Wolfy's wanderings with the written word (2017 edition)

Apologies for the late start to my year of reading but I've really not had much time so far so posting has taken a bit of a back seat. Unfortunately so has my reading time. For the last few months it's dropped to almost zero. Some of you may remember that there were some rather big changes in my life in September (moved from one apartment to another and changed jobs in the same month). Since then I've got more settled in the new place but work has become rather hectic. For the first couple of months not much changed but from November onwards I have become involved in a new client take-on and this meant I also changed my shift pattern to one which I'm not particularly enamoured with at the moment (the week off I get is nice but cramming 4 weeks work into 3 not so much). I used to get most of my reading done in work (a monitoring environment on a stable system allowed for plenty of reading time) but the new client is much more of a hands-on arrangement as well as having to pick the new workload up. Quite a change from pressing a couple of keys every so often and making the odd phone call. This last weekend was the go-live event so after an initial chaotic period (actually not quite as bad as I was expecting) I'm hoping things will calm down a bit and I can get settled into a new routine and get back to some reading again.

Due to the above I have decided not to participate in this year's Category Challenge so this will be my only reading journal for 2017.

Quick links to previous year's reading adventures just in case I (or anyone else) want to look back.
2011 Edition
2012 Edition
2013 Edition
2014 Edition
2015 Edition
2016 Edition

As usual, comments, discussion, recommendations and general ramblings all welcomed.

So far this year I've managed to finish 2 books. The first of which I started way back in November was Now Wait for Last Year by Philip K. Dick. Didn't find this one to be quite up to the standard of the previous of his works that I've read but because it's still a PKD book there was still plenty of food for thought and it remaiined enjoyable enough to come back to when I had the time. Because of the elongated read time I didn't think it fair to give this a full review but rated it at 3½★'s.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Humanity has all but managed to wipe itself out and do almost irreparable damage to Earth in the process. Lilith is one of only a few people that have managed to survive. She is revived to find herself in a featureless cell where a disembodied voice asks her questions and is less than forthcoming with answers to any asked by Lilith. It is only when her saviours/captors seem to become satisfied with her response that Lilith finds out what her current situation entails. She has been chosen by a race of aliens (the Oankali) to help return mankind to a revived Earth but there will be a price to pay by way of a trade. Will the cost be too high to save what is left of humanity and is it even worth saving?

This is the first in the Xenogenesis trilogy and also the first of the author's work that I've read. I think I've been missing out. While this is in essence a first contact novel it explores much of the nature of humanity and often delves into its darker aspects. While this is not a difficult book to read it does touch upon some disturbing concerns and offers much to ponder so in this respect is extremely well written. The world-building and charecterisation of the main protagonists are also very well handled but there isn't too much depth to secondary characters but that doesn't detract much from the overall effect of the book. The series is off to a very good beginning and although I'm not jumping straight into the second book it won't be too long before I do. 4★'s.

>2 AHS-Wolfy: Glad to see you here! I keep telling myself "This is just a season" when life bubbles up and prevents me from reading. I will usually find a way to eventually calm the waters. Relax. Breathe. :)

@AHS-Wolfy, good luck with your 2017 reading.

Now Wait for Last Year is one I have not read but I like Dick's work and am quite happy to take the not so good with the good. I will have to get around to this one. It is on one of my shelves, somewhere.

Your second book is now a book bullet and you have hit me fair and square. I have not read any of Butler's books but I believe I have noticed "Xenogenesis" on some book covers. Your description of the book intrigues me and I shall have to investigate.

In terms of recommendations, I would strongly recommend the first two novels of Ken MacLeod's new trilogy, The Corporation Wars. The only reason I do not recommend the third one is that it is not being published until October. I have a spoiler-free review up for the first book, The Corporation Wars: Dissidence. The second one is called The Corporation Wars: Insurgence. It is really current in relation to the socio-political and technological ethics it deals with.

Good luck with the new job. I have worked on system implementation projects and know well the hours worked...and frustrations felt...and emergencies that arise. You have my sympathy.

ETA: Interesting: Amazon.co.uk only has the Kindle version of Dawn available.

Good to see you. No need to apologize for arriving fashionably late to the party!

I have Dawn on my TBR Challenge. Hoping to get to it soonish.

>2 AHS-Wolfy: I’m glad you enjoyed this one. Dawn was also my first time reading Butler’s work and I greatly enjoyed the entire trilogy. I tried one of her other books a few months later (Wild Seed) and thought that one had a weaker plot by comparison.

>4 pgmcc: If it helps, the Amazon UK site has a paperback copy of Lilith’s Brood which is an omnibus of the full trilogy. It’s £15.16. Xenogensis and Lilith’s Brood are just two different names for the same trilogy.

>6 YouKneeK: Tempting.

It's good to see you starting a thread this year, Wolfy. Sorry the career changes haven't started so well, but I hope things settle down soon so you can get your reading life back.

Dawn was my first Butler too and I thought it was excellent. I've managed to acquire a copy of the whole trilogy in one volume so I really need to carry on reading. I've also read Parable of the sower and its sequel which are very good but with far too many parallels to current politics to make them comfortable reading (not that I would describe Dawn that way either!).

Thanks all for the well wishes.

>3 MrsLee: I'm sure things will settle down. It's just quite a steep learning curve going from a hands-off monitoring role to an active operations environment but it is why I volunteered for it so I can't complain too much :)

>4 pgmcc: The Xenogenesis trilogy is also available in a handy omnibus edition entitled Lilith's Brood. I was lucky enough to spot the 3 individual books together in a second hand shop and all were in very good condition so I snapped them up. I hope you enjoy it/them when you get to them. Thanks for the Ken McLeod recommendation. I'm not actively seeking anything too "heavy" right now but I will make a note of them to have a look at some time.

>5 majkia: It will work perfectly for the SFFkit in May if you can wait that long (just because I'm not participating in the CC this year doesn't mean I'm not watching)

>6 YouKneeK: Shame on the other books as I already have the omnibus Seed to Harvest on my tbr shelves.

>7 pgmcc: You know you want to.

>8 Sakerfalcon: Dawn definitely asks a lot of awkward questions and this may put some readersoff which would be a shame.

