Books I Read in 2013

A new list for a new year. This is a list and a quick thought on books I've read this year. I will update it as the year goes on. On the agenda for this year is The final Wheel of Time volume due out January 8th, and then I may tackle the rest of the Sword Of Truth series.

"It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it."

  - Oscar Wilde

1. The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time - by Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson (304 pages) An informative but dated guide to the Wheel of Time. It is filled with horrible art. So bad that when I first got it I put tape over the pictures of the characters so the picture in my mind's eye wouldn't get messed up. Good, but only for Wheel of Time fanatics. (1/3-1/7)
2. The Wheel of Time book 14: A Memory of Light - by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (908 pages) Amazing. A non stop battle from beginning to end, and clear resolution of every major plot line. The way everything tied together, and things that were foreshadowed all the way back in 1990 amazes me. The man was a literary genius, and he will be missed. (1/8-1/13)
3. Cheshire Red book 2: Hellbent - by Cherie Priest (338 pages) Not as good as her Clockwork Century books, but still enjoyable. A fast paced but slightly predictable book. (1/14-1/21) 
4. The Sword of Truth book 5: Debt of Bones - by Terry Goodkind (119 pages) A short story about how the barriers originally went up. This book is written better then some of the novels in the series. (1/22-1/22) 
5. The Sword of Truth book 6: Soul of the Fire - by Terry Goodkind (508 pages) A good story with a VERY abrupt ending. There also was a big eye roll Deus Ex Machina moment that I didn't like. (1/23-2/5) 
6. The Human Division #1: The B-Team - by John Scalzi (93 pages) Gritty Sci-Fi. Well written and fast paced. An Earth star ship is destroyed before a big diplomatic mission, and they send in the "B" team to clean up the mess. (2/6-2/6) (Nook)
7. The Human Division #2: Walk the Plank - by John Scalzi (32 pages) A man is on a ship when it gets boarded. A brief story about what happens to him. Written like a play so it's a little weird to read, but still a good story. (2/6-2/6) (Nook)
8. The Human Division #3: We Only Need the Heads - by John Scalzi (48 pages) A man removing a "wildcat" colony makes a startling discovery, and an ambassador handling tense negotiations has a surprise turn of events take place. An interesting story. (2/7-2/7) (Nook)
9. The Human Division #4: A Voice In the Wilderness - by John Scalzi (36 pages) The host of a political talk show is approached by someone to talk up a certain point of view, with the promise of increased ratings. (2/8-2/8) (Nook)
10. The Green Mile Book 4: The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix - by Stephen King (90 pages) One of the prison guards takes revenge on a death row inmate because he laughed at him. A quick and interesting read. (2/11-2/12) 
11. The Human Division #5: Tales From The Clarke - by John Scalzi (43 pages) The "B" Team is given a ship to sell to a group of delegates from Earth. These stories are great, but too short! (2/13-2/13) (Nook)
12. The Green Mile book 5: Night Journey - by Stephen King (90 pages) The guards punish Percy for what he did to Delacroix, then they risk their jobs and take Coffey off the Green Mile. (2/13-2/15)
13. Tenth of December: Stories - by George Saunders (272 pages) I did not enjoy this book. It is a collection of short stories that (I presume) are supposed to be funny, but the ones I didn't find depressing I spent the entire story saying "No don't do that! This character is a complete idiot." (2/15-2/20) (Nook)
14. The Human Division #6: The Back Channel - by John Scalzi (33 pages) This story is told from the point of view of the alien Conclave. An interesting story that is starting to piece together very well. (2/20-2/20) (Nook)
15. A Fire Upon The Deep - by Vernor Vinge (624 pages) An excellent Sci-Fi novel. Set in a universe where technology differs depending on where you are. The Universe is separated into the Transcend, The Beyond, and Slow Space. An old enemy called the blight is accidentally let loose, and a ragtag team is trying to stop it. (2/21-3/12) (Nook)
16. The Human Division #7: The Dog King - by John Scalzi (43 pages) An ambassador who insists on taking her dog everywhere with her needs a dog sitter during a negotiation. Just watch out for alien plants, they have a mean bite... Funny, well written and fast paced. (3/12-3/12) (Nook)
17. The Human Division #8: The Sound of Rebellion - by John Scalzi (29 pages) Colonial Union soldier Heather Lee wakes up naked and blindfolded and bound to a chair. She is being interrogated, and none of her genetic enhancements are working. To date, this is my favorite installment in the series. (3/12-3/12) (Nook)
18. The Human Division #9: The Observers - by John Scalzi - (48 pages) A group of observers from Earth are aboard the Clarke to improve relations, when sabotage occurs. (3/12-3/12) (Nook)
