utbw42's 50 for 2014

January: 8 books
February: 5 books
March: 4 books
April: 4 books
May: 3 books
June: 4 books
July: 3 books
August: 2 books
September: 2 books
October: 3 books
November: 3 books
December: 3 books

2010 thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/98279
2011 thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/105884
2012 thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/129459
2013 thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/147022

1. Rush Revere And The Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh (1-2-14) (206 pages)



This is a very clever history book aimed at younger readers, but should resonate with older readers as well. Rush has created a tale of a time-traveling horse that can take one to any event in recorded history, and uses this concept to to view the voyage of the Mayflower and the Puritans struggles in the new world. This is a book that would be a joy for parents/children to read together. I thoroughly enjoyed this one...

To date: 1 book, 206 pages.

2. Apocalypse Unleashed by Mel Odom (1-7-14) (294 pages)



This series definitely peaked with the last entry, as this one to me served only to advance the story for one basic character, and in a rambling, late-in-his-career Tom Clancy sort of way. Goose Gander basically fights against a thrown in antagonist only to eventually discover he should probably be baptized after being one of the Left Behind. All other characters serve no purpose whatsoever and this basic premise of the book should have been included in the last novel. Not trying to be harsh, but I cannot figure out why this book was written, or why I bothered to read it. Next....

To date: 2 books, 500 pages.

Good luck in 2014 and happy reading :-D

Hi Andy, a belated Happy new year to you my friend.

3. Innocent Blood by James Rollins/Rebecca Cantrell (1-13-14) (437 pages)



Another great story, but this one seemed much better written and more fully developed in terms of characters and plot development than book one in this series. Judas Iscariot, cursed by Jesus with eternal life after his betrayal, has set in motion a plot to bring about the second coming of Christ by exploiting a young boy who he believes is The First Angel. Erin and Jordan, with help from Rhun Korza and other immortal characters, are tasked with saving the boy and preventing the anhialation of Europe in the process. The reader must keep in mind the fictional twist of this tale, a la DaVinci Code or Angels & Demons, but this story flows so well with historical context backing it up that the reader is caught up in the impending doom the authors have set in the background of the pages. I found myself actually caring about the fate of the protagonists, unlike the previous book. Cantrell seems to have gotten the hang of this genre with Rollins' guidance.

To date: 3 books, 937 pages.

4. Mechanicum by Graham McNeill (1-20-14) (415 pages)



A great addition to the Horus saga, this one details the concurrent civil war on Mars raging between loyalists to the Emperor and the Horus motivated Dark Mechanicum. Adept Zeth rescues Dalia, a transcriber, from execution with the aim of using her to develop a machine that can allow mankind to reach unheard of levels of intelligence. Zeth, along with many others who make up the massive fabrication machine that Mars has evolved into for the Emperor's use, is unaware that elements exist who want to separate Mars from the Emperor's control. What follows is an exciting, well-written, slam-bang story that details the war that breaks out and the agonizing choices the sympathetic characters make as a result. I was very anxious to read this one due to how hard it was to obtain (rare book for some reason), and I wondered how the back-story of the Mechanicum figured into the galaxian wide war that the Horus series is developing into. These two major plot lines mesh together very well.

To date: 4 books, 1352 pages.

5. End Of State by Neesa Hart (1-22-14) (303 pages)



A pleasant surprise...clearly written and well paced. I loved seeing how politicians in Washington began stabbing each other in the back and jockeying for political supremacy after the Rapture in this book. I could almost see that happening for real if God called His people home today. The message is very moving and inspirational as three people, all living three very different lives, are brought together after being Left Behind to discover and begin experiencing the miracle of God's love for all of us. Tension is ratcheted up significantly as they realize they will literally battle the Antichrist and face persecution for their newfound spirituality, all the while trying to maintain their daily lives as they relate to the circus that is Washington D.C. This one really made me think if I could display that kind of courage and dedication faced with those horrors. Recommended for all...

To date: 5 books, 1655 pages.

Hi Andy, you are on a good reading roll my friend, keep it going and I will try to keep pace with you.

Thank you John.....seem to be more committed this year, not sure why...

6. Tales Of Heresy edited by Nick Kyme/Lindsey Priestley (1-26-14) (423 pages)



This is basically a conglomeration of short stories that pertain to the Heresy saga. Enjoyable read....I particularly enjoyed the story The Last Church, which details how the Emperor basically eliminated houses of worship on Terra to pave the way for his strictly secular rule of Terra and his anticipated galaxy conquest. Some eerie parallels there with respect to the U.S.

To date: 6 books, 2067 pages.

