Not sure how many new books I read last year, but Surface Detail by Iain M. Banks is the first thing that comes to mind. It's the latest book in the Culture un

Not sure how many new books I read last year, but Surface Detail by Iain M. Banks is the first thing that comes to mind. It's the latest book in the Culture universe; if you like sci-fi then I highly recommend it (though I don't know that Surface Detail is the best introduction to the series).