For the 2023 instalment of the Very Coode Street Gift Guide, we invited some old friends to share their recommendations of books read in 2023: Alix E. Harrow (whose very worthy Starling House was a favorite, officially excluded from discussion because of her participation in the episode), award-winning Locus reviewer Ian Mond, and distinguished novelist James Bradley, whose nonfiction Deep Water: The World in the Ocean will be out next year.
The books mentioned during the podcast are listed below.
James Bradley recommended:
- The Deluge, Stephen Markley
- Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- White Cat, Black Dog, Kelly Link
- Translation State, Ann Leckie
- Some Desperate Glory, Emily Tesh
Alix E. Harrow recommended:
- Menewood, Nicola Griffith
- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, Roshani Chokshi
- He Who Drowned the World, Shelley Parker-Chan
- The Magician's Daughter, H.G. Parry
- Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Heather Fawcett
Ian Mond recommended:
- Conquest, Nina Allan
- Terrace Stories, Hilary Leichter
- In Ascension, Martin MacInnes
- Him, Geoff Ryman
- I am Homeless if this Is Not My Home, Lorrie Moore
Gary recommended:
- Mr. Breakfast, Jonathan Carroll
- The Essential Peter S. Beagle (2 vols.), Peter S. Beagle
Airside, Christopher Priest
- Lost Places,Sarah Pinsker (and also Monstrous Alterations, Christopher Barzak; Jewel Box, E. Lily Yu; & The Privilege of a Happy Ending, Kij Johnson)
Jonathan recommended:
- The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, Garth Nix
- Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, Wole Talabi
- The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandrasekera
- The Crane Husband, Kelly Barnhill
- Hopeland, Ian McDonald
As always, our thanks to Alix, James, and Ian for making time to talk to us. We hope you enjoy the podcast and that the guide is of some help at this time of the year.