mikekn

Started with a goal of reading 28 books, plus one for every new book I bought. I had 708 books that I had not read yet out of a total collection of 1517.

( Book Log )

I did not reach my original goal, but I made some positive progress. I ended the year with 701 unread books out of a collection of 1545. Next year the goal is to read 50 or more books and continue to keep the book buying in check. I've already finished my first book for the year.

1. The Golden Globe - John Varley [700/1545] (just sticking with unread/own this year)
Yep, still love John Varley's work. In one sense this is the story of an actor trying to get to a job, or it's a story about coming home after being on the run for most of your life, or the story of a child star and the abuse he suffered from his father or it's just a fun romp through Varley's post-Invasion universe. Either way it's a great read.

31. Madame Two Swords - Tanith Lee [12 : 844/1536]
Another short novella. This one takes place in an alternate France, where the English won the French revolution (ok, where the English came in after the revolution and took control). It's the story of a young girl, an old woman, a book of poetry, and the man who connects them all. (ooh! I should write book blurbs :) )

Yay! I read more books this year then last year! Yay! I read more books then I bought!

30. Shon the Taken - Tanith Lee [13 : 842/1535]
An old young adult book from Tanith Lee. Shon encounters Death's Children in the forest one night and becomes possessed (Taken) by a spirit - a fate which will get him stoned to death if discovered. He escapes his death sentence and flees into the forest where he discovers the secrets behind his world.

29. Louisa the Poisoner - Tanith Lee [15 : 840/1535]
A short novelette (or so it says in Daughter of the Night). While picking the low hanging fruit in order to reach my reading goals, it's good to know that some of them are going to be gems like this.

28. Myth-Told Tales - Robert Asprin & Jody Lynn Nye [16 : 839/1535]
A very small book with three short stories. I believe they are meant to serve as an introduction to Jody writing with Robert and as a lead-in to the next book. Unfortunately, I think the Myth stuff works best as full length novels.

Anyway - that's enough Myth books for awhile. Time to move on to something else.

27. Something M.Y.T.H. Inc. - Robert Lynn Asprin [17 : 838/1535]
Another Myth Adventures book. Fun, but not as good as I was hoping for given the build up it had been getting in the forwards to the previous books.

26. The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag (aka 6xH) - Robert A. Heinlein [18 : 837/1535]
A short novel and 5 short stories all from the 1940s and 1950s. Very good.

24. Sweet Myth-tery of Life - Robert Lynn Asprin [19 : 835/1534]
25. Myth-ion Improbable - Robert Lynn Asprin [18 : 836/1534]

Popcorn books! Not at all deep or serious but usually fun reads. Sweet Myth-tery of Life ends in a cliff hanger. Myth-ion Improbable was written six years later so the author could get back into the Myth series so that he could finally write the follow-up to Sweet Myth-tery. I'll be reading the follow-up soon :)

23. Lamb - Christopher Moore [20 : 834/1534]
aka The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend
Very nicely done. Tells a tale of what happened to Joshua (aka Jesus) and his buddy Biff between the time of his birth and age 30. Quite a few good bits in there that I should have seen coming but didn't :)

Hmm... Only twenty books to go by the end of the year. Considering I started the year with 28 books to go, I should at least be happy that I've made some positive progress. Of course if I get books for christmas (fairly likely) that could all be wiped out. *must keep reading*

21. Johnny and the Bomb - Terry Pratchett [22 : 832/1534]
The third of Terry Pratchett's juvenile books with Johnny Maxwell. A decent time travel story with a nice touch of humor.

22. Red Thunder - John Varley [21 : 833/1534]
I love Varley's books. He doesn't publish many of them, so I have to save and savor them (Red Thunder came out over two years ago, and I just found out he's got a sequel to it coming out next April). This one did not disappoint and was a very satisfying read (even if I could only make it last two days...)

20. Time for the Stars - Robert A. Heinlein [23 : 831/1534]
One of the many Heinlein books I've got waiting for me... The story of identical twins who can communicate telepathically over any distance. One stays on Earth, while the other joins the crew of a near light speed ship to seek out new planets to colonize. It was an ok read, not great, but not bad. Parts of it really showed it's age (written in the 1950s).

19. Coraline - Neil Gaiman [24 : 830/1534]
A creepy children's book from Neil Gaiman with a little art from Dave McKean. Also a very quick read :)

Maybe if I read all the childrens books on my list I can meet the goal for the year...