Books Read 2012
Dec. 31st, 2012 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maverick_weirdoPicked up from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
almeda. I'm going to track which books I read this year. Last year I read 54
almeda. I'm going to track which books I read this year. Last year I read 54- 'Date' below means the date I finished reading it;
- Origin abreviations: [ARC] means advanced reading copy; [G] means gift or giveaway (free); [H] means part of the Hugo voting packet; [L] means I got it from the library; [N] means new book (retail); [O] means online book; [P] means proofreading; [R] means a re-read; [S] means secondhand.
- Entries in Bold contain Hugo Award Eligible Material
- Jan 04: Consequences by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #3) 2004, Roc (NAL), SF, Space Opera [S]
- Well written in spite of it's messy ending
- Jan 06: Among Others by Jo Walton 2011, Tor (Macmillan), Fantasy [L]
- The power of nostalgia
- Jan 09: Promised Land by Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice, 1998, Ace (NAL), SF/Romance [S]
- I could tell going in it was "Science Fiction Lite"
- Jan 12: Maskerade by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #18) 1995, HarperPrism (HarperCollins), Fantasy [S]
- Never confuse Facts with Truth
- Jan 24: Welcome to Bordertown Edited by Holly Black & Ellen Kushner (Borderland Series #5) 2011, Random House, Urban Fantasy [L]
- Things are tough everywhere
- Shannon's Law, by Cory Doctorow, SF/F; The challenge of a kludge resistant domain
- Jan 31: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicler #2) 2011, DAW, Fantasy [L]
- Three novels in one cover.
- Feb 08: The Inheritance & Other Stories by Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm 2011, HarperVoyager (HarperCollins), Fantasy [L]
- Burlap sacks, chickens, cats, & silver
- Cat's Meat, by Robin Hobb, Fantasy; What lengths to claim what's yours?
- Feb 11: Snuff by Terry Prachett (Discworld #39) 2011, HarperCollins, Fantasy [L]
- A person is a person no matter how small
- Feb 14: Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #1) 2011, Ballantine Books/Del Rey (Random House), Urban Fantasy [L]
- Like October Daye with a British accent.
- Feb 16: A Companion to Wolves by Sara Monette & Elizabeth Bear (Wolfheall #1) 2007, Tor, Fantasy [L]
- Brokeback Vikings
- Feb 17: The Tempering of Men by Sara Monette & Elizabeth Bear (Wolfheall #2) 2011, Tor, Fantasy [L]
- A lot of characters and plots to keep track of
- Feb 20: Clockwork Rocket by Greg Egan (Orthogonal #1) 2011, Night Shade Books, SF [L]
- Flatland 3D in space!
- Nebula Nominated Short Stories 2011 [O]
- Feb 20: Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Fantasy, A cultural identity story
- Feb 20: The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu , Clarkesworld Magazine, Fantasy, Change is the only permanent thing
- Feb 21: The Axiom of Choice by David W. Goldman, New Haven Review, SF,
There is no section 378
- Feb 21: Shipbirth by Aliette de Bodard, Asimov’s Science Fiction, SF,
It needed the previous story, The Shipmaker
- Feb 21: Movement by Nancy Fulda, Asimov’s Science Fiction, SF,
A brave story of different perceptions
- Feb 21: Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son by Tom Crosshill, Lightspeed Magazine, SF, The dangers of engineering different perceptions
- Feb 21: Her Husband’s Hands by Adam-Troy Castro, Lightspeed Magazine, SF, Disturbing
- Nebula Nominated Novellettes 2011 [O]
- Feb 22: Fields of Gold by Rachel Swirsky, in Eclipse 4, Night Shade Books, Fantasy, Afterlife, was missing a bit of something
- Feb 22: Sauerkraut Station by Ferrett Steinmetz, Giganotosaurus, Space Opera, Challenges of a rest stop in a war zone
- Feb 22: Six Months, Three Days by Charlie Jane Anders, Tor.com, SF/F,
Is it Destiny or Control Issues?
- Feb 22: The Migratory Pattern of Dancers by Katherine Sparrow, Giganotosaurus, SF, Price of a condor's flight.
- Feb 22: The Old Equations by Jake Kerr, Lightspeed Magazine, SF,
A time dilation story.
- Nebula Nominated Novellas 2011 [O]
- Feb 08: Kiss Me Twice by Mary Robinette Kowal, Asimov’s Science Fiction, SF,
How dependent are we on technology?