7. Impeachable Offense by Neesa Hart (1-28-14) (318 pages)



The second act of the End Of State trilogy picks up nicely from the first book and continues the story seamlessly as Brad, Mariette, Marcus, and Daniel have their faith tested further by the political maneuverings of President Fitzhugh and the Antichrist, Nicolas Carpathia. These four realize they have come too close to uncovering a massive scandal involving Fitzhugh's administration, and subsequently find their lives threatened. All the while, they are aware of the coming doom of the Tribulation, and watch Carpathia in absolute dread as he cements his power as world leader, and ultimately as a servant of Satan. Looking forward to the closing act...

To date: 7 books, 2385 pages.

8. The Traitor's Hand by Sandy Mitchell (1-31-14) (380 pages)



Outstanding entry in the Ciaphas Cain saga....Mitchell has truly mastered presenting Cain as a self-serving, opportunistic and reluctant hero to the men and women of the Imperial Guard that he presides over in action on the battlefront. In this one, Cain and his fellow Valhallans are sent to put down heretics in an uprising on Adumbria. While there, he gets more than he bargains for, again, and humorously yet thrillingly comes out as a grand hero, all the while looking for the easiest and safest way to fulfill his duty and basically save his own arse from the evil that Chaos is. This novel is again full of the witty dialogue and settings that were so prevalent in the first two Cain novels. This is brilliant writing, IMHO.

To date: 8 books, 2765 pages.

Hi Andy, eight books down in the first month, good going my friend.

Hey John...thanks! Just having fun, my friend.

That's the way it should be Andy.

9. Necessary Evils by Neesa Hart (2-4-14) (308 pages)



Great finish to the End Of State trilogy. It was by far the best of the three and this series is miles ahead of the Apocalypse series, also based on the Left Behind series. I was really struck by how moving and inspirational the last 100 pages or so were. Brad, Marcus, Mariette, and Randal are basically racing against the Antichrist to expose a plot in the Fitzhugh administration to buy uranium stocks from a Russian stronghold to keep it out of radical Muslim hands. They also are faced with getting the message of Christ to the world before the reign of the Antichrist begins, and their faith and their lives are put to extreme risk in the process. Well worth reading this trilogy...

To date: 9 books, 3073 pages.

10. Fallen Angels by Mike Lee (2-10-14) (412 pages)



A direct sequel to Descent Of Angels, this one pulls the early discovery of Caliban and Primarch Jonson much further into the Horus Heresy saga. One faction of the Dark Angels is returned to Caliban while Primarch Jonson and other Angels travel to Diamat to protect the outpost from coming under Horus' control, a pivotal move in gaining an upper hand in the massive civil war brewing. Librarian Zahariel and those banished to Caliban discover the makings of their own planet-wide civil war, which threatens to unleash Chaos and completely destroy their home world. The trick to enjoying this book is being able to bounce back and forth between the battles on Caliban and Diamat and keeping all the details straight. Both theaters are remarkably similar in their unfolding destruction, but it is these parallels that make this such a good read.

To date: 10 books, 3485 pages.

11. George Washington's Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade/Don Yaeger (2-12-14) (220 pages)



This is an outstanding, concise, well-written look at George Washington's spy ring that he wisely set up and put into motion in his quest to re-take Manhattan from the British around the time of the signing of the Declaration Of Independence. The six brave souls who undertook this task really come alive in this heavily researched book, and the reader can really get a sense of how difficult it had to be to blend in as a Loyalist sympathizer secretly running info to Washington on British troop activities. Kilmeade does an excellent job compartmentalizing this espionage ring into the Revolutionary War, as well as portraying just how critical and brilliant Washington's schemes were. Of special interest is how the FBI and CIA today employ many of the methods created by these brave and pioneering individuals. Recommended for history buffs and all undergraduates...

To date: 11 books, 3705 pages.

Andy, you're are flying up with your reading. Congratulations!!!

Hi Andy, Eleven books already my friend, seems you're on a roll at the moment.

12. A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill (2-21-14) (558 pages)



This Warhammer entry, by whom I consider the master writer thus far of the Horus Heresy saga, is epic in plot, characters, and emotion. A basic summary without getting too long winded like so many reviews I see: the Emperor has decreed that any sorcery by his beloved primarchs and their Legions as an abomination. Snap back to the main protagonists of this book, the Thousand Sons Legion and their primarch Magnus, who basically were created out of the ashes of Chaos infected genes, and rely on some unholy sorceristic methods of fighting, and the reader then sees the beginnings of some tremendous conflict between the Emperor and Magnus. On top of this, as a tie in to the overall saga, Magnus defies the Emperor to warn of upcoming traitorous actions by none other than Horus himself. This sets in motion the Emperor's direction of the Space Wolves, led by Leman Russ, to extinguish the Thousand Sons on their home world of Prospero. A gathering of very well-developed characters, fast paced plot, and emotionally wrenching details of the final battle make this what I believe to arguably be the best of the twelve Horus Heresy novels I've read to this point. Simply fantastic.

