What have we read in 2011?

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Hello and sorry for my long abscence from these boards. Real Life has a way of catching up with you. I was hoping that we could recapitulate here what we've read this year, what books we recommend... and what books we don't. Here's my list, mostly alphabethically sorted. A few of these books exist only in Dutch. I have put a translation of the title in square brackets.

Kader Abdolah: De kraai [The Crow]
Keith Baker: The Gates of Night
J. G. Ballard: Empire of the Sun
Jorge Luis Borges: The Aleph and Other Stories
Ray Bradbury: The Illustrated Man
Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles
Jacqueline Carey: Banewreaker
Jacqueline Carey: Godslayer
Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist
Harlan Ellison e.a.: Again, Dangerous Visions
David Gemmell: The Swords of Night and Day
Robin Hobb: Shaman's Crossing
Robin Hobb: Forest Mage
Robin Hobb: Renegade's Magic
Robin Hobb en Megan Lindholm: The Inheritance
Robert E. Howard: The Hour of the Dragon
L. Ron Hubbard: Final Blackout
Guy Gavriel Kay: Tigana
Guy Gavriel Kay: A Song for Arbonne
Milan Kundera: The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Katherine Kurtz: Deryni Rising
Katherine Kurtz: Deryni Checkmate
Katherine Kurtz: High Deryni
Henry Kuttner: The Dark World
David Langford: Different Kinds of Darkness
Megan Lindholm: Wizard of the Pigeons
George R. R. Martin: A Dance with Dragons
George R. R. Martin e.a.: Inside Straight
George R. R. Martin e.a: Busted Flush
George R. R. Martin e.a: Suicide Kings
Karen Miller: Empress
Karen Miller: The Riven Kingdom
Karen Miller: Hammer of God
Monaldi & Sorti: Versluiering [Veiling]
C. L. Moore: Black God's Kiss
C. L. Moore: Northwest of Earth
Richard Morgan: The Steel Remains
Ricardo Pinto: The Third God
Chaim Potok: The Chosen
John Vermeulen: De rivier van de tijd [The River of Time]
John Vermeulen: Tussen God en de zee [Between God and the Sea]
Peter Watts: Starfish
Peter Watts: Maelstrom
Robert B. Wintermute: The Quest for Karn

TOP THREE
1. George R. R. Martin: A Dance with Dragons - It took him six years to write this book. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely. But now I want the next book - I don't know how much longer I can bear these cliffhangers.
2. Robin Hobb: Shaman's Crossing and sequels - Didn't I say this was my least favorite of Robin Hobb's works? Yes, but that doesn't mean it's all bad. Hobb is still one of my favorite writers.
3. Richard Morgan: The Steel Remains - A very intense book that had me hooked from start to finish. Although I did come to hate the excessive foulmouthedness after a while.

FLOP THREE
1. Robert B. Wintermute: The Quest for Karn - After discovering Keith Baker, I didn't think I would run into another author that bad any time soon. I was wrong. Wintermute is worse in every aspect.
2. Keith Baker: The Gates of Night - Baker still sucks, though.
3. Karen Miller: Hammer of God - After an interesting start to the trilogy, this book didn't have the pay-off I was waiting for.

['thul]

This list is far too dangerous to make. It would be far too long. (having occasionally read well over a book per day)

[Albertosaurus Rex]

In that case, maybe you would just like to share some of the best and worst books you've read with us?

['thul]

hmm... Ok...

Some might be erroneous (pre-jan2011), but mostly correct author list. Probably riddled with holes from missing authors. A year is a long time.
Having only access to about half the library used, there will be extra holes.

Robin Hobb (probably 8-11 books)
Kim Newman (2 books)
David/Leigh Eddings (5-15)
Stephanie Meyer (4.5 books)
P.C. Cast (current author being read) (6-7 books)
Kristen Britain (4 books)
Terry Pratchett (5ish books)
Isaac Asimov (1-2 books)
George R.R. Martin (3ish books)
Maria V. Snyder (6 books)
Anne Rice (not all that good) (0.8 books)
L.J. Smith (6 books)
Brian Sanderson (3 books)
Rick Riordan (6 books)
Jean M. Auel (6 books)
Louis Masterson (kjell Hallbing) (1 book)
Marion Zimmer Bradley, Holly Lisle (2 books)

[Albertosaurus Rex]

I am actually kind of envious of people like you who can read books really fast. I mean, there are so many books to read and there is so little time to read them all.

