[pdurrant]

I expect that I will read more than 150 books in 2012. (About 160 in 2010, about 200 in 2011), but my big problem is my TBR list. Because I also bought a lot of books: 256 in 2010 and about 216 in 2011.

At the end of 2011, my TBR pile was 380 books long. If I can get it to below 300 by the end of 2012, I will consider that I've won my 2012 challenge.

So all I need to do is read 80 more books than I buy in 2012. Based on past reading rates, all I'll need to do is buy no more than one book for every two I read. How hard could that be?

Books read in 2012

1. December 30th: A Quest Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis - $2.55 - 7/10. 352pp
   A good anthology of quest fantasy stories. I enjoyed all the stories.
2. January 4th: F&SF, April 2005 by Spilogale Authors - $1.16 - 7/10. 100pp
   A good issue. I enjoyed all the stories (which doesn't always happen with F&SF).
3. January 5th: Grantville Gazette, Vol. #39 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 8/10. 400pp
   That was fun. Continuations of old series and some new stories, spread around the 1632 universe, as well as a couple in the Time Spike universe, and one stand-alone story. All very readable.
4. January 6th: Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie - $5.99 - 8/10. 400pp
   Another good mystery, and without any of her usual cast. I did guess the killer, but not the right reason.
5. January 8th: Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy - $3.39* - 6/10. 739pp
   A competent military thriller, but I found the basic premise completely implausible.
6. January 14th: Asimov's SF, February 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
   A good issue. I particularly liked the last story, an interesting take on capital punishment.
7. January 16th: Analog SFF, March 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
   Another good issue. I'm enjoying the serial.
8. January 17th: F&SF, May 2005 by Spilogale Authors - $1.16 - 5/10. 100pp
   Unfortunately, much of the issue is taken up with an 'eldritch horror' kind of fantasy, which really goes nowhere, and isn't to my liking at all.
9. January 19th: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 9/10. 320pp
   Excellent. Very nicely done indeed.
10. January 19th: The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings - $3.35 - 6/10. 791pp
    An Epic Fantasy that fails.There's no real sense of peril at all. Just a jolly romp by friends.
11. January 22nd: Genellan: Planetfall by Scott Gier - Free - 6/10. 478pp.
    I think there's just too much thrown into this novel, which means that none of it seems to be explored or explained well enough.
12. January 28th: Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 240pp
    Another good Hercule Poirot mystery. I remembered the plot of this one, but it was still fun seeing how it worked out.
13. January 28th: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 256pp
    Yet another good Hercule Poirot mystery. Again, I remembered the main plot points of this one, but it was still fun seeing how it worked out.
14. January 29th: The Swords of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber - $3.06 - 7/10. 256pp
    More fun with Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.
15. February 1st: The Godmother by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough - $2.60 - 7/10. 318pp
    Fun, but could be better. I might well get the next two books though.
16. February 3rd: The Man Who Used the Universe by Alan Dean Foster - $3.83 - 9/10. 320pp
    A very good story indeed, and an absolutely splendid last line. It made me remember why I like his work, while some of the later Pip & Flinx books made me forget!
17. February 4th: Marsbound by Joe Haldeman - $2.92 - 8/10. 288pp
    A fun coming-of-age/first contact novel.
18. February 5th: Starbound by Joe Haldeman - $7.64 - 8/10. 320pp
    Constant switching of narrator is confusing, but a good second novel in the series and again, complete in itself.
19. February 6th: The Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuin - $3.40* - 9/10. 352pp
    An excellent novel depicting an "ambiguous utopia". Highly recommended.
20. February 7th: Asimov's SF, March 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 9/10. 100pp
    An excellent issue. Some very interesting and entertaining stories in this issue. Usually I can pick one as my favourite, but this month there are three or four that I really liked.
21. February 8th: Analog SFF, April 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 7/10. 100pp
    An average issue, helped by the serial which I'm still enjoying.
22. February 9th: F&SF, June 2005 by Spilogale Authors - $1.16 - 8/10. 100pp
    A good issue. I liked "The Legend of the Whiney Man" and "The Gist Hunter" in particular.
23. February 9th: First Contacts by various authors - $2.02 - 6/10. 211pp.
    An OK anthology of older first contact short stories.
