{"id":14227,"date":"2021-01-01T01:01:05","date_gmt":"2021-01-01T08:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/?p=14227"},"modified":"2021-01-01T09:15:08","modified_gmt":"2021-01-01T16:15:08","slug":"2020-the-covid-reads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/?p=14227","title":{"rendered":"2020: The Covid Reads"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well it\u2019s Year 9 of this \u201cexperiment.\u201d I guess it\u2019s a habit now.<\/p>\n

Been a heck of year hasn\u2019t it? One might suppose in such a year of lockouts and stoppages that my reading total would have gone up\u2014not like I had much else to do\u2026 But, not so much.<\/p>\n

One thing to note as you scroll the following list is the lack of rereads this year\u2014more on that later. So without further ado\u2026<\/p>\n

January (8)<\/h4>\n

The Calculating Stars<\/em><\/strong> Mary Robinette Kowal (2018)
\nLady Astronaut<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Lady Astronaut of Mars<\/em><\/strong> Mary Robinette Kowal (2014)
\nLady Astronaut<\/strong> Book 0.5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Fated Sky<\/em><\/strong> Mary Robinette Kowal (2018)
\nLady Astronaut<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet<\/em><\/strong> Becky Chambers (2014)
\nWayfarers<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

A Closed and Common Orbit<\/em><\/strong> Becky Chambers (2016)
\nWayfarers<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

All the Birds in the Sky<\/em><\/strong> Charlie Jane Anders (2016)
\n \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Tripoint<\/em><\/strong> C.J. Cherryh (1994)
\nCompany Wars<\/strong> Book 6 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Master and Commander<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1969)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

February (7)<\/h4>\n

Post Captain<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1972)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Record of a Spaceborn Few<\/em><\/strong> Becky Chambers (2018)
\nWayfarers<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

HMS Surprise<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1973)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Mauritius Command<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1977)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Consider Pheblas<\/em><\/strong> Iain M. Banks (1987)
\nCulture<\/strong> 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Desolation Island<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1978)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Ack-Ack Macaque<\/em><\/strong> Gareth L. Powell (2013)
\nAck-Ack Macaque<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

March (9)<\/h4>\n

The Fortune of War<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1979)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 6 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Willfull Child<\/em><\/strong> Steven Erickson (2014)
\nWillfull Child<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Poppy War<\/em><\/strong> R. F. Kuang (2018)
\nThe Poppy War<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Surgeon’s Mate<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1980)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 7 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Dragon War<\/em><\/strong> R. F. Kuang (2019)
\nThe Poppy War<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Quartered Sea<\/em><\/strong> Tanya Huff (1999)
\nThe Quarters<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Autonomous<\/em><\/strong> Annalee Newitz (2017)
\n \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Killing Light<\/em><\/strong> Myke Cole (2019)
\nThe Sacred Throne<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Ionian Mission<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1981)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 8 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

April (12)<\/h4>\n

Black Star Renegades<\/em><\/strong> Michael Moreci (2018)
\nBlack Star Renegades<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Treason’s Harbour<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1983)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 9 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Forge<\/em><\/strong> David Drake and S.M. Stirling (1991)
\nThe General<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Hammer<\/em><\/strong> David Drake and S.M. Stirling (1992)
\nThe General<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Anvil<\/em><\/strong> David Drake and S.M. Stirling (1993)
\nThe General<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Steel<\/em><\/strong> David Drake and S.M. Stirling (1993)
\nThe General<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Sword<\/em><\/strong> David Drake and S.M. Stirling (1995)
\nThe General<\/strong> Book 5 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Far Side of the World<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1984)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 10 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Sixteenth Watch<\/em><\/strong> Myke Cole (2020)
\n \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Reverse of the Medal<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1986)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 11 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Leviathan Wakes<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2011)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Letter of Marque<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1988)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 12 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

May (8)<\/h4>\n

Caliban’s War<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2012)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Thirteen Gun Salute<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1989)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 13 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Nutmeg of Consolation<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1991)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 14 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Last Emperox<\/em><\/strong> John Scalzi (2020)
\nInterdependency<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Abbadon’s Gate<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2013)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Clarissa Oakes<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1992)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 15 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Wine-Dark Sea<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1993)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 16 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Wrath of Betty<\/em><\/strong> Steven Erickson (2016)
\nWillfull Child<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

