Well it’s that time of the year again. It was a pretty good year with some pretty darn good months in that whole “reading a lot of books” way.

The Books

January (13)

• Treachery’s Tools L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2016)
  Book 10 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Assassin’s Price L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2017)
  Book 11 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Endgame L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2019)
  Book 12 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• The Winter Long Seanan McGuire (2014)
  Book 8 of October Daye – ebook;
• A Red-Rose Chain Seanan McGuire (2015)
  Book 9 of October Daye – ebook;
• Mammoths at the Gates Nghi Vo (2023)
  Book 4 of The Singing Hills Cycle – ebook;
• Demon Daughter Lois McMaster Bujold (2024)
  Book 12 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook;
• The Curse of Chalion Lois McMaster Bujold (2001)
  Book 1 of Chalion – ebook; reread
• Paladin of Souls Lois McMaster Bujold (2003)
  Book 2 of Chalion – ebook; reread
• Beyond the Reef Alexander Kent (1999)
  Book 21 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Shadow and Bone Leigh Bardugo (2012)
  Book 1 of Shadow and Bone – ebook;
• Where Peace Is Lost Valerie Valdes (2023)
  – ebook;
• Green Jay Lake (2009)
  Book 1 of Green – ebook; reread
• Generation Ship Michael Mammay (2023)
  – ebook;

February (11)

• Once Broken Faith Seanan McGuire (2016)
  Book 10 of October Daye – ebook;
• The Misfit Soldier Michael Mammay (2022)
  – ebook;
• Siege and Storm Leigh Bardugo (2013)
  Book 2 of Shadow and Bone
• Ruin and Rising Leigh Bardugo (2014)
  Book 3 of Shadow and Bone – ebook; ebook;
• The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport Samit Basu (2023)
  – ebook;
• The Brightest Fell Seanan McGuire (2017)
  Book 11 of October Daye – ebook;
• Armor John Steakley (1984)
  – ebook; reread
• The Darkening Sea Alexander Kent (1993)
  Book 22 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Night and Silence Seanan McGuire (2018)
  Book 12 of October Daye – ebook;
• Monster Hunter International Larry Correia (2009)
  Book 1 of Monster Hunter International – ebook; reread
• Death by Water Kerry Greenwood (2005)
  Book 15 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;

March (14)

• The Collapsing Empire John Scalzi (2017)
  Book 1 of Interdependency – ebook; reread
• The Consuming Fire John Scalzi (2018)
  Book 2 of Interdependency – ebook; reread
• The Last Emperox John Scalzi (2020)
  Book 3 of Interdependency – ebook; reread
• Terminal Alliance Jim C. Hines (2017)
  Book 1 of Janitors of the Post-Apocolypse – ebook; reread
• Terminal Uprising Jim C. Hines (2019)
  Book 2 of Janitors of the Post-Apocolypse – ebook; reread
• Terminal Peace Jim C. Hines (2022)
  Book 3 of Janitors of the Post-Apocolypse – ebook; reread
• The Unkindest Tide Seanan McGuire (2019)
  Book 13 of October Daye – ebook;
• The Icarus Hunt Timothy Zahn (2000)
  Book 0 of Icarus Saga – ebook; reread
• The Icarus plot Timothy Zahn (2022)
  Book 1 of Icarus Saga – ebook;
• The Stepsister Scheme Jim C. Hines (2009)
  Book 1 of Princess Series – ebook;
• Space Cadet Robert Heinlein (1948)
  – ebook; reread
• A Killing Frost Seanan McGuire (2020)
  Book 14 of October Daye – ebook;
• Endurance Jay Lake (2011)
  Book 2 of Green – ebook; reread
• Crystal Singer Anne McCaffrey (1982)
  Book 1 of Crystal Singer – ebook; reread

April (14)

• Killashandra Anne McCaffrey (1985)
  Book 2 of Crystal Singer – ebook; reread
• Crystal Singer Anne McCaffrey (1992)
  Book 3 of Crystal Singer – ebook; reread
• When Sorrows Come Seanan McGuire (2021)
  Book 15 of October Daye – ebook;
• Under a Graveyard Sky John Ringo (2013)
  Book 1 of Black Tide Rising – ebook; reread
• To Sail a Darkling Sea John Ringo (2014)
  Book 2 of Black Tide Rising – ebook; reread
• Islands of Rage and Hope John Ringo (2014)
  Book 3 of Black Tide Rising – ebook; reread
• Strands of Sorrow John Ringo (2014)
  Book 4 of Black Tide Rising – ebook; reread
• Hawk Steven Burst (2014)
  Book 14 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Lyorn Steven Burst (2024)
  Book 17 of Vlad Taltos – ebook;
• The Furthest Station Ben Aaronovitch (2017)
  Book 5.5 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo (2015)
  Book 1 of Six of Crows – ebook;
• Finder Suzanne Palmer (2019)
  Book 1 of The Finder Chronicles – ebook; reread
• Driving the Deep Suzanne Palmer (2020)
  Book 2 of The Finder Chronicles – ebook; reread
• The Scavenger Door Suzanne Palmer (2021)
  Book 3 of The Finder Chronicles – ebook; reread

May (19)

• The October Man Ben Aaronovitch (2019)
  Book 7.5 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Be the Serpent Seanan McGuire (2022)
  Book 16 of October Daye – ebook;
• Legion of the Damned William C. Dietz (1993)
  Book 1 of Legion of the Damned – ebook; reread
• The Final Battle William C. Dietz (1995)
  Book 2 of Legion of the Damned – ebook; reread
• Penric’s Demon Lois McMaster Bujold (2015)
  Book 1 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook;
• Penric and the Shaman Lois McMaster Bujold (2017)
  Book 2 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Andromeda’s Fall William C. Dietz (2012)
  Book 1 of Legion of the Damned Prequel – ebook;
• Penric’s Mission Lois McMaster Bujold (2017)
  Book 3 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Andromeda’s Choice William C. Dietz (2013)
  Book 2 of Legion of the Damned Prequel – ebook;
• Mira’s Last Dance Lois McMaster Bujold (2018)
  Book 4 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• The Prisoner of Limnos Lois McMaster Bujold (2018)
  Book 6 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Andromeda’s War William C. Dietz (2014)
  Book 3 of Legion of the Damned Prequel – ebook;
• Penric’s Fox Lois McMaster Bujold (2018)
  Book 5 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• His Majesty’s Service Naomi Novik (2006)
  Book 1 of Temeraire – ebook; reread
• Murder in the Dark Kerry Greenwood (2006)
  Book 16 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• Throne of Jade Naomi Novik (2006)
  Book 2 of Temeraire – ebook; reread
• Black Powder War Naomi Novik (2006)
  Book 3 of Temeraire – ebook; reread
• The Reformer S.M. Stirling & David Drake (1999)
  Book 7 of The General – ebook;
• The Tyrant Eric Flint & David Drake (2002)
  Book 8 of The General – ebook; reread

June (23)

