Majkia - 2025 TBR Challenge

Inspired by my betters, I've been entertaining myself (Ok, distracting myself from current events) by planning, such as it is, my 2025 reading.

Here is my TBR list for the 2025 year. Dragging many of them up from the depths of the TBR mountain.

And of course, I'll whine once I post and suddenly discover I've no interest in anything I am at the moment excited to read. Once I'm committed I always seem to balk. Sigh.

Read so Far - 112

Primary:

✔ 1. Ilium - Dan Simmons
2. Fifth Business Robertson Davies
✔ 3. The Fifth Gospel - Ian Caldwell
4. Imajica - Clive Barker
✔ 5. Carthage - Joyce Carol Oates
6. 11/22/63 - Stephen King
✔ 7. Troubles - J G Farrell
8. Bel Canto - Ann Pratchett
✔ 9 . Eye of the Needle - Ken Follett
✔ 10. The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton
11. Darwinia - Robert Charles Wilson
12. The Poe Shadow - Matthew Pearl

Alternates:

1. Olympos - Dan Simmons
✔ 2. The Labyrinth Makers - Anthony Price
✔ 3. Starplex - Robert J Sawyer
✔ 4. The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert J Parker
5. The Ipcress File - Len Deighton
✔ 6. Booked to Die - John Dunning
7. Flood - Andrew Vachss
8. The Immaculate Deception - Iain Pears
✔ 9. The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
10. The Codex - Douglas Preston
✔ 11. Zodiac - Neal Stephenson
12. The Adjacent - Christopher Priest

I liked Dan Simmons' duology, lots of Homer references of course but also Shakespeare's The Tempest. Read Imajica a lifetime ago, don't know what I'd think of it now. If there was another Stephen King book I was willing to pick up, it would probably be that one. Ann Pratchett is near the top of my list of authors-to-sample someday, and that one would probably be my pick. I haven't tried Wharton yet but keep meaning to. I've read others by Atwood and that one interests me as a possible future read. In other words, several here I'll look forward to your reviews of. Keep that enthusiasm!

Another early poster! I'm getting inspired to put my list up. You have a great mix of books.

My book club is reading Age of Innocence early next year so we'll be able to compare notes.

> Thanks. And, oh good. I'll be interested in what you think.

>6 las18: Thanks. And welcome! I'm not a big King reader either. But this has been sitting around so I aim to at least give it a shot.

Interesting list. Happy reading in 2025 :)

Bel Canto! Now I’m sorry I didn’t include it on my list—it’s been on my TBR and my physical shelves forever.

Enjoy your 2025 reading!

>1 majkia: Once I'm committed I always seem to balk.

I understand that sentiment! Here’s hoping we can keep up the momentum. :)

1.

Ilium - Dan Simmons
Series: Ilium #1 - 752 pages
Audiobook read by Kevin Pariseau



I found the start very confusing and disjointed. Three totally unrelated stories, one of the battle of Troy, a second robots on Io, and a third humans living on a reconstructed world with essentially no knowledge of their history or geography, and obnoxious mostly.

I finally stopped trying to make sense of the story and just read it. At the end, of course, the three pieces come together. However, I found that even so, much of it made little sense to me, as to the whys and wherefores.

I'm undecided if I will read book 2.

I thought the duology was alright, but it ended my interest in this author. The 2nd book is essentially "more of the same", not better or worse.

wow, you're quite the early bird! ^_^ i'm jealous!!!

The Blind Assassin is an my first and favorite Atwood. i hope you enjoy it as much as i did when you get to it.

happy reading! ^_^

Zodiac - Neal Stephenon



Challenges: AlphaKIT, TBR Challenge

Wow. This wasn't what I expected in many ways. I love Stephenson's works so there is that. Very Very sciency so a slow read for me but oh so interesting.

It's the story of an eco activist who, as usual, gets labeled terrorist as he takes on corporate entities who are knowingly polluting the waters in and around Boston.

The title, btw, if you are wondering, refers to the zodiac boats he (and Greenpeace notably) uses to harrass polluting ships and he uses to look for sources of pollution so he can pinpoint the company involved.

The real heart-stopping action isn't until the last third or so of the book, but well worth the wait.

Interesting, hadn't heard of that one. I've got Snow Crash coming up soon.

>14 majkia: i also havent heard of this one before...Stephenson is trippy weird, but in a good way :D

4.

The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B. Parker
Series: Spenser 1

Challenges: AlphaKIT, Focus Mystery, TBR

This is a re-read. I read this a long time ago and now want to read more of the series. Interesting main character, with sarcastic wit (sometimes). Hoping he improves over time. The mystery was fine.

