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1trueneutral
Challenge accepted... again. Came close in 2012 (45 books with 15k pages read) so I'm giving it another go this year! Regardless of the result, it's the reading that matters - so what I expect to read this year is a mix of sci-fi, fantasy and horror with some non-fic and comics thrown in for good measure.
My 2012 journal is here.
Progress:
30/50 books
9310/15000 pages
1. The Bad Place by Dean Koontz - 272 pages - 5 stars
2. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins - 440 pages - 4 stars
3. Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman - 82 pages - 3 stars
4. Gateway by Frederik Pohl - 304 pages - 3.5 stars
5. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card - 596 pages - 4.5 stars
6. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft - 358 pages - 3 stars
7. Novellas - 77 pages - see below.
8. Children of the mind by Orson Scott Card - 370 pages - 4.5 stars
9. Gloriana by Michael Moorcock - 496 pages - 3.5 stars
10. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 82 pages - 4.5 stars
11. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis - 301 pages - 4 stars
12. Nine Princes In Amber by Roger Zelazny - 247 pages - 4.5 stars
13. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 61 pages - 4 stars
14. Friday by Robert A. Heinlein - 425 pages - 3.5 stars
15. The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny - 298 pages - 4.5 stars
16. Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny - 261 pages - 4 stars
17. 20th Century Boys, Volume 1: Friends by Naoki Urasawa - 212 pages - 4 stars
18. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson - 291 pages - 3 stars
19. Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov - 432 pages - 4.5 stars
20. MW by Osamu Tezuka - 583 pages - 4 stars
21. Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester - 250 pages - 4.5 stars
22. Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov - 510 pages - 4 stars
23. The Book of Human Insects by Osamu Tezuka - 366 pages - 4.5 stars
24. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi - 240 pages - 3 stars
25. The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny - 250 pages - 4.5 stars
26. Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein - 468 pages - 3 stars
27. Ringworld by Larry Niven - 288 pages - 4.5 stars
28. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi - 346 pages - 4 stars
29. Emphyrio by Jack Vance - 208 pages - 3.5 stars
30. The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny - 198 pages - 3.5 stars
My 2012 journal is here.
Progress:
30/50 books
9310/15000 pages
1. The Bad Place by Dean Koontz - 272 pages - 5 stars
2. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins - 440 pages - 4 stars
3. Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman - 82 pages - 3 stars
4. Gateway by Frederik Pohl - 304 pages - 3.5 stars
5. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card - 596 pages - 4.5 stars
6. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft - 358 pages - 3 stars
7. Novellas - 77 pages - see below.
8. Children of the mind by Orson Scott Card - 370 pages - 4.5 stars
9. Gloriana by Michael Moorcock - 496 pages - 3.5 stars
10. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 82 pages - 4.5 stars
11. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis - 301 pages - 4 stars
12. Nine Princes In Amber by Roger Zelazny - 247 pages - 4.5 stars
13. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 61 pages - 4 stars
14. Friday by Robert A. Heinlein - 425 pages - 3.5 stars
15. The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny - 298 pages - 4.5 stars
16. Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny - 261 pages - 4 stars
17. 20th Century Boys, Volume 1: Friends by Naoki Urasawa - 212 pages - 4 stars
18. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson - 291 pages - 3 stars
19. Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov - 432 pages - 4.5 stars
20. MW by Osamu Tezuka - 583 pages - 4 stars
21. Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester - 250 pages - 4.5 stars
22. Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov - 510 pages - 4 stars
23. The Book of Human Insects by Osamu Tezuka - 366 pages - 4.5 stars
24. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi - 240 pages - 3 stars
25. The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny - 250 pages - 4.5 stars
26. Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein - 468 pages - 3 stars
27. Ringworld by Larry Niven - 288 pages - 4.5 stars
28. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi - 346 pages - 4 stars
29. Emphyrio by Jack Vance - 208 pages - 3.5 stars
30. The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny - 198 pages - 3.5 stars
3trueneutral
1. The Bad Place by Dean Koontz - 5 stars
It is hands down the best Koontz I've ever read and I doubt it can get any better. This was my first Koontz book - some years ago when a friend recommended it to me - and even as a reread, it was still as fresh and engrossing as I remembered it, so it stands there as my all time favorite.
2. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins - 4 stars
Richard Dawkins is a biologist, but he also loves writing books about evolution, science and atheism. In this case, he's writing in a lighter style, obviously targetted at a younger audience. He gives religion equal treatment to other myths and legends and, while this might be upsetting to some people, I think he does a good job at not being too pushy.
He takes popular myths, gives a bit of background about them, especially rationalizing why people tended to believe in them and then explains the phenomena and why they are just myths and not reality. The science is good, although sometimes his explanations are a bit convoluted (especially because he's trying to keep it simple and not use too many complicated terms or notions) - which is ok for me as a grown-up. I have a feeling certain parts of the book would bore a young reader or confuse them, but this book is ideally read by a parent together with the kids so that things can be explained when they get too confusing.
Overall a great read and highly recommended for those wanting a "lighter" Dawkins experience. (I'm still slowly working through his The Selfish Gene book on genetics).
It is hands down the best Koontz I've ever read and I doubt it can get any better. This was my first Koontz book - some years ago when a friend recommended it to me - and even as a reread, it was still as fresh and engrossing as I remembered it, so it stands there as my all time favorite.
2. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins - 4 stars
Richard Dawkins is a biologist, but he also loves writing books about evolution, science and atheism. In this case, he's writing in a lighter style, obviously targetted at a younger audience. He gives religion equal treatment to other myths and legends and, while this might be upsetting to some people, I think he does a good job at not being too pushy.
He takes popular myths, gives a bit of background about them, especially rationalizing why people tended to believe in them and then explains the phenomena and why they are just myths and not reality. The science is good, although sometimes his explanations are a bit convoluted (especially because he's trying to keep it simple and not use too many complicated terms or notions) - which is ok for me as a grown-up. I have a feeling certain parts of the book would bore a young reader or confuse them, but this book is ideally read by a parent together with the kids so that things can be explained when they get too confusing.
Overall a great read and highly recommended for those wanting a "lighter" Dawkins experience. (I'm still slowly working through his The Selfish Gene book on genetics).
4Ameise1
I've read a couple of Koontz's books but this one I haven't read so far. I must take a look at our local library if they are providing this one. It seems that this one must be a gorgeous one. :-)
5trueneutral
3. Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman - 3 stars
This is not your run of the mill comic book. It's a graphic novel with some very strange and trippy art and a very sad topic: a movie maker's last weeks of life after he gets diagnosed with cancer. He refuses any treatment and innevitably starts writing the script for his last movie, one he'd been having dreams and visions about.
It doesn't get too personal though, so even if the setting is very dark, you don't connect too much with the main character. It's a short story in the end and it is good at what it tries to be - illustrating the difference between the meaningful signal and the meaningless noise all around it.
4. Gateway by Frederik Pohl - 3.5 stars
I was eager to read this because of a bunch of reasons: it won a buttload of awards (Nebula, Hugo), it's part of the SF Masterworks (an amazing collection) and I loved Space Merchants (written together with C. M. Kornbluth).
So why the 3.5 stars? Because the main character annoyed me (the big baby Robinette that's afraid to do anything, but loves to screw anything that moves and cry and over-dramatise things) and I couldn't connect with him. This made about half of the book unbearable and boring for me. The book is half in the past (before Rob/Bob/Robinette struck gold) and half in the present when he's filthy rich and visits a robot therapist (called Sigfrid) - this bit amused me at first, then started to get in the way of the main story then got boring and annoying because it was pretty much the same.
I personally would've loved more in the way of actual sci-fi, more details about the Heechee (the alien civilization) and a lot fewer therapy sessions. I liked the ads, letters, mission reports and snippets of conversations that were interspersed in the story, giving more substance to the world around the main character. Not much, as the whole book was very very centered on him.
So there you have it. A decent read, but one that I'm not going back to in the future - also, I'm not sure about trying the next book in the series, given that it continues his story.
This is not your run of the mill comic book. It's a graphic novel with some very strange and trippy art and a very sad topic: a movie maker's last weeks of life after he gets diagnosed with cancer. He refuses any treatment and innevitably starts writing the script for his last movie, one he'd been having dreams and visions about.
