Books read for 2008
Continuing the book reading log for 2008.
Predating this so I can find it easily. Will update as I go.
(r) = reread
0. (Date finished) Title by Author. Vague commentary which may or may not recommend it to you.
1. (3.1.2008) Making Money by Terry Pratchett. Usual goodness, though not quite as good as Going Postal.
2. (10.1.2008) What do you care what other people think? by Richard Feynman. Always a good read. (r)
3. (11.1.2008) The Wood Wife by Terri Windling. Desert "urban fantasy", though more the Charles de Lint type. A good read. (r)
4. (11.1.2008) The Wind in Cairo by Judith Tarr. Better than I remembered. (r)
5. (14.1.2008) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. Not bad but still don't get the fuss. Keep finishing the last couple pages in a car after finishing the journey though.
6. (17.1.08) Sebastien by Anne Bishop. Readable but a bit on the fluffy end.
7. (18.1.08) Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. Very very good and rather sobering. (r)
8. (~23.1.08) The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood. Fairly forgetable popcorn.
9. (29.1.08) Dracula Cha Cha Cha by Kim Newman. 3rd in the Anno Dracula sequence. Interesting though quite different in tone to the other 2. Oddly, #2 (The Bloody Red Baron) is still the best one.
(Bit of a gap...)
10. (17.2.08) The Towers at Sunset by L.E. Modessitt. Not bad but not as good as the first one. Was lurking in a box of books I left behind in the mid 90s, so probably (r).
11. (20.2.08) The Night Watch by Serge Lukyanenko (?sp). Very good. Different to the movies but still good.
12. (1.3.08) Render Unto Caeser by Gillian Bradshaw. Not bad historical about an Alexandrian in Rome.
13. (~14.3.08) Blood Lines by Tanya Huff. Vicki Nelson detective one, and the last one in the collection that I didn't have. Yay to completing the series. A good read too.
14. (late Marchish) Jane of Lantern Hill by LM Montgomery. Started the rereading binge now I have the collection back:) (r)
15. (30.3.08) Halting State by Charles Stross. Scarily plausible near future SF. Not certain how well it will age, but a good read now.
16. (1.4.08) The Day Watch by Serge Lukyanenko. A very good read. Nothing like the movie (which nicked elements from the first book), but a very good read.
17. (3.4.08) Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery. :) Though Emily is not one of my favourites, still a good read.(r)
18. (3.4.08) Emily Climbs by LM Montgomery. (the one in the bath) (r)
19. (3.4.08) Emily's Quest by LM Montgomery. Was never quite so keen on this one, but for completeness sake. (r)
20. (~5?.4.08) Anne of Windy Willows by LM Montgomery. Still binging :) (r)
21. (~10?.4.08)A Tangled Web by LM Montgomery. Still binging :) (r)
22. (14.4.08) Perfect by Judith McNaught. Definite slush binge - not one of her best. (r)
23. (~18?.4.08) Paradise by Judith McNaught. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
24. (~21.4.08) Dragondawn by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. It's some of her early to mid work, so still safe. (r)
25. (27.4.08) The Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko. Very good read and the final of the trilogy. I don't really think they will be able to do a movie exactly based on it: too human... but I definitely want to see what they will do. Worth collecting the set of books I think. Now if they could just translate more of his stuff.
26. (28.4.08) All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
27. (28.4.08) Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
28. (~18.5.08) The Privilage of the Sword by Ellen Kushner. That was fun.
29. (20.5.08) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross. Good. Not as good as the Laundryverse, but still good.
30. (Mayish) The Second Summoning by Tanya Huff. 2nd of the Keeper ones. Not as good as the first.
31. (late Mayish) The Fall of the Kings by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman. Not bad, but not as good as Swordpoint.
32. (5.6.08) Lady Crymsyn by PN Elrod. Vampires and 1920s-1930 gangsters. Not a bad combination and quite page turnery.
Didn't finish the rest of the library books. Had to return them :(
33. (11.6.08) Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon. Like this series. Fun as per usual, though a bit higher on the angsting front.
34. (15.6.08) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb. Finally got hold of number 2 of the series. Very angsty and not cheerful, but still very page turnery. Will definitely track down #3, but wont rush out to buy it.
35. (~17.6.08) The Spirit Ring by Lois McMasters Bujold. Not bad but not her best.
