Reading List - 2010

I see a number of my friends do this every year so I thought I would give it a try myself and see if I can make this thing work - plus seeing what putting it at a future date will do. Anything listed as (re-read) are either in preparation for the next book in a series or for my own pleasure 'cause it was a good read. So, my reading list for 2010:

Currently Reading

• Patriots by David Drake
  
• Recursion by Tony Ballantyne
  
• The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder
  
• Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon (via iPhone Kindle)
  

Started and Abandoned

• The Adventures of Langdon St. Ives by James Blaylock
  
• The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente
  
• Walking by Henry David Thoreau (via iPhone Kindle)
  
• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (via iPhone Kindle)
  

Completed

1. New Tricks by John Levitt (re-read)
   
2. Unleashed by John Levitt
   
3. The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente
   
4. The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling (re-read)
   
5. Boneshaker by Cherie M. Priest
   
6. Dragon's of the Cuyahoga by S. Andrew Swann (re-read)
   
7. The Dwarves of Whiskey Island by S. Andrew Swann (re-read)
   
8. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
   
9. One Day On Mars by Travis S. Taylor
   
10. The Apocalypse Troll by David Weber (re-read)
    
11. The Affinity Bridge by George Mann
    
12. The Adept by Katherine Kurtz (re-read)
    
13. Lodge of the Lynx by Katherine Kurtz (re-read)
    
14. New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear
    
15. The Templar Treasure by Katherine Kurtz (re-read)
    
16. The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson
    
17. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (re-read)
    
18. The Tau Ceti Agenda by Travis S. Taylor
    
19. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire
    
20. Roadkill by Rob Thurman
    
21. A Mighty Fortress by David Weber
    
22. Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco
    
23. Unquiet Dreams by Mark Del Franco
    
24. Soulless by Gail Carriger
    
25. The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
    
26. Chimera by Rob Thurman
    
27. The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Reddick
    
28. His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (re-read)
    
29. Thomas Riley by Nick Valentino
    
30. The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
    
31. Orphanage by Robert Buettner
    
32. A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer (re-read)
    
33. Consider Phlebas by Ian M. Banks
    
34. Alien Taste by Wen Spencer (re-read)
    
35. Clementine by Cherie M. Priest
    
36. Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America by Robert Charles Wilson
    
37. Tainted Trail by Wen Spencer (re-read)
    
38. The Osirus Ritual by George Mann
    
39. Bitter Waters by Wen Spencer (re-read)
    
40. Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye
    
41. Dog Warrior by Wen Spencer
    
42. The Atlantis Code by Charles Brokaw
    
43. The Native Star by M.K. Hobson
    
44. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (re-read)
    
45. Dreadnought by Cherie M. Priest
    
46. The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman
    
47. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
    
48. An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire
    
49. Out of the Dark by David Weber
    
50. Excession by Ian M. Banks
    
51. The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman

Outstanding (& Very Highly Recommended) Reads from 2010
The Clockwork Century series by Cherie M. Priest

1. Boneshaker
   
2. Clementine
   
3. Dreadnought
   

In a year that has seen a flood of "steampunk" novels hitting the market (thanks to Tor's Oct. 2009 Steampunk month), Cherie M. Priest's new Clockwork Century series stand out. That it excels is reinforced by the fact that the first novel in the series, Boneshaker, was a Hugo and Nebula award nominee this year. One of the more interesting aspects of this series is the fact that we have supporting characters playing major roles in the subsequent novels. Although I was hesitant to delve into this series, primarily due to the whole "zombie" thing (she calls them rotters), Ms. Priest's explanation of their coming into existence was quite plausible and they did not play a major role in the initial novel. The second novel, Clementine is a bit more difficult to acquire as it was only offered through the (thrice-damned) Subterranean Press. Even so, it was an enjoyable read as one of the side characters from novel #1 played a more substantial role here as the action shifts from the west coast to the east and the on-going Civil War. The third (so far) novel in the series, Dreadnought sees the action shift, yet again, from the Civil War in the east back toward the west coast. This was an even more exciting book than the previous two. Truth to tell, I was physically drained by the time I got through the chapter where the "Dreadnought" finally meets it's Northern equivalent outside Salt Lake City. I highly recommend this series, and while each stands well on its own I found that you really need to have read Boneshaker to understand the interconnecting thread of the gas and "rotters" introduced in the first book.

Outstanding (& Very Highly Recommended) Reads from 2009
The Western Lights series by Jeffrey Barlough

1. Dark Sleeper
   
2. The House in the High Wood
   
3. Strange Cargo
   

Jeffrey Barlough's "Western Lights" series was a pleasure and a surprise. Although the setting was intriguing enough to cause me to acquire these novels, the characters are what really drives them home. Barlough has a wonderful way of portraying both his main characters as well as incidental sub-characters. You end up caring about every one of them as if they were old friends and acquaintances and the descriptive settings make you feel like you'd actually been there.