• The Forge S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1991)
  Book 1 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook; reread
• The Hammer S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1992)
  Book 2 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook; reread
• The Anvil S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1993)
  Book 3 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook; reread
• The Steel S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1993)
  Book 4 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook; reread
• The Sword S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1995)
  Book 5 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook; reread
• Masquerade in Lodi Lois McMaster Bujold (2018)
  Book 8 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• By Blood Alone William C. Dietz (1999)
  Book 3 of Legion of the Damned – ebook;
• Redshirts John Scalzi (2012)
  – ebook; reread
• Alas, Babylon Pat Frank (1959)
  – ebook; reread
• The Dispatcher John Scalzi (2017)
  Book 1 of The Dispatcher – ebook; reread
• The Dispatcher: Murder by Other Means John Scalzi (2021)
  Book 2 of The Dispatcher – ebook; reread
• The Chosen S. M. Stirling & David Drake (1996)
  Book 6 of The General: Raj Whitehall – ebook;
• For My Country’s Freedom Alexander Kent (2000)
  Book 23 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Three Cheers for Me Donald Jack (1962)
  Book 1 of The Bandy Papers – ebook; reread
• That’s Me in the Middle Donald Jack (1973)
  Book 2 of The Bandy Papers – ebook; reread
• It’s Me Again Donald Jack (1975)
  Book 3 of The Bandy Papers – ebook; reread
• The Physicians of Vilnoc Lois McMaster Bujold (2020)
  Book 9 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• The Assassins of Thasalon Lois McMaster Bujold (2021)
  Book 10 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Knot of Shadows Lois McMaster Bujold (2021)
  Book 11 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Sleep No More Seanan McGuire (2023)
  Book 17 of October Daye – ebook;
• Ancillary Justice Ann Leckie (2013)
  Book 1 of Imperial Radch – ebook; reread
• Ancillary Sword Ann Leckie (2014)
  Book 2 of Imperial Radch – ebook; reread
• Me Among the Ruins Donald Jack (1976)
  Book 4 of The Bandy Papers – ebook; reread

July (13)

• The Dispatcher: Travel by Bullet John Scalzi (2023)
  Book 3 of The Dispatcher – ebook;
• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi Shannon Chakraborty (2023)
  Book 1 of Amina al-Sirafi – ebook;
• Demon Daughter Lois McMaster Bujold (2024)
  Book 12 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook; reread
• Penric and the Bandit Lois McMaster Bujold (2024)
  Book 13 of Penric & Desdemona – ebook;
• Empire of Silence Christopher Ruocchio (2018)
  Book 1 of Sun Eater – ebook;
• Ghostdrift Suzanne Palmer (2024)
  Book 4 of The Finder Chronicles – ebook;
• This Alien Shore C.S. Friedman (1999)
  – ebook; reread
• Winter’s Gifts Ben Aaronovitch (2023)
  Book 9.5 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Lock In John Scalzi (2014)
  Book 1 of Lock In – ebook; reread
• Head On John Scalzi (2018)
  Book 2 of Lock In – ebook; reread
• Swordspoint Ellen Kushner (1987)
  Book 1 of Riverside – ebook;
• Blue Moon Marilyn Halvorson (2004)
  – ebook;
• Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros (2023)
  Book 1 of The Empyrean – ebook;

August (6)

• Murder on a Midsummer Night Kerry Greenwood (2008)
  Book 17 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• The Privilege of the Sword Ellen Kushner (2006)
  Book 2 of Riverside – ebook;
• The Incrementalists Steven Brust & Skyler White (2013)
  Book 1 of Incrementalists – ebook; reread
• Howling Dark Christopher Ruocchio (2019)
  Book 2 of Sun Eater – ebook;
• The Innocent Sleep Seanan McGuire (2023)
  Book 18 of October Daye – ebook;
• Ancestral Night Elizabeth Bear (2019)
  Book 1 of White Space – ebook; reread

September (12)

• The Brides of High Hill Nghi Vo (2024)
  Book 5 of The Singing Hills Cycle – ebook;
• An Exchange of Hostages Susan R. Matthews (1997)
  Book 1 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• Cross Of St George Alexander Kent (1996)
  Book 24 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Prisoner of Conscience Susan R. Matthews (1998)
  Book 2 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• The Masquerades of Spring Ben Aaronovitch (2024)
  Book 10 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen Lois McMaster Bujold (2016)
  Book 13 of Miles Vorkosigan – ebook; reread
• Iron Flame Rebecca Yarros (2024)
  Book 2 of The Empyrean – ebook;
• Angel of Destruction Susan R. Matthews (2001)
  Book 3 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• Hour of Judgment Susan R. Matthews (1999)
  Book 4 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• We Solve Murders Richard Osman (2024)
  Book 1 of We Solve Murders – ebook;
• The Devil and Deep Space Susan R. Matthews (2002)
  Book 5 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• Fastback Beach Shirlee Smith Matheson (2003)
  – ebook;

October (12)

• The Daughters’ War Christopher Buehlman (2024)
  Book .5 of The Blacktongue Thief – ebook;
• The Blacktongue Thief Christopher Buehlman (2021)
  Book 1 of The Blacktongue Thief – ebook; reread
• Warring States Susan R. Matthews (2006)
  Book 6 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook; reread
• Oath of Swords David Weber (1995)
  Book 1 of Bahnakson – ebook; reread
• The War God’s Own David Weber (1998)
  Book 2 of Bahnakson – ebook; reread
• Arrows of the Queen Mercedes Lackey (1987)
  Book 1 of Heralds of Valdemar – ebook; reread
• Arrow’s Flight Mercedes Lackey (1987)
  Book 2 of Heralds of Valdemar – ebook; reread
• Arrow’s Fall Mercedes Lackey (1988)
  Book 3 of Heralds of Valdemar – ebook; reread
• On Basilik Station David Weber (1992)
  Book 1 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• The Honor of the Queen David Weber (1993)
  Book 2 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• The Short Victorious War David Weber (1994)
  Book 3 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Field of Dishonor David Weber (1994)
  Book 4 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread

November (9)

• Service Model Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024)
  – ebook;
• Flag in Exile David Weber (1995)
  Book 5 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Honor Among Enemies David Weber (1996)
  Book 6 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• In Enemy Hands David Weber (1997)
  Book 7 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Echoes of Honor David Weber (1998)
  Book 8 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Ashes of Victory David Weber (2000)
  Book 9 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Blood Relations Susan R. Matthews (2017)
  Book 7 of Under Jurisdiction – ebook;
• Dead Man’s Chest Kerry Greenwood (2010)
  Book 18 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• War of Honor David Weber (2002)
  Book 10 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread

December (9)

• Crown of Slaves David Weber (2003)
  Book 1 of Crown of Slaves – ebook; reread
• The Shadow of Saganami David Weber (2004)
  Book 1 of Saganami – ebook; reread
• Torch of Freedom David Weber (2009)
  Book 2 of Crown of Slaves – ebook; reread
• At All Costs David Weber (2005)
  Book 11 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• The Legacy of Arniston House T. L. Huchu (2024)
  Book 4 of Edinburgh Nights – ebook;
• Across the Floor Natasha Dean (2016)
  – ebook;
• Storm From the Shadows David Weber (2009)
  Book 2 of Saganami – ebook; reread
• Mission of Honor David Weber (2010)
  Book 12 of Honor Harrington – ebook;
• Brewster’s Millions George Barr McCutcheon (1902)
  – ebook;
• Sword of Honour Alexander Kent (1998)
  Book 25 of Bolitho – ebook;

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Some numbers

Total read: 157

93 rereads
13.08 books/month
3.01 books/week
.43 books/day

Books by women: (21/46 authors) (71/157 books)
Non SF/Fantasy: 14
Oldest: 1902 (Brewster’s Millions  George Barr McCutcheon)
0 print (sigh)

47 different series
13 non-series books

Some Notes

Two other books to note. The first I started in 2021 and just couldn’t get through because my brain was still mush from the previous years’ events. I still haven’t got back to it but still have very intention to. The second I started in November under the impression it was Book 1 of The Masquerade. About a third of the way through I was muttering over and over to myself “there is so much missing backstory” that I checked, and sure enough I was reading Book 2. So I put it aside until I get Book 1.

• Take Back the Sky Greg Bear (2016)
  Book 3 of War Dogs – ebook;

• The Monster Baru Cormorant Seth Dickinson (2018)
  Book 2 of The Masquerade – ebook;

Some thoughts

Series

I am all caught up on October Daye books now. Not sure if she is continuing the series but it will give me something to reread in the future if she takes a long break.