To date: 12 books, 4263 pages.

Hi Andy, 12 books read so far, well done my friend. I have just reached the double figure mark and just passed 350,000 pages since I started noting down my reading. Have a really relaxing Sunday.

13. Mark Of Evil by Tim LaHaye/Craig Parshall (2-26-14) (411 pages)



Mixed emotions on this one...love books about End Times and while this one was fairly well-written and had some good parts here and there, something was just missing. I think I can put it on a combination of slightly underdeveloped characters and a lack of necessary tension at the right moments that other End Times novels exhibit. I did enjoy how it was stressed during the Tribulation that the One World government would arise, and that they would stop at nothing to suppress Christianity for the "good of all people". Sound familiar? Time to wake up....

To date: 13 books, 4674 pages.

14. Death Or Glory by Sandy Mitchell (3-5-14) (399 pages)



Not quite as humorous as the first three, but no less intelligently written, this novel takes Cain from a crippled transport ship down to the surface of Perlia in a series of death-defying circumstances. Cain (again, reluctantly) finds himself heroically leading a ragtag group of dishevelled Imperial troops and native Perlians against masses of invading and conquering Korbul orks. Pleasurable reading ensues as the reader is once again treated to some golden moments of Cain battling and succeeding against all odds, all the while trying to avoid conflict and get the heck out of Dodge. This one does seem to have more of a straightforward, serious tone, but it's no less enjoyable.

To date: 14 books, 5073 pages.

15. Pearl Harbor by Newt Gingrich/William R. Forstchen (3-11-14) (366 pages)



The first 2/3 of this book should probably have been titled "Path To Pearl Harbor", as it requires the reader to take a much more patient approach to the events of December 7, 1941. Once this patience is mastered, the reader is then treated to a very personal set of events that describe the actions of key characters and their motivations through the years to the inevitable collision on that fateful Sunday morning. The last 1/3 flies by (no pun intended) as the reader really identifies with the characters as those terrifying events unfold. Gingrich and Forstchen really give life to key historical figures such as Yamamoto, Fuchida, and Genda as a large part of the book is from the Japanese point of view. The attack through the eyes of Fuchida (one of the pilots and the mastermind of the mission) is one of the most riveting things I've ever read.

To date: 15 books, 5439 pages.

Hi Andy, fifteen books done so far, good going my friend. I see that Stone of Tears is still at a standstill, will you finish it by year end or is this one too far. Hope you have a good weekend.

16. Priests Of Mars by Graham McNeill (3-19-14) (317 pages)



To me, this was an EXCELLENT Warhammer 40K novel. McNeill manages to throw about 7 or 8 very different and distinct types of WH40K characters into a cosmic quest to a region of the galaxy known as the Halo Scar. McNeill manages to mix in elements of real-world machinery, supernatural events of Chaos, and a rather clever humanizing faction of a massive starship with its commanding yet sympathizing tech-priest crew. I loved the attention to technical detail presented here, and yet McNeill manages to project a lot of emotion through all this data. Any details would just spoil the plot, but suffice it to say when the expedition reaches the Halo Scar and an orbital station nearby, all Chaos breaks loose. It helps to know that sequels will follow, thus making the abrupt ending more palatable. If you are even thinking about trying science fiction someday, this would be a great place to start.

To date: 16 books, 5756 pages.

17. Notorious by Allison Brennan (3-26-14) (326 pages)





A surprisingly good page-turning whodunnit as investigative reporter Maxine Revere is called back home to California for an old friend's funeral and finds herself in the middle of investigating an old murder, a new murder, and a murder no-one even knew occurred. Conveniently, she begins to find all the cases may be tied together, all the while putting herself in danger and alienating friends and family at the same time. Max proves to be an interesting character, perhaps could stand to be a bit more developed, and the number of characters involved and unanswered questions near the end seems a bit overwhelming for a fairly concise novel, but the book makes for a good beach-time yarn or fireside read at home.

To date: 17 books, 6082 pages.

Hi Andy, I see that we have both read 17 books for the year so far, so we are both on a roll at the moment. Hope you are well my friend and things are good with you.

Hey John, good to hear from you. Hope all is well across the pond. I will try to keep up the pace as long as I can.

