The 2016 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread (2024)

HarryT

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Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: UK

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Books Read in 2016:

"Judgment on Janus", by Andre Norton. Completed 1/1/16.

The first half of the "Janus" omnibus, which I bought from Baen in 2002. I didn't particularly enjoy this; the same tired plot device Norton uses over and over again of someone being taken over by a figure from the past on an alien planet. Not recommended.

"Bronze Summer", by Stephen Baxter. Completed 6/1/16.

The second of his "Northland" alternate history series. The time has moved forward to 1100 BC, and the events of "Stone Spring" are the subject of mythology. Northland is threatened by an invading army from Troy.

"Victory on Janus", by Andre Norton. Completed 9/1/16.

The second half of the Baen "Janus" omnibus. I hoped it might improve over the first half, but my hopes were not realised. Really, really not recommended!

"Iron Winter", by Stephen Baxter.

The final part of the "Northland" trilogy. Very good alternate history.

"Conrad's Time Machine", by Leo Frankowski. Completed 16/1/16.

Good time travel SF bought from Baen in 2002.

"Traitor's Purse", by Margery Allingham. Completed 21/1/16.

This is the 11th book in the "Campion" series, and was originally published in 1941.

Campion wakes up in hospital with amnesia, not even knowing his own name, but knowing that he has to complete a task vital to the war effort with a very tight deadline. Can he discover what he needs to do, and complete his mission?

Excellent book. As with all the "Campion" books, more of a thriller than a traditional detective story. Highly recommended.

"Eternal Frontier", by James H. Schmitz. Completed 31/1/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. This is the final volume of Schmitz's collected stories released by Baen, and gathers together the non-series stories he wrote. Contains some very good stories, and I recommend it.

"The Mammoth Book of Time Travel SF", edited by Mike Ashley. Completed 3/2/16.

An excellent collection of 25 short stories featuring various aspects of time travel and its consequences. I have quite a few books in the "Mammoth Books" series, and they're always good. I bought this one as part of an Amazon UK 99p sale quite a while ago. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.

"Seas of Venus", by David Drake. Completed 19/2/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. Very enjoyable military SF set on a future terraformed and colonised Venus in which evolution has become rampant, producing a world filled with unbelievably hostile creatures. Wars are fought by mercenary companies, hired by the underwater domed cities in which everybody lives, due to the hostile surface environment.

The book contains two main stories, "Surface Action", which is probably a novella, and "The Jungle", a full-length novel. There's also a travelogue at the end of the book in which Mr Drake describes a family holiday to Belize, which I found very interesting.

Recommended!

"Coroner's Pidgin", by Margery Allingham. Completed 21/2/16.

The 12th book in the "Campion" series. It's 1944, and Campion returns home from three years engaged in secret activities on the Continent to discover his manservant, Lugg, depositing a corpse in his flat. This unusual circ*mstance embroils Campion in a slightly far-fetched plot involving a Nazi plot to steal British art treasures. Great fun, and highly recommended provided you don't take it too seriously.

"Fallen Angels", by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Michael Flynn. Completed 23/2/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. It's some time in the near future, and the US is ruled by an anti-technology" government, who try to suppress any "inappropriate" scientific knowledge. A new ice age has also started, which isn't helping things! When two astronauts from an independent orbital colony crash-land in the US, the government is out to arrest them as "illegal aliens", but they are rescued by a group of underground SF fans (SF having been outlawed as "pro-technology") who devise a plan to get them back home.

Excellent book, and will appeal particularly to anyone familiar with the culture of SF fandom. Highly recommended.

"Gardens of the Moon" by Steven Erikson. Completed 6/3/16.

The first book in the 10-volume "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series. An epic fantasy in every sense of the word, featuring "a cast of thousands" and a wide scope. Extremely enjoyable, although by no means an easy read. I'm very much looking forward to continuing with the series. Very highly recommended, but not a book (or a series) to be taken on lightly: you'll need plenty of time on your hands.

"Summertide", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 8/3/16.

Bought from Baen a very long time ago. This is the first half of the "Convergent Series" omnibus, and the first book in the "Heritage" series.

Humanity has colonised the galaxy, and found it littered with gigantic and mysterious artefacts built - and abandoned - millions of years ago by a mysterious race dubbed "The Builders". Dr Darya Lang, an expert on Builder Artefacts, travels to a star system where her calculations suggest that an event related to the Builders may be about to happen, but she's not the only one to go there, and not everyone's motives are academic.

Good book in a good series.

"Death Du Jour", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 10/3/16.

The second book in the "Temperance Brennan" of detective stories featuring a forensic anthropologist working in Quebec. This book is about an investigation into a series of murders linked to an apocalyptic cult. Very enjoyable. An excellent series.

"Divergence", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 12/3/16.

Bought from Baen a long time ago. This is the second half of the "Convergent Series" omnibus, and the second book in the "Heritage Universe" series. The book is a direct sequel to the first book, "Summertide", and continues the story which started in that. Excellent hard SF about exploration of ancient alien artefacts, much along the lines of Clarke's "Rendezvous with Rama". No longer available for purchase, unfortunately, although still available for download by previous buyers. Very highly recommended.

"More Work for the Undertaker", by Margery Allingham, Completed 13/3/16.