At some point I realized I had gotten behind on the Weber’s Honor Harrington (and associated series) books. There are apparently half a dozen or so book in the series I haven read yet. So in October I decided to go ahead and buy the rest and start from scratch. It was late December before I actually read a new book and by then had realized why I had never finished them. After Book 6 or so Weber starts to get incredibly detailed and long-winded and I found myself reading pages at a glance for huge passages as he went on about the politics of a minor character that was about to be blown to bits or the history of a political system that had been around since Book 1. Time will tell if this trend keeps up with the new books or if he manages to keep my attention.

So while I’ll probably reread yet again the first half dozen or so in the future, I can’t see myself ever slogging through the rest again.

The Bolitho series is suffering similarly. It’s book 25 now and I believe the main character is about to be killed off. But there is so much word count “padded” in dedicated to describing and reiterating internal angst that hasn’t changed in the last half dozen books and a lot less of the action of the first books that it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure getting through the series. I’ll definitely read the next book that focusses on the nephew of Bolitho, but if it doesn’t go back to its literary roots I might leave the last 5 of books of the series languish.

Notable Series:

I recommend The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman. I love the world and the characters. A bit less in love with writing Book 1 then writing the prequel but que sera sera.

The Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo  continues to be excellent. Not sure if they would work as well as longer novels but as a long-ish novella the “conceit” of the author works incredibly well.

Not so Notable:

I read Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone series and a) wonder what passes for YA these days and b) just wasn’t overwhelmed with any of it. It was fine. Even enjoyable, but didn’t grab me like it obviously grabbed everyone else.

I took a swing at Christopher Ruocchio’s first two Sun Eaters and again am not sure why they’re successful enough to justify  seven (and counting) of these behemoths. Again, fine, but maybe they appeal to the readers addicted to the trend of monster word counts that leave readers caught up in a soap opera style endings. Not my thing, and I can’t see myself investing the time or money in the rest (which really goes against my “completist” grain, but there you are…).

Some Books

I reread Alas Bablyon (1959), one of the first post-apocalyptic books I ever read (back in High School I believe). It held up pretty good for something written in the height of the cold war but I think the natures of people have changed since then and it’s a bit too optimistic for today’s brand of human being. Worth re-reading though…

I read three Orca Hi-Lo books (high interest, low literacy) because they caught my eye as I was working on them. One was a horse book, one related to hot rods and the other a sports/dance title. It reminded me of how much of those themes I read as a kid… horse books, hot rods and misguided youth. Good stuff.

Fantasy publishers continue to add more books that stray from our staid Euro-centered mythologies and while I don’t go out of my way to read them I generally enjoy them when I do. Case in point, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Book 1  of Amina al-Sirafi) was a real hoot. I am looking forward to Book 2 a lot despite being a bit frustrated to find out it was in fact the first book in a series.

In conclusion

It was a lot of books, mostly because May/June were so stressful and I retreat to books to hide from the world. And rereads are comfort reads so that just means my totals climb at a pretty steady clip.

My to-be-read “pile” is still not under control but at least its (mostly) current for 2024 acquisitions (Phyrne and Bolitho being the notable exceptions). But my lovely kid spoilt me with gift certificates again so I have been gritting my teeth and not going out and getting even more books.

Discounting the number of classics I always have “in case of emergency” and really have no intention of reading the TBR pile is under 25. Not bad 🙂

My fellow book counters: Dr. La’s Slowest, Pokiest: 2024 in the Rear-view Mirror and the Great Earl J. Woods’ There Will Be Time (to Read): Books I Read in 2024 .

Links to previous years’ book count posts:

• 2012 (85)
• 2013 (95)
• 2014 (106)
• 2015 (92)
• 2016 (101)
• 2017 (120)
• 2018 (142)
• 2019 (123)
• 2020 (112)
• 2021 (124)
• 2022 (136)
• 2023 (136)

Welcome to the end of the year. Or the beginning of the year. It’s been a lot of fun. Due to work commitments I have done exactly zero Standard ebooks this past year and thus all my reading has been in the modern era. I did add a new non-sci-fi series so there was a bit of branching out.

But without any further ado…
Here is  2023-doo-dee-doo:

January (10)

• The Way to Glory David Drake (2005)
  Book 4 of Lt. Leary – ebook; reread
• Whispers Under Ground Ben Aaronovitch (2012)
  Book 3 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Some Golden Harbour David Drake (2006)
  Book 5 of Lt. Leary – ebook; reread
• The Wrong Stars Tim Pratt (2017)
  Book 1 of The Axiom – ebook;
• Broken Homes Ben Aaronovitch (2014)
  Book 4 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Foxglove Summer Ben Aaronovitch (2015)
  Book 5 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• When the Tide Rises David Drake (2008)
  Book 6 of Lt. Leary – ebook; reread
• Risen Empire Scott Westerfeld (2003)
  Book 1 of The Succession Duology – ebook;
• The Killing of Worlds Scott Westerfeld (2003)
  Book 2 of The Succession Duology – ebook;
• In the Stormy Red Sky David Drake (2009)
  Book 7 of Lt. Leary – ebook; reread

February (8)

• Babel R. F. Kuang (2022)
  – ebook;
• Kushiel’s Dart Jacqueline Carey (2001)
  Book 1 of Kushiel’s Legacy – ebook; reread
• Rubicon J.S. Dewes (2023)
  – ebook;
• What Distant Deeps David Drake (2010)
  Book 8 of Lt. Leary – ebook;
• The Hanging Tree Ben Aaronovitch (2017)
  Book 6 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• The Road of Danger David Drake (2012)
  Book 9 of Lt. Leary – ebook; reread
• The Sea Without a Shore David Drake (2014)
  Book 10 of Lt. Leary – ebook;
• Lies Sleeping Ben Aaronovitch (2017)
  Book 7 of Rivers of London – ebook;

March (13)

• Death’s Bright Day David Drake (2016)
  Book 11 of Lt. Leary – ebook;
• Tales from the Folly Ben Aaronovitch (2020)
  Book 0 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Though Hell Should Bar the Way David Drake (2018)
  Book 12 of Lt. Leary – ebook;
• When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain Nghi Vo (2020)
  Book 2 of The Singing Hills Cycle – ebook;
• Rivers of London: Body Work Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel (2016)
  Vol. 1, Issues 1–5 – graphic novel
• The Dreaming Stars Tim Pratt (2018)
  Book 2 of The Axiom – ebook;
• The Castlemaine Murders Kerry Greenwood (2003)
  Book 13 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• The Forbidden Stars Tim Pratt (2019)
  Book 8 of The Axiom – ebook;
• False Value Ben Aaronovitch (2020)
  Book 8 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• To Clear Away the Shadows David Drake (2019)
  Book 13 of Lt. Leary – ebook;
• Richard Bolitho: Midshipman Alexander Kent (1975)
  Book 1 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger Alexander Kent (1978)
  Book 2 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Band of Brothers Alexander Kent (2006)
  Book 3 of Bolitho – ebook;

April (10)

• Stand into Danger Alexander Kent (1980)
  Book 4 of Bolitho – ebook;
• City of Last Chances Adrian Tchaikovsky (2022)
  – ebook;
• In Gallant Company Alexander Kent (1977)
  Book 5 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Amongst Our Weapons Ben Aaronovitch (2022)
  Book 8 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Sloop of War Alexander Kent (1977)
  Book 6 of Bolitho – ebook;
• We Are Legion (We Are Bob) Dennis Taylor (2016)
  Book 1 of * Bobiverse* – ebook;
• In Fury Born David Weber (2006)
  – ebook; reread
• Sloop of War Alexander Kent (1967)
  Book 7 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Command a King’s Ship Alexander Kent (1973)
  Book 8 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Tsalmoth Steven Brust (2023)
  Book 16 of Vlad Taltos – ebook;

May (15)

