[pdurrant]

I read 185 books in 2012. (200 in 2011, 160 in 2010), but my big problem is my TBR list. Because I also bought a lot of books: 137 in 2012. (216 in 2011, 256 in 2010).

At the end of 2012, my TBR pile was 307 books long. I aimed for a reduction of 80 books in 2012 and failed.

This year, I'm going to aim to buy no more than 120 ebooks. That's fewer than I've bought in any of the past three years, so it is a challenge. Hopefully it's one I will meet. And, obviously, I intend to read more than I buy. My secondary goal is to reduce my TBR count by 67 or more books, to 240 or less.


Books read in 2013

1. January 1st: The Maker of Gargoyles and Other Stories by Clark Ashton Smith - $3.73 - 1/5 - 152pp
   [Abandoned. I can see that eldritch horror appeals to some, but not to me.]
2. January 1st: Temple: Incarnations by Steve Saville - free - 2/5 - 152pp
   Dystopian Horror/Fantasy, not quite coherent and not my kind of thing.
3. January 2nd: Firefly by Brian Stableford - $2.02 - 1/5 - 176pp
   [Abandoned. Arbitrary and mythic — not at all to my taste]
4. January 4th: Grantville Gazette 45 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 4/5 - 400pp
   The first story could have been better organised, but a good issue overall.
5. January 5th: F&SF January/February 2013 by Spilogale Authors - $3.00 - 3/5 - 200pp
   An average issue for F&SF for me. One or two stories I really like, and one or two I didn't care for.
6. January 9th: Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold - Gift - 5/5 - 432pp
   Excellent. You don't need to have ready any of her other books in this series to enjoy this one.
7. January 10th: Man-Kzin Wars XIII created by Larry Niven - $3.00 - 3/5 - 384pp
   More tales from the time when Man and Kzin were at war. Average.
8. January 13th: Deviations: Covenant by Elissa Malchon - Free - 2/5 - 332pp
   [Abandoned. The setup doesn't work, although the writing's OK.]
9. January 13th: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott - $4.58 - 1/5 - 400pp
   [Abandoned. The writing is only adequate, and I just can't believe the setup.]
10. January 14th: Persuasion by Jane Austen - Free - 3/5 - 108pp
    A bit too much exposition at the start and a very sudden resolution at the end.
11. January 17th: How Dark the World Becomes by Frank Chadwick - $3.00 - 5/5 - 336pp
    A most enjoyable Crime/Mil SF story. I'd like to see more set in this universe.
12. January 18th: Keeper of the King by P. N. Elrod - $3.00 - 4/5 - 416pp
    A slightly dated but still fun look at vampires in the modern world.
13. January 19th: Sixth Column by Robert A. Heinlein - $3.00 - 4/5 -192pp
    Heinlein's first novel, on an outline by John W Campbell. Interesting early work.
14. January 20th: Spaceman Blues by Brian Francis Slattery - Free - 1/5 - 219pp
    [Abandoned after 10%. Tor freebie. "literary retro-pulp science-fiction-mystery-superhero novel" not my kind of thing!]
15. January 21st: Starfarers by Vondra N. McIntyre - Free - 3.5/5 - 326pp
    A bit of a slow start, but I warmed to it as it went on. Enough to add the omnibus to my wishlist.
16. January 23rd: Farlight by Michael Swanson - $3.82 - 2/5 - 358pp
    Two impossible things from one discovery make this a bit too much pulp super-science for a modern novel.
17. January 24th: Dragon Ship by Lee and Miller - borrowed - 5/5- 384pp
    An excellent continuation of the storyline started in Fledgling.
18. January 26th: Necessity's Child by Lee and Miller - $3.00 - 5/5 -336pp
    An excellent introduction of some new characters and events on Korval's new planet.
19. January 27th: How Firm a Foundation by David Weber - $4.99 - 3/5 -768pp
    Only Average? Too verbose, and the irritating names are two major problems. The ideas in the story are interesting, but soooooooo slow.
20. January 30th: Asimov's SF, February 2013 by Dell Magazines - $3.00 - 3/5 - 100pp
    An average issue. Nothing outstanding, yet nothing terrible either.
21. January 31st: Asimov's SF, March 2013 by Dell Magazines - $3.00 - 3/5 - 100pp
    A little bit better than February's issue, but again, nothing outstanding.
22. February 2nd: Limits by Larry Niven - Free - 5/5 - 240pp
    An excellent collection of short stories by Larry Niven.
23. February 3rd: Tiger by the Tail by John Ringo - $3.75 - 3/5 - 240pp
    An even more over-the-top continuation of the Kildar saga. Not up to the rest of the series.
24. February 3rd: Analog SF, March 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    A good selection of stories this month.
25. February 4th: Analog SF, April 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    Another good selection of stories this month.
26. February 6th: Darkship Renegades by Sarah A. Hoyt - $2.75 - 4/5 - 400pp
    A good sequel, but I felt that some of the space stuff was poorly done.
