24. The Remains Of The Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

The most crystal clear prose I've read in any book. Quoting a reviewer from Amazon - "Few writers have the gift of saying so much in so little a space", I think that best sums it up.

23. The Big Nowhere - James Ellroy

The fact that I love L.A. Confidential prompted me to pick JE's second book of the L.A. Quartet. And I wasn't disappointed.

22. The Voice Of Our Shadow - Jonathan Carroll

Got this book on a whim - because it was on the Orion Fantasy Masterworks list. Found it pretty ordinary.

21. Temeraire - Naomi Novik

Book 1 of a rather lengthy series and my quickest read in the list so far. Superb premise and it actually delivers. Napoleonic wars with dragons !

20. The Knife Of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

The most ordinary book I've read so far this year. Had much promise, but epically failed. Don't have that much enthu to complete the series.

19. Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut

Not the best Vonnegut imo. That would be The Sirens Of Titan. This is an anti-war book based on his experiences of the bombing at Dresden, where millions perished. So it goes.

18. Black Money - Ross MacDonald

Lew Archer is not Marlowe. Chandler writes a story which is Marlowe's and Marlowe's alone. Archer allows us to view, analyze and judge the characters through his eyes.

17. Gorky Park - Martin Cruz Smith

One of the most haunting endings I've read - especially with some plaintive Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan music in the background.

16. The Forever War - Joe Haldeman

Found it good, but was expecting much more from a Hugo and Nebula winner though. Should read it again sometime in the future.

15. Farewell, My Lovely - Raymond Chandler

My second Marlowe. Doesn't beat The Big Sleep though. And Hammett is better than Chandler !