19. For Whom The Bell Tolls - by Ernest Hemingway (507 pages) I quit at page 347. The story is slow, dry and boring. I have enjoyed other books by Hemingway, but I didn't like this one at all. I felt zero empathy for the characters, and everything that happened in this book up to the point where I quit was mundane details. I don't care what you are eating for breakfast. This book is about a war, and there is 1 short fighting scene in the first 350 pages. Long story short, this is not my type of story. (3/13-3/28)  
20. Letters To Jenny - by Piers Anthony (288 pages) A little boring. This book is a collection of one side of a years worth of correspondence between the author and a girl that was struck by a drunk driver while walking. (3/29-4/8)  
21. The Human Division #10: This Must Be The Place - by John Scalzi (33 pages) Hart takes a break from the Clarke to visit his family for Harvest day. This book details the type of family he came from, and what his father really wants him to do with his life. (4/9-4/9) (Nook)
22. The Human Division #11: A Problem Of Proportion - by John Scalzi (46 pages) The Clarke has a back channel meeting with an alien ship. Upon arrival both ships are attacked. But the who the attacker turns out to be is a surprise to everyone. (4/10-4/10) (Nook)
23. The Human Division #12: The Gentle Art Of Cracking Heads - by John Scalzi (29 pages) United States Diplomat Danielle Lowen is trying to meet with another diplomat, and keeps getting the runaround. It gets interesting when she goes to get a coffee. (4/10-4/11) (Nook) 
24. The Human Division #13: Earth Below, Sky Above - by John Scalzi (77 pages) The Colonial Union is trying to salvage relations with Earth, when disaster strikes. An exciting cliffhanger end to the "season," and I am already looking forward to "season 2." (4/11-4/11) (Nook)
25. The Importance Of Being Earnest - by Oscar Wilde (159 pages) A very funny play about 2 men who are using the pseudonym Earnest. Hilarity ensues when 2 different women both state that they could only marry a man who's name was Earnest. (4/12-4/17) 
26.  The Mode series book 1: Virtual Mode - by Piers Anthony (323 pages) A fairly good book about a man from another world and a girl from Oklahoma trying to reunite after they are separated. This book was written in the pre-internet world, and the computer parts of the story seem ridiculous. Kind of like talking about how high tech the CGA color monitor is would seem ridiculous. Still enjoyable, just quaint. (4/18-4/25)
27. The Mode series book 2: Fractal Mode - by Piers Anthony (344 pages) Another fairly good but dated story. While on the Virtual Mode the characters end up in a universe based on fractals. I enjoy fantasy, but I found myself saying, come on, that is NOT the way that would happen. If you can get passed the dated computer stuff and the unrealistic characters, it's an okay story. (4/26-5/2)
28. Murder At The ABA - by Isaac Asimov (269 pages) A murder mystery. A writer is killed, but everyone thinks it was an accident. Another writer starts his own investigation to prove it was murder and find the killer. Interesting and enjoyable. (5/3-5/10)
29. The Diary of a Young Girl - by Anne Frank (352 pages) This is an exceptional book, and a new all time favorite for me. A thought provoking account of her life while hiding from the Nazi's, and a powerful reminder of how bad it really was for the Jews in Europe during World War 2. The book is well written, especially considering she wrote it when she was a young teen, and that she literally couldn't step outside of the building her family was hiding in. I imagine that if history went a little differently, she would have ended up being a great novelist. Highly recommended. (5/11-5/16) (Nook)
30. The Rithmatist - by Brandon Sanderson (378 pages) A quick and fun read. Typical Sanderson style and pacing. A boy who is not a Rithmatist is attending a school for Rithmatists because his dad was killed in an accident there years before. Then in YA fashion, students start disappearing, and it's up to him to figure things out. (5/16-5/21)
31. Relativity: The Special and the General Theory - by Albert Einstein (188 pages) Interesting, but mostly over my head. Einstein wrote that this book was written for the layman, but the layman still needs to understand college level math, and I failed algebra. I understood the basics of the theories, and it was intriguing, but not light reading by any means. I read the text, and glazed over the proofs. I wouldn't double check Einsteins math, even if I understood it! (5/21-5/23)
32. Old Man's War - by John Scalzi (320 pages) Gritty Military Sci-Fi. In the future, the Colonial Defense Forces protects the planets that have been colonized by humans from aliens that want to kill, or even eat us. (Humans are a delicacy in space.) The recruits come from Earth, and the only requirement for joining is that you are 75 years old. Fun and fast paced. I really enjoyed this book. (5/24-5/29)
