Fantasy Book News » Robert Jordan

Amazon’s Top 5 Fantasy Books, February 6, 2011

Jeff — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:00:02 +0000

A Game of Thrones drops off the top five, but Towers of Midnight in Kindle form and Charlaine Harris’ newest Sookie Stackhouse make first appearances this week.

Shadowfever (Kindle) by Karen Marie Moning
Moon Dance (Kindle) by J.R. Rain
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, a Paranormal Romance (Kindle) by H.P. Mallory
Towers of Midnight (Kindle) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Dead Reckoning (Hardcover) by Charlaine Harris

Fantasy Blogosphere: January 31, 2011

Jeff — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:00:05 +0000

Let the fantasy onslaught begin! Everyone seems to have finally returned from their New Year’s hangover/vacation, because the fantasy blogosphere was hectic this past week, to say the least. Kick it off with reviews of the most recent novels by Joe Abercrombie, Jim Butcher and Steven Erikson, skip on over to interviews with George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie and James Enge, and round out the week with news about the Dark Tower tv series, D&D appearing on tv, and Orbit acquiring three new Dresden novels.

Review: The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie @ Fantasy Book Critic
Review: Side Jobs by Jim Butcher @ Daemon’s Books
Review: The Crippled God by Steven Erikson @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Review: Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson @ SF Signal
Review: A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony @ Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Review: Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card @ Stattle PI Books
Review: Blackveil by Kristen Britain @ Fantasy Book Critic
Interview: George R.R. Martin @ MTV
Interview: Joe Abercrombie @ Kindle Daily Post
Interview: Orson Scott Card @ Light Speed
Interview: James Enge @ Civilian Reader
Interview: John Brown @ Nancy Fulda
Interview: Michael Stackpole @ Adventures in Sci-Fi
Interview: Cherie Priest on Bloodshot @ Suvudu
TV: Javier Bardem offered lead in Ron Howard’s Dark Tower adaptation @ The Flick Cast
TV: Dungeons & Dragons to be focus of entire episode of Community @ Fanboy
Author News: Orbit acquires 3 new Dresden books @ Orbit
Author Tools: Fantasy novel checklist @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews

Top 10 Fantasy Books for 2011

Jeff — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:00:26 +0000

As I did last year, I’ve compiled a list of what are perhaps the most highly anticipated fantasy novels for 2011. The first three are actually carried over from last year, as they failed to be released in 2010, which arguably leads them to only be more highly anticipated.

This is the third in a series of Top 10 posts covering the fantasy industry. Last week, we covered the Top 10 Fantasy Book Trends of 2010. Next week, we cover the Top 10 Fantasy Video Games of all time.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

While fans are frustrated with the time between the previous novel in the Song of Ice and Fire series and A Dance with Dragons, 2011 would be a fantastic time for Martin to release the latest novel in the series, with HBO launching the Game of Thrones television series in 2011. Rumor has it Martin will be announcing something in the coming weeks. Pick up A Dance with Dragons over at Amazon.com.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

The Republic of Thieves has a tentative release date of Spring 2011, likely due to Lynch‘s bout with depression, which he’s discussed publicly. Here’s to hoping Lynch is hanging in there, as fans of Locke Lamora and crew are salivating for the next installment in this series. Pick up The Republic of Thieves over at Amazon.com, which recently announced the release date as February.

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Set for release on March 1, 2011 (according to Amazon.com), the second novel in Rothfuss‘ trilogy is likely to be one of the top-selling fantasy novels of 2011. Fans of Kvothe are extremely excited to see where Rothfuss takes the flame-haired hero next. Pick up The Wise Man’s Fear over at Amazon.com.

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie is hands-down one of the best in the business at this point, and The Heroes is the second stand-alone novel following his First Law trilogy. I’ve only read the first novel in the First Law trilogy, but I can’t wait to play catch-up and get to his more recent work. Pick up The Heroes over at Amazon.com.

