Reading
A list of what I’m reading and my opinions and all that.
Favourites
A rotating list of favourite reads
“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”
—Oliver Wendell Holmes
Wool
Hugh Howey
Cage of Souls
Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Sparrow
Mary Doria Russel
Steering the Craft
Ursula K. Le Guin
The City of Brass
S. A. Chakraborty
Sleeping Giants
Sylvain Neuvel
Brand New
Wally Olins
Catch-22
Joseph Heller
The Dark Forest
Cixin Liu
The Design of Everyday Things
Don Norman
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
The Fifth Season
N.K. Jemisin
Reading list
What I’m reading and have read
Current reads marked with . Books I abandoned are struck through. Missing thoughts are just me not remembering exactly what I thought at the time.
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
Godfall by Van Jensen | Van Jensen | Mashup of genres a la “The Tainted Cup” but not near as successful |
The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison | Margot Harrison | Not for me |
Fox by Joyce Carol Oates | Joyce Carol Oates | Vivid, wonderful writing, extremely unsettling |
A Line in the Stars by Sean Fenian | Sean Fenian | Compelling story that I wanted to see out, but the writing just is not for me |
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes | Hiron Ennes |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
United Fleet by Sean Fenian | Sean Fenian | The dialogue is not for me |
Lord of the Flies by William Golding | William Golding | Somehow never actually read it before |
Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei | Yume Kitasei | Covers a lot of ground, enjoyable |
Bearing Gifts by Sean Fenian | Sean Fenian | This was a compelling concept but not the writing I wanted |
Juice by Tim Winton | Tim Winton | This book falls into the “Wes Anderson” problem for me—when a style is so distinctive that it’s removed from the corpus of styles that one can have; here, that’s Cormac McCarthy, though I believe it must be quite intentional |
Slow Gods by Claire North | Claire North | Loved this |
Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin | Laurie Colwin | Hilarious and inspiring |
Halcyon Years by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | Satisfying if quick; also, time for more books that don’t involve AI |
All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu | Ken Liu | Appreciated a new perspective on AI |
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan | Ian McEwan | Quite dense but very interesting approach |
The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Refreshing return, though shockingly distinct in hindsight from Old Man’s War |
The Burning God by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Overall enjoyed the series but didn’t enjoy the characters, nor the sense that there was no real growth |
The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Ehh |
Life after Life by False Knees | False Knees | Adorable |
Cannon by Lee Lai | Lee Lai | What are we going to do about the metaphorical lion? |
A Frog In The Fall (And Later On) by Linnea Sterte | Linnea Sterte | Absolutely adored this |
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix | Grady Hendrix | Emotionally tough read actually |
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Went from Harry Potter to something else but I enjoyed it |
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson | Antonia Hodgson | This sucked me in, some clever literary techniques |
Katabasis by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Quite enjoyed this |
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe by Megan E. O’Keefe | Megan E. O’Keefe | Harder to get into than her previous series |
One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford | Leigh Radford | I loved this—heavily metaphoric, a tiny bit goofy but not too much, and zombies in a new light |
The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro | Robert A. Caro | |
The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown | Gareth Brown | Honestly found this hard to get into because of the prose for some reason, but liked where the story itself went |
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz | Annalee Newitz | Cute, also this book is really about biang biang noodles |
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut | Kurt Vonnegut | He said, he said, he said—loved some of the prose |
Persuader by Lee Child | Lee Child | It was a story; absolutely nothing to retain or change me as a person |
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image by actually Jeff Rovin | actually Jeff Rovin | Popcorn lake read and I’m crediting the real author about it |
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | Suzanne Collins | Formulaic but works nicely |
The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | I dunno, this one just unravelled for me |
The Secret Market of the Dead by Giovanni De Feo | Giovanni De Feo | Enjoyable; felt like it ended abruptly |
The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve | Dete Meserve | Good premise, but left wanting somehow |
The Long Walk by Stephen King | Stephen King | Looking forward to seeing how Winnipeg backgrounds the upcoming movie |
Grave Empire by Richard Swan | Richard Swan | Enjoyed the individual characters, but found it almost too much a grab bag of fantasy |
Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau – Barbara Wright | Raymond Queneau – Barbara Wright | |
The Democracy of Species by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Robin Wall Kimmerer | |
Sh*tscapes: 100 Mistakes in Landscape Architecture by Vladimir Guculak & Paul Bourel | Vladimir Guculak & Paul Bourel | |
Sociopath by Patric Gagne | Patric Gagne | I’m a bit apathetic about it honestly |
Ghostdrift by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Not quite as good as the rest of the series, but fun |
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie | Joe Abercrombie | Enjoyed the hell out of it |