27. February 8th: The Grey Horse by R A MacAvoy - $2.89 - 4/5 - 212pp
    A well-told tale of 1890s Ireland, with a touch of the supernatural.
28. February 9th: Sunset of the Gods by Steve White - $2.75 - 3/5 - 240pp
    Interesting, but I never felt involved with the characters.
29. February 10th: Ivory by Mike Resnick - $5.09 - 3.5/5 - 322pp
    An interesting set of linked incidents concerning a certain pair of tusks.
30. February 12th: Life of Pi by Yann Martel - $0.30 - 2/5 - 326pp
    The religion was dull, the adventure too fantastical, and the real-story conceit dull.
31. February 14th: Winter in Madrid C. J. Sansom - $0.30 - 4/5 - 200pp
    A very good historical drama set amid the events of the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War.
32. February 17th: Shadow of Freedom by David Weber - $3.60 - 5/5 - 448pp
    Moving the action on a bit. I would give it 4/5, but the evidence is that I read it quickly, and I am eagerly awaiting the next one!
33. February 18th: Assault on the Gods by Steve Goldin - $2.50 - 3/5 - 180pp
    A little bit dated, but quite fun.
34. February 19th: The Road of Danger by David Drake - $3.60 - 5/5 - 368pp
    Excellent, as usual. A good continuation of the RCN series.
35. February 20th: Honor's Paradox by P. C. Hodgell - $2.57 - 4/5 - 368pp
    Would probably be 5/5 if I'd read the previous books more recently.
36. February 22nd: Asimov's SF, April-May 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $6.00 - 4/5 - 200pp
    A slightly above average issue, with only one or two short stories I didn't like.
37. February 24th: Analog SFF, May 2013 by Dell Magazine Authors - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    Also slightly above average.
38. February 26th: A Few Good Men by Sarah A. Hoyt - $3.60 - 5/5 - 385pp
    An excellent continuation, from the viewpoint of a different character.
39. February 28th: Interzone #214, February 2008 by TTA Press authors- $3.40 - 4/5 - 100pp
    A good issue. I especially liked the last story, which and incidental interesting aliens.
40. March 2nd: Rising Sun by Robert Conroy - $3.75 - 2/5 - 352pp
    [Abandoned. I just can't get exciting about alternate recent history with no other SF or Fantasy element.]
41. March 2nd: The Iron Breed by Andre Norton - $2.75 - 3/5 - 448pp
    An omnibus of two unrelated novels, The Iron Cage and Breed to Come. Both have themes common in Norton's other books.
42. March 5th: Grantville Gazette #46 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 5/5 - 400pp
    A better-than-average issue of the Grantville Gazette
43. March 6th: F&SF, March 2013 by Spilogale authors - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    A much better than average (for me) issue of F&SF
44. March 7th: Thebes of the Hundred Gates by Robert Silverberg - $2.99 - 4/5 - 144pp
    An interesting little time-travel tale.
45. March 7th: Starborne by Robert Silverberg - Free - 2/5 - 304pp
    I wasn't fond of the literary style of the story-telling, and we had at least three impossible things. A rather weak ending, too.
46. March 10th: The Harriers, Book One: War and Honor created by Gordon R Dickinson - $3.60 - 3/5 - 200pp
    OK. Nothing special, in terms of small-scale Mil SF
47. March 11th: The Masks of Time by Robert Silverberg - $2.99 - 2/5 - 256pp
    Dated. A little dull. A little too earnestly 'literary' for my taste.
48. March 13th: Prophecy by Tianna Xander - $2.98 - 1/5 - 238pp
    [Abandoned. It's a SF/Gods/Magic Romance without anything to recommend it.]
49. March 13th: Subterranean Scalzi Bundle by John Scalzi - $5.70 - 4/5 - 600pp
    I really enjoyed the fiction in this bundle.
50. March 15th: World of the Starwolves by Edmond Hamilton - $3.33 - 4/5 - 158pp
    A fun space-operaish adventure.
51. March 16th: Lens of the World by R. A. MacAvoy - $3.33 - $2.89 - 4.5/5 - 204pp
    I really liked it. Not your usual sort of fantasy adventure, and I liked the writing style.
52. March 20th: The Heretic by David Drake and Tony Daniel - $3.60 - 4/5 - 400pp
    Another world, another war. I'm surprised that there wasn't mention of an attempt at a direct approach.
53. March 22nd: Loot by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 5/5 - 312pp
    An excellent tale of WWII looted art treasures
54. March 24th: Rage of a Demon King by Raymond E. Feist - $5.64 - 4.5/5 - 312pp
    Good. Lots of action and it moves the story right along.
55. March 27th: Armlet by Ross Richdale - $2.22 - 1/5 - 159pp
    Bad plotting and devices and appalling use of SF terms. I'm surprised I finished it.
