My Top Books For 2011

As I stated in my previous post I felt 2011 was a banner year for dark literature. I read some simply amazing books.

My list reflects the books I enjoyed most, the ones that had the most emotional and visceral impact on me. I am an emotional reader, if that makes any sense. I have been for as long as I can remember. I started reading at a very early age and always loved reading. The memory that I turn to most that captures why I am a reader is when I was in fourth grade. Mrs. Lindbergh would read chapters from Little House on the Prairie to our class at the end of each day. It was simply magical. I was asked to read from the books on numerous occasions as I was a very good reader even at that young age. Those books and that time of my life had a profound impact on what I became as a person and as a book lover.

To this day if I am not emotionally involved in the story and characters the book just does not do anything for me. So without further adieu I humbly present to you my Top Books Of 2011:

(There is a tie for my top book of 2011. I just couldn’t pick between these two so I set them at the top of my list).

1. Apartment 7 – Greg F. Gifune – One of the most powerful and emotional stories I have ever read. This book just sucker punched me in the stomach, I was literally breathless and shaking after reading this book. Mr. Gifune continues to amaze with his darkest, bleakest tale to date.

1. Willy – Robert Dunbar – Mr. Dunbar’s tale of a young boy in a home for wayward boys is strikingly dark and profound. His use of the child’s disconcerted journal is brilliant and lends an authenticity to this tale that will resonate with you long after you finish it.

2. Blood Harvest – James A. Moore – I love vampires and  Mr. Moore’s sequel to his amazing Blood Red ranks right up there with the best vampire tales I have ever read. His characters remain lifelike or undead if you choose, the action is fast and furious. Mr. Moore’s Black Stone Bay vampires, Maggie Preston and Jason Soulis are two of the best vampires in modern fiction.

3. A Matrix Of Angels – Christoper Conlon – This book can’t be pinned down within one genre. If you like high quality fiction you will love this book. This is a story of friendship, memories, redemption, forgiveness, despair, happiness and, oh, yes…a killer of young girls. Another powerful tale that will stay with you long after you read it.

4. Garden’s Of Night – Greg F. Gifune – Another compelling tale by one of the best in the business. “Garden’s Of Night” is dark, disturbing and emotionally charged. It is a tale of one man’s descent into the depths of human suffering after a traumatic attack on him and his wife. This is dark fiction at its finest.

5. Iron Butterflies Rust – Lee Thompson – Lee Thompson has burst upon the scene in a big way. “Iron Butterflies Rust” is a moving, compelling tale highlighting how one second in time can change the lives of many. His prose is haunting, the depth of the story gets underneath your skin and remains there long after you have put it down.  I am looking forward to big things from Mr. Thompson in 2012.

6. The Five – Robert McCammon – I have been a Robert McCammon fan for decades. “The Five” just might be the best thing he has ever written. A tale of a rock band on its last tour being hunted by a killer. This book stands out for the quality of its characterizations and the way it draws you in.

7. Descent – Sandy DeLuca – What would you do for love? “Sanity visits me now and then, but never stays long,” a line stated by the main character Julia, and that is exactly how you will feel after reading Sandy DeLuca’s  mesmerizing and decadent “Descent”.  (Sorry, I pilfered this from my review, but it aptly fits.) A deep, dark, haunting journey into madness and violence. This book will blow you away.

8. Martyrs & Monsters – Robert Dunbar – A veritable treasure trove of amazing short fiction by Mr. Dunbar. Each tale stands solely on its own merits but taken as a whole, Martyrs & Monsters is a prime example of short dark fiction at its finest.

9. 11/22/63 – Stephen King – King’s best book in years. A love story disguised as a time traveling journey to stop the Kennedy assassination. No one does characters better than King and in 11/22/63 he gives us some of the most humanly rendered characters in fiction. Well over 800 pages, it reads much shorter as you lose yourself in the lives of the amazing characters King has created.

10. Verland: The Transformation – B.E. Scully – 2011 was a good year for vampire fiction, at least the ones I read. B.E. Scully’s debut novel was just what the vampire genre needed. It is a touching tale of a young man turned into a vampire during the horrors of war and the story of his life as he comes to terms with what he is. Not every vampire story can claim that the monster in the story is human, but that is what sets Verland apart from many vampire tales.

Honorable Mention

The Sasha Strange Chronicles – K.H. Koehler – These three tales take me back to when I first discovered that reading can take you to wondrous and sometimes dangerous places. Sasha Strange and her cohorts are transported to a world ruled by dinosaurs and other terrors. K.H. Koehler has hit a home run here and she continues to turn out stories that are wildly entertaining. If you love dinosaurs you won’t want to miss these.

Vampire Hunters 2 & 3 – Scott M. Baker – Yes, more vampires, what can I say. Mr. Baker’s vampire trilogy is absolutely fantastic. A cornucopia of vampire villains that will satisfy any traditional vampire fan. His hunters are lifelike characters that I very much came to care for.

Borealis – Ronald Malfi – A bleak, wintery tale taking place aboard a crabbing vessel in the Bearing Sea. A heart wrenching tale that will literally chill you to the bone. Mr. Malfi continues to improve and Borealis cements his status as one of the new top writers in horror today.

Predatory Instinct – Michael McBride – Mr. McBride’s stories are like riding down a white water rapids in a canoe without a paddle. “Predatory Instinct”  A Siberian investigation into fossilized remains quickly turns into a bloodbath that ultimately ends up in civilization. Corporate greed, corrupt politicians, action, great characters and a wonderful creature. This book has it all.

Into Hell – William Ollie – A short but powerful tale of war and the affect it has on those who choose to protect our country and freedoms. This book will twist and turn you on a roller coaster ride of emotions that will leave you shaken in it’s wake. William Ollie’s best work to date in my opinion.

Halloween Spirits – Edited by Lisa Morton -When I think of Halloween I immediately think of Lisa Morton. Halloween Spirits is a group of tales centered on my favorite time of year. This is a grand collection of tales from some of the finest writers in the business. A must for any Halloween fan.

In Poe’s Shadow – Edited by A. W. Gifford and Jennifer L. Gifford – A very well done group of stories. The authors take a story by Poe and put their own interpretation on it. If you like Poe you will definitely enjoy these takes on his tales.