• Fair Trade Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2022)
  Book 3 of Jethri Goblyn – ebook;
• Into the Riverlands Nghi Vo (2022)
  Book 3 of * The Singing Hills Cycle* – ebook;
• Drowned Country Emily Tesh (2022)
  Book 2 of Greenhollow Duology – ebook;
• Some Desperate Glory Emily Tesh (2023)
  – ebook;
• Passage to Mutiny Alexander Kent (1976)
  Book 9 of Bolitho – ebook;
• The Lost War Justin Lee Anderson (2022)
  Book 1 of Eidyn – ebook;
• The Atlas Paradox Olivia Blake (2022)
  Book 2 of Atlas Series – ebook;
• Mutineer’s Moon David Weber (1991)
  Book 1 of Dahak – ebook; reread
• The Armageddon Inheritance David Weber (1993)
  Book 2 of Dahak – ebook; reread
• Kushiel’s Chosen Jacqueline Carey (2011)
  Book 21 of Kushiel’s Legacy – ebook; reread
• Kushiel’s Avatar Jacqueline Carey (2011)
  Book 3 of Kushiel’s Legacy – ebook; reread
• Cyteen C. J. Cherryh (1988)
  Book 1 of Union – ebook; reread
• With All Despatch Alexander Kent (1988)
  Book 10 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Form Line Of Battle! Alexander Kent (1969)
  Book 11 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Enemy In Sight! Alexander Kent (1970)
  Book 12 of Bolitho – ebook;

June (11)

• The Flag Captain Alexander Kent (1971)
  Book 13 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Untethered Sky Fonda Lee (2023)
  – ebook;
• Signal—Close Action Alexander Kent (1974)
  Book 14 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Witch King Martha Wells (2023)
  – ebook;
• The The Inshore Squadron Alexander Kent (1978)
  Book 15 of Bolitho – ebook;
• A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe Alex White (2018)
  Book 1 of The Salvagers – ebook;
• The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross (2004)
  Book 1 of The Laundry – ebook; reread
• West of Honor Jerry Pournelle (1976)
  Book 1 of Falkenberg – ebook; reread
• Mercenary Jerry Pournelle (1977)
  Book 2 of Falkenberg – ebook; reread
• Prince of Mercenaries Jerry Pournelle (1989)
  Book 3 of Falkenberg – ebook; reread
• A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy Alex White (2018)
  Book 2 of The Salvagers – ebook;

July (10)

• Dune Frank Herbert (1965)
  – ebook; reread
• Rosemary and Rue Seanan McGuire (2009)
  Book 1 of October Daye – ebook;
• A Tradition of Victory Alexander Kent (1981)
  Book 16 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Translation State Ann Leckie (2023)
  Book 4 of Imperial Radch – ebook;
• A Local Habitation Seanan McGuire (2010)
  Book 2 of October Daye – ebook;
• Time for the Stars Robert A. Heinlein (1956)
  – ebook; reread
• The Better Part of Valor Tanya Huff (2002)
  Book 2 of Confederation – ebook; reread
• The Heart of Valor Tanya Huff (2007)
  Book 3 of Confederation – ebook; reread
• Valor’s Trial Tanya Huff (2008)
  Book 4 of Confederation – ebook; reread
• The Truth of Valor Tanya Huff (2010)
  Book 5 of Confederation – ebook; reread

August (11)

• An Artificial Night Seanan McGuire (2010)
  Book 3 of October Daye – ebook;
• Queen of the Flowers Kerry Greenwood (2004)
  Book 14 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• Success to the Brave Alexander Kent (1983)
  Book 17 of Bolitho – ebook;
• The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England Brandon Sanderson (2023)
  – ebook;
• The Blighted Stars Megan E. O’Keefe (2023)
  Book 1 of The Devoured Worlds – ebook;
• Phule’s Paradise Robert Asprin (1990)
  Book 1 of Phule’s Company – ebook; reread
• Fletcher’s Fortune John Drake (1992)
  Book 1 of Fletcher – ebook;
• Legends & Lattes Travis Baldree (2022)
  – ebook;
• Imperium Restored Walter Jon Williams (2022)
  Book 6 of Dread Empire’s Fall – ebook;
• Phule’s Company Robert Asprin (1990)
  Book 2 of Phule’s Company – ebook; reread
• Colours Aloft! Alexander Kent (1986)
  Book 18 of Bolitho – ebook;

September (9)

• The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle T. L. Huchu (2023)
  Book 3 of Edinburgh Nights – ebook;
• Lords of Uncreation Adrian Tchaikovsky (2023)
  Book 3 of The Final Architecture – ebook;
• Nevernight Jay Kristoff (2017)
  Book 1 of The Nevernight Chronicles – ebook; reread
• Godsgrave Jay Kristoff (2017)
  Book 2 of The Nevernight Chronicles – ebook; reread
• Darkdawn Jay Kristoff (2019)
  Book 3 of The Nevernight Chronicles – ebook; reread
• Late Eclipses Seanan McGuire (2011)
  Book 4 of October Daye – ebook;
• Starter Villain John Scalzi (2023)
  – ebook;
• Honour This Day Alexander Kent (1997)
  Book 19 of Bolitho – ebook;
• The Book That Wouldn’t Burn Mark Lawrence (2023)
  Book 1 of The Library Trilogy – ebook;

October (13)

• Killing Gravity Corey J. White (2017)
  Book 1 of Voidwitch Saga – ebook; reread
• Void Black Shadow Corey J. White (2018)
  Book 2 of Voidwitch Saga – ebook; reread
• Static Ruin Corey J. White (2018)
  Book 3 of Voidwitch Saga – ebook; reread
• One Salt Sea Seanan McGuire (2011)
  Book 5 of October Daye – ebook;
• The Goblin Emperor Katherine Addison (2014)
  Book 1 of The Goblin Emperor – ebook; reread
• The Witness for the Dead Katherine Addison (2021)
  Book 1 of The Cemeteries of Amalo – ebook; reread
• Go Tell the Spartans Jerry Pournelle & S.M. Stirling (1991)
  Book 4 of Falkenberg – ebook; reread
• The Grief of Stones Katherine Addison (2021)
  Book 2 of The Cemeteries of Amalo – ebook; reread
• Prince of Sparta Jerry Pournelle & S.M. Stirling (1993)
  Book 5 of Falkenberg – ebook; reread
• The Fifth Ward: First Watch Dale Lucas (2017)
  Book 1 of The Fifth Ward – ebook; reread
• The Fifth Ward: Friendly Fire Dale Lucas (2018)
  Book 2 of The Fifth Ward – ebook; reread
• Live Free or Die John Ringo (2010)
  Book 1 of Troy Rising – ebook; reread
• Citadel John Ringo (2010)
  Book 2 of Troy Rising – ebook; reread

November (8)

• The Hot Gate John Ringo (2011)
  Book 3 of Troy Rising – ebook; reread
• The Last Devil to Die Richard Osman (2023)
  Book 4 of A Thursday Murder Club Mystery – ebook;
• Mélusine Katherine Addison (2005)
  Book 1 of The Doctrine of Labyrinths – ebook;
• The Fractured Dark Megan E. O’Keefe (2023)
  Book 2 of The Devoured Worlds – ebook;
• The Virtu Katherine Addison (2006)
  Book 2 of The Doctrine of Labyrinths – ebook;
• The Only Victor Alexander Kent (1990)
  Book 20 of Bolitho – ebook;
• Ashes of Honor Seanan McGuire (2012)
  Book 6 of October Daye – ebook;
• The Mirador Katherine Addison (2007)
  Book 3 of The Doctrine of Labyrinths – ebook;

December (9)

• Chimes at Midnight Seanan McGuire (2013)
  Book 7 of October Daye – ebook;
• System Collapse Martha Wells (2023)
  Book 7 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook;
• Corambis Katherine Addison (2009)
  Book 4 of The Doctrine of Labyrinths – ebook;
• Scholar L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2011)
  Book 4 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Princeps L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2012)
  Book 5 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Imager’s Battalion L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2013)
  Book 6 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Antiagon Fire L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2013)
  Book 7 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Rex Regis L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2014)
  Book 8 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Madness in Solidar L.E.Modesitt Jr. (2015)
  Book 9 of The Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread

Show me the numbers!

