Books Read in 2007

When I laid out the list of books I’ve read this year sequentially rather than by author, I realize that there were a few oddities there.

First up — my reading of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King looks rather random, interspersed between more traditional fantasy and science fiction novels. This is because I listened to the books via Audible audiobook unabridged, mostly to-and-from work. Some of those books are huge…and it took a long time to finish the series.

June was evidently David Eddings month. My wife started to read through the first several books. I picked up the first one again and somehow, 10 books later, I was done. Very fast reads, but I do love the characterization and the humor.

There are a few interesting trends I noticed — quite a few Orson Scott Card novels both at the beginning and the end of the year. Card’s novel are so intriguing. I had never finished the Ender Shadow series so that was a winter project last year after rereading the core Ender books. Later in the year, I read Hart’s Hope and re-read The Worthing Saga.

Napoleonic War sea novels had a definite place this year. I read a number of the Hornblower books, but did not complete the series. I also read a pseudo-English navy series by James Ward late in the year. I purchased the latest Temeraire novel (#4) but just didn’t pick it up yet.

A few gems, read for the first time this year:

• The Historian — I listened to this book on audio. The method of story telling was incredibly riveting… especially in audio. Flashbacks of flashbacks of flashbacks. I was disappointed, frankly, with the ending of the novel.
• The Pillars of the Earth — OK, I didn’t know that this would be an Oprah selection when I read and finished it. Very Machiavellian plotting. Can’t wait for #2 to be published in PB.

Books in progress at the end of the year include The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card, The Middle Ages by Morris Bishop, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and The Rise of the Wyrm Lord by Wayne Thomas Batson.

January

First Meetings in Ender’s Universe — Orson Scott Card
Ender’s Shadow — Orson Scott Card
Shadow of the Hegemon — Orson Scott Card
Dune — Frank Herbert
Urchan of the Riding Stars — M.I. McAllister
The Gunslinger — Stephen King

February

Shadow Puppets — Orson Scott Card
Shadow of the Giant — Orson Scott Card
Hospital Station — Jack White
Star Surgeon — Jack White

March

Major Operation — Jack White
Prince Caspian — C.S. Lewis
The Drawing of the Three — Stephen King
Voyage of the Dawn Treader — C.S. Lewis
The Wastelands — Stephen King
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower — C.S. Forester

April

Lieutenant Hornblower — C.S. Forester
Hornblower and the Hotspur — C.S. Forester
Hornblower During the Crisis — C.S. Forester
Magyk — Angie Sage
Wizard and Glass — Stephen King
Hornblower and the Atropos — C.S. Forester

May

Beat to Quarters — C.S. Forester
The Children of Hurin — J.R.R. Tolkien
House Atreides — Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
House Harkonnen — Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
House Corrino — Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
King’s Dragon — Kate Elliott

June

Wolves of the Calla — Stephen King
Pawn of Prophesy — David Eddings
Queen of Sorcery — David Eddings
Magician’s Gambit — David Eddings
Castle of Wizardry — David Eddings
Enchanters’ End Game — 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
The Seeress of Kell — David Eddings
Midshipman’s Hope — David Feintuch
Challenger’s Hope — David Feintuch

July

Prisoner’s Hope — David Feintuch
Fisherman’s Hope — David Feintuch
Song of Susannah — Stephen King
The Eyes of the Dragon — Stephen King
Conqueror’s Pride — Timothy Zahn
Conquerors’ Heritage — Timothy Zahn
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince — J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — J.K. Rowling

August

Hunters of Dune — Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Sandworms of Dune — Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
The Dark Tower — Stephen King
The Road to the Dark Tower — Bev Vincent
The Historian — Elizabeth Kostova

September

Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France — Leonie Fieda
Hart’s Hope — Orson Scott Card

October

Dune — Frank Herbert
Dune Messiah — Frank Herbert
The Innocent Mage — Karen Miller
The Awakened Mage — Karen Miller
A History of the Middle Ages — Crane Brinton et al

November

The Colour of Magic — Terry Pratchett
Empire Star — Samulel R. Delany
The Pillars of the Earth — Ken Follett
A Game of Thrones — George R.R. Martin
A Clash of Kings — George R.R. Martin

December

The Storm of Swords — George R.R. Martin
A Feast for Crows — George R.R. Martin
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe — James M. Ward
Dragonfrigate Wizard — James M. Ward
The Door Within — Wayne Thomas Batson
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation — Lynne Truss