Patrick returns with two more reviews at Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist. First, he says of Ian McDonald’s River of Gods that “only on the rarest of occasions will I encounter a work that totally blows my mind. Hence, I’m pleased to report that Ian McDonald’s River of Gods is one such works… Ian McDonald has written what could well be the best scifi novel in quite a while. River of Gods is definitely one of the books to read in 2006. For my money, it ranks among Hal Duncan’s Vellum and R. Scott Bakker’s The Thousandfold Thought as one of the best novels of the year.”
Earlier, he calls Joel Shepherd’s Crossover “a remarkable scifi debut,” adding that “the novel is a fast-paced thriller with enough action sequences to satisfy anyone. And yet, there is also enough political intrigue to give this book a convoluted and well-executed plot. In addition, Shepherd manages to imbue the darker moments with the right amount of humor to make your lips curl up into a smile on more than one occasion.”