Total read: 127

46 rereads
10.6 books/month
2.5 books/week
.35 books/day

Books by women: (15/45 authors)
Non SF/Fantasy: 23
Oldest 1956 (Time for the Stars Robert A. Heinlein)
1 print (a graphic novel)

40 different series
11 non-series books

Of Note

Some books that made an impression:

• Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series— I mentioned the first one last year and continued to consumed this series in huge gulps, always wanting more. It helps we’ve been watching a lot of British TV lately but I love Aaronovitch’s sense of wry humour and the premise of a magical cop is handled in a way that defies the trite “The perfect blend of CSI and Harry Potter”  promo line they keep using.
• I continued to read some of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s stand-alone fiction and really enjoyed City of Last Chances.
• The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson wrote a great story then upended it completely in the last few pages. The sequel is just out and I am actually trepidatious about reading it because it has the potential to go so wrong… or be absolutely fantastic if he gets it right.
• Babel by R. F. Kuang— I made Leslie read this one. Enough said.

Some other books that made an impression (not that I like the so much as they were noteworthy):

• Rivers of London: Body Work Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel — a graphic novel. Probably the first graphic novel I have ever read completely and the only hard copy book of the year. Still not my jam.
• The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England Brandon Sanderson—One of Sanderson’s big releases from his whole kickstarter thing. Meh. Not bad but I really didn’t see they anything other than a quick little project that was acceptable. It didn’t help that I read the ebook and it was chock-a-bloc full of graphics making it tedious to read on my poor little Kobo. That’s another trend that I don’t particularly admire.
• The much hyped and marketed Starter Villain by John Scalzi—It was a fun premise, well written and in no way a chore to read. But of any substance whatsoever? No. Scalzi himself alluded to it as sort of a post-Covid relief valve. I enjoyed it; but I was kind of  amused by the hype surrounding a throw-away book of the type that used to have me referring to my reading habits as “trashy sci-fi.” I do hope he writes more, but I think they should save the over-the-top accolades and marketing dollars for others.
• Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire and the rest of the series (I am up to book 8)—I started this based on a conversation with someone and it was well-written enough to become a habit. But is a habit a good enough excuse to continue on? So far McGuire is winning by continuing to suck me in… but I imagine the $22.99 price point for the latest in the series might be a stopper (more on this later).

Some non-SF and my continued whinging

This year I started in on the 30+ book series of Richard Bolitho. It’s another Napoleonic era, Age of Sail series that starts with a young Richard Bolitho as midshipman and follows his career. I am only up to Book 20 so I have a few more to go and I believe he moves on to the title characters nephew as the protagonist in the last few books…doesn’t look good for Richard’s health long term 🙂

The problem is that many of the books are geo-blocked in Canada. It really really grinds my gears that any book is geo-blocked, but when only some of the books in a series are available…well…that’s just bloody unacceptable. Needless to say I tried hard to get around it legitimately (i.e. actually pay for them ) but it proved impossible and I ended up downloading a bunch of crappy OCR’d versions and doing my best to clean them up. Ironically and irritatingly, a bunch of the later books finally showed up as available here in Canada so I bought them and chucked out all my work on the half-assed versions. Now if they will just release the rest…

I also added two more Phryne Fisher mysteries to the total to bring me up to book 15 and completely my list on non-SF/Fantasy reading.

Two more bitches

Prices: $23 dollars for an ebook? What the serious fuck?. Pricing a book used to be 5 x pp&b ( five times the print, paper and binding costs). If manufacturing a book cost $2/unit then the retail price would be around $10. This covered all the other  creation costs and paid the author a “fair” royalty. I know things have changed but creating an ebook is under a hundred dollars for unlimited copies…and probably much cheaper than that for the big guys. This is an outright money grab, trying to create “hardback”/ new release pricing around a purely digital product that in most cases YOU DON”T EVEN OWN!  The hardcover is only $37 for goodness sake… the pricing makes no sense! Sigh.

Romantasy: Seriously? Goodreads had it as an actual category in their Choice Awards this year… I can’t even.

Conclusions

Not much to say about books this year. I am trying to read more new books and more new authors. I think the tendency towards writing dense sci-fi and fantasy continues and when I am in the mood for it, it’s some pretty great stuff. But as much as I twit about Scalzi, it’s nice to read some good old fashioned, well-written schlock. Especially as we all recover from the mass trauma that was “Humanity during Covid.” So let’s hope there is plenty of that to read as well (although I realize I have decades of old stuff to catch up on so there is always something “schlocky to read 😉 )

Here’s to a lot of great books in 2024!

My fellow book counters: Dr. la ass dean 2023 book and music list and the one, the only, the original, Earl J. Woods’ Last But Not Least: Books I Read in 2023 .

Links to previous years’ book count posts:

• 2012 (85)
• 2013 (95)
• 2014 (106)
• 2015 (92)
• 2016 (101)
• 2017 (120)
• 2018 (142)
• 2019 (123)
• 2020 (112)
• 2021 (124)
• 2022 (136)

Last year’s title:

Books 2021—The Last Year of the Covid

Well…maybe not. …

These were the words I opened last year’s book count. Tempting fate much? Just before Xmas this year I caught a wicked cold… or did I?  Ya, it was probably Covid. Or else the wickedest cold with fever I’ve ever had. 3 years of avoidance and then poof. Sigh.

Relevant to this post? Well it means for the first time ever I will be finishing the year with some unfinished books. My brain has been a puddle and I really couldn’t make my way through Greg Bear’s conclusion to his highly philosophical War Dogs series. So Take Back the Sky will have to wait until 2023 to make it onto the list. I also have two Standard Books works-in-progress (The Blithedale Romance and Elmer Gantry) that can’t technically make it to the 2022 count due to fuzz-brain. Instead the last week I have been rereading old stuff who’s fluffiness suited the state of my brain cells. On the upside it gave me three or four extra titles that I probably wouldn’t have read in the usual course of events.

Le List

Books 2022

January (12)

• The Hot Gate: III John Ringo (2011)
  Book 3 of Troy Rising – ebook; reread
• The Blacktongue Thief Christopher Buehlman (2021)
  Book 1 of The Blacktongue Thief – ebook;
• On Basilisk Station David Weber (1992)
  Book 1 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• The Honor of the Queen David Weber (1993)
  Book 2 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• The Short Victorious War David Weber (1994)
  Book 3 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Field of Dishonor David Weber (1994)
  Book 4 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• Flag in Exile David Weber (1995)
  Book 5 of Honor Harrington – ebook; reread
• You Sexy Thing Cat Rambo (2022)
  – ebook;
• Dangerous Liaisons Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (1782)
  – ebook;
• The Kaiju Preservation Society John Scalzi (2022)
  – ebook; from galley
• The Stone in the Skull Elizabeth Bear (2017)
  Book 1 of The Lotus Kingdoms – ebook;
• The Red-Stained Wings Elizabeth Bear (2019)
  Book 2 of The Lotus Kingdoms – ebook;

February (10)

• The Origin of Storms Elizabeth Bear (2022)
  Book 3 of The Lotus Kingdoms – ebook; from galley
• Light From Uncommon Stars Ryka Aoki (2021)
  – ebook;
• Leviathan Falls James S. A. Corey (2021)
  Book 9 of Expanse – ebook;
• Death Before Wicket Kerry Greenwood (1999)
  Book 10 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook
• The Game Beyond Melissa Scott (1984)
  – ebook; reread
• All the Seas of the World Guy Gavriel Kay (2022)
  – ebook; from galley
• All Systems Red Martha Wells (2017)
  Book 1 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Artificial Condition Martha Wells (2018)
  Book 2 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Rogue Protocol Martha Wells (2018)
  Book 3 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Exit Strategy Martha Wells (2018)
  Book 4 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread

March (7)

• Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory Martha Wells (2020)
  Book 4.5 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Network Effect Martha Wells (2020)
  Book 5 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Fugitive Telemetry Martha Wells (2021)
  Book 6 of The Murderbot Diaries – ebook; reread
• Last Exit Max Gladstone (2022)
  – ebook; from galley
• Shards of Earth Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021)
  Book 1 of The Final Architecture – ebook;
• Foundation’s Edge Isaac Asimov (1982)
  Book 4 of Foundation – ebook; reread
• Golf Stories P.G. Wodehouse (1922)
  – ebook;

April (10)

• Eyes of the Void Adrian Tchaikovsky (2022)
  Book 2 of The Final Architecture – ebook; from galley
• She Stoops to Conquer Oliver Goldsmith (1773)
  – ebook;
• The Grief of Stones Katherine Addison (2022)
  Book 2 of The Cemeteries of Amalo – ebook; from galley
• Night Train to Rigel Timothy Zahn (2005)
  Book 1 of Quadrail – ebook; reread
• Away with the Fairies Kerry Greenwood (2001)
  Book 11 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook;
• Jade Legacy Fonda Lee (2021)
  Book 3 of The Green Bone Saga – ebook;
• The Library of the Dead T. L. Huchu (2021)
  Book 1 of Edinburgh Nights – ebook;
• The Phoenix Guards Steven Brust (1991)
  Book 1 of The Phoenix Guard – ebook; reread
• Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments T. L. Huchu (2022)
  Book 2 of Edinburgh Nights – ebook;
• Five Hundred Years After Steven Brust (1994)
  Book 2 of The Phoenix Guard – ebook; reread

May (20)

• Five Hundred Years After Steven Brust (1994)
  Book 2 of The Phoenix Guard – ebook; reread
• The Paths of the Dead Steven Brust (2002)
  Book 1 of The Viscount of Adrilankha – ebook; reread
• The Lord of Castle Black Steven Brust (2002)
  Book 2 of The Viscount of Adrilankha – ebook; reread
• Sethra Lavode Steven Brust (2003)
  Book 3 of The Viscount of Adrilankha – ebook; reread
• Jhereg Steven Brust (1983)
  Book 1 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Yendi Steven Brust (1884)
  Book 2 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Teckla Steven Brust (1987)
  Book 3 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Taltos Steven Brust (1988)
  Book 4 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Phoenix Steven Brust (1990)
  Book 5 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Athyra Steven Brust (1993)
  Book 6 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Orca Steven Brust (1996)
  Book 7 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Dragon Steven Brust (1998)
  Book 8 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Issola Steven Brust (2001)
  Book 9 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Dzur Steven Brust (2006)
  Book 10 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Jhegaala Steven Brust (2008)
  Book 11 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Iorich Steven Brust (2010)
  Book 12 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Tiassa Steven Brust (2011)
  Book 13 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Hawk Steven Brust (2014)
  Book 14 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Vallista Steven Brust (2017)
  Book 15 of Vlad Taltos – ebook; reread
• Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo (2015)
  Book 1 of Six of Crows – ebook;

June (17)

• Crooked Kingdom Leigh Bardugo (2016)
  Book 2 of Six of Crows – ebook;
• Sword of the Lamb M.K. Wren (1981)
  Book 1 of The Phoenix Legacy – ebook; reread
• Shadow of the Swan M.K. Wren (1981)
  Book 2 of The Phoenix Legacy – ebook; reread
• House of the Wolf M.K. Wren (1981)
  Book 3 of The Phoenix Legacy – ebook; reread
• Prince of Fools Mark Lawrence (2014)
  Book 1 of The Red Queen’s War – ebook;
• The Liar’s Key Mark Lawrence (2015)
  Book 2 of The Red Queen’s War – ebook;
• The Wheel of Osheim Mark Lawrence (2016)
  Book 3 of The Red Queen’s War – ebook;
• Sounding Dark Jo Graham (2021)
  Book 1 of The Calpurnian Wars – ebook;
• Dauntless Jack Campbell (2006)
  Book 1 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Fearless Jack Campbell (2007)
  Book 2 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Courageous Jack Campbell (2007)
  Book 3 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Valiant Jack Campbell (2008)
  Book 4 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Relentless Jack Campbell (2009)
  Book 5 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Victorious Jack Campbell (20010)
  Book 6 of The Lost Fleet – ebook; reread
• Rabbits Terry Miles (2021)
  – ebook;
• Scholar L.E. Modesitt (2011)
  Book 4 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Princeps L.E. Modesitt (2012)
  Book 5 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread

July (12)

• Imager’s Battalion L.E. Modesitt (2013)
  Book 6 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Busy Doing Nothing: 51 days from Japan to Canada Rekka Bellum & Devine Lu Linvega (2021)
  – ebook;
• Antiagon Fire L.E. Modesitt (2013)
  Book 7 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Regis Rex L.E. Modesitt (2014)
  Book 8 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Madness in Solidar L.E. Modesitt (2015)
  Book 9 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• The Thursday Murder Club: a Novel Richard Osman (2020)
  Book 1 of The Thursday Murder Club – ebook
• Valiant Dust Richard Baker (2017)
  Book 1 of Breaker of Empires – ebook;
• Restless Lightning Richard Baker (2018)
  Book 2 of Breaker of Empires – ebook;
• Orders of Battle Marko Kloos (2020)
  Book 7 of Frontlines – ebook;
• Centers of Gravity Marko Kloos (2022)
  Book 2 of Frontlines – ebook; from galley
• Treachery’s Tools L.E. Modesitt (2016)
  Book 10 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Scornful Stars Richard Baker (2019)
  Book 3 of Breaker of Empires – ebook;

August (13)

• Assassin’s Price L.E. Modesitt (2017)
  Book 11 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Endgame L.E. Modesitt (2019)
  Book 12 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Vic’s Vultures Scott Warren (2016)
  Book 1 of Union Earth Privateers – ebook;
• The Conscious Lovers Richard Steele (1722)
  – ebook;
• A Blessing of Unicorns Elizabeth Bear (2020)
  Book 2 of Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries – ebook;
• The Man Who Died Twice Richard Osman (2021)
  Book 2 of The Thursday Murder Club – ebook
• Murder in Montparnasse Kerry Greenwood (2002)
  Book 12 of Phryne Fisher Mysteries – ebook
• Trouble and Her Friends Melissa Scott (1994)
  – ebook; reread
• Imager L.E. Modesitt (2009)
  Book 1 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Imager’s Challenge L.E. Modesitt (2009)
  Book 2 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Imager’s Intrigue L.E. Modesitt (2010)
  Book 3 of Imager Portfolio – ebook; reread
• Revolt 2100 Robert A. Heinlein (1953)
  – ebook; reread
• In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns Elizabeth Bear (2017)
  Book 1 of Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries – ebook;

September (8)

• Tunnel in the Sky Robert A. Heinlein (1955)
  – ebook; reread
• The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Robert A. Heinlein (1955)
  – ebook; reread
• The Rolling Stones Robert A. Heinlein (1952)
  – ebook; reread
• I will Fear No Evil Robert A. Heinlein (1970)
  – ebook; reread
• Stranger in a Strange Land Robert A. Heinlein (1961)
  – ebook; reread
• Methuselah’s Children Robert A. Heinlein (1958)
  – ebook; reread
• Time Enough For Love Robert A. Heinlein (1973)
  – ebook; reread
• Ancillary Justice Ann Leckie (2013)
  Book 1 of Imperial Radch – ebook; reread

October (7)