June (12)<\/h4>\n

Network Effect<\/em><\/strong> Martha Wells (2020)
\nMurderbot<\/strong> Book 5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Commodore<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1995)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 17 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Queen<\/em><\/strong> Timothy Zahn (2020)
\nSibyl’s War<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Accepting the Lance<\/em><\/strong> Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2019)
\nLiaden<\/strong> Book 15 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Search for Spark<\/em><\/strong> Steven Erickson (2018)
\nWillfull Child<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

An Illusion of Thieves<\/em><\/strong> Cate Glass (2019)
\nChimera<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Lord Valentine’s Castle<\/em><\/strong> Robert Silverberg (1980)
\nLord Valentine<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Cibola Burn<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2014)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Oathbound<\/em><\/strong> Mercedes Lackey (1988)
\nVow and Honor<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Oathbreakers<\/em><\/strong> Mercedes Lackey (1989)
\nVows and Honor<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Oathblood<\/em><\/strong> Mercedes Lackey (1998)
\nVows and Honor<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Yellow Admiral<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1996)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 18 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

July (10)<\/h4>\n

The Hundred Days<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1998)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 19 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

A Conjuring of Assassins<\/em><\/strong> Cate Glass (2020)
\nChimera<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Tooth and Claw<\/em><\/strong> Jo Walton (2003)
\n \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Jade City<\/em><\/strong> Fonda Lee (2017)
\nThe Green Bone Saga<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Split Infinity<\/em><\/strong> Piers Anthony (1980)
\nApprentice Adept<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Untitled<\/em><\/strong> L.A. Vermeer (?)
\n\u2013 manuscript;<\/p>\n

Blue Adept<\/em><\/strong> Piers Anthony (1981)
\nApprentice Adept<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Juxtaposition<\/em><\/strong> Piers Anthony (1982)
\nApprentice Adept<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Ukridge Stories<\/em><\/strong> P.G. Wodehouse (1920)
\n\u2013 ebook; link<\/a><\/p>\n

Blue at the Mizzen<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (1999)
\nAubrey\u2013Maturin<\/strong> Book 20 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

August (9)<\/h4>\n

Love among the Chickens<\/em><\/strong> P.G. Wodehouse (1920)
\n– ebook; link<\/a><\/p>\n

Nemesis Games<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2015)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Ninefox Gambit<\/em><\/strong> Yoon Ha Lee (2016)
\nMachineries of Empire<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Raven Stratagem<\/em><\/strong> Yoon Ha Lee (2017)
\nMachineries of Empire<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Jade War<\/em><\/strong> Fonda Lee (2019)
\nThe Green Bone Saga<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Final, Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey<\/em><\/strong> Patrick O’Brian (2004)
\nAubrey\/Maturin<\/strong> Book 21 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Maske: Thaery<\/em><\/strong> Jack Vance (1974)
\n \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Cocaine Blues<\/em><\/strong> Kerry Greenwood (1989)
\nPhryne Fisher Mysteries<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook<\/p>\n

Revenant Gun<\/em><\/strong> Yoon Ha Lee (2018)
\nMachineries of Empire<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

September (8)<\/h4>\n

The Way of the World<\/em><\/strong> William Congreve (1700)
\n \u2013 ebook; reread link<\/a><\/p>\n

Babylon’s Ashes<\/em><\/strong> James S.A. Corey (2016)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 6 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

A Pillar of Fire by Night<\/em><\/strong> Tom Kratman (2018)
\nA Desert Called Peace (Carrera)<\/strong> Book 7 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Flying Too High<\/em><\/strong> Kerry Greenwood (1990)
\nPhryne Fisher Mysteries<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook<\/p>\n

