re: Your favorite book released within the last 5 years

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I expect my favorite of the last 5 years will be (just ordered):

The Oceans and the Stars: A Sea Story, A War Story, A Love Story - Mark Helprin.

I just noticed it. Came out in October 2023. Helprin wrote three of my absolute favorites - Winter's Tale, A Soldier of the Great War, and Refiner's Fire, and some good shorter stories. But he hasn't turned out anything I've thought was all that great in decades. This one is getting glowing reviews, though

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I'm done with it and in fact it lived up to the reviews and it is now my favorite book in the last 5 years. Helprin has matured as a writer and some of the over the top exuberance and magical realism is gone, but there is still plenty left of his style. A large part of the book is naval warfare, and very up to date. In particular the controversy about whether to fund small coastal patrol boats. Somali hijacking and clashes with Iran play a large role. I's also a love story, courtroom drama, and has a lot of action. I could see it being an excellent miniseries. Helprin is also one of the few conservatives who is also a topnotch writer and it shows in some digs he gets in towards academia and modern society. It's not heavy handed and I enjoy it. Excellent book.