Hi Andy, we seem to do rather well on the reading front and at the moment I am reading a 900+ page book a month so it may slow my overall reading down. Things are fine this side of the pond at the moment and with the weather picking up they can only get better.

18. Nemesis by James Swallow (4-3-14) (507 pages)



Wow, where to begin...following on the heels of the last entry A Thousand Sons, this one features a very clever concept that really brings the Horus saga further into immediate focus. On Terra (Earth), there exists an assassination guild that operates on the fringes of the Emperor's rule. Spread among this guild (officially known as the Officio Assassinorum) are various groups known as clades, which each feature a specific expertise in the art of assassination. Chief Custodian Valdor, a high ranking official in charge of guarding the Emperor, persuades the guild to put together a team of assassins with one goal: terminate Horus and end the traitor's rule. They set out to do so, not knowing that Horus has released a chaos-infected assassin of his own to infiltrate the Emperor's inner circles. What follows is an outstanding tale of of the two opposing factions eventually crossing paths on Dagonet, realizing their efforts have been deflected, and each must destroy the other to save the very side they are working for. Faster paced than most Heresy novels, and Swallow does an outstanding job of describing and bringing to life the individual assassins and the vile, disgusting Spear, Horus' warp-possessed agent. The ending was also a jaw-dropping moment which points to future Heresy tomes..

To date: 18 books, 6589 pages.

19. Mentats Of Dune by Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson (4-16-14) (445 pages)



As readable as previous Herbert/Anderson conglomerations, this entry once again makes me wonder how many tales this duo can wring from papa's glorious Duniverse. While there are many diehards who continually pick up each new story and rip it to shreds, I really enjoy each new book. I found the descriptions of the trials that the Sisterhood and the Mentats (led by Mother Raquella and Gilbertus Albans, respectively) endured and had to overcome just to survive very enjoyable. How Directeur Venport had to fight the anti-technology zealot Torondo, and ultimately the Emperor himself, just to preserve his spice-gathering operations on Arrakis made for great story telling. My only criticism is the role of Vor Atriedes, who, while he had a tie in with the evil Sister Valya Harkkonen, was somewhat underused and underdeveloped within the context of this particular story. I can only assume here that the authors are relying on previous material to flesh out Atriedes here, a la Robert Jordan.

To date: 19 books, 7035 pages.

20. Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell (4-23-14) (415 pages)



Ciaphas Cain finds himself in the middle of a political and civil skirmish on Periremunda, and discovers an evil scheme designed to bring the wrath of the tyranids to the plateaus of the planet. Not as humorous as the previous four Cain novels, but no less enjoyable as the mounting tension present from the soon to be arriving 'nids mixes well with the chemistry Cain exhibits with Amberley Vail, Jurgen, and other well-developed characters. Part of the great lure of this line of books is Cain's reluctance to be the heroic leader and yet somehow escaping long odds of survival and coming out smelling like a White Rose. The descriptions of swarming tyranids near the end of the book is frightening, told from Cain's point of view in an escaping shuttle overhead as he once again dodges the proverbial lascannon.

To date: 20 books, 7450 pages.

21. Persecuted by Robin Parrish (4-25-14) (314 pages)





This was a fast read...a quick-hitting thriller that really makes a statement about the continuing suppression of Christianity in this country and how the government is slowly usurping the Constitution to infringe on the religious freedoms of people. John Luther finds himself in the middle of this issue, as his fight for religious freedom and the expression of his beliefs in God and Jesus are ripped from him and he is framed for a crime he did not commit. With him out of the way, certain politicians in D.C. are free to move ahead on "religious fairness" legislation, a serious blow to American freedoms and ideals. I enjoyed the book, but I had forgotten how brief and chopped a book based on a movie can seem. There are elements in the book that could really have been expounded upon more, as well as important characters that needed more depth and conviction with respect to the overall plot. Still a good read, but I was once again reminded why I try to read the book before I see the movie based on the book.

To date: 21 books, 7764 pages.

22. Lords Of Mars by Graham McNeill (5-8-14) (314 pages)



This book is a classic "bridge" novel, taking characters from the first Adeptus Mechanicus novel and moving them through a series of events to get to a point that I wish McNeill had approached more in the first novel. Very choppy and extremely technical, this one required less reading and more studying to make sure I was staying on track to the ultimate goal, Magos Kotov et al finding Archmagos Telok and finding out WTF he is doing on a forge world outside galaxian boundaries. I am a huge fan of McNeill's work in the Horus Heresy, but I had the nagging feeling I was reading another entry in the Wheel Of Time series: nail-pulling jargon about perhaps too many characters that does not really advance the story. This book wasn't quite that bad, as any who have read Jordan's WOT behemoth can identify with, but McNeill would be wise to seriously advance the premise, or even wrap it up, with the third novel.