Never Flinch by Stephen King | Stephen King | Good, but as quoted in acknowledgements, “You can do better” |
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lamali | Laila Lamali | Remarkable, and infuriating end to end |
Cold Eternity by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | The sci-fi equivalent of a trashy beach book |
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain | Anthony Bourdain | Great writing, would never ever want to work with anyone like him |
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo | Yangsze Choo | Enjoyed this a lot, entirely new different mythology |
The Reckoning by John Grisham | John Grisham | Trashy beach book II |
Past Tense by Lee Child | Lee Child | Trashy beach book I |
The Defector by Chris Hadfield | Chris Hadfield | Clancy-esque |
Impro by Keith Johnstone | Keith Johnstone | |
The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kuwal | Mary Robinette Kuwal | Sneakily absorbing |
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Love how straight this is written |
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Mystery fantasy mashup aw yeah |
Gentle Writing Advice by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | |
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Barbara Kingsolver | The most miserable, wonderful novel I’ve read in years |
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi | Marjane Satrapi | |
The Bones Beneath my Skin by T. J. Klune | T. J. Klune | Went in expecting vibe A and got vibe B and I’m down for it |
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | I loved this—super sci fi |
Toward Eternity by Anton Hur | Anton Hur | Enjoyable, disconcerting, maybe not the best book to read on a fever |
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera | Vajra Chandrasekera | Great prose and clever as hell |
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah | I really loved this—visceral and thought-provoking |
Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley | Aliya Whiteley | Clever, weird |
James by Percival Everett | Percival Everett | Brilliant concept and telling |
Blood of the Virgin by Sammy Harkham | Sammy Harkham | Beautiful, but meanders as it goes |
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath | Patrick Horvath | Super visceral oof |
Heat by Bill Buford | Bill Buford | I’m all fired up to cook better now |
Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair by Lucy Knisley | Lucy Knisley | SO GOOD |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
This Accident of Being Lost by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Absorbing and different |
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Almost too long, and I never say that |
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson | Robert Louis Stevenson | Watched “Black Sails” and needed to keep the vibe going |
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley | Kaliane Bradley | Loved this |
Revenant-X by David Wellington | David Wellington | This series strikes me as a serialization |
Macarons by Pierre Hermé | Pierre Hermé | 72 macarons per batch, here we gooo |
Paradise-1 by David Wellington | David Wellington | Real fast popcorny |
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong | Julie Leong | Lovely! |
Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | First two parts kicked butt, third part dragged |
Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie | Ann Leckie | Hits and misses for me (like any short story collection) |
Making Design Theory by Johan Redström | Johan Redström | |
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune | TJ Klune | A good conclusion, but as much as I appreciate the story and the ideas, I started to find the “positivity” tedious |
An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson | Alexis Henderson | Found myself wanting |
The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Pleasantly concluded |
The Magician King by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Surprisingly different from book one, and just as enjoyable |
These Deathless Shores by P. H. Low | P. H. Low | Takes a warm friendly story and makes it very much not so—characters grated on me but the underlying was super compelling |
The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | I really enjoyed this but it felt like it petered out somehow |
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Wonderful storytelling with a fairy-tale-esque slant |
Eruption by Michael Crichton & James Patterson | Michael Crichton & James Patterson | Books I don’t like are usually just “not for me” but this book is trash |
The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey | James S. A. Corey | Absolutely loved this |
Winter, or a Town Near Palgrave by André Alexis | André Alexis | Great short, surreal kick |
Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer | MJ Wassmer | Felt popcorny, good quick read |
Duma Key by Stephen King | Stephen King | One of his legitimately creepy stories |
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei | Yume Kitasei | Different! |
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | I loved this—the characters were brilliant |
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks | Sarah Brooks | Somehow brilliantly original and terrifically derivative and I enjoyed it a lot |
How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive by Craig DiLouie | Craig DiLouie | I wanted to like this but ehh—quite liked the feeling of immersion in filmmaking though |
The Bound Worlds by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | Great conclusion to the series |
Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | |
You Like it Darker by Stephen King | Stephen King | Adored it |
The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch | Lidia Yuknavitch | Honestly found this really hard to read even if well written |
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood | Margaret Atwood | Fascinating, with some tough blunt subject matter |