33. The Running Man - by Stephen King (327 pages) This is an excellent story. In a future reminiscent of the book 1984, a man who can't find work and who desperately needs money for his sick daughter, goes on a TV game show where you run for your life. Fast paced and well written, with an ending that is more disturbing since the September 11th attacks. I almost never have trouble picturing things I read, but with what has happened since this book was published, I could see it in vivid detail. (5/30-5/31)
34. Mitch Rapp #5: Separation of Power - by Vince Flynn (514 pages) The Mitch Rapp books are literary cotton candy, but fun and fast paced. I thoroughly enjoy reading these books. In this book, Rapp is trying to quit the Orion Team, but has to do one last job. Of course it isn't that simple, and things quickly escalate beyond the scope of the original plan. (5/31-6/5)
35. Dubliners - by James Joyce (223 pages) This is an okay book. It is a collection of stories, and most of them start out interesting, but most of them fall flat. At least half of them end just when the story started getting good. Oddly enough, the most complete story is the least interesting. To sum it up, this book is well written, but a bit like reading a bunch of story ideas. (6/6-6/12)
36. The World's Strongest Librarian - by Josh Hanagarne (291 pages) The story of a man's life as he struggles to overcome tics caused by Tourette's. Witty and well written, and informative insight into how a person with Tourette's feels. I mostly read this because someone I know has a child with Tourette's, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as well. (6/13-6/15)
37. Brave New World - by Aldous Huxley (311 pages) A story set in a future where everything is engineered. Everyone is a test tube baby, and your entire life is planned before you are born. Partway through the book, a Savage from a reservation is introduced to society. This was written in 1931, and the author speaks about things that have a haunting similarity to life today. (Obsession with fun and material objects, and pills that make you happy.) An excellent novel that gives you alot to think about. (6/16-6/20)
38. The Green Mile book 6: Coffey on the Mile - by Stephen King (138 pages) The Green Mile books are a good read, with with good use of imagery throughout. This book ties the previous six books together and we find out what Coffey is all about. (6/20-6/23)
39. Unfettered - an anthology for Shawn Speakman (573 pages) This is a really good anthology, written for Shawn Speakman after he was diagnosed with lymphoma - without medical insurance. Most of the stories are very good, with a few that are outstanding, and only 1 or 2 were duds. Game of Chance by Carrie Vaughn, and Mudboy is another that stood out. The Sound of Broken Absolutes was one of my favorites in this collection. Oddly enough, the story by Patrick Rothfuss, one of my favorite authors, was one of the duds. I highly recommend this book. (6/24-7/5) (Nook)
40. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - by Neil Gaiman (181 pages) This is the second best book I've read this year. Neil Gaiman is an amazing writer, and a master at blending the real world with fantasy. This is the story of a man who is visiting the area where he grew up. As he walks down the lane, he starts to remember a bunch of stuff from his childhood that he had long forgotten. (7/6-7/8) (Nook)
41. The Overton Window - by Glenn Beck (457 pages) This is an entertaining book, but like other books I have read in this genre, I found it simplistic. I generally refer to books like this as “cotton candy.” It is fun to read, but not a lot of substance to it. It delivers what it says; a conspiracy driven fast paced plot, but none of the layers of world building that make other books so good. (7/9-7/16)
42. The Riyria Revelations book 1: Theft of Swords - by Michael J. Sullivan (691 pages) I saw Michael Sullivan's table at Connecticon, and he gave me an autographed copy of this book. It is 2 books in an omnibus edition. Both stories are about a pair of thieves hired to steal a sword. (Two separate swords on two separate occasions.) Overall, the books have everything I look for in a novel. Fast pacing, a great story, and characters that you care about. (7/17-7/27)
43. A Wrinkle in Time - by Madeleine L'Engle (211 pages) Even though this book is what we would call YA by today’s standards, it is still a well written and enjoyable story. This story was also one of the first Science Fiction books to feature a female protagonist. (7/28-7/30)
44. Steel - by Carrie Vaughn (304 pages) A fun book. This is a YA novel, but it is an enjoyable read. It is the story of a girl who is a competitive fencer who looses a match by half a second. While on a beach shortly thereafter, she finds the tip of an ancient rapier buried in the sand. She then proceeds to fall in the water and gets transported back in time, and winds up on the crew of a pirate ship. (7/31-8/1) (Nook)
45. The Shining - by Stephen King (447 pages) I really enjoyed this novel. I don’t find King scary per se, but his books are intense, and he has a way of getting you inside the characters head. The initial set up was a little slow, but the slow parts in the beginning really help reinforce what happens later in the novel. The cracks and flaws in Jacks personality that are shown to us in the set up are what gives the Overlook so much leverage over him. It didn’t keep me up at night, and I didn’t have to put it in the freezer. (8/2-8/14)
