04 January 2021

Book List - 2020


And here they are - the 166 books I read in 2020, numbered in the order I completed them:

Adult Fiction (116)
3. The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall -- SF (short stories), by Anne McCaffrey *
4. Turn Coat -- urban fantasy (Dresden #11), by Jim Butcher
6. Going Postal -- fantasy, by Terry Pratchett
8. Making Money -- fantasy, by Terry Pratchett
9. Directive 51 -- SF, by John Barnes
11. Dragonsdawn -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
14. Dragonseye -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
16. The Dolphins of Pern -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
18. The Skies of Pern -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
19. Dragon's Code -- SF, by Gigi McCaffrey
21. The Renegades of Pern -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
22. A Gift of Dragons -- SF (short stories), by Anne McCaffrey
23. Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern -- SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
24. Dragonheart -- SF, by Todd McCaffrey
25. Dragongirl -- SF, by Todd McCaffrey
26. Dragon's Time -- SF, by Anne and Todd McCaffrey
28. Sky Dragons -- SF, by Anne and Todd McCaffrey
29. Dragonsblood -- SF, by Todd McCaffrey *
30. Strip -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
31. Track of the Cat -- mystery (Pigeon #1), by Nevada Barr *
32. A Superior Death -- mystery (Pigeon #2), by Nevada Barr
33. Ill Wind -- mystery (Pigeon #3), by Nevada Barr
34. The Burglar -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
35. Firestorm -- mystery (Pigeon #4), by Nevada Barr
37. Endangered Species -- mystery (Pigeon #5), by Nevada Barr
38. Blind Descent -- mystery (Pigeon #6), by Nevada Barr
39. Fidelity -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
40. Liberty Falling -- mystery (Pigeon #7), by Nevada Barr *
41. Deep South -- mystery (Pigeon #8), by Nevada Barr *
42. Forty Thieves -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
43. Hit List -- thriller, by Lawrence Block
44. Blood Lure -- mystery (Pigeon #9), by Nevada Barr *
45. Hunting Season -- mystery (Pigeon #10), by Nevada Barr
46. The Old Man -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
47. Flashback -- mystery (Pigeon #11), by Nevada Barr
48. High Country -- mystery (Pigeon #12), by Nevada Barr
49. Hit Parade -- thriller (short stories), by Lawrence Block
50. Hard Truth -- mystery (Pigeon #13), by Nevada Barr
51. Pursuit -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
52. Winter Study -- mystery (Pigeon #14), by Nevada Barr
53. Borderline -- mystery (Pigeon #15), by Nevada Barr
55. Hit and Run -- thriller, by Lawrence Block
56. Silence -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
57. Burn -- mystery (Pigeon #16), by Nevada Barr
59. The Rope -- mystery (Pigeon #0), by Nevada Barr
60. Nightlife -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
61. Destroyer Angel -- mystery (Pigeon #17), by Nevada Barr
62. Boar Island -- mystery (Pigeon #18), by Nevada Barr
63. The Boyfriend -- thriller, by Thomas Perry
64. A Flock of Ships -- WWII fiction, by Brian Callison *
65. Metzger's Dog -- thriller, by Thomas Perry *
67. Grave Importance -- urban fantasy, by Vivian Shaw
71. Jan of the Jungle -- adventure, by Otis Adelbert Kline
73. A Skeleton in the House -- mystery, by Leigh Perry
74. The Skeleton Takes a Bow -- mystery, by Leigh Perry
75. The Skeleton Haunts a House -- mystery, by Leigh Perry
76. Conquistador -- AH, by S M Stirling *
77. The Coming of the Quantum Cats -- AH, by Frederick Pohl
78. The Dancer from Atlantis -- time travel, by Poul Anderson *
79. Swords and Deviltry -- fantasy, by Fritz Leiber
81. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance -- SF, by Lois McMaster Bujold
