Call for Comments: Anticipated Books for the rest of 2010

Last week I posted asked the internets what their favorite book was four months into 2010. There are still 8 months to go but for the most part, there won't be many new additions to the 2010 release calendar.

Given that the selection is now all but locked in (and Rothfuss and GRRM didn't make the cut), I'd like to revisit the topic of anticipated books.

Hypothetically, if you could only read 3 more books that will be released this year, which would you choose?

For reference, there is a great guide to upcoming books over at Locus Magazine's website. [Forthcoming Books]

Note: If any publishing outfits would like to send me advance copies of any of these books, I will very begrudgingly accept.

Here are my top three.

The Dervish House - Ian McDonald - I've got an ARC of this sitting beside me right now and if I didn't have so many other things to do, I'd be reading it right now. McDonald is one of the best cultural SF writers there are and his examinations of India and Brazil have been stellar. This time he takes on Turkey and if the book is anything like Brasyl or River of Gods/Cyberabad Days it will well be worth reading. If you like dense, detailed and not-so-implausible SF you should check this book out. Plus that cover is gorgeous.

Zoo City - Lauren Beukes - Moxyland was the suprise hit of 2009 and I came away more than impressed with Beukes's near future vision of South Africa. Zoo City is her sophomore effort and one I am looking forward to greatly. I've only heard bits and pieces about the book but there was a reason why I picked Beukes as one of my 25 Authors Worth Watching. Fresh, captivating, and provocative, Beukes is a welcome new voice in the genre scene.

The Way of Kings (Book 1 of The Stormlight Archive) - Brandon Sanderson - Sanderson starts his next fantasy epic. Sanderson, Abercrombie, and Rothfuss are the holy trinity of fantasy authors to debut in the last several years. Rothfuss and Abercrombie don't have books coming out this year, Sanderson has two. And The Way of Kings doesn't require 13 books of backstory. Need I say more?

Here are some other notable titles that just missed the cut.

Cover Art Not Final

Shades of Milk and Honey - Mary Robinette Kowal - Kowal is another of my favorite authors (and another on my Worth Watching list). The subject matter for her debut novel is just slightly outside of my comfort zone but based on the strength of her other writing, I will definitely be reading this one. Kowal's prose is elegant and efficient, pouring more emotion into fewer words and getting me to connect with her protagonists suprisingly quick. I loved her debut collection, Scenting the Dark and Other Stories and her dialogue is some of the most natural I've read, which even more impressive considering she is a relatively newcomer. Kowal won last year's Campbell Award for Best New Writer and she continues to prove she earned it.

Behemoth (Book 2 of the Leviathan Series) - Scott Westerfeld - Last year's steampunk Leviathan was absolutely fantastic and the combination of beautiful artwork and Westerfeld's alternate vision of World War I has me anticipating the follow up greatly. Leviathan's biggest flaw was that it ended too soon (YA books typically have inflated page count due to font size). I wish I could show off Behemoth's cover because I'm sure it will be fantastic. If you haven't read Leviathan yet, do yourself a favor and see what you're missing.

The Quantum Thief - Hannu Rajaniemi - Hannu sold this book (and its two sequels) based only on a few pages of work. I'm hesitant to put this into the top three because I have yet to see any concrete reviews but based on the early buzz, this is a debut book to watch for. The Quantum Thief makes its UK debut this September.

With Great Power . . . - Lou Anders (editor) - Lou Anders is one of the best editors working in the genre today and his name combined with the group of authors showcased in this superhero themed anthology has me salivating over this book. The only reason this book didn't make the first list is a numbers game. This is going to be a highly enjoyable book. Check out the full ToC here.

The Passage - Justin Cronin - I don't know if anyone would dispute that Cronin's The Passage is the most hyped book of the summer. I'm not sure if it's purely publisher hype or there is any substance to it but there is no denying that people are talking about it. I'm curious to read it but I don't necessarily know what to expect.

So that's my list, what are your 3 most anticipated books for the remainder of 2010?