To date: 22 books, 8078 pages.

23. Doing Hard Time by Stuart Woods (5-12-14) (379 pages)



A Stone Barrington novel without much Stone Barrington...still a good, quick read, but not up to the level of others. Woods is really cranking out the Barrington books lately, adding more and more central characters, which distracts from the main characters that made this series so much fun to read. This one is very by the numbers as Stone crosses paths with an old contact, Teddy Fay, and somehow ends up convincing him to protect his son from the Russian mob. Stone really doesn't have much to do with the main plot as the focus seems to be on Teddy, aka Billy, and his dealings with the Russians and others new characters in Vegas and L.A. Stone does have a small role at the end in helping set up the Russians for a hit by Teddy, but I'm hoping the next one brings Stone back as the central protagonist. One gripe: Teddy's dealings with Vlad, a Russian hitman, are poorly handled by Woods...just my opinion.

To date: 23 books, 8459 pages.

24. The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (5-27-14) (502 pages)



Yet another outstanding entry in the multi-dimensional, multi-era Horus Heresy series as this one deals with the origins of the betrayal of Lorgar and the Word Bearers legion. Much as Horus was lured by Chaos, Lorgar is basically dressed down by the Emperor in front of a fellow primarch, Guilliman of the Ultramarines, for too much worship and not enough conquest in The Great Crusade. This leads him to reject the Emperor and set out on a pilgrimage of finding the truth through utter destruction of compliant worlds, which ultimately lead him to the edge of the galaxy and a date with Chaos as well. Fast forward forty years and the Word Bearers find themselves part of the seven traitorous legions with Horus on Isstvan V where they basically declare galactic war against the Imperium. Memorable scenes involving subordinates of Lorgar where Chaos has basically taken control ensue during the battle, spoilers notwithstanding, soldiers undergoing "shape-changing". Once again, Erebus seems to be behind the scenes instrumenting yet another conversion of Imperium personnel to Chaos. The Heresy series continues to crank out memorable stories with fascinating characters.

To date: 24 books, 8961 pages.

25. The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenberg (6-1-14) (466 pages)



It has been a while since a book has had an emotional impact on me like this one. Rosenberg makes his first foray into historical fiction with this novel, and it really explodes off the pages with suspense, terror, despair, and heroic triumph. Like many past students who were briefly exposed to this in American History classes, I was suddenly hit with the true realization of what occurred, and I am now exploring books to read in the future on this subject with emphasis on Auschwitz, Birkenau, Sobibor, and Dachau. I have been a big fan of Rosenberg's books in the past, but this one by far is his best. I highly recommend this book for ANYONE. Through the eyes of Jacob Weisz, the reader will slowly discover the unfolding horror of the evils of Nazi Germany and Hitler's "final solution to the Jewish question". Weisz mistakenly finds himself a prisoner at Auschwitz, and through undoubtedly divine intervention, hooks up with Resistance members to formulate a plan to escape and ultimately blow the whistle to the rest of the world on what is going on at Auschwitz and dozens of other concentration camps in Nazi held territory. This all happens with an underlying suspense that literally makes the words leap off the page. Rosenberg ends the book in a way that makes the reader feel the frustration of how the world sat by for years and allowed the Holocaust to run full bore. Hat tip to Rosenberg for this masterpiece.

To date: 25 books, 9427 pages.

26. Let The Galaxy Burn by Marc Gascoigne/Richard Dunn (6-3-14) (750 pages)



A very entertaining collection of short stories from the world of Warhammer 40,000. Took me a while to read because I would read a story about every month or so, but fun to pick up every so often. Great place to start for WH40K newbies...

To date: 26 books, 10177 pages.

Hi Andy, I see that you are really enjoying the Warhammer and Horus Heresy books, we about neck and neck at the moment on books read so far this year. Hope you are well my friend.

Hey John...yeah, the WH books are really well written. Great fun. The last one was a real clunker...750 pages. Haven't heard from you in a while...hope all is well...

Everything is fine here now, been busy with sorting out my late Father-in-laws will out as I am the executor, it has been an interesting learning curve for me these last five months but hopefully the sale will be fully completed in the next week to ten days.

