced to us separately and the main focus of the story is in detailing the pivotal turning points in their youths that motivate them to become the heroes that they later prove to be.

Only near the end do the three branches of the story connect as the heroes do battle with demons and magic in a dangerous and hellish world.

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel that takes place in the same world as Joe Abercrombie's acclaimed The First Law series. A skillfully crafted swords and sorcery adventure with dark humor and described by many as "fantasy noir".

One of the great joys of Joe Abercrombie's novels are that his characters are so life-like. The realistic unpredictability of the main characters means that it is almost impossible to determine what will happen next The violence in "Best Served Cold" is plentiful and the methods of exacting revenge by the protagonist is ingeniously inventive.

Spiral Hunt by Margaret Ronald

A paranormal novel with historical elements throughout, set beneath Boston's well-known streets.

"They call her "Hound," and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything—lost keys, vanished family heirlooms . . . even missing people. And though she knows to stay out of the magical undercurrent that runs beneath Boston's historic streets, a midnight phone call from a long-vanished lover will destroy the careful boundaries she has drawn. Now, to pay a years-old debt, Evie must venture into the shadowy world that lies between myth and reality, where she will find betrayal, conspiracies, and revelations that will shatter all she believes about herself and the city she claims as home."

Lamentation by by Ken Scholes

Lamentation is Ken Scholes first novel, although he is already praised in the fiction community for his short fiction publications. Lamentation is the first book in the Psalms of Isaak series, a projected five-volume saga.

Scholes bumps it up a notch in this sf-fantasy hybrid set in a post-apocalyptic future. In this world, knowledge, reason, and understanding are worshiped and maintained by the Androfrancine religious order in the city of Windwir, the Named Lands' greatest city and archive of knowledge.

When an ancient weapon destroys Windwir, leaving the city reduced to ash and corpses, the only remaining survivor of the Adrofrancine order is the metallic android Isaak.

Scholes' finely crafted characters are set to work, rationalizing the past and considering their futures, to find the answers required of the moment.

Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory

Another debut novel, Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory, tries to revive a long and well-worn subject in the fantasy and horror genre, demonic possessions. Gregory does a fantastic job by creating a world where demons are commonplace and the characters are well-developed.

Del Pierce has been possessed by a demon, the Hellion, since childhood. Going as far as having to chain himself down when he goes to sleep so he doesn't destroy his home or hurt others. As he goes on a quest to find help, he runs into other people that have been possessed also. And ultimately finds out that things are much worse than he imagined.

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