36. (~20.6.08) Sisters of the Raven by Barbara Hambly. Not bad, but not her best.
37. (24.6.08) Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross. Better than Singularity Sky I think. Now need to get my hands on Accelerando and Glasshouse. In a form I can read on trains.
38. (late June) The Sun's Bride by Gillian Bradshaw. Ancient Rhodians and pirates. Row row row your boat...
39. (~30.6.08) Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny. Wasn't that fussed actually.
40. (30.6.08) A Rose for Ecclesiasties by Roger Zelazny. 4 novella set. Some not bad, other not too fussed.
41. (30.6.08) Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
42. (30.6.08) Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
43. (30.6.08) On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
44. (30.6.08) By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
45. (1.7.08 am) The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
46. (1.7.08) Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
47. (2.7.08) These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
48. (2.7.08) The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. It hadn't sunk in previously that she and Almanzo lived into their 90s. She made it into the 1950s. Some fairly big changes over her lifetime. (r)
49. (early July) Accelerando by Charles Stross. Interesting, though a bit weird towards the end. Worth reading though.
50. (11.7.08) Herald of Joy by Pamella Belle. #2 in the Wintercombe series. Good as always. (r)
51. (~16?.7.08) A Falling Star by Pamela Belle. # 3 in the Wintercombe series. Not as good as the first 2 but still good. (r)
52. (22.7.08) Treason's Gift by Pamela Belle. #4 in the Wintercombe series. Ditto. (r)
53. (27.7.08) Alathea by Pamela Belle. The one about the woman artist and one of my favorites of hers. (r)
54? (?) Reach for the Sky by Paul Brickhill. The Douglas Bader biography. Not a bad read, even if I did last read it in Form 3. (r)
55. (~12.8.08) Harpy's Gate by Megan Lindholm. A different style to Robin Hobb. Not as good as Cloven Hooves, but still good. (r?)
56. (~15?.8.08) The Windsingers by Megan Lindholm. As above. (r?)
57. (19.8.08) The Limbreth Gate by Megan Lindholm. As above. Started but not finished last time.
58. (21.8.08) The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen. Good bodice ripper. Pity the author moved into contemporary suspense. (r)
59. (22.8.08) Storm Front by Jim Butcher. The 1st of the Dresden Files. Good popcorn, somewhere between early Anita Blake and Tanya Huff's Vicky Nelson.Probably worth chasing up the next in the series.
60. (~24.8.08) Storm Winds by Iris Johansen. Good bodice ripper. #2 of the sequence but with ~200 years between each, not annoying. (r)
61. (28.8.08) Reap the Wind by Iris Johansen. Contemporary romance but #3 of the series above. Not quite as good as the others but you can see her start moving to the contemporary thrillers she is currently writing. (r)
62. (1.9.08) The Merchants' War by Charles Stross. Not nearly so keen on his Merchant Princes series compared to his other stuff. Too much going on. But still left definitely wanting to read the next one to find out what is going to happen.
63. (~Sept.08) The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen. Why I haven't kept up with here contemporary novels. (r??)
64. (~Sept 08) Widdershin by Charles de Lint. Good, but like Mercedes Lackey gone downhill on the recent ones and become a bit too preachy...
65. (16.9.08) Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint. Much much much better. An old favourite (r).
66. (18.9.08) The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. They did do a good adaption of it as the 2nd part of the Colour of Magic miniseries. (r)
67. (22.9.09am) Glasshouse by Charles Stross. Better than Accellerando - seems to do better on 2nd of his series (appart from the Laundryverse stuff). Worth it.
68. (24.9.09) A Colder War by Charles Stross. Very good though not nice.
69. (28.9.08) Renegade Mage by Robin Hobb. Still prefer her writing as Megan Lindholm but meant I finished that series.
70. (29.9.08) Fool Moon by Jim Butcher. #2 Dresden Files. Still fun but quite brainless. Works well on trains.
71. (30.9.08) Tangled Web by Anne Bishop. Another Black Jewels one. Not as good as the original 3, but better than her other more recent stuff.
72. (? Date) Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. #3 Dresden Files. Still fun but quite brainless. Works well on trains.
73. (11.10.08) Souls in the Great Machine by Sean McMullen. Dueling librarians, odd Austrailian locations and engineers of the one true guage. What more can you want?
