Best of 2017

Well, then. It’s sure that time of year when people list their lists of lists of the previous year. And I’m no different.

As previous years, this is a list of the book I read in 2017. Some Thriller, some Non-Fiction, some Historical Fiction, I think you’ll find. It was a year where I again tried to get up to date with all the series I have going. I’ve nearly made it. And it explains why so many by Lee Child and the late Vince Flynn. Yes, you could go back over the blog posts, but this is easier to laugh at see.  If you click on the title of the book, you’ll go to the review (if I’ve done it yet).

Following on from the list, I’ll come up with a couple of the best of the year.

1. The Enemy : Lee Child
2. Extreme Measures : Vince Flynn
3. Hereward. The Bloody Crown : James Wilde
4. Pursuit of Honour : Vince Flynn
5. The Last Man : Vince Flynn
6. The Survivor : Vince Flynn (with Kyle Mills)
7. The Emperor’s Silver : Nick Brown
8. Order To Kill : Vince Flynn with Kyle Mils
9. Valley of the Templars : Paul Christopher
10. One Shot : Lee Child
11. Kin of Cain : Matthew Harffy
12. The Hard Way : Lee Child
13. Mississippi Blood : Greg Iles
14. The One From The Other : Philip Kerr
15. Bad Luck And Trouble : Lee Child
16. Lost City of the Templars : Paul Christopher
17. Nothing To Lose : Lee Child
18. The Nazi Hunters : Neal Bascomb
19. The Lone Warrior : Paul Fraser Collard
20. Rise of the Wolf : Steven A. McKay
21. The Eichmann Trial : Deborah E. Lipstadt
22. Spy Out The Land : Jeremy Duns
23. Gone Tomorrow : Lee Child
24. Keane’s Challenge : Iain Gale
25. 61 Hours : Lee Child
26. The Secret of the Templars : Paul Christopher
27. Worth Dying For : Lee Child
28. Killer of Kings : Matthew Harffy
29. The Affair : Lee Child
30. A Wanted Man : Lee Child
31. The Bourne Enigma : Eric Van Lustbader
32. Never Go Back : Lee Child
33. No Going Back : Matt Hilton
34. Personal : Lee Child
35. Make Me : Lee Child
36. Night School : Lee Child
37. Saviour of Rome : Douglas Jackson
38. The Scathing : C. R. May
39. A Quiet Flame : Philip Kerr
40. The Holocaust : Lawrence Rees
41. The Earthly Gods : Nick Brown
42. The Lions of Lucerne : Brad Thor
43. The Last Legionnaire : Paul Fraser Collard
44. Enemy of The State : Kyle Rees
45. Orphan X : Gregg Hurwitz
46. The Bourne Initiative : Eric Van Lustbader
47. Winter’s Fire : Giles Kristian
48. Eagles At War : Ben Kane
49. Rules of Honour : Matt Hilton
50. Viking Fire : Justin Hill
51. Term Limits : Vince Flynn
52. The Third Reich In Power : Richard J. Evans
53. Inauguration Day: Peter G. Pollak
54. Ardennes 1944 : Antony Beevor
55. White Water, Black Death : Shaun Ebelthite
56. The Abbey of Death : Steven A. McKay
57. The Empty Throne : Bernard Cornwell
58. Warriors of the Storm : Bernard Cornwell
59. Hunting The Eagles : Ben Kane
60. The Lawless Kind : Matt Hilton
61. The Flame Bearer : Bernard Cornwell
62. The White Light of Tomorrow : D. Pierce Williams
63. Field Grey : Philip Kerr
64. Path of The Assassin : Brad Thor
65. Wings of the Storm : Giles Kristian
66. The Jesus Family Tomb: Simcha Jacobovici
67. Blood and Steel : Harry Sidebottom
68. The Nowhere Man : Gregg Hurwitz
69. Eagles in the Storm : Ben Kane
70. Siberian Red : Sam Eastland
71. Glory of Rome : Douglas Jackson
72. The Prague Fatal : Philip Kerr

Goodreads have put together a kind of infographic, I think it is called, you can see mine here.

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So, my most favourite book I read this year?

Viking Fire. Justin Hill.

The one that had the biggest effect on me, was Viking Fire. Nothing other than masterclass in how to write enjoyable, powerful, and, above all, cliche-free Historical Fiction. Even if we have to wait umpteen years more for another from Justin, it’ll be worth it.

 

 

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Honourable mentions to:

Field Grey.

Simply impeccable.

 

 

 

 

 

Mississippi Blood. Greg Iles.

If I had to recommend one series for you to read, whatever the genre, it’d be Greg Iles’ Natchez Burning. As I’ve said time and time again, for sheer jaw-on-the-floor what the FUCK superbness, this has them all beat.

 

 

 

The Scathing. C.R.May.

Both the nicest guy and rapidly becoming the most consistent writer of/in Historical Fiction around.

 

 

 

 

Killer of Kings. Matthew Harffy.

More than fulfilled the promise of the short story Kin of Cain, Matthew delivered in spades and then some, with this one.

 

 

 

 

The Abbey of Death. Steven A. McKay.

Another case of less is more. This short story packs so much nuance, thought, reflection and sheer story-telling power into it, that many writers can’t do over a whole series.

And, in terms of stars to pages, this would be the winner!

 

 

Whatever you read in 2017, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope you read more enjoyable books in 2018.

Dont forget Speesh Reads is on

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