Days of Burning, Days of Wrath<\/em><\/strong> Tom Kratman (2020)
\nA Desert Called Peace (Carrera)<\/strong> Book 8 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Cobra Traitor<\/em><\/strong> Timothy Zahn (2018)
\nCobra Rebellion<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Gideon the Ninth<\/em><\/strong> Tamsyn Muir (2019)
\nLocked Tomb<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Alliance Rising<\/em><\/strong> C.J. Cherryh & Jane S. Fancher (2019)
\nThe Hinder Stars<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

October (8)<\/h4>\n

Harrow the Ninth<\/em><\/strong> Tamsyn Muir (2020)
\nLocked Tomb<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Deal with the Devil<\/em><\/strong> Kit Rocha (2020)
\nMercenary Librarians<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

A Deadly Education<\/em><\/strong> Naomi Novik (2020)
\nScholomance<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

New Moon<\/em><\/strong> Ian McDonald (2015)
\nLuna<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

With the Lightnings<\/em><\/strong> David Drake (2000)
\nLt. Leary<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

Lt. Leary, Commanding<\/em><\/strong> David Drake (2001)
\nLt. Leary<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

The Relentless Moon<\/em><\/strong> Mary Robinette Kowal (2020)
\nLady Astronaut<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Far Side of the Stars<\/em><\/strong> David Drake (2003)
\nLt. Leary<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook; reread<\/p>\n

November (12\/4)<\/h4>\n

The Physicians of Vilnoc<\/em><\/strong> Lois McMaster Bujold (2020)
\nPenric & Desdemona<\/strong> Book 8 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Murder on the Ballarat Train<\/em><\/strong> Kerry Greenwood (1991)
\nPhryne Fisher Mysteries<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Wolf Moon<\/em><\/strong> Ian McDonald (2017)
\nLuna<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Persepolis Rising<\/em><\/strong> James S. A. Corey (2017)
\nExpanse<\/strong> Book 7 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Galaxy Ballroom<\/em><\/strong> Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2019)
\nLiaden<\/strong> Book 15.5 \u2013 ebook; (short story)<\/p>\n

The Door Though Space<\/em><\/strong> Marion Zimmer Bradley (1961)
\n\u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Moon Rising<\/em><\/strong> Ian McDonald (2019)
\nLuna<\/strong> Book 3 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Lord Arthur Savile’s Crimes and Other Stories<\/em><\/strong> Oscar Wilde (1908)
\n\u2013 ebook; link<\/a><\/p>\n

The Raven Tower<\/em><\/strong> Ann Leckie (2019)
\n\u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Last Man Out<\/em><\/strong> Elliot Kay (2018)
\nPoor Man’s Fight<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook<\/p>\n

The Perfect Gun<\/em><\/strong> Elizabeth Bear (2019)
\n\u2013 ebook; (short story)<\/p>\n

The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex<\/em><\/strong> Tamsyn Muir (2020)
\nLocked Tomb<\/strong> Book 0.5 \u2013 ebook; (short story)<\/p>\n

Death at Victoria Dock<\/em><\/strong> Kerry Greenwood (1992)
\nPhryne Fisher Mysteries<\/strong> Book 4 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Origin of the Flow<\/em><\/strong> John Scalzi (2019)
\nInterdependency<\/strong> Book 0.5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

A Year and a Day in Old Theradane<\/em><\/strong> Scott Lynch (2019)
\n\u2013 ebook<\/p>\n

Tinker<\/em><\/strong> Wen Spencer (2003)
\nElfhome<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

December (9)<\/h4>\n

The Wolf Who Rules<\/em><\/strong> Wen Spencer (2006)
\nElfhome<\/strong> Book 2 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Guns of the Dawn<\/em><\/strong> Adrian Tchaikovsky (2015)
\n\u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

The Green Mill Murder<\/em><\/strong> Kerry Greenwood (1993)
\nPhryne Fisher Mysteries<\/strong> Book 5 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Deerskin<\/em><\/strong> Robin McKinley (1993)
\n\u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Children of the Fleet<\/em><\/strong> Orson Scott Card (2017)
\nFleet School<\/strong> Book 1 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Tiamat\u2019s Wrath<\/em><\/strong> James S. A. Corey (2019)
\nThe Expanse<\/strong> Book 8 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Stories<\/em><\/strong> Oscar Wilde (1888)
\n\u2013 ebook; link<\/a><\/p>\n