The 13th book in the "Campion" series. Campion is called in to assist in the investigation of the mysterious death of a member of a once-prosperous family who have now fallen on hard times. As always with Campion books, it's not the plot (which is wildly improbable) that's the reason to read it, but the interesting characters and entertaining dialogue. Recommended.

"Trancendence", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 15/3/16.

(Which my spelling checker insists should be spelt "Transcendence", which I agree with). This is the first half of the Baen omnibus called "Transvergence", and the third book in the "Heritage Universe" series. A direct continuation of the story starting in the first two books in the series. Excellent hard SF, very much along the lines of Clarke's "Rendezvous with Rama", with the theme of the exploration of ancient alien artefacts. Superb series which gets better and better with each book.

"Devices and Desires", by K. J. Parker (pen name of the British author Tom Holt). Completed 17/3/16.

This is the first book in the "Engineer" trilogy.

Amazon description:

I've read a fair number of Parker's books and, although they're enjoyable, they always leave me with a vague feeling of dissatisfaction. The protagonists always self-destruct, leaving me to ask "why did you do that?". I'm not sure I want to read the rest of the series (which I have already bought).

"Convergence", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 21/3/16.

The fourth book in the "Heritage Universe" series, and the second half of the Baen "Transvergence" omnibus which is, unfortunately, no longer on sale to new purchasers, although still available for download for previous buyers such as me. An excellent continuation to this hard SF series about the exploration of ancient alien artefacts. Very much along similar lines to Clarke's "Rendezvous with Rama". Highly recommended (if you can buy it!).

"Tiger in the Smoke", by Margery Allingham. Completed 25/3/16.

The 14th book in the "Campion" series. Campion goes up against a ruthless killer who is determined to get his hands on a treasure hidden in WWII. I think this is probably the best book in the series so far. Absolutely excellent and highly recommended.

"Resurgence", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 27/3/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. The 5th and final book in the "Heritage Universe" series. A direct continuation of the story from the first four books, and very good hard SF. Unfortunately the story is left incomplete, and this is the final book in the series, due to the author's death from a brain tumour in the year that this book was published. An extremely enjoyable series, even incomplete.

"The Shape of Water", by Andrea Camilleri. Completed 27/3/16.

The first book in the "Inspector Montalbano" series, set in Sicily. I've long enjoyed the TV adaptation of this author's books, which are shown on BBC TV subtitled from the original Italian, but this is the first book in the series that I've read. I enjoyed it very much; the book is well-written and very witty, too. This book is about the apparently natural death of a local politician, which Montalbano thinks is not as straightforward as it first appears. Again, highly recommended.

"Skylock", by Paul Koverski". Completed 28/3/16.

Again bought from Baen in 2002. Military SF, set in a mid-21st America in which civilisation has collapsed due to a change in the Sun's output. I really didn't particularly enjoy this one, although it wasn't bad enough for me to abandon it. The political stereotyping is crude, with a Soviet army officer consistently referred to as "The Red", which I found distasteful. Not recommended.

"The Beckoning Lady", by Margery Allingham. Completed 31/3/16.

The 15th book in the "Campion" series. A classic "English country-house" murder mystery. A local tax inspector is found dead in a ditch close to the home of two of Campion's friends, who are holding a large party. The book reintroduces many characters who have appeared in earlier books in the series, so this would not be a good book in read in isolation. Extremely enjoyable.

"Between the Strokes of Night", by Charles Sheffield. Completed 31/3/16.

Originally bought from Baen in 2002. Superb hard SF - one of the best SF novels I've read in a very long time. The book explores the consequences of the speed of light being an absolute speed limit, and ways that the human race could still colonise the galaxy even with this limit. It explores some fascinating ideas in doing so, and stretches from 2016 into the very, very distant future (some 8 billion years). Unfortunately the book is no longer available to buy from Baen, although previous purchasers can still download it. I don't know if it's available elsewhere. This is a masterpiece: truly memorable SF that will keep me thinking about the issues raised for quite some time.

"The Terracotta Dog", by Andrea Camilleri. Completed 2/4/16.

The second book in the "Montelbano" series of crime novels set in Sicily. When a local Mafia boss surrenders to Montelbano he reveals to him the location of a cave containing a weapons cache, but the cave also contains something much stranger: the walled-up remains of a young couple apparently killed during WWII. Can Montelbano solve the mystery? Excellent detective story: I highly recommend this series to any lover of crime fiction.

"Hour of the Gremlins", by Gordon R. Dickson and Ben Bova. Completed 6/4/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. This contains what would probably today be considered a long-ish short story (the title story, about Gremlins - leprechauns - who want to hitch a ride back to their own planet on a Mars rocket), a novella, "Hour of the Horde" (about a galactic civilisation visiting Earth to get the help of us "barbarians" in combatting an extra-galactic invasion fleet), and a short novel, "Wolfling (about an Earth ambassador to a 100,000-year-old human empire which has just rediscovered Earth as a long-lost colony world slipped back into barbarism). All good, although I enjoyed "Wolfling" most. Highly recommended.

"The Snack Thief", by Andrea Camilleri. Completed 10/4/16.

The third book in the "Inspector Montalbano" series of detective stories set in Sicily. When an elderly man is stabbed to death in an elevator and a crewman on an Italian fishing trawler is machine-gunned by a Tunisian patrol boat off Sicily's coast, only Inspector Montalbano suspects a link between the two incidents. Excellent.

"Killer", by David Drake & Karl Edward Wagner. Completed 13/4/16.

