Books I have read — 2018

Well it look like this is the seventh year I have been recording my ‘books read.’ One of the things I have noticed is that I am actually rushing through books occasionally or choosing to not read some of the longer 500+ page books because they might affect my count—seems we humans can become competitive with anything, even counting books. So I am seriously considering giving up the counting. On the other hand, as you will see, I blew my previous numbers out of the water so…who knows what 2019 holds except, obviously, more books.

So without further ado, here are the books of 2018:

January

Issola Steven Brust (2001)
Vlad Taltos Book 9 – ebook; reread

Dzur Steven Brust (2006)
Vlad Taltos Book 10 – ebook; reread

Jhegaala Steven Brust (2008)
Vlad Taltos Book 11 – ebook; reread

Iorich Steven Brust (2010)
Vlad Taltos Book 12 – ebook; reread

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

Hawk Steven Brust (2014)
Vlad Taltos Book 14 – ebook; reread

First Watch Dale Lucas (2017)
The Fifth Ward Book 1 – ebook;

Fortune’s Pawn Rachel Bach (2013)
Paradox Book 1 – ebook; reread

Honor’s Knight Rachel Bach (2014)
Paradox Book 2 – ebook; reread

Heaven’s Queen Rachel Bach (2014)
Paradox Book 3 – ebook; reread

Oath of Swords David Weber (1995)
War God Book 1 – ebook; reread

The War God’s Own David Weber (1998)
War God Book 2 – ebook; reread

Wind Rider’s Oath David Weber (2004)
War God Book 3 – ebook; reread

February

War Maid’s Choice David Weber (2012)
War God Book 4 – ebook; reread

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

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Mark Twain (1889)
– audiobook; reread

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

The Time Machine H.G Wells (1895)
– audiobook;

Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling (1902)
– audiobook;

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

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

The Hounds of Baskerville Arthur Conan Doyle (1902)
– audiobook;

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

The Happy Prince and Other Tales Oscar Wilde (1888)
– audiobook;

March

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

Killing Gravity Corey J. White (2017)
Voidwitch Saga Book 1 – ebook;

Assassin’s Fate Robin Hobb (2017)
The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy Book 3 – ebook;

Valor’s Choice Tanya Huff (2000)
Confederation Book 1 – ebook; reread

The Better Part of Valor Tanya Huff (2002)
Confederation Book 2 – ebook; reread

The Heart of Valor Tanya Huff (2007)
Confederation Book 3 – ebook; reread

Valor’s Trial Tanya Huff (2008)
Confederation Book 4 – ebook; reread

The Truth of Valor Tanya Huff (2010)
Confederation Book 5 – ebook; reread

An Ancient Peace Tanya Huff (2015)
Peacekeepers Book 1 – ebook; reread

April

An Peace Divided Tanya Huff (2017)
Peacekeepers Book 2 – ebook; reread

Good Guys Steven Brust (2018)
– ebook;

Karen Memory Elizabeth Bear (2015)
Karen Memory Book 1 – ebook; reread

Stone Mad Elizabeth Bear (2018)
Karen Memory Book 2 – ebook;

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

A Call to Arms David Weber, Timothy Zahn (2015)
Manticore Ascendant Book 2 – ebook; reread

A Call to Vengeance David Weber, Timothy Zahn, Thomas Pope (2018)
Manticore Ascendant Book 3 – ebook;

Neogenesis Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2017)
Liaden Book 21 – ebook;

May

Wizard’s Bane Rick Cook (1989)
Wiz Biz Book 1 – ebook; reread

Wizardry Compiled Rick Cook (1989)
Wiz Biz Book 2 – ebook; reread

Wizardry Cursed Rick Cook (1991)
Wiz Biz Book 3 – ebook; reread

Wizardry Consulted Rick Cook (1995)
Wiz Biz Book 4 – ebook; reread

The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde (1891)
– audiobook;

Wizardry Quested Rick Cook (1996)
Wiz Biz Book 5 – ebook; reread

Three Parts Dead Max Gladstone (2012)
The Craft Sequence Book 1 – ebook;

Two Serpents Rise Max Gladstone (2013)
The Craft Sequence Book 2 – ebook;

Full Fathom Five Max Gladstone (2014)
The Craft Sequence Book 3 – ebook;

Last First Snow Max Gladstone (2015)
The Craft Sequence Book 4 – ebook;