27. Cain's Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell (6-10-14) (409 pages)



Not as engaging or humorous as previous Cain novels by Mitchell, this one finds the reluctant hero retired on his "home" world of Perlia spending his time as an instructor at a local schola. His reputation from a previous battle on Perlia precedes him as the local PDF and other known officers of previous skirmishes seek his counsel and Hero status as a plot is uncovered of Chaos forces planning a raid on the planet in search of an artifact of immeasurable power. This object, the Shadowlight, was used in a previous Cain book, and Cain figures it must be protected at all costs. What he ultimately discovers is a Xenos plot that could lead to even greater disaster in future Cain books. Mitchell spends an inordinate amount of time on set up and bureaucracy in this one, and the reader needs a certain amount of discipline to get to the better parts near the end.

To date: 27 books, 10586 pages.

28. Skin Game by Jim Butcher (6-18-14) (454 pages)



Butcher writes the character of Harry Dresden so well he could have him on a shopping trip to the local grocery store and it would be entertaining reading. What makes volume after volume of The Dresden Files so impressive is he places Harry in a fantastic world of reality meets supernatural, with engrossingly enjoyable reading results. This one is no exception, with Harry caught between two very powerful spiritual figures (Mab and Nicodemus) in a high stakes game of theft and betrayal in the Underworld (think Hades). Harry has to rely on old friends and new suspicious allies to survive and make the ultimate decision about his and his family's future against some extremely dangerous and powerful forces. I keep saying this would make an outstanding series (hello, HBO?) if correctly written and produced. As a novel series it remains at or near the top of continuing series I have read, ANY genre.

To date: 28 books, 11040 pages.

29. Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett (7-10-14) (444 pages)



A good book, but not at all what I expected. Need to work on tamping down what I think a book will be, but in this case this book was billed as "A Thousand Sons from the Space Wolves point of view", and I was very much looking forward to it. About a third of the way in I realized this was a very deep, very introspective book on the Sixth Legion and their motivations leading up to the last 40 pages or so where the battle of Prospero is finally revealed. Having to go back and study some of the difficult parts to read REALLY slowed my reading down. Good premise by Abnett, but fair execution. Reading the last 40 pages was great, but I was also thinking "where was THIS for the last 400 pages?". Still enjoyed the Space Wolves back story, though.

To date: 29 books, 11484 pages.

30. The Kill Switch by James Rollins/Grant Blackwood (7-18-14) (388 pages)



Another book that really surprised me, this one is a tightly wound, linear story that really develops the lead characters well and forges a real kinetic bond between the lead character, Tucker Wayne, and his sidekick, Kane, an extremely intelligent and loyal shepherd dog. Wayne is charged by the Rollins creation of Sigma Force of extracting Dr. Bukolov out of Russia and his knowledge of a botanical organism that can affect the world positively, or negatively if it were to fall into the wrong hands (think weaponized, biological bomb). What follows is a very readable, well-flowing story that ends on a real nail-biter on the northern shores of the Great Lakes. I found myself really rooting for Kane to pull through the difficult situations that the authors put him in, and am really looking forward to more Wayne/Kane adventures in the future. One of my pleasant surprises of 2014...

To date: 30 books, 11872 pages.

31. The Emperor's Finest by Sandy Mitchell (7-24-14) (316 pages)



Awesome reboot of this series by Mitchell after the somewhat lukewarm last one. This one starts out quickly as Cain rescues a governor and his daughter from planetary rebels, develops a relationship, somewhat reluctantly, with the daughter Mira, and finds himself alongside Space Marines as they search for a massive genestealer vessel threatening the entire system. Cain once again demonstrates the self-preservation tactics that are meant to keep him out of trouble, but once again his reputation puts him right in the middle of it. The strengths of this book are the return of some very humorous writing and strong characterization, especially detailing the Cain/Mira interactions. The last section of the book, detailing Cain and Jurgen's harrowing time on the Spawn vessel, are absolute page turners.

To date: 31 books, 12188 pages.

32. Act Of War by Brad Thor (8-1-14) (358 pages)



This one belongs among the top books I've read this year, possibly among most national bestseller lists as well. A brilliant and, quite frankly, terrifying plot drives this tale as Scot Harvath finds himself scrambling to prevent an attack on American soil orchestrated by China. The motivations and details of the Chinese plot provide for one of the more jaw dropping moments I've read recently. If you're into thrillers, this is a must read.

To date: 32 books, 12546 pages.

