Books Read 2024

[YellowKing]

Nothing surprises me anymore. There are books for everyone. My wife is big into "shape-shifter" romances - guys that turn into dragons, wolves, bears, etc. I asked her if the girls make love to the guys while they're in animal form and she got offended. Apparently there is a whole lore around these things, and she can tell you what makes a dragon shifter different from a bear shifter and a wolf shifter, etc. I find it hilarious but then again I read books about elves and dwarves so what do I know.

She hasn't yet crossed the line into cryptid romance (Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, etc.) but I'm just waiting on the day I find one in our shared Kindle library.

[Isgrimnur]

Chuck Tingle lurks in the background.

[hitbyambulance]

Mikhail Bulgakov - The Master and Margarita [Burgin/O'Connor English translation] : i loved this novel, that's all i can say about it right now. it certainly was not what i expected, but i'm now not sure what i expected in the first place. it was also the funniest book i've read in a long time. going to add Bulgakov's other major works to my 'to read' queue now.

[Jaymann]

Mikhail Bulgakov - The Master and Margarita [Burgin/O'Connor English translation] : i loved this novel, that's all i can say about it right now. it certainly was not what i expected, but i'm now not sure what i expected in the first place. it was also the funniest book i've read in a long time. going to add Bulgakov's other major works to my 'to read' queue now.

I started that WAY back shortly after it came out in English, but never finished it. I know it's a classic and will need to revisit.

[hitbyambulance]

Mikhail Bulgakov - The Master and Margarita [Burgin/O'Connor English translation] : i loved this novel, that's all i can say about it right now. it certainly was not what i expected, but i'm now not sure what i expected in the first place. it was also the funniest book i've read in a long time. going to add Bulgakov's other major works to my 'to read' queue now.

I started that WAY back shortly after it came out in English, but never finished it. I know it's a classic and will need to revisit.

in the late 60s?

The Master and Margarita

translated by Mirra Ginsburg, New York: Grove Press, 1967, 1995. London: Picador, 1989.
translated by Michael Glenny, London: Harvill, 1967; New York: Harper & Row, 1967; with introduction by Simon Franklin, New York: Knopf, 1992; London: Everyman's Library, 1992.
translated by Diana Burgin and Katherine O'Connor, annotations and afterword by Ellendea Proffer, Ann Arbor: Ardis, 1993, 1995.
translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, London: Penguin, 1997; London: Folio Society, 2010 with Introduction by Orlando Figes.
translated by Michael Karpelson, Lulu Press, 2006; Wordsworth Classics 2011. ISBN 1-84022-657-9
translated by Hugh Aplin, One World Classics, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84749-014-8

if that's the case, you'll want to get a newer translation, as the two English translations from the 1960s were based on the censored version - the newer ones (from the 90s onward) translate the complete novel (as intended)

[Jaymann]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Skinypupy]

Timothy Zahn - Heir to the Empire: This was my first foray into any Star Wars books outside of the film novelizations, and I really enjoyed it. Thrawn is a fantastic, unpredictable villain that's fun to follow, and it's exciting to see all the characters we know and love doing more cool hero shit. The writing was far better than I was expecting as well.

My only two (very minor) gripes is that Thrawn's military instincts occasionally seemed to border on him having ESP, and that the other side villain* seemed to get introduced and then mostly forgotten. I'm sure that will likely change in the next book.

Definitely interested to see where this all goes.

*

Spoiler:

Jorus C'baoth

[Isgrimnur]

Zahn's trilogy was both the beginning* of the expanded canon, and, imo, the high water mark.

* Not counting Splinter of the Mind's Eye from 1978.

[Isgrimnur]

Eric by Terry Pratchett.

It had its moments, but I wouldn’t put it near the top of the list I’ve read so far.

[YellowKing]

Jade City - Fonda Lee.

I was never really "out" of fantasy reading - I'm in the middle of the Drizzt series, the Discworld series, and nearly always have a fantasy book in my rotation - but I recently got back into it more seriously. By this I mean watching BookTuber videos on favorite fantasy series, looking at new releases, and really making the genre more of a primary focus.

One series I kept seeing pop up over and over was The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee, so I thought I'd give it a shot. And I'm really glad I did, as it's right up my alley.

This series takes place in a world very much like our modern era, except jade bestows special powers on certain racial lines. People who can control the power of jade are called Green Bones. The Green Bones have developed Mafia-esque cartels which control the cities.

Jade City tells the tale of one such Green Bone family, the No Peak, who control half the nation, competing with the Mountain, the opposing family. The result is a blend of The Godfather and kung-fu movies, with superhuman powers fueling the fantasy element.

