2011 In Book Review

This has been a good year overall for books.

I read
184 Books/Short Stories/Novellas
10 Unfinished books
69,086 Pages


I also started using my goodreads account reviews as my reviews here. Copy and Paste. So not exactly sure how much longer this blog will last. Of course, non-goodreads people can see this blog, while only my goodreads friends can see me on goodreads.

I think YOU should join Goodreads.com [finger point!!!!!]








001: Resident Evil: Umbrella Conspiracy-S.D. Perry-142
002: Resident Evil: Zero Hour-S.D. Perry-141
003: Lady Penitent: Ascendancy of the Last-Lisa Smedman-214
004: Strain: The Fall-G. Del Toro & Chuck Hogan-267
005: Cirque Du Freak: Vampire Mountain-Darren Shan-109
006: Cirque Du Freak: Trials of Death-Darren Shan-83
007: Cirque Du Freak: Vampire Prince-Darren Shan-122
008: Cirque Du Freak: Hunters of the Dusk-Darren Shan-87
009: Mechwarrior: The Sword and the Dagger-Ardath Mayhar-248
010: Shadows of the Apt: Salute the Dark-Adrian Tchaikovsky-392
011: Artemis Fowl: Eternity Code-Eoin Colfer-163
012: Chromosome 6-Robin Cook-457
013: Alcatraz versus the Shattered Lens-Brandon Sanderson-292
014: Shadows of the Apt: Scarab Path-Adrian Tchaikovsky-560
015: Mechwarrior: Decision at Thunder Rift-William Keith-298
016: George's Marvelous Medicine-Roald Dahl-89
017: Atlas Shrugged-Ayn Rand-1360
018: Fisherman's Children: Prodigal Mage-Karen Miller-UNFINISHED
019: Polity: Splatterjay: Voyage of the Sable Keech-Neal Asher-412
020: Bartimaeus: Ring of Solomon-Jonathan Stroud-344
021: Otherland: City of Golden Shadow-Tad Williams-770
022: Cirque Du Freak: Allies of the Night-Darren Shan-130
023: Dresden Files: Blood Rites-Jim Butcher-344
024: Mechwarrior: Mercenary's Star-William Keith-371
025: Shadow War: Shadow Moon-Chris Claremont-UNFINISHED
026: The Two Jungle Books-Rudyard Kipling-309
027: Castle Brass: Count Brass-Michael Moorcock-83
028: Ranger's Apprentice: Ruins of Gorlan-John Flanagan-195
029: Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief-Rick Riordan-237
030: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters-Rick Riordan-181
031: Mechwarrior: Price of Glory-William Keith-327
032: Arthurian Saga: Crystal Cave-Mary Stewart-338
033: Anne of Green Gables-Lucy Montgomery-309
034: Otherland: River of Blue Fire-Tad Williams-768
035: Percy Jackson: The Titan's Curse-Rick Riordan-196
036: Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge-John Flanagan-212
037: Castle Brass: Champions of Garathorm-Michael Moorcock-80
038: Shadowmarch: Shadowheart-Tad Williams-738
039: Star Wars: Clone Wars: Gambit: Siege-Karen Miller-UNFINISHED
040: Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Allies-Christie Golden-314
041: Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Vortex-Troy Denning-360
042: The Wheel of Time: Strike at Shayol Ghul & Ravens-Robert Jordan-35
043: Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Purgatory-John Miller-30
044: Once A Hero-Michael Stackpole-513
045: Percy Jackson: Battle of the Labyrinth-Rick Riordan-243
046: Wheel of Time: New Spring-Robert Jordan-317
047: Malazan Book of the Fallen: The Crippled God-Steven Erikson-953
048: Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land-John Flanagan-222
049: Ranger's Apprentice: Battle for Skandia-John Flanagan-238
050: Wheel of Time: Eye of the World-Robert Jordan-702
051: Otherland: Mountain of Black Glass-Tad Williams-749
052: Discworld: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents-Terry Pratchett-170
053: Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian-Rick Riordan-234