24. February 12th: Infected:Prey by Andrea Speed - Free - 8/10. 376pp
    That was fun. Werecats and private detectives.
25. February 13th: Infected:Bloodlines by Andrea Speed - $2.38 - 8/10. 222pp
    I liked this one too. But even more obviously an AIDS allegory.
26. February 14th: Infected:Life After Death by Andrea Speed - $2.38 - 8/10. 350pp
    Also fun, even though there doesn't seem to be much overall plot, in tthe series as a whole.
27. February 15th: Infected: Freefall by Andrea Speed - $2.38 - 8/10. 350p
    Still enjoyable, although there are obviously more to be written.
28. February 16th: Bio of a Space Tyrant, vol.1 by Piers Anthony - Free - Abandoned. 318pp
    [Abandoned. I can't stand Anthony's sympathetic depictions of paedophiles.]
29. February 17th: City by Clifford D. Simak - $2.70 - 7/10. 255pp.
    An interesting linked set of short stories, although the linking text is a bit weak.
30. February 18th: Worlds Without End and Other Stories by Clifford D. Simak - $1.70 - 7/10. 140pp.
    Another interesting set of short stories, but without any overall story arc or links as in City.
31. February 19th: Chronospace by Allen Steele - $3.60 - 6/10. 336pp
    An interesting, if ultimately not very satisfying, time travel story.
32. February 21st: Power Lines by Anne McCaffrey - $2.97 - 6/10. 330pp
    A weak and poorly worked out villain.
33. February 24th: Echoes of Betrayal by Elizabeth Moon - $6.75 - 9/10. 480pp
    Splendid fantasy. But only third out of five planned!
34. February 25th: Evil under the Sun by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 320pp
    Another good Hercule Poirot murder mystery.
35. February 26th: Voyager In Night by C. J. Cherryh - $2.54* - 8/10. 224pp
    An interesting stand-alone SF story. Recommended.
36. February 29th: Fellowship of Fear by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 7/10. 288pp.
    A moderate spy mystery. I got the answer about half way through. But fun enough to pick up the rest next time there's a good offer at fictionwise.
37. March 2nd: Grantville Gazette, Vol. #40 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 8/10. 400pp
    Another good set of short stories in the 1632 universe.
38. March 4th: F&SF, July 2005 by Spilogale Authors - $1.16 - 8/10. 100pp
    A good issue. I especially liked "Think So?" by Robert Reed.
39. March 6th: N or M? by Agatha Christie - $0.62 - 7/10. 304pp
    An interesting second-world-war spy mystery, catching up with Tommy and Tuppence in their middle-age.
40. March 8th: Analog SFF, May 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
    Another good issue, with a suitably epic finish to the serial.
41. March 10th: Asimov's SF, April–May 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 7/10. 200pp
    Brought down by a slightly disappointing time travel story.
42. March 11th: The Stoneholding by James G Anderson & Mark Sebanc - $3.75 - Abandoned. 419pp
    [Abandoned: Too much of an attempt to be epic, an entirely unconvincing world, and far too much back story shoved in willy-nilly.]
43. March 15th: Captain Flandry by Poul Anderson - $3.75 - 8/10. 416pp
    An excellent set of stories from Poul Anderson
44. March 21st: Aliens edited by Martin H Greenberg - $2.02 - 6/10. 200pp.
    A mixed bag. One or two I liked a lot, but most were only so-so.
45. March 22nd: Scardown by Elizabeth Bear - $3.70 - 7/10. 368pp
    Good SF, clearly part two of a trilogy.
46. March 24th: Worldwired by Elizabeth Bear - $3.70 - 8/10. 416pp
    Good conclusion to an interesting series.
47. March 26th: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - $0.81 - 9/10. 464pp
    Despite a ridiculous premise, a very exciting read.
48. March 27th: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - $0.81 - 9/10. 480pp
49. March 28th: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - $0.81 - 9/10. 448pp
    One story split over two volumes (as is often the case with the last two parts of a trilogy). I enjoyed these a lot. Exciting, quick reads.