June

Four Roads Cross Max Gladstone (2016)
The Craft Sequence Book 5 – ebook;

All Systems Red Martha Wells (2017)
Murderbot Diaries Book 1 – ebook;

Void Black Shadow James Corey (2018)
Void Witch Book 2 – ebook;

Ruin of Angels Max Gladstone (2017)
The Craft Sequence Book 6 – ebook;

On Basilisk Station David Weber (1992)
Honor Harrington Book 1 – ebook; reread

The Honor of the Queen David Weber (1993)
Honor Harrington Book 2 – ebook; reread

The Short Victorious War David Weber (1994)
Honor Harrington Book 3 – ebook; reread

Field of Dishonor David Weber (1994)
Honor Harrington Book 4 – ebook; reread

Flag in Exile David Weber (1995)
Honor Harrington Book 5 – ebook; reread

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

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

July

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

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

The Prisoner of Limnos Lois McMaster Bujold (2017)
Penric & Desedmona Book 6 – ebook;

The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame (1908)
– audiobook;

Points of Impact Markos Kloos (2018)
Frontlines Book 6 – ebook;

Kidnapped Robert Louis Stephenson (1886)
– audiobook;

Too Like the Lightning Ada Palmer (2016)
Terra Ignota Book 1 – ebook;

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carrol (1865)
– audiobook;

Kushiel’s Dart Jacqueline Carey (2001)
Kushiel’s Legacy Book 1 – ebook; reread

Northanger Abbey Jane Austen (1817)
– audiobook;

Major Barbara George Bernard Shaw (1907)
– audiobook; reread

August

The Quantum Thief Hannu Rajaniemi (2011)
Jean le Flambeur Book 1 – ebook;

The Shadow of a Torturer Gene Wolfe (1980)
The Book of the New Sun Book 1 – ebook; reread

The Claw of the Conciliator Gene Wolfe (1981)
The Book of the New Sun Book 2 – ebook; reread

The Black Company Glen Cook (1984)
The Black Company Book 1 – ebook; reread

Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas (1844)
– audiobook;

**Shadows Linger Glen Cook (1984)
The Black Company Book 2 – ebook; reread

Howard’s End E.M. Forester (1910)
– audiobook;

**The White Rose Glen Cook (1985)
The Black Company Book 3 – ebook; reread

Lady Windermere’s Fan Oscar Wilde (1892)
– audiobook;

The Age of Innocence Edith Wharton (1920)
– audiobook;

September

Drifter William C. Dietz (1991)
Drifter Book 1 – ebook; reread

The Colors of Space Marion Zimmer Bradley (1963)
– ebook;

Arrows of the Queen Mercedes Lackey (1987)
Heralds of Valedemar Book 1 – ebook; reread

Arrow’s Flight Mercedes Lackey (1987)
Heralds of Valedemar Book 2 – ebook; reread

Arrow’s Fall Mercedes Lackey (1988)
Heralds of Valedemar Book 3 – ebook; reread

Freedom’s Landing Anne McCaffery (1995)
Catteni Book 1 – ebook; reread

Freedom’s Choice Anne McCaffery (1996)
Catteni Book 2 – ebook;

Terminal Alliance Jim C. Hines (2017)
Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse Book 1 – ebook;

Freedom’s Challenge Anne McCaffery (1998)
Catteni Book 3 – ebook;

Love of Mother-Not Alan Dean Foster (1983)
Pip & Flinx Book 1 – ebook; reread

Taar-Aiym Krang Alan Dean Foster (1972)
Pip & Flinx Book 2 – ebook; reread

Freedom’s Ransom Anne McCaffery (2002)
Catteni Book 4 – ebook;

October

Orphan Star Alan Dean Foster (1977)
Pip & Flinx Book 3 – ebook; reread

The Flowers of Vashnoi Lois McMaster Bujold (2018)
Miles Vorkosigan Book 14.5 – ebook;

Foundation Mercedes Lackey (2008)
Collegium Chronicles Book 1 – ebook;

Intrigue Mercedes Lackey (2010)
Collegium Chronicles Book 2 – ebook;

Changes Mercedes Lackey (2011)
Collegium Chronicles Book 3 – ebook;

Redoubt Mercedes Lackey (2012)
Collegium Chronicles Book 4 – ebook;

