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1. 01/11 - King, Stephen: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams - This was a collection of short stories (and 2 poems). I'm definitely not so big a fan of King's short fiction but at this point in his career and my life, his voice telling any story is just comforting. I savored each story for that reason alone.
2. 02/06 - Corey, James S.A.: Leviathan Wakes - Thoughts
3. 03/05 - Aaronovitch, Ben: Midnight Riot - Thoughts
4. 03/07 - Hobb, Robin: Fools Errand - Thoughts
5. 04/25 - Child, Lee: Bad Luck and Trouble - Thoughts
6. 05/24 - Jemisin, N.K.: The Fifth Season - Really good book, nominated for the nebula. I picked it up almost at random and then inhaled it. Can't wait for the next one.
7. 06/14 - Hobb, Robin: Golden Fool - Thoughts
8. 07/20 - Hill, Joe: Fireman - Thoughts
9. 08/26 - Hobb, Robin: Fools' Fate* - This is the final book of the second trilogy concerning FitzChivalry Farseer, and at the time that it was published it appeared to be the last book featuring him. Since at least two more books in a third trilogy starring him have been published, with a third likely soon to come. Those books were the inspiration for my re-read, and I'm really glad I did it. I think the writing is fantastic but the main character, Fitz, is exasperating at times and infuriating at others. He's difficult to love but the end of this book made you love him anyway. I can't read the new books.
10. 09/21 - Mott, Jason: The Returned - This was a book about the dead returning to the world of the living. I was absolutely fascinated by the concept, enough that I eventually bought the ebook. But the truth is, I found it to be very dull. I only persisted on reading it all the way through because I could handle it a chapter at a time when I had nothing better to do. It was okay, but not an especially satisfying read.
11. 09/23 - Philbrick, Nathaniel: Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution - Great non-fictional account of the role Benedict Arnold played in the Revolutionary War, first as heroic American general and ultimately as betrayer and traitor. Very well written and fascinating story, though the end came a little too abruply without a satisfying conclusion.
12. 09/29 - Hobb, Robin: Fool's Assassin - Nice to be back to the new adventures with the old characters. Very dark with a few changes from what's been done before. Definitely a good start to a new trilogy.
13. 10/14 - McLean, Stuart: Home from the Vinyl Cafe* - I usually listen to these stories being read by the author at one performance or another, including live twice. They're delightful that way but they're just as delightful reading with the eyes. This way, they brought me closer to my home, specifically my beloved Jade, who introduced them to me in the first place. Great stories, filled with heart.
14. 10/19 - McLean, Stuart: Secrets from the Vinyl Cafe* - More of the excellent, fun stories.
15. 10/21 - Simmons, Dan: Summer of Night* - I enjoyed this more the first time I read this but it was still fun to re-read.
16. 10/26 - McLean, Stuart: Vinyl Cafe Unplugged* - Another great collection of stories, though I think the first two were more enjoyable. My favorite is definitely Home from the Vinyl Cafe.
17. 10/26 - Gross, Edward, Altman, Mark: The Fifty Year Mission - The First 25 Years - This is a collection of statements and writings by people involved in the creation of Star Trek, over the first 25 years of the show and movies. It's actually quite good, though as the chapters about the movies come into play there are a lot of missing comments from particular people, especially the secondary cast of the show, that are glaring in their absence. It does make me glad I'm not in Hollywood. The stuff people have to put up with out there...
18. 10/28 - Lowe, Rob: Stories I Only Tell My Friends - I'm a fan of Rob Lowe solely for his performance of Sam Seaborn on The West Wing, but he's had an interesting life and I do enjoy hearing how people get into the business of acting. This was pretty good, though he glossed over certain things I would have liked to have known a lot more about.
19. 10/30 - Simmons, Dan: A Winter Haunting* - This is the sequel to Summer of Night, which I read many years ago. I'd not only forgotten I'd read this, I actually forgot it existed. It's pretty good, more of a psychological horror than the previous book but neither book were as satisfying in the re-read than the first.
20. 11/04 - North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - One of my peculiar contradictions is that as much as I hated my childhood, I have more often than is healthy, fantasized about what it'd be like to relieve it knowing what I know now. I've created an entire universe to explain how such a thing might be achieved and the complications that might arise from a scenario, all maintained within my head. The author of this book took the concept a step further and put it all down on paper. When I first heard about the book, I was naturally intrigued but I was also skeptical. In reading it, I found that not only did she have some of the same ideas I had, but she took a lot of them in totally different but impressive directions. All in all, it was not only very well done but a thoroughly enjoyable read. This is one of those books that left me dazed when I was finished, feeling as though my mind was still living within the world even when the book was closed for the last time. It's going to be a while before I find another book that sweeps me so completely into the deep.
