BOOKS READ IN 2025

[eledonecirrhosa]

FICTION

1. Full Wolf Moon by Lincoln Child (crime/horror). Meh.
2. Courtney’s War by Wilbur Smith & David Churchill (thriller/historical).
3. From the City, From the Plough by Alexander Baron (military/mainstream).
4. There’s No Home by Alexander Baron (military/mainstream).
5. The Human Kind by Alexander Baron (anthology – military/mainstream).
6. A Horsewoman in Godsland by Claudia J. Edwards (fantasy). I’m re-reading books that have been sitting on my shelves for years and deciding whether to keep them or make shelf space…This is my favourite of the Edwards books, so it gets to stay.
7. Taming the Forest King by Claudia J. Edwards (fantasy).
8. Bright and Shining Tiger by Claudia J. Edwards (fantasy).
9. Golden Son by Pierce Brown (science fiction). Red Rising vol 2. I love this series!
10. Morning Star by Pierce Brown (science fiction). Red Rising vol 3.
11. Iron Gold by Pierce Brown (science fiction). Red Rising vol 4.
12. Dark Age by Pierce Brown (science fiction). Red Rising vol 5.
13. Light Bringer by Pierce Brown (science fiction). Red Rising vol 6.
14. Mime by Chrissey Harrison (horror). Overall very good, but there was an annoying bit where they are just about to defeat the bad guy and then don’t, so the book goes on another 100 pages…
15. Lords of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky (science fiction). Vol 3 in the Architects series.
16. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (science fiction).
17. Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky (science fiction).
18. Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky (science fiction). Yes! Finally someone doing cli-fi who understands that global warming means more forests not more deserts!
19. The Green Man’s War by Juliet E. McKenna (rural version of urban fantasy). Green Man series vol 7.
20. Vigilance by Allen Stroud (science fiction). Vol 3 in series. Shann is an awesome heroine.
21. Beyond the Light Horizon by Ken McLeod (science fiction). Lightspeed vol 3.
22. Pilgrimage by Zenna Henderson (science fiction/science fantasy).
23. Three to Conquer by Eric Frank Russell (science fiction). Almost gave up on this, because the hero is such a smug prick.
24. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (mainstream).
25. Burning Chrome by William Gibson (science fiction anthology). The stories I liked best were written by Gibson and someone else. Begone to the charity shop!
26. Radiant by James Alan Gardiner (science fiction). A nice little read – not bad for a chance pick up in a second-hand store.
27. The Hounds of Skaith by Leigh Brackett (science fiction). This on the other hand was terrible. Only finished it because of a boring train journey…
28. Somewhere by Ibrahim Abbas (fantasy). I enjoyed the first novel by this author I read, but this was a slog. I really hate virtual reality dreamscapes!
29. Paradox Lost by Frederic Brown (science fiction anthology).
30. Ancients of Days by Paul McAulay (2nd Book of Confluence).
31. Sloe Moon: Tall Trees by C.M Kuhtz (fantasy). Vol 1 of a series. The protagonist is so nice and well-meaning, everyone takes advantage of their trusting nature. I bought Vol 2 to see how the story resolves.
32. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (mainstream/military).
33. Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (science fiction). I re-read The Exile Waiting last year and enjoyed it, so I decided to re-read the rest of my McIntyre. This one I recall as being awesome… now it is awesome in parts, not so interesting in others, and ‘please god stop describing plants’ in one chapter. I enjoyed the good bits enough to keep it.
34. Fireflood & Other Stories by Vonda N. McIntyre (science fiction anthology). Some are wonderful, some are a slog.
35. Superluminal by Vonda N. McIntyre (science fiction). Weirdly, despite this being an expansion of one of the (Iong) short stories in Fireflood & Other Stories which I disliked and skimmed bits of, this novel is interesting. Mostly because of the addition of a new viewpoint character, plus giving one of the original characters some POV chapters of his own.
36. A Man Called Crow by Chris Adam Smith (western).
37. Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch (urban fantasy). Rivers of London vol ??? I thought I hadn’t read this one yet, but several chapters into it I realised I had. An enjoyable re-read.
38. The Cleaner by Mark Dawson (thriller).
39. The Searchers by Alan Le May (western). The book the John Wayne movie was based on. Very good. Some things were changed for the movie, but the overall power of the story and characters is LeMay’s.
40. The Unforgiven by Alan Le May (western). The book the Burt Lancaster movie was based on. Better than the movie, mainly because it makes more sense, and emphasises the racism, when Audrey Hepburn’s character is a quarter Kiowa, rather than the full-blooded Kiowa which the movie says she is. The mad preacher is more interesting in the movie, however.
41. Spanish Crossing by Alan Le May (western). Collection of short stories. They are okay – he’s much better as a novelist.
42. Archangel’s Light by Nalini Singh (urban fantasy/romantasy). I almost didn’t finish this. It has confirmed my dislike of a whole bunch of romance tropes, particularly the one where both protagonists spend the WHOLE FECKING NOVEL angsting that “They could not possibly love me because XYZ”. Even more annoying, in several places the characters actually do some action/politics plot progression… then promptly hand those plot threads off to an NPC to be Someone Else’s Problem… and go back to angsting.
43. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (fantasy). Empyrean series vol 1.
44. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (fantasy). Empyrean series vol 2.
45. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (fantasy). Empyrean series vol 3.
46. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman (crime). 1st of the Leaphorn Mysteries. Decided to re-read some after watching season 1 of Dark Winds on Netflix.
47. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (crime). Leaphorn Mysteries 2.
48. Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman (crime). Leaphorn Mysteries 3.
49. Destiny’s Boot by FJ Mitchell (fantasy/comedy). Fun adventure about inept sky pirates on a flying ship. A chance pick up at a SF convention, and more than worth the money.
50. Infinite Detail by Tim Maughan (science fiction/technothriller). Set in near-future Bristol, mainly in the district nicknamed by locals as ‘The Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft’. A real page turner.
51. Five to Twelve by Edmund Cooper (science fiction). 1960s take on a future society dominated by women. The hero is a spoiled manchild with occasional outbreaks of James Bond style heroics. The underlying theme is that any woman who Doesn’t want to reject contraception, churn out babies and be ‘sexually submissive’ and who Does want a world where hunger and disease have been ended is Bad Wrong. Because men can’t be Real Men in that world.
52. A New Order by Dan Batchelor (science fiction). Volume 1 in a series. Lots of world building and character development but not much actual character agency, so it drags. The plot will presumably get going in volume 2?
53. Heart of India by Mark Tully (anthology of stories set in rural India).
54. A Woman of the Sword by Anna Smith Spark (fantasy). Absolutely bloody brilliant!
55. Die Trying by Lee Child (crime). Jack Reacher volume 2.
56. Tripwire by Lee Child (crime). Jack Reacher volume 3.
57. Exit Strategy by Lee Child & Andrew Child (crime). Jack Reacher volume 30.
58. Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey (science fiction).
59. Crisis on Doona by Anne McCaffrey (science fiction).
60. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (science fiction). Murderbot Diaries Vol 1.
61. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (science fiction). Murderbot Diaries Vol 2.

