The best books I read in 2015 were Seveneves and Aurora.
My favorite book of the year is a solid 3-way tie.
Red Rising
Ready Player One
Fear the Sky
Honorable mention:
Nemesis Games from The Expanse series. It's not on my list only because it doesn't stand alone.
This'll be easy for me since I actually STARTED reading in 2015. (Reading seriously I mean, as opposed to learning to read... lol)
Honorable Mention would be the Thrawn Trilogy - but I don't wanna just say "The Last Command" or something since they all go together. (And yes I was REALLY late to this party, but better late than never!)
I didn't do a lot of reading this year. Or last. Still, I have one recommendation. It's not my genre, but the book that has stayed with me the most...
Extreme Dentistry - dark, funny, and very odd. Met the author a few times, and he's a great guy. Very intelligent and witty.
Crabbok, no worries about being late to the party on Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy. I've read much of the EU up to maybe six or seven years ago when I finally gave up. So much garbage in there, with only a few gems for moments hidden in them. Zahn's books weren't perfect, but were certainly a highlight among them. Only other series from those days I recommend is the Wraith Squadron series by Aaron Alliston - but Zahn's always comes first for capturing the feeling of the original Star Wars films.
The Martian is on my 'to read' list. I'm looking forward to getting enough time to read it.
1. Red Shirts
2. Essentialism (I don't say this lightly, but this book changed my life)
Oooh, Red Shirts was... Well, it was certainly... Um, by which I mean... Er... What was my point again?
It was entertaining, and took the reader places that were unexpected. I was very amused by it.
Also in the non-fiction department I read "The Greatest Show on Earth" by Richard Dawkins.
I need to try to remember to read more non-fiction, as it is often even more mind-blowing than some good fiction. Interested in trying "Freakanomics" , as awhile back I had read an economics book called "more Sex is Safer Sex", which offered some interesting perspectives on human behavior from the point of view of an economist.
probably Allston's LotF books though Denning had some good ones too (and Traviss was okay)
Best: The Innovators , Walter Isaacson
Favourite:
The Martian , Andy Weir
Station Eleven , Emily St. John Mandel
The Magician's Land , Lev Grossman
Honourable mention: The Gracekeepers , Kirsty Logan
I read the book '50 ways the world could end' recently and i found it really interesting and from a sci/fi writers perspective it gave me some great ideas for 'planetary jeopardy'
I liked Dark Disciple a lot. Haven't bothered reading any of the other "New" Canon Star wars books or comics. Tried a sample of some and wasn't impressed.