My reading list has migrated to Goodreads.com!

Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer ( read August 08 )

  • It’s one thing to find a great new series during the summer (see below), it’s a whole other thing to be sucked into two.  And I choose my words precisely here.  The first book in a series of four, Meyer tells an amazing story of romance and anguish through her narrator Bella and the vampire Edward.  The narrative is absolutely engrossing and Meyer is clearly well-versed in vampire literature.  What makes this book painful and wonderful to read is her ability to capture and succinctly communicate human emotion, even when they are experienced by an inhuman character.  Twilight does something I’ve never seen in another vampire story, it makes the vampires human.  I get Edward, and that is both a thrilling and slightly disturbing feeling.  Read it, read it, read it.  Never mind that you’re not a teenage girl (I’m not either!).  Great literature is great literature and this one will be around for a good, long time.

The Traveler, by John Twelve Hawks ( read August 08 )

  • There is nothing I like better than good story telling, and that is just what Hawks accomplishes in this novel.  The first book of the Fourth Realm series, it is the story of Maya, one of the last members of the secret warrior group the Harlequins.  She is reluctantly drawn into the underground world she vowed to leave behind and must track down a pair of brothers who may or may not be Travelers, people born with the ability to cross into other dimensions.  If the Tabula (yet another secret society) gets to the brothers first, all hell will break loose, perhaps literally.  It sounds complicated every time I try to explain it, but Hawks’ brilliance lies in his ability to construct a complex, paranoid world without confusing the reader more than necessary.  It’s a little like crossing Orwell’s 1984 with the Jedi/Sith conflict of Star Wars, but that is probably a gross simplification.  Highly, highly recommended.

Empire of Blue Water, by Stephan Talty ( read July 08 )

  • Not the greatest book about pirates I’ve ever read, but still a nice little history of Port Royal and Captain Henry Morgan.  Morgan was the forerunner of the more famous pirates like Blackbeard and Jack Rackham, and in a lot of ways he did it better.  The book is a little slow going at first, and heavy on the Spanish bashing, but as Morgan’s career picks up speed, so does the narrative.  The last chapter is something that just has to be read to be believed.

Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes

Mysteries of the Middle Ages, by Thomas Cahill ( read June/July 08 )

  • Book five in The Hinges of History series, this is an interesting examination of the development of Western thought, especially as it has been influenced by Christianity. Using words that sent me screaming into my dictionary right next to contemporary slang, Cahill pens an enjoyably readable history book. The illustrations and pictures included throughout also make it a visually attractive book.  Even though there is some bias in favor of Christianity (but away from the Catholic church), I didn’t find it so powerful as to be distracting. He also wrote How the Irish Saved Civilization, which was the first book in the series.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick ( read June 08 )

  • A really fantastic book which won the Caldecott Medal and was a National Book Award finalist. Mixing words with intricate drawings, Selznick tells the story of Hugo Cabret, an orphan living in the walls of a Paris train station. Hugo has a way with clockworks and is entranced by a mysterious automaton left to him by his father. When an old man, who runs a toy store in the station, discovers Hugo and his fixation, the mystery deepens as the old man seems to be connected. I was totally enthralled by this book and would have been downright obsessed with it as a child. Mark my words, this will book will be declared influential in the years to come.

Thud, by Terry Pratchett ( read June 08 )

  • Things are getting dicey in Ankh-Morpork. The anniversary of Koom Valley is coming and old hatreds are firing up the city’s trolls and dwarfs. With a war brewing, thanks to a murder, a theft, and some extremists, it’s up to Sam Vimes and the City Watch to keep the place from going to pot. Another solid, entertaining entry in the Discworld annals.

The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas

Pre, by Tom Jordan ( read May/June 08 )

  • Originally written in 1977, nearly a decade after Steve Prefontane’s death, this short book mainly uses the words of Pre’s People to tell his story. It is a records of this amazing runner’s brief, but spectacular career. As a narrative, it’s a little choppy, but Pre was enough of a character that he can carry the story no matter who writes it. He defined American running, and still does in many way. If you’re a runner, this is one you need to read.

The High King’s Tomb, by Kristen Britain ( read April/May 08 )

  • The third book in the Green Rider series, finally. I usually have trouble getting behind a female protagonist (call me a chauvinist if you like, but there it is), but Rider Karigan G’ladheon is one of my favorite fantasy characters. She’s far from perfect. In fact, I got a little annoyed with her naiveté in this book, but Britain does a good job keeping her believable. Part of the King’s magical Green Riders, Karigan is sent on a fairly mundane errand, trainee in tow, which becomes anything but simple. Full of high sorcery, political deceit, and action, this is a great read. And if you’ve ever been to Maine, some of the scenery ought to seem familiar.

Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegutt

Walden, by Henry David Thoreau

Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

Bleak House, by Charles Dickens

The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

Scarlet, by Stephen R. Lawhead ( read Dec. 07/Jan. 08 )

  • The sequel to Hood (see below) is even better. If you want a primer on writing in convincing voices, read this book. The story is passed back and forth between a third person narrator and Will Scarlet. The separation between the two is so good it’s breathtaking. Scarlet has joined Bran’s band of outlaws and is determined to help in the fight against Guy Gysburne and the cruel Sheriff, at all costs.

