RJ - Slayer of Trolls’s
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RJ - Slayer of Trolls’s
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from the 2025 Reading Challenge group.
Note: RJ - Slayer of Trolls is not currently a member of this group.
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I guess I'll be the lone naysayer. I don't count comics, graphic novels, or collected volumes towards my goal (40 books). I also don't count short stories or novelettes. I will count novellas on occasion, depending on the length and how it was published. I've got nothing against comics or graphic novels, and if anyone else wants to count them I've got no objection. I read all the Walking Dead series last year along with some other graphic novels, and I'll read more this year, but I won't count them toward my total.
One down, 39 to go! #1 - Tarzan of the Apes
by Edgar Rice Burroughs. We all know the myth, probably from watching the movie versions, but this was my first experience with the book. I liked it in spite of some notable issues and gave it 3 stars but I won't be continuing on with its 24 sequels. You can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my Currently Reading pile is The Long Home
by William Gay, the first of his three novels published during his lifetime. I also added The Dying Earth
by Jack Vance which is the February discussion book for the Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy book club. It's a brief collection of related stories that starts a four book series. And I'm still working on (in order of projected completion):
- Dark Passage by David Goodis
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- The Circle by Dave Eggers
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
- 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Girls Through Sports by Hannah Storm and Mark Jenkins
For 2017 I am going to try to read 40 books. Last year I read 39 books, so 40 seems like a good round number to shoot for. But I am more concerned with the quality of the books I read than the quantity. In 2016 for example, my reading broke down like this:
- 5 star books (books I loved and will probably keep on my shelf and consider all time-favorites) - 4 books (10.3% of total read in 2016)
- 4 star books (books I liked a lot and would recommend to others) - 11 books (28.2%)
- 3 star books (books I liked but was not enthusiastic about and would probably not recommend to others unless they had a particular interest in the subject or author) - 17 books (43.6%)
- 2 star books (books that were just OK, probably were hard to read because my mind was wandering, big flaws or problems) - 5 books (12.8%)
- 1 star books (hated it or disliked it a lot, might not have finished it) - 2 books (5.1%) (this does not include Papillon which I did not finish and did not count in my 2016 reading total but gave it a one star rating)
So last year 82.1% of the books I read received a "passing grade" (3 stars) or better. I'd like the ratio to remain that high or even get higher. After all, why waste time on books we don't like? Of course, sometimes we read series and some installments are less wonderful than others, but in general I'd like to focus my time where I'm getting the most enjoyment.
Like I mentioned in last year's post, I read several books at a time, usually from various genres (non-fiction, general fiction, classics, science-fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery/thriller, parenting, short story collections/anthologies) in order to keep myself from getting bored and falling into the dreaded "reading slump." I try to throw in monthly reads from my various bookclubs (2017 Reading Challenge, Sci-Fi and Heroic Fantasy, SciFi and Fantasy Bookclub, Pulp Fiction and Read A Song of Ice and Fire) when the selection is interesting and/or on my TBR shelf as long as my schedule allows.
Right now I am currently reading (in order of expected finish):
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- The Circle by Dave Eggers
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
- 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Girls Through Sports by Hannah Storm and Mark Jenkins
And in a couple days (when the public library opens again) I'm going to add Dark Passage by David Goodis to the list - it's the February discussion selection for the Pulp Fiction bookclub.
In general I have a good idea of what books are upcoming in my reading schedule, although I sometimes make adjustments. In the various genres, I'm hoping to get to some of these books in 2017:
General Fiction/Classics:
- American Pastoral by Philip Roth
- Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Non-Fiction:
- The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael Tougias
- On The Wealth of Nations by P.J. O'Rourke
- Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden
- The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Preston
Science-Fiction:
- Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke
- High-Rise by J.G. Ballard
- Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card
- Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Fantasy/Horror:
- A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
- Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
- It by Stephen King
- The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin (if he can ever get his act together and get it published, that is)
Mystery/Thriller:
- Killing Floor by Lee Child
- The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth (re-read)
- Personal Injuries by Scott Turow
- Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
Short Story Collections/Anthologies:
- The Best American Mystery Stories 2015 ed. by James Patterson
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2016 ed. by Rich Horton
Anyway, I'm looking forward to making 2017 a great year in reading and in everything else too! Good luck on your reading!
