2015 has been a great year for books and I usually add the best to my HCF gift guide every Christmas. This year I had too many favourites that it was impossible to just choose 2 so here are my 10 must-read books of 2015.
Back To The Future: The Ultimate Visual History
Available from Book Depository
Everything you wanted to know about Back to the Future in the year that Marty McFly and the Doc travelled to the future in Part II is in this official film series companion. Interviews with the stars, never-before-seen photos, production notes, sketches and much more. My favourite bits are the pull out, removable reproduction items contained in the book such as the Jaws 19 poster and lenticular photograph. If you’re a fan of the BTTF, you need this on your bookshelf!
Read the review of Back To The Future: The Ultimate Visual History
Depth by Lev AC Rosen
Available from Book Depository
Imagine a future where New York City is under water with the residents living from the 21st floor and above. With the latest floods in the UK, it’s not that hard to imagine at all.
Rosen’s novel tells the story of a man killed whilst being tracked by private investigator Simone Pierce. With the police chief trying to pin the murder on Simone, she must do what she does best to find the true killer and the motive behind the murder.
Read the review of Depth
Husk by J. Kent Messum
Available from Book Depository
Imagine a not-too-distant future where the deceased rich hire young, fit men and women to transfer their consciousness into to take control of their mind and bodies for 24-48 hours at a time. Those people who hire out their bodies for a high price are called Husks and whilst the husking business has treated them to fine clothes, hot showers and delicious meals, something not attainable by the common man, there’s something not quite right. What are their bodies being used for when they’re under someone else’s control?
Read the review of Husk
‘Reviver’ and ‘Lost Souls’ by Seth Patrick
Both books available from Book Depository
The sequel to Reviver, Seth Patrick’s Lost Souls hit the shelves this August and continues the story of Jonah Miller, a skilled individual who’s able to wake the dead in order to gain vital evidence of the death of that person – something especially handy when the deceased was murdered or killed in suspicious circumstances.
Read the review of Reviver
Skendleby Trilogy by Nick Brown
Author Nick Brown has recently published the third book of his Skendleby quadrilogy, DARK COVEN. The first two books, Skendleby and The Dead Travel Fast, ooze a sinister evil with Skendleby‘s story set at Christmas – a perfect time of year to begin the creepy series. If you like films like The Wicker Man where the menace is subtle and love a good story based on ancient evil and archaeology, then I highly recommend this amazing series of novels.
Read the review of Skendleby and The Dead Travel Fast
Gestapo Mars by Victor Gischler
Available from Book Depository
If Austin Powers was a Nazi then I’d imagine it’d be a lot like Gestapo Mars, a novel about Agent Carter Sloan, a spy brought out of cryogenic stasis to assassinate the daughter of the Brass Dragon.
Entertaining, sexy and a thrill to read, Gestapo Mars is all the fun without having to take your clothes off… unless that is if you want to, of course.
Read the review of Gestapo Mars
Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History
Available from Book Depository
Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! Much like the aforementioned Back To The Future book, Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History is a hardback book containing everything you should know about the two films as well as its cartoon, comic and videogame spin-offs. There’s removable reproduction items included in some of the pages such as production notes, sketches and a questionaire used on the preview of the first film. There’s plenty of sketches and concept art throughout the film, particularly on the designs of the gadgets used in the films and the characters. With big colourful imagery from the films including stills and behind the scenes photos with writing on the making of the film, this book is a must for fans of the series.
Harrison Squared by Daryl Gregory
Available from Book Depository
Following the life of Harrison Harrison, a teenage boy moves with his marine bioligist mother to the small town of Dunnsmouth for her research trip into local marine life. As he attempts to fit in at his new high school, he begins to realise not all is what it seems.
Inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft, Harrison Squared is a young adult novel that will go down a treat with young and older readers alike and acts as a gateway into those nightmarish tales told by Lovecraft.
Read the review of Harrison Squared
Harry Potter: Magical Places from the Films
Available from Book Depository
Ideal for Potter fans looking to relive the magical movies or anyone who has an interest in how films are made or the design of sets, Harry Potter: Magical Place from the Films is a stunning coffee-table book that will inspire anyone who’ll gaze upon its behind-the-scenes photos, never-before-seen concept art and commentary from those who worked on the movies. There’s even a map of Diagon Alley tucked neatly in an envelope at the back of the book.
Read the review of Harry Potter: Magical Places From The Films
The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road
Available from Book Depository
You’ve seen the film, now gaze upon its beauty with this hardback book chock full of colourful photos and insightful writings on the making of and inspiration behind the designs in the film. A must-have movie companion for any Mad Max fan.
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