Top Book Picks from 2011 to Now

So I was talking to Jordan Harbour, host of the Twilight Histories podcast (yeah I'm dropping names, deal with it), and he suggested a great idea. Instead of forcing everyone to go through all the reviews individually to find out if a book is good, I could create a "Top Picks" category where all the best books are listed. That way, when anyone needs to find a good alternate history book, they know exactly where to go.

The problem is not all the books are graded or rated. I myself stopped doing it because I found grading so arbitrary. So finding which books were rated the best in the history of The Update required me at times to reread the review to figure out whether the reviewer gave it an "A". Of course, I might have made a mistake, so feel free to correct me.

Furthermore I am not 100% on how I will label the best books. Should I just create a "Top Pick" tag or some sort of image that I retroactively attach to every review? While I mull over my next move, below is the list of all the book reviews ever posted on The Update since our inception that were either rated an "A" or had a glowing review. Enjoy:

11/22/63 by Stephen King - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 4/11/12

After America by John Birmingham - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 8/5/11

Angels of Vengeance by John Birmingham - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 5/24/12

Aztec Century by Christopher Evans - Review by Chris Nuttall on 11/08/12

The Confederate States of America by Roger L. Ransom - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 8/3/12

Dark Mirror by Diane Duane - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 10/3/12

The Division of the Damned by Richard Rhys Jones - Reviewed by Sebastian Breit on 5/14/12

Dominion by C.J. Sansom - Reviewed by Alison Morton on 1/8/13

East Wind Returns by William Peter Grasso - Reviewed by Sebastian Breit on 9/5/11

Fatherland by Robert Harris - Reviewed by Evelyn Robinson on 11/20/12

The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 5/16/12

Hitler Has Won by Frederic Mullally - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 8/22/12

The Kildaran by Adam Gaffen and Richard Evans - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 12/8/12

Land of Hope and Glory by Geoffrey Wilson - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 5/31/12

Outrageous Fortunes by Steven W. White - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 8/30/11

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 10/19/11

The Royal Sorceress by Chris Nuttall - Reviewed by John Trofimuk on 10/25/12

Visions of Victory by Gerhard L. Weinberg - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 6/22/12

When Angels Wept by Eric G. Swedin - Reviewed by Matt Mitrovich on 9/6/2011

Without Warning by John Birmingham - Reviewed by Chris Nuttall on 3/30/12

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.