74. (12.10.08) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski - Polish author - written 1993, translated into English 2007. Quite good with some rather warped versions of fairy tales. Now can they translate more of his -apparently they are:)
75. (22.10.08) Saturn's Children by Charles Stross. As good as Halting State, not as good as Atrocity Archives.
76. (27.10.08) Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. #4 Dresden Files. Ok popcorn.
77. (31.10.08) Blood Rites by Jim Butcher. #6 Dresden Files. More popcorn. There may be a slight trend here and I still have a few more from the library.
78. (3.11.08) Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. #7 Dresden Files. More popcorn and just as well they aren't tomes building on tomes that must be read in sequence.
79. (5.11.08) Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher #8 Dresden Files. Continuing the popcorn...
80. (7.11.08) White Night by Jim Butcher. #9 Dresden Files. Continuing the popcorn, but may have run out...
81. (11.11.08) Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon. #1 Vatta Wars. Ok popcorn, curious to see how the rest of the series goes.
82. (14.11.08) The Miocene Arrow by Sean McMullen. That was fun. Not as popcorn as some of the previous books.
83. (16.11.08) The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. Definite popcorn. read her earlier stuff. It is better.
84. (18.11.08) Down and out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow. Okish but not great. Not certain what the fuss is.
85. (~19.11.08) Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon. Fun as per usual.
86. (27.11.08) Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint. Short Story collection and back up to his good form. Worth reading.
87. (1.12.08) Final Target by Iris Johansen. One of her contempory crime ones. Okish.
88. (~11.12.08) Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon. A nice change for those sick of young shiny heroines. Not as good as The Speed of Dark, but still quite good.
89. (15.12.08) Eye of the Calculator by Sean McMullen. Fun end to the series. There were astronomer Monks at Siding Springs :).
90. (~17.12.08) The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. Fun as always. (r)
91. (21.12.08) Firebird by R Garcia y Robertson. Not bad though a little odd. Not the most plausible female characters.
92. (23.12.08) Luck Of The Wheels by Megan Lindholm. Not bad, but not as good as Cloven Hooves.
93. (Before New Years, but can't be more specific) Moving Target by Elizabeth Moon. # 2 Vatta's War. Reasonable space opera popcorn.
Predating this so I can find it easily. Will update as I go.
(r) = reread
0. (Date finished) Title by Author. Vague commentary which may or may not recommend it to you.
1. (3.1.2008) Making Money by Terry Pratchett. Usual goodness, though not quite as good as Going Postal.
2. (10.1.2008) What do you care what other people think? by Richard Feynman. Always a good read. (r)
3. (11.1.2008) The Wood Wife by Terri Windling. Desert "urban fantasy", though more the Charles de Lint type. A good read. (r)
4. (11.1.2008) The Wind in Cairo by Judith Tarr. Better than I remembered. (r)
5. (14.1.2008) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. Not bad but still don't get the fuss. Keep finishing the last couple pages in a car after finishing the journey though.
6. (17.1.08) Sebastien by Anne Bishop. Readable but a bit on the fluffy end.
7. (18.1.08) Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. Very very good and rather sobering. (r)
8. (~23.1.08) The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood. Fairly forgetable popcorn.
9. (29.1.08) Dracula Cha Cha Cha by Kim Newman. 3rd in the Anno Dracula sequence. Interesting though quite different in tone to the other 2. Oddly, #2 (The Bloody Red Baron) is still the best one.
(Bit of a gap...)
10. (17.2.08) The Towers at Sunset by L.E. Modessitt. Not bad but not as good as the first one. Was lurking in a box of books I left behind in the mid 90s, so probably (r).
11. (20.2.08) The Night Watch by Serge Lukyanenko (?sp). Very good. Different to the movies but still good.
12. (1.3.08) Render Unto Caeser by Gillian Bradshaw. Not bad historical about an Alexandrian in Rome.
13. (~14.3.08) Blood Lines by Tanya Huff. Vicki Nelson detective one, and the last one in the collection that I didn't have. Yay to completing the series. A good read too.
14. (late Marchish) Jane of Lantern Hill by LM Montgomery. Started the rereading binge now I have the collection back:) (r)
15. (30.3.08) Halting State by Charles Stross. Scarily plausible near future SF. Not certain how well it will age, but a good read now.
16. (1.4.08) The Day Watch by Serge Lukyanenko. A very good read. Nothing like the movie (which nicked elements from the first book), but a very good read.
