Jillbone's Attempt in 2013

I'm pretty sure I won't be able to finish 13 books in 13 categories in the coming year, but I'll consider myself a success if I can read 75 books in 13 categories. Since all of my books will be falling under either Horror, Science Fiction or Fantasy, I decided to name my categories after episodes of a show that embodies all three....Buffy the Vampire Slayer.







1. "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (Horror)
2. "Dopplegangland" (Alternate Histories)
3. "Storyteller" (Science Fiction/Fantasy Short Story Collections)
4. "I, Robot...You, Jane" (Steampunk)
5. "Doomed" (Dystopias)
6. "Showtime" (Science Fiction Books Made Into Movies)
7. "Forever" (Time Travel)
8. "No Place Like Home" (Classic Science Fiction)
9. "School Hard" (Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy)
10. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (Fantasy)
11. "End of Days" (Post-Apocalyptic)
12. "Prophecy Girl" (New Science Fiction)
13. "The Freshman" (Beginning Novels of Science Fiction/Fantasy Series)
14. Couldn't Help But Read

Average Book Size: 330 pages

Male Authors: 25
Female Authors: 7
Mixed:
More Than 1 Work: Mark Hodder (5), John Scalzi (2), Suzanne Collins (3)

Country of Origin:

United States -- 20
United Kingdom -- 10
Canada -- 2
Japan --
Poland -- 1

Original Publication Year:

2010 - Present -- 12
2000 - 2009 -- 13
1990 - 1999 -- 2
1980 - 1989 -- 1
1970 - 1979 -- 2
1960 - 1969 -- 5
1950 - 1959 -- 1
1940 - 1949 -- 1
1930 - 1939 -- 1
1880 - 1889 -- 1

Category #1: "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (Horror)

1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2. Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Bag of Bones by Stephen King
The Monk by M. G. Lewis
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub
Audrey's Door by Sarah Langan
Damnable by Hank Schwaeble

Category #2: "Dopplegangland" (Alternate Histories)

1. In High Places by Harry Turtledove
2. 1632 by Eric Flint
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
The Dragon's Nine Sons by Chris Roberson
The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
The Family Trade by Charles Stross
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Ruled Britannia by Harry Turtledove
Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle
Resurrection Day by Brendan DuBois
How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove
Pasquale's Angel by Paul J. McAuley
Fatherland by Robert Harris
1633 by Eric Flint

Category #3: "Storyteller" (Science Fiction/Fantasy Short Story Collections)

1. Imaginarium 2012 by Sandra Kasturi
2. We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet by Richard Matheson
Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century by Orson Scott Card

Category #4: "I, Robot...You, Jane" (Steampunk)

1. Soulless by Gail Carriger
2. The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder
3. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder
4. Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder
5. The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi by Mark Hodder

Possibilities:
The Prophecy Machine by Neal Barrett Jr.
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist

Category #5: "Doomed" (Dystopias)

1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. Animal Farm by George Orwell
3. The Giver by Lois Lowry
4. Wool by Hugh Howey
5. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Possibilities:
1984 by George Orwell
Blindness by Jose Saramago
Anthem by Ayn Rand

Category #6: "Showtime" (Science Fiction Books Made Into Movies)

1. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
2. Dune by Frank Herbert
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Millennium by John Varley
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
The Children of Men by P.D. James
Jumper by Steven Gould

Category #7: "Forever" (Time Travel)

1. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
2. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy
An Alien Heat by Michael Moorcock
Pastwatch by Orson Scott Card
The Light of Other Days by Arthur C. Clarke
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Category #8: "No Place Like Home" (Classic Science Fiction)

1. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
2. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
She by H. Rider Haggard
Erewhon by Samuel Butler
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

Category #9: "School Hard" (Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy)

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Possibilities:
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
For the Win by Cory Doctorow
Feed by M.T. Anderson

Category #10: "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (Fantasy)

1. The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Embassytown by China Mieville
4. A Red Sun Also Rises by Mark Hodder
5.