It doesn't get too personal though, so even if the setting is very dark, you don't connect too much with the main character. It's a short story in the end and it is good at what it tries to be - illustrating the difference between the meaningful signal and the meaningless noise all around it.
4. Gateway by Frederik Pohl - 3.5 stars
I was eager to read this because of a bunch of reasons: it won a buttload of awards (Nebula, Hugo), it's part of the SF Masterworks (an amazing collection) and I loved Space Merchants (written together with C. M. Kornbluth).
So why the 3.5 stars? Because the main character annoyed me (the big baby Robinette that's afraid to do anything, but loves to screw anything that moves and cry and over-dramatise things) and I couldn't connect with him. This made about half of the book unbearable and boring for me. The book is half in the past (before Rob/Bob/Robinette struck gold) and half in the present when he's filthy rich and visits a robot therapist (called Sigfrid) - this bit amused me at first, then started to get in the way of the main story then got boring and annoying because it was pretty much the same.
I personally would've loved more in the way of actual sci-fi, more details about the Heechee (the alien civilization) and a lot fewer therapy sessions. I liked the ads, letters, mission reports and snippets of conversations that were interspersed in the story, giving more substance to the world around the main character. Not much, as the whole book was very very centered on him.
So there you have it. A decent read, but one that I'm not going back to in the future - also, I'm not sure about trying the next book in the series, given that it continues his story.
6trueneutral
Very slow reading this month and for it I mostly blame Lovecraft and my unwillingness to drop the book and move on.
5. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card - 4.5 stars
All in all this was a great book. The beginning was slow and rather boring though and I have to say that for the first 100 pages I was struggling with the book and even considered leaving it for another time. And then, all of a sudden, everything was right, Card was again writing the way I expected him to and I couldn't stop reading. It's a great follow-up to Speaker for the Dead and, although long, doesn't quite finish the story - that's why I've started reading Children of the Mind right after.
It loses half a star for the slightly rushed ending, for the fact that the world of Path felt almost optional in the bigger picture and, most of all, for all the religious crazyness - after several millenia, after all that technological advancement, after discovering such amazing things (I don't want to spoil here) they still believe in the dogma of the catholic church as it was in the past. I'm sorry, but that's too much.
6. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft - 3 stars
I expected more, I expected perhaps something that hasn't aged as such, I expected something that could pull me in and horrify me and make me have bad dreams. What I found was a collection of stories that had no suspense (calling the endings anticlimactic is putting it mildly) and a very unpleasant (for me at least) storytelling style.
The worst part was that it didn't capture my imagination, it didn't pull me in - that made for very very dull reading. The only story I liked was "The Outsider" and now that I think about it, I liked the short ones much more because they didn't take forever to unfurl.
5. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card - 4.5 stars
All in all this was a great book. The beginning was slow and rather boring though and I have to say that for the first 100 pages I was struggling with the book and even considered leaving it for another time. And then, all of a sudden, everything was right, Card was again writing the way I expected him to and I couldn't stop reading. It's a great follow-up to Speaker for the Dead and, although long, doesn't quite finish the story - that's why I've started reading Children of the Mind right after.
It loses half a star for the slightly rushed ending, for the fact that the world of Path felt almost optional in the bigger picture and, most of all, for all the religious crazyness - after several millenia, after all that technological advancement, after discovering such amazing things (I don't want to spoil here) they still believe in the dogma of the catholic church as it was in the past. I'm sorry, but that's too much.
6. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft - 3 stars
I expected more, I expected perhaps something that hasn't aged as such, I expected something that could pull me in and horrify me and make me have bad dreams. What I found was a collection of stories that had no suspense (calling the endings anticlimactic is putting it mildly) and a very unpleasant (for me at least) storytelling style.
The worst part was that it didn't capture my imagination, it didn't pull me in - that made for very very dull reading. The only story I liked was "The Outsider" and now that I think about it, I liked the short ones much more because they didn't take forever to unfurl.
7trueneutral
7. Novellas
A Spell of Vengeance by D.B. Jackson - 3.5 stars
An enjoyable novella which is also the beginning of his Thieftaker novel - a combination of historical fiction and fantasy. I liked his writing style and I'll get the book for sure.