>9 AHS-Wolfy: I had the Seed to Harvest omnibus also, but stopped reading after the first book. You might enjoy them better than I did; I’ve seen plenty of positive comments about them. I might have enjoyed it more if I’d allowed more than a few months to pass between reading the two series. Even though the plots are very different, there were a lot of similarities in the underlying themes.

Camille by Pierre Lemaitre

Camille Verhoeven starts this book off by watching the woman he loves get beaten to a bloody pulp when a jewelry store robbery appears to go wrong. He breaks all the rules to get the case assigned to him and his team and will stop at nothing to get at those responsible. When a further attempt to kill Anne, the victim, while she lies in hospital then Camille knows he'll have to pull out all the stops if he is to keep her safe. With all clues pointing to a similar crime in the past then Paris is torn apart in search of a suspect. When all this does is turn up more bodies then his superiors call the diminutive detective to task for his actions. Can he hold on to the case and protect Anne and what cost to himself if he does?

This is the third book of this detective thriller series and provides a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy (although it looks like a fourth book is now available). The focus, as the title of this story suggests, is much more on Camlle himself although there are a couple of returning characters from the previous instalments they are much more in the background this time around. Camilles's story is occasionally interjected with the viewpoints of Anne and the unnamed crimanal that's pushing the buttons to get what he wants. All the elements that we've come to expect from the other books in the series are included here so if you've enjoyed those then this one will be a no-brainer for you to pick up. I would recommend reading in the original French publication order though (Irene, Alex then Camille) if you've yet to start on them. 4★'s.

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

I decided not to wait too long before delving back into this series with this 2nd book of the trilogy. It picks things up a couple of decades or so after the conclusion of Dawn. The remnants of humanity have returned to Earth but the price of the trade with the Oankali was too much for some. Those that accept the shared Oankali/human cross-breeding program have started producing the next generation known as constructs. Those that don't are allowed to live in Resister villages but without the option to procreate. Lilith is once again a test subject as she is the first human woman to give birth to a male construct and this book is very much his story. Akin looks mostly human when he is born with only his tongue providing the sensory input of the Oankali and it's this that provides the greatest incentive to his kidnappers. He is taken to be sold to a resister village to offer at least the illusion of having a child to those unable to produce their own. He should fetch a high price. The cost to Akin will also be extraordinary and he cannot understand why his own family have chosen not to rescue him and left him in the care of some old familiar faces. Why has Akin been abandoned and what does fate have in store for him? This book follows Akin's story from his birth up until his metamorphosis into young adulthood and the choice for his life's work. As a product of two cultures he must come to terms with both sides of his heritage and if he can accomplish this then who knows what's in store for not just his own future but that of Oankali and humankind also.

Although this is a middle book from a trilogy there was no feeling that it was a bridging beween the start and end of a story that you sometimes get in such cases. I think the switching of primary character certainly helped with this and Akin's tale is certainly an interesting one. As with the previous volume there are a lot of important questions being asked throughout the story but the main theme for this time around is identity. Can a child born into two very different cultures be truly accepted by either. Would it be right to choose one over the other. If he can help bring a greater understanding between them then is it his duty to try? This is a book that expands on the Oankali vision hinted at in the first of the series providing a much greater insight into their culture but also looks at whether the human race is destined for extinction without some kind of intervention for the path it's taking, Are we destined to ultimately destroy ourselves? This is another enjoyable and thought provoking entry into the series and I'm looking forward to reaching its conclusion in the third book. 4★'s.

Imago by Octavia E. Butler

Third and final book of the Xenogenesis trilogy with another different protagonist to follow. Jodahs is approaching metamorphosis and while it seems it is destind to become male he is not drawn to either of his male parents but instead is spending as much time a it can with Nikanj its ooloi parent. So when metamorphosis finally occurs and Jodahs becomes the first ooloi construct and presents a real danger to everything around it until it can learn to control its abilities if it can. Exile to the Oankali ship was the suggesterd option if an accident like this ever occured but Nikanj manages to argue successfully for an exile to a remore part of Earth and so a small section of their family sets off into the wilderness after Jodhas' first metamorphosis is complete. Its five parents, paired sibling and two other younger children accompany Jodahs on his journey.

Like the previous books in the series there are questions for the reader to ponder while never taking you out of the story that's being told. Using aliens to look at humanity and some of its traits has been a clever idea and handled very well. Like the other two books in the trilogy this one is easy to read despite some questionable morality on behalf of the main characters who you can still empathise with. Not having read any of her work previously this series has been an excellent place to start and I look forward to sampling some more in the future. 4½★'s.

>13 AHS-Wolfy: I'm glad you enjoyed the whole series!

>14 YouKneeK: Thanks. Just to give an impression to how much I enjoyed it is that I rarely read a full trilogy alost back-to-back like I did with this one unless I have an omnibus edition. I usually leave a gap between each of the books so I don't become bored with the same setting/character set. No such problems with this one.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

This is the first book in a young adult dystopian trilogy along the lines of The Hunger Games, Divergent et al. Set on Mars in an unspecified future we find the main protagonist, Darrow, a member of the Reds and one of the youngest ever Helldiver's on a mining crew drilling for he valuable resource of helium-3. A valuable commodity required to terraform the surface of the planet to make it habitable for future generations of humanity. At least that's the story the Reds have been sped over the years to keep them mollified in their hard and hazardous work Darrow is accepting of his role until a tragedy sees him recruited by the Sons of Ares, considered a terrorist group, for a dangerous mission when he has his eyes opened to the truth. he is to infiltrate the ranks of the Golds, the ruling elite, and rise to a position of power so that he can be the ace in the hole when the revolution comes. His first obstacle: survive the Institute! This is a brutal place where students compete for supremacy. Split into houses named after Roman gods they must battle the others in a medieval style wargame. The rewards? An apprenticeship to those with real power in their society and an eventual leadership position of their own. How will Darrow fare?

While I enjoyed the first books of the two series that I mentioned above this one eclipses both for thrills and entertainment. It does get quite savage and brutal at times and the only real gripe I have is that there aren't really enough surprises in the story. While there are a few twists in the plot they are usually well telegraphed so you kind of know the eventual outcome and so you're just left with the mechanics of who and what. But these along with the intense action sequences which come thick and fast are enough to keep the interest level high. The world-building is excellent and the information feed for the readers understanding is handled expertly. There's a motley bunch of characters to get to know but the main focus is always on Darrow as he overcomes each obstacle set in front of him as he continues to learn and progress towards his ultimate goal. I'm already looking forward to diving in to the next part of his journey. 4½★'s.