50. March 29th: The Nick of Time by George Alex Effinger - $4.16 - 6/10. 256pp
    The first section was an interesting 'groundhog day' scenario, from before Groundhog Day was released. But I never felt the characters were really done well or consistently.
51. March 30th: The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 224pp
    I remembered the plot of this one from a TV adaption. I did like the book anyway - it's not just the puzzle, IMO.
52. April 1st: The Exiles Trilogy by Ben Bova - $1.53 - 7/10. 448pp
    Three sort-of connected novellas about interstellar travel. Showing their age a bit.
53. April 3rd: Falcons of Narabedla by Marion Zimmer Bradley - $1.01 - 7/10. 150pp
    An interesting early work. But weak plotting, and one very inconsistent character.
54. April 5th: Song of Sorcery by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough - $2.60 - 8/10. 209pp
    A fantasy with witches and spells and gypsies and dragons. Fun stuff.
55. April 6th: F&SF, August 2005 by Spilogale Authors - $1.16 - 7/10. 100pp
    I really liked the first two stories and the last. The others weren't to my taste.
56. April 8th: Endgame Enigma by James P. Hogan - $3.75 - 7/10. 480pp
    I'm a bit torn on this one. The main plot idea is splendid. I just found the implementation rather dull.
57. April 12th: The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 240pp
    An engaging tale, with Miss Marple as a deus ex machina at the end.
58. April 13th: Fortress of Eagles by C. J. Cherryh - $3.17 - 7/10. 496pp
    A good start on a continuation, but definitely just part of a series rather than another almost stand-alone book.
59. April 16th: Fortress of Owls by C. J. Cherryh - $3.17 - 7/10. 560pp
    A bit more action, and I'll definitely read the other two, but it seems that the last four books in this series are one big story arc.
60. April 20th: The Unwelcome Warlock by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $0.63 - 8/10. 330pp
    A very good continuation of the Ethshar series
61. April 21st: Tales of Ethshar by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $0.63 - 8/10. 224pp
    A splendid collection of short stories set in the Ethshar universe.
62. April 22nd: The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King - $1.83 - 7/10. 448pp
    It was pretty good. I'm a little unconvinced by the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes interactions.
63. April 24th: The Dark Place by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 8/10. 272pp
    A fun, quick read. Some plausible-sounding analysis of bones, and a fascinating situation.
64. April 23rd: Murder in the Queen's Armes by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 8/10. 256pp
    A splendid little mystery novel.
65. April 23rd: Old Bones by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 8/10. 256pp
    Another splendid little mystery novel.
66. April 24th: Man Kzin Wars VII: A Darker Geometry by Mark O. Martin and Gregory Benford - $3.75 - 8/10. 432pp
    Interesting views of the start of the Man-Kzin conflicts.
67. April 27th: F&SF May/June 2012 by Spilogale authors - $2.97 - 7/10. 200pp
    It was OK. I didn't dislike any of the stories, and most of them I quite liked.
68. April 28th: F&SF March/April 2012 by Spilogale authors. - $2.97 - 7/10. 200pp
    I particularly enjoyed "The Tortoise Grows Elate" and "The Queen and the Cambion". But overall, an average issue.
69. April 29th: Black Star Rising by Frederick Pohl - $4.00 - 6/10. 288pp
    A reasonably promising start, but fades in the middle and then stops after one main plot point gets resolved. Not his best.
70. April 30th: Beyond Heaven's River by Greg Bear - $2.89 - 6/10. 184pp
    OK, but not a very convincing situation or characters.
71. May 1st: Hunters of the Red Moon by Marin Zimmer Bradley - $0.97 - 7/10. 224pp
    This was better, with some interesting ideas, but ultimately not very satisfying for me.
72. May 1st: Curses! by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 9/10. 192pp
    Another excellent adventure with Gideon Oliver.
73. May 1st: Asimov's SF, June 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
    An average issue. But that average is pretty good with Asimov's.
74. May 2nd: Analog SFF, June 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
    Also enjoyable, but nothing really stood out in the issue for me.
75. May 4th: Grantville Gazette 41 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 8/10. 400pp
76. May 5th: F&SF September 2005 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 9/10. 100pp
    Well, that was a really good issue. Mostly, perhaps, because of two really nice short stories by David Gerrold. But the other stories were nearly all above average too.
