One of my great hobbies in life is writing (as evident by this blog) – specifically writing novels and short stories. As suspected, I also don’t mind reading a book or two … and I thought I’d highlight some of my favourites and disappointments from 2024.
These aren’t all the books I read last year (though I wish I’d read more), and they’re in alphabetical order – don’t treat this as a ranking of some kind, as I’d struggle to pick a favourite book from last year!
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
“American Gods” was modern fantasy done right
Written by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman has become a very controversial figure very quickly, but I’m relieved to say I read lots of his books as part of a big collection before all the horrible news stories broke out. I’ll try not to let his grievous misdeeds affect the quality of the books themselves – as for the most part I enjoyed reading them immensely.
Of the many Gaimans I read in 2024, “American Gods” was somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of quality – but I still really liked it. The grand scale and spiraling story of ancient gods and what it means to live pulled me through the overwhelming number of pages.
My only gripe would be that it slows considerably in the middle, but otherwise it was a really entertaining read.
“Anansi Boys” hooked me over time
Written by Neil Gaiman
I wasn’t sure what to think of “Anansi Boys” at first. I’d read other Gaimans, like “American Gods” and “Ocean at the End of the Lane”, that had hooked me straight away, but “Anansi Boys” took a while to really get going.
But once it got going, I found many things to sink my teeth into. The two brothers have such a great dynamic across the whole thing, and the story goes in some truly bizarre and wildly entertaining directions.
“Good Omens” was the biggest disappointment of 2024
Written by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
I like Terry Pratchett’s humerous writing. I like Neil Gaiman’s books. I’d heard good things about the “Good Omens” TV show from family. My dad had read the book and liked it. I thought it would be a sure-fire hit.
For whatever reason, neither the story nor humour landed for me. I got a good chunk of the way in before realising I wasn’t enjoying it … so I put it down for good.
“The Art Of War” was unlike any book I’ve read
Written by Sun Tzu
I received “The Art Of War” as a birthday present from my sister. I’d heard about it, obviously, but I wasn’t sure what to expect when actually reading it.
It’s a series of sentences, very fleeting and brief in nature, that offer tactical advice for battle. I was surprised, therefore, by how engaged I was by the presentation and subject matter.
“Fahrenheit 451” should act as a warning to all
Written by Ray Bradbury
“Fahrenheit 451” is one of those novels every book fan has heard of, but I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype.
I loved the way Ray Bradbury portrayed his story and his dystopian (yet eerily familiar) world, and I firmly believe this is one of those books everyone should read.
“Legends And Lattes” was grounded but not ground-breaking
Written by Travis Baldree
I’d had some ideas for a few low-stakes Fantasy books of my own, one of which I ended up writing, so I thought “Legends And Lattes” would be a harmless pointer towards the best approach.
Travis Baldree absolutely accomplished his goal of a silly fantasy story where nothing mattered … but it made me realise that something should matter in your book, otherwise there’s nothing for the reader to sink their teeth into.
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” was the funniest book I read in 2024
Written by Douglas Adams
That low-stakes fantasy book I wrote in 2024 also ended up being quite a comedic book, so before writing it I decided to read the grand-daddy of sci-fi comedy – “The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy”.
It was just as funny as I hoped, and Adams took the story to so many fantastic places that I would’ve never expected in a million years.
“Jurassic Park” was (almost) as good as the film
Written by Michael Crichton
Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” is one of my absolute favourite films, so I had high hopes going into Crichton’s original novel. Luckily, the book delivered on the hype.
Crichton’s writing was always visceral and intense, and there were enough deviations from the film to keep me on my toes. How Spielberg managed to adapt this into a PG-rated film I’ll never know …
“I, Robot” was fundamental to sci-fi … just not very engaging
Written by Isaac Asimov
Everyone knows Asimov’s three laws of robotics. Even non-sci-fi fans have heard of Asimov’s laws. It was fascinating to see him lay out these laws and apply them to his own fictional world.
What wasn’t fascinating, however, was the story itself. It’s very old-fashioned in the way it plods along slowly and amounts to very little, and in the end I was left wanting so much more.
“Less” was better than expected
Written by Andrew Sean Greer
“Less” was another of those books that I would’ve never bought for myself but I received as a present. I would’ve been more than happy to drop it the moment I lost interest, but I was surprised to read it front to back.
It follows a gay man trying to navigate the many ups and downs of his life, and his various interactions with people that change the way he perceives things. All in all, an eye-opening read.
“Neverwhere” was my second-favourite Gaiman of 2024
Written by Neil Gaiman
“Neverwhere” was the last Neil Gaiman book I read in 2024, and I almost saved the best ’til last.
It has one of the most engrossing premises of all of his books, and I especially loved the characters and the detailed, often times bizarre world.
“The War Of The Worlds” shocked me with how outdated it is
Written by H. G. Wells
It doesn’t get much more iconic than “The War Of The Worlds”. It’s a sci-fi book everyone has heard of, and it inspired countless generations of authors since.
… But I found it to be one of the most boring reads of the year. Wells’ writing style is very matter-of-fact, and I found no emotional interest in the central plot of the protagonist trying to reunite with his wife.
“The Ocean At The End Of The Lane” was my favourite Gaiman of 2024
Written by Neil Gaiman
I read “Neverwhere” last and it was my second-favourite Gaiman, but the best of his was actually the first I read in 2024 – “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane”.
It’s a fabulous story told through the lens of an innocent child, with a villain that made my skin crawl at times. The ending, as brief as it was, hit the mark as well.
“Piranesi” was a magical, mystifying experience
Written by Susanna Clark
I said I’d struggle to pick a favourite book from last year, but in all honesty that would be a battle between two books – Hitchhiker’s Guide and “Piranesi”.
You never get the sense you’re hearing the whole truth in “Piranesi”, but that’s what made Susanna Clark’s writing so engaging. At every page I wanted to learn more, and the discoveries across the book left me gobsmacked. Mysterious fiction at its very best.
Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below:
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