• Ancillary Sword Ann Leckie (2014)
  Book 2 of Imperial Radch – ebook; reread
• Ancillary Mercy Ann Leckie (2015)
  Book 3 of Imperial Radch – ebook; reread
• A Deadly Education Naomi Novik (2022)
  Book 3 of Scholomance – ebook;
• The Bullet that Missed Richard Osman (2022)
  Book 3 of The Thursday Murder Club – ebook
• War Dogs Greg Bear (2015)
  Book 1 of War Dogs – ebook; reread
• The Spare Man Mary Robinette Kowal (2022)
  – ebook;
• The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch (2006)
  Book 1 of Locke Lamora – ebook; reread

November (8)

• Midnight Riot Ben Aaronovitch (2011)
  Book 1 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• Killing Titan Greg Bear (2015)
  Book 2 of War Dogs – ebook;
• Terminal Peace Jim C. Hines (2022)
  Book 3 of Janitors of the Post-Apolcalypse – ebook;
• The Bayern Agenda Dan Moren (2019)
  Book 1 of Galactic Cold War – ebook;
• Dance with the Devil Kit Rocha (2022)
  Book 3 of Mercenary Librarians – ebook;
• The Empress of Salt and Fortune Nghi Vo (2020)
  Book 1 of The Singing Hills Cycle – ebook;
• Moon Over Soho Ben Aaronovitch (2011)
  Book 2 of Rivers of London – ebook;
• The Practice Effect David Brin (1984)
  – ebook; reread

December (12)

• March Upcountry David Weber & John Ringo (2001)
  Book 1 of Empire of Man – ebook; reread
• March to the Sea David Weber & John Ringo (2001)
  Book 2 of Empire of Man – ebook; reread
• March to the Stars David Weber & John Ringo (2002)
  Book 3 of Empire of Man – ebook; reread
• We Few David Weber & John Ringo (2005)
  Book 4 of Empire of Man – ebook; reread
• The Atlas Six Olivie Blake (2021)
  Book 1 of Atlas – ebook;
• The Man Who Sold the Moon Robert A. Heinlein (1950)
  – ebook; reread
• Orphans of the Sky Robert A. Heinlein (1941)
  – ebook; reread
• Tiger Burning Bright Marion Zimmer Bradley & Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey (1995)
  – ebook; reread
• The Goblin Emperor Katherine Addison (2014)
  – ebook; reread
• Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance Lois McMaster Bujold (2012)
  Book 12 of Miles Vorkosigan – ebook; reread
• Old Man’s War John Scalzi (2005)
  Book 1 of Old Man’s War – ebook; reread
• The Ghost Brigades John Scalzi (2006)
  Book 2 of Old Man’s War – ebook; reread

((\
(-.-)
o_(“)(“)

Show me the numbers!

Total read: 136

rereads 84
11.33 books/month
2.6 books/week
.372 books/day

Books by women: 38 (23/52 new books)
Non SF/Fantasy: 9
Oldest 1722 (The Conscious Lovers)

Of Note

These books made a real impression on me in 2022:

• T. L. Huchu’s  Edinburgh Nights series —a magically talented youngster on the down and out making her way through the world with her side-hustles.
• The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman — classic thief fantasy but I really enjoyed it.
• The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo — a novella where the story of a recently dead queen is told by/to an itinerant monk whose job it is to record history. Looking forward to future books in the series.
• Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki — I don’t know what to say. It deserves all the accolades it’s received. It would be a hard sell to anyone based on a synopsis but it does everything it tries to do — supremely well.

Mysteries and Procedurals

I also expanded my foray into non-sf/fantasy by adding in a few more series of mysteries.

• Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fischer — I am still plugging my way through these. Fun fluff.
• Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club series — we became big Richard Osman’s fans by watching his unlikely TV show Richard Osman’s House of Games. So when I saw he had written a book, and a murder mystery at that I immediately got it for L. Then I read it and the follow ups. Delightful in that British sort of way.
• Ben Aaronovitch’s  Rivers of London series — speaking of British. L had taken Book One of this series from the library and I happened to read the synopsis: “Midnight Riot is what would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz. It is a hilarious, keenly imagined caper.” Not, as it turns out, a very accurate description but it is funny, very British and the kind of writing that keeps making you go “ooh, that’s clever” Technically fantasy though…

Some Meh

I’d read War Dogs by Greg Bear years ago and remembered being disappointed by its ending. Turns out that’s because it was a book 1 of a series. Who knew? But trying to get through the sequels has been a slog and I think I might have been better off with leaving it alone.

L had wanted to read Mary Robinette Kowal’s latest The Spare Man despite my warning that the Lady Astronaut series was an anomaly for her. I should have taken my own advice. The very epitome of meh. Not bad, but not really my schtick — as I knew it wouldn’t be…

I took a look at another self published author: Scott Warren and the first book in a series: Vic’s Vultures. I won’t condemn it outright and I might give book 2 a go when I am feeling generous but man, oh man this is the kind of situation where you would see a professional editor shine. The book really, really needed a good substantive edit and some serious tightening.

Some Reviews

Speaking of my opinion, I tried some reviewing this year by signing up for NetGalley and then building a sub-site to host my critical pretensions: https://macblaze.ca/books/ Check it out if you are bored — I only managed 13 reviews before life kicked in. Hopefully I will take it up again in 2023.

A Side Note

Busy Doing Nothing: 51 days from Japan to Canada by Rekka Bellum & Devine Lu Linvega is another self-published work I read. I met these two “virtually” back in 2015 and since then they took their 33-foot sailboat down to Mexico, across to Polynesia, up to Japan and back home to Victoria. The book is their story of the long trip home from Japan. A great read that really captures the highs and lows of long-distance cruising (at least as far as I can tell from other reading…I’m not that crazy). We got to meet them in person up in Desolation Sound this spring and they really are a fascinating pair. (https://hundredrabbits.itch.io/busy-doing-nothing)

In Conclusion

I swore I had read more new books and I really would have sworn I read more books by women. But I think all the series rereads I did (e.g. Honor Harrington, Vlad Taltos, The Lost Fleet, The Imager Portfolio, The Empire of Man — that’s almost 50 books there) skewed both of those numbers.  But as noted above, if you only count new books I did come close to 50% on women authors.

Why do I care? I don’t particularly. Many, many of the favourite authors from my my youth were (or turned out to be) women. But I think that actually worked against me and I’ve assumed they made up a large chunk of the writers I consume. Turns out all this counting  has proven me very, very wrong on that point. I occasionally rebel (in my head) against the real effort towards diversity that sf/fantasy publishers are consciously making these days and a bit of counting goes a long way to proving they’re right and I’m wrong. Thank you Sesame Street‘s The Count for a lesson well taught 🙂

So keep reading, try to ignore the name/spelling/gender/ethnicity or even flavour/politics/online persona etc. of the author and trust the publishers, they actually do know what they are doing (another strike against self-publishing I guess). There is way, way more good stuff out there than bad.

My fellow book counters: Dr. Leslie’s 2022 book and music list and the one, the only, the original, Earl J. Woods’ Books I Read in 2022 .

Links to previous years’ book count posts:

• 2012 (85)
• 2013 (95)
• 2014 (106)
• 2015 (92)
• 2016 (101)
• 2017 (120)
• 2018 (142)
• 2019 (123)
• 2020 (112)
• 2021 (124)

I guess I’ve earned my pay for this month anyway 🙂

1000 … mille … eintausend … mil …

Well that’s that. I just hit the 1000 book mark in my ebook library. The lucky winner was Stanislaw Lew’s Cyberiad which I acquired after a recommendation from book #996: Busy Doing Nothing: 51 days from Japan to Canada by Rekka Bellum & Devine Lu Linvega.

I haven’t read it yet—my to-be-read pile is unfortunately starting to grow again, but hopefully I won’t let it get out of control again.

I have only been collecting ebooks since ~2010, so the fact that it surpasses my 862 paperbacks that I have been collecting since my teens is, well, remarkable. I guess it doesn’t hurt that a bunch are open source and some were free.