It was really entertaining and I devoured its 500 pages in a little over a week. I've already got the second volume of the trilogy, Jade War, on standby. Highly recommended.

[Hipolito]

Jade City tells the tale of one such Green Bone family, the No Peak, who control half the nation, competing with the Mountain, the opposing family. The result is a blend of The Godfather and kung-fu movies, with superhuman powers fueling the fantasy element.

I like how the author said in an interview that the superhuman powers are her way of explaining the otherwise-impossible moves, strength, and endurance that you see in typical martial arts movies.

[Skinypupy]

Firefly: The Ghost Machine - James Lovegrove

I don't know anything about the Firefly books, but this one was on the shelf at the library so I gave it a shot. It's basically a "What if..." book, Firefly edition. Due to some shenanigans, the crew finds themselves having vivid hallucinations about their wildest hopes and dreams, which nearly ends in disaster.

I didn't really enjoy this one much, tbh. Taking place between the end of the show and the Serenity movie, the caper setup felt like it could have been interesting but got pretty much abandoned about halfway through in lieu of detailing everyone's hallucinations. It was kinda fun to see what the crew dreamed up, but I think the impact of any of it requires a VERY deep knowledge of the Firefly verse. Someone who couldn't quote every episode probably wouldn't have any idea why certain things were important. And if you do know every line (like I do), it constantly hits you with heavyhanded "Hey, remember this part?" winks and nods, which got a little old.

There were some cool cameos from larger players like Badger and Niska, along with some minor characters like Warwick Harrow and Atherton Wing ("Shindig") and Durran Haymer ("Trash"). Problem is, since it was all basically just the crew dreaming, it never really felt like there were any actual stakes to it. It was like reading fan fiction...inside fan fiction. For example, there was a really cool bit that went into detail about Book's possible backstory, all of which got immediately dismissed with a "Just kidding!" once the crew woke up

The most interesting bit was seeing the differences between Wash and Zoe's "wildest dreams" scenarios.

Spoiler:

Wash envisioned himself happily married to Zoe with a few kids and living a life of luxury as a business tycoon. Zoe envisioned a world where the Independents won the war, and she spent her time boozing and sleeping her way around the galaxy as a bounty hunter of Alliance war criminals.

I'd say it was just OK, and certainly didn't get me interested in reading any of the other Firefly books.

[disarm]

The Making of the Atomic Bomb - Richard Rhodes

I purchased this book almost exactly ten years ago (June 28, 2014), but was never motivated to take on its dense 1086-page history lesson until earlier this year, after watching Oppenheimer. I'm not normally one to take on massive works of historical non-fiction, but I'm glad to have finally read this one. It really is an amazing piece of work by Rhodes that gives a history of not only the creation of the first atomic bombs, but also the birth and development of our understanding of nuclear physics that led to such a destructive weapon. The amount of research effort and time that were put into this book (as evidenced by its 400-page bibliography and note section) must have been immense, and it's no wonder it was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

If you're interested in the history of atomic theory, the Manhattan project or WWII in general and willing to take on such a long read, I highly recommend this book. It really is a fascinating story of intelligence, creativity, determination and the moral challenges that come with world-changing scientific advances. I can't say enough good words and I'm glad to have finally marked this one off my list.

[Scuzz]

I read that maybe 10 years ago and it was for me also eye opening so far as the history of the development of the bomb. The number of people involved and the problems they overcame are covered in a way hat is made interesting even to a laymen like me.

[ImLawBoy]

Finished The End of the World: Stories of the Apocalypse, edited by Martin H. Greenberg. This is, as the title suggests, a collection of short fiction regarding apocalyptic times. It's mostly short stories, but I think at least one qualifies as a novella. The stories range the gamut from life post-apocalypse to living during the apocalypse to the true end of the world with nothing to live through to at least one story that I think stretches the definition of apocalyptic. There are some big names in here - Neil Gaiman, George RR Martin, Roger Zelazny, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke, to name a few) along with some authors I was unfamiliar with. In a collection like this not everything is going to hit, but the success rate here was pretty high. Among my favorites were "We Can Get Them for You Wholesale", Gaiman's humorous take on the how the world ends, "The Feast of Saint Janis", a post-apocalyptic US where Janis Joplin is worshiped as a sort of god by Michael Swanwick, and "When We Went to See the End of the World" by Robert Silverberg, a bitingly satiric look our oblivious culture as we approach end times that holds up even though it was written in 1972. I picked this up dirt cheap on a Kindle deal (I posted about it in our Kindle deals thread, so don't bitch at me if you missed it!), but it's worth more than I paid for it.