17. (3.4.08) Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery. :) Though Emily is not one of my favourites, still a good read.(r)
18. (3.4.08) Emily Climbs by LM Montgomery. (the one in the bath) (r)
19. (3.4.08) Emily's Quest by LM Montgomery. Was never quite so keen on this one, but for completeness sake. (r)
20. (~5?.4.08) Anne of Windy Willows by LM Montgomery. Still binging :) (r)
21. (~10?.4.08)A Tangled Web by LM Montgomery. Still binging :) (r)
22. (14.4.08) Perfect by Judith McNaught. Definite slush binge - not one of her best. (r)
23. (~18?.4.08) Paradise by Judith McNaught. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
24. (~21.4.08) Dragondawn by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. It's some of her early to mid work, so still safe. (r)
25. (27.4.08) The Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko. Very good read and the final of the trilogy. I don't really think they will be able to do a movie exactly based on it: too human... but I definitely want to see what they will do. Worth collecting the set of books I think. Now if they could just translate more of his stuff.
26. (28.4.08) All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
27. (28.4.08) Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey. Definite slush binge cont. (r)
28. (~18.5.08) The Privilage of the Sword by Ellen Kushner. That was fun.
29. (20.5.08) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross. Good. Not as good as the Laundryverse, but still good.
30. (Mayish) The Second Summoning by Tanya Huff. 2nd of the Keeper ones. Not as good as the first.
31. (late Mayish) The Fall of the Kings by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman. Not bad, but not as good as Swordpoint.
32. (5.6.08) Lady Crymsyn by PN Elrod. Vampires and 1920s-1930 gangsters. Not a bad combination and quite page turnery.
Didn't finish the rest of the library books. Had to return them :(
33. (11.6.08) Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon. Like this series. Fun as per usual, though a bit higher on the angsting front.
34. (15.6.08) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb. Finally got hold of number 2 of the series. Very angsty and not cheerful, but still very page turnery. Will definitely track down #3, but wont rush out to buy it.
35. (~17.6.08) The Spirit Ring by Lois McMasters Bujold. Not bad but not her best.
36. (~20.6.08) Sisters of the Raven by Barbara Hambly. Not bad, but not her best.
37. (24.6.08) Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross. Better than Singularity Sky I think. Now need to get my hands on Accelerando and Glasshouse. In a form I can read on trains.
38. (late June) The Sun's Bride by Gillian Bradshaw. Ancient Rhodians and pirates. Row row row your boat...
39. (~30.6.08) Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny. Wasn't that fussed actually.
40. (30.6.08) A Rose for Ecclesiasties by Roger Zelazny. 4 novella set. Some not bad, other not too fussed.
41. (30.6.08) Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
42. (30.6.08) Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
43. (30.6.08) On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
44. (30.6.08) By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
45. (1.7.08 am) The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
46. (1.7.08) Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
47. (2.7.08) These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. (r)
48. (2.7.08) The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Comfortable binge. It hadn't sunk in previously that she and Almanzo lived into their 90s. She made it into the 1950s. Some fairly big changes over her lifetime. (r)
49. (early July) Accelerando by Charles Stross. Interesting, though a bit weird towards the end. Worth reading though.
50. (11.7.08) Herald of Joy by Pamella Belle. #2 in the Wintercombe series. Good as always. (r)
51. (~16?.7.08) A Falling Star by Pamela Belle. # 3 in the Wintercombe series. Not as good as the first 2 but still good. (r)
52. (22.7.08) Treason's Gift by Pamela Belle. #4 in the Wintercombe series. Ditto. (r)
53. (27.7.08) Alathea by Pamela Belle. The one about the woman artist and one of my favorites of hers. (r)
54? (?) Reach for the Sky by Paul Brickhill. The Douglas Bader biography. Not a bad read, even if I did last read it in Form 3. (r)
55. (~12.8.08) Harpy's Gate by Megan Lindholm. A different style to Robin Hobb. Not as good as Cloven Hooves, but still good. (r?)
56. (~15?.8.08) The Windsingers by Megan Lindholm. As above. (r?)
57. (19.8.08) The Limbreth Gate by Megan Lindholm. As above. Started but not finished last time.
