Last week, I kicked off the second part of my “avid reader” special—and this time some of the most avid readers I know are sharing their Most-Anticipated Reads of 2016.

Paul is not only a book reviewer, but also podcaster, and a Mind Meld convenor on SF Signal: let’s see what he’s most looking forward to reading this year.

—

Paul Weimer’s Five Most-Anticipated Reads of 2016

Once upon a time, before the internet, before I discovered Locus, this question would have been more of an aspirational question. I hope that there will be a new Raymond Feist next year! Maybe there will be a new C.J. Cherryh? A new epic fantasy series would be nice. But what actually was coming soon? Little clue. With the introduction to me of the Locus Forthcoming List, and later, lists on the Internet, social media from authors and publishers, podcasts and blogs and interviews, that problem is long gone. I already had a large list of books I wanted to read in 2016, even before 2015 was finished.

Here are just five of the many books I am excited to get to read in 2016:

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, Lois McMaster Bujold

Space Opera

Ever since I discovered the novels of Miles Vorkosigan, I’ve been hooked on the fiction of Lois M Bujold. Her Space Opera universe and set of characters are like none other, a complex and complicated saga spanning worlds and decades, and generations. With Miles aging, she has started to explore other characters as major protagonists, such as his cousin, “that idiot” Ivan, in Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance. In this newest book, we return to Cordelia Vorkosigan, widow of the late Aral Vorkosigan, and mother to Miles. She’s up to something, and what does Admiral Oliver Jole have to do with it? If you give me fast penta, I will still tell you I want to read this book.
.

Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire

Portal Fantasy

I’ve heard good things about this novella from McGuire for months and months now. Portal Fantasy seems to be a burgeoning thing, again, in SFF. McGuire’s novella, however, plans to deconstruct the portal fantasy by showing what happens to the people who go through the portal and return to the real world, and have to deal with mundanity again. I’m ready to step through.
.

The Edge of Worlds, Martha Wells

Fantasy

I’ve been a fan of Martha Wells work from the beginning of her career, and I think her novels and stories of the Raksura are a full maturation of her skills, her particular brand of fantasy, and are a fascinating world of characters and races and beings to explore in the bargain. The Edge of Worlds continues the story of the Indigo Cloud clan of Raksura and I look forward to exploring the Reaches once again to learn the newest adventures of Moon, Jade, and the rest of their fractious family group.
.

Company Town, Madeline Ashby

Science Fiction

Ashby’s science fiction is sharp, futuristic, detailed and thoughtful. Company Town brings her back into her near-future zone of augmentation, and artificial persons, and adds a layer of a mystery noir plot to the proceedings on a gigantic oil rig in Canadian water. I’m on board!
.

A Gathering of Shadows, V.E. Schwab

Fantasy

Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic nearly made it onto my Top 5 for 2015, and it was my first introduction to her work. A Gathering of Shadows continues the story of Lila and Kell, in a universe of parallel universe Londons: the former a thief who wants to be a pirate, and the latter one one of the few mages left who can travel between these Londons. I look forward to worldwalking across worlds to see how these characters, and these Londons, continue to collide.
.

~ Paul Weimer

—

Paul Weimer is a writer, gamer, blogger, podcaster and ubiquitous genre enthusiast. At venues ranging from Skiffy and Fanty, to SF Signal, SFF Audio and beyond, he can be found exploring the world of science fiction and fantasy. He can be found on his own website http://www.skyseastone.net/jvstin, on twitter @princejvstin, and many other places on the internet.