56. March 29th: Dog and Dragon by Dave Freer - $3.60 - 4/5 - 304pp
    I like the dragon and the dog's OK. A fun story.
57. March 31st: The Harriers, Book Two: Blood and War created by Gordon R Dickinson - $3.60 - 3/5 - 237pp
    One excellent story. The others not so much.
58. April 2nd: Asimov's SF, June 2013 by Dell Magazines - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    A good issue. I enjoyed all the longer stories and most of the short ones.
59. April 4th: Analog SFF, June 2013 by Dell Magazines - $3.00 - 5/5 - 100pp
    An excellent issue. I enjoyed all the stories and the other articles.
60. April 5th: Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton - $1.50 - 5/5 - 332pp
    Wow. Excellent. As if Austen/Trollope/Heyer wrote about Dragons. loved it.
61. April 6th: Fire with Fire by Charles E. Gannon - $3.60 - 4/5 - 496pp
    Good. An interesting first novel in what looks like a Mil SF series.
62. April 9th: The Gods of War created by Christopher Stasheff - $3.60 - 3/5 - 320pp
    A series of short stores with a connecting narrative.
63. April 12th: The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 4/5 - 288pp
    Twelve short puzzles to test Poirot's "Little Grey Cells".
64. April 13th: Heechee Rendezvous by Frederick Pohl - $4.00 - 3.5/5 - 352pp
    I found the style of the story-telling a bit irritating, but overall I liked it.
65. April 15th: Shards of a Broken Crown by Raymond E. Feist - $5.64 - 4/5 - 512pp
    A good read, and concludes the SerpentWar Saga well.
66. April 16th: Austenland by Shannon Hale - $1.50 - 4/5 - 208pp
    A quick, fun read
67. April 17th: Guardian of Night by Tony Daniel - $3.60 - 4/5 - 352pp
    An enjoyable alien invasion space opera/mil sf.
68. April 19th: House of Steel by David Weber - $3.60 - 3/5 - 576pp
    An excellent novella, but I found most of the "fact" articles very dull.
69. April 21st: In Fire Forged by David Weber - $6.99 - 4/5 - 336pp
    Good stuff. Well, I skipped most of the last "technical" article on ship armour.
70. April 23rd: Portal by Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor - $3.60 - 3/5 - 432pp
    Fun, but somehow not completely engaging. Or perhaps I was tired.
71. April 25th: Moonsinger's Quest by Andre Norton - $3.60 - 3/5 - 432pp
    The first half was OK, but the second story dragged a bit. I just couldn't credit elves (& other 'supernaturals') in space.
72. May 3rd: Grantville Gazette #47 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 3/5 - 400pp
    An OK issue. Nothing outstanding, and one story I found far too sentimental.
73. May 4th: A Glancing Light by Aaron Elkins - $1.36 - 4/5 - 230pp
    A quick and enjoyable mystery/adventure in the high-end art world.
74. May 5th: F&SF May/June 2013 edited by Gordon van Gelder - $3.00 - 2/5 - 200pp
    Not quite to my taste, either in the style or the subject of most of the stories.
75. May 7th: Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2013 - $3.00 - 3/5 - 100pp
    An OK issue. Nothing that stood out.
76. May 11th: Analog Science Fiction Science Fact, July/August 2013 - $3.00 - 3/5 - 200pp
    Also an OK issue.
77. May 15th: The Judas Pair by Jonathan Gash - $1.50 - 4/5 - 210pp
    A good start to the Lovejoy series, nce past the first scene.
78. May 17th: The Enchanter Reborn by L. Sprague de Camp et al. - $3.60 - 5/5 - 320pp
    A very good collection of stories about Harold Shea, the Incompleat Enchanter.
79. May 18th: The Land of Big Blue App
    les by Don Wilcox - $3.60 - 2/5 - 100ppA pulp novella from 1946. Essentially rubbish.
80. May 19th: Pandora's Legions by Christopher Anvil - $3.00 - 4/5 - 379pp
    Bringing together all elements of Anvil's Pandora's planet stories for the first time.
81. May 21st: School of Light by Jody Lynn Nye - $3.00 - 3/5 - 408pp
    An interesting setting, although the story has a slow start. 2nd in series.
82. May 24th: Eight Million Gods by Wen Spencer - $3.00 - 5/5 - 400pp
    Excellent fantasy set in Japan.
83. May 26th: Monster Hunter Legion by Larry Correira - $3.00 - 4/5 - 528pp
    A good continuation of the Monster Hunter series
84. May 28th: Man-Kzin Wars I (25th Anniv. ed.) by Larry Niven - $3.00 - 4/5 - 384pp
    Three excellent stories of the Man-Kzin wars.
85. May 30th: Thraxas and the Ice Dragon by Martin Scott - $1.34 - 5/5 - 211pp
    An excellent continuation of the Thraxas series, and more to come.
86. May 31st: Split Heirs by Lawrence Watt-Evans and Esther Freisner - $1.29 - 2/5 - 320pp
    Disappointing. The worst of both writers rather than the best.
