Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver vs. The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin
I read Flight Behavior before I even became aware that people were regarding cli fi as a genre, but I really quite enjoyed the meshing of the global and the personal in this tale of Dellarobia and her unsatisfying life. However, despite that, there's no way Kingsolver can unseat Jemisin. I liked Flight Behavior but I loved The Shadowed Sun. Even more complex and wonderful than The Killing Moon, this book swept me away.
Winner: The Shadowed Sun
The Breaking Wave by Nevil Shute vs. Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire
Another easy choice - The Breaking Wave never really moved me, while Half-Off Ragnarok simply delighted me. It was so much fun to meet this part of the family of cryptozoologists, and throwing in some gorgons was just the icing on the cake.
Winner: Half-Off Ragnarok
Good Harbor by Anita Diamant vs. The Quick by Lauren Owen
This is a bit more difficult, because neither of these books were ones that knocked me over, but neither annoyed me, either. Well, to be fair, I was a little annoyed at what short shrift Owen gave to what was supposed to be the selling point of her book, so I guess I'll give this one to Anita Diamant, who is good at writing female friendships, even when her men are underdeveloped.
Winner: Good Harbor
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley vs. Slade House by David Mitchell
I enjoyed both The Rook and Slade House, the former by a new author, the latter by one of my favourites. Amnesia, weird powers and spies made The Rook a ton of fun to read and I enjoyed every bit of it. I'm afraid, though, that in the end, it can't quite compare to the delights of reading Slade House, which was both a connection of enjoyable ghost stories and afforded me the very particular pleasures of watching Mitchell's metafiction intertwine and reward me for being a dedicated reader of his work.
Winner: Slade House
we were liars by e. lockhart vs. Picnic, Lightning by Billy Collins
I know it's just the first round, but there have been a number of easy choices. Picnic, Lightning may not be my favourite book of poetry by Billy Collins, but it's damn good. And in the other corner, we have sloppy YA without consciousness of class concerns, that gives us the woes of rich people written in such a way that it aggravated the hell out of me.
Winner: Picnic, Lightning
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