The Magicians by Lev Grossman | Lev Grossman | Unexpected self-aware adult Hogwartsy |
The Book that Broke the World by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | Was disappointed by this honestly, surprised |
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Coming into itself |
Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | Enjoyed |
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Easy fun read |
Alchemy by Rory Sutherland | Rory Sutherland | This book brought back some of the energy and excitement I had around brand and design |
Lost In a Good Book by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Love the use of footnotes as an actual meta storytelling aspect |
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Silly, in the right way right now |
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Literally read this and “Red Side Story” in the wrong order |
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | So many ways to describe eating apples |
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | This world is turning into a popcorn read basically which isn’t a bad thing |
Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | Unexpectedly loved this—the voice works perfectly |
Abandon by Blake Crouch | Blake Crouch | Basically good, liked the setting |
On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt | Harry G. Frankfurt | |
Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Satisfyingly bloviating |
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly | John Connolly | Not whatsoever a lighthearted read |
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune | T.J. Klune | Lovely |
The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk | C. L. Polk | Enjoyable, not subtle |
Among the Living by Tim Lebbon | Tim Lebbon | Feels vaguely like it was written with the goal of being turned into a show |
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Love the narrow lens in a broader snippet of a fantastical world |
Exordia by Seth Dickinson | Seth Dickinson | Kind of a wild ride that keeps going, but wouldn’t necessarily read again |
Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin | George R. R. Martin | a) Yes I too was startled this exists and b) it’s great |
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino | Keigo Higashino | I’m super curious how the voice is in the original language |
Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed | Deena Mohamed | Absolutely adored this graphic novel |
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson | Shirley Jackson | |
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare | Cassandra Clare | Enjoyed the characters in this one |
Legion by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Meh |
Operation Angus by Terry Fallis | Terry Fallis | Really like seeing Canadian politics here |
Saevus Corax Captures the Castle by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Rambly in all the right ways |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham | Daniel Abraham | |
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher | T. Kingfisher | Really enjoyed, perfectly fairy-tale-esque |
Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Hilarious, but ending fell flat |
Sign Here by Claudia Lux | Claudia Lux | Takes a great premise and sees it through with a great character-driven plot |
| This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mohtar & Max Gladstone | Amal el-Mohtar & Max Gladstone | |
System Collapse by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | I love the depth of universe behind the very solid first-person characterization |
The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal | Ann Dávila Cardinal | Explores Puerto Rico in a way I haven’t experienced before |
| The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey | Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey | |
The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Sanderson’s really had some fun with this collection |
The Fractured Dark by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | |
The Blighted Stars by Megan O’Keefe | Megan O’Keefe | Really enjoyed this blend of epic sci-fi and characterization |
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
Prophet by Sin Blaché & Helen MacDonald | Sin Blaché & Helen MacDonald | Almost feels like this was written to be a movie |
| The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez | Simon Jimenez | |
Starter Villain by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | I can just picture Scalzi chortling to himself while writing this |
| Never by Ken Follett | Ken Follett | Probably going to abandon this |
Holly by Stephen King | Stephen King | Less “crunchy,” whatever that means |
Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Took a while to get into, but compelling |
Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward | Catriona Ward | They went for it with the exploratory storytelling mechanisms |
Ascension by Nicholas Binge | Nicholas Binge | One-day romp of a read—enjoyed the techniques |
The Invention of Sound by Chuck Palahniuk | Chuck Palahniuk | Thought this was Wendig not Palahniuk until halfway through |
Dust by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | |
Shift by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | |
Wool by Hugh Howey | Hugh Howey | I loved this |
| Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov | Georgi Gospodinov | |
The Road by Cormac McCarthy | Cormac McCarthy | Bit of a tough read on a few axes |
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones | Diana Wynne Jones | Children’s book recommended by Gaiman I believe |
The End of All Things by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
The Human Division by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | It took me so long to figure out it’s “Human Divide” not “Human Department” |
