Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds is a nice, meaty SF book about a post-Nanocaust Earth and a sort-of alternate history Earth in 1959 where WWII never happened. Except the alternate Earth exists three hundred years in the future and half-way across the galaxy. It's complicated. The best parts of the book are from the point of view of Wendell Floyd, a lowrent jazz musician and private detective in 1959 (sorta) Paris. I think I could easily read a whole series of Wendell Floyd detective novels.

And just as I'm nearly my challenge goal of 50 books, I find out that New York standup Leo Allen is aiming for 100. Splutter. It's really hard for me not to rise to the challenge and up my ante to 100, also. But wait, he lists Lulu Eightball by Emily Flake at #51. I mean, it's great, but it's a collection of cartoons. If I can list collections of cartoons...