2012 Preview

According to the Mayan calendar we only have until 21st December 2012 until the world ends. With that in mind, and the fact that John Cusack hasn’t arrived with a limousine to whisk us off to safety just yet, I suggest we spend the time together reading some great new books. I could have easily included many, many more novels on this list but these are the baker’s dozen that I am currently very excited about.

I have included cover images wherever I have been able to find them, click on the thumbnails to see them in their full glory.

	Hell Train by Christopher Fowler – I mentioned this one way back at the end of 2010. I was looking forward to it then, and even more so now. Roofworld is still a personal favourite and I always enjoy Fowler’s writing. Watch this space as I foresee a review in the very near future.
	The Faceless by Simon Bestwick – I’ve not read any of Simon’s work but I saw the cover and I was immediately intrigued. There is also a superbly creepy book trailer over on You Tube. I do so enjoy the promise of empty old buildings that have a hidden past waiting to be discovered.
	Blackout by Mira Grant – The Newsflesh trilogy comes to a conclusion with Blackout. Zombies and politics are odd bedfellows. They shouldn’t work together but they just do. Feed and Deadline were absolute gems and I’m confident that Blackout will deliver as well.
	The Twelve by Justin Cronin – The Passage was one of the first books I tackled after I launched The Eloquent Page. It was a huge apocalyptic doorstop that I enjoyed immensely. The Twelve promises to be more of the same.
	The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch – Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen have been absent from my life for far too long. I relish the return of the Thorn of Camorr and his erstwhile companion. I may just have to revisit The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas under Red Skies in preparation for this.
	Blood and Feathers by Lou Morgan –  Angels, guns, alcoholism in a novel that has been described elsewhere as Alice in Wonderland Goes to Hell. Oh yes I think I’ll be up for this one. Wait, what do you mean “Its not out until next July”? *Sighs*
	Strangeness and Charm by Mike Shevdon – The more of Mike Shevdon’s work I read the more I enjoy. I have been waiting patiently (mostly – Ed.) for this book to be released since I finished the last page of The Road to Bedlam.
	The Devil’s Looking Glass by Mark Chadbourn – Oh come on. He is my favourite author and he has a book out. Of course he is going to be on the list. I’m looking forward to more Will Swyfte as he continues to battle dark forces for Queen and country. Can’t beat a bit of fantastical intrigue and espionage in the Elizabethan era.
	Silent Voices  by Gary McMahon – For me The Concrete Grove was without a doubt one of the highlights of 2011 so it will hardly come as a surprise that the next novel by Gary is part of my list for 2012.
	Blackbird by Chuck Wendig – I have an admission to make. I’ve never read a single page of Chuck Wendig’s other work. There are two reasons why this book has been added to the list. (1) My evil-twin continually raves about Mr Wendig’s writing. (2) Just look at the cover.
	Hereward: The Devil’s Army by James Wilde – I read Hereward and enjoyed it immensely. Historical fiction is not normally a great favourite of mine but this ongoing series may just be the one to change my mind.
	Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregilis – A retelling of the events of World War II – where Nazis create superhumans that can throw fire, see the future and turn invisible, whilst the British warlocks use dark magics to hold back the German invasion. Nazis, Warlocks, and it is the first part of a trilogy – I’m sold, where do I sign?

And finally, if we do happen to survive past the 21st December, there is already a novel from 2013 that I am interested in reading – Wolfhound Century by Peter Higgins. No cover for this one yet put check out the blurb over at Amazon. Sounds pretty epic in my opinion.

Hopefully I’ll get the chance to review some of these over the coming months. Stick around I’ll be here until December 21st at a bare minimum, I promise.