When 2011 came around, I had three reading resolutions. The first was cleaning up my to-read pile. While it still exists, it's a lot smaller now than it has been in a long time. The second was reading more books by female authors. While male authors still outnumber female authors, I think I did well in this regard. (C. L. stands for Catherine Lucille, by the way.) The third was to diversify my reading - read some other stuff than fantasy for a change. I did slightly less well in this regard.

[Farseer]

Hello and sorry for my long abscence from these boards.

G'day AR! I've missed you and I'm so glad you're back!

Real Life has a way of catching up with you.

Yes, we can run but we can't hide...darn it!

I was hoping that we could recapitulate here what we've read this year, what books we recommend... and what books we don't.

*sigh* I knew you would ask when you got back here...I should have been far more prepared (had them listed somewhere!) AND I also should have read much, much more!!!

Here's my list, mostly alphabethically sorted.

Oh, my...you amaze me (as always!)...yes, you really, really do.

FLOP THREE

I'm off to bed after a long night of playing the Junior MasterChef Boardgame with my family (it's the first time we've ever played it and it went for hours! ) but, for the sake of sharing, I promise I will return tomorrow with my teensy list.

[joost]

Somewhere last year I pu the things I read into a database, so it's pretty easy to see what I've read this year. I haven't had much time to read the last few months though.

Neil Gaiman - American gods
Neil Gaiman - Stardust
Mickey Zucker Reichert - Flightless falcon
Neil Gaiman - Odd and the frost giants
Warren Ellis - Planetary 4: Spacetime archaeology
Bill Willingham - Fables 13: The great fables crossover
Bill Willingham - Jack of fables 7: The new adventures of Jack and Jack
Tsugumi Ohta - Death note 1-13
Jacques Meerman, Dick Meerman - Hart en nieren
Mickey Zucker Reichert - The last of the Renshai
Mickey Zucker Reichert - The western wizard
Mickey Zucker Reichert - Child of thunder
Umberto Eco - De begraafplaats van Praag
Megan Lindholm, Robin Hobb - The inheritance
Neal Stephenson - Snow crash
Bill Willingham - Fables 14: Witches
Bill Willingham - Angel: Immortality for dummies
Bill WIllingham - Angel: Crown prince syndrome
Various - Buffy the vampire slayer 1
Terry Pratchett - Interesting times
Mary Gentle - Orthe: Chronicles of Carrick V
Joss Whedon - Tales
Terry Brooks - A princess of Landover
Terry Pratchett - Maskerade
David Eddings - Guardians of the west
David Eddings - King of the Murgos
David Eddings - Demon lord of Karanda
David Eddings - Sorceress of Darshiva
David Eddings - Seeress of Kell
Chris Roberson - Cinderella: From fabletown with love
Joss Whedon - Buffy the vampire slayer S8 volume 8: Last gleaming
Brian K. Vaughan - Y the last man
Robin Hobb - Fool's errand
Robin Hobb - The golden fool
Robin Hobb - Fool's fate
Bill Willingham - Fables 15: Rose red
George R.R. Martin - A dance with dragons
Megan Lindholm - The reindeer people
Megan Lindholm - Wolf's brother
Kiminori Wakasugi - Detroit metal city 1
Anne McCaffrey - The ship who sang
Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey - Dragon's kin
Anne McCaffrey - Red star rising
Umberto Eco - Het eiland van de vorige dag
Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey - Dragon's fire
Bill Willingham - Jack of fables 8: The fulminate blade
Bill WIllingham - Jack of Fables 9: The end
Various - Buffy the vampire slayer 2
Scott Tipton - Illyria: haunted
Brian Lynch - Spike: Alone together now
Brian Lynch - Spike: Stranger things
David Tischman - Angel: The wolf, the ram and the heart
Various - Angel omnibus
Various - Angel omnibus 2

(and currently reading Masakazu Katsura - I''s)

A lot of rereads, graphic novels and manga.

