What I'd like to start reading but can't because I don't have the books yet...

First off, I'd like to start Naomi Novik's series, Temeraire. This is supposed to be a rather phenomenal fantasy series, the fifth book of which has recently been published. I'm very, very hard to please when it comes to fantasy, especially adult fantasy which is usually less imaginative than young adult fantasy.

My favorite adult fantasy is the tremendous (but unfinished) Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin (the slowest writer of all time). This series raised the bar in a pretty major way for me. Fantasy has just not been the same since. I can say quite confidently that the only other fantasy I've enjoyed since has been Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Suzanna Clarke, and the books of Neil Gaiman.

Indeed, one of the books I'd like to start but can't because I don't have it yet is The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. It looks spooky. Black humor, Gaiman's forte.

In any case, Novik's work looks very promising.

Young adult fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, and it seems to be supplying no end of good novels, from Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass books to the wonderful Harry Potter series.

Two other series of young adult books have grabbed my attention:

The Stoneheart Trilogy looks quite unique, and has in fact been likened to Gaiman's work, though for a younger audience. An alternate London full of living statues...

...and the Bartimaeus Trilogy which is supposed to be quite funny. This is another alternative England, where powerful and apparently rather wicked sorcerers rule.

This is the light summer reading I should have been doing, instead of the political heaviness. I did read the very dark and very fascinating "The Devil in the White City" also. I'll have a review up soon....