Bastion Mercedes Lackey (2013)
Collegium Chronicles Book 5 – ebook;

The Privilege of Peace Tanya Huff (2018)
Peacekeeper Book 3 – ebook;

Artificial Conditions Martha Wells (2018)
Murderbot Diaries Book 2 – ebook;

Refugee Piers Anthony (1983)
Bio of a Space Tyrant Book 1 – ebook; reread

Mercenary Piers Anthony (1984)
Bio of a Space Tyrant Book 2 – ebook; reread

Mansfield Park Jane Austen (1814)
– audiobook;

Politician Piers Anthony (1985)
Bio of a Space Tyrant Book 3 – ebook; reread

Executive Piers Anthony (1985)
Bio of a Space Tyrant Book 4 – ebook; reread

Statesman Piers Anthony (1986)
Bio of a Space Tyrant Book 5 – ebook; reread

Closer to Home Mercedes Lackey (2014)
The Herald Spy Book 1 – ebook;

Closer to the Heart Mercedes Lackey (2015)
The Herald Spy Book 2 – ebook;

November

Closer to the Chest Mercedes Lackey (2016)
The Herald Spy Book 3 – ebook;

Rogue Protocol Martha Wells (2018)
Murderbot Diaries Book 3 – ebook;

Trading in Danger Elizabeth Moon (2003)
Vatta’s War Book 1 – ebook; reread

Marque and Reprisal Elizabeth Moon (2004)
Vatta’s War Book 2 – ebook; reread

Engaging the Enemy Elizabeth Moon (2006)
Vatta’s War Book 3 – ebook; reread

Command Decision Elizabeth Moon (2007)
Vatta’s War Book 4 – ebook; reread

Victory Conditions Elizabeth Moon (2008)
Vatta’s War Book 5 – ebook; reread

The Engines of God Jack McDevitt (1994)
Academy Series (Priscilla Hutchins) Book 1 – ebook;

Exit Strategy Martha Wells (2018)
Murderbot Book 4 – ebook;

Head On John Scalzi (2018)
Lock In Book 2 – ebook;

The Forever War Joe Haldeman (1974)
The Forever War Book 1 – ebook; reread

A Separate War Joe Haldeman (1999)
The Forever War Short Story – ebook;

Forever Free Joe Haldeman (1999)
The Forever War Book 2 – ebook;

The Airlords of Han Francis Philip Nolan (1929)
Buck Rogers Book 2 – ebook; reread

Echo Jack McDevitt (2010)
Alex Benedict Book 5 – ebook;

Lustlocked Matt Wallace (2016)
Sin du Jour Book 2 – ebook;

December

Lustlocked Matt Wallace (2016)
Sin du Jour Book 2 – ebook;

The Prisoner of Zenda Anthony Hope (1894)
– ebook;

Pride’s Spell Matt Wallace (2016)
Sin du Jour Book 3 – ebook;

Greedy Pigs Matt Wallace (2017)
Sin du Jour Book 5 – ebook;

Gluttony Bay Matt Wallace (2017)
Sin du Jour Book 6 – ebook;

Taste of Wrath Matt Wallace (2018)
Sin du Jour Book 7 – ebook;

The Runelords (The Sum of All Men) David Farland (1998)
Rune Lords Book 1 – ebook;

Space Opera Catherynne M. Valente (2018)
– ebook;

The Cosmic Computer H Beam Piper (1960)
– ebook;

Alice Payne Arrives Kate Heartfield (2018)
Alice Payne Book 1 – ebook;

20,0000 Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne (1870)
– audiobook;

The Devil’s Eye Jack McDevitt (2008)
Alex Benedict Book 4 – ebook;

Static Ruin Corey J. White (2018)
Voidwitch Saga Book 3 – ebook;

The Lost Gate Orson Scott Card (2011)
Mithermages Book 1 – ebook;

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Some numbers

142 books in total! That’s .389 books/day; 2.73 books/month; 11.8 books/month. A RECORD!

This unbelievable total includes 70 rereads and 17 audiobooks, which means I read 55 new books.

By month

January (13)
February (11)
March (9)
April (8)
May (10)
June (11)
July (11)
August (10)
September (12)
October (17)
November (16)
 December (14)

My ebook library now contains 628 ebooks and—despite previous maunderings—I still have 862 paper books (sci-fi and fantasy only — the others have long since been absorbed into L’s library which makes mine look puny). A far cry from the 234 I started with 2012. Oh, and for those of you who care, that’s an average of 65 books added per year…call it $520/year which I think is quite reasonable in bibliophile circles.