Or What You Will<\/em><\/strong> Jo Walton (2020)
\n\u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

Trader\u2019s Leap<\/em><\/strong> Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2020)
\nLiaden<\/strong> Book 19 \u2013 ebook;<\/p>\n

((\\
\n(-.-)
\no_(“)(“)<\/p>\n

The Afterword<\/h3>\n

So. Huh. I thought the final tally would show that I plowed through the books this year. But as I went back through the last few years’ totals, I realized that just wasn\u2019t true. After a little contemplation I decided one reason (and trust me, there are many more excuses to come) was me making a concerted effort to get through my \u201cTo Be Read\u201d stack and thus limiting the number of rereads\u2014which always go a lot faster. And another reason was that for most of the year, lying-on-the-couch reading just wasn\u2019t\u2026appealing? So 80% of the 2020 reading was really just in the evenings before-going-to-sleep reading. I don\u2019t know why that was so, but it was. \u201c2020, huh, what is it good for…\u201d<\/p>\n

The numbers<\/h5>\n

112 books (and 4 standalone short stories)
\n15 rereads
\n9.33 books\/month, .3 books\/day<\/p>\n

(Note<\/strong>: the short stories were a result of me downloading stories from the inter-webs and then making them into standalone ebooks. Eventually I will combine them into collections, but I had no real way of recording them in the count, so there they are, sticking out like sore thumbs.)<\/p>\n

2020 Monthly totals<\/h5>\n

January \u2014 8
\nFebruary \u2014 7
\nMarch \u2014 9
\nApril \u2014 12
\nMay \u2014 8
\nJune \u2014 12
\nJuly \u2014 10
\nAugust \u2014 9
\nSeptember \u2014 8
\nOctober \u2014 8
\nNovember \u2014 12\/4
\nDecember \u2014 9<\/p>\n

The Reread \\ To Be Read Situation<\/h4>\n

You might want to skip down to So, What Did I Read<\/a><\/strong> since this section is purely self-indulgent and quite likely borderline-whinging unless you have strong opinions on the proverbial yet ubiquitous To Be Read Stack<\/em>.<\/p>\n

My ebook library now sits at 886 books. Compared to the 735 I had last year at this time<\/a>. That\u2019s an increase of 151 books\u2026 can you see where this is going?<\/p>\n

My unread stack now sits at 72 as compared to the panic-inducing 87 of last year. A decrease of only 15 books. And yet I read 97 new books in 2020, only occasionally taking a break and dipping back into the old stuff for relief. And it is important to note that unlike regular bibliophiles (which incidentally I don\u2019t actually count myself as being among) I abhor a to be read stack<\/em> and count it as a black mark. Never in my life have I ever had more than four or five unread books, and usually that was from a particular buying binge or the starting of a new multi-book series. The situation as described last year was\/is intolerable and I worked hard in 2020 to deal with it. To my obvious despair, as I counted it all up this last week of December and found the total to be still completely unacceptable.<\/p>\n

The why is complex. Some of it is L\u2019s acquisition of 20 Phryne Fisher Mysteries<\/em> that I said I wasn\u2019t going to read and then, ever so slowly, started in on. I\u2019ve only read 5 so far but that forced me to file the other 15 in my to-be-read \u2018pile\u2019 rather than dump them as I had originally intended.<\/p>\n

Some of it was stubborn complete-ism on my part. Quite a few series were added to or completed by their authors in 2020, so obviously I went out and got them rather than wait until I actually had time to read them (which is a really new [and bad] habit for me). That accounts for another 10 or so. As well I mistakenly acquired a book 5 of a series (Fleet Elements<\/em> by Walter Jon Williams) and upon that unhappy discovery, felt I needed to go get books 1\u20134.<\/p>\n