I read the Red Rising series last year. The predictability you mentioned was my main complaint with it. The books had a repetitive pattern that sometimes felt tedious to me, and definitely predictable. Even though the specific events were different, I knew exactly when things would go “unexpectedly” wrong and when they would “unexpectedly” work. I didn’t always guess the reasons in advance, but sometimes I did.

Even so, I did think each subsequent book was a bit better than the previous one, and I think you enjoyed this first book more than I did, so I hope you’ll find the same to be true.

>15 AHS-Wolfy: >16 YouKneeK:

I was really irritated at the ending of the series.

>15 AHS-Wolfy: >16 YouKneeK: I enjoyed this series quite a bit. I expect great things from Pierce Brown as time goes on. He's still only in his 20s. (And, I just realized, kind of adorable.)

>17 suitable1: Hmmm, I did not have that issue.

>18 clamairy: Did you know he’s working on another trilogy set 10 years after the Red Rising trilogy? I only learned about it when a friend on Goodreads shelved the first book and it showed up on my feed. Here’s the most recent article I could find about it.

I’m putting my next comment in spoilers for the sake of those who haven’t finished the original trilogy yet: It sounds like the new series will cover the post-revolution/rebuilding aspect of the story, which I had hoped would get some page time in the third book. I’m not sure yet if I’ll read it, though. I guess we’ll see how I feel about it in a few years when the whole trilogy is complete. :)

>19 YouKneeK: No, I did not know. That is happy news! Thank you.

>16 YouKneeK: & >18 clamairy: I had heard that the series keeps getting better so I hope I find it so. I've managed to pick up a second-hand copy of the next book so I doubt it will be too long before I see for myself.

>17 suitable1: Shame you didn't find the ending quite to your liking. I hope I have better luck when I get around to it

>19 YouKneeK: I hope there's enough material to warrant another trilogy and it doesn't turn out to be a re-hash of the first one like so many others that have come before.

LoveMurder by Saul Black*

Six years ago Valerie Hart broke up a serial killing partnership when she caught and arrested Katherine Glass, the female member of the duo. Unfortunately her partner eluded capture and still remains at large and it seems the time is right for him to make his re-appearance. A note found at the scene of a murder is addressed to Valerie demanding Katherine's release or more bodies will start to accumulate. The murderer taunts Valerie and her law enforcement colleagues by leaving clues to the next intended victim. These clues are written in code and there's only one person who can help decipher them: Katherine Glass. With California's death penalty put on hold pending procedural changes, Katherine has been languishing on death row in the maximum security facility of Red Ridge and as she has become quite bored while awaiting for her own execution she agrees to help. Can they trust her or do they even have a choice?

While the first book, The Killing Lessons, offered up multiple viewpoints to further the story this one concentrates mainly on Valerie Hart, a San Francisco homicide detective, with only brief digressions to other involved parties. This is very much a stand-alone novel and can be read independently of the other in the series with only passing references to Valerie's past and no ties between the actual crimes. Besides Valerie herself there's only a couple of other returning characters being Nick and Will, her partners in life and work respectively. As with most of the author's work, there are scenes of violence and sex aplenty so avoid if this is not to your taste. Otherwise, like me, you can enjoy another fast-paced thriller with good characterisation and a decent, if not wholly original, plot. 4★'s.

*A pseudonym of Glen Duncan

Black Widow by Chris Brookmyre

Diana Jager is a gifted surgeon with a blot on her past so she finds herself languishing in the backwater of an Inverness hospital. She used to run a blog highlighting sexism within the medical profession and she was very scathing about some of her colleagues. So when she managed to upset the IT community by tarnishing them all with the same no-hoper idiot brush her online anonymity is not quite so secure as she thought. When her identity is revealed along with some of the people she disparaged she loses her prestigious post and is banished to the hinterlands when noone else will take her. So it's quite a surprise when she meets and falls in love with Peter Elphinstone a member of the hospital IT staff. After a whirlwind romance they quickly get married but this ends in tragedy after six months when Peter dies in a car accident. Was their marriage the fairytale that was portrayed or was it all a sham? Peter's sister Lucy thinks it was the latter and is more than a little suspicious on the details of the supposed accident especially when no body was actually found. She hires disgraced reporter Jack Parlabane to investigate.

As the author uses the diminutive version of his first name then you know this is one of his more serious books. More akin to his Jasmin Sharp/Catherine McLeod books than his earlier work. In fact Catherine even makes an off-screen cameo in this story. The tale is told from a multiple viewpoint perspective with the many twists and turns that the author weaves along the way developing with each passing chapter. The reader is allowed to guess at some of it but doubtful you'll get it all as the tangled web eventually unwinds. Although this is the seventh in the series you do not need to have read the others prior to this one as it stands very well on its own. As a straight up mystery story it's probably the author's best. 4½★'s.

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

The second book of the Red Rising trilogy kicks off a couple of years after events of the first concluded. Darrow, under the auspices of Augustus, has been training at the academy and learning the arts of war in space and we join him about to become victorious in the final battle. Karnus, his opponent still has a trick up his sleeve though so we're not totally assured of the outcome. Darrow must win to remain in Agustus' good graces and he mustn't lose to a Bellona of all people. Although he's not heard from them in two years Darrow still continues his mission from the Sons of Ares and must advance as far within the Gold society as he can so that he can cause as much disruption as possible in order to overthrow the current system of rule for mankind. When he loses he is about to be cast aside by his benefactor and due to the blood feud for killing Julian at the Institute will lose the protection Augustus provides. Bets on how long he will live afterwards are counted in days so Darrow knows he'll have to do something to change his fortunes.