[Jaymann]

The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons



This is the fourth and final book of the Hyperion series. For all the praise heaped on Hyperion, I am surprised I don't see more mention of the full series. This one posits the question: What would it be like to be an actual messiah in this universe. It is also an epic space opera and a story of hope, sacrifice, tragedy and transcendence.

Toward the final third of the book I was wondering how the author could possibly wrap things up without resorting to "a wizard did it." But he manages to conclude things nicely, although it was rather convenient...

Spoiler:

that the whole galaxy spanning revolution took place during the 13 months Raul was trapped in his prison. On his return it was relayed to him in a few pages.

The conclusion was satisfying if slightly over the top. Overall I recommend this to any science fiction fan. 7/8 morbid little bitches.

[YellowKing]

Wyrd Sisters (Discworld #7)- Terry Pratchett - This might be my least favorite Discworld book so far, and now 7 books into this series I'm beginning to believe that Terry Pratchett just "isn't for me." It's not the English humor, as I absolutely adore tons of British comedy. I just don't find him all that funny compared to say, Douglas Adams. Since I have the entire Discworld collection I'll still wind up reading them all since they're pretty quick reads, but so far it just hasn't clicked with me.

Fallen: The Boy in the Iron Box #1 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
The Pit and the Box: The Boy in the Iron Box #2 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
The Hunted: The Boy in the Iron Box #3 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Risen: The Boy in the Iron Box #4 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Siege: The Boy in the Iron Box #5 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Encounter: The Boy in the Iron Box #6 - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

This is a serialized short novel by the writers of the fantastic The Strain trilogy, and Amazon heavily publicized this as free for Prime members. I'm a HUGE del Toro fan and absolutely loved The Strain, so picking this up was a no-brainer. It's a really quick read; I think each part was only around 30 pages.

Ultimately, however, I was a bit let down. It definitely has the feel of The Strain, with a group of fighters battling a supernatural force. But it didn't feel particularly special in any way. So I was confused as to why they released it in a serialized form and not just as a novella. Maybe it's just a way to get people interested in their other works, I don't know. Anyway, it's free and quick so I wouldn't dissuade anyone from checking it out. I would, however, HIGHLY recommend both The Strain book trilogy and the television series, both of which were phenomenal.

[Scuzz]

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

This is the second book in the Gentlemen Bastards series. The first book was exceptional, in my opinion, and while I enjoyed this book and already own the next book in the series (and last to date) I can't say it was as good as the first one. The main characters return from the first book and they are the reason this book is still enjoyable. Lynch is really good with them and the dialogue of all his characters, but the plot in this one isn't as tight and it ends on something of a cliffhanger, which is different from the first book.

I would say this book, while still a quick read, is overly long in the middle and not as long as it should have been towards the end. It's kinda like he thought the book was long enough and he needed to wrap it up, and while the end makes sense it isn't very satisfying because of how quick he gets there.

So while the first book was an easy 9/10 for me this one in the end is a 7/10. But I will be reading the third book eventually.

[Jaymann]

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

This is the second book in the Gentlemen Bastards series. The first book was exceptional, in my opinion, and while I enjoyed this book and already own the next book in the series (and last to date) I can't say it was as good as the first one. The main characters return from the first book and they are the reason this book is still enjoyable. Lynch is really good with them and the dialogue of all his characters, but the plot in this one isn't as tight and it ends on something of a cliffhanger, which is different from the first book.

I would say this book, while still a quick read, is overly long in the middle and not as long as it should have been towards the end. It's kinda like he thought the book was long enough and he needed to wrap it up, and while the end makes sense it isn't very satisfying because of how quick he gets there.

So while the first book was an easy 9/10 for me this one in the end is a 7/10. But I will be reading the third book eventually.

Agreed. I was expecting great things after the first book but bailed after the second one.

[Isgrimnur]

I was confused as to why they released it in a serialized form and not just as a novella

I blame The Green Mile.

[hitbyambulance]

aside from the Silent Book Club i co-organize, i attend several others in the community (where you can read anything you want, with other people, silently) - the meetups are strongly attended by 20-something females, and a significant proportion of those are really into a sub-sub-genre of what is currently known as 'romantasy' - really generic medieval-England-style settings with smutty sex scenes. it's an interestingly large divide between what i see people reading here vs what i see every week.

