What I read in 2013
I recorded my reading in 2012 and decided to do it again in 2013.

The count is slightly higher this year, although given my lack of gainful employment for a portion of the year it really should be more.

The Books

(appearing in the order they were read)
Ghost Ship Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2011)
Liaden Universe – ebook; reread

Dragon Ship Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2012)
Liaden Universe – ebook; reread

The Shadowed Sun N.K. Jemesin (2013)
Dreamblood Book 2 – ebook;

Furious Mike Shepherd (2012)
Kris Longknife Book 10 – ebook;

Harlequins Moon Brenda Cooper & Larry Niven (2012)
– ebook;

Spartan Planet A. Bertram Chandler (1969)
John Grimes – ebook;

The Inheritors A. Bertram Chandler (1972)
John Grimes – ebook;

The Big Black Mark A. Bertram Chandler (1975)
John Grimes – ebook; reread

The Far Traveler A. Bertram Chandler (1979)
John Grimes – ebook; reread

The Clan Corporate Charles Stross (2006)
Merchant Princes Book 3 – ebook;

Green Jay Lake (2009)
Green Series Book 1 – ebook;

The Merchant’s War Charles Stross (2007)
Merchant Princes Book 4 – ebook;

Endurance Jay Lake (2011)
Green Series Book 2 – ebook;

The Revolution Business Charles Stross (2009)
Merchant Princes Book 5 – ebook;

Kalimpura Jay Lake (2013)
Green Series Book 3 – ebook;

The Trade of Queens Charles Stross (2010)
Merchant Princes Book 6 – ebook;

Honor Among Enemies David Weber (1996)
Honor Harrington Series Book 6 – ebook; reread

In Enemy Hands David Weber (1997)
Honor Harrington Series Book 7 – ebook; reread

Echoes of Honor David Weber (1998)
Honor Harrington Series Book 8 – ebook; reread

Ashes of Victory David Weber (2000)
Honor Harrington Series Book 9 – ebook; reread

the Jazz Melissa Scott (2000)
– ebook;

Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance Lois McMaster Bujold (2012)
Miles Vorkosigan Series Book 13 – ebook; reread

The Curse of Chalion Lois McMaster Bujold (2001)
Chalion Book 1 – ebook; reread

Paladin of Souls Lois McMaster Bujold (2003)
Chalion Book 2 – ebook; reread

Tuf Voyaging George R.R. Martin (1986)
– ebook; reread

Star Courier A. Bertram Chandler (1988)
John Grimes – ebook;

To Keep the Ship A. Bertram Chandler (1978)
John Grimes – ebook;

Matilda’s Stepchildren A. Bertram Chandler (1979)
John Grimes – ebook;

Star Loot A. Bertram Chandler (1980)
John Grimes – ebook; reread

The Anarch Lords A. Bertram Chandler (1981)
John Grimes – ebook;

The Last Amazon A. Bertram Chandler (1984)
John Grimes – ebook;

The Wild Ones A. Bertram Chandler (1985)
John Grimes – ebook;

Catch the Star Winds A. Bertram Chandler (1969)
John Grimes – ebook;

Poor Man’s Fight Elliot Kay (2013)
– ebook (self-published);

Terms of Enlistment Marko Kloos (2013)
– ebook (self-published);

For the Win Cory Doctorow (2010)
– ebook;

The Human Division John Scalzi (2013)
Old Man’s War – ebook;

Heroes Die Matthew Stover (1998)
The Acts of Caine Book 1 – ebook;

Cobra Slave Timothy Zahn (2013)
Cobra Rebellion Book 1 – ebook;

Agent of Vega and Other Stories James H. Schmitz (2001)
– ebook;

Dragon And Thief Timothy Zahn (2003)
Dragonback Book 1 – ebook;

Dragon and Soldier Timothy Zahn (2004)
Dragonback Book 2 – ebook;

Dragon and Slave Timothy Zahn (2005)
Dragonback Book 3 – ebook;

Limits of Power Elizabeth Moon (2013)
Legacy of Paladins Book4 – ebook;