Recently I completed:#38 - The Light Fantastic
by Terry Pratchett - This is the 2nd book in the Discworld series - I liked it and gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...And just tonight,in the waning moments of 2016 (a year I, like many of you, will be happy to see the end of), I completed #39 - Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel
by James Luceno - This book serves as the prologue to the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - I liked it in spite of its many issues and gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I added these books to my Curently Reading pile:
- A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness- The Dying Earth
by Jack Vance- The Circle
by Dave EggersAnd of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
- 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Girls Through Sports by Hannah Storm and Mark Jenkins
Tomorrow I'll get to work on my 2017 reading goals.
Have a Happy and Safe New Year!
Recently I completed:#36 - Staying Connected to Your Teenager: How to Keep Them Talking to You and How to Hear What They're Really Saying
by Michael Riera. I liked it and gave it 4 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...And I completed #37 - A War of Gifts
by Orson Scott Card - I liked it and gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I added two books to my Curently Reading pile:
- Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Girls Through Sports
by Hannah Storm and Mark Jenkins which is about the importance of sports for adolescent girls (my 8th grade daughter loves basketball and soccer) - The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno
- The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
- 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
I'm heading out to my parents' house for Christmas so it's possible I might be able to finish another book or two while I'm there. I'll post something additional if I finish any more books, otherwise I'll transition over to my 2017 goals on January 1.
Happy holidays!
Recently I completed:#34 - Farewell to Manzanar
by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. It was the author's memoirs, centered around her time spent in a WWII Internment Camp. I gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#35 - The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester. It's about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary centered around the stories of two men who were prominently involved. I gave it 4 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I added to my Curently Reading pile 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi
by Mitchell Zuckoff about the 2012 attack on the American Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Staying Connected to Your Teenager: How to Keep Them Talking to You and How to Hear What They're Really Saying by Michael Riera
- A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
- The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
Hi everyone, I'm Randy from southern California. I won't bother you with tales of how cold it is here but it's expected to dip all the way down to 76 F today so I might have to put on socks!
This is my 2nd year in the group - last year I set a reasonable, conservative goal of 20 books but I'm at 35 now and should finish 2-3 more by the end of the year. I expect to have less time to read next year so I'll probably keep my goal at 30.
A few years ago as I struggled to stay interested in books I learned that I'm better off by reading several at a time. It seems to keep me focused and less likely to get bored or get into a reading slump. So I read 6-8 books at a time, usually 1-2 each from the following genres:
- Non-Fiction
- General Fiction and/or Classics
- Mystery/Thriller
- Science-Fiction
- Fantasy
- Short Story collection/anthology
I don't worry too much about the number of books I read and I try to go for quality, although I got some stinkers in last year as always. I'm not a speed reader either, and some books I enjoy so much (Cloud Atlas, Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West, etc) I read very slowly so I can savor every word.
Anyway, I look forward to meeting all of you and I wish you Happy Holidays! Hopefully you enjoy a great reading start to your 2017.
I finished #33 for the year - Conviction
by Richard North Patterson. Although it was a well-researched story about the late-stage death penalty legal process I thought it was boring at times and depressing overall. I gave it 2 stars. You can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my reading pile is A War of Gifts
by Orson Scott Card which is part of my effort to read the entire Ender's Game series of books. This novella takes place during the events of the original Ender's Game book (which is also the time period of the Ender's Shadow book). I also started reading Farewell to Manzanar
by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. My daughter's 8th grade English class is reading this book and I thought I would read along. They are reading it at a very accelerated pace (I am already lagging behind) so I should finish this one in a few days - it's not a very long book anyway. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
- Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #32 for the year - First Meetings in Ender's Universe
by Orson Scott Card. It's a collection of four short stories set in Card's "Enderverse" that is supplemental material to the main storyline(s) of the series. I thought it was good and gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my Currently Reading pile is Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel
by James Luceno which should be arriving today in the mail from Barnes & Noble. I doubt I will finish it before seeing the movie Rogue One but at least I can get started. It's been a long time since I read any Star Wars books - I think the last one was Han Solo and the Lost Legacy which came out in 1980! Hopefully this one was worth the wait....And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
The first two should be finished in December and I might sneak a couple more in there too if I'm lucky which would give me 36 for the year.
