February 2012: Stuff I’ve Been Reading
- The Dead of Winter by Rennie Airth
- Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
- True Grit by Charles Portis
- The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip
- Heir of Sea and Fire by Patricia A. McKillip
- Harpist in the Wind by Patricia A. McKillip
- Shadow by K. J. Parker
- Pattern by K. J. Parker
- Digging to America by Anne Tyler
- The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
- Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
- Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian
- Memory by K. J. Parker
Since January, I’ve read four trilogies, if you interpret the term loosely. I read three mystery novels by Rennie Airth set in WWI and WWII England. I read the first three books of the science fiction Dune saga. I read the Riddle-Master trilogy by high fantasy author Patricia A. McKillip, and I read the Scavenger trilogy by tragic fantasy author K. J. Parker. The trilogy I liked best as a whole was probably K. J. Parker’s simply because I’m a fan, although Parker’s Engineer trilogy, beginning with Devices and Desires, is still my favorite.
I also read a few stand-alone novels: True Grit is the best Western I’ve read to date; Digging to America has long held the place of favorite novel by one of my favorite authors; classic science fiction The Stars My Destination I picked up on a lark but it pleasantly surprised me. Cherie Priest’s Dreadnought is a relatively stand-alone sequel to her steampunk Boneshaker, though I’m glad I read them in publication order. And Master and Commander is the first of a twenty-odd-book naval series that’s something I might continue reading if the mood strikes me.
Favorite read of the month: Digging to America, because of Maryam.
Sad news: Since July 2011, I’ve now read all eleven books by K. J. Parker. Now where will I get my beautifully described combat and moral nihilism until Sharps comes out in July 2012? *Parker withdrawal*
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