Requiem by Ken Scholes

Requiem is the fourth book in the Psalms of Isaak quintet. I’ve read Lamentation, the first in the series, and have read reviews of the second and third novels in the series. If Requiem continues the reported increase in quality, The Psalms of Isaak is shaping up to be one of the highest quality fantasy series of the current generation of writers.

[Book cover not yet released]

The Highprince of War by Brandon Sanderson

The Way of Kings was released in 2010, and The Highprince of War is the second novel in this series that is slated for a whopping 10 books. To say Sanderson is following in the steps of Jordan is an understatement; Sanderson has grabbed the reigns of Jordan’s series and simultaneously kicked off what is looking to be the series that will make his career.

[Book cover not yet released]

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

Ghost Story is lucky number 13 in arguably the most popular urban fantasy series going right now. I’ve read a few novels by Butcher, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both. Ghost Story promises to continue the tradition of a fantastic character in Harry Dresden. Pick up Ghost Story over at Amazon.com.

The Sea Watch by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Sea Watch is book six in the Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, which has been receiving rave reviews in the industry. The books are being released at a blistering pace, and I’ve only had time to read and review the first in the series so far. Pick up The Sea Watch over at Amazon.com.

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Arguably the most highly anticipated fantasy novel of 2011, this is the conclusion of one of the most ambitious and epic fantasy series of our time. Sanderson promises to close out a series started all the way back in 1990.

[Book cover not yet released]

The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

Yet another final novel in an epic series, The Crippled God is Erikson‘s tenth and final book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Fans who have been following along have been doing so for over ten years, and this final novel in the series looks to place Erikson on the shelf with other household epic fantasy names such as Tolkien, Feist, and Brooks. Pick up The Crippled God over at Amazon.com.

Top 10 Fantasy Book Trends of 2010

Jeff — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:00:22 +0000

I’ve been tracking the top 5 books in the fantasy category on Amazon’s bestseller list for a while now, and I figured I could pull some interesting data from the weekly posts.

This is the second in a series of Top 10 posts covering the fantasy industry. Last week, we covered the Top 10 Fantasy Books of 2010. Next week, we cover the Top 10 Fantasy Books for 2011.

Kindle vs. Hardcover

I’ve only been tracking formats since September, but this is still 33% of the year’s worth of data. Starting on September 5, 2010, and reviewing the data weekly, 48 times Kindle editions of books were in the top 5, and only 37 times hardcover editions of books made the top 5. One interesting note here: Kindle sales were stronger in September and October, then as Thanksgiving rolled around, hardcover sales surged. But, once we got to the final week of the year, the day after Christmas marked the first week where all five novels in the top 5 list were Kindle editions. An inkling of what’s to come in the new year?

Epic Fantasy vs. Urban Fantasy

In the epic vs. urban smack-down urban fantasy wins, hands down. Urban fantasy novels appeared in the top 5 a whopping 198 times, to only 43 for epic fantasy. Epic fantasy was helped tremendously by the Jordan/Sanderson novels, but it just wasn’t enough to come close. Even though we see a traditional spike of epic fantasy sales around Christmas every year, urban fantasy is riding strong from 2010 into 2011.

Most Weeks at #1

Towers of Midnight spent the most weeks in the #1 spot, with 16. Second was Dead in the Family, with 11 weeks. Tied for third were Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer, and Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison. Rounding out the top 5 novels in #1 for the most weeks was Bite Me, with two weeks in first place. The following novels all grabbed first place for one week only: A Game of Thrones, No Mercy, The Legend of Sigurd & Godrum, Calling Home, Changes, Once Bitten, Wit’ch Fire and Eclipse.

Longest Streak at #1

Towers of Midnight spent 14 weeks at #1, from September 5 through December 19, showing that even with the influx of urban and vampire fantasy, traditional epic fantasy still holds a place in fans’ hearts. Second was Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris with 7 weeks at #1, and third was Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison with 6 weeks at #1.

