What I've just finished..
The resolution
to read 100 books in 2011 fell quite short (only 59), but I'll attempt it again in
2012. If you're interested, you can review my
2005, 2006,
2007, 2008,
2009, 2010, and
2011
reading lists by clicking on the year. I will track my 2012
reading below and on
www.WordsForWords.com, and as always, you can click on the link to find the book
on Amazon. Happy reading!
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Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane: The premise here is
somewhat strained, as we have two groups living within normal
society who are at war with one another, yet no one engaged in the
war knows why. As a result, kids are trained from the age of
sixteen to begin killing for their side as soon as they turn
eighteen. Joe is one of the assassins sent by faceless
controllers for his side, and the story is literally told through
his point-of-view as jotted down in a journal for his girlfriend
Maria, who we meet halfway through the book. Joe doesn't know
why he is fighting, which is why I didn't get to know as the reader,
but that approach failed to hold me at times - it felt like someone
in the book could have simply asked, "wait, wait, WHY are we killing
each other again?" As soon as Joe shares the rule that
children born to those under the age of eighteen are handed to the
other side to raise (yeah, random killing but a solid accord,
right?), I was pretty much able to guess where this was going.
I was right. It's not a bad story, but as the first in a
trilogy, I'm not likely to be a continuing reader.
(01-06-12)
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Fire in the Hole by Elmore Leonard: I enjoy the FX series
Justified and finished a short story collection by this
author last year. This is another of those collections,
featuring Raylan Givens, Carl Webster, and Karen Sisco in a series
of crime-focused short stories. Some are entertaining, but
honestly, none of the stories really grabbed me. One is
basically the first episode from Justified, with a
necessarily-different ending. I have several novels by Mr.
Leonard sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read in 2012, but they
may wait a bit longer while I seek out more stimulating novels.
(01-15-12)
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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: One of my resolutions
this year is to work in a few of the classics, and my first choice
was this novel. Atticus Finch is a constant reference
throughout law school, and somehow I have never read the book before
now. I now understand the world's fascination with Harper Lee
and her only novel - it was phenomenal! The story follows
Scout, a somewhat precocious young girl as she puzzles over a
reclusive neighbor and the social niceties of the 1930s South.
The centerpiece of the novel is the trial of a young black man who
has been accused of raping a white woman, and it falls to Atticus to
provide for a fair trial in a community where prejudices are very
likely to trump fairness. This is the major premise of the
book, and the author did a fantastic job, but the overall story and
writing were absolutely great as well. I will definitely
return to read this book again, as I have definitely added it to my
top ten. (01-12-12)
Some people call
listening to a book "reading" - I am not one of those people! There are
times, however, when a book on CD is the perfect thing for a long drive or to
help distract a part of the brain during a difficult project!
My tastes in reading
are rather eclectic, but I have many favorites. Here are a few authors
that you'll be well-advised to check out. The links will take you to the
author's official website, where one exists.
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Joe Abercrombie:
I picked up "The Blade Itself" in 2008, and a few pages in, jumped onto
Amazon-UK to buy the sequels (which weren't yet available in the US).
I'm not usually into fantasy, but this blended time so well that at times it
may have been set in the medieval period, and at other in the
post-apocalypse.
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Douglas Adams:
Twenty-five years ago, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was
authored for a BBC radio series and it has become a classic. You can
find both the radio scripts and the five books of the trilogy (yes, five
books in the trilogy) on most of the search engines above. The
story highlights the trials of Arthur Dent as the earth is destroyed and he
becomes an inter-galactic traveler through a series of bizarre adventures.
Mr. Adams unfortunately passed away several years ago, but left a legacy in
his stories.
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Steve Berry: I
anxiously await each of this author's books featuring Cotton Malone, an
retired member of the Justice Department and yet constantly involved in
intriguing quests.
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Lee Child:
Discovered in 2008, his main character is Jack Reacher, a former Army MP
with a bit of wanderlust, a knack for finding trouble, and a sense of honor.
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Harlan Coben:
Harvard-educated Myron Bolitar, sports agent and investigator. His
buddy Win is a badass that would give Jack Reacher and Repairman Jack a run
for their money!
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Robert Crais:
I've really gotten into his characters Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, partners in
a detective agency and extermely well-constructed characters.
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William Dietrich:
The creator of Ethan Gage, journeyman and soldier-of-fortune in the 18th
century. I love his characters, and his books are exactly what you
need for a leisurely weekend!
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Barry Eisler:
I've just finished Fault Line, and although I haven't yet moved into the
John Rain series, thanks to Amazon they are on the way!
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Joseph Finder:
Paranoia
is an excellent read about corporate espionage with an unexpected
conclusion. High Crimes (also a movie with Morgan Freeman and
Ashley Judd) is a favorite as well.
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John
Grisham: For those that enjoy there legal
fiction with characters and situations outside of the typical
body-trial-conclusion storyline, Mr. Grisham always delivers.
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Harry Harrison:
Start with "The Stainless Steel Rat." Mr. Harrison is a prolific
writer of science fiction reaching back into the 1960s, often wrapping a wry
sense of humor into traditionally sci-fi situations.
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Greg Iles:
I picked up The Quiet Game in an airport bookshop last year, read
most of it on the flight, and ordered the backlist as soon as I got home.
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Dean Koontz: . My favorites, however, remain
Lightning and Shadowfires.
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Bentley Little:
Pick any of his novels for a disturbing read. Mr. Little is able to
take any location or event and make a truly strange story out of it.
Given my personal animosity against a certain large chain of department
store with a reputation for interrupting the commerce of small towns, I
recommend The Store as your first book. Unfortunately, there is
no official website.
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Robert McCammon:
I have always enjoyed this author, who unfortunately stopped writing for
nearly a decade. Speaks the Nightbird was well worth the wait,
however, and is a great novel set during the witch trial era. When
you've finished this book, find a copy of Swan's Song, McCammon's
end-of-the-world epic, and Boy's Life.
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F. Paul Wilson:
The Repairman Jack novels are an interesting mix of quasi-detective and the
supernatural, as Jack is a fix-it man who regularly has run-ins with other
worlds. Mr. Wilson's novels quite often cross over and through each
other, and it is quite interesting to run across characters and events that
you've seen before. Start with The Tomb.
I've collected books
my entire life, and now have a house buckling under their weight. If I
find a new author that I really enjoy (see below), I tend to order that author's
entire backlist. These sites have helped me over the years, and are
supplied here to help you in building your library.
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www.Abebooks.com
My favorite used book site.
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www.Amazon.com If you haven't
heard of Amazon, climb out from under the rock you've been hiding under!
If you can't find it here, try the UK site as well -
www.amazon.uk.com
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www.BarnesAndNoble.com Probably the next
best-known online seller next to Amazon.
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www.Bookfinder.com
This is a great site that aggregates many of the others out there.
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www.Bookshop.Blackwell.co.uk This is a U.K.
site that will help you find those hard-to-get European imprints.
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www.Half.com This site is
brought to you by eBay, and I have found it especially useful in filling out
my paperback libraries.
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www.Overstock.com I haven't
ordered from overstock, but have had it recommended by a faithful reader.
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www.Tomfolio.com
This is a coop site of used book dealers, and I have had success in locating
harder-to-find copies here.
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