87. June 2nd: Elfhome by Wen Spencer - $3.00 - 5/5 - 560pp
    An excellent continuation of the Tinker series.
88. June 4th: Hokas Pokas! By Poul Anderson and Gordon R Dickinson - $2.50 - 4/5 - 288pp
    A good collection of Hoka short stories, including one longer story.
89. June 5th: How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman - Free - 4/5 - 28pp
    An intriguing glimpse of a world in a short story.
90. June 5th: Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 4/5 - 224pp
    A good Poirot mystery, neatly wrapped up at the end.
91. June 6th: Seer's Blood by Doranna Durgin - $1.67 - 4/5 - 352pp
    A satisfying fantasy adventure with good characters.
92. June 7th: The King’s Peace by Jo Walton - $1.49 - 5/5 - 530pp
    Wow. That was excellent. Arthurian but not.
93. June 9th: Realtime Interrupt by James P. Hogan - $2.00 - 4/5 - 416pp
    An interesting book, but some much more important consequences seem to have been overlooked.
94. June 11th: This Chicken Outfit by A. L. Sirois - $0.32 - 3/5 - 10pp
    An amusing short story of marketing and aliens
95. June 11th: War Maid’s Choice by David Weber - $2.57 - 4/5 - 880pp
    An enjoyable book in the series.
96. June 15th: Sentry Peak by Harry Turtledove - $1.33 - 2/5 - 506pp
    [Abandoned. US civil war thinly disguised as Fantasy. A trilogy, too!]
97. June 16th: Asimov's Science Fiction, August 2013 - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    That was fun, especially the story about "The Fleet".
98. June 17th: Analog SFF, September 2013 - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
    Another good issue, especially the main story.
99. June 18th: Noah’s Boy by Sarah A. Hoyt - $3.00 - 4/5 - 400pp
    An excellent continuation of the series.
100. June 20th: Beginnings by David Weber et al. - $3.00 - 4/5 - 384pp
     Overall, a very good collection. It's a shame it's let down by a very poor plot point in the first story.
101. June 22nd: A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 1 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - $3.00 - 4/5 - 464pp
     Liaden Chapbooks 1-8 with an extra story "Sweet Waters". Good stuff.
102. June 22nd: Wolf in Shadow by John Lambshead - $3.00 - 5/5 - 416pp
     An excellent fantasy story set in modern-day London.
103. June 24th: Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer - $1.80 - 4/5 - 288pp
     A good romance, with characters from "These Old Shades" and their children.
104. June 26th: The King’s Name by Jo Walton - $1.49 - 5/5 - 352pp
     An excellent continuation of the story in an alternate 'Arthurian' 'Britain'.
105. June 29th: Transvergence by Charles Sheffield - $3.00 - 4/5 - 544pp
     An enjoyable but forgettable continuation.
106. July 1st: Stones in the Sky by Scott Mason - $3.03 - 1/5 - 344pp
     [Abandoned after the 4th nested flashback]
107. July1st: A Glimpse of Splendor by Dave Creek - $1.45 - 3/5 - 40pp
     An OK short novella
108. July 1st: Lantern Road by John T. Cullen - $1.95 - 3/5 - 112pp
     An OK short novel, but I thought the ending was poor.
109. July 5th: Grantville Gazette 48 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 4/5 - 400pp
     A good Timespike and standalone SF story make up for OK Grantville
110. July 6th: A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber - $6.99 - 4/5 - 384pp
     That was a really good extension of the original story.
111. July 7th: F&SF July/August 2013 edited by Gordon van Gelder - $3.00 - 3/5 - 200pp
     Better for me than the last issue, but still more literary fantasy than I prefer.
112. July 8th: Tainted Garden by Jeff Stanley - $2.16 - 2/5 - 310pp
     Some interesting ideas, but I couldn't suspend disbelief.
113. July 10th: Assignment in Eternity by Robert A. Heinlein - $2.25 - 4/5 - 352pp
     Good to excellent early Heinlein.
114. July 12th: Queen of Wands by John Ringo - $2.25 - 3/5 - 448pp
     A disappointment. Internally inconsistent.
115. July 14th: Fantasy Adventures #1 edited by Philip Harbottle - $5.05 - 4/5 - 150pp
     A miscellaneous collection, most notable for a previously unpublished Dumarest story.
116. July 16th: Fantasy Adventures #2 edited by Philip Harbottle - $3.82 - 3/5 - 150pp
     Another Dumarest story, but the others weren't much.
117. July 18th: Wolverine's Daughter by Doranna Durgin - $2.00 - 3/5 - 320pp
     An OK "barbarian"/magic story.
118. July 19th: Fire Season by David Weber - $2.25 - 5/5 - 304pp
     An excellent YA Adventure.
119. July 20th: Asimov's Science Fiction, September 2013 - $3.00 - 5/5 - 100pp
     Excellent issue
120. July 22nd: Rogue Queen by L. Sprague de Camp - Free - 3/5 - 165pp
     Interesting aliens, but a bit dated.