46. River Of Stars - Guy Gavriel Kay (639 pages) Wow. You need to read this book. An interesting story and beautiful prose. Kay's books are not an easy read, but they are always phenomenal. (8/15-9/8)
47. Ender's Game - by Orson Scott Card (289 pages) This is a very fun book. The premise is far fetched, but not so much that I didn't enjoy it. The pacing is perfect, and the story is good. This book is about Ender, a boy of 6 who is selected for a government program for highly gifted children. Ultimately they want him to lead their armies against the Buggers, an alien race that has invaded twice. Last time mankind barely escaped destruction, and the government is hoping to find mankind's savior in Ender. (9/9-9/10) (Nook)
48. Ghost Brigades - by John Scalzi (347 pages) A cool sequel to Old Mans War. A gritty Sci-Fi story that tells the story of the Special Forces of the Colonial Union. You get in by dying before your 75th birthday. Fun and mostly well paced. (9/11-9/19)
49. The Mode Series book 3: Chaos Mode - by Piers Anthony (358 pages) This series has potential, but it falls flat. A lot. Anthony seems to like beating you over the head with the fact that Colene is suicidal. He also pulls some things from WAY out in left field, leaving you with the oh-so-pleasant taste of Deus Ex Machina in your mouth. I will read the fourth (and last) book, but only because I'm fully committed now. (9/20-9/26)
50. Steelheart - by Brandon Sanderson (406 pages) This is the story of a boy named David who was orphaned at 8 years old when he witnessed his Father being killed by the Epic Steelheart. Before his father died, he accidentally grazed Steelheart with a bullet. To this day he is the only person who has ever made Steelheart bleed. The story takes place ten years after that incident, and David is trying to join up with the Reckoners. They are a group of humans who search for weaknesses in Epics, than they kill them. (9/26-9/29)
51. Queen of Dragons - by Shana Abe (323 pages) I have read a couple of the other books in this series. I always thought it was Fantasy that had Romance influence. I have changed my mind. It is Romance thinly disguised as a fantasy novel. The plot in this book was incredibly thin and unbelievable. It was JUST readable. I almost gave up on it. I did finish it, but it was a waste of time. (9/30-10/6)
52. Discord's Apple - by Carrie Vaughn (339 pages) This was a well written and interesting story, but it tended to stray into the realm of cheese a bit too much for me. The basic story is interesting, but it felt like every third chapter another god or goddess was coming into play. It felt like a mad rush to include as many famous characters into the story as possible. Other than that I enjoyed the story, and the ending fit the story well.(10/7-10/10)
53. The Sword of Truth book 7: Faith of the Fallen - by Terry Goodkind (539 pages) Richard and Kahlan are in the mountains, hiding to give Kahlan time to recover from the wounds she received at the end of Soul of the Fire. While they are there a Sister of the Dark captures Richard, and takes him into the heart of the old world. In typical Richard fashion, he manages to overthrow her plans in an unusual and unexpected manner. (10/10-10/26)
54. The Sword of Truth book 8: The Pillars of Creation - by Terry Goodkind (557 pages) In this installment of The Sword of Truth, the focus shifts to characters that are completely new to us. The primary character is a girl named Jennsen, who hears voices, and has been in hiding most of her life. After she finds a dead soldier, she teams up with a guy named Sebastian in an attempt to kill the evil Lord Rahl. Most of this novel focuses on previously unknown characters, and characters that have received little "screen time" to this point. Richard and Kahlan don't show up until the end of the book. (10/26-11/1)
55. The Riyria Chronicles book 1: The Crown Tower - by Michael J. Sullivan (406 pages) This book is set 12 years before the Riyria Revelations, and tells the story of how Hadrian and Royce came together. In the Authors Note section of the book, Michael Sullivan said that he started thinking that when these two guys met each other, they wouldn't have liked each other, and probably would have hated each other. So this story is about someone who hires them separately, intending to have them work together to steal a book from the crown tower. (11/2-11/8)
56.  The Riyria Chronicles book 2: The Rose and the Thorn - by Michael Sullivan (361 pages) This book is a continuation of Royce and Hadrian's back story. This is the story about how they became thieves that work for nobles who need specialized work done. There is also a great tale of revenge, and a lot of back story about other characters in the Riyria Revelations is also filled in. (11/9-11/14)
57. The Button Man and the Murder Tree - by Cherie Priest (32 pages) A gross, but good story. This is the story of a mobster hit man, who happens to have mushrooms growing out of his body at random. This story is part of George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards series. (11/15) (Nook)