33. The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (8-16-14) (414 pages)



Dembski-Bowden is rapidly becoming my favorite WH40K author, with his easy, flowing style and ability to solidify a great story with strong, identifiable characters. This was my first exposure to the Grey Knights, a secret Legion of Adeptus Astartes that has dedicated their lives to rooting out the Neverborn (Chaos) and basically exterminating it. The added element of psyker abilities and the fact that their existence must be kept secret from humans made this a great surprise. Told from the first person view of Hyperion, a young Grey Knight who is part of the Castian group, this story combines the Grey Knights under the instruction of the Inquisition, the battle of Armageddon with the Neverborn, and to make the story really interesting, the Space Wolves Astartes trying to protect humans from extermination by the Inquisition because of their knowledge of the Grey Knights and the forces of Chaos. I was very impressed how the author pulled all this together into a tightly woven tale, full of tension, intrigue, and a lot of emotion as well.

To date: 33 books, 12960 pages.

34. Age Of Darkness by Christian Dunn (9-11-14) (408 pages)



Collection of Horus Heresy related short stories to somewhat further the Heresy timeline. The Iron Within and Savage Weapons stand out to me, but I do feel that some of the short stories could have been fleshed out to full length novels, leaving these feeling somewhat rushed and contrived. Overall a fun read, but try to enjoy it for what it is: a small window into the overall Heresy saga.

To date: 34 books, 13368 pages.

Hi Andy, I love your reviews of the Horus Heresy books and I really must make a start on the first one. I hope you are ok my friend and you are well on your way to 50 books for the year again.

35. The Heist by Daniel Silva (9-19-14) (475 pages)



Gabriel Allon is once again drawn into helping solve an international theft of a famous painting and finds himself tracing billions of dollars being used to finance the brutal dictatorship of Syria. Not quite as gripping as previous Silva novels, but no less enjoyable or readable as the author has managed to weave a very interesting tale of international embezzlement along with Allon's pursuit of the stolen painting, which leads him to many other problems along the way. I would like to see more of Allon's character expanded in future novels with the upcoming birth of his children with Chiara, and how his family will tie in to his passion (restoring paintings), and his duty (chief of Israeli intelligence). I can see some tense times ahead for Allon as Silva continues to bring to life these wonderful characters.

To date: 35 books, 13843 pages.

36. The Last Ditch by Sandy Mitchell (10-2-14) (404 pages)



A solid return to the brisk action, pure tension, and hilarious backstory comedy of the reluctant hero, Ciaphas Cain, as Cain and his band of protagonists set out to wipe out a band of orks invading a desired planet and sector of the galaxy and discover a much larger and more dangerous foe has set up residence (tyranids!!). This is the book that Cain's Last Stand wanted to be, and I really enjoyed the author's stepping up and slamming the story in a format that was easy to read and exciting as well. Cain as a main character has never been better than in this story, and I dare say this may have been the best of the Cain books to date, excepting the first, which had a powerful effect on this reader.

To date: 36 books, 14247 pages.

37. The 6th Extinction by James Rollins (10-15-14) (427 pages)



A great book from a scientific standpoint, but if Rollins intended this to be a white-knuckle thriller, it just barely missed the mark. A slightly worn-out plot element of a secret element on Antarctica (city, organism, treasure, bearded-lady, etc.) along with a plot to "remake" earth by wiping out society as we know it with a lethal virus made for a decent backdrop for the Sigma Force characters to battle evil in a race against time, but I felt that I had bought this t-shirt before. I enjoyed reading it due to the research Rollins always puts into his books, but I never felt the urgency while absorbing the plot like I have in Rollins' books in the past. I think maybe a stronger antagonist might have helped here, but ultimately this needed a tighter, tenser plot for the anxiety factor Rollins probably was looking for.

To date: 37 books, 14674 pages.

38. Power Grab by Dick Morris/Eileen McGann (10-30-14) (168 pages)



Morris and McGann do an excellent job in this book of describing the dictatorial actions of our current president, and how he has basically used the Constitution as a bathroom aid and passed legislation and ignored laws at a whim. If you're a conservative who believes in the Constitution and the founding of this country, you'll get it. If you're a liberal hack who enjoys following the ways of Saul Alinsky or Karl Marx, you won't have a clue.

To date: 38 books, 14842 pages.

39. The Outcast Dead by Graham McNeill (11-9-14) (459 pages)



I really look forward to each Horus Heresy book I can get to and this one really did not disappoint. Granted, the Heresy really took off with the first 3 books, then there's been stories pertaining to this first trilogy since then, but this one was a very interesting "side" story that has huge implications for the galactic civil war portrayed in this saga. Kai Zulane, astropath, has been entrusted with an extremely important piece of information concerning Horus Lupercal's treachery against the Emperor. The problem is he does not know what it is as it has been psychically buried deep within him. This makes him a wanted man, as an outlaw group and others close to the Imperium on Terra are after Kai to use this information. The "Outcast Dead" are imprisoned Space Marines from various legions that seize Kai and set out on a mission to escape from Terra and get Kai to Horus in an attempt to reveal this information he has. The ending is a real bombshell where the Heresy is concerned, and I really enjoyed seeing where Kai ended up as some real nasty battles occur between the Marines and the outlaw group. A worthy addition to the Heresy, IMHO.