Bought from Baen in 2002. An almost indestructible alien predator is let loose in ancient Rome, and a Roman animal collector tries to trap it. Excellent SF. Highly recommended.

"Those in Peril", by Wilbur Smith. Completed 16/4/16.

The first book in the "Hector Cross" series. Very good adventure story. Hector Cross, the owner of a security company providing protection for an oil company, has to track down Somali pirates who kidnap the teenage daughter of the oil company's owner. Very good, but with graphic scenes of extreme violence. Not for those who don't like such things.

"Give Me Liberty", edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Mark Tier. Completed 19/4/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. Excellent collection of SF stories by various authors about societies with no central government, including such classics as Van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops". Highly recommended.

"Hide My Eyes", by Margery Allingham. Completed 20/4/16.

The 16th book in the "Campion" series. Campion barely appears in this one, which is a an excellent story about the tracking down of a serial killer in 1950s London. Campion is now "a man in his 50s", compared to the young man in his 20s he was at the start of the series. Recommended.

"Grimmer than Hell", by David Drake. Completed 21/4/16.

An excellent military SF short story collection which I bought from Baen in 2003. The book starts with six related stories about a special operation unit fighting a war again aliens, then there are a number of standalone stories, and finally a group of three stories about a policeman in a society in which everyone is under constant and total surveillance. An excellent collection. Very highly recommended.

"Deadly Decisions", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 22/4/16.

This is the third book in the "Temperance Brennon" series of detective stories about a forensic anthropologist working in Montreal, Canada. Very good story about a gang war between rival biker gangs. Recommended.

"The Sleeping Dragon", by Joel Rosenberg. Completed 24/4/16.

The first volume of the "Guardians of the Flame" series, and the first third of the Baen omnibus also called "The Guardians of the Flame", which I bought from Baen in 2003. Fairly standard "D&D players find themselves for real in the world of their game" fantasy, but well done. Not terribly taxing, but nonetheless enjoyable.

"Eater", by Gregory Benford. Completed 25/4/16.

Excellent hard SF by one of the best living exponents of the genre. Astronomers detect a small black hole passing through the outer reaches of the solar system, but then receive intelligent communications from it. Very well written and intelligent SF. Highly recommended!

"The Sword and the Chain", by Joel Rosenberg. Completed 26/4/16.

This is the middle third of the Baen omnibus "The Guardians of the Flame", which I bought in 2003. Our intrepid party of heroes, having been magically transferred into the world of what they thought was a D&D game, now set about in earnest the task they've been given of fighting slave caravans. A great improvement over the first book and now becoming a excellent story. Highly recommended.

"Borrower of the Night", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 27/4/16.

This is the first book in her "Vicky Bliss" series, about a historian who investigates mysteries. The "Amelia Peabody" series by the same author are among my favourites, so I was looking forward to reading this series, and I wasn't disappointed. Excellent writing with an enjoyable touch of humour. Looking forward to reading the remaining books in the series. Highly recommended!

The plot: Vicki and her arrogant male colleague, Tony, get drawn into a search to locate a lost masterpiece by a 16th century sculptor which they believe may be hidden in a (fictitious) castle in the (real) German town of Rothenburg. Numerous adventures ensue!

"The Silver Crown", by Joel Rosenberg. Completed 30/4/16.

This is the third book in the "Guardians of the Flame" fantasy series, and forms the final third (actually the final 40%) of the Baen omnibus also called "The Guardians of the Flame", which I bought in 2003. Excellent fantasy; the series started out fairly average, but it got better in book 2 and even better in book 3. Highly recommended.

"Street of the Five Moons", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 2/5/16.

This is the second book in the "Vicky Bliss" series about a mystery-solving historian. In this book, Vicky travels to Rome on the trail of a gang who are creating faithful reproductions of well-known pieces of jewellery. A monstrously implausible story, but, as always with Elizabeth Peters, a hugely enjoyable romp. It even has a "master criminal", a trademark of Peters's writing. If you've read and enjoyed (and who hasn't enjoyed them?) her "Amelia Peabody" series, do give this series a go! Highly recommended.

"A Plague of Demons", by Keith Laumer. Completed 4/5/16.

I bought this from Baen in 2003. This is the fourth volume of Baen's collected works of Laumer, and all the stories in this volume have the theme of human contact with hostile aliens. A superb collection - I enjoyed all the stories. Very highly recommended.

"The China Governess", by Margery Allingham. Completed 6/5/16.

This is the 17th book in the "Campion" series. Timothy Kinnit is trying to elope with Julia, but the question of his origins as a wartime refugee baby stand between them and their future. What does the "Turk Street Mile", once the wickedest street in London but now redeveloped after wartime bombing, have to do with the mystery? Can Albert Campion and the recently widowed Superintendent Charles Luke find the answer and discover who wants it kept a secret? Very enjoyable.

"The Unlikely Ones", by Mary Brown. Completed 7/5/16.

This is the first portion of a Baen Omnibus called "Here there be Dragonnes", which I bought in 2003. It's a very well-done classic fantasy "quest" novel. A young girl and a group of disparate animal companions (a cat, a crow, a fish and a toad), having been kidnapped by a wicked witch and had the memory of their past lives erased, go on a quest to try to discover who they are and what their destiny is. It may sound a bit corny, but it's extremely well-written, and I highly recommend it. You get three long fantasy novels for your money, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

"Hamlet, Revenge!", by Michael Innes. Completed 12/5/16.