121. July 24th: Analog SFF, October 2013 - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
     Average Issue
122. July 26th: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky - Free - 5+/5 - 1600+pp
     An excellent HP fan-fic/parody, sort of an alternate history HP. Highly recommended, if you can stand a work in progress.
123. July 30th: Dark Fire by C J Sansom - $3.77 - 5/5 - 595pp
     An excellent Tudor mystery.
124. August 2nd: But As A Soldier For His Country by Stephen Goldin - Free - 3/5 - 30pp
     A good story but really just a taster for his novels
125. August 2nd: Tour of Duty by Michael Z Williamson - $2.25 - 3/5 - 384pp
     An OK short story collection.
126. August 5th: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - $4.49 - 3/5 - 506pp
     OK, but dated (time machines but no mobile phones).
127. August 9th: The Day the Magic Stopped edited by Christopher Stasheff - $2.25 - 4/5 - 320pp
     An interesting collection of short stories, all obviously written to the same story plan - a brief unexplained break in the availability of magic in a magic Byzantium.
128. August 10th: Best Present Ever! by Lawrence Watt-Evans - Free - 4/5 - 10pp
     A delightful Christmas story of a bully and ....
129. August 11th: Pirates of the TimeStream by Steve White - $2.25 - 4/5 - 256pp
     A good story set in mid 1600s Caribbean.
130. August 11th: 1635: Papal Stakes by Charles E Gannon & Eric Flint - $2.57 - 4/5 - 432pp
     Excellent continuation of the Grantville series.
131. August 14th: Crooked House by Agatha Christie - $0.65 - 4/5 - 400pp
     Very good indeed. None of her usual detectives, a nice change.
132. August 16th: The Human Edge by Gordon R Dickson - $2.50 - 4/5 - 416pp
     A very good collection of Dickson's short stories.
133. August 17th: Blood and Judgement by Lars Walker - $2.50 - 3/5 - 320pp
     A slightly unsatisfying take on Hamlet and Mythology
134. August 18th: Firefight Y2K by Dean Ing - $2.50 - 3/5 - 320pp
     Some fun stories, but the fact articles are a bit dull
135. August 20th: Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp - $4.99 - 4/5 - 290pp
     A splendid classic time travel tale, and additional tales on the theme by some other good authors.
136. August 21st: Ice and Shadow by Andre Norton - $2.25 - 3/5 - 464pp
     Two more books with mysterious Psi-powers.
137. August 26th: Asimov's Science Fiction, October/November 2013 - $6.00 - 4/5 - 200pp
     Average Issue
138. August 29th: Analog SFF, November 2013 - $3.00 - 5/5 - 100pp
     I really liked the two main stories.
139. August 30th: The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox - Free - 2/5 - 312pp
     Poor. Essentially paranormal erotica, but not very good paranormal.
140. September 1st: Midst Toil and Tribulation by David Weber - $5.73 -4/5 - 816pp
     Back on form. An exciting continuation of the Safehold series.
141. September 5th: Grantville Gazette #49 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 4/5 - 400pp
     An enjoyable continuation of the alt-hist soap opera.
142. September 6th: Gold From Gemini by Jonathan Gash - $1.50 - 4/5 - 224pp
     A fun romp.
143. September 8th: Under a Graveyard Sky by John Ringo - $2.57 - 5/5 - 384pp
     An excellent man-made zombie apocalpyse
144. September 11th: The Exotic Enchanter by Christopher Stasheff - $2.57 - 3/5 - 288pp
     More adventures, but nothing really special.
145. September 12th: The Undead Hordes of Kan-Gul by Jon F. Merz - $2.57 - 3/5 - 400pp
     OK, but the magic system doesn't seem well thought out.
146. September 15th: The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie - $6.45 - 1/5 - 560pp
     Abandoned about 1/3rd of the way in. I just wasn't enjoying it.
147. September 17th: Treecat Wars by David Weber and Jane Lindskold - $3.00 - 5/5 - 384pp
     Splendid.
148. September 18th: In the Blood by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $1.46 - 4/5 - 111pp
     An excellent collection of short stories about vampires. Highly recommended.
149. September 19th: 1636: The Devil's Opera by Eric Flint and David Carrico - $3.00 - 4/5 - 560pp
     A good mix of mainstream story line and Grantville Gazette Soap Opera stuff.
150. September 21st: Redshirts by John Scalzi - $4.98 - 5+/5 - 320pp
     Excellent. Really splendid. The ending and Coda were really good too!
151. September 22nd: The Bull God by Roberta Gellis - $2.50 - 3/5 - 324pp
     An interesting and entertaining retelling of Ariadne's story.
152. September 23rd: A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie - $0.95 - 4/5 - 215pp
     The first part was obvious. The second bit I didn't get, although the clues were there!