21. 11/09 - Morgan, Joyce, Walters, Conrad: Journeys on the Silk Road - I enjoyed this, but it was slow going. Lots of interesting historical detail, well written, but not in an area I'm especially fascinated by, so it was too easy for me to put down.
22. 11/10 - Rickman, Phil: To Dream of the Dead* - This is the last of the Merrily Watkins books I need to re-read so I can finally start reading new ones that have been published. It was foolish to re-read them all; I had a hard time with it, even though I quite enjoy these. It took way, way too long. Finally, I can move on with my life!
23. 11/23 - Gaiman, Neil: American Gods* - Given that they're doing a tv show based on this book I thought I'd re-read it. Good times.
24. 12/02 - Gaiman, Neil: Anansi Boys* - I really enjoyed this the first time I read it but on the re-read (inspired by finishing American Gods) I found that it's entertaining qualities were a little diminished. It's a very funny tale but the jokes are less acute on second reading.
25. 12/07 - Winters, Ben H.: The Last Policeman - It was interesting. I liked the setting a lot, just prior to the end of the world. The story itself didn't do as much for me. It felt a little like more police procedural than I typically like.
26. 12/10 - Parks, Tim: Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo - Unfortunately, I didn't really care for it. There were some interesting bits and some amusing bits but overall I found it to be a dull accounting. It just didn't grab me.
27. 12/19 - Kern, Ralph: Endeavour - The Sleeping Gods #1 - Random science fiction exploration of space novel I picked up out of curiousity that I really enjoyed. Now I'm going to have to find the second one!
28. 12/27 - Frank, Pat: Alas Babylon - Really good book that I've been meaning to read for years and years. Quite satisfying post nuclear war story set in the 60's. There was one noticable absence of the typcial nuclear holocaust but it might have been due to the setting. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
29. 12/27 - Hobb, First: Fool's Quest - Really excellent. This might, in fact, be my favorite book of the entire long series. Now I need to wait until next May for the next book.
* Denotes something I'd already read at least once before.
2. 02/06 - Corey, James S.A.: Leviathan Wakes - Thoughts
3. 03/05 - Aaronovitch, Ben: Midnight Riot - Thoughts
4. 03/07 - Hobb, Robin: Fools Errand - Thoughts
5. 04/25 - Child, Lee: Bad Luck and Trouble - Thoughts
6. 05/24 - Jemisin, N.K.: The Fifth Season - Really good book, nominated for the nebula. I picked it up almost at random and then inhaled it. Can't wait for the next one.
7. 06/14 - Hobb, Robin: Golden Fool - Thoughts
8. 07/20 - Hill, Joe: Fireman - Thoughts
9. 08/26 - Hobb, Robin: Fools' Fate* - This is the final book of the second trilogy concerning FitzChivalry Farseer, and at the time that it was published it appeared to be the last book featuring him. Since at least two more books in a third trilogy starring him have been published, with a third likely soon to come. Those books were the inspiration for my re-read, and I'm really glad I did it. I think the writing is fantastic but the main character, Fitz, is exasperating at times and infuriating at others. He's difficult to love but the end of this book made you love him anyway. I can't read the new books.
10. 09/21 - Mott, Jason: The Returned - This was a book about the dead returning to the world of the living. I was absolutely fascinated by the concept, enough that I eventually bought the ebook. But the truth is, I found it to be very dull. I only persisted on reading it all the way through because I could handle it a chapter at a time when I had nothing better to do. It was okay, but not an especially satisfying read.
11. 09/23 - Philbrick, Nathaniel: Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution - Great non-fictional account of the role Benedict Arnold played in the Revolutionary War, first as heroic American general and ultimately as betrayer and traitor. Very well written and fascinating story, though the end came a little too abruply without a satisfying conclusion.
12. 09/29 - Hobb, Robin: Fool's Assassin - Nice to be back to the new adventures with the old characters. Very dark with a few changes from what's been done before. Definitely a good start to a new trilogy.