The second book in his "Inspector Appleby" series of detective novels. Appleby is called in to investigate when the Lord Chancellor of England is murdered while taking part in an amateur production of "Hamlet" at an English country house. This is a very long and complex, but extremely satisfying, detective story in the best tradition of the "golden age" of English detective fiction. The best crime novel I've read in a very long time, and I thoroughly recommend it. It was voted #68 in the Crime Writers' Association Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time (which would, in itself, be a worthwhile reading challenge for someone).

"Pigs Don't Fly", by Mary Brown. Completed 15/5/16.

This is the middle third of the 2003 Baen omnibus "Here There Be Dragonnes". Another excellent "quest"-type fantasy, telling the story of a young girl who is thrown out of her home in what is probably medieval Europe when her mother, the village whor*, dies. Well written and enjoyable, although it contains an irritating number of errors, which many of these early Baen books did. Recommended.

"The Mind Readers", by Margery Allingham. Completed 17/5/16.

The 18th book in the "Campion" series. A rather improbable story involving various groups of spies trying to get hold of a device that enables telepathic communication. Not one of the better books in the series, though not bad by any means.

"Master of Many Treasures", by Mary Brown. Completed 19/5/16.

This is the third book in the "Unicorn Ring" series, and the final third of the Baen omnibus edition called "Here There Be Dragonnes", which I bought in 2003. It follows on directly from the events of the previous book in the series. Very enjoyable "quest" type fantasy, and the omnibus of three long books represents excellent value for money. Highly recommended.

"Fatal Voyage", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 21/5/16.

This is the 4th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series of novels about a forensic anthropologist, and the best so far in what's already been an excellent series. In this book, Dr Brennan is called in to assist in helping identify bodies in the aftermath of an air crash in North Carolina, and is soon embroiled in a deeper mystery. Very highly recommended!

"Star Man's Son", by Andre Norton. Completed 23/5/16.

This is the first half of the "Darkness and Dawn" Baen omnibus which I bought in 2003, and is a post-apocalypic novel set 300 years after a devastating nuclear war, telling the story of a young man's travels from his mountain tribe into the outside world, and the adventures that befall him. I'm not particularly a fan of Norton - her books are rather formulaic - but I quite enjoyed this one.

"Silhouette in Scarlet", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 23/5/16.

The third book in the "Vicky Bliss" series. In this one, Vicky travels to Sweden and gets embroiled in a search for buried treasure. Hugely enjoyable nonsense, and highly recommended.

"No Night Without Stars", by Andre Norton. Completed 24/5/16.

The second half of the "Darkness and Dawn" Baen omnibus (I've no idea why Baen give their omnibuses names that bear no relation to the books that are in them!). Another post-apocalyptic novel in which a young man seeks adventure in a world full of danger. Really, I find Norton's books very tedious; I honestly don't know why I bother to read them.

"Grave Secrets", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 26/5/16.

This is the 5th book in the Temperance Brennan series about a forensic anthropologist; in this book she travels to Guatamala to join a team excavating the mass graves of people killed in the civil war in the 1980s, but many people there would rather that past events were not uncovered. Excellent book, as always for this series. Highly recommended.

"Mutineers' Moon", by David Weber. Completed 30/5/16.

The first third of the "Empire from the Ashes" omnibus, bought from Baen in 2003. NASA astronaut Colin MacIntyre discovers that the Moon is really an ancient spacecraft called "Dahak" whose purpose is to guard against periodic invasions from a ferocious alien race, the Achuultani. Now the Achuultani are returning, but Dahak is powerless to take action because his crew mutinied 50,000 years ago, and the mutineers still secretly control Earth's governments and military forces. The Earth will be destroyed unless the mutineers can be defeated! Excellent military SF. This is the third time I've read this book, and I've enjoyed it enormously every time. Highly recommended.

"Cargo of Eagles", by Margery Allingham. Completed 4/6/16.

The 19th book in the "Campion" series, and the final one to be written by Allingham herself. Campion is brought in to help uncover the secret behind mysterious goings-on in a remote English seaside community. Very good mystery.

"The Armageddon Inheritance", by David Weber. Completed 6/6/16.

This is the middle third of the Baen "Empire from the Ashes" omnibus that I bought in 2003, and continues the story of "Mutineer's Moon" directly. The rebels from Dahak's crew have been defeated, but there's now the small matter of defeating 3 million Achuultani starships who are due to arrived in the Solar System in two years' time, intent on destroying the Earth. Even better than the already excellent first book in the series. Highly recommended military SF.

"Bare Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 7/6/16.

The 6th book in the Temperance Brennan series of mysteries about a forensic anthropologist. In this one, Dr Brennan becomes involves in an investigation involving the smuggling of endangered animals in South Carolina. Very good, as always.

"Heirs of Empire", by David Weber. Completed 8/6/16.

This is the final third of the Baen "Empire from the Ashes" omnibus, and is set a number of years after the events in "The Armageddon Inheritance". Colin MacIntyre is now ruling the Fifth Imperium as Emperor, when his two teenage children become stranded, after a failed assassination attempt, on a planet of the Fourth Imperium which has reverted to water-powered technology and is ruled by a powerful theocracy intent on suppressing all technological advances in case "the demons from the stars" should return. The book alternates between events taking place on Earth and the Imperial capital world, and the story of the lost children. Truly excellent military SF and highly recommended. It's evident, BTW, that Weber recycled the idea of a planetary theocracy deliberately suppressing technology for his later "Safehold" series, which bears many similarities to the "lost children" portions of this book.

