Most Anticipated Books of 2011

It's kinda odd for me to do a list.  I've never done one and I admit the lameness ahead of time.  Yeah, you guessed it... this is something else that was originally meant for examiner.

It goes without saying there will be more awesome books published this year than I'll read and unfortunately I'll probably never even hear of a large percentage of them.  So I should steal an idea from Joe Sherry and leave a place open for all the stuff that is unknown to me, but instead I'll just list what I know exist and gets me excited.

I've felt for awhile now that Michael Swanwick is a master of the short story and none are better than those involving his brilliant and lovable con-men Darger and Surplus.  (If you haven't read his fabulous collection, The Dog says Bow-Wow, which contains three Darger and Surplus stories, shame on you.)  So an entire novel dedicated to the two (They've FINALLY gotten to Moscow!) has to be awesome!  I read two of his previous novels and they were both meaty, behemoths that were as rewarding as wagyu beef; I expect nothing less from one as Swanwick.  He is manifest awesome.  

Sorry.  I'll calm down now...

Dancing with Bears comes out in May and is easily this years publication I'm most looking forward to.

Number two on this short list has to go to Lev Grossman.  I had so much fun reading The Magicians that I'll probably read it again leading into the fall release of The Magician Kings.  I will say that I have no idea where this book will go; it kinda makes me apprehensive like the second Matrix movie (which is a horrible feeling), but I'm hoping for the best.

KJ Parker's Purple and Black was an out-of-nowhere publishing piece of awesome for me last year.  By reading more of the author's work in 2011 I can satisfy two of my reading resolutions.  I've already ordered Blue and Gold,  and as I always prefer reading stand-alones to series The Hammer seems another good book to pick up.   
 
And what are you dear reader (sorry I've been reading the Bronte sisters lately...) looking forward to in 2011?