58. (21.8.08) The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen. Good bodice ripper. Pity the author moved into contemporary suspense. (r)
59. (22.8.08) Storm Front by Jim Butcher. The 1st of the Dresden Files. Good popcorn, somewhere between early Anita Blake and Tanya Huff's Vicky Nelson.Probably worth chasing up the next in the series.
60. (~24.8.08) Storm Winds by Iris Johansen. Good bodice ripper. #2 of the sequence but with ~200 years between each, not annoying. (r)
61. (28.8.08) Reap the Wind by Iris Johansen. Contemporary romance but #3 of the series above. Not quite as good as the others but you can see her start moving to the contemporary thrillers she is currently writing. (r)
62. (1.9.08) The Merchants' War by Charles Stross. Not nearly so keen on his Merchant Princes series compared to his other stuff. Too much going on. But still left definitely wanting to read the next one to find out what is going to happen.
63. (~Sept.08) The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen. Why I haven't kept up with here contemporary novels. (r??)
64. (~Sept 08) Widdershin by Charles de Lint. Good, but like Mercedes Lackey gone downhill on the recent ones and become a bit too preachy...
65. (16.9.08) Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint. Much much much better. An old favourite (r).
66. (18.9.08) The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. They did do a good adaption of it as the 2nd part of the Colour of Magic miniseries. (r)
67. (22.9.09am) Glasshouse by Charles Stross. Better than Accellerando - seems to do better on 2nd of his series (appart from the Laundryverse stuff). Worth it.
68. (24.9.09) A Colder War by Charles Stross. Very good though not nice.
69. (28.9.08) Renegade Mage by Robin Hobb. Still prefer her writing as Megan Lindholm but meant I finished that series.
70. (29.9.08) Fool Moon by Jim Butcher. #2 Dresden Files. Still fun but quite brainless. Works well on trains.
71. (30.9.08) Tangled Web by Anne Bishop. Another Black Jewels one. Not as good as the original 3, but better than her other more recent stuff.
72. (? Date) Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. #3 Dresden Files. Still fun but quite brainless. Works well on trains.
73. (11.10.08) Souls in the Great Machine by Sean McMullen. Dueling librarians, odd Austrailian locations and engineers of the one true guage. What more can you want?
74. (12.10.08) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski - Polish author - written 1993, translated into English 2007. Quite good with some rather warped versions of fairy tales. Now can they translate more of his -apparently they are:)
75. (22.10.08) Saturn's Children by Charles Stross. As good as Halting State, not as good as Atrocity Archives.
76. (27.10.08) Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. #4 Dresden Files. Ok popcorn.
77. (31.10.08) Blood Rites by Jim Butcher. #6 Dresden Files. More popcorn. There may be a slight trend here and I still have a few more from the library.
78. (3.11.08) Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. #7 Dresden Files. More popcorn and just as well they aren't tomes building on tomes that must be read in sequence.
79. (5.11.08) Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher #8 Dresden Files. Continuing the popcorn...
80. (7.11.08) White Night by Jim Butcher. #9 Dresden Files. Continuing the popcorn, but may have run out...
81. (11.11.08) Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon. #1 Vatta Wars. Ok popcorn, curious to see how the rest of the series goes.
82. (14.11.08) The Miocene Arrow by Sean McMullen. That was fun. Not as popcorn as some of the previous books.
83. (16.11.08) The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. Definite popcorn. read her earlier stuff. It is better.
84. (18.11.08) Down and out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow. Okish but not great. Not certain what the fuss is.
85. (~19.11.08) Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon. Fun as per usual.
86. (27.11.08) Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint. Short Story collection and back up to his good form. Worth reading.
87. (1.12.08) Final Target by Iris Johansen. One of her contempory crime ones. Okish.
88. (~11.12.08) Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon. A nice change for those sick of young shiny heroines. Not as good as The Speed of Dark, but still quite good.
89. (15.12.08) Eye of the Calculator by Sean McMullen. Fun end to the series. There were astronomer Monks at Siding Springs :).
90. (~17.12.08) The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. Fun as always. (r)
91. (21.12.08) Firebird by R Garcia y Robertson. Not bad though a little odd. Not the most plausible female characters.
92. (23.12.08) Luck Of The Wheels by Megan Lindholm. Not bad, but not as good as Cloven Hooves.
93. (Before New Years, but can't be more specific) Moving Target by Elizabeth Moon. # 2 Vatta's War. Reasonable space opera popcorn.