77. May 6th: Flandry's Legacy by Poul Anderson - $3.75 - 9/10. 480pp
    An excellent book, concluding the Flandry stories, and with tales from the Long Night and the recovery.
78. May 12th: Out of the Dark by David Weber - $4.23 - 8/10. 528pp.
    A fun read, and realistic for an alien invasion story. But Weber pulls a deus ex machina to save the day, although it's foreshadowed a bit.
79. May 14th: A Rising Thunder by David Weber - $3.00 - 7/10. 464pp.
    I enjoyed the book, and it would be unfair to say that nothing happens. But it's certainly just one more step in the saga without a significant story arc of its own.
80. May 15th: Out of Whack by Jeff Strand - $4.34 - 6/10. 248pp
    A comic novel about a young man forming a comedy group. Some good lines. But overall, not really my kind of thing.
81. May 17th: Analog SFF, July/August 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 9/10. 200pp
    An excellent issue. I especially liked the Novella "The Conquest o the Air".
82. May 19th: Asimov's SF, July 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $1.73 - 8/10. 100pp
    A very good issue.
83. May 20th: Sir Dominic Flandry by Poul Anderson - $3.00 - 9/10. 448pp.
    Three splendid novels and a short story about Dominic Flandrey and his work to put off the "Long Night" that will follow the fall of the Terran Empire.
84. May 24th: Bedlam's Bard by Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon - $3.00 - 7/10. 624pp.
    Fun with Elves and magic. Heros' angst is occasionally a little irritating, but not enough to spoil things.
85. May 25th: The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein - $3.00 - 9/10. 256pp.
    Showing its age only a bit, an excellent tale.
86. May 26th: The Forerunner Factor by Andre Norton - $3.00 - 6/10. 416pp.
    A good start, but a little too much weirdness and coincidence thrown in later on.
87. May 31st: Overkill by Robert Buettner - $3.00 - 9/10. 309pp.
    A fun read. Interesting background and an exciting story. Good stuff.
88. May 31st: Undercurrents by Robert Buettner - $2.57 - 8/10. 304pp.
    A good follow-up, if not quite as fun for me due to lack of real aliens.
89. June 2nd: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - $20.94 - 10/10. 1178pp
    A splendid book. I like it even more each time I read it.
90. June 29th: Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi - $4.78 - 9/10. 368pp
    Perhaps it's the influence of the original, but I really liked this, and read it in one sitting. A very well-worth-while updating of a good story.
91. June 30th: F&SF July/August 2012 by Spilogale authors - $2.97 - 7/10. 200pp
    A good edition, although all Fantasy, as far as I remember.
92. July 4th: Icy Clutches by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 8/10. 226pp
    A fun series of murder mysteries.
93. July 5th: Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 9/10. 320pp
    An excellent detective story, told in an interesting fashion.
94. July 7th: Net Force by Tom Clancy - $6.80* - 3/10. 384pp
    Poor.
95. July 10th: F&SF October/November 2005 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 7/10. 200pp
    An average issue, although it does include one story I skipped as I've never read "The Last Unicorn" by Peter S Beagle.
96. July 11th: Grantville Gazette 42 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 8/10. 400pp
    Another good instalment of the Ring of Fire soap opera.
97. July 13th: Make No Bones by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 9/10. 234pp
    I do like these mystery novels.
98. July 15th: The Covenant by Poul Anderson, Isaac Asimov, Robert Blocj and Robert Sheckley. - $1.16 - 8/10. 40pp
    A round-robin novella. It was fun to watch each author leaving plot problems for the next. Out of copyright in the US.
99. July 16th: Bits of the Dead by Piers Anthony and many others. - $2.89 - 5/10. 80pp
    An interesting anthology of zombie short-shorts, but not quite to my taste.
100. July 17th: 1636: The Kremlin Games by Eric Flint et al. - $6.00 - 7/10. 400pp
     A good look at Russia, expanding and extending the stories in the Grantville Gazettes about Bernie.
101. July 19th: Dead Men's Hearts by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 7/10. 256pp
     A little below the others, but still fun.
