Books of the Year

Ha!

I'm not going to tell you yet. But partly because when I started thinking about them, I realized that several of the books I've most enjoyed aren't officially published until next year. But that must be true for a great many sf readers, who tend to read in advance of official dates: proof copies are hardly difficult to come by, and any devoted, rather than casual, fan has umpteen opportunities to secure a reading edition of a book early.

So: in no order, some of next month's good books that I've read, and lots of you will have too (not reviews, just a list). If not, some are in the shops anyway, defying the official date.

Charlie Stross: Halting State (also the Merchant Princes titles available in America and in UK bookshops, but not yet officially published)
Iain M Banks: Matter (the new Culture novel, enough said. Does that mean it's good? Oh yes, it is)
Neal Asher: Prador Moon (fantastic giant crab-like maniac killing alien nonsense)
Mark Wernham: Martin Martin's on the Other Side (I haven't decided about this; is it good? is it pants? We have time to decide before we write anything, fortunately)
Adam Roberts, Swiftly (very good idea. still reading it)