Normally I get more gift cards than actual books for the holidays, but this year I got a lot of books. Since this post would be a mile long if I used my usual format of a picture of a book with a little bit about it/why I wanted to read it, I'm going to just write a list with pictures of some of them. (Now that the holidays are over, hopefully I'll get back to writing some of those reviews I was working on too - I've read six books that I've not yet written about.)
Here's the complete list (other than the book I got early that I already mentioned - the signed copy of
The Snow Queen):
- Fables: Legends in Exile (Volume 1) by Bill Willingham
- Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks (Signed!!)
- The Steam Magnate by Dana Copithorne
- Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
- Ringworld by Larry Niven
- A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
- Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear (Signed!)
- Crashcourse by Wilhelmina Baird
- Requiem by Graham Joyce
- Trouble and Her Friends by Melissa Scott
- The Annunciate by Severna Park
- Requiem for the Devil by Jeri Smith-Ready
- The Book of Jhereg by Steven Brust
- Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
- Riddle-master by Patricia A. McKillip
- Moonstruck by Susan Grant
- Miles, Mutants and Microbes by Lois McMaster Bujold
- Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold
Looks like I've got a lot of reading to do! What did everyone get to read for the holidays?
15 comments:
Interesting list. Some obscure books that I'm surprised to see. Steam Magnate - I'm actually reading it right now; it's different. The writing has this cool and detached feel. Like a snowflake. Crashcourse I read earlier this year, it was ok. Trouble and Her Friends is on my shelf The Annunciate was really really weird. Brust and Snyder - fun books. Bujold - love. Memory is fantastic.
I'm re-reading Palimpsest (for the third time). Re-read bits of Vivia (Tanith Lee) today. That's pretty much it. And making progress on Copithorne.
You got Fables... I got them as scans and that is so sad. :( You are hooked up. I just wish to see you review them. *grin*
I guess this was a good Christmas for your book addiction.
Oh, Steam Magnate is absolutely fantastic! I love that book. Aio is a great publisher. I wish Copithorne would write something new, though. Guess she's busy.
Anastasia - I was surprised at how obscure some of these are as well. I didn't really expect anyone to raid my out of print book wishlist, but I thought it was nice to get some of the books I want but never get myself since they don't qualify for free shipping.
Glad to hear Steam Magnate is good, and that the Brust and Snyder books are fun. Can't wait to read the new Bujold books - Memory especially. There's still another omnibus I have that I need to read first, though.
Harry - Fables has been on my wish list for a while and I'm looking forward to it. I was thinking about reading and reviewing it in January in honor of some comic book appreciation month I heard about somewhere. ;) It was definitely a good Christmas for my addiction; I was very happy with all the books I got.
SMD - Glad to hear more praise for Steam Magnate! It's one of those books that I rarely hear about but when I do hear about it, it's always that it is a fantastic book.
No way. I am actually reviewing it myself for the same month. Is that a coincidence? I think totally not. We are on the same wave length. :) I cant wait for you to tell me what you think.
Very interesting list. I was thinking I didn't know any of them until I spied Poison Study (Maria V Snyder) and the Riddle-Master of Hed (Patricia A McKillip). Both very good books!
I have Corambis (Sarah Monette) and Daughter of Forest (Juliet Marillier) to read...now I just have to get my reading mojo back. I'm flipping though Christmas anthologies ATM.
Is it bad I've never read a Bujold book?
Very interesting list, Kristen. I've read a couple of those, notably A Fire Upon the Deep. I've had my eye on The Steam Magnate for a while so I'll be looking forward to your review.
Orannia, I've never read any Bujold either.
You did really well this year! I got five physical books, (mostly fantasy, including Anne Bishop's latest), and a bookstore gift card. I also turned some gift money into four books which are currently en route from the Book Depository.
Harry - Don't know if I will get to it in January or not but I will at some point. :) In any case, I'd look forward to hearing what you think. I'd like to wait until I'm closer to caught up on reviewing before reading something that will take me so little time to read. Considering I just finished writing one review and still have 6 left, it may be a while...
Orannia - I've heard a lot of good things about both Poison Study and Riddle-master so I am glad to hear you liked them as well. Maybe I should make it a resolution to read Juliet Marillier next year; I still haven't read my copy of Daughter of the Forest yet.
It's not bad that you've never read anything by Bujold but she does write some very good books!
Benjamin - What did you think of A Fire Upon the Deep?
Memory - It was indeed a good year. Gift cards are fun, too. And The Book Depository is wonderful!
Maybe I could try and Bujold you could try a Marillier?
I am curious what you will think of it, but I think that we will be both love it. :) I just have that sort of vibe that this can't go wrong in any way. I know what you mean with being busy. I need to write around 11 or so reviews and I am gotta be buried under everything I want to do.
Kristen, A Fire Upon the Deep was pretty good, but I didn't like it as much as A Deepness in the Sky. Can't really point to anything specific except that Deepness felt a little more polished as well as better overall.
Orannia - I've decided I must read a Marillier book in 2010 so it's a deal! Daughter of the Forest has been on my TBR for too long. I haven't read any of Bujold's fantasy yet but her Miles Vorkosigan series is very good.
It has two good starting points - the prequel Shards of Honor (in the omnibus Cordelia's Honor) if you want romance or the first actual Miles book The Warrior's Apprentice (in the omnibus Young Miles) if you want more adventure/humor. Shards of Honor is about how Miles's parents met and isn't one of the better books in the series, but I did love its sequel Barrayar (I liked Shards of Honor as well but it was a first novel and it shows). I started with the two books in Cordelia's Honor.
Harry - I suspect you're right about Fables. It always gets rave reviews and personally I love fractured fairy tales so it should be good.
Benjamin - Thanks for the info. I have A Deepness in the Sky too since my husband is a big Vinge fan (he couldn't find his copy of A Fire Upon the Deep and I wanted to start with that one; thus the Christmas gift).
I liked A Fire Upon the Deep far better than A Deepness in the Sky - it had grander scope, cooler concepts, and more cuteness. Deepness bored me, I don't believe I even finished it, and it also irritated me. I didn't know why until I read a scathing review of it, criticizing its treatment of women. Anyway it felt off to me. But I really liked Fire Upon the Deep.
Fun fact: Verner Vinge used to be married to Joan D. Vinge.
Anastasia - I saw that Vernor Vinge and Joan D. Vinge used to be married - and then she married her editor later (actually, looks like their editor since I noticed Vernor thanked him in one of the books by him I got my husband).
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