- Feb 23: The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary by Ken Liu, Panverse Publishing, SF, The price of history
- Feb 08: Kiss Me Twice by Mary Robinette Kowal, Asimov’s Science Fiction, SF,
- Feb 24: Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Diving Universe #1) 2009, Pyr (Prometheus Books), Space Opera [L]
- Space salvage, with an political plot
- Rachel Swirsky Recommends [O]
- Feb 24: Diving after the Moon by Rachel Swirsky, Clarkesworld Magazine, SF/F,
Science Fable
- Feb 24: The Taste of Promises by Rachel Swirsky, in Life on Mars, Viking, SF,
My brother the computer
- Feb 25: Simulacrum by Ken Liu, Lightspeed, SF,
Who is holding onto the past more, father or daughter?
- Feb 25: Staying Behind by Ken Liu, Clarkesworld, SF,
Tradition or reservation?
- Feb 25: Valley of the Girls by Kelly Link, Subterranean, SF,
Lifestyles of the rich and anonymous
- Feb 25: Defenders by Will McIntosh, Lightspeed, SF,
Aliens, Robots, Humans, & Diplomacy
- Feb 25: In the Gardens of the Night by Siobhan Carroll, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Fantasy, A witch's curse
- Feb 26: Houses by Mark Pantoja, Lightspeed, SF, A.I.,
A quirky story
- Feb 24: Diving after the Moon by Rachel Swirsky, Clarkesworld Magazine, SF/F,
- Feb 27: City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Diving Universe #2) 2011, Pyr (Prometheus Books), Space Opera [L]
- Space Opera, Indiana Jones style
- Mar 02: The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells, 2011, Night Shade Books, Fantasy [L]
- An intriguing introduction to a complex multi-species world
- Mar 03: The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern, 2011, Doubleday (RH), Fantasy [L]
- Games aren't always black and white.
- Mar 10: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn #4) 2011, Tor, Fantasy (Steampunk) [L]
- Fantasy with revolvers
- Mar 12: West Pacific Supers: Rising Tide by K.M. Johnson-Weider (WPS #1) 2011, Blue Moon Aurora, SF (Superhero) [G]
- The West Pacific Supers are worried about the new season. They have to deal with a big league draft pick, team trades, handling the press, and protecting the city.
- Mar 20: Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers; 2012, William Morrow (HC), Period Fantasy (Victorian Vampires) [ARC]
- This a collection of four episodes rather than a novel
- Mar 22: The Broken Kingdoms by N.K Jemisin (Inheritance #2) 2010, Orbit, Fantasy [L]
- Unique character viewpoint makes this book better than book 1
- Apr 22: Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #3) 2001, Roc (Penguin Group), Urban Fantasy [S]
- It had clever moments, but "Vampire Angst" was why I resisted this series in the first place. I'm done.
- Apr 30: Feed by Mira Grant (Newsflesh #1) 2010, Orbit (Hachette), SF, Urban [L]
- Well written and horrifying
- May 07: Robots The Recent A.I. Edited by Rich Horton & Sean Wallace; 2012, Prime Books, SF [N] A powerful collection, with 2 Hugo winning stories, 2 stories previously nominated for Hugos, and 2 stories currently nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards.
- May 13: Soulbound by Heather Brewer (Legacy of Tril #1) 2012, Dial (Penguin Group), YA Fantasy/Romance [ARC]
- I can excuse "broad strokes" storytelling, but the lazy worldbuilding ruined it for me
- May 21: Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey, 2011, Orbit (Hachette), Space Opera [H]
- Heir to Downbelow Station
- Hugo Stories 2011 [H]
- May 22: The Homecoming by Mike Resnick, Short Story, Asimov's, SF,
Son's choices are very different from his father
- Jun 21: Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty, novella, The Hub, SF,
They needed a cartoonist to compete in The Most Dangerous Game
- Jun 24: Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue by John Scalzi, Short Story, TOR.com, Fantasy, An exercise in excessive irony
- Jul 06: The Man Who Bridged the Mist by Kij Johnson, Novella, Asimov’s, Fantasy, With all the supernatural fluff, it is a story about choices and change
- Jul 15: Ray of Light by Brad R. Torgersen, Novelette, Analog, SF,
Submarine story
- Jul 15: The Ice Owl by Carolyn Gilman, Novella, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, SF, A sad and anti-climatic tale of planet hopping
- Jul 19: The Copenhagen Interpretation by Paul Cornell, Novelette, Asimov's, SF, Alternate History Reletivity
- Jul 19: What We Found By Geoff Ryman, Novelette, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, SF, Quantum Geneology
- Jul 22: Countdown By Mira Grant, Novelella, Orbit, SF, A moving story, like Titanic
- Jul 22: Outbound By Brad R. Torgersen, Novelette, Silent Forge Press, SF, interesting story, but I'm unsure of the ending
- May 22: The Homecoming by Mike Resnick, Short Story, Asimov's, SF,
- Project Stories,
- Jun 04: A Bottle of Old Wine by Richard O. Lewis, Short Story, 1953, If, SF [O]
Metephorical wine
- Jun 05: By the Liter by Ekaterina Sedia, Short Story, 2008, Subterranean Magazine, Fantasy [O] Russian setting, turning the common uncommon.