102. July 20th: F&SF December 2005 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 6/10. 100pp
     An OK issue, but nothing stood out for me.
103. July 21st: Fortress of Dragons by C.J. Cherryh - $3.17 - 8/10. 576pp
     A very good continuation of the series. I hope the last one doesn't disappoint.
104. July 26th: Twenty Blue Devils by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 8/10. 288pp
     Another excellent mystery with Gideon Oliver.
105. July 28th: Fortress of Ice by C.J. Cherryh - $3.17 - 8/10. 528pp
     Arghhh.. A discontinued series. No clifhanger, but not a resolution, either.
106. August 2nd: Towards Zero by Agatha Christie - $0.65 - 8/10. 208pp
     Another excellent murder mystery, with Inspector Battle.
107. August 5th: Analog SFF, September 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
     A good issue. I especially like the moon story.
108. August 5th: Asimov's SF, August 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors - $1.58 - 7/10. 100pp
     An OK issue.
109. August 7th: Ware Tetrology by Rudy Rucker - Free - 4/10. 704pp
     Some interesting ideas, but a lack of consideration of consequences.
110. August 15th: So You Want to Be a Wizard (New Millennium Edition) by Diane Duane - $6.99 - 9/10. 400pp
     A splendid book, only slipping from 10/10 because of a couple of minor not-well-enough-thought-out changes to the NME.
111. August 17th: The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer - $1.84 - 7/10. 320pp
     Astonishingly, written when she was 15! A fun, if uneven, romance. Occasional wonderful turns of phrase.
112. August 18th: F&SF January 2006 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 8/10. 100pp
     A better than average issue for me.
113. August 20th: F&SF February 2006 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 8/10. 100pp
     Also better than average issue for me. Although the end of the two-part story was a bit disappointing, other stories made up for it.
114. August 21st: F&SF March 2006 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 8/10. 100pp
     Another good issue for me. More SF than fantasy.
115. August 22nd: F&SF April 2006 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 7/10. 100pp
     One splendid story by Robert Reed, the rest more so-so.
116. August 23rd: F&SF May 2006 by Spilogale authors - $1.16 - 7/10. 100pp
     An OK edition.
117. August 25th: Silks by Dick Francis et al. - $0.48 - 6/10. 400pp
     An average Dick Francis novel. (Bought a second-hand hardback for 30p)
118. August 26th: Skeleton Dance by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 9/10. 352pp.
     Another good outing for Gideon Oliver.
119. August 27th: Sunsinger by Michelle Levigne - Free - 5/10. 200pp
     Disappointing. The SF elements were poorly done, and a fairly dull coming of age plot. The interesting story is just given in brief recap of events in one character's life. IMO, the author chose the wrong character as the protagonist.
120. August 29th: Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer - $1.84 - 8/10. 282pp
     Wow. A splendid romantic romp will well depicted characters. Amazing for a third novel, and a great improvement on her first.
121. August 30th: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling - $7.20 - 8/10. 224pp
     An interesting and enjoyable re-read. There's a surprising amount that makes a lot more sense knowing the rest of the story.
122. September 1st: Interzone #211, Jul/Aug 2007 by TTA Press Authors - $3.40 - 7/10. 224pp
     An interesting set of SF and Fantasy short stories. A different style to the ones in Analog and Asimov's. Also lots of opinion/fact articles, which I mostly skipped.
123. September 2nd: Interzone #212, Sep/Oct 2007 by TTA Press Authors - $3.40 - 7/10. 224pp
     Another interesting set of short stories along with lots of other stuff.
124. September 5th: F&SF September/October 2012 by Spilogale authors - $2.97 - 7/10. 200pp
     An OK issue. Nothing that really stood out for me.
125. September 8th: Grantville Gazette 43 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 7/10. 400pp
     Some of the stories were a bit too complex. Still fun overall.
126. September 9th: Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie - $1.95 - 8/10. 336pp
     An interesting mystery set in ancient Egypt.
127. September 11th: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling - $7.20 - 9/10. 256pp
     A good second novel in the series, and the re-read is worth-while.
128. September 13th: These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer - $1.84 - 9/10. 256pp
     I am enjoying these Heyers.