To Rule the Waves, by Arthur Herman ( read Nov.07/February 08 )

  • An exhaustive history of the British Navy and its influence on the world. It begins way before I expected and went way later than I was interested in. At times he comes off a little defensive and push the thesis a little too hard. The middle bit, about the age of sail, was well done, especially the battle scenes.

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield ( read Oct. 07 )

  • It’s strange. Oh, it’s a strange one. Margaret Lea, a part-time biographer, is summoned by best selling author Vida Winter to tell her life’s story. Winter has been a mystery her entire life, especially when it comes to the elusive 13th tale. Lea forms a relationship with Winter which exposes a haunting story. Much of the story is disturbing in the extreme, but I had to finish it to see where it all went. Definitely worth a read, but whether or not you like it is up to you.

Heir to the Empire, by Timothy Zahn ( read Sept./Oct. 07 )

  • I’ve read it before and I’ll read it again. The first book of the trilogy, it picks up a few years after Return of the Jedi. The New Republic is in control of the galaxy, mostly, but now a new threat has arisen, giving the Empire hope. Grand Admiral Thrawn is mysterious, deadly, and brilliant. Oh, and ambitious to boot. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker is trying to deal with being the last of the Jedi and looking for a way to restart the order. Full of excellent characters, this is one of my favorite sci-fi trilogies.

Written Lives, by Javier Marias ( read Sept. 07 )

  • Translated from Spanish, this is a delightful little book. It is a series of vignettes about little known stories from the lives of famous authors. Marias skips the usual biography and focuses in on the eccentricities of authors like Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and William Faulkner. Even though I’m not a fan of many of the writers covered, I was still totally absorbed in this book. A must for writers or fans of writers.

Life, the Universe, and Everything, by Douglas Adams ( read Sept. 07 )

  • Part of the Hitchhiker’s series, this installment finds Arthur Dent and friends doing the usual time travelling through absurdity. This time, they have to find a way to keep the inhabitants of planet Krikkit from destroying the universe because they believe it shouldn’t be there. Like Adams’ books, this is a totally ridiculous story with a slightly satiric edge. Read with caution and DON’T PANIC.

Hood, by Stephen R. Lawhead ( read Aug/Sept. 07 )

  • A brilliant retelling of the Robin Hood story. Set in England and Wales about a generation after the Battle of Hastings, Bran ap Brychan is the no good son of a murdered Welsh lord. After his father’s death, he is forced into hiding and must find a way to accept his fate and become the only thing which can face the Norman Conquerors: King Raven, known to the Welsh as Rhi Bran Y Hud. The narrative gets a little slow in the middle, but Lawhead is able to stay true to tradition, while still making the story fresh and new.

A Gentle Madness, by Nicholas Basebanes ( read August 07 )

  • Now that was a book! About books! Basebanes leads the reader through the trials, tribulations and history of the greatest and craziest bibliophiles in the world. Through his affectionate prose, you can come to understand how and why people fall in love with books.

Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground, by David Beckham and Tom Watt ( read July/August 07 )

  • Alright, I’ll admit it, I got a wee bit excited over all the nonsense that started about David Beckham moving to America. I mean, I already knew a bit about him from being a Manchester United fan (as of 05-06). The book comes off defensive in spots and is fairly forgettable.

Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchett ( read August 07 )

  • A Discworld novel, Pratchett gives a fun satire on the detective novel. Exploding dragons, assassins, and the sudden appearance of a long lost king give Sam Vimes more than enough to deal with, never mind that he’s about to get married! As with most of his books, there is also an interesting, but not overbearing, commentary on society (discrimination and affirmative action in this case).

The Perfect Mile, by Neal Bascomb ( read July 07 )

  • Quite simply the best sports book I’ve ever read. It tells the true story of three 1950s runners (one American, one Australian, and one Englishman) simultaneously trying to become the first man to run a sub-4 minute mile. The best scenes, by far, were the individual races, as Bacomb stupendously captures the breathlessness of each lap.

The Krytos Trap, by Micahel Stackpol ( read July/August 07 )

  • Good times in the Star Wars Universe. Book three of the X-Wing series follows Wedge Antilles and his elite fighter group, Rogue Squadron, after they have led the Rebellion in the capture of Coruscant, the Empire’s capitol. It seems, however, that the fiendish and mildly insane Ysane Isard has left the Rebs a little present: a killer virus which is wiping out the populace. Oh, and there is the little matter of the Squadron XO being on trial for espionage.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell ( read June/July 07 )

  • A philosophical classic on the universal nature of myth. While I think some of his archetypes are overarching frameworks are spot on, Campbell relies way too much on Freudian ideas for my taste. Did you know Freud thought the sexual center of the body was the nose? True story.

Deception Point, by Dan Brown ( read July 07 )

  • A fun thriller, especially for a summer read. What’s not to love about political intrigue, vague government agencies, good action, a little romance, and a side order of NASA?