The stakes have been ramped up and the world view has been expanded considerably within this sequel. It's now not just about Darrow's rise to prominence so he can achieve his revenge but now encompasses the inadequacies of the system as a whole. While Darrow is still the primary focus he has more interaction with people from other colours so it's not just about the Reds and Golds this time around. Will this alter his views and affect his overall mission or just reinforce his notion for change and how will the fact he now considers some of the Golds as true friends affect his resolve to see it through? As in the previous book most of the plot twists are telegraphed but the character development, world-building and pacing of the story more than make up for this.. Another excellent read but a shame it ends on a cliff-hanger. 4½★'s.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Ensign Andrew Dahl has been assigned to the Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union space fleet. While waiting to board he meets a few other new crew members and a natural bond of friendship is born. It looks to be a good career move but why is everybody doing their damnedest to avoid the senior officers and what's the score with away missions? Almost every single one ends up with a casualty with a high number of these being fatal. It's never the officers who die though but always a low-ranking member of the team. Are they just cannon fodder or is something really strange going on aboard the Intrepid? It's then that Andy and his friends meet Jenkins. He's the only crewmember to offer any sort of explanation and no matter how outlandish it seems Andy is forced to consider it and come up with a plan to stop the impending deaths of himself and his compatriots.

This is a parody of science fiction TV shows, most notably Star Trek, along the lines of the movie Galaxy Quest. Where the science is not always plausible and the action is overly dramatic but it all adds up to a lot of fun. It's a quick, light-hearted read with characters you learn to care about and some witty dialogue along the way. There's also some quite touching moments too especially with the coda's included after the main story has finished. Having only read some of his Old Man's War books previously it's good to know that Scalzi's other work is worthy of attention also. 4★'s.

>24 AHS-Wolfy: I had a similar reaction to that one when I read it recently. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Fellside by M. R. Carey

Jess Moulson is a drug addict and after one particularly bad hit of heroin she waks up in hospital having been very badly burned in a fire. A fire in which a 10-year-old boy was killed and Jess later tried and convicted for his murder. Unfortunately for Jess she can't remember but as the evidence is so stacked against her she has no choice but to believe that's what happened. Sentenced to life imprisonment she is sent to Fellside, a maximum-security prison for women located on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. Deciding that her guilt outweighs her reason for living, Jess goes on a hunger strike but when near death is confronted by the presence of the dead boy demanding her help. Once out into general population Jess has to learn the ropes quickly if she’s to survive. Even hardened criminals don’t much like a child killer and there are the bent prison guards to deal with too. Can she survive long enough to help her new found acquaintance and maybe earn a little redemption for herself or will she fall foul of Grace, the con who’s really running things in that part of the prison.

This book is more of a studied affair than A Girl With All the Gifts mixing in elements of a supernatural mystery with prison drama with some legal procedure thrown in for good measure. The characters are not quite as developed in this story with some that are quite clichéd. That doesn’t matter too much in this case though as there is enough behind it all to drive the story forward to it’s climactic conclusion. Not my favourite of this author’s work but still a very good read. 3½★'s.

>24 AHS-Wolfy: It is such a fun read. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The 'fuzzy' science was especially hilarious to me.

Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey

The second book in the Expanse series reunites us with James Holden and the rest of the crew of the Rocinante and a few other characters to see what has transpired since the end of Leviathan Wakes. The Roci has been working as a kind of local police force for the OPA, running down pirates and the like for Fred Johnson but when we rejoin them they are asked to try and find out what's happening on Ganymede as there seems to have been a bit of an incident that threatens the peace again. As Ganymede is basically the farmyard of the galaxy then just about everyone has a stake there to protect.). There's also the ever present and visibly growing threat of what's happening on Venus to worry about as well.

The story is again told from alternating viewpoints but instead of just the 2 from the first book we now have 4: Holden, Gunnery Sergeant Roberta 'Bobbie' Draper of the Martian Marine Corps, Chrisjen Avasarala (assistant to the undersecretary of executive administration) and Praxidike 'Prax' Meng (a botanist stationed on Ganymede). The story rattles along with quick swaps between characters that are well drawn and the action sequences are many and keep the pace high. It was another enjoyable entry into this space opera series and my only quibble would be that the basic outline of the story is quite similar to the first book. 4★'s.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

The concluding book for the Divergent trilogy picks up shortly after the preceding volume so I'm not going into the plot for this review as it would be just too spoilery and to be honest probably not worth my time. I came to this book with low expectations having enjoyed the first in the series quite a lot but finding the second a bit of a let down. Other people had also said this one wasn't even as good as the second. These people were right. The original characters that still remain were a shadow of their former selves and the new ones introduced here had no depth whatsoever. The storyline made liking any of them all but impossible. Ah well, at least it's over! 2½★'s.

Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö

The sixth book from the Martin Beck series sees the Chief Inspector sent to Malmö to oversee the investigation into the murder of Victor Palmgren, a powerful industrialist with plenty of political connections. A man walked into the restaurant of a high class hotel and shot Palmgren in the head and managed to escape through an open window and managed to evade capture due to the incompetence of a couple of officers that had featured in a previous story. It's going to be a difficult and painstaking case to work as the victim had plenty of enemies, not least those that were closest to him. Was the murder arranged by one of those sitting at the table when it happened? Looking for career advancement or perhaps his wife's lover had had enough of being the bit on the side. Was it something to do with his shady business practices, especially from his African interests? Or was it something else entirely? Can Beck and his team unscramble the myriad of possibilities and uncover why the man was killed?

This is another excellent police procedural from this very good series. It's not just a crime novel though as tthe socio-political message is brought much more to the fore in this installment. While the ills of Swedish society from the late 1960's have been touched upon previously it is definitely more prominent here. While using a crime story to look at the ills of society is not a new concept it was handled well throughout this tale here. There's plenty of familiar characters on show with Beck teaming up with Månsson and Skacke in Malmö while Kollberg and Larsson assist back in Stockholm. Åsa Torell is also involved now that she's working in the vice squad. We also get to learn a bit more of the background of some of these people too. As with the other books in this series the investigation unfolds slowly with leads being followed until they hit a dead-end until finally all the connections are put in place and the murder can be solved. This is another excellent episode featuring Martin Beck and his team. 4★'s.

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

Harry August, illegitimate son of local lordling and fostered by his grounds-keeper, is not like most people. He's born, lives his life and dies just like the rest of us but it's here that things begin to get weird. He's born again into the same life and recovers his memories of his past lives while still an infant. A few lives in Harry learns he's not the only one but even among his own kind he's something special. After a while most begin to forget things but not Harry, he remembers everything. ON the deathbed of his eleventh life Harry is visited by a young girl who warns him of catastrophe to come. The end of the world is coming and it's arriving quicker than it should and it's up to Harry to stop it.