83. The Big Black Mark -- SF, by A Bertram Chandler *
85. The Long Skeleton -- mystery (North #22), by Frances and Richard Lockridge
88. Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 2 (1940) -- SF (short stories), edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H Greenberg
89. Out of Order -- mystery (Mayo #9), by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
90. Knight Fall (aka Murder at the War) -- mystery, by Mary Monica Pulver *
91. Janissaries -- SF, by Jerry Pournelle *
92. Birds of Prey -- SF, by David Drake *
93. The Time Trap Gambit -- time travel, by Larry Maddock *
94. Voyage Into Violence -- mystery (North #21), by Richard and Frances Lockridge
95. The Fantastic World War II: The War That Wasn't -- WWII fantasy, edited by Frank McSherry Jr
96. Thunderball -- thriller, by Ian Fleming
97. Masters of the Fist -- apocalyptic fiction (short stories), by Edward P Hughes
98. High Justice -- SF (short stories), by Jerry Pournelle
99. Zarsthor's Bane -- fantasy, by Andre Norton
100. Rocheworld -- SF, by Robert L Forward
101. The Colour of Magic -- fantasy, by Terry Pratchett
102. A Malady of Magicks -- fantasy, by Craig Shaw Gardner
103. Prince of Sparta -- SF, by Jerry Pournelle and S M Stirling *
105. No Enemy But Time -- time travel, by Michael Bishop
107. The Maker of Universes -- SF, by Philip Jose Farmer *
108. The Outlaw of Torn -- historical fiction, by Edgar Rice Burroughs *
109. Taylor's Ark -- SF, by Jody Lynn Nye
110. Random Death -- mystery (Varallo #11), by Lesley Egan *
111. Crime for Christmas -- mystery (Varallo #12), by Lesley Egan *
113. The Planet of Peril -- planetary adventure, by Otis Adelbert Kline
118. Mysterium -- SF, by Robert Charles Wilson
120. Marie -- historical fiction, by H Rider Haggard
122. A Study in Sable -- historical urban fantasy, by Mercedes Lackey
127. A Scandal in Battersea -- historical urban fantasy, by Mercedes Lackey
129. The Bartered Brides -- historical urban fantasy, by Mercedes Lackey
131. The Wizard of London -- historical urban fantasy, by Mercedes Lackey
132. The Case of the Spellbound Child -- historical urban fantasy, by Mercedes Lackey
134. Stars Uncharted -- SF, by S K Dunstall
137. Stars Beyond -- SF, by S K Dunstall
138. 1636: The Atlantic Encounter -- AH, by Eric Flint and Walter H Hunt
140. The Legacy of Heorot -- SF, by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes *
141. Beowulf's Children -- SF, by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes
143. Starborn and Godsons -- SF, by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes
144. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August -- SF, by Claire North
145. Peace Talks -- urban fantasy (Dresden #16), by Jim Butcher
146. The Pursuit of the Pankera -- SF, by Robert A Heinlein
149. Except the Dying -- mystery (Murdoch #1), by Maureen Jennings
150. Raven Black -- mystery (Perez #1), by Ann Cleeves
151. Blue Lightning -- mystery (Perez #4), by Ann Cleeves
152. Under the Dragon's Tail -- mystery (Murdoch #2), by Maureen Jennings
153. Poor Tom Is Cold -- mystery (Murdoch #3), by Maureen Jennings
154. Season of Darkness -- mystery (Tyler #1), by Maureen Jennings
155. Night's Child -- mystery (Murdoch #5), by Maureen Jennings
156. Battle Ground -- urban fantasy (Dresden #17), by Jim Butcher
157. A Journeyman to Grief -- mystery (Murdoch #7), by Maureen Jennings
159. No Known Grave -- mystery (Tyler #3), by Maureen Jennings
160. Let Darkness Bury the Dead -- mystery
 (Murdoch #8), by Maureen Jennings
161. 1637: No Peace Beyond the Line -- AH, by Eric Flint and Charles E Gannon
162. The Falcon Always Wings Twice -- mystery (Langslow #27), by Donna Andrews
165. The Gift of the Magpie -- mystery (Langslow #28), by Donna Andrews