Also I decided to read the Aubrey\/Maturin Books (22) and the Expanse novels (8) which was a massive mistake if I had really intended to knockdown the already unwieldy unread pile. I also added a few new emergency classics I don\u2019t really intend to read like The Great Gatsby<\/em> and For Whom the Bell Tolls<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Confusing the numbers further there was also a concerted effort to acquire ebook copies of old favourites. So in reality the Grand Total encompasses another ~45 books that are ones that I have read before (in paper) but are now in a to-be-reread pile. So they are new acquisitions but not counted as unread. But then again, I also moved the 30 or so \u201cunread\u201d ebooks from last year that fell into this category into that to-be-reread pile, deleting them from the to-be-read total\u2014so that just makes it worse.<\/p>\n

All in all a distinct failure and I really, really intend to stop acquiring new titles until I have the pile down to 10 or so with another 15-20 of long-term good intentions\/emergency titles (Around the World in Eighty Days<\/em>, Middlemarch<\/em>, Treasure Island<\/em>, a bunch of Verne etc.).<\/p>\n

<\/a>So, What Did I Read?<\/h3>\n

I had heard great things about the Culture<\/em> novels by Iain M. Banks but for some reason ended up getting an Expanse<\/em> title by James S.A. Corey. I think it was me reading Earl\u2019s mention of them<\/a> last year in his list that got them jumbled in my head. Which is why I read the Expanse<\/em> series this year. I did read Consider Phlebas<\/em> by Banks and will likely continue on with them if I ever get through my pile.<\/p>\n

I also read the Lady Astronaut<\/em> series by Mary Robinette Kowal \u2014 another series I had meant to put off acquiring, but L wanted to read them so I got sucked in. A particular apt series to read in 2020. I revisited Tanya Huff and Mercedes Lackey\u2019s classic fantasy universes and of course indulged in the much anticipated full-length Murderbot<\/em> novel.<\/p>\n

Non SF\/Fantasy<\/h4>\n

I also racked up an amazing (for me) total of non-genre books. I started in on the Aubrey\/Maturin books because\u2026well\u2026sailing\u2014and it turned out I really enjoyed them. There was also Kerry Greenwood\u2019s Phryne<\/em> books (I had watched the excellent TV series and was eventually tempted to the dark side (mysteries\u2026shudder). My work with Standard Ebooks<\/a> added one play, some Wodehouse and 2 collections of Oscar Wilde stories which in reality started as 4 or 5 volumes. There are links to these titles in the list so feel free to download and enjoy. L finished her YA MS and I got to read that (it was damn good and I am keen to hear what the publishers say).<\/p>\n

All in all that\u2019s 32 non sf\/fantasy books. Close to a third.<\/p>\n

(The Aubrey\/Maturin books set off a reread of the first couple of David Drake’s RCN Series<\/em> which is, in some ways, a remarkably close SF reworking of the Aubrey books.)<\/p>\n

a note about gender<\/h4>\n

I have long not cared a whit about the gender of my authors\u2014and, having grown up in the now slightly icky SF tradition of women hiding their gender behind initials, I can still be mildly surprised some days when I find out an old favourite was written by a woman. (By which I mean I never bothered to look it up, not that I am surprised a woman wrote it.)<\/p>\n

But this year, for some reason, I thought I would count. Turns out I read 42 books by women. That\u2019s close to 40%. And if you removed the relentlessly masculine (and definitely not sf\/fantasy) Aubrey\/Maturin books, it would likely have been close to 50%. Which in a historically male dominated genre, is pretty damned good, if I do say so myself\u2026and I do. So I hereby give myself a self-satisfied nod and stuff that particular stat back onto the back closet top shelf where it belongs. Just read good books people. Judge me if you will.<\/p>\n

Modern SF Redux and more excuses<\/h3>\n

Last year<\/a> I brought up the topic of the state of modern Science fiction and Fantasy and admired it for how it had \u201ckicked it up a notch.\u201d And after reading a whole sh#t-ton of newer stuff this year I still stand by my judgement\u2014but have a caveat to offer.<\/p>\n