This is quite a slow build of a story as we learn of some of the events in Harry's past lives and some of the people who come to matter in this tale. It jumps around quite a bit both in time and also within Harry's lives but this is handled extremely well by the author and I was never confused as to where I was within the narrative. While the first half of the book explores the concept of multiple lifetimes and its effects on the titular character the second becomes much more of a suspenseful thriller until the inevitable and overly foreshadowed conclusion. This ending is the only slight letdown of the book in an otherwise excellent read. Looking forward to trying out more from this author whether it be in this guise or her real name of Catherine Webb. 4★'s.

>30 AHS-Wolfy: Every time someone reviews this book it sounds more intriguing. Sounds very similar to Life After Life which I loved.

>30 AHS-Wolfy: I liked that one too. I thought the narrative structure was very well done. My biggest problem was with the torture scenes.

>31 clamairy: Not read that one but a few other reviews seem to mention a similarity in plot between them and also mention Replay by Ken Grimwood. Hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a go.

>32 SylviaC: That kind of stuff just doesn't seem to both me as long as it's not too gratuitous and I didn't think it was here. As long as it fits the plot then I'm okay with reading it.

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie

Yarvi was never meant to be King. Born the second son he has trained to become a Minister and replace the ageing Mother Gundring and sit and advise the rulers of Gettland. But when his father and brother are both killed on what was supposed to be a peaceful mission to a neighbouring kingdom his future is dramatically altered. So he is not only ill-prepared but many see him as ill-suited to rule a warrior society due to his crippled hand and inability to fight. Leading a raid in search of vengeance for his murdered family and to prove his worth events conspire against him and Yarvi soon finds himself sold into slavery and ends up chained to an oar of a merchant's ship. So how can he exact the vengeance that he has sworn on those responsible for the deaths of his father and brother and escape his current predicament?

I would never have pegged Joe Abercrombie as an author for young adults having read some of his earlier work but that's exactly where this book is aimed. The first in a fantasy trilogy while still having a darker edge to it is definitely toned down some for the younger market. The characters are also not as complex or deep as his previous books I've read. The plot is a fairly standard fantasy revenge story where a reluctant prince must go through adversity, gather a motley bunch to his cause and reclaim what's rightfully his but it is told in an accomplished manner with the odd twist thrown in for good measure. While it was never a chore to continue reading, the story never really gripped me until the end and it's this that makes me want to continue on to find out what happens next. 3½★'s

Half the World by Joe Abercrombie

Second book of the TA fantasy trilogy is set a short while after the conclusion to its predecessor. Father Yarvi is firmly ensconced in his Minister's role and respected as a deep-cunning man within the kingdom of Gettland. Trouble is still brewing with the High King with Gettland's rulers refusing to fall under the sway of a power hungry tyrant and his advisor, Grandmother Wexen. Gettland needs allies and Father Yarvi sets sail around the Shattered Sea in search of others who will defy the High King. Along for the journey are two new young protagonists. Thorn Bathu, a young woman trying to follow in her legendary father's warrior footsteps, pulled from under a sentence of death for killing a boy while training and being named a murderer because of it. Brand, a good-hearted young man, who sees his dreams of becoming a warrior thwarted when he stands up for Thorn. What role will they play in the plans of Gettland's new Minister?

While the first book was a story focused on revenge this one is much deeper in plot and the characters benefit from this enormously. The reader is brought along with not just one but two coming-of age stories with both Thorn and Brand learning their place in the new scheme of things. Yarvi takes a much more back-seat role in this story and a few other surviving members of the first instalment make cameos but it's these two new POV characters that always remain front and centre of the story that is being told here. There's plenty of action along the journey and even more when they return home with the fight and battle scenes being vividly portrayed. The ending is not particularly surprising but how they got there does offer up a few twists along the way. Looking forward to reading the concluding book soon. 4★'s.

I have managed to get a little behind in reviews. Time to catch up...

The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch

Peter Grant owes a debt to Tyburn and the time has come to pay up. Ty's daughter, Olivia, has been implicated in, at the very least, a suspicious death. One of her fellow revellers has died of an overdose and Olivia could be facing a charge of Manslaughter. Ty wants Peter to make sure that doesn't come to pass but he is not helped by Olivia's actions. What should be a fairly simple (if not very ethical) task for Peter soon escalates into a full blown case when some old friends renew their acquaintances.

The sixth book in the series is another enjoyable escapade with Peter and the crew, which seems to expand with every story. More potential allies for Peter to work with both inside the Met and without. London and its rivers continue to infuse the narrative and more history of the City is imparted during the investigation. It's also probably the most diverse set of characters that I've seen in a book which also represents London's diverse culture. It's also good to finally get some advancement on the Faceless Man arc too! 4★'s.

Half a War by Joe Abercrombie

The conclusion to the Shattered Sea trilogy of dark fantasy for young adults once again offers up new primary characters to follow. With the previous incumbents being relegated to more minor roles in so far as narration duties if not actual deeds go. Skara is a princess in the kingdom of Throvenland and soon finds herself the last surviving member of her family when her grandfather, the king, is brutally slain by an emissary from the High King supposedly sent to deliver peace terms. She manages to escape and heads to Gettland for aid, it being one of the last holdouts against the tyrannical ruler. Raith is the second narrator for this tale. Sword-bearer to Gom-gil-Gorm, he is passed to Skara as protector when she claims her birthright, defying the High King and attempting to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Equal in temperament to Thorn Bathu can he curb his natural eagerness to fight everyone he comes into contact with to perform his new duties or does his former master have other plans for him? Can Skara survive long enough to forge a true alliance between those in open rebellion?

Very unusually I think I liked the middle book of the trilogy more than either the first or this concluding volume. Not that this was a bad book. It does tie up all the loose ends and concludes the tale of revenge sworn by Yarvi in the opener. I think I just preferred the characters in the second book more than either of the others. It's still a well written tale with plenty of exciting action scenes to enjoy and you know with Joe Abercrombie stories that there will be twists and betrayals galore and this proves no exception though most can be readily anticipated. I hope the author returns to his more adult-oriented books in future and I'm thankful that I still have a few of his earlier tomes to get to. 3½★'s

Still have another one to do but too tired just now.

>36 AHS-Wolfy: I really enjoyed Abercrombie’s First Law series, but I'm not sure if I'll try his YA series.