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Brutal compelling—unlike “Babel,” made and kept its promises |
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
The Last Colony by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Apparently “Old Man’s War” is my summer re-read series |
The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland | Jacqueline Holland | Beyond the story, I loved this book’s style and pacing |
The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | I love how much this series challenges a range of topics |
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Re-read, such fun |
The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | |
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | |
The Lives of Puppets by TJ Clune | TJ Clune | I think the author was going for something that got cut short—the acknowledgement section is rather startling |
Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin | Ursula K. Le Guin | Just lovely |
The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence | Mark Lawrence | Enjoyed the first bit so much, but then it turned into an overflowing soufflé |
Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin | Elisa Shua Dusapin | Great voice, but not quite for me |
Putting the Fact in Fantasy by Dan Koboldt | Dan Koboldt | |
| City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody | Jessica Brody | |
Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty | Shannon Chakraborty | One of my favourites of the last couple years—and real clever storytelling techniques |
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift | E. J. Swift | |
Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
The Art of Description by Mark Doty | Mark Doty | |
Mort by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | I love how Pratchett plays with typography as part of the novel, like poetry |
Sourcery by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
Nation by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer | Jeff VanderMeer | Super interesting format, great content on writing |
The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman | Neil Gaiman | Such a range, widely felt |
A Slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt | Taran Hunt | |
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White | Alex White | |
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
Family Lexicon by Natalia Ginzburg | Natalia Ginzburg | Very powerful writing, particularly one scene around creativity post-WW2 |
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
The Trial by Franz Kafka | Franz Kafka | I’ve decided I can’t stand Kafka |
| Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo | Leigh Bardugo | |
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | Really enjoyed the indication that Murderbot’s way of being is just them, not a SecUnit thing |
Network Effect by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | Comfortable popcorn reading at this point |
The Sound on the Page by Ben Yagoda | Ben Yagoda | Starting to include the nonfiction reads in this list too |
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | |
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
All Systems Red by Martha Wells | Martha Wells | |
The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Nikki Erlick | |
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | Adored this book, adored the deaf character and their parallel-to-me adaptations |
| Chaos Vector by Megan E. O’Keefe | Megan E. O’Keefe | |
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick | Philip K. Dick | Good plot, great alt history, horrible characterization and ending |
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury | Ray Bradbury | |
City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Really enjoyed having a different PoV character from the first book |
Echopraxia by Peter Watts | Peter Watts | Didn’t finish |
Blindsight by Peter Watts | Peter Watts | Not for me—I found it very “down” |
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Occasionally I discover an author I didn’t know and oh look so many books to read! |
Beyond the Burn Line by Paul McAuley | Paul McAuley | |
Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | This is a different book than others in the series, but I enjoyed it |
Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett | Robert Jackson Bennett | Hit all the notes I wanted in the moment |
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler | Ray Nayler | |
Leech by Hiron Ennes | Hiron Ennes | This clicked in all kinds of ways |
Wayward by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | |
The Expert System’s Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
Defending Elysium by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
The Fisherman by John Langan | John Langan | I enjoyed the fractal nature of it |
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake | Olivie Blake | |
The Creeper by A. M. Shine | A. M. Shine | |
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal | Mary Robinette Kowal | My cocktail ingredients shopping list |
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott | GennaRose Nethercott | |
From the Wreck by Jane Rawson | Jane Rawson | |
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Nice job tying the trilogy together |
Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo | Filipe Melo | Gorgeous graphic novel with exceptional story |
End of the World House by Adrienne Celt | Adrienne Celt | |
Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes | S. A. Barnes | Actually dang spooky |
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu | Sequoia Nagamatsu | Great book, horribly sad |
A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys | Ruthanna Emrys | Wasn’t really for me |
Fairy Tale by Stephen King | Stephen King | Has an Ending |
Babel by R. F. Kuang | R. F. Kuang | Made promises and then didn’t hold to them |
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | |
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | Loved it |