"Trojan Gold", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 9/6/16.

The fourth book of the "Vickie Bliss" series, about a mystery-solving museum curator. In this one, Vickie gets involved in a search for the golden treasure Heinrich Schliemann discovered at Troy, which vanish from Berlin in the last days of WWII. Pretty good, but there are better books in the series.

"Night Train to Memphis", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 10/6/16.

The 5th book in the series. In this one, Vickie is employed as a lecturer on a Nile cruiseship in an attempt to track down antiquities thieves. Very good indeed. Highly recommended.

"The Genesis Machine", by James P. Hogan. Completed 11/6/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. Very enjoyable hard SF. Baen description:

Highly recommended, although I should note that, although as a previous buyer, I can download this, many of Hogan's books are no longer available for purchase. I don't know whether or not this book can still be bought.

"The Laughter of Dead Kings", by Elizabeth Peters. Completed 13/6/16.

The sixth (and last) book in the Vicky Bliss series of books about a mystery-solving museum curator. In this book, Vicky and her long-term nemesis, John Tregarth, try to solve the mystery of the theft of the mummy of King Tutankhamun from its tomb in the Valley of the Kings. This was one of Peters' final books, and she adds a wonderful tie-in to the "Amelia Peabody" series to it, but I won't say more because it would be a spoiler. A fabulous book, and a must read if you're a fan of the Amelia Peabody series. Highly recommended.

"The Isle Beyond Time", by L. Warren Douglas. Completed 16/6/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. An excellent conclusion to a fantasy trilogy (the other two books being "The Sacred Pool" and "The Veil of Years"). The books are set in Brittany in the centuries following the collapse of the Roman Empire, and are based on ancient legends of the area. A "thinking person's" fantasy series that's not an easy read, but which more than repays the effort put into it. Very highly recommended.

"Way of the Pilgrim", by Gordon R. Dickson. Completed 16/6/16.

Shane Evert is a translator working for the alien Aalaag, who have conquered Earth and regard humans as no more than "cattle" to be exploited. When a single Aalaag warrior could destroy all life on Earth, how can they possibly be defeated?

I first read this book about 30 years ago (in fact I remember exactly when I read it - it was on a plane journey from Manchester, England, to Chicago - my first ever time on a plane!) and I remember being extremely impressed by it. For many years, though, I couldn't remember who the author was, so I was delighted to recently "rediscover" it in Gollancz's "SF Gateway" imprint. I'm happy to say that it stood the test of time, and I enjoyed it as much re-reading it as I did all those years ago. Very, very highly recommended.

"Interstellar Patrol", by Christopher Anvil. Completed 20/6/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. An excellent collection of Anvil's "Federation of Humanity" short (and not so short) stories, compiled and edited by Eric Flint. The Interstellar Patrol are the "problem solvers" of Anvil's universe, and often find themselves up against rival organisations, such as "Space Force" (the military force of the Federation) and the ultra-bureaucratic "Planetary Development Administration", who make the rules which control colonisation of Earth-like planets. A delightful collection. Highly recommended!

"Monday Mourning", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 21/6/16.

This is the 7th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series of books about a forensic anthropologist working in Montreal, Canada. In this book, she tried to uncover the mystery behind the skeletons of three teenage girls discovered in the basem*nt of a pizza parlour. Excellent, as have all the books in the series been so far. Very highly recommended.

"The Cold Equations and Other Stories", by Tom Godwin. Completed 24/6/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. "The Cold Equations" is of course one of the most famous (and controversial) SF short stories ever written, and it concludes this excellent volume of Godwin's work. My personal favourite is the short novel, "The Survivors", which opens the collection. Highly recommended.

"Cross Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 27/6/16.

The 8th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series about a forensic anthropologist working in Canada. A bit of a departure from the earlier books in the series; this one is more of an "archaeological thriller" about the possible discovery of the bones of Jesus (hence the book's title). Very enjoyable.

"Exiles at the Well of Souls", by Jack L. Chalker. Completed 1/7/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. Excellent SF, and a worthy sequel to the classic "Midnight at the Well of Souls". Recommended.

"Break No Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 3/7/16

The 9th book in the Temperance Brennan Series about a forensic anthropologist. In this one, Temperance undercovers a series of murders in South Carolina while filling in for a sick colleague. Very good.

"Hell's Faire", by John Ringo. Completed 6/7/16

The 4th book in the "Posleen War" series, completing the main story arc. Good military SF. Recommended.

"City of the Horizon", by Anton Gill. Completed 6/7/16

The first book in a detective series set in Ancient Egypt. The scribe Huy is banned from practising his profession following the turmoil that results from the death of the "heretic" king Akhenaten, whose administration Huy had worked for, so, as a favour for an old friend, he investigates some mysterious happening that have befallen the friend. Very enjoyable and (I'm happy to say) the author has done his research well about the time period. Both accurate and enjoyable. Again recommended, and I look forward to reading additional books in the series.

"E.Godz", by Robert Asprin and Esther Friesner. Completed 9/07/16

Fun fantasy from Baen, bought in 2003. Edwina Godz, owner of a successful magic business, sets her two recalcitrant children a challenge to decide which one of them should inherit the family business. Not very taxing, but an enjoyable light-hearted read.