According to this post from the end of 2016, he’s writing another trilogy in the First Law series, set about 15 years after Red Country. At the time, he was estimating late 2018 before anything would get published, but he’s drafting the whole trilogy first so the subsequent books should come out faster.

I also just checked his most recent post and it looks like he’s in the middle of drafting the second book now.

>37 YouKneeK: His YA books may still fit well with you. Someone else from another group on LT that I frequent read the first book quite recently and enjoyed it a bit more than I did. Her views usually correspond quite well with mine in regards to the darker fantasy fare so it might be that my views on these books are a little askew from the norm.

Thanks for the updates. He's getting to be almost as prolific as Brandon Sanderson so I guess I can allow him more forays if he wants to experiment a bit more. I do still need to get to The Heroes and Red Country at some point

And now for that final review of the catch-up...

Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre.

Sophie's life is crumbling around her. She is forgetting things, misplacing items only to find them days/weeks later in the most unlikely of places. She is suffering from mood swings and also memory loss. When we meet her she is working as a nanny, looking after a six year-old boy called Leo. One particular day she goes to wake him up only to find he has been killed in the night and it is Sophie herself who must be guilty. She, of course, has no recollection of the event but everything points to her guilt. So she goes on the run and manages to evade capture only to leave another bloody corpse in her wake while doing so. Another one to add to the expanding catalogue of memory loss. Managing to stay ahead of the police by constantly moving around and taking menial jobs that pay cash in hand Sophie knows that she must take desperate measures if she is to remain at large and so puts a plan of action together which entails marrying and moving abroad. This is how she meets Frantz and this is where everything changes including the viewpoint of the story.

This is a dark and twisted psychological thriller from the author of the Camille Verhoeven trilogy which I enjoyed reading last year. Split into three parts we firstly get to know Sophie, then Frantz and finally when the two come together up until the final denouement. This is an excellently plotted story with a very good translation by Frank Wynne. It's a gripping and suspenseful tale with the odd bit of humour thrown in along the way and the reader is never entirely sure where the story is headed. A great read for those that like them dark. 4½★'s.

Thraxas and the Warrior Monks by Martin Scott

Thraxas is still enjoying the fruits of his previous labours and isn't particularly looking for a new case to work on so it's a bit of a surprise when he finds himself looking into the murder of a celebrated sculptor who was found in his workshop with the knife of his apprentice buried in his back and his latest masterpiece he had just completed has gone missing. A somewhat surprising complication as it was on the large side and there was no time to remove it manually between the artists death and the discovery of the body. Neither was there any magic residue found at the scene. If Thraxas can find the statue then it might also lead him to the murderer. The case is further complicated when Thaxas disturbs a couple of red robed monks rooting through his office and is later visited by an abbott of a rival sect who explains that they are both in need of a likeness of Saint Quatinius, which the missing statue is, for an upcoming important religious ceremony.

This is the 2nd book in this comic fantasy series with plenty of recurring characters and expanded world-building to continue to explore. It's not a laugh out loud type of humour but it will bring out the odd smile now and again. It's a fast paced tale with plenty of twists for the mystery element for the reader to enjoy. It's not up there with the masters of the genre but it does offer up a pleasant enough diversion from the more serious fantasy I've been reading lately and I'm more than happy to continue on with the series at some point. 3½★'s.

>39 AHS-Wolfy: I've gave the Thraxas stories consistent 3.5 stars. It was always perfectly light and aery and helped me cheer up if I was reading some other heavier epic tome. I've got the final 2 (book 9 and 10) books on my tbr...

>40 BookstoogeLT: I've read a few of his other books though mostly under his real name of Martin Millar and while none of them have been exceptionally good they've all been at least quite readable.

Winkie by Clifford Chase

Winkie is a teddy bear that finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taken into police custody when the cabin in the woods where he's living is raided and charged with multiple acts of terrorism. Assigned an incompetent public defender to represent him and with public opinion very much against his continued existence Winkie is left to review the events in his life that have led him to his current predicament.

What I was hoping for from this book was a light, fairly fun satirical look at the justice system when it comes to the war on terror. What I got was actually a quite sad and often absurd tale where all of society’s ills are placed firmly at the feet of someone who happens to be a little different from the norm. I think I would have preferred a little more meat to this story and a bit less padding out especially with the trial scenes. Not a book I have any interest in returning to which is a shame as the potential for this kind of story is huge. 2½★'s.

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

The third book of the first Red Rising trilogy of books so I'm not going to say anything about the story to avoid spoilers for the previous two books other than that it picks up the tale a year after the ending of Golden Son. It is once again an action packed, thrill ride with a slew of returning characters on both sides of the affray. We're also now into full blown space opera territory with the majority of the story being off-Mars and with full-on battles in space to enjoy. Once again only slightly let down by the heavily foreshadowing of the twists in the plot so there is a dearth of surprises in store for the reader but it still remains a very readable story and provides a satisfying conclusion to an excellent series. 4½★'s.

>42 AHS-Wolfy: - Jasper Fforde does something similar with the Nursery Crime books that works quite well. Again a bit light on the potential for true commentary on social matters.

>43 reading_fox: Yep, read those a few years ago and while I didn't find them earth-shatteringly good they handled the concept a lot better than in Winkie. There's still hope for a third book in the Nursery Crimes series to appear at some point and I will pick it up if it does though I won't be queueing up overnight outside the bookstore to procure it.

The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore

A follow-up to Fool which sees Pocket transferred into a couple of other of Shakespeare's plays along with a smattering of Poe just for good measure. The Merchant of Venice and Othello provide much of the backdrop for his adventures this time around. We join up with Pocket as he's about to fall foul of a murderous plot hatched by Brabantio, Iago and Antonio to rid themselves of a troublesome fool and proceed with their plan for a new crusade. Finding himself in chains behind a newly created wall in a dungeon was not the ending Pocket had desired to a promised night of wine and debauchery but finds succour and eventual rescue from a mysterious sea creature and ends up in the employ of Shylock. Can the Jew and the fool work together to wreak revenge on Antonio and his cohorts while also protecting Othello and rescue Marco Polo from a Genoese prison along the way?