Looks like a substantial series!

>18 Cecrow: Indeed

I remember quite enjoying the books in the series that I read. Hope you enjoy the next one you pick up.

>17 majkia: wow, i have not heard of this series before....libraries and dead bodies! count me in ^_^

also, hooray for re-reads! i want to re-read a lot of my books too!

The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton
Challenges: TBR CHallenge

I'd have never survived this world. Claustrophic, limited, controlled.
Frustrated love, frustrated lives. Beautifully written, but telling a decidedly unhappy tale.

Haven't read Edith Wharton yet, but I love many other authors from this period. I'm getting there!

>22 majkia: - I just read this for book club and enjoyed it. It was a reminder that despite generational differences people at their core stay the same. It would have been a challenging time to exist as a woman though.

The Eye of the Needle - Ken Follett

Challenges: TBR Challenge, AlphaKIT(2)

A German spy is hunted through England. If he succeeds in contacting his handlers, he can ruin the plans for D-Day.

I've seen an adaptation of this, but it wasn't nearly as memorable as the book has been. Well written, suspenseful, surprising, with lots of twists and turns and spy-y things going on.

That's the kind of thing he got famous on, thrillers like this, until out of nowhere he wrote Pillars of the Earth and switched gears. I've been almost curious enough to go back and try one, probably this one if I do.

>25 majkia: - I remember liking this one quite a bit. I think it’s better than his historical fiction.

>27 LittleTaiko:, I don't find that very difficult to believe, lol. Pillars was alright, but I tried one sequel and knew I was done.

>26 Cecrow: >27 LittleTaiko: >28 Cecrow: I read Pillars ages ago, and I remember it as being a bit...much. I may not have even finished it.

I may have read another of his thrillers ages ago as some of the titles certain strike a memory or three. I'm planning on getting to at least Key to Rebecca .

Starplex - Robert J Sawyer
Challenges: TBR

I listened to the audiobook version read by Mark Boyett.

Definitely not my favorite Sawyer but interesting anyway. I found it a bit dry, but with lots of science and lots of imagination about where the future might lead us. I especially liked the aliens and how different from us they were.

>22 majkia: i've always been interested in this book, but i find it intimidating...i think i get that feeling of 'claustrophobia' you described just by looking at the book :p

i think i have to pick this up someday soon (ish)

>26 Cecrow: oh, really...i got introduced to him through Pillars and i struggled through that one and has not yet gotten half way...did not know he wrote thrillers before! maybe i should try 'Eye of the Needle'

Darwinia - Robert Charles Wilson

Challenges: TBR Challenge

This is one of the strangest SFF books I've read in many a moon. I'm not sure what I think of it. It morphs about halfway through from a fairly straight up alt history to a sort of SFF/Sci Fi mix.

I'm glad I read it and I'll be thinking about it for awhile.

I've definitely seen that cover before, a good one that made me curious. It sounds like an interesting start, but then instead of running with that it winds up going somewhere else, which sort of takes away from the idea.

The Fifth Gospel - Ian Caldwell

Okay, I'm unsure why I keep reading Caldwell, as I'm not religious, especially not Christian. But here we are. I enjoyed the mystery and didn't find the religion too oppressive.

I've run into that, where I suddenly give my head a shake and wonder why I'm reading something that's totally out of my wheelhouse. Usually it's the great writing style that's drawing me in so I make an exception.

>35 majkia: hmmm...i havent ran accross Caldwell before...i recently have tended to avoid books that resemble the da vinci code somewhat...after a handful of them (including angels & demons), i felt they tend to repeat and i could feel the diminishing returns acutely...

maybe im missing out now

Carthage - Joyce Carol Oates

This was a very strange book. It is ostensibly about the possible murder of a teen by her elder sister's fiance, who has just returned from war badly wounded, body and soul. He admits to killing the girl but he is so broken it is unclear if what he believes is the truth or not.

Delves deep into psyches all over the place, but I found the ending too open ended for me. I'd have rather had more of a resolution than we got.

Still, a good and interesting read.

I really liked We Were the Mulvaneys when I read that a couple of years ago, haven't tried Oates again yet but I'd consider it.

The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood

Beautifully written, as usual for Atwood. Deep in thoughts and feelings. I did find it confusing though.

I'd like to read more Atwood. I can't decide between The Blind Assassin, The Robber Bride, or Alias Grace.

I’m hit or miss with Atwood but I completely enjoyed The Blind Assassin as well as The Penelopiad.

awww Blind Assassin was one of the first books I've read for LibraryThing, and one of my first Atwwod ^_^ love her. she's one of those authors, tho, that i need to have a long-ish break in between books.