Fantasy Faction: Best Fantasy Books of 2012
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And speaking of reddit award winners, Fantasy Faction is the little blog that could. They’ve come out of nowhere in the last two years to become one of the biggest fantasy blogs on the ‘net. This year, they captured the reddit award for Best Fantasy Blog. When I heard that they had mentioned me in some context in a “Best of 2012” post, I clicked over with great trepidation. “Best of” posts are usually where you go to see your colleagues praised. For good people, I suppose this is really nice. Yeah. Ahem. And because Joe Abercrombie released a book this year, I knew there would be weeping and gnashing somewhere in Oregon before the end of the post.
However! When I came across my name, The Blinding Knife was under “Pleasant Surprise of 2012” and said pleasant surprise was that “The Blinding Knife was… awesome.” In a brief paragraph, Marc airs at once some fair criticism and fannish praise that marks the very best of the blogging community.
So I figured I’d gotten off lightly. “Oh, this is one of those blogs where they just have lots of little sub-Best-Of’s. Next will be Best Book Featuring an Orc. Followed by Best New Non-Gritty Fantasy of the Year. My dental bill will remain intact. No gnashing here.”
But I was wrong. There it was. The dreaded Top 5 list. I scrolled slowly, savoring the pain. And there he is, at Number 2. “Dancing” Joe Abercrombie. (Seriously, I’ve seen the man dance. And he does even that better than I do.)
BUT THEN. Stop the presses, cue the “Hallelujah Chorus”. Who’s that dancing on Dancing Joe’s head? Who is singled out as writing THE BEST fantasy novel of 2012? Who’s the big winner? ME. It’s ME! ME me mememe ememememememe! ——> That guy.
Of course Joe and Marc are English. I spent some time in England this year, and the English are polite, reserved, and don’t believe in excessive celebration.
Thank God I’m an American.
Seriously, though, check out Fantasy Faction for all sorts of great discussions and check out that list to top off your To-Be-Read pile with some excellent additions.
Oh hey, I saw that I made another “Best Of List” over HERE. And Joe is, ahem, right above me. So, yeah, that excessive celebration? Never mind.
Congrats! You deserve the recognition. I’m one of those crazy readers who’ll read all the extras in a book and I liked the interview at the end of The Way of Shadows. It’s encouraging to my own writing. So again, congrats, and enjoy the celebration=)
So…just gotta know. On the Blood Mirror book tour, will you be doing the celebratory Best Fantasy Novel Gangnam dance? Cause, yeah…might have to break the video recording rules if that’s the case…
Congrats to you though! Was in a bookstore in the Chicago airport and the Way of Shadows series was the only book in the sci-fi/fantasy section to have a special write-up placard from one of the employees. There were only five or six of those placards in the whole store.
Very many congratulations, but I always knew your books were the best.
Hahaha “Thank God I’m an American.” Lol. Congratulations!!!
Yeah but you know Fantasy Faction is the one that matters 😉
Congratulations! Your books really are an inspiration, you deserved it. The night angel trilogy is my favourite series ever and that’s from an A-Level English Literature student who has read maaaany many books.
But I would like to point out on behalf of your British fans, we can indeed party, Gangnam style if you insist! You must of just met the more reserved folk of our land 😉 Haha!
Thanks for the shout out :). It was a very, very close choice between The Blinding Knife, Red Country & King of Thorns. All novels were absolutely fantastic.