Possibilities:
Little, Big by John Crowley
Ink: The Book of All Hours by Hal Duncan
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Category #11: "End of Days" (Post-Apocalyptic)

1. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
2. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
On the Beach by Nevil Shute
The Postman by David Brin
Eternity Road by Jack McDevitt
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Twelve by Justin Cronin
The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Category #12: "Prophecy Girl" (New Science Ficiton)

1. Wool by Hugh Howey
2. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
3.
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Halting State by Charles Stross
Feed by Mira Grant
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson

Category #13: "The Freshman" (Beginning Novels of Science Fiction/Fantasy Series)

1. 2001 by Arthur C. Clarke
2. Ringworld by Larry Niven
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
4.
5.

Possibilities:
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Man Who Sold the Moon by Robert A. Heinlein
Triplanetary by E. E. "Doc" Smith

Welcome! This looks very interesting. I read a lot of YA horror as a teen but haven't been to that neighbourhood of Literature City for ages. Sci-fi and fantasy are more familiar to me but I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for ALL your categories. I'm especially interested in the dystopies (I read most of the classics a couple of years ago) and steampunk since I've only recently been introduced to that genre.

And now I've go the History Boys version of "Bewitched" stuck in my head. Not that I mind much, but it's going to take a while to get it out.

Love the theme!

Oh, Buffy seems to be coming at me from every direction. :) I've yet to make it through the first series, but there are so many people who love it that I have promised to give it another go at some point. Great categories - I'm expecting book bullets!

Good to see you here; I'll be following your thread!

Hello and welcome! Buffy always makes me think of my cousin, who was really into the series :)

Noticed you have A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court in your time travel category. There's a group read of it in March if you're interested!

Ooh, read The Graveyard Book- it's on my list for 2013 too!

fun categories!

I didn't watch Buffy until recently when I've enjoyed the reruns on the Chiller channel. The episode when they were all singing was hysterical!

Welcome, your list of possibillities looks fab. I love Orwell and Gaiman. However, quite a few of them looks very interesting. Have fun!

Finished book 1 -- Imaginarium 2012 by Sandra Kasturi (Category 3: Science Fiction/Fantasy Short Stories). Of the 37 short stories and poems in this collection, I only liked 9 (so 25%). Here are a few of the stand outs:

"Clockwork Fagin" by Cory Doctorow -- an interesting story of crippled orphans who kill their keeper and construct a clockwork replacement.

"The Kiss of the Blood-Red Pomegranate" by Kristin Janz -- a pseudo-retelling of the classic Persephone myth.

"To Live and Die in Gibbontown" by Derek Kunsken -- a tale of assassinations and euthanasia...and monkeys.

Even though I only liked a quarter of the stories in the collection, I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for science fiction/fantasy short stories. The stories I did like were excellent and I'll keep the book to give them a re-read in the future.

I'm on a roll. Finished my second book this morning -- 2. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank (Category 11: Post-Apocalyptic). I can see why this book qualifies as a classic post-apocalyptic tale. Except for the excessive use of the word "negro" and some outdated views on Russia, this book could have been set in any small town today. While I am no "doomsday prepper" myself, it certainly did give me some good ideas for natural disaster prepping in my area.

Good theme and a good start.

Finished 3. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Category 1: Horror). Geared towards older kids (around 11- or 12-years-old), it was a quick but thoroughly enjoyable read. As per usual, Gaiman's characters are full and rich and seem almost like old friends. The story tells of the misadventures of young Nobody Owens and the life he lives in the local graveyard. Wonderful, just wonderful.

The Graveyard Book is on my Mt. TBR - always good to hear endorsements of books you have yet to read! :)

I admit that I was never a big "Buffy" fan, but I am a big fan of all your categories and I will be following closely. :)

4. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Category 6: Books Made Into Movies) -- I'll be honest...I started off hating this book. Trying to read the first chapter made me want to rip off my own skin inch by inch. Without a corresponding dictionary, the slang Burgess uses is jarring and hard to understand. After a chapter or two, it got better. What ultimately redeemed the book for me, however, was the underlying theme of personal choice. Can we truly be good human beings if we aren't the ones choosing to do these good acts? It's a question everyone should think about.

Jill, that is a pretty spot on description of how I felt watch the movie version. I don't think I've ever felt as physically sick while watching a movie as I did watching that. I get shivers just thinking about it - and it was 15 years ago.