Anyway, there you have it: the beginning of my second thousand…

The State of Ebooks Update

Standard Ebooks

I continue to make ebooks for Standard although my rate has slowed down. This is mostly due to choosing longer projects instead of sticking to plays. I think I am on number 38 now (a collection of Wodehouse’s golf stories). I also do reviews of others’ submissions, which is this weird mishmash of proofreading, code checking and editorial oversight—a combination of skills I didn’t think would be all that easy to acquire.

All in all I enjoy it immensely and intend to keep participating for the foreseeable future.

Bright Wing Media

Back just before the new year I interviewed with Bright Wing for a job I hadn’t applied for. That didn’t turn out (afaik they just didn’t fill the position) but I kept gently reminding them of my existence and finally picked up some work. So far I have created/remediated four public domain ebooks for them: Theodore Dreiser – An American Tragedy, Charles Dickens – Bleak House, Elizabeth Gaskell – North and South and T.E. Lawrence – Seven Pillars of Wisdom. And it looks like I have another project in the pipeline for next week and it might even be something original this time. Hopefully this will turn into an ongoing gig.

It’s been interesting work, mostly for the understanding of different publisher’s systems and requirements and I was finally forced to learn to use Sigil (which I had played around with previously but ultimately ignored in favour of using a straight-up text editor).

The General State of Ebooks

This (different publishers’ systems and requirements) brings me to an important topic that I am trying to learn/participate in/promote. Just a disclaimer first, this is a huge topic and well worth a much, much longer post, but I am just going to give you a bit of a rant and leave the meat of the issue for later.

Ebook Accessibility

A traditional bound book sucks for accessibility. You need two good hands and two good eyes to read it. You could probably get away with one of each but the experience starts to deteriorate rapidly. But what could you do? But ebooks, ah, ebooks offer a world of possibilities, don’t they?

Way back when, when ebooks were in a fledgling state and sales were minimal, publishers embraced ebooks reluctantly and, quite frankly, poorly. But these days — sadly (to me) much under the influence of that monolith of capitalism Amazon — ebook sales have increased to over 20% of a publisher’s total book sales revenue. The books themselves are getting more and more sophisticated in design and format and the readers much more ubiquitous.

Industry standard programs lie Adobe Indesign has made great strides in their approach to converting a print book to digital format and many other tools have continued to progress to the point where creating an ebook is relatively simple for any publisher.

In conjunction with all that the issue of accessibility has also continued to be addressed and many working groups like NNELS here in Canada, Accessible Books Consortium, The DAISY Consortium
Creating the best way to read and publish, Benetech, and the World Wide Web Consortium have all been working together to develop and modify standards that will hopefully help the broadest swath of disadvantaged readers.

As a result there exists now a robust standard now that allows an ebook to be created in a way that helps various technologies to present the material to make the experience enjoyable and fluid for a broad range of disabilities.

Great stuff.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is change is hard and publishers are stubborn.

I know, I know, that’s not totally fair but it is a realistic overview of the situation. In order to create a born-accessible ebook certain jobs have to shift around, new skill sets have to be learned and priorities have to change. To remediate old ebooks to the current standard takes more money, more time and an even more specialized skillset. All this costs money and time and most small publishers don’t have either. The big ones — the ones who should be showing leadership and have a bit more money — are a bit more on the stubborn side if you ask me; although I admit shifting a production process is infinitely harder when you produce 1000 books a year than when you produce 10.

Still, you get the point.

What’s the solution?

Hah, if I knew that I would be a lot richer than I am now. But…

1. First they need to look at the problem from a different angle. It’s all just code and if there is anything this world has a lot of, its coders. It’s not that hard to automate a lot of this — working Standard has taught me that.
2. Second we need to stop focussing on profit. There is no profit incentive for wheelchair ramps, braille letters on elevators or TTY machines. Just invest in making the process easy and publishers will fall in line and someone will figure out how to make money from it later.
3. Publishing needs to grasp that change is good and rearranging and retraining some key personnel will make this go a lot smoother — and they will eventually reap the benefits of that change. Personally I don’t believe it means hiring more people or spending more money. It’s no worse that the transition to desktop publishing from paste up — eventually the benefits spoke for themselves.
4. And finally, and most importantly someone needs to conk the standard setters on the head and remind them that just because standards organization have been speaking in something even worse than legalese for decades, that it really, really isn’t helping anyone. In fact, even for me, it is a huge disincentive.

You’d think if the technology types could sit with the communication types to make the process clear and then the government types provided a bit of money then this would straighten itself out pretty quick. Right, I know. Lol.

But I watched a panel a while back talking about the issues surrounding ebook remediation and two things struck me.

1. Someone said that publishers can’t expect to retain people with all the right skillsets. Granted he was talking about the broader idea of accessibility and that included braille, audio books, etc. as well as accessible ebooks but still… It’s not that hard to train/find people to understand standards, code and software as well as design and traditional production — we already did that once back in the 90s. It’s not hard or unreasonable, it’s just different and, again, I acknowledge change is hard. I don’t know what the design schools are teaching these days but this really should be a priority.
2. The person who represented small publishers said she had gone through a back-and-forth process with NNELS to produce a fully compliant accessible ebook and she now has a template. As a result their ebook production time and difficulty has decreased significantly. Exactly. Set a standard and follow it. Any press could do that and if the template was freely available and easily customizable, well…

Of course it’s not always that simple. Especially if you are dealing with textbooks, or specialized publications that require a lot extra coding. But there is absolutely no excuse for producing a traditional fiction-style ebook that is not fully compliant with the accessibility standards. None. It’s just ignorance and/or laziness.

And we can fix both of those. So let’s…

P.S. My biggest issue remains the kind of communication and misinformation that surrounds the whole ebook production process. It’s just not that hard, and making an ebook accessible in the first place (or remediating old ones if you have to) is currently wrapped in some sort of mystique and arcane-ness — and a whole lot of mumbo-jumbo. Again, to me, it comes down to piss poor communication and misguided advocacy in an age where driving public perception, propaganda, and manipulating the message have reached a high art. I can’t help thinking it’s a matter of mistaken priorities.

P.P.S. If you want to learn more about ebook production, coding and even what’s necessary to meet the standards, I encourage you to take a swing at volunteering for Standard Ebooks. There is a great step-by-step and I have even written a guide on how to go about getting started for those of us more editor and less coder.

John Scalzi had a problem and that problem was myriad: Covid, politics and a whole lot of writer’s block. So he decided to pull the plug on his current project despite contractual obligations. Then he had his own The Big Idea (The Big Idea is Scalzi’s vehicle on his blog that gives a platform to other writers to talk about what inspired their latest work.) And the The Kaiju Preservation Society was born (hatched? produced?). Don’t skip the Afterword on this one, it contains a lot of interesting tidbits and insight into the process.

The The Kaiju Preservation Society is set in a near-present-day period and features an aspiring academic who ends up in a go-nowhere gig-economy job during Covid. Until one day a “client” offers him an interesting proposition. What follows is fun, fast-paced and above all the signature Scalzi brand of clever. Throughout the book Scalzi plays with words, tropes and cultural references while weaving a delightful tale that is easy on the brain, yet satisfying and ultimately a darn good read.

In this book, Scalzi depends less on fancy technology or science-fictiony elements and leans heavily on his (admittedly slightly absurd) premise to force his characters to move the story along. It becomes one long string of what-ifs that, in aggregate reads more like a 70s adventure/spy novel than anything else. Given Scalzi was going for a “fun” read, I think that was an excellent choice. I certainly enjoyed the ride.

If this is your first venture into Scalzi’s oeuvre then you won’t be disappointed (unless perhaps you don’t like light-hearted romps) and if you are a long-time reader then, well, it’s 100% pure Scalzi.

Also posted on Goodreads