Eversion by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | Fascinating read, well-knit together |
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro | Kazuo Ishiguro | Fascinating read |
On Writing by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune | TJ Klune | |
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness | Deborah Harkness | Abandoned; I feel this book comes dangerously close to glorifying abusive behaviours |
Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings | Ren Hutchings | Neat concept well executed |
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern | Erin Morgenstern | Really enjoyed the prose |
Jack Four by Neal Asher | Neal Asher | I didn’t actually like this, felt like reading a video game |
Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro | J. M. Miro | |
Mordew by Alex Pheby | Alex Pheby | Feels wildly all over the place, wouldn’t read again |
Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Didn’t finish for some reason |
Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson | Eddie Robson | |
Inhibitor Phase by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | |
The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller | Sara A. Mueller | I went into this with no idea what to expect and I was surprised by how unique it feels |
Stringers by Chris Panatier | Chris Panatier | Very popcorny, but would’t read again |
Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel | Sylvain Neuvel | |
Gallant by V. E. Schwab | V. E. Schwab | |
Last Exit by Max Gladstone | Max Gladstone | |
Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
The Shadow People by Graham Masterton | Graham Masterton | Went too far into gruesome for me, abandoned |
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel | Emily St. John Mandel | |
The Watchers by A. M. Shine | A. M. Shine | I enjoyed this a lot |
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake | Olivie Blake | |
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd | Peng Shepherd | |
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Alex Michaelides | |
Devil House by John Darnielle | John Darnielle | |
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter | Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter | |
Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson | Neal Stephenson | |
The Two of Swords: Part Three by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker | |
The Two of Swords: Part Two by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang | Ted Chiang | Very tasty bits of short sci fi |
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch | Gretchen McCulloch | This book is incredible and helps me level up how I communicate remotely |
Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey | James S. A. Corey | I didn’t finish this and I’m not sure why |
The Two of Swords: Part One by K.J. Parker | K.J. Parker | The setting is GoT-ish but the tone is more like subtly like Hitchhiker's Guide |
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Did not realize it was a short story, majorly bummed out to accidentally run into the end |
Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | I love the process of an AI learning emotions |
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield | Chris Hadfield | Not fair to be both an astronaut AND an author |
The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts | Sophy Roberts | |
The Unfinished Land by Greg Bear | Greg Bear | |
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell | David Mitchell | Kinda fell off of it |
Tears of the Truffle-Pig by Fernando A. Flores | Fernando A. Flores | |
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Should not be as sticky as it is and yet |
The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Aw yeah |
The Exiled Fleet by J. S. Dewes | J. S. Dewes | |
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy | Tom Clancy | Keeps moving forward, all men only men |
The Art of Logic by Eugenia Cheng | Eugenia Cheng | Actively made me better at thinking |
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy | Tom Clancy | |
Billy Summers by Stephen King | Stephen King | I would do naughty things to be able to write characters like King |
The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee | Jonathan Lee | |
A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel | Sylvain Neuvel | |
The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu | T. L. Huchu | Not really about the library of the dead |
The Big Short by Michael Lewis | Michael Lewis | History repeats |
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse | Rebecca Roanhorse | New level of squeamish in some scenes |
Later by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet | L. David Marquet | Love that he digs into his method failing as well as thriving |
The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes | J.S. Dewes | Compelling idea, good characterization in points of views |
The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker | Helene Wecker | Fascinating followup to The Golem and the Djinni |
A Master of Djinn by P. Daeli Clark | P. Daeli Clark | Fell off, never got back to it |
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley | Natasha Pulley | Like a totally different book from the first, not satisfying |
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir | Andy Weir | COMMUNICATION |
The Lost Apothecary by Sara Penner | Sara Penner | |
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab | V. E. Schwab | The best cover |
The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick | M. A. Carrick | Fell off, didn't finish |
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine | Arkady Martine | |
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley | Natasha Pulley | Compelling |
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman | Joe Haldeman | |
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenster | Erin Morgenster | Beautiful writing |