- Jun 10: The Vintager by James Gleason Bishop, Short Story, 1990, Writers of the Future,(Vol. VI) , SF [R] Alternating Lifestyles.
- Jul 18: Bonding to Genji by David Brin, Novelette, 1992, Murasaki (Bantam Books), SF [R,S] Haste makes waste
- Jul 27: Vintage Seasons by C.L. Moore, Novelette, 1946, Astounding Science Fiction, SF [S] A "forbidden fruit" time travel story
- Jun 04: A Bottle of Old Wine by Richard O. Lewis, Short Story, 1953, If, SF [O]
- Jun 23: Deadline by Mira Grant (Newsflesh #2) 2011, Orbit (Hachette), SF, Urban [H]
- Needs more suspects
- Jun 26: Tales From Super-Science Fiction Edited by Robert Silverberg, 2012, Haffner Press, SF [ARC] 1950's Pulp Short Stories, some have aged better than others
- Jul 14: Embassytown by China Miéville, 2011, Macmillan / Del Rey, SF [H]
- Some interesting ideas, but a slog to get to the end
- Jul 17: Soulless by Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate #1) 2009, Orbit (Hachette), Period Fantasy [G]
- Delightful Tongue-in-cheek Victorian Urban Fantasy
- Jul 30: Buried Deep by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #4) 2005, ROC (NAL), SF, Alien [S]
- Lots of POV's for a detective story. Possibly the best of the series
- Aug 05: Paloma by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #5) 2006, ROC (NAL), SF, Alien [S]
- The slim line between complicit and accessory
- Aug 08: Recovery Man by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #6) 2007, ROC (NAL), SF, Alien [S]
- The foundations of the series are shaken in the last hundred pages.
- Aug 21: Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick (Sovereign Era #1) 2005, MWS, SF (Superhero) [O]
- I love the personal scale of the story
- Aug 30: Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher (Codex Alera #5) 2009, Ace (Penguin), Fantasy [N]
- I wish we could follow one plot
- Sep 04: Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi, 2011, TOR, SF [N]
- He is an artist at camouflaging clues
- Sep 18: Priestess of the Eggstone by Jaletta clegg (Fall of the Altairian Empire #2) 2012, Journalstone, Space Opera [G]
- Chaotic story of rash decisions
- Sep 30: Valour and Vanity by Mary Robinette Kowal (Glamourist Histories #4) TBD, Tor, Historical Fantasy [P]
- Venetian double-cross
- Oct 04: God's War by Kameron Hurley (Bel Dame Apocrypha #1) 2011, Night Shade Books, SF [G]
- A dark, stark novel of war, religion, and bugs.
- Oct 10: Nether-Net Tech by Mattew Schwartz, TBD, TBD, Urban Fantasy [P]
- It's not easy running a magic-support call center
- Oct 12: Above by Leah Bobet, 2012, Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic), YA Urban Fantasy [L]
- Where do you go when Safe is no longer safe?
- Oct 16: Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman (Vineart War #1) 2009, Pocket Books (S&S), Fantasy [L]
- One of the most plausible Medieval fantasy settings I have read, yet the book ends abruptly
- Oct 28: The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu (The Lays of Anuskaya #1) 2011, Night Shade Books, Fantasy [L]
- opaque setting with maudlin tone
- Dec 00: Title by Author (Series #0) Year Published, Publisher, Genre [origin]
- notes