13. 10/14 - McLean, Stuart: Home from the Vinyl Cafe* - I usually listen to these stories being read by the author at one performance or another, including live twice. They're delightful that way but they're just as delightful reading with the eyes. This way, they brought me closer to my home, specifically my beloved Jade, who introduced them to me in the first place. Great stories, filled with heart.
14. 10/19 - McLean, Stuart: Secrets from the Vinyl Cafe* - More of the excellent, fun stories.
15. 10/21 - Simmons, Dan: Summer of Night* - I enjoyed this more the first time I read this but it was still fun to re-read.
16. 10/26 - McLean, Stuart: Vinyl Cafe Unplugged* - Another great collection of stories, though I think the first two were more enjoyable. My favorite is definitely Home from the Vinyl Cafe.
17. 10/26 - Gross, Edward, Altman, Mark: The Fifty Year Mission - The First 25 Years - This is a collection of statements and writings by people involved in the creation of Star Trek, over the first 25 years of the show and movies. It's actually quite good, though as the chapters about the movies come into play there are a lot of missing comments from particular people, especially the secondary cast of the show, that are glaring in their absence. It does make me glad I'm not in Hollywood. The stuff people have to put up with out there...
18. 10/28 - Lowe, Rob: Stories I Only Tell My Friends - I'm a fan of Rob Lowe solely for his performance of Sam Seaborn on The West Wing, but he's had an interesting life and I do enjoy hearing how people get into the business of acting. This was pretty good, though he glossed over certain things I would have liked to have known a lot more about.
19. 10/30 - Simmons, Dan: A Winter Haunting* - This is the sequel to Summer of Night, which I read many years ago. I'd not only forgotten I'd read this, I actually forgot it existed. It's pretty good, more of a psychological horror than the previous book but neither book were as satisfying in the re-read than the first.
20. 11/04 - North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - One of my peculiar contradictions is that as much as I hated my childhood, I have more often than is healthy, fantasized about what it'd be like to relieve it knowing what I know now. I've created an entire universe to explain how such a thing might be achieved and the complications that might arise from a scenario, all maintained within my head. The author of this book took the concept a step further and put it all down on paper. When I first heard about the book, I was naturally intrigued but I was also skeptical. In reading it, I found that not only did she have some of the same ideas I had, but she took a lot of them in totally different but impressive directions. All in all, it was not only very well done but a thoroughly enjoyable read. This is one of those books that left me dazed when I was finished, feeling as though my mind was still living within the world even when the book was closed for the last time. It's going to be a while before I find another book that sweeps me so completely into the deep.
21. 11/09 - Morgan, Joyce, Walters, Conrad: Journeys on the Silk Road - I enjoyed this, but it was slow going. Lots of interesting historical detail, well written, but not in an area I'm especially fascinated by, so it was too easy for me to put down.
22. 11/10 - Rickman, Phil: To Dream of the Dead* - This is the last of the Merrily Watkins books I need to re-read so I can finally start reading new ones that have been published. It was foolish to re-read them all; I had a hard time with it, even though I quite enjoy these. It took way, way too long. Finally, I can move on with my life!
23. 11/23 - Gaiman, Neil: American Gods* - Given that they're doing a tv show based on this book I thought I'd re-read it. Good times.
24. 12/02 - Gaiman, Neil: Anansi Boys* - I really enjoyed this the first time I read it but on the re-read (inspired by finishing American Gods) I found that it's entertaining qualities were a little diminished. It's a very funny tale but the jokes are less acute on second reading.
25. 12/07 - Winters, Ben H.: The Last Policeman - It was interesting. I liked the setting a lot, just prior to the end of the world. The story itself didn't do as much for me. It felt a little like more police procedural than I typically like.
26. 12/10 - Parks, Tim: Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo - Unfortunately, I didn't really care for it. There were some interesting bits and some amusing bits but overall I found it to be a dull accounting. It just didn't grab me.
27. 12/19 - Kern, Ralph: Endeavour - The Sleeping Gods #1 - Random science fiction exploration of space novel I picked up out of curiousity that I really enjoyed. Now I'm going to have to find the second one!
28. 12/27 - Frank, Pat: Alas Babylon - Really good book that I've been meaning to read for years and years. Quite satisfying post nuclear war story set in the 60's. There was one noticable absence of the typcial nuclear holocaust but it might have been due to the setting. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
29. 12/27 - Hobb, First: Fool's Quest - Really excellent. This might, in fact, be my favorite book of the entire long series. Now I need to wait until next May for the next book.
* Denotes something I'd already read at least once before.