153. September 23rd: AI Unbound by Nancy Kress - Free - 3/5 - 81pp
     Terrible formatting. The two AI stories were interesting.
154. September 24th: F&SF September/October 2013[/I] edited by Gordon van Gelder - $3.00 - 4/5 - 200pp
     Some I really liked (Gargoyles!). One or two I wasn't so fond of.
155. September 25th: Precious and the Monkeys by Alexander McCall Smith - $3.59 - 2/5 - 40pp
     A disappointing children's story about Precious Ramotzwe.
156. September 26th: The Human Division by John Scalzi - $4.98 - 4/5 - 432pp
     A novel as a collection of episodes. It worked well.
157. September 28th: The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi - $1.79 - 3/5 - 50pp
     An interesting short story giving Jane Sagan's point of view.
158. September 28th: Aladding and his Wonderfully Infernal Device by Tee Morris -$1.17 - 3/5 - 40pp
     A fun steampunk take on the first part of the Aladdin story.
159. September 29th: The Saturday Big Tent Wedding by Alexander McCall Smith - $2.99 - 4/5 - 170pp
     An enjoyable continuation of the series.
160. October 1st: The Sorcerer's Widow by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $2.97 - 3/5 - 120pp
     A good quick read with interesting characters.
161. October 2nd: FlashForward by Robert J. Sawyer - $0.97 - 3/5 - 320pp
     A wonderful idea, that not enough is made of.
162. October 3rd: Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch - $3.38 - 4/5 - 640pp
     An excellent continuation of the adventures of the "Gentlemen Bastards".
163. October 8th: Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer - $1.80 - 3/5 - 320pp
     An enjoyable murder mystery/romance
164. October 10th: 1635: Music and Murder by David Carrico - $4.99 - 5/5 - 518pp
     Splendid collection of short stories about the previous history of some of the main characters in 1636: The Devil's Opera.
165. October 12th: Wicked by Gregory Maguire - $2.24 - 3/5 - 464pp
     Not as good as I'd hoped. Magic exists and can be learned but most people are indifferent to it?
166. October 15th: Asimov's Science Fiction, Decembr 2013 - $3.00 - 3/5 - 100pp
     Below average (for Asimov's) Issue
167. October 16th: Analog SFF, December 2013 - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
     An average Analog, i.e. a good read.
168. October 17th: Vika's Avenger by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $5.00 - 4/5 - 300pp
     An enjoyable revenge/mystery story with an interesting backdrop.
169. October 18th: Among Others by Jo Walton - $4.67 - 5+/5 - 222pp
     Absolutely wonderful diary narrative of a teenage SF/Fantasy fan and magic.
170. October 20th: Thrice Bound by Roberta Gellis - $3.33 - 4/5 - 544pp
     An enjoyable fantasy/romance, overlapping The Bull God
171. October 23rd: Trade Secret by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - $4.50 - 3/5 - 368pp
     Perhaps it was me, but I didn't really get into this one.
172. October 25th: Deep Wizardry (New Millennium Edition) by Diane Duane - $2.75 - 4/5 - 384pp
     Gently updated to the new timeline. Excellent story.
173. October 26th: Man Who Sold The Moon/Orphans in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein - $2.57 - 5/5 - 330pp
     Excellent reissue of Some of Heinlein's future history
174. October 28th: Unnatural Creatures edited by Neil Gaiman - $1.79 - 4/5 - 287pp
     An excellent collection. I especially liked "Come Lady Death" and "SunBird".
175. November 1st: Grantville Gazette #50 edited by Paula Goodlett - $4.50 - 3/5 - 220pp
     The usual enjoyable soap opera and extras.
176. November 3rd: Asimov's SF, January 2014 by Dell Magazine Authors - $3.00 - 4/5 - 100pp
     A slightly above average issue.
177. November 5th: Analog SFF, January 2014 by Dell Magazine Authors - $3.00 - 5/5 - 100pp
     An excellent issue.
178. November 7th: F&SF November/December 2013[/I] edited by Gordon van Gelder - $3.00 - 4/5 - 200pp
     A good issue, as least as far as the fiction goes. I confess I tend to skip the book and film review sections.
179. November 10th: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - $1.59 - 5/5 - 192pp
     An excellent fantasy
180. November 11th: Phoenix Rising by Ryk Spoor - $3.00 - 3/5 - 544pp
     An OK start to a fantasy series.
181. November 13th: The Elvenbane by Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton - $0.60 - 4/5 - 400pp
     Would have been 5/5 with a better ending.
182. November 18th: The Man-Kzin Wars XIV - $3.60 - 5/5 - 224pp
     An excellent addition to the series
183. November 20th: A Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer - $1.80 - 5/5 - 320pp
     An excellent romance and a good romp with the minor characters.
184. November 22nd: The Long Earth by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett - $1.02 - 4/5 - 432pp
     Good, but more Stephen Baxter, I think, than Terry Pratchett.