The Blade of Tyshalle Matthew Stover (2001)
The Acts of Caine Book 2 – ebook;

Caine Black Knife Matthew Stover (2008)
The Acts of Caine Book 3 – ebook;

Caine’s Law Matthew Stover (2012)
The Acts of Caine Book 4 – ebook;

Trade Secret e-ARC Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2013)
Liaden Book – ebook;

Freedom’s Landing Anne McCaffrey (1995)
The Freedom Series Book 1 – ebook;

Deadman Switch Timothy Zahn (1988)
– ebook;

Monster Hunter Vendetta Larry Correia (2010)
Monster Hunters International Book 2 – ebook;

The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross (2004)
The Laundry Files Book 1 – ebook;

Manta’s Gift Timothy Zahn (2002)
– ebook;

The Paladin C.J. Cherry (1998)
– ebook; reread

The WarSlayer Rosemary Edghill (2002)
– ebook;

Tiassa Stephen Brust (2011)
Vlad Taltos Book 13 – ebook; reread

The Course of Empire Eric Flint and K.D. Wentworth (2003)
Jao Empire Series Book 1 – ebook;

The Crucible of Empire Eric Flint and K.D. Wentworth (2010)
Jao Empire Series Book 2 – ebook;

Dragon and Herdsman Timothy Zahn (2006)
Dragonback Series Book 4 – ebook;

Dragon and Judge Timothy Zahn (2007)
Dragonback Series Book 5 – ebook;

The Jennifer Morgue Charles Stross (2011)
The Laundry Files Book 2 – ebook;

Red Seas Under Red Skies Scott Lynch (2007)
Locke Lamora Book 2 – ebook;

Only Superhuman Christopher L. Bennett (2012)
– ebook;

Old Nathan David Drake (1991)
– ebook;

The Incrementalists Steven Brust & Skyler White (2013)
– ebook;

Seven for a Secret Elizabeth Bear (2009)
New Amsterdam – ebook;

The White City Elizabeth Bear (2011)
New Amsterdam – ebook;

A Passage of Stars Kate Elliot (1990)
Highroad Trilogy Book 1 – ebook;

The Warriors Apprentice Lois McMaster Bujold (1986)
Miles Vorkosigan Book 1 – ebook; reread

The Vor Game Lois McMaster Bujold (1990)
Miles Vorkosigan Book 2 – ebook; reread

The Hallowed Hunt Lois McMaster Bujold (2005)
Chalion Book 3 – ebook; reread

The Tyrant David Drake & Eric Flint (2002)
Raj WhiteHall – ebook; reread

March Upcountry David Weber & John Ringo (2001)
Empire of Man Book 1 – ebook; reread

March to the Sea David Weber & John Ringo (2002)
Empire of Man Book 2 – ebook; reread

March to the Stars David Weber & John Ringo (2003)
Empire of Man Book 3 – ebook; reread

We Few David Weber & John Ringo (2005)
Empire of Man Book 4 – ebook; reread

Draw One In the Dark Sarah A. Hoyt (2006)
Shifter Series Book 1 – ebook;

Stormdancer Jay Kristoff (2012)
The Lotus Wars Book 1 – ebook;

Come and Take Them Tom Kratman (2013)
A Desert Called Peace Book 5 – ebook;

Kinslayer Jay Kristoff (2013)
The Lotus Wars Book 2 – ebook;

Under a Graveyard Sky John Ringo (2013)
Black Tide Rising Book 1 – ebook;

To Sail a Darkling Sea eARC John Ringo (2014)
Black Tide Rising Book 2 – ebook;

Live Free or Die John Ringo (2010)
Troy Rising Book 1 – ebook; reread

Citadel John Ringo (2011)
Troy Rising Book 2 – ebook; reread

The Hot Gate John Ringo (2011)
Troy Rising Book 3 – ebook; reread

An Oblique Approach David Drake & Eric Flint (1998)
Belisarius Book 1 – ebook; reread

In the Heart of Darkness David Drake & Eric Flint (1998)
Belisarius Book 2 – ebook; reread

