THE 2019 FATES ON FIRE BOOK AWARDS!

Having read a total of 216 books in 2019 (a book every 40 hours for an entire year), FIRE Aethernaut, Mr. Fate sifts the wheat from the chaff to give you the best of the best by way of the inaugural “Fates On Fire Book Awards!”

READ MUCH?

216 books! Just wow! I don’t know about you, but I’ve never read this much in my life. It nearly doubled my 2018 list which was 112 books. It was a wonderful experience, but there were times where it felt like just too much. I’ll likely scale back a tad next year, but it did give me the idea of creating my own book awards to hope spread word of some truly great reads.

WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE AWARDS AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?

If you happen to read a lot, then you know that the Booker Prize (formerly Man Booker) is, essentially the Oscars for books. And, without shame, this is my version of that. Unlike the Booker, but like the Oscars, I’m dividing the awards into separate categories. Like the Booker, each category receives a “short list” comprised of 6 books, with 1 being the winner. Bottom line here, is that (I hope) whatever kind of reading you may be into, there is (are) a book(s), you may want to check out!

CAVEATS & CONDITIONS

There are a couple of caveats and conditions for the awards which are:

• Rereads do not count. I had about 27 of them, all of which are in my Lifetime Top 50, so they are excluded from these annual awards.
• Eligible books can have been written anytime in human history, so long as I read them initially in 2019

THE CATEGORIES

1. GENERAL FICTION – This category includes the popular/”you can buy it in print at most book stores type stuff.” These books, generally, have more mass appeal and are put out by large publishing houses.
2. OTHER FICTION – This category contains what I consider peculiar types of fiction. It could be speculative, horror, fantasy, or general fiction put out by independent, small or genre publishers.
3. NON-FICTION – No qualifiers needed here. Just non-fiction. Period!
4. GRAPHIC NOVELS – Amazing writing with amazing art – that’s what in this category. Sadly, this category is perpetually overlooked by the under-sophisticated, so I thought it important to include it in the awards.

GENERAL FICTION

WINNER – THE PAPER MENAGERIE & OTHER STORIES BY KEN LIU

An astounding anthology as powerful as it is beautiful. Comprised of all Liu’s award winning stories, the standout here is “The Paper Menagerie,” the only story to have ever won the Hugo, the Nebula & World Fantasy awards. It is, in itself, a poignant, peerless piece of art. Liu’s spectacular imagination which is seamlessly weaved into his themes of the value of memory and persistence of love are simply stunning. I have read well over 5000 short stories in my life, and “The Paper Menagerie” now sits at the top of the list. The best thing is, you can read it free here or listen to Levar Burton deliver a reading that will, with certainty, bring a tear to your eye.

THE SHORT LIST – GENERAL FICTION

Two Pints by Roddy Doyle. Two men meet for a pint in a Dublin pub. They chew the fat, set the world to rights, take the piss… They talk about their wives, their kids, their kids’ pets, their football teams. Garnered from a year of actual news stories, Doyle’s precise and uproarious wit is on full display with the tight, charming Irish dialogue only he can pull off. Best read with a pint of Guinness (or 2) that you can sip in between laughs.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. This fantastical story of a boy and a tiger cast adrift at sea for over 2 years handily won the Booker award in 2001. It both ensnares and challenges the reader in very subtle ways. Questioning perception, religion, philosophy and the human experience, it intertwines the notions of truth and fiction in the form of a wonderful story. Moreover, it cleverly positions the reader inwards to inquire about their own life and beliefs.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Universally considered Gaiman’s magnum opus, I half-read “American Gods” when it came out, but just wasn’t into it at the time. A full reread in 2019 was worth the effort. Gaiman is legendary for good reason, his mythic storytelling is unsurpassed, inventive and gripping and he masterfully creates spellbinding worlds. While this book, deservedly, won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus & Bram Stoker awards, it’s actually my least favorite of his adult novels, but still a gem.

Ready Player One by Earnest Cline. Jack in to the OASIS and take a trip back to the 80s. Ready Player One is, at once, a geek paradise and a nerd fantasy, hence my attraction. This book is littered with obvious and supremely obscure pop culture and gamer trivia. I can see why it was widely celebrated upon its release and that it generated a film. I can also see why many don’t think it’s the bees knees. Nevertheless, for some of us, it will live in infamy. In any event, it’s a fun story and definitely worth a read.

