Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024

Robert Jackson Bennett

Bennett has been one of those authors that I’ve meant to get around to since his first book was released and authors/bloggers I respect started hyping his work. There was something that kept me from taking the plunge–I’m not sure what, but I did have City of Stairs in my hands several times without plunking down ye olde debit card.

Naturally, I’m annoyed that I didn’t–but I’m more than happy that I took the plunge with this Fantasy/Mystery Hybrid. The worldbuilding is fantastic, the details he’s put into this environment, magic and science systems are amazing, and the storytelling is even better. I was just blown away with everything he put on the page.

And that’s without mentioning that The Tainted Cup is a riff on Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Anyone who’s going to tackle that is going to get my attention.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put him on this list, click here.

A.Y. Chan

Chan infused her debut novel with energy, enthusiasm, and a solid understanding (well-earned) of martial arts and what a young girl has to go to gain that understanding. But mostly, she wrote a fun adventure that can appeal to her target audience as well as crusty old guy like me. What’s not to like about an author who can do that?

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put her on this list, click here.

Dewey Conway

Bill Adams

These two assembled a bit of MG magic as well. It would be pretty easy to tweak the voice, upgrade the danger in a couple of spots, change a chicken into something a bit more (obviously) dangerous, and leave most of the major plot points alone to bring the readers a pretty decent fantasy novel for adults. But no–they went somewhat silly and goofy, kept the chicken (thankfully), and made the whole thing an earnest and satisfying read for young and old alike. I can’t wait to see what else this pair is capable of.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put them on this list, click here.

Katie Cook

Cook’s art is eye-grabbing in itself. You add in her characters, charm and this story? I need nothing else.

I”m not sure what else to say. There’s an optimism, a positivity, and a sense of whimsy that poured out of this book and I’m very glad I took a chance on it.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the works that put her on this list, click here.

Peter David

Technically, David wasn’t new-to-me this year, because he’d published under another name previously. But I challenge any one to look at the works of his alter ego and tell me that I “knew” this version of him. Also, it’s my blog so I can make up the rules.

But more importantly, David’s work belongs to that great tradition of talking to his audience in terms they might have to reach a little for and never talking down to them, despite his subject matter.  I felt like I was reading a kindred spirit (but one who can actually write).

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put him on this list, click here.

Rob Hart

Hart is one of those authors that I’ve meant to read for ages now (okay, I checked–I put a book on a wish list back in 2016). But things happen and I just never got around to it–but his 2024 release called to me and then pressed almost all of my buttons while I was reading it. It’s one of those books that felt tailored to me. Then I read this interview with him, and everything I was thinking about him as a result of the book turned out to be right. I can see myself becoming quite familiar with his work in the years to come.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put him on this list, click here.

Cameron Johnston

The Last Shield had a perfect hook, a perfect elevator pitch, and the execution was close enough to perfect that you’d have to get a magnifying lens out to see where/if it fell short. Like with David and Hart, it’s like he was writing something for me–or for people who like all the same things as I do (and, I assume, he does). And of course, you want to read someone like that.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put him on this list, click here.

M.D. Presley

Presley’s Urban Fantasy series scratched the same itch as Schultz’s Arcane Underworld and Connolly’s Twenty Palace series do–UF featuring somewhat unsavory types with chips on their shoulder and a desire to work against the system while following strong moral compasses of their own. Also, magic that doesn’t quite fit the mold of just about anything else out there. (I qualify that with “just about” so I can’t get corrected by everyone who reads this)

If you do all that? I’m going to be happy to encounter you.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the books that put him on this list, click here and here.

Shami Stovall

Stovall’s Chronos Chronicles remind me of James J. Butcher’s work, and a little of Comby’s Vale Investigation series (I’m not sure anyone else would make the connection). Good, solid UF PI fiction with a magic system that makes sense almost immediately–and is also close to, but very distinct from, many of the standard UF systems. There’s a sense of fun to these that Butcher misses–this might be where I think of Comby–while maintaining the drama. I dunno, I just dig this stuff and I’m glad Stovall crossed my path this past year.

In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put her on this list, click here (I have another overdue post about the second in the series, too).