Soldier of the Mist, Gene Wolfe
It's like Memento only WAY better. A soldier in roughly 470 BC suffers a battlefield injury that causes him not be able to remember anything for more than 24 hours. He keeps a journal of what happens most every day so he can re-read it and remember who and where he is and who the people with him are. There characters here are really rich and bright and amazing, especially since the narrator is essentially re-introducing them all the time as the soldier starts each day only able to remember a little of the day before. Often you know who his enemies are even when he does not which is pretty tense at some points. The book overall reads vaguely like Mary Renault, but less purple and overblown. There's two more books published in this series and I can not wait to read them. Like want to call in sick to work and read all day kind of can not wait.
AJAX BELL 