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Books I Read in 2010 (Ratings out of 10 - consider 6 to be the minimum of what I expect a published book to be.)
Keeping It Real
by Justina RobsonFinished book on: Dec 24, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 8
Dragon Heart
by Jaida Jones and Danielle BennettFinished book on: Dec 4, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 5.5
Enjoyability: 5.5
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
by N. K. JemisonFinished book on: Nov 28, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
The Secret History of Moscow
by Ekaterina SediaFinished book on: Nov 13, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 5.5
Enjoyability: 6
Nation
by Terry PratchettFinished book on: Nov 10, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 8
The Third Claw of God
by Adam-Troy CastroFinished book on: Nov 5, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Side Jobs (Anthology)
by Jim ButcherFinished book on: Oct 31, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of stories: 8
Enjoyability: 8.5
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne CollinsFinished book on: Oct 26, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 7.5
Comment: Apparently, I am a freak with no taste.
A Wild Light
by Marjorie M. LuiFinished book on: Oct 24, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Under Heaven
by Guy Gavriel KayFinished book on: Aug 23, 2010Quality of writing: 9
Quality of story: 9
Enjoyability: 9
Dead As a Doornail
by Charlaine HarrisFinished book on: Aug 10, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Dead To the World
by Charlaine HarrisFinished book on: Aug 8, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Feet of Clay
by Terry PratchettFinished book on: July 20, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it. I loves me some Pratchett!
Who Dares Wins
by Bob MayerFinished book on: July 15, 2010Quality of advice: 7.5
Comment: This is an atypical, and thus valuable, writing book. Mr. Mayer has some smart, practical techniques for achieving success and some eye-opening insights into what gets in your way. I think this is worth reading more for the opportunity to shift your paradigm than for specific advice on how to be a writer.
Midwinter
by Matthew SturgesFinished book on: July 11, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 6.5
Enjoyability: 7
Spook Country
by William GibsonFinished book on: July 2, 2010Quality of writing: 8.5
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 8
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
by Susanna ClarkeFinished book on: June 24, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 8
Enjoyability: 8
God's Demon
by Wayne BarloweFinished book on: June 2o, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
The Fire in Fiction
by Donald MaassFinished book on: June 6, 2010Quality of advice: 6
Comment: The book didn't seem specific enough to really be useful, but that's a criticism I have for many writing books. The workshop Mr. Maass gave at SiWC 2010 covering this material struck me as a better way to learn the techniques.
Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass
by Erica KirovFinished book on: June 2, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 4
Enjoyability: 5
The White Road
by Lynn FlewellingFinished book on: May 30, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 6
Enjoyability: 6.5
Unholy Ghosts
by Stacia KaneFinished book on: May 28, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 7.5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J. K. RowlingFinished book on: May 26, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it. I loves me some Rowling!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. RowlingFinished book on: May 24, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J. K. RowlingFinished book on: May 20, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J. K. RowlingFinished book on: May 17, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg LarssonFinished book on: May 1, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 8
Enjoyability: 8
The Gaslight Dogs
by Karin LowacheeFinished book on: Apr 24, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 7.5
Divine Misfortune
by A. Lee MartinezFinished book on: Apr 23, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 8
The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
Edited by Donald A. WollheimFinished book on: Apr 19, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 6.5
Enjoyability: 6
Magic Street
by Orson Scott CardFinished book on: Apr 17, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 8
Enjoyability: 8
Envious Gods
by Geoff GillanFinished book on: Apr 15, 2010Quality of writing: 9
Quality of story: 9
Enjoyability: 9
Comment: This book is
delightful! A fantastic first novel.
Running With the Demon
by Terry BrooksFinished book on: Apr 11, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Changes
by Jim ButcherFinished book on: Apr 7, 2010Quality of writing: 7.5
Quality of story: 9
Enjoyability: 9
Thirteen
by Richard K. MorganFinished book on: Mar 12, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
Black Jade
by David ZindellFinished book on: Mar 7, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7.5
The Edge of Reason
by Melinda SnodgrassFinished book on: Feb 27 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 6.5
Enjoyability: 7.5
The Steel Remains
by Richard MorganFinished book on: Feb 18, 2010Quality of writing: 9
Quality of story: 9
Enjoyability: 9
Comment: Fantastic book! Starts slow, but I highly recommend it as a rip-snorting, very masculine adventure tale with a hugely imaginative inclusion of classic faery mythology in it. To enjoy this book, you do need to be able to handle foul language, violence, and a wee dollop of same-sex erotica.
Darkness Calls
by Marjorie M. LiuFinished book on: Feb 10, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 8
Enjoyability: 8
First Lord's Fury
by Jim ButcherFinished book on: Feb 7, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 8.5
Enjoyability: 8.5
The Iron Hunt
by Marjorie M. LiuFinished book on: Feb 3, 2010Quality of writing: 8.5
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 8
Emissaries From the Dead
by Adam-Troy CastroFinished book on: Jan 31, 2010Quality of writing: 9
Quality of story: 9
Enjoyability: 9
Comment: Awesome first novel! Of course, the author is
not new to writing, given he has already been nominated for Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker awards...
Club Dead
by Charlaine HarrisFinished book on: Jan 29, 2010Quality of writing: 6
Quality of story: 5.5
Enjoyability: 5.5
Living Dead In Dallas
by Charlaine HarrisFinished book on: Jan 28, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 7
Dead Until Dark
by Charlaine HarrisFinished book on: Jan 27, 2010Quality of writing: 7
Quality of story: 7
Enjoyability: 7
Cognitive Therapy Of Personality Disorders
by Aaron T. Beck, Arthur Freeman & AssociatesFinished book on: Jan 26, 2010Non-fiction, so I won't rate it.
The Unseen Academicals
by Terry PratchettFinished book on: Jan 11, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it. I loves me some Pratchett!
Thud!
by Terry PratchettFinished book on: Jan 6, 2010This was a re-read, so I won't rate it.
Acacia
by David Anthony DurhamFinished book on: Jan 4, 2010Quality of writing: 8
Quality of story: 7.5
Enjoyability: 7
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Books I Didn't FinishSelling Out
by Justina RobsonStopped reading: Page 203; December 25, 2010Reason: This was really good, but I had to return the book to its owner before I finished!
Twelve
by Jasper KentStopped reading: Page 24; December-ish, 2010Reason: I found it very dry and the plot showed no signs of kicking in. This may be due to my having low interest in historical novels; the promise of vampires wasn't enough to draw me on.
The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack
by Mark HodderStopped reading: Page 19; December-ish, 2010Reason: Fun, but I wasn't getting pulled into the story. Other readers would like this.
Tathea
by Anne PerryStopped reading: Page 9; July 22, 2010Reason: I wasn't buying the protagonist's emotional situation and then a different scenario I also didn't find believable cropped up on top of that.
The Angel of Pain
by Brian StablefordStopped reading: Page 41; July 10-ish, 2010Reason: Well-written prose, but the flashbacks and dream sequences got in the way of the narrative.
Catch-22
by Joseph HellerStopped reading: Page 40; June 6, 2010Reason: Couldn't get into it. It's amusing, but there's no narrative.
Cartomancy
by Mary GentleStopped reading: ~Page 10-ish; Apr ~15, 2010Reason: Plot wasn't grabbing me.
Thief With No Shadow
by Emily GeeStopped reading: Page 38; Feb 20, 2010Reason: Writing was only okay-ish, and the plotting was a bit too simple.
Trick of the Light
by Rob ThurmanStopped reading: Page 41; Feb 19, 2010Reason: I was really disliking the protagonist, and there was too much "telling" (always a danger with first person POV.)