To date: 39 books, 15301 pages.

40. Hellhole Inferno by Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson (11-26-14) (446 pages)



Obligated to read this to finish the trilogy I started, this was the weakest of the three in this trilogy, but overall the trilogy was enjoyable. Pales in comparison to the Dune tales, but if one had never read any Dune, this would hold up pretty well as a science fiction trilogy. As I got into this one, I found the writing somewhat clunky, and I found it hard to get into some of the characters. Personally, I hope Herbert/Anderson really have finished this set of tales and focus again on more Dune stories.

To date: 40 books, 15747 pages.

Hi Andy, I see you are making good progress on the Stone of Tears my friend, congrats on getting to 40 books read for the year. Hope everything is ok with you and I wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

41. The Making Of The Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes (11-30-14) (788 pages)



It took me almost 2 years to read this, but that was by design. I would read about 10 pages a week and just study and try to absorb all I could from it. What a fantastic book....this major work of history takes the reader from the very beginnings of the journey of the theoretical insight of the people who first conceived of splitting the atom all the way through design, experiments, more design, tests, fabrication, more tests, Trinity (which is by far the most readable and intense part of the book), and ultimately the decision and action of dropping the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It even covers the political fall out and lead in to the Cold War with Russia through the ultimate path to the hydrogen bomb as well. This book leaves out nothing....it covers the horror that the Japanese experienced on August 6th and 9th, 1945....it delves into the feelings these brilliant men and women experienced before, during, and after those fateful events....it explains where the brainchildren of this concept came from and the political troubles they faced in Europe on their way to Los Alamos, Washington (state), and Oak Ridge. The most hair-raising part, as I mentioned, was Trinity, the first atomic explosion test in New Mexico. Rhodes brilliantly portrays the people and events as it led up to that test and his descriptions of that test are just mind blowing. History buffs....if you also like long books, this is a must read.

To date: 41 books, 16535 pages.

42. Things That Matter by Charles Krauthammer (12-1-14) (369 pages)



This is a wonderful collection of Krauthammer articles and writings from the past three decades from the Washington Post, The Weekly Standard, and others. I really admire Krauthammer's ability to cut through all the bull and hit the issue right on the head. He delivers things that are sorely lacking in this nation right now, common sense and the truth. From this, I will seek out more Krauthammer books and I recommend this book to all.

To date: 42 books, 16904 pages.

43. The Greater Good by Sandy Mitchell (12-10-14) (311 pages)



A very enjoyable, well-paced Ciaphas Cain novel, this one throws in a curveball as Cain joins forces with the Xenos race Tau to defend Fecundia from a mass tyranid invasion straight from the depths of the the warp itself. Straight up, this novel would have been very readable on its own, but throw in the background comedy and heroic reluctance Cain is so well known for, not to mention a lot of extremely good fortune, and this book really delivers. The plot element that really cemented this book for me was Cain's involvement with the Adeptus Mechanicus on the wasteworld Fecundia. Cain discovers a nefarious plot involving the Mechanicus and the tyranids (trying to avoid spoilers here) and from that point on the novel really sails. I am caught up now with Cain novels and I hope Mitchell pens another one soon.

To date: 43 books, 17215 pages.

44. Michael Vey 4: Hunt For Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans (12-14-14) (319 pages)



Once again this series continues to surprise me... I have read each book as kind of an obligation to keep the series going that I started with the first book, but I have finally realized with this book that I am now anxiously waiting for Michael Vey 5 to arrive on shelves in 2015. Evans has created in Taylor, Michael, Ostin, Nichelle, Hatch, et al., characters that instantly pop into mind when reading the exploits of the protagonists and antagonists and the seemingly impossible situations they are in, such as rescuing Jade Dragon from a compound more heavily guarded and escape proof than Alcatraz. The mark of a good book in this type setting is finding yourself praying that with each page turned the good guys survive at the expense of the bad guys. This book delivers that and much more. This series is marked as young adult, but I believe anyone could enjoy diving into these exciting tales.

To date: 44 books, 17534 pages

See you in 2015...:-)

Hi Andy, wishing you a very Merry Christmas and have a fabulous day my friend.

Hi Andy, just a quick post to wish you a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year my friend and have an enjoyable reading year in 2015.