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. Set in the 50s during the Jim Crow America, Ruff combines the horrors of racism with those of the cosmic in a compelling story about a son’s search for his missing father. A wonderful cocktail of hope, freedom, love and power. Savvy readers will pick up on the interplay of the theme, subject matter and Lovecraft’s own racism. Currently being adapted into a series by HBO.

OTHER FICTION

WINNER – BLOOD SUGAR BY DANIEL KRAUS

“In a junkyard of a house, an angry outcast hatches a scheme to take revenge for all the wrongs he has suffered. With the help of three alienated neighborhood kids, he plans to hide razor blades, drugs and poison in Halloween candy to maim & kill innocent children.” How’s that for a premise? Daniel Kraus, bestselling co-author of the Oscar Award winning “The Shape of Water” delivers an unflinchingly intrepid and undaunted exercise in reading with this amazing book. Aside from his marvelous fictional acrobatics, the story is, simultaneously disturbing, heartbreaking and hilarious, thus making it a veritable feat in itself. This novel is legitimately groundbreaking and challenging which I’m sure is the reason why Kraus’ former Big 5 publisher blanched and passed on the manuscript. That this masterpiece got relegated to Titan Books’ Hard Case Crime imprint is beyond the pale, but I’m glad it saw the light of day. If the kids from Mowry’s “Rats in the Trees” met the Droogs from Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange” somewhere in Eminem’s “8 Mile”, it would be this, but way better. In the immortal words of protagonist Jody, “This is some mothertrucking sharkweek, robocop.” Believe!

THE SHORT LIST – OTHER FICTION

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. If John Hughes and Satan met in a pub, downed 6.66 gallons of Guinness and then collaborated on a project, this would be the result. An exquisite mash-up of “Pretty in Pink,” “The Exorcist” and “Heathers,” Hendrix scores a perfect “10” in the sadly underrepresented Horror-Comedy genre. If you lived in the 80s (or just wished you did), enjoy horror and like to laugh ’til you pee, then this is your book. This was a very close 2nd for the category winner. Also, the cover for this book is, honestly, one of the best of all time.

The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All by Laird Barron. I finally read all 4 of Barron’s short story collections in 2019, but this, I think, is his best. Barron is unique in that the uneasiness he creates in your mind lingers long after the reading is done. A master of existential malaise and cosmic dread, his writing is sublime, vast and evasive. Oddly, it either hits you wholeheartedly or not at all. Standouts in this collection are “Blackwood’s Baby” and “The Men of Porlock,” notable for being only 1 of 3 stories that evoke unequivocal terror every read which is likely why it won the Bram Stoker Award.

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix. The conceit of setting a horror story inside a fictional Ikea (Oorsk) and then presenting the work in the format of an actual Ikea catalog is pure fucking genius. While the general plot was good, Hendrix does a masterful job of satirizing the Swedish retail behemoth, its clever marketing as well as acolytes of disposable furniture and sham corporate culture all in one fell, hilarious swoop. Also, another fantastic cover. Whomever is heading design at Quirk books deserves a massive raise.

The Map of Time by Felix D. Palma – Read this as part of my book club by an extremely popular Spanish author I’d not previously heard of. It was a beautiful exercise in meta-brilliance. So inventive, out there and wonderful. Nearly transcendent.

NON-FICTION

WINNER – UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN BY JOHN DOE

Rather than providing your typical autobiography, the legendary John Doe of X instead plays the artful curator of the nascent Los Angeles punk scene circa 1977-1982 by collating the distinct voices of those who were there. While not an oral history, per se, this book feels more a compendium of individual perspectives in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Voices from such seminal, historic bands as X, The Blasters, the Go-Gos, Black Flag, T.S.O.L., The Zeros & The Minutemen – all chime in to give rise to the true chorus that was (and always will be) the LA punk scene. An absolute must for any lover of music.

THE SHORT LIST – NON-FICTION

The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx. Set amid the near peak of Motley Crue’s worldwide stardom, Sixx’s bestseller documents a year of his heroin addiction between Christmas 1986-87. A testament to his courage and honesty, he pulls zero punches recounting his horrific and truly devastating story. His vulnerability is commendable as he offers himself as an ideal object lesson and cautionary tale. Given the current opioid crisis, this book’s message is more important than ever and I am glad it remains in print and continues to sell well.

An American Demon by Jack Grisham. Infamous So. Cal. punk icon and T.S.O.L frontman, Jack Grisham, interjects his memoirs with fictional panache. Though sober now, Jack was an unequivocal, truly petrifying sociopath and the chilling tales he shares here are made easier to digest when presented under the flimsy fictional veneer. The fact that this book was not written from inside a maximum security prison (or even written at all) is the most miraculous aspect of this absorbing, disturbing read. It’s no wonder Jack still sleeps with his lights on.