The Man Who Bridged The Mist by Kij Johnson - 4.5 stars
A winner of the 2012 Hugo & Nebula for best novella and it shows. It's the story of a builder and the people around him as they struggle to build a bridge across a river covered by a mysterious mist. There's a whole world described in this novella and it is very believable, although nothing is known about the mist (nor explained). It has good characters, great development and a nice and touching finale. Loses half a star only for feeling slightly stretched here and there.
Well worth reading and it feels like the world is too well crafted for just a novella, perhaps a novel is in the works? That would certainly be something I'd look forward to.
A Spell of Vengeance by D.B. Jackson - 3.5 stars
An enjoyable novella which is also the beginning of his Thieftaker novel - a combination of historical fiction and fantasy. I liked his writing style and I'll get the book for sure.
The Man Who Bridged The Mist by Kij Johnson - 4.5 stars
A winner of the 2012 Hugo & Nebula for best novella and it shows. It's the story of a builder and the people around him as they struggle to build a bridge across a river covered by a mysterious mist. There's a whole world described in this novella and it is very believable, although nothing is known about the mist (nor explained). It has good characters, great development and a nice and touching finale. Loses half a star only for feeling slightly stretched here and there.
Well worth reading and it feels like the world is too well crafted for just a novella, perhaps a novel is in the works? That would certainly be something I'd look forward to.
8trueneutral
8. Children of the mind by Orson Scott Card - 4.5 stars
What, that's it? No more? Awww. Fantastic ending to the Ender series and an overall great book. I won't say anything for fear of spoilers - just this: please please continue the story, it's so worth it!
What, that's it? No more? Awww. Fantastic ending to the Ender series and an overall great book. I won't say anything for fear of spoilers - just this: please please continue the story, it's so worth it!
9trueneutral
9. Gloriana by Michael Moorcock - 3.5 stars
Worth reading if you're into light fantasy with touches of historical fiction and you enjoy court politics and intrigues. Some parts were very very detailed and too descriptive for my tastes, but the writing is good and I enjoyed it overall.
10. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 4.5 stars
Fondly Fahrenheit
Disappearing Act
Hobson's Choice
Excellent stories by one of my favorite SF writers. Short and sweet.
11. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis - 4 stars
Amusingly enough, I've started reading C. S. Lewis with some science fiction and not with fantasy (Narnia). Solid book though and being the first from a trilogy, I'm sure to go ahead and read the other two.
Worth reading if you're into light fantasy with touches of historical fiction and you enjoy court politics and intrigues. Some parts were very very detailed and too descriptive for my tastes, but the writing is good and I enjoyed it overall.
10. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 4.5 stars
Fondly Fahrenheit
Disappearing Act
Hobson's Choice
Excellent stories by one of my favorite SF writers. Short and sweet.
11. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis - 4 stars
Amusingly enough, I've started reading C. S. Lewis with some science fiction and not with fantasy (Narnia). Solid book though and being the first from a trilogy, I'm sure to go ahead and read the other two.
10trueneutral
12. Nine Princes In Amber by Roger Zelazny - 4.5 stars
Fantastic start for a fantasy series. Can't wait to read more! This book is great as an introduction to the whole lore and main characters and lines them up nicely in a conflict for power. Ends with a cliffhanger, which is why you absolutely have to continue reading. Loses half a star for the first person narration which is just plain silly sometimes.
Fantastic start for a fantasy series. Can't wait to read more! This book is great as an introduction to the whole lore and main characters and lines them up nicely in a conflict for power. Ends with a cliffhanger, which is why you absolutely have to continue reading. Loses half a star for the first person narration which is just plain silly sometimes.
11trueneutral
13. Short stories by Alfred Bester - 4 stars
Adam and No Eve
The Biped, Reegan
More stories by Bester, very enjoyable stuff.
14. Friday by Robert A. Heinlein - 3.5 stars
Easy and pleasant read about the adventures of a an artificial person who's a combat courier (cue in the action) in a futuristic Earth in which countries are named a little differently, but suffer from the same political and social issues we are facing today. The technology in the book is all over the place, but the main character is nicely built and fun to follow.