Juvenile/YA Fiction (12)
69. The Penderwicks in Spring -- children's, by Jeanne Birdsall
72. The Boy Scouts on a Submarine -- YA, by Captain John Blaine
114. The Penderwicks at Last -- children's, by Jeanne Birdsall
115. Smugglers' Reef -- YA thriller (Brant #7), by John Blaine
116. The Caves of Fear -- YA thriller (Brant #8), by John Blaine
117. The Mystery of the Iron Box -- YA thriller, by Bruce Campbell
123. The Golden Skull -- YA thriller (Brant #10), by John Blaine
124. The Wailing Octopus -- YA thriller (Brant #11), by John Blaine
125. The Electronic Mind Reader -- YA thriller (Brant #12), by John Blaine
126. The Scarlet Lake Mystery -- YA thriller (Brant #13), by John Blaine
163. Nation -- YA fiction, by Terry Pratchett
164. Dodger -- YA fiction, by Terry Pratchett

Non-Fiction (38)
1. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus -- history, by Charles C Mann
2. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created -- history, by Charles C Mann
5. Death from the Skies!: The Science Behind the End of the World -- astronomy, by Philip Plait PhD
7. Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain's Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII -- WW II, by Deborah Cadbury
10. Until the Final Hour: Hitler's Last Secretary -- WWII memoir, by Traudl Junge, Melissa Müller (editor)
12. The Queen's Bed: An Intimate History of Elizabeth's Court -- history, by Anna Whitelock 
13. A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History -- anthropology, by Nicholas Wade
15. In the Footsteps of Eve: The Mystery of Human Origins -- palaeoanthropology, by Lee R Berger PhD with Brett Hilton-Barber
17. Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors -- anthropology, by Nicholas Wade
20. When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt -- history, by Kara Cooney
27. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain -- travel/archaeology, by Charlotte Higgins
36. The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked & Found -- children's history/archaeology, by Martin W Sandler 
54. Five Days That Shocked the World: Eyewitness Accounts from Europe at the End of World War II -- WW II, by Nicholas Best
58. Inside Hitler's Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich -- WW II, by Joachim Fest
66. Ravensbrück: Life and Death in Hitler's Concentration Camp for Women -- WW II, by Sarah Helm
68. Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War, and the Twilight of Empire -- history, by Calder Walton
70. A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII -- biography, by Sarah Helm
80. In Search of the Neanderthals: Solving the Puzzle of Human Origins -- palaeoanthropology, by Christopher Stringer and Clive Gamble
82. Hitler's Teutonic Knights: SS Panzers in Action -- WW II, by Bruce Quarrie
84. The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall -- history, by Christopher Hibbert
86. Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History -- palaeontology, by Xiaoming Wang and Richard H Tedford
87. The Velvet Claw: A Natural History of the Carnivores -- zoology, by David Macdonald
104. The Scottish Highlanders: A Personal View -- history, by Charles MacKinnon of Dunakin
106. The Devil's Birthday: The Bridges to Arnhem, 1944 -- WW II, by Geoffrey Powell
112. Tin Cans and Greyhounds: The Destroyers That Won Two World Wars -- naval history, by Clint Johnson
119. The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics Behind Nazi Lines -- WW II, by Cate Lineberry
121. The Man Called Brown Condor: The Forgotten History of an African American Fighter Pilot -- biography, by Thomas E Simmons
128. Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times -- memoir, by Jennifer Worth
130. Women of Valor: The Rochambelles on the WWII Front -- WW II, by Ellen Hampton
133. Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence -- US history, by Joseph J Ellis
135. The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789 -- US history, by Joseph J Ellis
136. Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America's Independence -- US history, by Carol Berkin
139. Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields --  WW II, by Wendy Lower
142. Victorian London: The Tale of a City 1840-1870 -- history, by Liza Picard
147. Mayday 1971: A White House at War, a Revolt in the Streets, and the Untold History of America's Biggest Mass Arrest -- history, by Lawrence Roberts
148. We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey back to the Battlefields of Vietnam -- memoir, by LTG Harold G Moore and Joseph L Galloway 
158. By Hook or by Crook: A Journey in Search of English -- language, by David Crystal
166. Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield -- military history, by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon


Retirement has done good things for my reading.  Books?  40 mysteries, 39 SF/AH/time travel, 38 non-fiction, 21 thrillers, 16 fantasy of various kinds. And only 27 rereads (marked by asterisks).  Authors?  19 by Nevada Barr, 10 each by Anne McCaffrey (with or without her son Todd) and Thomas Perry, 8 by Maureen Jennings, 7 by John Blaine, 6 by Terry Pratchett.

Top three books of the year were A Study in Sable, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, and Ashley's War.

So many books, so little time....

02 January 2021

Book list -- Oct-Dec 2020

Mayday 1971: A White House at War, a Revolt in the Streets, and the Untold History of America's Biggest Mass Arrest -- history, by Lawrence Roberts
We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey back to the Battlefields of Vietnam -- memoir, by LTG Harold G Moore and Joseph L Galloway 
Except the Dying
 -- mystery (Murdoch #1), by Maureen Jennings
Raven Black -- mystery (Perez #1), by Ann Cleeves
Blue Lightning -- mystery (Perez #4), by Ann Cleeves
Under the Dragon's Tail -- mystery (Murdoch #2), by Maureen Jennings
Poor Tom Is Cold -- mystery (Murdoch #3), by Maureen Jennings
Season of Darkness -- mystery (Tyler #1), by Maureen Jennings
Night's Child -- mystery (Murdoch #5), by Maureen Jennings
Battle Ground -- urban fantasy (Dresden #17), by Jim Butcher
A Journeyman to Grief -- mystery (Murdoch #7), by Maureen Jennings
By Hook or by Crook: A Journey in Search of English -- language, by David Crystal
No Known Grave -- mystery (Tyler #3), by Maureen Jennings
Let Darkness Bury the Dead -- mystery
(Murdoch #8), by Maureen Jennings
1637: No Peace Beyond the Line -- AH, by Eric Flint and Charles E Gannon
The Falcon Always Wings Twice -- mystery (Langslow #27), by Donna Andrews
Nation -- fiction, by Terry Pratchett
Dodger -- fiction, by Terry Pratchett
The Gift of the Magpie -- mystery (Langslow #28), by Donna Andrews
Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield -- military history, by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon





20 books this time round, none of them rereads.  Rather heavy on mysteries this year....

I'd say Nation and Ashley's War were the best books of the quarter.