5. In High Places by Harry Turtledove (Catgeory 2: Alternate Histories) -- This was my first introduction to Harry Turtledove. Coming in on the middle of the Crosstime Traffic series (this was book 3) didn't seem to hurt me much at all. The writing itself was nothing spectacular (it was so easy I finished it in one day), but the research and thought put into his alternate world (the deviation point was a more deadly European Black Plague that Islam as the major religion) was thought-provoking. I would gladly read another of Turtledove's books any day.

6. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (Category 7: Time Travel) -- Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm jaded. But I don't get what all the fuss is about this book. It was an interesting topic (a man becoming "unstuck" in time), but the book never really grabbed me. I only felt compelled to finish it because I hate leaving books unfinished. That's not high praise for a book.

Oh, that's not good at all. I have Slaughterhouse-Five on Mt. TBR, so I'm hoping I like it a lot more than that!

Jill, it didn't resonate well with me either, so you're not the only one.

I really wanted to like Slaughterhouse-Five but never really got it. It could be partly how I was feeling generally at the time and a part of my brain is telling me to give it another go but I'm hesitant.

7. 2001 by Arthur C. Clarke (Category 13: Beginning Novels of Science Fiction/Fantasy Series) -- This is a book I've been putting off reading. I'm not usually a fan of "hard" science fiction and I remember the movie left me more than a little confused (and subsequently a little afraid of computers). But I was pleasantly suprised by this book. I found the hard science easy to understand because of Clarke's fluid writing. The ending was still a little confusing to me, but it was an enjoyable read and might make me read more of Clarke's works.

8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (Category 5: Dystopias) -- I have to admit ...it's only science fiction in the vaguest sense of the words. Ishiguro did a good job fleshing out his characters, yet to me, they still weren't "likeable" characters. Tommy was too childlike and simple, Kathy was too passive and Ruth was just a bitch. But the interactions between them seemed genuine and made the novel an overall "meh." Nothing to write home about but not bad enough to stop reading.

I never finished slaughterhouse 5 although I did enjoy, but was a little mystified by 2001

9. Soulless by Gail Carriger (Category 4: Steampunk) -- I'm a firm believer that any book that uses the phrase "nether regions" is a romance novel. This book, ladies and gentlemen, is a paranormal romance novel disguised to look like a steampunk novel. As a former avid reader of romances, I enjoyed the book although there was an excess of what another reviewer called "instalove" (a danger in all romances). With a plot full of vampires, werewolves and clockwork men, Soulless was fun to read and a good break from novels that tend to overthink themselves.

10. Wool by Hugh Howey (Category 12: New Science Fiction) -- While it's really more of a short story than a novel, Wool is intriguing enough to make you want to read further. It looks like I'll definitely be buying some of the others in this series. I thought Howey's style of writing reminded me of Philip K. Dick's short stories (which I absolutely adore). And while I can't go into much plot detail without giving spoilers, I can say that if you go in expecting the usual science fiction plot twist you'll be pleasantly surprised by twists that keep you guessing until the very last sentence.

11. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Category 9: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy) -- I really like this book...which doesn't surprise me because I also really liked the movie. I loved that it had such a strong female protagonist that didn't rely on the men around her to save her from the world. I had a slight problem with the main male character though (Peeta). I realize he was supposed to be a foil for Katniss, but did Collins really have to make him such an almost unbearably useless character? Or maybe that was just me....

any book that uses the phrase "nether regions" is a romance novel -- Sounds like a good rule of thumb to me! :)

BTW....is anybody else having trouble editing their ticker from tickerfactory.com? I can't edit mine or make a new one.

Everyone is having trouble with TickerFactory. There's something wrong on their end, not yours.

Good to know

Yeah, I had trouble too, mostly with the picture not being visible even though the code was inserted correctly.

Still having trouble updating my ticker, but muddling through....12. The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde (Catgeory 10: Fantasy) -- This is the 7th of 8 planned books in Fforde's Thursday Next series. If you're a fan of literary "in jokes" and tounge-in-cheek humor, then these books are for you (start with The Eyre Affair or you'll be totally lost). I love this series, but my enthusiasm had been waning with the last two published as the plots seemed overly convoluated to me. However, The Woman Who Died A Lot harkens back to the first couple of books in the series with Fforde's signature quirky style and straightforward (for him) plot. To put it simply, I stayed up til 3 am last night because I got so into it. High praise.