Longest Streak in Top 5 (any position)

Amazingly, both Dead in the Family and Breaking Dawn tied, for spending 33 consecutive weeks in the top 5 each. In second place for this category is Towers of Midnight, which spent 19 consecutive weeks in the top 5 list.

Most Weeks in Top 5 (novel)

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer spent an astonishing 41 weeks in the top five in 2010. Dead in the Family spent 36 total, and Towers of Midnight rounds out the top 3 in this category with 19 weeks.

Most Weeks in Top 5 (author)

Stephanie Meyer ranks first with 41 weeks with a novel in the top 5, Charlaine Harris second with 36, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson each with 19 weeks, and Jim Butcher rounding out the top 5 in this category with 15 weeks in the top 5.

Total Books in Top 5 (author)

Brandon Sanderson tops this list with 4 books total ranking in the top 5 at some point in 2010: Towers of Midnight, The Gathering Storm, The Way of Kings, and Distinctions: Towers of Midnight Prologue. Charlaine Harris, Stephanie Meyer and Karen Marie Moning each had 3 books apiece that appeared in the top 5 in 2010. The following authors had 2 books each: Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Naomi Novik, J.R.R. Tolkien and J.R. Rain.

Same Book in Top 5 in Same Week, Different Formats

This is an interesting category: authors who had a single book that appeared in the top 5 in different formats (so both Kindle and hardcover editions, for example) in the same week. This happened 4 times in 2010, first with The Way of Kings placing in 2nd and 5th on September 5, and then again the following week for Sherrilyn Kenyon’s No Mercy. On December 5 Stephanie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn appeared in 2nd and 5th place, and again the next week in 2nd and 4th place.

Author With Multiple Books in Top 5, Same Week

Another interesting category: authors who had 2 or even 3 titles appearing in the top 5 in the same week. Charlaine Harris absolutely dominated this category, with 17 weeks with more than 1 book in the top 5, and 3 of those weeks being weeks where 3 of the top 5 books were Harris’ works. That made for a Harris sandwich on many a week. Sanderson placed second here, with 5 weeks, J.R. Rain with 4 weeks, and a tie for 4th with Karen Marie Moning and Stephanie Meyer with 3 weeks each. I should note that of those 3 weeks for Meyer, 2 of them were weeks in which Eclipse, New Moon and Breaking Dawn all appeared in the same week.

That’s it! I hope you enjoyed my analysis of the fantasy novel industry for 2010. If you’re interested, I have the data in raw format in a spreadsheet, and can email it to anyone who would like it.

Top 10 Fantasy Books of 2010

Jeff — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:00:11 +0000

Like I did last year, I’m going to recap the top 10 fantasy novels of 2010. Unlike last year, this time I’m splitting the difference. Five novels in the top 10 are the favorites I read over the past year, and the other five are novels that I haven’t read, but spent a good deal of time on the Amazon top 5 fantasy bestseller list. If you’re looking for a gift, its likely that any book from this list will delight the recipient.

This is the first in a series of Top 10 posts covering the fantasy industry. Next week, we cover the Top 10 Fantasy Book Trends of 2010.

Lamentation by Ken Scholes

Lamentation was one of my favorite fantasy reads of 2010. A vibrant new world, painted with colorful, unique characters, all wrapped into a story with heart, makes for a fantastic package. This first installment promises a quality series to come in The Psalms of Isaak. Check out my full review of Lamentation.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie was the best fantasy novel I read in 2010. Gritty, fast-paced, and filled with action, this first novel in a new epic fantasy series solidifies Abercrombie as one of the premier new authors in fantasy literature. The characterization isn’t just top-notch, the characters in The Blade Itself are unforgettable. Not only does Abercrombie deliver a quality novel, but there are moments of hilarity contained in these pages. Abercrombie is an honest, open-minded author, and these qualities shine in The Blade Itself. Check out my full review of The Blade Itself.

