NextRead

I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that debut novels aren’t flagged as well as they should be. I managed to miss the announcement in December of the Guardian First Novel Award, which according to wikipedia is:

awarded to a work of fiction by British or Commonwealth writer and published in the UK

None of them are books I’ve heard much about. And they’re not really ones that I’ve choose on an average bookshop buying spree. Though this year’s winner sounds like an interesting read:

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li (Fourth Estate)
Yiyun Li’s short story collection brings us a modern China facing up to a complex history of repression and guilt, and conveys a sense of a country undergoing tremendous change

Though I did spot another début today also from the Guardian:

Patrick Barkham on the poet Daljit Nagra | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books
Having the countrys biggest poetry publisher take on your debut collection is a dream come true for an unknown poet. But Daljit Nagras greatest feat is capturing the experience of British-born Indians, says Patrick Barkham

I’ve also been looking at Macmillan New Writing and quite fancy:

The Secret War — M.F.W. Curran

For thousands of years a secret war has been fought between Heaven and Hell. Daemons and angels, vampyres and knights, clash for the future of mankind, and as the two sides wage war across the world, innocent people are caught up in the conflict – men like Captain William Saxon and Lieutenant Kieran Harte, two great friends who have recently survived the horrors of the Battle of Waterloo.

Though on limited funds, and I’m not angling for review copies though it would be nice, I’m not sure I want to invest £12.99 on something I’m unsure of when I can almost get two books for the same price.

Speaking of review copies and debuts and the reviews in the title. I got sent a review copy of the Anonymous Lawyer last week. And I think a review of it would be a good way to start my year of the debut. Post to follow tomorrow.

If you want to read a debut you have to hunt for them which is a shame. And then find time to actually read them.