White Line Fever: Lemmy: The Autobiography by Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy’s name is synonymous with notorious excess, his blood would have killed any other man, and his band, Motorhead, will always be louder than everything else. He was born while rock n’ roll was created, roadied for Jimi Hendrix and played in Hawkwind prior to forming Motorhead and taking over the world. His account is as wonderfully overindulgent and riveting as one would expect with awesome, candid tales from one of rock’s most legendary heroes. RIP.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean. A book about books! Orlean tells the captivating story of the 1986 burning of the Los Angeles library. Part whodunnit and part historic, she interweaves the unsolved mystery of the arson with the story of the LA library making for the ultimate ode to all libraries past and present. A must for any fan off books and/or libraries.

Hobie – Master of Water, Wind & Waves by Paul Holmes. A gorgeous, large format hardcover book on Hobie Alter – the genius who single handedly transformed not only the culture of Southern California, but the world. If you’ve ever surfed, skated, sailed in a catamaran, kayaked or snowboarded, you owe a debt of gratitude to this man. From humble beginnings hand-fabricating balsa wood surf boards to a global innovator, Hobie truly was a visionary and this book details the incredible life story of this surfer who changed the world.

GRAPHIC NOVEL

WINNER – THE ELTINGVILLE CLUB BY EVAN DORKIN

For the uninitiated, the comic genius that is Evan Dorkin came to international prominence in the 90s with the sociopathic mayhem of “Milk & Cheese”- his book of insanely violent, alcoholic dairy products gone bad. Shortly thereafter Dorkin unleashed “The Eltingville Club” stories in his “Dork” books which touched the heart of anyone who has ever remotely enjoyed sci-fi, fantasy, horror, RPG or comics. “The Eltingville Club” collects the entire run of the series in beautiful hardcover glory. With his dense, intricate, hyper-detailed art and deliciously acerbic, so-absurd-it’s-true stories, like “Bring Me the Head of Boba Fett” & “Marathon Men,” it’s no wonder the Eltingville crew has won multiple Eisner Awards. It is the ultimate love letter/death threat/guilty confession to fandom. This is the only thing that made me laugh out loud in the entirety of 2019!

THE SHORT LIST – GRAPHIC NOVEL

Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin & Jill Thompson. There is a very good reason why this graphic novel has won a combined 11 Eisner, Harvey, National Comic & Anthony Awards – it’s absolutely amazing. Dorkin’s (yes, him again) exceptionally strong and emotionally engaging writing combined with Thompson’s brilliant & stunning watercolor art makes for a mesmerizing and compelling experience. The general story is so unique, I won’t comment, but apparently a film is in the works. This immediately catapulted on to my Top 10 graphic novels of all time list and was a very close contender for the category winner.

Sandman – The Wake by Neil Gaiman. The last of the collected installments of the venerable and magnificent Sandman series that ran 8 years. “The Wake” remains my favorite collection principally for the 3 chapters that comprise the memorial and final act of Morpheus. The eulogies of the dreamers, guests, celebrants & mourners are simply fabulous. Characters throughout nearly a decade make appearances to pay their respects and pry the mist from reader’s eyes. Gaiman delivers an absolutely superb, fitting and meaningful end to one of the most cherished protagonists in graphic novel history.

Poe – Stories & Poems by Gareth Hinds & EA Poe – A splendid graphic rendition of some of Poe’s most notable stories including the “Cask of Amontillado”, “The Pit & the Pendulum”, “The Mask of the Red Death”, etc. The art and graphic rendering of fonts for “The Raven” is simply spectacular. Of course, the writing is among humanity’s best and the art is right there with it!

Full Frontal Nerdity by Aaron Williams. Since 2003, Aaron Williams has, ever so quietly, been producing some of the sharpest, cutting edge popular culture and gamer comics ever. If an unashamed nerd consistently succeeded at making other nerds laugh aloud, this is it. Williams’ spectrum is wide from super-duper in-jokes only hard-core D&D players will get to killer lampoons of Star Wars and Marvel movies that we all can relate to. Expertly delivered via the hilarious exploits of his 4 characters. Best – you can read all this material free here!

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman by Alan Moore – I loved Moore’s “From Hell” and stumbled on this while searching for the Poe volume. Grateful I found it. There’s a reason why Moore is universally heralded as one of comic’s most innovative minds – and this is a good example. Oddly, the day I finished this, Moore announced he was no longer going to write.