"Bones to Ashes", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 15/07/16.

The 10th book in the Temperance Brennan series. In this one, the discovery of a girl's skeleton in Canada reawakens the memory of a childhood friend who disappeared. Could the two events possibly be connected? A good read, but to my mind slightly below the standard of the rest of this excellent series that I've read thus far.

"Future Imperfect", by Keith Laumer. Completed 17/07/16

The next instalment of the complete works of Keith Laumer, edited as always be Eric Flint. This volume contains his dystopian stories and novels. Excellent - I always enjoy Keith Laumer's books and this one is no exception.

"River God", by Wilbur Smith. Completed 23/7/16.

I first read this many years ago when it was first published, but enjoyed it even more on a re-read, perhaps because I am now much better able to appreciate novels set in Ancient Egypt. The book is a somewhat "revisionist" retelling of Egyptian history during what's known as the "Second Intermediate Period" (approximate 1650BC), when Egypt was ruled by a series of weak and ineffectual kings, and control of the north of the country was lost to Asiatic invaders known as the "Hyksos".

The protagonist of the novel is a slave called Taita, who is a highly educated man and advisor to a powerful and corrupt official, Lord Intef, the vizier (rather like Prime Minister) of Upper Egypt. I won't say any more about the plot, because it would be a spoiler, but this is an excellent novel which I thoroughly recommend.

"The Creatures of Man", by Howard L. Myers. Completed 26/7/16.

Myers is a virtually unknown SF author today, but had a short but successful writing career from 1967 to 1971, before dying of a heart attack at the age of 41. This Baen book, edited by Eric Flint, presents a selection of Myers's work. Extremely enjoyable and highly recommended.

"The Seventh Scroll", by Wilbur Smith. Completed 29/7/16.

In this book, a sequel to "River God", we have the story of a modern-day hunt for the hidden burial of the (fictitious) Egyptian King Mamose, whose story was told in "River God". An extremely good thriller. Recommended, but do read "River God" first!

"Warlock", by Wilbur Smith.

"The Quest", by Wilbur Smith.

"Desert God", by Wilbur Smith.

"Devil Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 19/8/16.

The 11th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series by Kathy Reichs. This one's about murders that seem to be linked to satanic rituals and was very enjoyable.

"One Foot in the Grave", by William Mark Simmons. Completed 23/8/16.

The first book in the "Halflife" series about a man who discovers he's turning into a vampire. A rather jaded genre, but this one is well done. Recommended.

"Friday the Rabbi Slept Late", by Harry Kemelman. Completed 25/8/16.

This is the first book in the "Rabbi Small" series of detective stories. Rabbi David Small is a scholarly young man who is finding it difficult to fit into the Jewish community of the small town of Barnard's Crossing. He would prefer to spend his days in study and theological debate, but his congregation expect a social secretary for their community. An opportunity to use his skills for logical deduction and solve a mystery arises when a young woman is found dead in the Rabbi's own car. Excellent, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

"Dead on My Feet", by William Mark Simmons. Completed 29/8/16

Bought from Baen in 2003. A sequel to "One Foot in the Grave". Baen description:

Very enjoyable. Recommended.

"206 Bones", by Kath Reichs. Completed 31/8/16.

The 12th book in the Temperance Brennan series about a forensic anthropologist. In this one, Tempe wakes up seemingly having been buried alive in an underground vault (and which of us hasn't had that happen? - it's so annoying!) and the story is told in flashback as she pieces together her memory of the events leading up to it. Very good, as always in this series.

"Forge of the Titans", by Steve White. Completed 1/9/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. Baen description:

Very enjoyable. Recommended.

"Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry", by Harry Kemelman. Completed 5/9/16.

The second book in the "Rabbi Small" series. When a local Jewish man is found dead in his garage, having apparently committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, several members of Rabbi Small's congregation express concern that they will lose a large donation that a wealthy man has promised the Temple if a suicide is buried in their cemetery. A number of things about the circ*mstances of the man's death trouble Rabbi Small, and he decides to investigate the matter. Very enjoyable, although not (to my mind) quite as good as the first book.

"The Adventures of Myrh", by P.N. Elrod. Completed 11/9/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. Very good and unusual fantasy. Baen description:

Excellent and highly recommended.

"Flood", by Stephen Baxter. Completed 13/9/16.

Baxter is one of my favourite "hard SF" authors, and this book didn't disappoint. It tells the story of the end of the world, as seen through the eyes of a disparate group of people over a time period of 40 years or so, when global sea levels start (and continue) rising as water trapped in the Earth crust start welling up though sub-oceanic faults. Highly recommended, and I look forward to reading the sequel, "Ark".

"Quest for the Well of Souls", by Jack Chalker. Completed 15/9/16.

Bought from Baen in 2003. This is really, as the author acknowledges, the second half of a single large novel, the first half of which was "Exiles at the Well of Souls". Excellent SF, and highly recommended, as is this entire series.

"Ark", by Stephen Baxter, Completed 17/9/16.

The sequel to "Flood", which I read a few days ago. This book runs in parallel with the events depicted in "Flood" (a world-wide flood - no spoilers there!) and tells the story of a desperate attempt to save some remnants of Earth's civilisation by sending a group of young people to another planet. A little similar to "When Worlds Collide" - the attempt to build a spaceship while civilisation collapses around the project - but very well done. Highly recommended. Looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy, "Landfall".