(there are several current Terry Pratchett readers, all reading for the first time, and i expect to see Fonda Lee's series making an appearance any day now)

(also, if you're interested - https://silentbook.club/ )

[YellowKing]

I wish I could find a book club for guys but dudes definitely seem to be the minority when it comes to reading. My wife has a neighborhood book club that I'm quite jealous of as they meet monthly, but there is a zero chance of anything like that happening with their husbands.

[Isgrimnur]

I wish I could find a book club for guys but dudes definitely seem to be the minority when it comes to reading. My wife has a neighborhood book club that I'm quite jealous of as they meet monthly, but there is a zero chance of anything like that happening with their husbands.

Start a local chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club. Or start your own themed one.

[hitbyambulance]

I wish I could find a book club for guys but dudes definitely seem to be the minority when it comes to reading. My wife has a neighborhood book club that I'm quite jealous of as they meet monthly, but there is a zero chance of anything like that happening with their husbands.

Start a local chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club. Or start your own themed one.

starting a book club is pretty easy, and if you have the belief behind it, it's not hard to keep it going, either. ofc i live in Seattle which is usually the #2 reading city in the country (after Minneapolis, where i moved from), but i think you might be able to cater to a traditionally underserved area? i've been running this one for three years and i've learned a lot, met a _ton_ of new people i wouldn't've otherwise.

[Carpet_pissr]

The Lonesome Dove books by Larry McMurtry are probably my favorite westerns I've ever read, followed closely by the Titus Bass series by Terry C. Johnston.

Wow, I had no idea Lonesome Dove was based on a book. I absolutely loved the TV series when I was but a youngster. In fact, I think I remember us recording it to VHS and re-watching a couple of times. I highly suspect it doesn't hold up after all these years, so to the books it is!

[El Guapo]

The Dark Forest (audio book), by Cixin Liu

Dune: Part 3 by Brian Herbert et al.

Finished the last installment of the Dune graphic novel. Don't have to say a ton about it - it's Dune. Follows the book so doesn't have the movie tweaks (e.g., Paul's sister is born and creepy, Chani's arc follows the book not the movie, etc.). Enjoyed it because Dune is great. The art is tremendous as well.

Also finished the second book in the 3 Body Problem trilogy (Dark Forest) in audiobook form. I gotta say the first half of this book really dragged for me and I almost called it off - there's a big chunk of the book where the main character (or the closest thing to a main character in the series) is basically just ignoring the aliens and living a hedonistic life. And it really just drags - like I get it, he's not focused on the aliens but like...can we get back to the aliens already?

That said, once they got back to the aliens it got really good and interesting again. Definitely recommend the series.

[Scuzz]

The Lonesome Dove books by Larry McMurtry are probably my favorite westerns I've ever read, followed closely by the Titus Bass series by Terry C. Johnston.

Wow, I had no idea Lonesome Dove was based on a book. I absolutely loved the TV series when I was but a youngster. In fact, I think I remember us recording it to VHS and re-watching a couple of times. I highly suspect it doesn't hold up after all these years, so to the books it is!

The book is well worth the read. The Streets of Laredo is good as well.

[hitbyambulance]

I gotta say the first half of this book really dragged for me and I almost called it off - there's a big chunk of the book where the main character (or the closest thing to a main character in the series) is basically just ignoring the aliens and living a hedonistic life. And it really just drags - like I get it, he's not focused on the aliens but like...can we get back to the aliens already?

this (big) part of the book was really sucky and quite annoying and kinda stupid and i too about called it one third of the way through. it turned me off so much i still haven't gotten around to book 3.

[Jaymann]

And here I thought Book 2 was supposed to be the good one.

[El Guapo]

And here I thought Book 2 was supposed to be the good one.

It is good overall, it's just that that one part of it really dragged and (IMO) didn't fit in much with the rest of the book. Part of it may be that I was listening to it in audiobook format - probably easier to skim through those parts in a physical book.

[Scuzz]

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

I didn't realize when I started it but this is apparently book one of a three part series. According to wikipedia though they can all be read as standalones. I am not sure I will go on to book two as it supposedly involves a change of characters.

As for this book, it is a reunion story of old friends, mercenaries, the best mercenaries, who get together for one last job, twenty years after they broke up. The author combines D&D references, rock band references and comedy with some pretty good characters. The story is seen through one character, Clay Cooper, who has retired to a quiet job with his wife and daughter, but is called back to action by a friend in need.