58. Infinity Blade Redemption - by Brandon Sanderson (138 pages) This story starts off with the God King and Siris imprisoned in the Vault of Tears, repeatedly killing each other. They eventually bore of killing each other, and after a few years someone finds a way to let them out. They find the world spiraling into chaos as The Worker wreaks havoc in the God Kings kingdom. The forge a temporary alliance and together they go after The Worker. (11/15) (Nook)
59. The Speed of Time - by Jay Lake (12 pages)  This is a weird story. I am still not really sure what the point of it was. There wasn't really a plot, and if there was supposed to be a "deeper meaning," I missed it. The characters weren't even that interesting. There is one character that thinks God is talking to her, but Asimov told a much more interesting short story (The Last Question) that touched on a similar subject, and when I finished it, I thought about it for days. This story was the complete opposite of that. I haven't thought about it just enough to write this review. (11/16) (Nook)
60. Redshirts - by John Scalzi (317 pages) A group of Ensigns on the star ship Intrepid noticed that any time there is an away mission, one of them bites the dust. The laws of physics will warp to keep the Captain and the Science Officer alive, but Ensigns are fair game. (11/16) (Nook)
61. Worlds Within Worlds: The Story of Nuclear Energy - by Isaac Asimov (143 pages) I am fascinated by physics, especially by nuclear energy. I found this book educational and insightful, and I enjoyed the manner in which it is written. Asimov was great at taking an advanced concept, and boiling it down so a layman could understand it. He was also good at making what could be a boring subject interesting. I would love to know what he would be writing on if he were still alive today. (11/16-11/17)
62. Quasar, Quasar, Burning Bright - by Isaac Asimov (240 pages) Asimov frequently wrote essays for The Magazine of Fantasy ans Science Fiction. This book is a collection of 17 non-fiction essays, written on a variety of subjects. He starts with atoms, goes to cities, the United States, our Solar System, and eventually the Universe. (In the final essay he talks about himself. Seeing as he went from smallest to biggest, and knowing Asimov's sense of humor, one has to wonder if the placement was intentional.) This book has a bit of dated information, but it is still interesting, and everything is presented in context. So in summary, this book is interesting, even if not everything is relevant anymore. (11/17-11/21)
63. Asimov's Guide to Halley's Comet - by Isaac Asimov (118 pages) This book was written just before the return of Halley's Comet in 1985 - 1986. I remember standing on the back porch with binoculars, trying to get a good look at the comet. Most of the information in this book is still relevant, however there are a few concepts that have sense been debunked. The biggest one being the idea that there are more Gas Giants beyond Pluto. (11/22-11/24)
64. The Clockwork Century book 6: Fiddlehead - by Cherie Priest (366 pages) The Clockwork century is a series of books that are set in an alternate timeline Civil War era. In this world, the war has dragged on for an extra 10 years or so, Lincoln survived the assassination attempt, and poison gas leaking from Mt Rainer creates zombies. This story is about a scientist who builds a calculating machine known as Fiddlehead. The machine predicts that if the war isn't stopped, the entire North American continent will be destroyed. There is always money to be made from war, especially if you have no morals. (11/25-12/2)
65. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - by Robert Heinlein (302 pages)  Set in the year 2076, a group of people living on a Lunar prison colony work with a computer to stage a revolution. The book then goes into the details and outcome of the revolution. The story was okay, and the only thing that pushed it above 1 star was the last 50 pages. If not for that, I wouldn't recommend it at all. As it stands, I would only recommend it for people who like hard Sci-Fi, and aren't afraid of reading a book that reads like a 5 year old wrote it. (12/2-12/13)
66. Pudd'nhead Wilson - by Mark Twain (145 pages) This book is the story of a would be lawyer who was labeled a "pudd'nhead" by the people in the town he lived in. This came about because of a misunderstood joke, and everyone thought he was ignorant.  (12/14-12/18)
67. A Christmas Carol - by Charles Dickens (126 pages) Read in honor of Christmas. I have seen many iterations of the movie, but this was the first time I read the book. I think the Disney cartoon came the closest to the book. (12/19-12/20)
68. How the States Got their Shapes - by Mark Stein (334 pages) This is an interesting book that tells the story of - how the states got their shapes! Go figure! It is fun for a geography book, with lots of interesting facts. The book goes more in depth than the TV show. (12/21-12/31)

 (18,126 Pages)