Just when you thought award season was over, we’re excited to announce that Brandon Sanderson‘s STEELHEART was chosen by Audible’s listeners as the Best Audiobook of 2013! A Memory of Light, the final Wheel of Time book that Brandon completed for Robert Jordan, was the first runner up. Audible had only lovely things to say about Brandon: “Brandon Sanderson is a rising star whose books draw in listeners across all genres looking for heart-felt, action-packed, and well-told stories. Luckily, Steelheart is just the beginning and we have the full Reckoners series to look forward to.”
In international award news, Ben Aaronovitch (a client of our sister agency, Zeno) won the second place 2013 Leserpreis, a German Readers Choice Award, for his novel WHISPERS UNDER GROUND – he even beat George R. R. Martin! Finalists for the Leserpreis included THE DAYLIGHT WAR by Peter V. Brett, THE SOOKIE STACKHOUSE COMPANION by Charlaine Harris, and OSAMA by Zeno client Lavie Tidhar.
We’re also pleased to share that Daniel Jose Older was awarded the 2013 Gulliver Travel Grant by the Speculative Literature Foundation. Always hard at work on a new project, Daniel will use the grant to visit Cuban prisons that used to house political prisoners as research for his novel-in-progress, THE BOOK OF LOST SAINTS.
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On to the Best Ofs: Marie Brennan‘s A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS is one of NPR’s Best of 2013. Annalee Newitz gave it a glowing recommendation: “Though a fantasy, this novel is truly a homage to the history of science – and its brave, no-nonsense heroine will win you over with her passionate love for field research (and her love for a bookish young man, too).” Brennan’s novel was also selected as one of Slate’s Favorite Books of the Year, and Dan Kois raved: “Brennan fuses an ear for Victorian language with a spiky feminist sensibility and produces a novel that delighted me more often than any other book this year.”
We’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: THE RITHMATIST is a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of 2013 and one of Kirkus’ Best of 2013 in the Childrens’ Category. It also made Hudson Booksellers’ Best of 2013 list in the YA category. STEELHEART is one of the AV Club’s Favorite Books of the Year, giving it high praise: “The veteran fantasy author’s world-building expertise is on full display here, making his horrifying vision of Chicago all the more chilling and exciting for readers of all ages to explore.”
Each month on Tor.com, influential Barnes & Noble buyer Jim Killen curates a list of science fiction & fantasy titles, and both ANDROMEDA’S CHOICE by William C. Dietz and DARKWALKER by E. L. Tettensor are Barnes & Noble’s’ Picks for December 2013. DARKWALKER was also mentioned over at My Bookish Ways as one of their Top 10 Must Reads in December 2013 (SF/F Horror).
Finally, for those considering what to get friends and family for Christmas, Blastr has compiled a list of SF/F novels that would make great gifts, and both STEELHEART and DEAD EVER AFTER are featured!