I paused half-way through the Thursday Next series and I think I'll have to start over to get back in the groove again. That's hardly a problem, though... :)

I really want to read the Thursday Next series - they seem like just my cup of tea. Shame I don't have any time next year.

Ooh, glad to see your thoughts on The Woman Who Died a Lot. I bought this one when it came out but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm glad it hearkens back to the glory days of Thursday Next!

13. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (Category 8: Classic Science Fiction) -- I just finished this book and I have the feeling that I didn't really understand it at all. The science (I still don't know if it was real science or not) went right over my head. The one thing I did learn was that there is no such thing as "utopia." No matter how perfect a society may seem, they all have problems. The secret may be in knowing this fact and not searching for perfection at all.

Glad to see you persevered with this one. I gave up on it. Found it rather boring and the politics a bit heavy handed.

14. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain (Category 7: Time Travel) -- I can't help but wonder if Monty Python read this book before making Holy Grail. It's an awesome social satire and wickedly funny at the same time. Will probably take the place as my favorite Twain book.

That's my favorite Twain as well. And I too thought of Monty Python while I read it - it probably even added to my enjoyment! :)

15. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem (Category 8: Classic Science Fiction) -- I confess. I hated this book. There was just way too much science for me. That's really all I can say...except this book gave me a headache.

56, don't worry, you're not alone in that one. Didn't like it much either.

I'll be happy to give it a miss. Hope your head feels better.

16. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Category 11: Post-Apocalytpic) -- I watched the movie years ago when it first came out. It follows the book pretty closely. It's a dark desolate tale of a man and a boy (no names needed) and their journey to survive in a land which seems against them at every turn. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are already feeling depressed, but it is a good look at the strength it takes to survive.

17. Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green (Category 1: Horror) -- I read this because someone told me it was a horror novel. I would classify it more as a supernatural/detective story. I enjoyed it though. The protagonist is likable and the plot is interesting. Green's writing style reminds me of Douglas Adams and his Hitchiker series.

I read the first two books of the Nightside series, via an omnibus edition, for my challenge last year. I'd agree that it is much more comparable to the Dresden Files or Felix Castor books than being an outright horror story though. I'm looking at continuing all three of these series this year.

18. Animal Farm by George Orwell (Category 5: Dystopias) -- For some reason, this book was never on any required reading lists at either my high school or college. It really should have been. Not that it's not a good book for an adult to read, but I think reading it at a younger age could have explained concepts like communism better than any teacher could have. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

19. We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick (Category 3: Science Fiction/Fantasy Short Story Collections) -- If you've never read a short story by Philip K. Dick, stop reading this and go find one. I own all 5 books in this short story collection and have read every single one. I've never been disappointed.

P.S. This is the man who brought us the short stories and novels behind the following movies: Blade Runner, Total Recall, Screamers, Imposter, Minority Report, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Next, Radio Free Albemuth, and The Adjustment Bureau...so far.

63. I'm so glad to hear (well, read) what you like Philip K. Dick so much. I'm yet to make myself personally acquainted with his work but I love him sort of by osmosis as he's a favourite of my brother's.
Also, anyone who can come up with a title like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a genius and therefore deserving of my undying love and admiration.

20. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Category 9: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy) -- A completely awesome book on what it's like to live in a post 9/11 world with the Patriot Act. Although I'm not computer savvy enough to totally understand all of the technobabble, Doctorow explained enough of it to make it easy to follow. It was easy to identify with the main character Marcus and the police state his world became. This novel does (and should) make you angry and question whether you should have to give up personal privacy for the illusion of safety.

I really enjoyed Little Brother when I read it just over a couple of years ago. I really should get around to reading more of his work. Same with PKD as I've liked what I've read of his also.

I also enjoyed Little Brother -- it had a lot of good themes, and I thought Doctorow did a great job of giving a visceral explanation for what the privacy coalition is always nattering on about (and educating people on what they could do to protect themselves). He verged a bit on didactic, but the story was really well done and layered on, too. Glad you enjoyed it too.

some great reading here, on a bit of a dystopia binge which is brave!