Audio books

I listened to 17 mostly-new titles (only 2 rereads…relistens?). If you look closely you can discern my most productive periods in the glass studio as that’s when I listen to most of them. Also of note is that the audio books comprise all of my non-sci-fi and fantasy content. I was pleasantly surprised by most of them—although being an English major it is a) astonishing that I haven’t read these classics before and b) a bit of a duh moment that I should find them of sufficient quality to praise. I particularly liked Northanger Abbey and The Age of Innocence. 

An audiobook recap:

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Mark Twain
The Time Machine H.G Wells
Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling
The Hounds of Baskerville Arthur Conan Doyle
The Happy Prince and Other Tales Oscar Wilde
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame
Kidnapped Robert Louis Stephenson
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carrol
Northanger Abbey Jane Austen
Major Barbara George Bernard Shaw
Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas
Howard’s End E.M. Forester
Lady Windermere’s Fan Oscar Wilde
The Age of Innocence Edith Wharton
Mansfield Park Jane Austen
20,0000 Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne

Habits

A lot of the reason for the increase in the books-read count was rereading series which tends to go quickly. I re-chewed my way through the rest of Brust’s Vlad books, Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant, Moon’s Vatta’s War, Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valdemar, Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun, Rick Cook Wiz Biz, the first 4 books of Foster’s iconic Pip & Flinx books, Rachel Bach Paradox, both Huff’s Confederation and Peacekeepers series, David Drake & Eric Flint Belasarius and a lot of Weber: Honor Harrington books up to Book 9 (I just couldn’t justify buying new copies of the rest of them as I feel the series started to go downhill), the Manticore Ascendant series, and the War God books. A few of these I hadn’t read since I was in my 20s. Wolfe aged well but Piers Anthony did not (although it was interesting to see how much societal mores have changed over the past few decades). And I still love Pip.

I also added in some new series. Max Gladstone Craft Sequence, Lackey’s Collegium Chronicles and The Herald Spy (which are really just one long series) and, to my delight, discovered that Joe Haldeman had written sequels to his classic The Forever War.

2018 saw the resurgence of the short form sci-fi/fantasy novel. While technically novellas these shorter — ~100 page books — are closer in size to the standard pulp fare I grew with. Anyway, Tor seems to be at the forefront of this movement selling the books for around $6 and usually being a series of 3 or 4 titles. I thoroughly enjoyed Matt Wallace’s Sin du Jour series, Corey White Voidwitch, and of course Martha Well’s excellent Murderbot.

Housekeeping

I got involved in an ebook project, Standard Ebooks, which aims to take copyright free books (mostly sourced from the industrious Gutenberg Project) and apply high standards to both editorial and typography—something quite missing from the standard Gutenberg ebook fare. To date I have “produced” two ebooks: The Airlords of Han and A Prisoner of Zenda and am working on a third title. Check them out if you are looking for free ebooks—I guarantee a satisfactory experience

The big news of 2018 is that I have dumped Apple’s iBooks from my  life entirely. I used to organize and catalog my ebooks in Calibre and then copy the books over to the Apple ecosystem to update my various i-devices. But Apple moved all the books out of iTunes and into their new iBooks app, crippling most of the features along the way. I have put up with it for two years hoping for a version 2 but there has been zero improvement and I just couldn’t take it anymore. So now I use Calibre Companion to move books to my Nexus and iPhone and (since my iPad is ancient) Stanza to copy books to the iPad. It means a few extra steps but it is worth it not to have to put up with Apple’s bllsht…and this from an Apple fanboy. 

I have ranted before about “distributors” getting too involved and too powerful in the process of ebook dissemination so I won’t go into it other than to say I won’t ever be buying an ebook from Apple again.

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So that’s it. I am writing this a bit early but I assume you will, as always, be able to see Leslie’s 2018 book list here and the-man-originally-responsible-for-this-bloated-monstrosity-of-a-post Earl’s list here.

Links to previous years book posts:

• 2012 (85)
• 2013 (95)
• 2014 (106)
• 2015 (92)
• 2016 (101)
• 2017 (120)