I like schlock. And publishers are, understandably, not publishing much of it these days in their efforts to elevate the genre. Even a book touted as a \u201cspace opera\u201d like Elizabeth Bear\u2019s Ancestral Nights<\/em> takes a bit more effort that I can (or am willing to) sustain over the course of 100 books\/year. My brain starts to be full and the escapism part of reading starts to diminish in ever increasing waves. This is another reason why my count is a bit down. I read for pleasure, not edification, so a great romp is always greatly appreciated.<\/p>\n

Some of my favourites of the year (The Poppy War<\/em> by R. F. Kuang, Fonda Lee\u2019s The Green Bone Saga<\/em>, Gideon the Ninth<\/em> by Tamsyn Muir, and most especially Ann Leckie\u2019s The Raven Tower<\/em>) were dense enough that they in no way could qualify as a light read. So I often found myself trying to find something a bit lighter and more \u201cfun\u201d\u2014yet another reason for acquiring titles rather than continually taking from the \u201cTo Be Read\u201d pile (I know, I know\u2026excuses, excuses). And the better a book was, the more you had your brain cells and guts wrenched around\u2014I particularly was affected by Robin McKinley\u2019s Deerskin<\/em> and she pulled me out of it just as I was considering abandoning the book for the sake of my mental health\u20262020 will do that to you. It\u2019s enough to want to make you stop reading good books. (OK, not really, but you get my drift.)<\/p>\n

So while I commend the modern editors for their exaltation, elevation and expansion of the genre(s), could we maybe still publish some quality space lasers and explosion stories and thoughtless muscled heroes (of any gender whatsoever) succeeding against stupid odds\u2014just for some relief? (I\u2019ve got the aforementioned Fleet Elements<\/em> series cued up so maybe that will be my 2021 guilty pleasure.)<\/p>\n

A Note About Home-made Books<\/h3>\n

I “made” 3 illicit editions of books this year (other than the 4 short stories). All three are not available as ebooks and 2 of them are likely never to be issued as they are old and desirable to no one but weirdos like me. The third though, ah that one is an example of the stupidity of how rights are being handled in a digital age.<\/p>\n

Frederick Pohl’s Gateway<\/em> was literally a gateway for my science fiction reading. It was among the earliest and best sf novels I read and has been a timeless goto that I have reread many, many times. So I took it into my head that it was just what I needed in 2020. Nope. Not available as an ebook. And even if I wanted to, my paper copy is one of those books literally held together by masking tape.<\/p>\n

But hold on! The rest of the series (which are ok but not anywhere near in the class of the original…sort of an Ender’s Game<\/em> scenario) were available. Here’s the thing though. Baen holds the rights to Books 3, Heechee Rendezvous<\/em> and 4, The Annals of the Heechee<\/em>, and Tor (MacMillan) owns the rights for Book 2, Beyond the Blue Event Horizon<\/em> and The Boy Who Would Live Forever<\/em> (nominally Book 5, which I have never read as it was written 20 years after the others). No one, as far as my extensive searching (accompanied by much swearing), owns the rights to the first book in this monumental series and thus, because the world of electronic rights is bizarre, was unavailable as an ebook.<\/p>\n

Seriously? Books 2-5 are available but not the original? Who came up with a universe where that was reasonable? It’s something out of some futuristic corporate dystopian novel.<\/p>\n

So I stole it. I found a site that had bad OCR posted in html, wrote a python script to download the text. Went through and fixed the gross errors and formatted all the sidebar stuff (there is a lot if it in Gateway<\/em>) and made my own, illicit, ebook. If and when the rest of the publishing world ever gets their heads out of their collective asses I will most assuredly acquire a licit copy, but until then… seriously?… no Book One? Aaargh.<\/p>\n

(Note:<\/strong> I did buy the other 3 books so several someone’s got their money out of this debacle.)<\/p>\n

Wrap it up already<\/h3>\n

In conclusion, I think this is enough maundering\u2014how \u2019bout all y\u2019all draw your own conclusions. As for me, in summary, good books, and plenty of \u2018em.<\/p>\n

And now on to 2021!<\/p>\n

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My fellow book counters: Leslie\u2019s 2020 book and music list<\/a> and the one, the only, the original, Earl\u2019s 2020 retrospective<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Links to previous years\u2019 book count posts:<\/p>\n