129. September 15th: Quantum Prophecy #1: The Awakening by Michael Carroll - $4.84 - 7/10. 288pp
     An intersting superheroes/villains universe, but with prophecy, and not good enough to make me want to get the rest.
130. September 16th: Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 8/10. 240pp
     Another good Christie, although one event is a bit contrived.
131. September 18th: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling - $7.20 - 8/10. 320pp
     Good, but the major plot device is a mistake. A re-read knowing the rest of the story is well much worthwhile.
132. September 21st: Analog SFF, October 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $2.10 - 7/10. 100pp
     An average issue.
133. September 24th: Analog SFF, November 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $2.10 - 8/10. 100pp
     An excellent Probability Zero from Larry Niven.
134. September 28th: Asimov's SF, September 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $1.73 - 7/10. 100pp
     An average issue.
135. September 30th: Asimov's SF, October/November 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $2.59 - 7/10. 200pp
     Average, perhaps a little less.
136. October 4th: Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett. $4.80 - 9/10. 448pp
     Splendid. Not the best of the discworld books, but certainly a good one.
137. October 6th: Charlotte Sometimes by by Penelope Farmer. $3.49 - 8/10. 198pp
     An interesting and enjoyable book. The story of a girl who finds herself swapping places with a girl from several decades earlier. More, a story about how much of our identity may depend on the perception of others.
138. October 7th: Snuff by Terry Pratchett. $3.93 - 9/10. 512pp
     Another excellent discworld book, featuring Sam Vimes
139. October 9th: Prince of the Blood by Raymond E. Feist. $6.45 - 8/10. 464pp
     The revised version is, I think, an improvement. But it's a long time since I read the original.
140. October 12th: The King's Buccaneer by Raymond E. Feist. $7.49 - 8/10. 640pp
     A good story, although the pairing off sub-plot made it almost a romance. A few too many OCR errors for a new commercial book.
141. October 16th: Simon The Coldheart by Georgette Heyer $4.80 - 6/10. 352pp
     Clearly an early novel, but still fun and interesting
142. October 17th: A Deceptive Clarity by Aaron Elkins. $1.36 - 8/10. 251pp
     Remarkably similar to the Gideon Oliver series, despite the difference in profession. A fun read, but alas, I didn't get who the villain was, and enough clues were given.
143. October 19th: The Door Through Space by Marin Zimmer Bradley. $0.68 - 7/10. 150pp
     A Darkover novel in all but name, just about. An interesting read. I enjoyed it.
144. October 20th: Legion by Brandon Sanderson. $0.30 - . 87pp
     A fascinating idea, and I'd be interested in reading a longer story involving this character.
145. October 21st: The Keeper's Price by Marion Zimmer Bradly et al. $1.35 - 7/10. 230pp
     Which was an interesting set of stories, the first official Darkover fan-fiction collection.
146. October 23rd: Why Are You Atheists So Angry? by Greta Christina. $5.76 - 9/10. 184pp
     A good little book which explains things well.
147. October 25th: A Step Farther Out by Jerry Pournelle. $2.00 - 6/10. 208pp
     A bit dated, but with some horrendously prescient bits.
148. October 31st: The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer. $1.84 - 9/10. 336pp
     A splendid romp in just-post-Jacobite England.
149. November 1st: Grantville Gazette 44 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 7/10. 400pp
     An average to below average (for GG) issue.
     
150. November 2nd: F&SF November/December 2012 by Spilogale authors - $2.97 - 8/10. 200pp
     An average to above average issue.
151. November 4th: Rogue Program by Darrell Bain - $1.95 - 7/10. 500pp
     Very readable, but only 7/10 as I found the second half totally implausible.
152. November 6th: Asimov's SF, December 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $1.53 - 8/10. 100pp
     An above average issue.
153. November 8th: Analog SFF, December 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors. - $1.53 - 8/10. 100pp
     Also a good issue.
154. November 9th:Mindbridge by Joe Haldeman - $2.53* - 6/10. 208pp
     A good read, but I prefer my SF with one impossible thing, not three or more.
155. November 11th: The Best of Marion Zimmer Bradley - $1.45 - 6/10. 400pp
     Not all were Fantasy/SF. Interesting, but I think I do prefer her novels.