I read Little Brother q while after taking a network security course and found that it was quite factual. If you can, you should read his latest book, Pirate Cinema which deals with using videos from the Internet.

21. The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder (Category 4: Steampunk) -- A wonderfully awesome book. It's a mix of steampunk, alternate history and time travel. Complete with crazy steam powered machines, werewolves, well-read chimney sweeps and (my personal favorite) swearing parakeets.

luckily that one's already on my WL, however it is now being bumped up it!

It's on mine too.

in my TBR. perhaps I'll move it up...

I'd never heard of The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack but it's on my TBR list now!

Luckily I had read Little Brother but making a note of spring heeled jack. Have you read any other Doctorow books? I am looking for recommendations..

I read a short story in a book of short stories Imaginarium and that got me interested in him. I'll be checking out the sequel to Little Brother (Homeland) and you can find his book For the Win for free online through the Creative Commons licensing.

22. 1632 by Eric Flint (Category 2: Alternate Histories) -- All in all, a well researched alternate history novel spurred by the improbable time traveling of an entire town of modern West Virginians to medieval Germany. I liked the way the book did not just become a story about how modern weapons change history but also tracked the changes an "American" way of thinking changed the average citizen. I did feel, however, that this book suffers from too many coincidences -- a female protagonist who is way too smart for the time period, rural West Virginians with knowledge of how to build things they probably shouldn't know...

Joining in with the others looking forward to reading The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack!

Started but have to give up on Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson. Couldn't make it past the first 100 pages.

23. Ringworld by Larry Niven (Category 13: Beginning Novels of Science Fiction/Fantasy Series) -- I felt this book got too bogged down in the details. It seemed like one big set up novel...the plot didn't really move. Instead it just seemed to set up any future books in the series. I won't be reading any others.

24. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Category 12: New Science Fiction) -- After finishing an Atwood novel, I often get the feeling that I only understood half of what she was saying, but enjoying it nonetheless. Oryx and Crake is no different. Although I did have some initial trouble connecting with the first couple of chapters, once the backstory picked up, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the next in the series...The Year of the Flood (although I've heard some pretty mixed reviews of it).

25. Dune by Frank Herbert (Category 6: Science Fiction Books Made Into Movies) -- Several years ago my partner had to almost force me to sit down and watch the two Syfy channel Dune miniseries. They quickly became one of my favorite things to watch on a rainy day (I have them on dvd). But I had never had the initiative to sit down and read the original book until now. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed it as I normally do not enjoy fantasy novels. Herbert's writing however quickly drew me in and I recommend that anyone who has not read this book now do so...and then watch the awesome miniseries.

It's a great book, Dune. It shouldn't work for me it's so huge and detailed but the writing just draws you in.

I love Dune but really disliked the sequels (I only read two of them but think there's lots)

26. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (Category 10: Fantasy) -- I won't be popular for this, but I didn't really enjoy The Hobbit. While the plot was interesting, it seemed every 5 pages there was a song. Meet the dwarves...oh they're singing. Here are some goblins...let them sing about how they want to eat you. Elves...oh they sing a lot too. I feel like the Hobbit movie should just be one long musical number. And I have no idea how they will make 3 movies out of this 1 book. There's really only enough plot for 1.

85. They're using material from Tolkien's other books to pad out the story. I didn't think they'd be able to do it but the first movie was really good (if a little TOO padded and long) so I'm looking forward to the rest.

Have you read any of Tolkien's other books before? And LOTR stuff? He likes his songs and poems, so if you don't like those parts you might want to skip him altogether. I'm not fond of those parts myself but love the rest so much I just skim over the songs and carry on.

27. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (Category 13: Beginning Novels of Science Fiction/Fantasy Series) -- I think I've mentioned before that I don't like space operas. I may have to change my tune about them after finishing this book. From the intriguing premise of joining the space military at age 75 to the, well, to the ending that I'll let be a surprise for you, I was hooked. I'll also be eagerly awaiting my copy of the second book in this series, The Ghost Brigades.

85 oh those songs, they were bad. So very bad. They cut most of them from the movie thank goodness.

