James Talks (Mostly) Books

Thus far, I've been talking about books I already own that I need to read. As much as I want to focus on that, there are quite a few books out there that I very much want to get and read this year. These aren't new releases, rather books I just haven't gotten to yet. Some are from legends in their respective fields, some are from fave authors, and some just seem nifty.

 

1.  The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies - John Langan  

 

    Just recently, I read Langan's The Fisherman, and was quite fond. Though I liked the book as a whole, the centerpiece story-within-a-story just floored me. As well, Langan's "Red Death" riff that I read in a Poe-inspired anthology was fantastic. As such,I want to get into more of his shorter works.

 

2.   Tigana - Guy Gavriel Kay  

 

    I read two of Kay's novels last year, and adored them. So I'm going to pick up at least this one in '17, possibly another as well.

 

3.   Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb  

 

    Hobb is well-known and loved in the fantasy scene, and this is the first book in the trilogy that launched her over-arching world. I have a love-hate relationship with high fantasy, but this just sounds fun.

 

4.   The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction - Neil Gaiman  

 

I am a massive fan of Gaiman, have been since reading American Gods far too many years ago. Also, I dig pop-cult essays a la Hornby and Vowell. So this is a no-brainer.

 

5.   Invisible Ink: How 100 Great Authors Disappeared - Christopher Fowler  

 

    I dig books about books, and stories of near-success are often more fascinating than either pure success or failure. And, I like history.

 

6.   The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune - Stuart Galbraith,Stuart Galbraith IV  

 

    I love movies, how they're made, who makes them, the whole shebang. Also, I like exploring unfamiliar cultures. Mix two strong personalities with long, interesting careers, post-war economics and fears, and various technical and creative challenges... Dude, I am so there.

 

7.   The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith  

 

    Like many people, I read and loved the Harry Potter series. Combine that with the fact that I am a long-time mystery fan, especially P.I. novels, as well as the general praise heaped upon this series, and it's surprising I haven't read  this yet. That changes this year.

So, on YouTube, BookTubers pass around video tags, where they answer various book questions. These are fun to watch, and also answer. So I figure I'll do them sometimes, to amuse myself. I'll start with this one, because it's short and, unlike many BookTube tags, is not romance- or YA-heavy. Intimidating TBR 1. What book have you been unable to finish? The Name of The Rose, Umberto Eco. It's great, amazing, intriguing, and by God is it dense. Love it thus far, will continue, not holding my breath. 2. What book have you yet to read because you just haven't had the time? So many, but I'll say the three-volume Penguin Classics edition of The Thousand-and-One Nights. Over two thousand pages total. 3. What book have you yet to read because it's a sequel? Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson. Third in the Mistborn series, I'll get to it when I eventually finish book two. 4. What book have you yet to read because it's brand new? An Obvious Fact by Craig Johnson. Just haven't gotten to it, yet. 5. What book have you yet to read because you read a book by the same author and didn't enjoy it? More Horowitz Horror, Anthony Horowitz, because I rage-quit the first one. 6. What book have you yet to read because you're just not in the mood for it? Catch-22, Joseph Heller, as a satire about war and madness is rarely what I want. 7. What book have you yet to read because it's humongous?  The Fireman, Joe Hill. There are several that could fit this question, but it;s certainly true. 8. What book have you yet to read because it was a cover buy that turned out to have poor reviews? A Passage to Shambhala, Kevin Costner et al. 9. What is the most intimidating book in your TBR pile? Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes.

Like most readers, I have a boatload of books I own that I have yet to read. This year, I will read 25 of them. Here are the musts.

 

1.    Collected Fictions - Jorge Luis Borges  

    I've read a bit of Borges, and have deeply enjoyed it. That's why this is here.

 

2.     Twilight of the Empire - Simon R. Green  

 

   The Deathstalker series is the only one I have yet to read by Green, and these are the novellas that introduce that universe. I own the whole series, so I should maybe get started, yeah? Besides, Space Opera rocks!

 

3.   Little, Big - John Crowley  

   I've started this a couple of times, and got distracted. Not this year! It's la lyrical beauty that can't be rushed, but I will make the time.

 

4.   The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly  

 

    I've read and loved the Gates series, as well as Connolly's second collection, Night Music. I started this one years ago, and will actually follow through this time.

 

5.    Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke  

 

    Another one I got distracted during (are we sensing a theme?), this is a serious beast of a book, but I've loved what I've read, and the depiction of Faerie is unique, to say the least.

 

6.    Ghost Story - Peter Straub  

 

   A genuine horror classic that I've been threatening to read for about a decade. There is no reason I haven't read this yet.

 

7.    Carrion Comfort - Dan Simmons  

 

   Another big mother(shut yo mouth), this fell into the must list after I read The Terror last year. That one started slow, but was frigging awesome. I'm hoping this one kicks in a little quicker.

 

There's my seven must-reads from my ridiculous TBR pile, but there's a lot more where those came from. At least 18, some even more imposing.

As imposing, anyway.

New year, new plan.

First, I'm planning on 75 books this year. My goal last year was 100, and I met that, but I'm hoping to be a little more social in '17. Maybe.

Second, I'm going to read 25 books I already own that, for some reason, are sitting, sad and neglected, unread on my shelves.

Third, I'm going to read a few more "high-brow" (but still SF/F/Horror) novels,

Last, I'll try to be better on my follow-through. If I want to finish a book, I will. If not, I'll drop it without regrets (yeah, right).

That's my plan, anyway. Here's hoping!

Hello, there!

I'm James. I read a fair bit, watch some movies and TV, work... You know, the usual.

I live in Denver, am 33, and root for the Cubs, Blackhawks and Avalanche.

I like beer, gourmet sodas, and ice cream.

I read horror, fantasy (both urban and traditional), mysteries, thrillers... Genre, geeky stuff, basically, with a fair bit of non-fic thrown in just to puzzle people.

I tend to avoid romance, literary and mainstream fiction, though I will occasionally make an attempt at a classic.

There probably won't be reviews here, but on Goodreads instead. I will, however, try to keep my timeline updated, minus online shorts and novellas. I read a lot of those.

Enjoy!