156. November 12th: Shadow of a Dark Queen by Raymond E. Feist - $5.64 - 7/10. 576pp
     It's quite fun, but there are plot holes you could drive an army through.
157. November 13th: Warrior Woman by Marion Zimmer Bradley - $1.52 - 6/10. 205pp
     An interesting departure from her usual works, but although a good read, I felt the world-building was rather poor.
158. November 13th: Starburst by Frederik Pohl - $4.00 - 6/10. 224pp
     An accidental re-read. I still think it was better as the novella "The Gold at the Starbow's End".
159. November 14th: The Weapon from Beyond by Edmund Hamilton - $3.33 - 7/10. 158pp
     An interesting start to a series, but too many coincidences result in a 7/10
160. November 16th: Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer - $1.84 - 9/10. 416pp
     A good romp through late 1500s England and Spain, with a descendent of the eponymous hero of "Simon the Coldheart".
161. November 19th: The Hollow by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 9/10. 272pp
     A very nice mystery. Very well done indeed.
162. November 21st: Asimov's SF, January 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $1.86 - 7/10. 100pp
     A slightly below average issue for me.
163. November 23rd: Analog SFF, January/February 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $2.80 - 9/10. 200pp
     An excellent issue. The novelettes and short stories were top class.
164. November 26th: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover. Darkover Anthology #11 edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley - $1.16 - 8/10. 336pp
     A splendid collection of her shorter Darkover stories.
165. November 28th: The Demon in the Skull by Frederik Pohl - $4.00 - 7/10. 176pp
     An interesting and disturbing look at the impact of absolute power.
166. November 30th: Outward Bound by James P. Hogan - $3.34 - 8/10. 224pp
     A fun new Heinlein-type juvenile. And none of Hogan's later rather weird pseudo-science ideas which put me off his work a bit.
167. December 1st: The Book of Kells by R.A.MacAvoy - $2.60 - 8/10. 364pp
     A rather nice fantasy involving 10th century Ireland. A good read.
168. December 2nd: Sabazel by Lillian Stewart Carl - $4.89 - 3/10. 260pp
     [Abandoned. Not actually terrible, but halfway in I just don't care about anyone or anything in the story.]
169. December 4th: Rise of a Merchant Prince by Raymond E. Feist - $6.06 - 8/10. 464pp
     A splendid continuation of the saga. And characters I care about.
170. December 6th: Man-Kzin Wars XII created by Larry Niven - $2.50 - 7/10. 384pp
     Fills in some of the gaps in Niven's Known Space future history, in-between the hot wars with the Kzin.
171. December 8th: The Closed Worlds by Edmond Hamilton - $3.33 - . 157pp
     Which was an good story, although for someone who wants to keep a secret, the hero certainly talks about it a lot!
172. December 9th: The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer - $1.84 - 8/10. 480pp
     A splendid fictionalised but generally accurate tale of William the Conqueror from birth to 1067 or so.
173. December 13th: InterZone #213 by TTA Press authors - $3.39 - 8/10. 200pp
     Which was an above-average issue. A lovely fantasy "Molly and the Red Hat" and some rather splendid SF.
174. December 14th: The Ancient Future by Traci Harding - $3.90** - 3/10. 560pp
     [Abandoned. Appalling historical errors and terrible dialog that can't decide how to best be translated.]
175. December 15th: Power Play by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough - $3.59 - 6/10. 352pp
     No real sense of peril, and one completely inexplicable transformation (fantasy in an SF setting) makes this a poor series for me.
176. December 18th: What Entropy Means to Me by George Alec Effinger - $3.90** - 4/10. 118pp
     [Abandoned. I'm pretty sure I've read this before, and I just don't have the patience for the style of writing.]
177. December 19th: Prisoner in the Skull by Charles Dye - $3.18 - 5/10. 256pp
     A bit dated, a bit clunky and an unsatisfactory ending involving far too much of an unlikely occurrence.
178. December 21st: Still Falling by Kurt R. A. Giambastiani - $0.69 - 8/10. 20pp
     An interesting little fantasy short story.
179. December 21st: Douglas Adams's Starship Titanic by Terry Jones - Free - 7/10. 256pp
     Quite fun, in a kind of sub-Douglas Adams kind of way.