The first third is a little slow, there are probably way to many comparisons of the mercenary band to a rock and roll band, and the characters all start out as characters from Baldurs Gate or Icewind Dale. You have your warriors, your mage, your thief and a series of reasons why they went thru so many bards. As the story moves along Clay Cooper is fleshed out and the others are to a point. And the bad guys a re pretty good.

If you want a fantasy story that at times doesn't seem to take itself very serious you may enjoy this. The last third was the best part.

[Jaymann]

I read that years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I finished the series.

[Scuzz]

I read that years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I finished the series.

I won’t search for it but if I come across the second book I will probably buy it.

[El Guapo]

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

I didn't realize when I started it but this is apparently book one of a three part series. According to wikipedia though they can all be read as standalones. I am not sure I will go on to book two as it supposedly involves a change of characters.

As for this book, it is a reunion story of old friends, mercenaries, the best mercenaries, who get together for one last job, twenty years after they broke up. The author combines D&D references, rock band references and comedy with some pretty good characters. The story is seen through one character, Clay Cooper, who has retired to a quiet job with his wife and daughter, but is called back to action by a friend in need.

The first third is a little slow, there are probably way to many comparisons of the mercenary band to a rock and roll band, and the characters all start out as characters from Baldurs Gate or Icewind Dale. You have your warriors, your mage, your thief and a series of reasons why they went thru so many bards. As the story moves along Clay Cooper is fleshed out and the others are to a point. And the bad guys a re pretty good.

If you want a fantasy story that at times doesn't seem to take itself very serious you may enjoy this. The last third was the best part.

I bet the author was really embarrassed when someone pointed out that it's spelled "wild".

[Jaymann]

Imagine when they engaged in a tryst.

[Hipolito]

Equal Rites (Discworld #3) by Terry Pratchett (ebook): This book switches protagonists from Rincewind to Granny Weatherwax, a mean and eccentric witch who takes in a young girl named Eskarina. Esk actually wants to become a wizard, not a witch, but the wizard school Unseen University only admits males.

The prose flows much better than the awkward start-stop pace of books 1 and 2. I like the cool depictions of the look and feel of magic, and the explanations of the differences between natural witchery and arcane sorcery. We get to visit Unseen University, which is a fascinating place and I wonder whether it inspired the Harry Potter series. I liked not just the interactions between Granny and Esk but also their interactions with minor characters Simon, Whitlow, and Cutangle.

Still, overall, I did not enjoy this book. It goes on for too long with a story that I never found very interesting. And despite all the time we spend with the characters, I never cared much about them. Plenty of sparks fly, but the book is missing that spark. 3 out of 8 broomsticks.

[hitbyambulance]

i just used my free libro.fm credit on an audiobook version of the _complete_ English-translated Tibetan Book of the Dead. this came with a 122 page PDF of appendices and glossary!

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/book ... rme-dorje/

[Scuzz]

i just used my free libro.fm credit on an audiobook version of the _complete_ English-translated Tibetan Book of the Dead. this came with a 122 page PDF of appendices and glossary!

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/book ... rme-dorje/

Whatever you do don’t read the incantation on page 234!

[YellowKing]

The Books of Blood Volume 4 - Clive Barker
The Books of Blood Volume 5 - Clive Barker - More tales from the horror master. Some are better than others, but they're all good.

Jade War - Fonda Lee - Excellent follow-up to Jade City, book 1 of Fonda Lee's Green Bone Trilogy. Definitely not your traditional fantasy series, as they read much closer to crime/Mafia books. However, I've been completely entertained by the excellent characters and world-building.

[YellowKing]

Storm Front - Jim Butcher - This was the first book in The Dresden Files series, which I'd always heard good things about. For those unfamiliar, it's essentially detective noir mixed with magic and the paranormal. Definitely has a bit of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Supernatural type feel to it.

The book was OK - I enjoyed the variety of paranormal creatures and things mixed with the hard-boiled detective genre, but it didn't blow me away. However, I've read that the series really doesn't get going until after the first book so I'll stick with it for a bit.

The Ten-Cent Plague - David Hajdu - This is a book about the origins of the Comics Code and the paranoia and censorship around comics in the 50s and 60s. However, I think it focuses on the subject matter to a fault. I was hoping for a broader overview of comics history, but the focus is so narrowly scoped to censorship efforts that every chapter felt like the one before it. Perhaps the book's biggest flaw, however, is that there is no explanation of how comics managed to make a comeback. The book ends with the comic industry pretty much destroyed, and there's a token sentence about the industry shifting direction towards superheroes, but that's it. Just a very abrupt and unsatisfying ending. I really wanted to like this one more, but I can't recommend it.