"The Far Side of the Stars", by David Drake. Completed 20/9/16.

This is the third book in the "Lieutenant Leary" series. The Republic of Cinnabar is at peace and Leary at a loose end, and so together with his friend Adele Mundy, he agrees to captain an expedition into a little-known region of the galaxy for a wealthy aristocrat, in search of a long-lost treasure. All, however, does not go according to plan...

I wasn't too impressed with the first book in this series, but the second book was good, and this one (which I bought from Baen in 2003) is absolutely excellent. If the series continues going in this direction I look forward to reading the rest of it. Highly recommended SF.

"Landfall" by Stephen Baxter. Completed 22/9/16.

A book containing three novellas set in the universe of his "Flood" and "Ark" novels. Very good, but (obviously!) only if you've read the original books first. The novellas are set respectively 400, 1000 and 10,000 years after the end of "Ark" and show the development of human society into the far future. Very good.

"Sheepfarmer's Daughter", by Elizabeth Moon. Completed 23/9/16.

The first book in the Baen omnibus "The Deed of Paksenarrion", one of my all-time favourite fantasy books. This must be the 4th or 5th time I've read this book, and I love it every time. Superb fantasy. Can't recommend it highly enough.

"Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home", by Harry Kemelman. Completed 25/9/16.

This is the third book in the "Rabbi Small" series of detective stories. The usual mix of detection set against a background of the internal politics of the Rabbi's congregation. Very enjoyable.

"Divided Allegiance", by Elizabeth Moon. Completed 27/9/16.

The middle third of the Baen Omnibus "The Deed of Paksannarion". Paks has left Duke Phelan's mercenary company to pursue her dream of training to be a paladin, but things don't go according to plan. One of my very favourite fantasy series. Excellent.

"Spider Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 29/9/16.

In this 13th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series about a forensic anthropolist, Dr Brennan gets involved in a mystery when a man is found dead in a lake in Canada, but the records show that he died 40 years earlier in Vietnam. Very good.

"Oath of Gold", by Elizabeth Moon. Completed 30/9/16.

The final book in the Baen "The Deed of Paksannarion" omnibus. Wonderful fantasy trilogy. Highly recommended.

"Monday the Rabbi Took Off", by Harry Kemelman. Completed 5/10/16.

The fourth book in the "Rabbi Small" series, and very enjoyable, as have all the books been thus far. This book sees Rabbi Small go for an extended trick to Israel, where he gets involved in terrorist plots. Highly recommended!

"Planet of Adventure", by Murray Leinster. Completed 8/10/16.

A Baen omnibus of Murray Leinster's stories, which I bought in 2003. Contains the novel "The Forgotten Planet", a series of related stories about a Colonial Survey Officer, Bordman, a "trouble shooter" for newly-colonised planets, and finally a group of miscellaneous stories. Excellent, and very highly recommended.

"Pharaoh", by Wilbur Smith. Completed 11/10/16.

The most recent instalment in his ancient Egypt series. Enjoyable, although extremely implausible historically . Recommended if you can enjoy a "flexible" view of history.

"There Will be Dragons", by John Ringo. Completed 16/10/16.

The first book in the "Council Wars" series, and bought from Baen in 2003. In the 41st century the human race lives a life of idle enjoyment, with a worldwide AI and instantaneous teleportation satisfying virtually any whim. Some members of Earth's ruling council, though, decide that the human race is doomed to extinction on this road (a reasonable view), and propose drastic measures (basically the imposition of a fascist dictatorship) to change this. The council is split, war breaks out, and the net goes down, leaving people who've never had to work for anything to fend for themselves. The core of the book is basically about how a group of refugees from this crises, led by some people who enjoyed historical reenactment, learn how to survive. Rather to my surprise (Ringo is not my favourite author!) I really enjoyed this, and look forward to reading the next book in the series (it's a series of four books). Highly recommended!

"Mindstar Rising", by Peter F. Hamilton. Completed 17/10/16.

My first read of this British "Hard SF" author, although I had quite a number of his books. I like to read books in the right order, and this is the first one he wrote. Basically a detective story in an SF environment. The date isn't given, but I'd guess early to mid 21st century. Central government in Britain is in a mess after years of rule by an extreme left-wing government which has now collapsed. Greg Mandel is a former soldier turned private investigator, who was fitted in the army with a "gland" that grants him limited psi abilities - most notably the ability to read emotions and know when someone is lying. He is employed by the owner of a large multinational company to find the source of industrial espionage. Very enjoyable indeed, and again I look forward to reading more from him.

"Tinker", by Wen Spencer. Completed 18/10/16.

The first book in the "Elfhome" series, again bought from Baen in 2003. Alexander Graham "Tinker" Bell is a teenage girl (her father had a thing about inventors ) who runs a scrapyard in Pittsburgh, which has been transported by a parallel Earth populated by elves as a side-effect of the activation of what was intended to be a hyperspace gateway on our Earth. Extremely enjoyable fantasy, and again highly recommended.

"Flash and Bones", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 20/10/16.

The 14th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series about a forensic anthropologist. In this outing she gets involved in the investigation of a series of murders associated with NASCAR racing. Enjoyable.

"The Lizard War", by John Dalmas. Completed 22/10/16.

Bought from Baen a long time ago (probably around 2000 or so). Baen description:

Very enjoyable. Recommended.