NON-FICTION

1. Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych.
2. Utopia on the Tabletop ed. by Jo Lindsay Walton.
3. Monte Cassino: Ten Armies in Hell by Peter Caddick-Adams.
4. Pandora’s Box: The Greed, Lust & Lies That Broke Television by Peter Biskind.
5. Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton.
6. Blood & Ruins: The Great Imperial War 1931-1945 by Richard Overy.
7. The Indian & the Horse by Frank Gilbert Roe. Some of the academic theories in here are a bit dated (for example, archaeological dating and genetics have probably answered some of the ‘we shall never know’ bits now). But it is filled with fascinating stuff about things which have since been forgotten or trampled over by Hollywood. Like many tribes constructed very elaborate saddles. Or that white westerners turned their noses up at pinto/paint patterned horses and would only use them for pack animals – because of them being unfashionable in Europe, not accepted into nascent breed studbooks, and (since disproved) superstitions that horses with white legs and pale hooves go lame more often than ‘normal’ horses.
8. Horse Breeds & Human Society: Purity, Identity and the Making of the Modern Horse ed. by Kristen Guest & Monica Matfield. A fascinating, and in some places horrifying look at how various horse breeds came into existence and the ties to nationalism, racism and eugenics. Interesting shift from folk breeding horses for ‘type’ (“I need a good draught horse!”) to ‘breed’ (“I need a purebred Shire horse”). It did also send me down a rabbit hole trying to find out what the “horse depression of the 1890s” was… I didn’t know the US had a climate based Great Depression in the 1890s as well as the 1930s…
9. Ghost Riders: Operation Cowboy – The World War Two Mission to Save the World’s Finest Horses by Mark Felton. This is military history, but also gives background on the fact that the Nazis not only stole art treasures: Gustav Rau “the father of German Dressage” was a mate of Hitler’s and took all the stolen Lipizzaners, Arabians, Thoroughbreds and Polish racehorses (Arabian ancestry) to create, “an Aryan horse” suitable as a warhorse for high ranking Nazi Party members.
10. The World of the American West ed. by Gorden Morris Bakken.
11. The Longest Story; How Humans Have Loved, Hated & Misunderstood Other Species by Richard Girling.
12. How Many Friends Does One Person Need? by Robin Dunbar.
13. Ammonites by Neale Monks & Philip Palmer.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