Re Tolkien's songs: I've been rereading The Two Towers and actually exclaimed aloud when I came across a song in the very first chapter. I think what threw me was the plausibility factor: "Dammit Aragorn, how are you making up this random song with perfect rhyme so easily?" They're easily skipped though.

I'm reading and enjoying Old Man's Was now. I'm not all that far away from 75 to appreciate how one might consider signing up with the perks offered. Very interesting premise. Thanks for not spoiling the ending. I'll be interested to see how you like the sequel.

I remember thinking the same thing about the songs in The Hobbit! I skipped them too -- the same way I skipped the songs in Little House on the Prairie. ;)

Great to hear that you enjoyed Old Man's War! I think this might be the year for me to try some Scalzi, and that one on my list.

91. There were songs in Little House on the Prairie? I have no memory of that. Admittedly, I haven't read them in about 20 years or so but I did think I remembered them fairly well. Apparently not.

Yep, on at least one occasion, Pa sang 5-6 lines something around a fire. No idea what it was, though.... I recall this because it broke up the "zone" I was in while reading -- just like it did with the Hobbit.

Between yours and Mamzel's reviews of Old Man's War, I am now anxiously awaiting my copy from the library. Can't wait!

Also, I don't remember the songs in Little House - must have skipped over them too.

28. Embassytown byChina Mieville (Category 10: Fantasy) -- This is my first Mieville book. It was like a dip into a warm vocabulary bath. While some chapters could be frustrating, if one is patient, the points are quickly and effortlessly explained in subsequent chapters. This is one book where I felt like I was truly "living it" as I read. I can't wait for my next Mieville.

95. I love Mieville! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed your first reading of one of his books. He really is something else, isn't he? "A wawrm vocabulary bath"? Such a great description.

95. I love Mieville! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed your first reading of one of his books. He really is something else, isn't he? "A wawrm vocabulary bath"? Such a great description.

This was my first Mieville and won't be my last! He is so unique he has a special genre - new weird. I also read his Un Lun Dun and will get back for more soon.

Enjoying the Miéville love - glad to see you liked it, there are many more good ones in your future! :)

There are a few other New Weird authors, I'd highly recommend Jeff Vandermeer and Michael Cisco as well

I want to give Mieville a try, but for some reason he intimidates me. Embassytown is a good one to start with then?

101. I would recommend The City & The City for a Mieville beginner. It's not as "out there" as some other works so works as a softer introduction. It was the first of his books that I read.

I'd recommend going in blind to the city & the city too - don't read reviews (it is great btw so don't worry about that) as many have HUGE spoilers

102, 103 - Thanks for the recommendation. It's nice to have a place to start. And thanks for the warning abut the spoilers, psutto. I've heard the book mentioned before, so I have an idea what it's about, but I'll make sure not to look at the reviews like I tend to do before starting a book.

29. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder (Category 4: Steampunk) -- Although this was not slated to be my next book, I couldn't wait any longer with this book staring at me from my shelf. I started this book on my plane ride from Portland to Atlanta yesterday afternoon and just finished it this evening. I could not put it down. It is just as interesting and innovative as the first book (but does have some parts near the end not for those with sqeamish stomachs). I would recommend this book to all steampunk and clockpunk fans. Can't wait to pick the next in the series (Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon) from the shelf at home.

When the 2nd book in a series comes knocking on the wishlist door then I guess it's time I should get around to picking up the first.

FYI Mark Hodder has a new book coming out in July available for pre-order on Amazon. The fourth book in the Burton and Swinburne series...The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi.

30. Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder (Category 4: Steampunk) -- I did not like this book as much as the rest in the Burton and Swinburne serie. I don't like war novels (which seemed to be about half the book) and every time Burton said "Bismillah" I started singing Bohemian Rhapsody in my head...which can be distracting. However, despite all this, I am still looking forward to the next book in the series coming out this summer.

Now I've started singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" in my head! Hope the next book in the series is less distracting/more interesting for you.

31. A Red Sun Also Rises by Mark Hodder (Category 10: Fantasy) -- Damn you, Mark Hodder, for writing such interesting books! It's 3:30 am in a Sunday night/Monday morning and I've just stayed up finishing this book...a wonderfully engaging and extremely hard to put down book. While the descriptions of the different types of aliens could get confusing, I found myself effortlessly slipping in this world and completely captivated. I was sad to put it down as this means I'll have to wait for summer for Hodder's next book to come out. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he keeps up his prolific pace (if only to feed my addiction).