054: Starship: Mutiny-Mike Resnick-163
055: Cirque Du Freak: Killers of the Dawn-Darren Shan-129
056: Cirque Du Freak: Lake of Souls-Darren Shan-161
057: Castle Brass: Quest For Tanelorn-Michael Moorcock-80
058: Wheel of Time: The Great Hunt-Robert Jordan-618
059: Lolita-Vladimir Nabokov-363
060: Otherland: Sea Of Silver Light-Tad Williams-1002
061: Pet Sematatary-Stephen King-411
062: Mechwarrior: Warrior: En Garde-Michael Stackpole-388
063: Moby Dick-Herman Melville-UNFINISHED
064: Hull Zero Three-Greg Bear-256
065: The Magicians-Lev Grossman-390
066: The Day of the Triffids-John Wyndham-196
067: Wheel of Time: The Dragon Reborn-Robert Jordan-595
068: Cirque Du Freak: Lord of the Shadows-Darren Shan-97
069: Cirque Du Freak: Sons of Destiny-Darren Shan-125
070: Dresden Files: Dead Beat-Jim Butcher-386
071: Polity: Splatterjay: Orbus-Neal Asher-361
072: Ranger's Apprentice: Sorcerer of the North-John Flanagan-230
073: Ranger's Apprentice: Siege of Macindaw-John Flanagan-236
074: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: The Dragonbone Chair-Tad Williams-824
075: Starhammer-Christopher Rowley-277
076: Star Wars: Knight Errant-John Miller-310
077: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: The Stone of Farewell-Tad Williams-727
078: Resident Evil: Caliban Cove-S.D. Perry-134
079: Asian Saga: Tai-Pan-James Clavell-655
080: Emerald Eyes-Daniel Moran-217
081: Starship: Pirate-Mike Resnick-165
082: Malaz: Bauchelain and Korbal Broach-Steven Erikson-180
083: Malaz: Crack'd Pot Trail-Steven Erikson-154
084: Polity: Prador Moon-Neal Asher-173
085: Abolethic Sovereignty: Plague of Spells-Bruce Cordell-290
086: Wheel of Time: The Shadow Rising-Robert Jordan-907
087: Acacia: The Other Lands-David Durham-504
088: Discworld: Thud!-Terry Pratchett-297
089: 5 Novels-Daniel Pinkwater-648
090: Ranger's Apprentice: Erak's Ransom-John Flanagan-327
091: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: To Green Angel Tower-Tad Williams-1374
093: Bards of Bone Plain-Patricia McKillip-329
094: Abolethic Sovereignty: City of Torment-Bruce Cordell-UNFINISHED
095: Polity: Hilldigger-Neal Asher-505
096: Cobra War: Cobra Guardian-Timothy Zahn-388
097: Green Rider: Blackveil-Kristen Britain-773
098: Dark Angel: Before the Dawn-Max Collins-291
099: Ranger's Apprentice: Kings of Clonmel-John Flanagan-357
100: Ranger's Apprentice: Halt's Peril-John Flanagan-348
101: The Last Day-Glen Kleier-484
102: Wheel of Time: The Fires of Heaven-Robert Jordan-877
103: Grimm Dragonblaster: A Mage In The Making-Alistair Archibald-264
104: Star Wars: Old Republic: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Sentinel-John Miller-27
105: T2: Infiltrator-S.M. Stirling-513
106: Star Wars: Old Republic: Deceived-Paul Kemp-348
107: Time Traders-Andre Norton-400
108: Starship: Mercenary-Mike Resnick-338
109: WWW: Wake-Robert Sawyer-388
110: Vlad Taltos: Orca-Steven Brust-313
111: Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men-Terry Pratchett-289
112: Dresden Files: Proven Guilty-Jim Butcher-557
113: Tiffany Aching: A Hat Full Of Sky-Terry Pratchett-299
114: Wheel of Time: Lord of Chaos-Robert Jordan-1223
115: The Count of Monte Cristo: Unabridged-Alexandre Dumas-1606
116: Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught-Jack Campbell-420
117: Tiffany Aching: Wintersmith-Terry Pratchett-341
118: Night Angel: Perfect Shadow-Brent Weeks-70
119: Dark Angel: Skin Game-Max Collins-UNFINISHED
120: Lyra: Shadow Magic-Patricia Wrede-256
121: Malaz: Stonewielder-Ian Esslemont-640