180. December 22nd: The Venging by Greg Bear - $2.89 - 7/10. 200pp
     An interesting near to far future SF story, but I wasn't fond of the ending.
181. December 24th: Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow - Free - 8/10. 224pp
     An excellent near-future first person account of technology trends and social trends.
182. December 26th: Puppeteer by Jaebi - Free - . 50pp
     A good start, but trails off rather poorly.
183. December 27th: Falling onto Mars by Geoffrey A. Landis - Free - 8/10. 20pp
     A high-quality SF short story.
184. December 27th: Sten by Allan Cole - $3.40 - 9/10. 279pp
     Great fun in a mil-sf sort of way.
185. December 28th: The Collective by Kerry Downinge - $4.37 - 4/10. 236pp
     [Abandoned. The characters are just not interesting or believable.]
186. December 29th: Jade Darcy and the Affair of Honor by Stephen Goldin and Mary Mason. - $3.83 - 9/10. 200pp
     A really rather good SF story about a flawed hero. I liked it a lot.
187. December 31st: Rewind by Terry England. - $2.85 - . 340pp
     An enjoyable but flawed story. Good setup, but some consequences didn't ring true.

Books bought in 2012

• January (3): Grantville Gazette #39 (pre-paid), Asimov's SF February 2012, Analog SFF March 2012 (subs)
• February (15): Asimov's SF March 2012, Analog SFF April 2012, F&SF March/April (subs), Echoes of Betrayal, Bio of a Space Tyrant (vols. 2-6), City, Worlds Without End and Other Stories, Fellowship of Fear, Infected:Freefall, Infected:Life After Death, Infected:Bloodlines.
• March (7): Grantville Gazette #40 (pre-paid), Asimov's SF April/May 2012, Analog SFF May 2012 (subs), The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, The Exiles Trilogy
• April (15): Asimov's SF June 2012, Analog SFF June 2012, F&SF May/June 2012 (subs), Tales of Ethshar, The Unwelcome Warlock, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Gideon Oliver (2-10)
• May (10): Analog SF, Jul/Aug 2012 (sub), Grantville Gazette #41 (pre-paid), Out of the Dark, March 2012 Baen Bundle (A Rising Thunder, The Star Beast, The Forerunner Factor, Overkill, Sir Dominic Flandry, Bedlam's Bard), Asimov's SFF, July 2012
• June (2): F&SF July/August 2012 (sub), Fuzzy Nation
• July (2): Grantville Gazette #42 (pre-paid), 1636: The Kremlin Games
• August (52): Analog SF, September 2012 (sub), Asimov's SFF, August 2012, So You Want To Be A Wizard (New Millennium Edition), 48 Georgette Heyer Novels for $88, Silks (second-hand hardback)
• September (12): Grantville Gazette #43 (pre-paid), F&SF September/October 2012, Analog SF (September and October/November) (sub) Asimov's SF (September and October), Snuff, Unseen Academicals, The Spanish Bride, Simon the Coldheart, Charlotte Sometimes, Good Omens
• October (10): Five by Aaron Elkin and three by Marion Zimmer Bradley, The King's Buccaneer, Legion, Why Are You Atheists So Angry?
• November (8): Grantville Gazette #44, F&SF November/December 2012, Analog SFF December 2012, Asimov's SF December 2012, Rogue Program, Analog SFF January/February 2013, Asimov's SF January 2013, Scalzi Super Bundle (omnibus)
• December (0):

Analysis
TBR: 307
Books read: 185 (incl. 6 abandoned and 2 not from TBR pile)
Books otherwise removed from TBR pile: 25

Books removed from TBR pile: 210
Books added to TBR pile: 137
Removed/Added: 1.53 (should be over 2!)
Net reduction for 2012: 73

Non-free books read (or abandoned): 177
Total cost of books read: $504.27
Average cost of books read: $2.85

Non-free books bought: 137
Total cost of books bought: $311.60
Average cost of books bought: $2.27

(£ prices converted to $ prices at £1:$1.5)

* Actually a 100% rebate purchase, but I'm counting it as 50% off.