185. November 24th: Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart - $1.49 - 3/5 - 336pp
     Amusing and I found the cringe-worthy moments more bearable on the page than on the screen.
186. November 26th: Phylogenesis by Alan Dean Foster - $5.64 - 5/5 - 289pp
     Much better than some of the later Flinx novels.
187. November 28th: They Came To Baghdad by Agatha Chistie - $0.95 - 4/5 - 320pp
     An excellent mystery, although the inclusion of a secret world-wide conspiracy spoils it a bit, dropping it to 4/5.
188. December 1st: Limits of Power by Elizabeth Moon - $7.49 - 4/5 - 512pp
     Really enjoyed this, and not so much of a cliff-hanger as the last one.
189. December 5th: A Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling - $1.49 - 4/5 - 576pp
     Realistic fiction. Not a genre I look for, but well-written.
190. December 8th: The Prize in the Game by Jo Walton - $1.49 - 4/5 - 341pp
     Very good, but back-filling story, rather than a continuation.
191. December 10th:Uchenna's Apples by Diane Duane - $2.38 - 3/5 - 200pp
     YA set in modern Ireland. Quite good, but no fantasy element at all.
192. December 10th: A Cosmic Christmas 2 You edited by Hank Davis - $4.50 - 3/5 - 320pp
     A fun collection of new and classic SF Christmas tales.
193. December 12th: The Turtle Moves! by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $2.51 - 3/5 - 296pp
     A fair overview of the books and the series, with one or two interesting insights.
194. December 16th: Mars, Inc! by Ben Bova - $4.50 - 3/5 - 354pp
     OK, but not a patch on "The Man Who Sold The Moon"
195. December 17th: Sovereign by C. J. Samson - $4.14 - 5/5 - 662pp
     An excellent historical mystery story set in Tudor York
196. December 20th: 1636: Seas of Fortune by Iver P. Cooper - $4.50 - 3/5 - 480pp
     Would have been much better re-worked as a novel rather than kept as connected stories.
197. December 26th: The Rebirth of Pan by Jo Walton - Free - 4/5 - 200pp
     A very good story of magic, old gods and new gods mainly set in the Greek Islands
198. December 29th: The Rebirth of Wonder by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $1.46 - 4/5 - 131pp
     A good novella that does what it says on the tin.
199. December 30th: The Cool Place by Holly Wade Matter - $0.15 - 3/5 - 10pp
     A sweet short story
200. December 30th: LightSpeed Magazine #1 edited by J J Adams - $0.87 - 3/5 - 100pp
     An enjoyable collection of short stories and info about the authors
201. December 30th: Reggiecide by Chris Dolley - $1.49 - 4/5 - 70pp
     A humorous Steampunk look at "Reeves and Worcester".
202. December 31st: Natural Selection by Lawrence Watt-Evans - $0.42 - 2/5 - 20pp
     Interesting premise, but a little weak, even for a short story.

Books bought in 2013

• January (13): Feb 2013 Bundle (Necessity's Child, How Dark the World Became, The Ship Who Searched, Man-Kzin Wars XIII, Sixth Column, Keeper of the King), F&SF January-February 2013, Grantville Gazette #45, How Firm A Foundation, Asimov's SF February 2013, Asimov's SF March 2013, Analog SFF March 2013, Analog SFF April 2013
• February (25): Bundles Dec 2012 (Rising Sun, Darkship Renegades, Grantville Gazette VI, Honor's Paradox, Moonsinger's Quest, Crisis of Empire Book II: Cluster Command, Crisis of Empire Book III: The War Machine), Jan 2013 (Tiger by the Tail, Sunset of the Gods, The Iron Breed, Spellbound: Book II of the Grimnoir Chronicles, Cobra Gamble: Cobra War Book III, Crown of Empire), Mar 2013 (Guardian of Night, The Road of Danger, Shadow of Freedom, A Few Good Men, The Harriers Book One: Of War and Honor, Hope Reborn), Life of Pi, Winter in Madrid, 1227 QI Facts To Blow Your Socks Off, Assault on the Gods, Asimov's SF April/May 2013, Analog SFF May 2013
• March (7): April 2013 Bundle (The Heretic, Fire with Fire, Dog and Dragon, Blood and War, The Gods of War, Galactic Courier), Grantville Gazette #46, F&SF March-April 2013, Thebes of the Hundred Gates, The Masks of Time, Asimov's SF June 2013, Analog SFF June 2013, Coraline
• April (8): May 2013 Bundle (Portal, House of Steel, Children of the Gates, World Divided, The Enhanter Reborn), Tooth and Claw, Austenland, In Fire Forged
• May (20): Grantville Gazette #47, F&SF May-June 2013, Asimov's SF July 2013, Analog SFF July 2013, June 2013 Bundle (Burdens of the Dead, Eight Million Gods, Cobra Slave, Man-Kzin Wars 25th Anniversary Edition, Elfhome, Ride the Star WInds, War Maid's Choice), Lovejoy books 1-4, Thraxas and the Ice Dragon, Split Heirs, The King's Peace, The King's Name, The Prize in the Game