"A Nice Class of Corpse", by Simon Brett. Completed 22/10/16.

The first book in the "Mrs Pargeter" series. Mrs Pargeter moves into the Devereux Hotel in Littlehampton, on the South Coast of England - a small private hotel offering permanent rooms to the better sort of retired people. She's expecting to lead a quiet life in her retirement, but a string of murders and a jewel robbery soon involve her in unexpected events.

A very enjoyable quick read. I've enjoyed all Simon Brett's books, and this one was no exception. Highly recommended.

"The Helverti Invasion", by John Dalmas. Completed 25/10/16.

Bought from Baen in November 2003. A sequel to "The Lizard War", but much, much better. A thousand years after WWIII the Earth has reverted to medieval level technology, watched over (unknown to the inhabitants) by an extra-terrestrial monitor corps who pose as a religious order with supernatural powers to explain such things as radio communication. Agents of the order have to take action to try to prevent a war fomented by alien visitors from a chaos cult (the "Helverti" of the title). Very highly recommended!

"A Quantum Murder", by Peter F. Hamilton. Completed 27/10/16.

The second book in the "Greg Mandel" trilogy of near-future SF detective stories. Following his successful investigation of industrial espionage in the Event Horizon corporation ("Mindstar Rising"), Greg Mandel is asked by the billionaire owner of Event Horizon, Julia Evans, to assist the police in their investigation of the seemingly impossible murder of a reclusive scientist in a country house in which he and his six students lived. An SF twist on the classic "English Country House" detective story. As with the previous book, I thoroughly enjoyed this and would whole-heartedly recommend it. Truly excellent.

"A State of Disobedience", by Tom Kratman. Completed 29/10/16.

Bought from Baen in December 2003. The theme is a revolution in Texas following the election of a Democrat US President who tries to introduce extreme Marxist policies, enforced through a police state.

Baen are one of my favourite publishers, and I enjoy almost everything they publish. There is, however, a very small number of their authors who write what feel to me to be ultra right-wing political diatribes thinly disguised as fiction. John Ringo's written a number of books I'd place in this category and now, to my regret, I must add Tom Kratman to that very short list. It's not that it's a badly-written book - it's a competent piece of military fiction - but I find the message it tries to put across extremely distasteful. I didn't enjoy this book at all.

"Seventy Years in Archaeology", the autobiography of Sir W.M. Flinders Petrie. Completed 5/11/16.

Petrie can justly be called the man who changed archaeology from treasure hunting into a science, and he laid the foundations of modern Egyptology. The methods he invented for excavating and recording sites are still used by archaeologists today. A fascinating read (if you're interested in archaeology and Egyptology, at least).

"The Nano Flower", by Peter F. Hamilton. Completed 6/11/16.

The third (and, so far, final) book in the Greg Mandel series of SF detective stories. The book is set 17 years after the second book. The husband of Julia Evans, the billionairess owner of Event Horizon has vanished, but 7 months later she receives a flower from him which proves to be of alien origin. Julia asks her old friend Greg Mandel, long retired from the detective business, to help her both track down her husband and find the origin of the flower. Absolutely excellent. If anyone hasn't read this series, I highly recommend it!

"Blood and Judgment", by Lars Walker. Completed 7/11/16.

Bought from Baen in December 2003. A high-school English teacher and amateur actor rehearsing for the role of "Hamlet" is thrown, along with the rest of his acting company, into a world in which the play is real. Can they change the storyline to avoid the bloodbath that the play ends in, and find their way home? I didn't particularly enjoy this. Average at best. Not recommended.

"Tuesday the Rabbi Saw Red", by Harry Kemelman. Completed 10/11/16.

The fifth book in the "Rabbi Small" series. In this one, the Rabbi teaches a "Jewish Thought" class at a local college and gets involved when the English professor he shares an office with is murdered. Enjoyable, although perhaps not quite as good as the earlier books in the series. An interesting mirror on how things have changed since the early 1970s when this book was written: it's considered merely a minor matter that a college professor carries on a sexual relationship with one of his students!

"At the Sign of Triumph", by David Weber. Completed 16/11/16.

The latest instalment in the "Safehold" series. Finally the story moves on! Very enjoyable and recommended if you've read the rest of the series.

"Ring of Fire", edited by Eric Flint. Completed 20/11/16.

The third book in the "Ring of Fire" series, and a collection of short (and not so short) stories by various authors set in the "Ring of Fire" universe that was started with the novels "1632" and "1633". Very enjoyable; there wasn't one of the stories that I didn't like. Bought from Baen in January 2004 - I've finally reached a new year in my "Read all my Baen back-catalogue" project .

"Bones are Forever", by Kathy Reichs. Completed 23/11/16.

The 15th book in the "Temperance Brennan" series about a forensic anthropologist. In this book Temperance gets involved in a case of a woman who has left a series of dead babies behind her, and the investigation takes her to the far north of Canada. Enjoyable.

"Demon's Gate", by Steve White. Completed 26/11/16.

A standalone fantasy novel bought from Baen in 2004. The well-used plot of a fight against a plan to bring demons from another plane of existence who will destroy the world, but this one's very well done. Highly recommended! The ending, although a very satisfactory conclusion, leaves the opportunity for a sequel, but as far as I'm aware he's not written one.

Total number of books read: 118

Last edited by HarryT; 11-27-2016 at 08:59 AM.