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Yet another fantastic first novel in a series discovered in 2010. Empire in Black and Gold kicks off at a frantic pace, in the middle of a battle, and doesn’t relent for the rest of the novel. Absolutely blistering pace is combined with a truly original idea for characterization: all the characters in this novel are some derivation of what Tchaikovsky describes as kinden, which are half-human and half fill-in-the-insect. This makes for some truly unique elements in fighting, and opens up the opportunity for all kinds of historical backgrounds among the different kinden in novels to come. As if to match the blistering pace of the novel itself, Pyr has been releasing the novels in The Shadows of the Apt series every three months or so since this novel’s original release date. Looks like I’ve got some catch up reading to do. Check out my full review of Empire in Black and Gold.

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

Daemon was, hands down, the most addictive novel I’ve ever read. While blending elements of fantasy and sci-fi (something I normally don’t enjoy), this techno-thriller beats the pace of a Dan Brown novel into a quivering pulp and delivers a novel that you can’t help but devour in a week or so. The hook: a computer game design company founder writes a code that monitors news headlines online. When he dies, it triggers a series of events that attempt to takeover the economy and portions of the government. Oddly, the DDOS attacks on large corporate web sites recently in relation to the WikiLeaks site are eerily reminiscent of the themes discussed in this novel. Scary. Check out my full review of Daemon.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

I’ve read a few Sanderson novels at this point, and Elantris is, if not tied for favorite with Mistborn, my favorite Sanderson novel. This novel contains similar themes as Mistborn, but was written prior, and I believe Sanderson had an insatiable appetite for writing fantastic fiction at the time. This is a beautiful story, self-contained in one volume, that is definitely worth going back and reading for any Sanderson fans who have tasted his more recent work. Check out my full review of Elantris.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Towers of Midnight has absolutely dominated the Amazon top 5 fantasy bestseller list since its release in November, a reign that will surely extend into a good portion of 2011, even though it dropped off the list this week. The drop-off was more of a trend in format (all books in the top 5 this week are eBooks), so the hardcover edition of Towers of Midnight will likely resurface some time over the coming week. The novel is wildly popular due to death of its original author, Robert Jordan, and the assistance by a fresh name in fantasy literature, Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson has dominated the fantasy sphere since inheriting the Wheel of Time series from Jordan, with his personal works also seeing gains in popularity. Towers of Midnight marks the second Wheel of Time book co-authored by Sanderson, with the third and final installment of the 14-book series, A Memory of Light, set to be released in 2011. You can pick up Towers of Midnight over at Amazon.com.

Side Jobs by Jim Butcher

Side Jobs is a compilation by Jim Butcher, which follows his extremely popular Harry Dresden character on ten short stories that fall between other novels in this popular 13 novel series. For those not familiar with the series, Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire, and the series follows him as he works in a modern, urban setting to solve crimes, assisting police with his magical abilities. Dresden ends up in some fairly hairy (no pun intended) predicaments, usually to the reader’s delight. This is a series full of graphic crime scenes, and a lonely wizard’s attempt at assembling any semblance of romance with some of the series’ various sultry female characters. Also worth mentioning, fans have indulged in the novels being converted to a television series, which aired on Sci-Fi in 2007. Side Jobs has spent a good portion of 2010 in the top 5 fantasy bestseller list on Amazon.com, and therefore gets my nod for top 10 fantasy novels of 2010. You can pick up Side Jobs over at Amazon.com.

Bearers of the Black Staff

Bearers of the Black Staff is a fantasy novel by Terry Brooks, the first in the two-book Legends of Shannara series. Personally, I’ve only read the original Sword of Shannara trilogy, but Terry Brooks has continued to pump our Shannara novels like its his job. Well, I guess it his his job, so in that case, job well done Mr. Brooks. Bearers of the Black Staff has appeared frequently on the Amazon top 5 fantasy bestseller list since its release in August, 2010. You can pick up Bearers of the Black Staff over at Amazon.com.

Changes by Jim Butcher

Changes is book 12 in the Dresden Files series, which has become a big fan favorite in recent years. Changes was released in April 2010, and shared a healthy portion of the pie on the Amazon top 5 fantasy bestseller list for much of the year. You can pick up Changes over at Amazon.com.

Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton

Flirt is book 18 in the Anita Baker: Vampire Hunter series, which Hamilton is likely most well-know for. Flirt was released in February 2010, and spent a great deal of time on the Amazon top 5 fantasy bestseller list this year. Needless to say, at book 18, Hamilton has been at this for much longer than the current vampire fad, and therefore is deserving of a spot in the top 10 fantasy novels for 2010. You can pick up Flirt over at Amazon.com.

Amazon’s Top 5 Fantasy Bestsellers, December 19, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:00:03 +0000

Towers of Midnight with another strong week, holding the number one spot with hardcover sales. A Game of Thrones continues to see strong Kindle sales for the holiday season.

Towers of Midnight (Hardcover) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Hardcover) by Max Brooks
Breaking Dawn (Hardcover) by Stephanie Meyer
Fire Lord’s Lover (Kindle) by Kathryne Kennedy
A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

Amazon’s Top 5 Fantasy Bestsellers, December 12, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:00:28 +0000

Towers of Midnight reaches week 18 in the top 5, with 13 of those weeks in first place. Breaking Dawn and A Game of Thrones swap places, but all 5 books from last week maintain presence this week.

Towers of Midnight (Hardcover) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Breaking Dawn (Hardcover) by Stephanie Meyer
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Hardcover) by Max Brooks
Breaking Dawn (Kindle) by Stephanie Meyer
A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

Fantasy Blogosphere: December 6, 2010

Jeff — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:00:08 +0000

The biggest news of the week for me is definitely the first real action promos for the HBO Game of Thrones series. Its great to see Sean Bean and crew in action, I’m so pumped for this series! Also really excited to see that Sanderson has sold another Mistborn novel, definitely looking forward to seeing that series extended. Reviews this week of newer novels from some of my favorite authors: Joe Abercrombie, Tad Willians, Jim Butcher and more. And please don’t miss the hilarious xtranormal video on publishing. If you have anything you’d like to share here on FBN, feel free to create a group and post your thoughts.

Review: Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie @ the Little Red Reviewer
Review: Stonewielder by Ian C. Esslemont @ The Wertzone
Review: Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson @ Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Review: Academ’s Fury by Jim Butcher @ Floor to Ceiling Books
Review: Garro: Oath of the Moment by James Swallow @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews
Interview: Scott Westerfield @ Space Dog Podcast
Author News: Brandon Sanderson sells new Mistborn novel to TOR @ Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

Game of Thrones HBO Series Trailers

Absolutely Hilarious XtraNormal Video on Publishing

Amazon’s Top 5 Fantasy Bestsellers, December 5, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:00:18 +0000

The hardcovers of Towers of Midnight, Breaking Dawn, and World War Z continue to sell well for the holidays, but back in the mix are the Kindle versions of A Game of Thrones and Breaking Dawn. Looks like a few people may be getting iPads from Santa this year.

Towers of Midnight (Hardcover) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Breaking Dawn (Hardcover) by Stephanie Meyer
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Hardcover) by Max Brooks
A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
Breaking Dawn (Kindle) by Stephanie Meyer

Amazon’s Top 5 Fantasy Bestsellers, November 28, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:00:45 +0000

Towers of Midnight continues to place first, while World War Z makes a return for the holidays. Breaking Dawn, Side Jobs and Vampire Moon round out the top 5, but the real story here is that during the busiest online shopping weekend of the year, hardcover books have replace what has been overwhelmingly a majority of digital books that have been ranking in Amazon’s top 5 for the past year. This speaks to the notion that when purchasing something for ourselves, we tend to not purchase the upper tier, but when giving a gift, we want to give the best quality gift possible.

Towers of Midnight (Hardcover) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Hardcover) by Max Brooks
Breaking Dawn (Hardcover) by Stephanie Meyer
Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files (Hardcover) by Jim Butcher
Vampire Moon (Kindle) by J.R. Rain