• June (8): July 2013 Bundle (Beginnings, Noah's Boy, Wolf in Shadow, Constellation, Monster Hunter Legion, When Diplomacy Fails), Asimov's SF Aug 2013, Analog SFF Sep 2013
• July (18): August 2013 Bundle (Warbound, Pirates of the Timestream, Fire Season, Tour of Duty, Queen of Wands, Assignment in Eternity, Ice and Shadow, The Day the Magic Stopped), Grantville Gazette #48, F&SF July-August 2013, Lest Darkness Fall, Jade Darcy and the Zen Pirates, Dark Fire, A Beautiful Friendship, Shrine of the Desert Mage, Asimov's SF Sep 2013, Analog SFF Oct 2013, Gently Does It
• August (10): September 2013 Bundle (Under a Graveyard Sky, The Undead Hordes of Kan-Gul, The Man Who Sold the Moon & Orphans of the Sky, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, 1635: The Papal Stakes, Dragon Ship, The Exotic Enchanter), Doomsday Book, Soverign, Asimov's SF Oct/Nov 2013, Analog SFF Nov 2013, Revelation
• September (37): Grantville Gazette #49, F&SF September-October 2013, October 2013 Bundle (1636: The Devil's Opera, Treecat Wars, Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs, In Space No One Can Hear You Scream, Swords of Exodus, Phoenix Rising), Midst Toil and Tribulation, The Atrocity Archives, Heartstone, Voices of Hope, Patriarch's Hope, Among Others, Precious and the Monkeys, Red Seas Under Red Skies, In the Blood, Realms of Light, One-Eyed Jack, The Rebirth of Wonder, The Sorcerer's Widow, Out of this World, In the Empire of Shadow, The Reign of the Borwn Magician, Touched by the Gods, The Turtle Moves!, Aladdin and His Wonderful Infernal Device, Redshirts, The Sagan Diary, Flashforward, The Human Division,The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party, The Good, the Bad and the Undead, 1635: Music and Murder, Steelheart, The Limpopo Academy Of Private Detection, The Satanic Verses
• October (45): November 2013 Bundle (Trade Secret, Come and Take Them, Spheres of Influence, A Cosmic Christmas 2 You), The Long Earth, The Long War, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Dominion, Knight Moves, The Casual Vacancy,Asimov's SF Dec 2013, Analog SFF Dec 2013, Knots and Crosses, Vika's Avenger, Wicked, Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex, First Five in Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwall, Gently by The Shore, Gently Down the Stream, Landed Gently, 8xYoung Wizard books, Is it Just Me, Unnatural Creatures, Sharpe's Tiger, Sharpe's Triumph, Sharpe's Fortress, The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, Farseer Trilogy, Tawny Man Trilogy
• November (15): Grantville Gazette #50, F&SF November-December 2013, December 2013 Bundle (Mars Inc, 1920:America's Great War, Man-Kzin Wars XIV, Dragon's Teeth, Night and Demons), Elvenbane, The Jesus Incident, Birthright, Starplex, Future Perfect,Asimov's SF Jan 2014, Analog SFF Jan 2014, The Princess Bride, Limits of Power
• December (77): January 2014 Bundle (Revolution, 1636: Seas of Fortune, The Forever Engine, Constellation 2), Uchenna's Apples, 11xLord Peter Wimsey, Riftware & Empire trilogies, Ender Quintet, The Graveyard Book, Mammoth Book of Time Travel SF, The Time Traveller's Almanac, The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures, 9 Martin Beck Detective novels, three Lemony Snickett novels, Forensic Geology Omnibus, 18 Sharpe novels and one short shory, Fortunately, the Milk…, Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, Smoke and Mirrors, The Complete Lythande, Changespell, Medium Dead, An Unsafe Pair of Hands, Reggiecide, What Ho Automaton, Inspector Morse Omnibus (1-3), Charmed Life, Analog March 2014, Asimov's February 2014

Analysis
TBR: 378
Books read: 202 (incl. 9 abandoned and 6 not from TBR pile)
Books otherwise removed from TBR pile: 11 (2 discarded, 8 previously read, 1 misc. freebie)

Books removed from TBR pile: 207
Books added to TBR pile: 279 (including 4 free ebooks)
Removed/Added: 0.74
Net reduction for 2013: -72

Non-free books read (or abandoned): 185
Total cost of books read: $546.30
Average cost of books read: $2.95

Non-free books bought: 283 (including 8 previously read)
Total cost of books bought: $702.54
Average cost of books bought: $2.48

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


Rating System:
1: Bad. not to my taste at all. I almost certainly abandoned this one.
2: Poor. Readable, but not particularly to my taste.
3: Average. An OK read, but nothing special.
4: Good. An enjoyable read that kept my attention.
5: Excellent. Read it quickly, one of the best this year.