I haven't read any of the source material from where this story is garnered from but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this second outing of Pocket of Dog Snogging. The afterword at the end of the book describes how the author combined certain characters to keep the cast more manageable along with some historical notes for the setting. This is a bawdy tale of revenge set in Venice along with a few side trips during the late fourteenth century. There are numerous laugh out loud moments to be had throughout the story, the dialogue is especially funny, togeher with plenty of excitement and danger to make this a quick and easy read. Thoroughly enjoyable. 4★'s.

>45 AHS-Wolfy: Two hits with one post? Not fair.

>47 AHS-Wolfy: Sorry! Hope you enjoy if/when you get to them.

The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

Mikael Blomkvist hasn't written a decent story in a while and his reputation is once again being dragged through the mud in the media. The magazine he writes for has also struggled and had to accept some outside investment to avoid letting their two new recruits go and although they haven't interfered editorially as yet both Mikael and Erika Berger think it's only a matter of time until they do. Mikael's biggest problem though is that he is bored and is seriously contemplating leaving and it's only when a tip-off to a potential story happens to mention an old friend's involvement does he become interested again. Lisbeth Salender has managed to hack into the NSA, not because she was bored or through any privacy idealogue even if the latter was the message she left them with. She was searching for something quite specific and in the preocess managed to acquire quite an incriminating document even if it was encrypted with a code that even she is having trouble breaking. Can Blomkvist & Salender both find what they're looking for and will their paths cross again while they are searching?

Having enjoyed Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy immensely I was a little apprehensive about picking this one up seeing as an author more widely recognised for his biographical work (I am Zlatan) was chosen to continue the series. I made the conscious decision not to re-read the original books as I thought that would not allow me to judge this one fairly with constant comparisons to writing style, story and characters. I think I made the rught choice. The time between alllowed me to come into this one fresh and read it for what it is. Yes, there are differences but that has to be expected. Lagercrantz has certainly toned things down quite a bit, especially with the sex and violence that were always a part of Larsson's books. It's not that it doesn't happen here but it's mostly done off page and left to the reader's imagination. The story itself concerns a prominent scientist who who quit his prestigious position for a leading American firm to return to Sweden to look after his autistic son taking his research with him. Research that interests a lot of people not all of which have good intentions for its application. This book is a lot more action oriented than I remember the previous ones being and that does make it an easier book to read but it does feel less immersive as a consequence. If Mr Lagercrantz is to continue the series (it's ending is open enough to do so) and as there's another book listed on the series page so it looks like he is then I will happily pick it up at some point in time. 3½★'s.

>47 AHS-Wolfy: - Yes I thought spider's web was a reasonable follow-on from the series, surprisingly so really, as I'm not usually keen on the concept. A bit paler, less intense all around, but not much worse for being so.

Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Eleven by Bill Willingham

This volume contains two main story arcs (Witches and Rose Red) and a few other single story pieces. It starts off though with the original capture of the Fables current nemesis, Mr. Dark and we get to meet Dunster Happ. The 5-part storyline Witches then follows and we get to spend more time with the residents of the 13th floor as well as a contretemps between Bufkin and Baba Yaga before a brief diversion takes us to Haven where King Ambrose (Flycatcher) has a tough decision to make. Rose Red is another 5-part offering which throws light on the past of Rose & Snow White from when they were together as children. The main stories are then concluded with a more in-depth look at Mr. Dark when The North Wind brings him a formal challenge from Frau Totenkinder followed by the duel itself. We're then left with a few bits and pieces to tidy things up and set the scene for what happens next. This issue also includes the text only story of Pinocchio's attempt to cheer up Geppetto, a celebrity qustions section illustrated by different artists, a cut-out puppet theatre, a boardgame and the usual sketches and biographies of the creators.

Overall a pretty decent package with more looks into the past of some of the current main characters as well as looking at motivations behind the actions of some of the others. While I was a little disapointed with the last volume this one brings the series back on track and I'll happily continue on to the next to see what does come to pass for these characters. 4★'s.

The Osiris Ritual by George Mann

The 2nd instalment of the Victorian steampunk adventures featuring Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes sees the pair investigating separate cases. Newbury has been tasked with meeting a foreign agent returning home after spending several years deep undercover in Russia and when he fails to show has to track him down. Meanwhile, Hobbes is trying to discover why young women are disappearing after visiting a travelling magician's show. There’s also the case of Lord Henry Winthrop who was found murdered the day after his latest unveiling: The supposed mummified remains of a Theban king. Is there a curse attached to the mummy and if so what can be done to prevent further deaths?

This sequel builds well on both the world building and especially on character development with more than a little respect and affection blossoming between the two investigators. It will be interesting to see how their relationship can handle the revelations of how Hobbes came to be working with Newbury. The action is fairly slow to start but once it does it is fairly unrelenting with rooftop chases, swordfights and even a steampunk style car chase. It's a fun romp through an alternate Victorian London and I'll be more than happy to pick up the next in the series to see what happens next. 4★'s.

The Abominable Man by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo

Nothing will incur the wrath of the police force than the death of one of their own. Even if that person turns out to be less than a paragon of virtue. Chief Inspector Nyman was one such man and everyone in the force knew his methods went far beyond acceptable levels but when he is found brutally murdered in his hospital room it's still a case of all hands on deck to find his murderer. With the lengths that an officer will go to to protect another it's no wonder that somebody has taken matters into their own hands to get rid of one of the more brutal members of this fraternity. A trip to the complaints section produces a list of potential suspects much too large for a quick resolution to the case so it's up to Martin Beck and his team to find the likeliest candidate.

The seventh book in this Swedish police procedural series takes a look within the police force itself and how its militaristic culture, with many recruits garnered from the armed forces, and protectionism of colleagues had an effect on Swedish society. Thematically similar to the previous book featuring a powerful man as victim who may actually deserve his fate but this instalment deals with abuse of power as opposed to wealth. The socio-commentary is still very much in evidence here no mores so than the discussions concerning the demolition of 90% of the old Stockholm to make way for a more modern city. Not because of environmental concerns but to achieve the fullest possible exploitation of the most valuable land. Although the police-work is methodical it is not as drawn out in this case and events occur at almost breakneck speed up to the final dramatic conclusion. Another excellent addition to a very good series. 4★'s.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Mark Watney has been stranded on Mars. The rest of the crew abandoned him thinking he had perished during a particularly violent storm which caused the early cessation of their mission. Mark then has to figure out how he could have any hope of survival until any possible chance of rescue arrives with the next planned mission to Mars due in 4 years time. Astronauts are highly trained, problem solving machines and with the biggest task that Mark faces being food it's a good job he's also a botanist. Can Mark overcome all the obstacles he faces and will help arrive in time to effect a rescue?