Adam and No Eve
The Biped, Reegan
More stories by Bester, very enjoyable stuff.
14. Friday by Robert A. Heinlein - 3.5 stars
Easy and pleasant read about the adventures of a an artificial person who's a combat courier (cue in the action) in a futuristic Earth in which countries are named a little differently, but suffer from the same political and social issues we are facing today. The technology in the book is all over the place, but the main character is nicely built and fun to follow.
12trueneutral
15. The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny - 4.5 stars
More action from our favorite prince of Amber. A quick and entertaining read that made sure I stay hooked by the series. More to follow for sure.
More action from our favorite prince of Amber. A quick and entertaining read that made sure I stay hooked by the series. More to follow for sure.
13trueneutral
16. Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny - 4 stars
17. 20th Century Boys, Volume 1: Friends by Naoki Urasawa - 4 stars
18. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson - 3 stars
17. 20th Century Boys, Volume 1: Friends by Naoki Urasawa - 4 stars
18. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson - 3 stars
14trueneutral
19. Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov - 4.5 stars
A classic and a must-read for any scifi and Asimov fan.
20. MW by Osamu Tezuka - 4 stars
Amazing(ly ****ed up) manga. This is one dark and twisted story, but gripping and very interesting nonetheless.
21. Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester - 4.5 stars
When I bought it second hand I though I'd discovered an out-of-print Bester novel. The blurb sounded very familiar but I didn't pay much attention to it. So when I actually started reading it I realized it's The Stars My Destination undeer its original name. Oh well. Excellent read though, it's one of my favorite SF books of all time.
A classic and a must-read for any scifi and Asimov fan.
20. MW by Osamu Tezuka - 4 stars
Amazing(ly ****ed up) manga. This is one dark and twisted story, but gripping and very interesting nonetheless.
21. Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester - 4.5 stars
When I bought it second hand I though I'd discovered an out-of-print Bester novel. The blurb sounded very familiar but I didn't pay much attention to it. So when I actually started reading it I realized it's The Stars My Destination undeer its original name. Oh well. Excellent read though, it's one of my favorite SF books of all time.
15trueneutral
22. Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov - 4 stars
There's good and there's bad... but all in all it's a great book and a fantastic ending to the Foundation series. It sports some rather dull and repetitive conversations, mostly in the first half - especially for those that read the rest of the books (and who wouldn't have?). Apart from that, it's a must-read for Foundation fans and the ending is great. It ties in so many of the loose ends and pulls together tens of thousands of years of history that Asimov has spread around his novels (Foundation, Robots, Empire etc).
I loved the whole series and now it's time for a trip to the past, reading the Robots and Empire novels.
There's good and there's bad... but all in all it's a great book and a fantastic ending to the Foundation series. It sports some rather dull and repetitive conversations, mostly in the first half - especially for those that read the rest of the books (and who wouldn't have?). Apart from that, it's a must-read for Foundation fans and the ending is great. It ties in so many of the loose ends and pulls together tens of thousands of years of history that Asimov has spread around his novels (Foundation, Robots, Empire etc).
I loved the whole series and now it's time for a trip to the past, reading the Robots and Empire novels.
16trueneutral
23. The Book of Human Insects by Osamu Tezuka - 4.5 stars
24. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi - 3 stars
25. The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny - 4.5 stars
26. Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein - 3 stars
24. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi - 3 stars
25. The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny - 4.5 stars
26. Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein - 3 stars
19jorvaor
I love your list of read books. Most of them are favorites of mine or in my to-read-someday list.
20trueneutral
Heh thanks! It's hard not to, I still have so many classics to read! (and many of them have written a LOT)
21trueneutral
29. Emphyrio by Jack Vance - 3.5 stars
Very slow paced first half and I have to admit at some point I was bored. It gets more interesting in the second half though and has an interesting ending. Bit abrupt though... when you think it's over, there's still more... but when you think there should be more it's over.
All in all a good read.
Very slow paced first half and I have to admit at some point I was bored. It gets more interesting in the second half though and has an interesting ending. Bit abrupt though... when you think it's over, there's still more... but when you think there should be more it's over.
All in all a good read.