122: T2: Rising Storm-S.M. Stirling-384
123: Ranger's Apprentice: Emperor of Nihon-Ja- John Flanagan-438
124: Riyria Revelations: Wintertide- Michael Sullivan-332
125: Wheel of Time: A Crown of Swords-Robert Jordan-896
126: So You Want To Be A Wizard-Diane Duane-408
127: WWW: Watch-Robert Sawyer-368
128: The New Age Movement and the Illuminati 666-William Josiah Sutton-UNFINISHED
129: The Iron Druid Chronicles: Hounded-Kevin Hearne-239
130: T2: The Future War-S.M. Stirling-368
131: Imperium: Mech-B.V. Larson-328
132: Imperium: Mech 2-B.V. Larson-252
133: Neuromancer-William Gibson-288
134: What It Is Like To Go To War-Karl Malantes-256
135: Book of the Elements: The Legions of Fire-David Drake-368
136: Broken Empire: Prince of Thorns-Mark Lawrence-336
137: Destroyermen: Into the Storm-Taylor Anderson-400
138: Destroyermen: Crusade-Taylor Anderson-400
139: The Hourglass Door-Lisa Mangum-400
140: The Eternal Champion-Michael Moorcock-484
141: Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Pantheon-John Miller-34
142: Sandkings-George RR Martin-80
143: Lyra: Daughter of Witches-Patricia Wrede-304
144: Polity: Shadow of the Scorpion-Neal Asher-250
145: Stealing Light-Gary Gibson-441
146: Wheel of Time: Path of Daggers-Robert Jordan-705
147: Videssos: An Emperor for the Legion-Harry Turtledove-336
148: Germline-T.C. McCarthy-UNFINISHED
149: A Room with a View-E.M. Forster-231
150: Star Dragon-Mike Brotherton-352
151: Time Traders II-Andre Norton-384
152: The Hobbit-J.R.R. Tolkien-256
153: Battlestar Galactica-Jeffrey Carver-269
154: Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Conviction-Aaron Allston-367
155: Black Magician: Magicians Guild-Trudi Canavan-384
156: The Iron Druid Chronicles: Hexed-Kevin Hearne-246
157: Jumper-Steven Gould-345
158: Asian Saga: Gai-Jin-James Clavell-1248
159: Maze Runner-James Dashner-336
160: Killer-Karl Wagner & David Drake-193
161: Finity-John Barnes-303
162: Ranger's Apprentice: Lost Stories-John Flanagan-352
163: The Viscount & the Witch-Michael Sullivan-28
164: Shadows of the Apt: The Sea Watch-Adrian Tchaikovsky-586
165: Steel and Other Stories-Richard Matheson-320
166: The Story of My Experiments with Truth-Mahatma Gandhi-UNFINISHED
167: Wheel of Time: Winter's Heart-Robert Jordan-560
168: The Heir: Warrior Heir-Cinda Chima-272
169: The Horus Heresy: Horus Rising-Dan Abnett-295
170: The Owner: Departure-Neal Asher-352
171: Star Wars: Choices of One-Timothy Zahn-384
172: Underworld-Greg Cox-302
173: The Walking Drum-Louis L'Amour-480
174: Discworld: Making Money-Terry Pratchett-400
175: Destroyermen: Maelstrom-Taylor Anderson-400
176: Dresden Files: White Night-Jim Butcher-376
177: Timeline-Michael Crichton-436
178: Jumper: Reflex-Steven Gould-310
179: The Walls of the Universe-Paul Melko-301
180: The Onuissance Cells-Steve Jordan-162
181: Polity: The Technician-Neal Asher-391
182: Wardstone: Kings, Queens, Heroes & Fools-M.R. Mathias-500
183: Wheel of Time: Crossroads of Twilight-Robert Jordan-672
184: Seven Realms: The Demon King-Cinda Chima-340
185: Seven Realms: The Exiled Queen-Cinda Chima-402
186: Seven Realms: The Gray Wolf Throne-Cinda Chima-399
187: The Heir: The Wizard Heir-Cinda Chima-315
188: American Gods-Neil Gaiman-560
189: Spice and Wolf Book 1-Isuna Hasekura-UNFINISHED
190: The Dragon and the George-Gordon Dickson-243
191: The Iron Druid Chronicles: Hammered-Kevin Hearne-273
192: Lyra: Harp of Imach Thyssel-Patricia Wrede-308
193: Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension-Christie Golden-382
194: Dune-Frank Herbert-535