Destiny’s Shield David Drake & Eric Flint (1999)
Belisarius Book 3 – ebook; reread

Fortune’s Stroke David Drake & Eric Flint (2000)
Belisarius Book 4 – ebook; reread

The Tide of Victory David Drake & Eric Flint (2001)
Belisarius Book 5 – ebook; reread

The Dance of Time David Drake & Eric Flint (2006)
Belisarius Book 6 – ebook; reread

Stand By For Mars! Carey Rockwell (1952)
Tom Corbett Space Cadet Book 1 – ebook; reread

Galactic Bounty William C. Dietz (1984)
Sam McCade Book 1 – ebook;

Danger in Deep Space! Carey Rockwell (1953)
Tom Corbett Space Cadet Book 2 – ebook;

A Call to Duty eArc David Weber & Timothy Zahn (2014)
Manticore Ascendant Book 1 – ebook;

95 books; .26 books a day; 1.8 books a week
62 new titles
33 rereads

Once again my move to ebooks has been made manifest: I read zero bound books this year. It wasn’t my intention but I always reached for the convenience of an ebook when it was time to choose a new book. My eyes are getting bad and changing type size for light conditions is a bonus. I did take a few bound books along on trips as a backup but never needed them.

I added a Nexus 7 (Android) to my collection of readers and synch that from Calibre (still awesome!) using their wireless content server function. I also picked up a new Sony PRS T1 as the battery on my old Sony was starting to go. I have started to use its wireless function with the content server as well since it doesn’t need to be plugged in all that often. I do 99% of my evening reading on the Sony and most of the daytime on either the iPad or the Nexus. It took me quite a bit of experimenting with Android’s store to choose a reader but I settled on the Calibre Companion app to manage the books and FB Reader to read them. You can say a lot about the ‘open’ nature of Android but it is actually more of a pain to choose a good ereader from the dozens available than it is to be stuck with Apple’s default choice. I mean the reviews are worthless and you actually have to use it to read something to test out the functionality properly; that makes a quick and obvious choice almost impossible.

THe iPad’s Books app continues to drain the battery like hell but I didn’t upgrade to the iPad Air like I intended so I have no idea if that has been fixed in iOS 7. I also did more reading on my iPhone this year: generally when I was waiting in line or had a few moments to myself.

I also have been experimenting with audio books, listening to Isaac Asimov’s Foundations series in the truck. It has a bluetooth connection to my iPhone so I can just have it start up the book whenever I am driving alone. I suppose I might add another book to the total based on that experiment but we will leave that question to next year.

This year most of my purchases were either Baen or Kobo. I did pick up a few from a new venture Open Road Media but their list is still pretty limited. I am much happier with Kobo’s new store but seriously, what kind of book store won’t let you sort by Author? Ridiculous! I admit to spending time in Chapters for research and then coming home and downloading the books. Really… have the engineers and programmers at Kobo never been to a books store? Gah!

And I am still madly in love with Baen’s eArcs. It is totally worth the extra money to read a book early. To be true the best and worst thing about genre fiction (SF/Fantasy most especially) is the serial nature of the narratives. But damn, sometimes it hard to wait for a book to come out.

I also picked up two self published books based on online recommendations (Poor Man’s Fight by Elliott Kay and Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos) and was pretty satisfied. You can see that the lack of a good editor does affect the overall quality but all in all the books were definitely readable and nowhere near as bad as the worst of the traditionally published books I have encountered. I have picked up the Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey for the new year and have great hopes; it has had rave reviews.

According to Calibre I made 77 acquisitions since January 1st 2012. There were a couple of freebies, some open source stuff from the University of Adelaide‘s excellent ebook library and the majority bought and paid for. I think my spending has actually gone up since I forsook paperbacks.

After a few Xmas purchases (thanks Zak!) my total ebook count is now up to 318:

So there you have it, another successful reading year just shy of the elusive 100.

Ta-Da!

****

For information’s sake, find L’s end-of-year summary here…

macblaze.ca

Books 2013

The Books