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini | Christopher Paolini | |
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers | Becky Chambers | Pleasant read, optimistic |
Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe | Megan E. O'Keefe | |
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson | Neal Stephenson | |
Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley | Maria Dahvana Headley | Bro! |
Bone Silence by Alastair Reynolds | Alastair Reynolds | |
Revenger by ALastair Reynolds | ALastair Reynolds | |
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
Org Design for Design Orgs by Merholz & Skinner | Merholz & Skinner | |
Radical Candor by Kim Scott | Kim Scott | Good ideas, often used as an excuse to be a jerk |
Mismatch by Kat Holmes | Kat Holmes | Wonderful read around inclusive design |
Post-Truth by Matthew D'Ancona | Matthew D'Ancona | |
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine | Adrian Tomine | Lovely graphic novel |
How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | |
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Fun and quick |
A Peculiar Peril by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Honestly, I have trouble getting into Vandermeer after his original trilogy |
A History of the World in Twelve Maps by Jerry Brotton | Jerry Brotton | |
Finder by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | Aw yea |
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick | Philip K. Dick | Finally got to it |
Sixteenth Watch by Myke Cole | Myke Cole | |
The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky |
| Title | Author | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
Early Risers by Jasper Fforde | Jasper Fforde | |
The Hollow Ones by Guillemo del Toro & Chuck Hogan | Guillemo del Toro & Chuck Hogan | |
Upheaval by Jared Diamond | Jared Diamond | |
Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton | Peter F. Hamilton | |
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott | Anne Lamott | I like this a lot |
Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty | S. A. Chakraborty | I love this cultural mythology |
The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty | S. A. Chakraborty | I love this cultural mythology |
Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer | Jeff Vandermeer | Fell off |
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | Dunno what I expected, wasn't that, loved it |
Why I'm No Longer Talking About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge | Reni Eddo-Lodge | |
Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker | Libbie Hawker | Excellent read to procrastinate writing |
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow | Alix E. Harrow | Lovely, bought a copy for my mom after |
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik | Naomi Novik | Popcorn |
The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley | Kameron Hurley | |
The Migration by Helen Marshall | Helen Marshall | |
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Meh, doesn't live up to the rest of the author's work |
If It Bleeds by Stephen King | Stephen King | Don't usually like novellas, but these struck a chord |
The Last Astronaut by David Wellington | David Wellington | |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams | Douglas Adams | Must read every year |
Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin | N. K. Jemisin | Fell off |
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon | Samantha Shannon | |
Driving the Deep by Suzanne Palmer | Suzanne Palmer | |
The Escapement by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | |
Evil for Evil by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Interesting how I can't decide who's the good characters |
Devices and Desires by K. J. Parker | K. J. Parker | Nice prose |
The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith | A. J. Hackwith | |
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks | Oliver Sacks | |
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben | Peter Wohlleben | |
Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher | Guy Deutscher | |
The Last Emperox by John Scalzi | John Scalzi | |
Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton | Peter F. Hamilton | |
Gravity by Tess Gerritsen | Tess Gerritsen | |
Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behaviour by Leonard Mlodinow | Leonard Mlodinow | |
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch | Scott Lynch | |
The Book Thief by Merkus Zusak | Merkus Zusak | |
The Anatomy of a Story by John Truby | John Truby | |
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro | Kazuo Ishiguro | |
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo | Leigh Bardugo | Best cover |
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig | Chuck Wendig | Aw yeah kickin off a pandemic |
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett | Terry Pratchett | |
Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt | Richard Rumelt | |
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky | Adrian Tchaikovsky | |
The Terror by Dan Simmons | Dan Simmons | |
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
Supernova Era by Cixin Liu | Cixin Liu | |
The Quantum Magician by Derek Künsken | Derek Künsken | |
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson | Brandon Sanderson | |
The Testaments by Maraget Atwood | Maraget Atwood | |
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown | Dan Brown | |
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown | Dan Brown | |
The Institute by Stephen King | Stephen King | |
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Alex Michaelides | |
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa | Yōko Ogawa | |
First Cosmic Velocity by Zach Powers | Zach Powers | |
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Amor Towles | Really enjoyed this |
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