Never A Free Lunch...

I think this sums up my attitude about Facebook, and life in general. Crystal found this and thought I'd find it amusing. Which I do, greatly...

When Did This Happen?

Our church has had a VBS [Vacation Bible School] program running this week. Only in the evenings for 1.5hours, but it has been a good start for future years. It was enthusiastically attended AND staffed.

Anyway, someone was there who had been reading a book by a particular author. Crystal had told me earlier in the week that they had been reading the book and had some questions/concerns about it, so I had checked it out. Haven't read it yet, but did peruse the chapter headings and subtitles.

My first impression was that the author was a conspiracy theorist of religious idealogy and that he was a fruitcake.

So this evening at VBS the person who had been reading it was just in tears over some of the stuff they had read. So I spearheaded a little circle of friendly chatter and did my best to make them feel better and to inject some practical theology into their thinking. Mainly in an attempt to allow them to realize that this book wasn't the bible and just because someone throws Bible verses at you doesn't make them correct.

Then later I was talking to another person, who is happily married, has a young daughter and has been in the church for quite some time as well. We got talking about the book and he mentioned he had some questions as well. So I said the book was on my radar, but that I would definitely read it in the next week and we could talk about it the next Sabbath. He was appreciative and grateful.

On the way home, it hit me hard, like fear clawing up my throat. When did I become someone who could comfort someone my parents age, answer their questions, be asked for advice/thoughts by a fully mature man and be thought of as someone who people would listen to?

Thankfully, God has paired me with a wonderful wife. She pointed out the how's and why's.

I have definitely turned a corner this day. I can't pretend to be a young person, a sit on the sidelines and let the more experienced, more mature handle things. Now I have to be in the thick of things. Even if it is just in the thick of "little" things :-)

It kind of feels like I've grown up and just realized it for the first time. It is a weird feeling.

Happy Sabbath to you all.

Ultra-Lord Techno-Geek

First off, the Ultra-Lord reference is from Jimmy Neutron, a silly animated claymation style movie that never fails to amuse me.

Currently, I am listening to Sarah Brightman sing about Ghost In The Machinery from my iTunes library on my desktop computer. I am also on Goodreads [my Profile] typing up the books I've read in the past couple of days.

The book info I am getting from my Sony 505, since that is what I've read the books on, and it has the titles, authors and page numbers.

Since I am not exactly rich, we have the slowest dsl available. Light years better than dial-up, but compared to even 3mbps, not to hot. So while things chug along, I am reading W Juliet in digital form on my Super Pad.

So to summarize:
I am listening to digital music while I write on a website about the digital books I read on my ereader and in between am reading digital comics on my tablet.

How much better can life get for a techno-geek? And yes, that is rhetorical :-D

ps,
all those links? Geekdom :-)

Why My Local Bookstore Will Eventually Fail...

Today, I decided to pick up some manga, specifically Amazing Agent Luna 1-5.

When I was up at the counter, I decided to ask about The Shadows of the Apt, one of the best series EVER, in my opinion. I've been reading them in ebook form, but I like them enough that I want to really support the author and get them in hardback. Book 6 [of 10] just came out and I figured since I was in my local bookstore, I'd do my part and help it out against the huge, evil, greedy [etc, etc, you get the jingo-istic idea] Ultra-Mega-Corporation that sucks your soul out with every purchase you make there.
[and yes, that is totally tongue-in-cheek].

So as I'm at the counter, I ask if they have the Shadows of the Apt series in hardcover. The lady tickity tacks on her computer and then lets me know that the first book only came out in March '09 and that it is in paperback. Then, and this is what really got me, she says "you can probably find it in hardcover online somewhere".

Seriously? She doesn't ask if I want the paperback, or the ebook or even offer to look for a hardcover on their used book system [they use ABE books for all their out of print books and special orders I believe]. So I left with the books I had bought.

I shook my head as I walked out the door. They just lost a sale, or several sales in fact. And they didn't even try!!! So next time I hear some bleeding heart pretentious prick lament the disappearing of the local bookstore, I'm going to rub their face in this story.

Long Live Amazon \sarcastic face/