TOP THREE
Neal Stephenson - Snow crash. I'm not a big cyberpunk-fan (Gibson, apparently 'the man' in tha genre, bores me to tears), but I really love this book.
Mary Gentle - Orthe: Chronicles of Carrick V. Mary Gentle is the best author I know of. Yes, better than Robin Hobb. Apologies to anyone I've hurt with that comment but I can't help it. Orthe is a wonderful story about extraterrestrial life and what we can learn from 'backwards cultures'.
Mickey Zucker Reichert - The Renshai trilogy. I had book 1 and 2 for years, but couldn't find the third volume. Earlier this year I finally found it for a good price, bought it, and finally started the trilogy. I loved it!

FLOP ONE
I only read one book that I consider somewhat a waste of time: Terry Brooks' 'Princess of Landover'. I really liked the first few Landover books, but this was just a mediocre story.

[Valarya]

Man you guys are seriously organized!! I don't keep a list of books I read anywhere.. and I typically get so involved in other things that I only read about half of the year and then I tend to re-read a lot of beloved series. My to-read list is ridiculously large, I have books purchased throughout the last couple years I haven't even touched and since I'm completely sucked in to a video game right now I don't know when I'll get back to a book or which one it will be.

I will say that I had looked forward to reading those Karen Miller books but your review on the third one being a flop is disappointing. I find it interesting you have flops, too. I can't really tell you which books are total flops because if I'm not sucked in to it by the first 50-75 pages, I put it down and will never pick it back up (I did this with the first book in the Sword of Shannara series. Yuck.).

@Joost - I have been meaning to read Snow Crash for years, too. I even have it on the shelf. I just can't make myself pick it up, though.. do you know how that gets? You're just not in the mood to start a certain book for absolutely no particular reason? I have a block where Snow Crash is concerned. I did read Nueromancer (Gibson) and was absolutely bored, as well. It's strange, too, because the whole Drum & Bass scene (and stuff like Autechre!) pulls a lot of references from Neuromancer, which is why I read it. I just didn't like his writing style. Tis a shame because I love Cyberpunk stuff. Glad to know you're of the same mind so perhaps now I'll read Snow Crash, eh?

@Albertsaurus Rex - If you're looking for more female authors I have a really good one to recommend! (Hahah, what is it with me recommending this series to EVERY ONE in EVERY THREAD on these boards? I don't get why I'm doing it.) Maybe you've already read it!! :: Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman

Maybe this will be my New Year's resolution? -- Whittle away at the to-read list and keep a spreadsheet of books-read along with a short review of each.

[fool-ish]

Goodness me, this is a difficult one!

Robin Hobb of course: Farseer (thrice), Tawny Man (twice), Liveships (once) and The Inheritance.

George R R Martin: ASOIAF up to Feast For Crows

Anne Bishop: The Black Jewels Trilogy

Anne Rice: First four books of the Vampire Chronicles. The Vampire Armand being the most enjoyable.

Various Stephen King. Salem's Lot, Needful Things and Misery being my favourites. This man can make me believe the unbelievable

Emma Donoghue: Room

Brian Lumley: Necroscope I and II

Charlaine Harris: First three books in the True Blood Series. Sookie Stackhouse got on my wick by the end of the third book, so no interest in reading more.

I think I may have read The Lovely Bones and Deathly Hallows again too. Surely, I've missed something out, a year's a long time! If I remember anything else, I'll amend accordingly.

[Farseer]

Somewhere last year I pu the things I read into a database, so it's pretty easy to see what I've read this year. I haven't had much time to read the last few months though.

Between you, AR and the 'thul beings, I think I need AR's little jaw-dropping guy from a long-forgotten thread! Crikey, that's a lot of reading!