This is a thrilling survival adventure story told mostly from the viewpoint of Mark Watney via log entries. This works exceptionally well as we get the basic facts of how he works through each of the problems he encounters with enough information to be able to follow along but not to be too technical that the reader gets engulfed by the science required to enable him to survive. Mark is also a very funny narrator. His dry, sardonic wit shines through in almost every entry and you can't help but laugh at some of the things he gets up to. I'm looking forward to watching the movie at some point. 4½★'s.

>52 AHS-Wolfy: I was pleasantly surprised by that one. I’m glad you liked it! I haven’t seen the move either.

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie

Thomas Lang had been asked to kill a man. It's not something he generally does so it came a a bit of a surprise and aroused his curiosity. Thinking that he could warn the intended victim, an American industrialist named Alexander Woolf, but decides on a bit of snooping first. His look around Woolf's Belgravia house is interrupted by a large man whom Lang manages to disable but the struggle wakens Woolf's daughter Sarah. Lang manages to convince her he is not the one trying to kill her father so she backs him up when the police arrive to investigate the disturbance. For Lang there is an instant attraction but does Sarah feel the same? The course of true love never runs smooth and from this point on it's a roller-coaster of events with a terrorism plot straight out of the pre 9/11 play book. Will Lang survive all that is thrown at him and if he does will he also get the girl at the end and which girl does he really want?

I'm not totally sure the author knew what he wanted to accomplish with this book. It starts out almost spoof-like spy thriller but then changes to a more straight-laced espionage story about halfway through. The character development is not great but the dialogue is as fun as you would expect from Mr. Laurie. The plot is okay but now that the terror threat has moved on it has become a little dated. Not a terrible debut and so far only novel but it's probably a good job that his acting and musical efforts have been a tad more successful. 3½★'s.

>54 AHS-Wolfy: I received that from the ER program when it came out, as an audio. Perhaps that made it more enjoyable for me? Anyway, I liked it quite a bit, but it hasn't stuck with me. I remember Meredy loathing it. Looks like you are somewhere in the middle.

>55 MrsLee: It's not the worst novel I've ever read and allowances have been made for it being a debut one. I'm sure he'd improve if he were to write another.

The Folly of the World by Jesse Bullington

Set in and around the area of Dordrecht in Holland not too long after Saint Elisabeth's flood submerged much of the surrounding area and making the city into an island. Jan has a plan to set himself and his long-time partner (in both senses of the word), the murderous Sander, up for life and when he stumbles across Jolanda, daughter of a dye-maker from a distant village, while she is swimming in the sea then she could be the final piece that he needs to put it into action. Things do not progress as smoothly as Jan hopes.

Although I have this tagged as a historical fantasy story there really isn't that much of a fantastical element involved. It certainly isn't delved in to very deeply and reads more of a historical caper. If anything, the fantastical element leans more towards the horror genre than fantasy but it's not something I'm going to disclose in a spoiler-free review. Despite none of the three main protagonists being very nice people the author has managed to make the reader care what happens to them and when an unexpected event occurs midway through the story it is quite shocking. The setting is also very vividly portrayed and there is a very real sense of place throughout the tale. The violence and sex does get a bit graphic so be warned if you're tempted. While there are some smiles to be had along the way this is mostly a dark account which may appeal to those of us who like the grimdark sub-genre of the fantasy spectrum. I will definitely be seeking out more of this author's work. 4★'s.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

To be born with a Grace means you excel at one particular thing and if it is a useful skill then the King will put you to use. For Katsa her Grace manifested itself at the age of eight when she killed a minor noble when she'd hit him so hard she pushed the bones of his nose into his brain. He had been making leering advances and attempted to paw at her so perhaps it was justified. Her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns - one of the Seven Kingdoms, thinks a killing Grace would be a useful tool with which to enforce his rule and so after some training employs her as a killer and assassin and a threat to anyone who happens to disagree with him. Eventually this doesn't sit too well with Katsa and with the help of some friends sets up a secretive council to try and offset some of the excesses of Randa's actions by doing some good in the world. One such deed has Katsa and her closest allies rescuing the father of a neighbouring king from the dungeons of another. It's whilst during this endeavour she meets Po and shortly afterwards her life is forever changed.

This is a fairly decent YA fantasy with a kick-ass heroine for a main character. It's very easy to read and with it being an action-oriented plot means you come to the end of the book very quickly. The main characters are developed well enough though the secondary ones are a bit more cliched but with this being a debut novel I'm prepared to overlook this. The settings were described very well with each place Katsa visits on her travels evoking a real sense of place and being quite distinct from the others. Despite a few minor issues this is a good story that shows promise from a new author and (thankfully as I already have the 2nd book sitting on the tbr shelves) I'm happy to continue reading. Seeing that the 2nd and 3rd books are not direct sequels to this one is a little disappointing though as I do feel there is more to be had from Katsa and her exploits with the council. 3½★'s.

Year end stats and summary:

Total books read: 32

Primary Tag:
Science Fiction 13
Crime/Thriller 7
Fantasy 6
Humour 3
Horror 1
Urban Fantasy 1
Graphic Novel 1

Original Language:
English 27
Swedish 3
French 2

Author Gender:
Male 24
Fwmale 6
Both 2

Ratings:
4½★'s 7
4★'s 15
3½★'s 8
3★'s 0
2½★'s 2

>59 AHS-Wolfy: Awww, no 5star ratings?
However, I like that you had so many 4stars, that must have bumped your average up pretty good! Running the numbers, that gives you a 3.9 average.

Congrats!!!!!!

I was looking for your 2018 thread to return your visit, but I can’t find it. So I’ll wave ‘hello’ here.

Hello!

*waves back*

My 2018 thread will no doubt arrive at some stage. Just not got around to doing it yet. Not had much reading time so far this year so there's not been much point.

Managed to cobble a new one together. No continuation option (guess I'm just not a sociable enough person) so you'll just have to follow this link to pick up the 2018 thread if you want to.