1. Crowded Vol 2: Glitter Dystopia by Sebella, Stein, Brandt, Farrell & Rae.
2. Crowded Vol 3: Cutting-Edge Desolation by Sebella, Stein, Brandt, Farrell & Rae.
3. Batman: Anarky by Grant, Breyfogle & various.
4. The Fall Vol 1 by Jared Muralt.
5. Misty Vol 2 by Shaw, Capaldi & Richardson.
6. Misty Vol 3 by Feito & Romero.
7. Medivac 318 by Robinson & Dobbyn. 2000AD Ultimate Collection vol 200
8. Dreaming Eagles by Ennis & Colby.
9. Red Rover Charlie by Ennis & Dipascale.
10. Johnny Red: Hurricane by Ennis & Burns.
11. The ‘Nam Vol 1 by Murray & Golden.
12. Grey Area Vol 1 by Abnett, Richardson, Carter, Goddard, Harrison. Read this twice – it’s awesome.
13. Grey Area Vol 2 by Abnett & Harrison. Read this one twice too – it’s awesome.
14. Orbiter by Ellis, Doran & Stewart.
15. Spector: Incorruptible by Wagner, Ezquerra, Cornwell & Teague.
16. Rok the God by Wagner, Grant & Cornwell.
17. Neroy Sphinx: Playing to Lose by Whiston & Thomson.
18. Judge Dredd: A Better World by Williams, Wyatt, Flint, Lynch & Cook
19. Essential Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty Volume 3 by Wagner, Ewing, MacNeil, Dayglo, Goddard, Dyer & Walker.
20. Cyberpunk 2077: Where’s Johnny? by Sztybor, Milonogiannis & Titov.
21. Western Noir: Volume 3 by West, Crutchley & Soffe.
22. Hard Country: A Tale of Western Noir by Elliot & Crutchley.
23. DC Pride by various.
24. Road to Perdition by Collins & Rayner.
25. The Legend of Luther Arkwright by Bryan Talbot.
26. Geiger by Johns, Frank, Anderson & Leigh.
27. Geiger Vol 2 by Johns, Frank, Anderson & Leigh.
28. Burza 1: Good Morning Salwa by Shazleen Khan.
29. Orphan Black by Fawcett, Manson, Houser, Kudranski, Quah & Staggs.
30. The Complete Saucer Country by Paul Cornell & Ryan Kelly.
31. Who Killed Nessie? by Cornell & Smith.
32. Die 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker by Gillen & Hans.
32. Die 2: Spilt the Party by Gillen, Hans & Cowles.
33. Strontium Dogs: Vol 2 by Ennis, Hogan, Pugh & Dobbyn. 2000AD Ultimate Collection Vol 115.
34. Kingdom 1 by Abnett & Elson. 2000AD Ultimate Collection Vol 60.
35. Kingdom 2 by Abnett & Elson. 2000AD Ultimate Collection Vol 61.
36. Lone Ranger Vol 2 by Matthews, Carillo, Pope & Cassidy.
37. Geiger Vol 3 by Johns, Frank, Pelletier, Hennessy, Kalisz, Anderson & Leigh.
38. Geiger Vol 4 by Johns, Frank, Anderson & Leigh.

BOOKS I DIDN’T FINISH

1. The Crown of Omens by E.J. Dobie (fantasy grimdark).
2. Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks (science fiction). Read this years ago. Wasn’t that impressed then. Couldn’t bother to struggle my way through it now.
3. Neuromancer by William Gibson (science fiction). Why did I like this the first time around? Most of the people in it are arseholes, and I do not find hackers nicking folks’ money at all ‘cool’ or ‘heroic’. Count Zero went straight to the charity shop without me opening it, because I recall liking it a lot less than Neuromancer.
4. Starfarers by Vonda McIntyre (science fiction). Just couldn’t get into it, and the blurb on the back seemed to have told you the whole plot…
5. The American Agent by Jaqueline Winspear (crime/historical). Flatly written.

RPG BOOKS READ IN 2025

Ecopunk 2044 RPG
White Sands RPG
Monster of the Week RPG
Tome of Mysteries (splatbook for Monster of the Week)
Blade Runner RPG
Coriolis: The Third Horizon RPG
Tales of the Old West RPG
Omega Horizon RPG
Outgunned RPG
Space: 1999 RPG
Inevitable: A Doomed Arthurian Western RPG
Blue Planet Recontact: Players Guide RPG
Blue Planet Recontact: Moderators Guide RPG