Clive Barker - The Thief of Always
A novel written for children which is one of the best I have read, not taking his audience for granted and instead treating them with respect he weaves an excellent story about a boy tempted by evil. One of those classic children's novels you are not going to grow out of. [in print - UK / US]
Jonathan Carroll - Bones of the Moon
James Herbert - '48An excellent alternate history novel that doesn't dwell on the fact that it is one. It explores the aftermath of a virtual apocalypse caused by a disease Hitler sends against London after realizing he has lost the war. This, though important is not really central to the plot, just supplying the background for what is basically an engrossing chase novel; agroup of characters fleeing from the fascist blackshirts, remnants of a british facist party, who want to save their leader by use of a blood transfusion. An extremely enjoyable novel, with lots of dark scenes very reminiscent of Herbert at his best. [in print - UK / US]
Brian Lumley - Necroscope III : The SourceA nuclear experiment goes wrong and the Russians open a gateway to the Wamphyrii source world; a place where the horror of the Wampyrii reaches new heights; the society built up around the Wampyrii is fascinating. Harry also discovers what happened to his Wife and Son. Good Stuff.
[in print - UK / US]
Brian Lumley - Vampire World 1 : Blood BrothersIt was inevitable that Lumley wouldn't be able to leave his vampire world alone, and so he returned with this new novel, and new trilogy exploring the fate of Harry Keogh's twin sons. Any fear of a disappointment is quickly washed away, for this novel if anything lifts the saga to a new level. Set wholly in the vampire world it circles around the two twin brothers, who are seperated and follow very different paths. The story has grown far beyond its humble origins in the original Necroscope and Lumley has succeeded in carrying it onwards to a point where the horror takes second place to the complex tale he is weaving.
[in print - UK / US]
Graham Masterton - The Doorkeepers
Six doors between parallel Londons, lorded over by vicious puritans who
reign in fear over the inhabitants of an alternative London. A man is
thrown into the middle of this when his sister's mutilated body is found in
the Thames, having been nowhere for ten months.
[in print - UK]
Michael Moorcock - Blood : A Southern Fantasy
This is an incredible novel based in an alternate future where the tapping of an energy source is causing tears to appear in reality. The
energy sources allow travel to the second ether, another reality, one
amongst many where the characters take on the roles of fictional archetypes
and play out the Game of Time. This is a wonderfully written complex book
with a superb climax and I cannot possibly do it justice in these few lines,
just make sure you read it, I have never read anything else like it.
[in print - UK]
Michael Moorcock - The Dreamthief's Daughter
[in print - UK / discuss | ise0d">US]
Michael Moorcock - The War Amongst the Angels
The third and final novel in the Second Ether trilogy (beginning with Blood
and Fabulous Harbours), the ranks as one of the best novels I have ever read.
It is paced perfectly, starting rather slowly and keeping low key until it
reaches the incredible finale. This book contains most of the elements that
make Moorcock great, brilliant touches of humour and irony, hugh complex
imagery, and a story which takes nothing for granted. Brilliant.
[in print - UK / US]
Kim Newman - Anno DraculaThis vampire novel is beautifully written and even though it tries to cover a lot of ground the central story never suffers. Drawing on vampire lore, the famous Jack the Ripper murders as well as Sherlock Holmes, this book is an engrossing and powerful alternate history tale with great memorable characters (several of whom are established characters drawn from other novels).
[out of print]
Kim Newman - The Bloody Red BaronThe sequal to Anno Dracula this returns thirty or so years into the future and explores the barbarity of the first world war through the eyes of vampire and non-vampire alike. Not as good as Anno Dracula, but still better than most of the fiction that packs the horror shelves, an excellent novel in its own right.
[in print - UK / US]
Mervyn Peake - Titus Alone The final novel of the Titus trilogy and a greatly different style to the previous two, Peake wrote this during his decline, but it is still an excellent novel. This time Titus has grown tired of Gormenghast and gone out in the world to explore, finding a bizarre version of modern-ish life where the reality of the castle and his entire past is denied him. These three novels make up in my opinion the best, and quite possibly darkest, fantasy novels ever written.
[in print - UK / US]
Sheri S. Tepper - The Family Tree Two stories set in two different times intersect in this brilliant novel which opens with the appearance of child devouring trees and heads off to somewhere altogether different.
[in print - US]
Roger Zelazny - Nine Princes in Amber
A classic fantasy novel that still feels fresh and original, the story of one of the powerful princes of Amber, who begins the novel with amnesia and very little understanding of who or what he is. As the novel progresses his instincts guide him back towards him memory, and the pattern he must walk to retain his memories of his past. A brilliant work that ends with a climatic battle between the princes of Amber, and leaves things open for the later continuation of the saga. [in print - UK / US]