#31 for the year - A Feast for Crows
by George R.R. Martin. I thought this was the weakest volume of the A Song of Ice and Fire series but I still enjoyed it overall and gave it 3 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my Currently Reading pile is The Light Fantastic
by Terry Pratchett. This is the 2nd book in the Discworld series - I read it a long time ago so this is a re-read for me. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- First Meetings in Ender's Universe by Orson Scott Card
- The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #30 - Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
by Ben Fountain. I didn't like it that much and gave it 2 stars - you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Moving on! I replaced BLLHW in my Currently Reading Pile with Tarzan
by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I understand there are something like 25 books in this series and I might read some of those depending on how much I like this one. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- First Meetings in Ender's Universe by Orson Scott Card
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #29 for the year: I'll Mature When I'm Dead
by Dave Barry. It was a good laugh, like his books usually are. I gave it four stars and you can read the full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my Currently Reading Pile is The Professor and the Madman
by Simon Winchester. This one was loaned to me by a friend (a junior high history teacher whose daughter plays basketball with my daughter) who happened to be reading In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex at the same time I was. He thought I would like this book and loaned me his copy. I'm enjoying it so far but I'm only 15 pages in. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Deluxe Edition by Ben Fountain
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- First Meetings in Ender's Universe by Orson Scott Card
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I'll probably finish the first two books on the list above within the next week or so.
Although I'm not going to officially revise my goal, I'm now thinking I will end up with 36 books finished by the end of the year.
In the last couple days I finished two more books, giving me 28 for the year! #27 - The Haunting of Hill House
by Shirley Jackson. I gave it 4 stars - here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#28 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
by Robert A. Heinlein, the Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel of revolution on the moon which turns 50 this year. I gave it 3 stars - I admired the book more than I actually liked it. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I added to my Currently Reading pile First Meetings in Ender's Universe
by Orson Scott Card. This is a collection of four novellas set in the Ender's Game universe, including the original 1977 novella Ender's Game which was the basis for the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel of the same name. And of course I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- I'll Mature When I'm Dead: Dave Barry's Amazing Tales of Adulthood by Dave Barry
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Deluxe Edition by Ben Fountain
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #26 for the year, In the Heart of the Sea
by Nathaniel Philbrick. I loved it! I'm not a big fan of history books because they're usually so boring but this one is fascinating. It is the true story of a 19th century whaleship that was sunk by a whale, and the inspiration for Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick. You can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing that book in my reading pile is I'll Mature When I'm Dead
by Pulitzer Prize-Winning humorist Dave Barry. Barry has been a favorite of mine ever since I used to read his year-end columns while I was in college. And I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Deluxe Edition by Ben Fountain
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #25 for the year, The Color of Magic
by Terry Pratchett. I decided to read it for a group discussion in my Sci-Fi and Heroic Fantasy GR book club. I'd read it before and thought it was just OK but I enjoyed it more during this re-read. It's a funny send-up of the Sword and Sorcery genre, and recently deceased author Pratchett has a funny way with words. The series is quite lengthy so I will work on it slowly over the next several years as long as it continues to amuse. You can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Replacing that book in my reading pile is one I selected with Halloween approaching: The Haunting of Hill House
by Shirley Jackson, which I understand is a favorite of Stephen King's. And I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Deluxe Edition by Ben Fountain
- Conviction by Richard North Patterson
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
I finished #23 - Inferno
by Dan Brown - I gave it 2 stars. See review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...And I finished #24 - The Light Between Oceans
by M.L. Stedman - I gave it 4 stars. See review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Added to my Currently Reading pile will be Conviction
by Richard North Patterson, the fourth and final book featuring lawyer Christopher Paget - I read the first three several years ago but this one has just been marinating on my shelf for a long time. Also I added Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
by Ben Fountain. And I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
Thank you Mary Pat! It was a great episode wasn't it? And of course it feels so close to home for those of us who love to read.
I finished #22 - The Accidental Billionaires
by Ben Mezrich. I gave it 3 stars. You can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Replacing it in my Currently Reading pile will be In the Heart of the Sea
by Nathaniel Philbrick, which should arrive today from bn.com. And I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- Inferno by Dan Brown which I will probably finish in September
- The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
- A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
Finished my 21st book of 2016: Shadow of the Giant
by Orson Scott Card. I gave it 3 stars - you can read the review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... It was kind of dull - fortunately it brings to a close the "Shadow Series," although there is another side story ("Shadows in Flight") and a planned book that will tie in with the conclusion of the main "Ender" series. I think those will wait for another day.To replace it in my Currently Reading pile, I'm starting The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
by Robert A. Heinlein. Since the only other Heinlein books I've read were Job and The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, both reviled by many Heinlein fans, I'm looking forward to reading what is widely considered to be one of Heinlein's best books. I'm still working on (in order of expected finish):
- The Accidental Billionaires
by Ben Mezrich which I should finish in the next few days- Inferno
by Dan Brown which I will probably finish in September - The Light Between Oceans
by M.L. Stedman- A Feast for Crows
by George R.R. Martin- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015
edited by Rich Horton