Damn you, Mark Hodder, for writing such interesting books!

Happily, I have already been hit by the Hodder book bullets but now you have me concerned that I need to make sure to start on at the end of the workweek... especially if I am going to be staying up all night reading it!

32. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Category 14: Couldn't Help But Read) -- I decided to add a new category for this book because it didn't really fit in any of my existing ones. I'm calling this the Couldn't Help But Read Category. The second book in Scalzi's Old Man's War series was okay but not great. I liked the first book so much I had high hopes for this one and parts of it were well worth the read. I loved the background information on the Special Forces units and how they function. And the ending kinda makes me want to read the next book in te series The Last Colony. We'll see...

112 That's a shame, I keep meaning to check out the series. Still I guess it all rests on the next one :)

33. The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi by Mark Hodder (Category 4: Steampunk) -- My weakness for Mark Hodder's awesomeness strikes again! After a slightly (and I stress slightly) disappointing 3rd book, Hodder comes back with a vengeance with this continuance of the tale of explorer Richard Francis Burton and poet Algernon Swinburne. I could not put this book down...literally. I walked around my house reading it and nearly fell down my stairs. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!

I really, really need to get started on Hodder's Burton and Swinburne series..... I mean , I even own the first book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, so I don't have much of a excuse except a stack of library books that were just too shiny to pass up. ;-) Glad to see book 4 in the series is a resounding success, even if book 3 was a bit of a disappointment.

34. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Category 9: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy) -- While not a hard read, this was definitely an intense read. I feel like in this sequel to The Hunger Games we really get a better read on Katniss's (or however you turn that into a possessive) state of mind...and it's not always pretty. Often when reading books like this, you can forget that these characters are just teenagers, but not in Catching Fire. You get all of Katniss -- not only the bravery and brains, but also the fear, reluctance and selfishness. And all together that makes this book worth reading because deep down Katniss reacts as we all would -- like a flawed human being.

I saw the trailer for the movie coming out. It looks pretty good!

35. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Category 9: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy) -- This book should be required reading for all kids in gifted programs. As a former "gifted" child, I can tell you that Ender's Game definitely speaks to the isolation and loneliness you feel when the gifted label is slapped on. It's a powerful book, but it does have its flaws at the same time: some blatant racism, occasional horrible pidgin English, and some storylines that could have been fleshed out more.

I saw the movie this past weekend. It stays pretty true to the book. I had a hard time dealing with a snarling, mean Harrison Ford, however. Ben Kingsley was magnificent with the Maori tattoos on his face.

36. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Category 9: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy) -- OMG I loved this book. As I mentioned previously, I have a thing for flawed heroes (and redeemable villains) and this book delivers with the character of Beatrice/Tris. Like Katniss in The Hunger Games trilogy, you get a complex ball of emotions (good and bad) wrapped up in a tiny teenaged heroine. While the dystopia in this book does seem a little farfetched (I don't see how the factions could have worked at all really), the plot is wonderfully character driven but also wrapped up in fast paced action.

37. The Giver by Lois Lowry (Category 5: Dystopias) -- I guess I've been spoiled by recent YA science fiction lately because I did not like this "classic." The one thing I did like, however, was the dystopian world Lowry built. It was fully developed and didn't even need a backstory to support it. The thing I liked the least: I hate ambiguous endings. Enough said.

38. Wool by Hugh Howey (Category 5: Dystopias) -- I read the first novella in this 5 novella series last year and it hooked me right away. If you love characters you can seek your teeth into, a good mystery and a wicked twist, this series is for you. At over 500 pages, however, I would suggest starting this book in the morning as you will get hooked and stay up all night otherwise. Trust me.

39. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Category 5: Dystopias) -- I started this book before bed last night and it kept me up til 3 am. While I really enjoyed the description of the Quarter Quell games in Catching Fire, the characters really progressed in this novel: Katniss finally steps into her role as a "leader" and Peeta becomes someone I no longer hate as a wuss. I'm sorry to see this series go. I enjoyed every minute of it.